Lion Country Safari (without me)

First up on the Lion Country Safari trip is the drive-thru portion of the trip:

 

Each of the kiddos got a turn in the front seat.

Isaac had his "blue bear" sit on the dashboard to see the animals. (He is VERY stuck on his blue bear and small doggie.)

Love this little face!

Sidge doesn't have any animal he "needs" when he goes to sleep so he randomly chooses different ones on any given night/week. When JB asked him if he wanted to bring one to the park, he randomly chose this yellow bear from Grama Di's stash.

None of the kids wanted to stay near the lions. Abigail was actually making the sign for "all done." They wanted outta there!

Big male lions

Abigail showing off her pacifier bunny in the window. She is majorly stuck on that thing! (Habits to be broken on another day in another country!)

 

 

Apparently Sidge was way excited to see the zebras.

An attempt at a picture of all three of them.

When the rhinos started running, JB played it up a bit. He thought the kids were into the game but apparently Sidge was pretty scared. When they drove away he said, "Whew. I'm glad to get outta there. That gave me a stomach ache."

 

They were able to see the monkeys switching over to a different island.

After the drive-thru portion, it was time to head to the walk-thru portion of the park. The kids absolutely LOVED feeding the birds!

And now? Time to feed the goats!

After that, JB braved the waterpark and then they had lunch.

Then it was time for birds in a different section. Sidge loved being a piwate!

 

I love this one of Abigail. She is making the sign for "snack" in the background. That kid wants a snack ALL ... THE ... TIME.

Off to the amusement park ride:

Abigail attempting her new smile.

She's saying "Cheeeseeee!"

 

Here she is saying "Yeeee"

And here she is saying "Hawwwww."

 

A boat ride:

Lion Country Safari (without me)

Hubby and three oldest kids are here today: Lion Country Safari.

(Thanks to this coupon for military personnel.)

Baby Hannah and I stayed home.

I really wanted to go. And if we had a vehicle here that we could all fit in, I think I might have been able to talk my hubby into letting me go.

But alas, he thought it best that I stay home with wee babe. My legs have been swelling a lot. I have to walk incredibly slowly and tire very easily. Yesterday was a big day for us. I know he is right. But man I bet they are having a blast! I can't wait for them to get back and tell me all about it.

So I only had one kid today. Just one tiny baby who sleeps, eats, and poops all day. (Man I forgot how much a newborn baby poops!) So what did I do?

• I took a hot shower.
• I took a nap with my baby daughter on my chest.
• I ate Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie ice cream right out of the container.
• I watched a movie.
• I ate Indian food.

Who needs Lion Country Safari?

What a great day.

Friday Funnies

After Isaac had pulled a random Superhero fact out of thin air, yet again, JB said to him: "Man Isaac. You have a memory like a steel trap."
Isaac: "No, I don't."
JB: "No, that's a good thing. It means you are very smart."
Isaac: "Oh. Okay then."
*****
Sidge's prayer last night: "Dear Jesus, please bless this food and help us go back to the Azores and help the flight not be deleted." (He meant delayed.)
*****
The following conversation took place while JB was at the grocery store with Sidge.
Sidge: Daddy, do all the people eat the food?
JB: What people? What food?
Sidge: The people who live at the store?
JB: No, they don’t live there. They work there.
Sidge: Oh. Why do they work there?
JB: So they can make money.
Sidge: So they can buy food?
JB: Yes.
Sidge: So, they work there to buy food there?
JB: Sure.
Sidge: No they don’t.
JB: What?
Sidge: They only work there. But they get food from Flamingo Gardens.
JB: What?
Sidge: They have food at Flamingo Gardens. It grows there. They work at the store, but they leave and get food from Flamingo Gardens and then go back to the store.
JB: Oh.
 
*****
While watching a nature show: 
Sidge: Daddy, are those bats?
JB: Yes.
Sidge: Are they good or bad?
JB: Well, they are good. They eat lots of bugs.
Sidge: Oh, that is good.
JB: Yes.
Sidge: Do they eat people?
JB: No.
Sidge: Do they attack people.
JB: No.
Sidge: Then they are good!
JB: When we have a farm, we will build some bat houses, so the bats will eat the insects that eat the food in our garden.
Sidge: How do you build a bat house?
JB: It’s not hard. I can show you. Maybe even Grampa K can show you and build one with you.
Sidge: That sounds great! How do you tell the bats to go into the houses?
JB: You just put them out, and the bats will find them.
Sidge: Oh. I know! We can go out there and tell the bats, in bat voices, “Here is a house for you!”
JB: Okay.
Sidge: Daddy?
JB: Yes.
Sidge: How do you talk in bat voices?
JB: I don’t know.
Sidge: Yeah. I betcha Grama K knows.

She can fly!

 

JB and I spent our yesterday (Thursday) in Miami -- a little over an hour from parents home in Coconut Creek. (My wonderful mother took the day off of work to stay with the other three kiddos. Bless her.)

 

Our mission: to obtain a passport for our newest little bambino so that we can all get back to the Azores, back to our home, back to our dog, and back to work (JB anyway.)

 

JB and I are always a bit uneasy when it comes to government-run anything. Kinda funny when you consider he's in the military and works for the government. However, so many times in our past, we feel like we follow the rules, do what they say to do, and something still goes awry.

 

So getting Hannah a same day passport, made us both a little uneasy. What if something went wrong? We needed to get this done to go home. And it has been very important to us that we get to all go home together. They say it's easy. They say this is all you need. But was it really?

