a scramble-ish sort of update

By way of quick update on this all-too-forgotten space:

-- Aubrey continues to do well. We had a minor (but scary) set back that began in early November and persisted until mid December, in which she began to retain a lot of fluid in her lungs. We think it probably began as a mild cold and then was compounded by her doctors taking her off her blood pressure medication and reducing her diuretic (which flushes extra fluid out of the body before it has a chance to build up in the lungs). At any rate, after initially being told it was just croup, I put my foot down and brought her back to the doctor after a series of five long nights filled with frantic gasping for breath, tears, coughing fits that were turning her blue, and sheer exhaustion. They confirmed my suspicion that it was not at all croup, but pulmonary edema. Her diuretic was increased by two and after three more long nights it began to do its work and she started breathing more clearly.

And honestly? Aside from that little hiccup, she is doing spectacularly. It's miraculous. Entirely, completely, breathtakingly miraculous.

She loves to run. Apart from that rough patch, she has boundless energy. Her tastebuds have changed! (She's pickier.) She is finally, after several long years, taking ground in reading! Even her scar, which she was initially so very disturbed at the thought of having, has become its own badge of honor for her.

Words can't say how thankful we are for how strong and healthy and vibrant and whole she is!

-- We finally closed on the new house! First, the sale on our old house was delayed by a couple weeks. Then the sale on the new house was also delayed. Banks. Attorneys. Paperwork. New York state. Oh my. We are so excited about the new place, if feeling a bit in over our heads right about now!

We closed on a Tuesday at 5pm and by 8pm that evening we had changed into work clothes and were eagerly tearing up carpet. That was only the beginning of the demolition work that was about the ensue, I must say. As is often the case with old houses, the more you uncover, the more you find that needs to be uncovered/addressed. Although the house right now is completely unlivable because of all that's been torn out, it's actually feeling rather exciting. Not surprisingly (old house, remember), there really wasn't insulation in most any of the exterior walls. Taking down all the plaster and lathe and removing brick that was between the exterior and interior walls will allow us to get the house better sealed up.

Daniel has spent many hours (major understatement), along with the help of many others, pulling out the old in preparation for the coming updates. We're just now beginning the process of putting things back together.

We love this house. We love the heritage in the Gospel that it has cradled for years. There is amazing history to it. The people we bought it from are godly, selfless, kind, and faithful people. It is fun to imagine all the years of living that has gone on in that home before us, and to imagine what lies ahead!

And although I've learned better than to say I'll blog more on that "another time"... I really will try!

-- December has been full of all the wonderful and busy things that December brings. Christmas concerts and Christmas cookies and Christmas carols and Christmas books and Christmas trees and Christmas shopping and Christmas movies, and on and on. It was a strange Christmas for us, being out of our own home and all (we're renting a home in Madrid from some of the most generous of people while we work on the new home in Potsdam), but special in its own way.

The forced simplicity was good for me.

The challenge of maintaining certain traditions without all my normal tools and systems in place was at times stressful.

The children, especially Aubrey, cried often about how much they missed home.

The morning of Christmas dawned at my parents' home-- the first time we woke on a Christmas morning in that house since Gabriel was not yet 2 years old and Bronwyn was a little baby-- and every. single. child. declared it "the best Christmas ever"!

We didn't have a real tree in our own place, but my mom lent us her little boxwood bush that normally resides in her big kitchen window and we decorated it with fairy lights and homemade ornaments and even cookie cutters that were given to Daniel as CFA Christmas gifts. It was quirky and perfect.

-- In the midst of all the December hubbub, my beautiful baby giant turned two years old. Two!

We celebrated with little fanfare-- my parents and Merrick came over for a simple dinner of homemade macaroni and cheese and a chocolate bundt cake-- but he was delighted with what little we did. He sang "Happy Birthday" along with us, and with great gusto I might add. He blew out the candles on cue, no prompting needed. He opened gifts and lined up each little matchbox car and wooden truck in a row, which is his favorite thing to do.

I can't believe this baby of mine is already two years old! Bronwyn asked me the other day when I'm going to potty train him and I almost fell over at the thought that such a thing could happen any time soon... but she's right, and I am dumbfounded.

-- Otherwise, these days have been filled with the usual: homeschooling and housework and errands and cooking and reading aloud and snuggles. I do my fair share of repenting when life is stressful because I often find my words sounding more like barking than speaking, and the children so graciously forgive. Daniel and I have settled in on a phrase that is almost comical in how little it actually does say, but somehow it helps us just take a deep breath and enjoy the adventure: "It is what is!"

That's going to cost twice as much as we thought? "It is what it is!"

That's going to take five times longer than we thought? "It is what it is!"

We have do all that in one day? "It is what is!"

Wherever we are, Lord, let us live to the hilt this moment and situation for Your glory!