 

It was!

 

It really was!

 

Birth certificate? Check

Both parents present? Check

Baby present? Check

One handy-dandy required DS-11 form? Check

Passport photos? Check

Dad's ID? Check

Mom's ID? Check

JB's orders saying we needed to fly ASAP? Check

A lot of money? Check

 

And ... wa-la! We have a passport.

 

Our appointment was at 8am. We gave ourselves 90 minutes for what mapquest said was a 45 minute drive, and we barely made it. The traffic was that bad. Thank goodness JB opted to pay an additional $2.50 for a "fast lane" on 1-95. (Did you even know these types of things existed?) Had we stayed in regular traffic, we would have missed the appointment altogether!

 

They told us to return between 2pm and 3pm. Very important to show up between those hours. We wouldn't be allowed in before 2pm and the doors close for the day at 3pm. However, we were told that the passport probably wouldn't be ready until close to 5pm.

 

So we opted to show back up at 2:30pm. And miracle of all miracles, her passport was already ready! This meant we could return home before rush hour! Yipee!

 

But this still meant that between 9am and 2pm, we had to find something to keep us occupied in Miami. And it couldn't be just anything? Dear ol' me is still recovering from a C-section, and while I had no swelling at all during pregnancy, my legs and feet have been swelling quite a bit in the 10 days that have followed. I can walk, but only very slowly. And of course, we have a one week old baby that we don't want exposed to every germ there is.

 

So ... we headed to Bayside. We got some breakfast snacks at Starbucks and sat by the water. After that, we decided to take an open top bus ride around Miami. It was a little pricey, but boy was it fun! JB and I realized two things while on this bus ride:

 

1. Man have we missed each other! Not only were we just apart for a five weeks, but the last year of both of our lives has been, without a doubt, the most difficult we have ever experienced as a couple. I was incredibly sick for nearly nine months. I was battling depression for a lot of that. We have three young children that keep us very occupied. JB is working full-time. We had moved to a new country. There has just been so much working against us and pulling us apart. We kept telling each other to hang on. That at the end of this pregnancy there would be a beautiful baby and I would feel better and we could reconnect. And now, we are finally getting to do that. It was so wonderful to spend some time together just he and I (well, and a kid who doesn't talk yet too!)

 

2. While we both grew up in South Florida, we have never really "experienced" the niceties of Miami. We only know it for the crime and "yuck." There is a whole lot of beauty and fun things to do in this city. We definitely want to return with the kids at some point in the future and do some of the fun things this city has to offer.

 

Here are some pictures of our bus ride around Miami:

 

Hannah slept through the whole tour!

 

My legs were pretty swollen by this point but here's a picture of me 10-days-post-baby.

Little Havana. How have I never been here?

This was outside a Cuban restaurant where a bunch of men were gathered playing dominoes.

A bit windblown.

They were shooting a Spanish soap opera here!

So many beautiful churches. And many of them are pretty old (for American standards.) I had no idea of the history in this city.

In front of the Biltmore hotel which hosts the largest swimming pool in the USA!

We saw a lot of beautiful architecture.

This is a fresh water swimming hole open to the public. I definitely want to take the kids here one day.

We got a lot of shots over Wendi's (and her breastfeeding cover's) shoulder.

superhero cousins

We have been so blessed by the time we have gotten to spend with our cousins while we are home. Charleigh (pictured below) is so incredibly imaginative and engaging. She and Sidge could hatch a plan to take over the universe if given enough time. She's just two months younger than Sidge so they are a perfect age to play together. Little sister Baylee is about six months older than Abigail and their relationship is a bit more love/hate depending on what Baylee might have that Abigail thinks she should not have. Here are a few superhero pictures:

 

Syria

I read this on Facebook this morning. A soldier posted this as his status. Or so they say. I'm not going to search to find out who wrote it or why they wrote it or if they wrote it. It just accurately summarized how I feel about Syria and the conflict there.

 

I wrote the other day and shared a link to information about Syria. We have a very dear friend in our lives who is from Syria. He is Muslim. We are Christians. And we are friends. Bara did a guest post for my blog back in 2007 where he shares how we met and what we have learned from each other. Bara loves his country immensely. He loves the opportunities he has had in America. I want healing in Bara's country. I want him to be able to go home and live in peace.

 

I think of Bara every time I hear of Syria. It puts a real face with a real place and reminds me that these people are not just anonymous individuals. They are real people with real families and real goals and desires and dreams. Just like us.

 

I also know that I have a husband in the military, and I have many, many friends in the military, and we want our husbands home with us. I don't want to see more deaths. I don't want to see more families split up. I watched what just five weeks without JB did to my kids. We aren't designed as human beings to be split up from our families. And being split up temporarily, is obviously not the worst thing that war can do to a family.

 

I did not vote for President Obama. But I pray for him. I support him. I know he and our other government officials want peace as badly as I do. I also know that there is no good answer to evil. Evil is evil. You can't reason with evil.

 

Here are the soldiers words, which echo I feel perfectly:

Some people are asking me what I think about Syria, so here it is:

I’m tired. I’m tired of people watching their children grow up via Facebook and Skype. I’m tired of hearing a man tell his wife ‘I love you’ followed by ‘I miss you’ for an entire year. I’m tired of wa...tching the military divorce rate shoot sky-high. I’m tired of overhearing some teenager tell his mom over the phone, “I’m going over there” and hearing her cry from 20 feet away. I’m tired of Veterans waiting years to get the help they deserve and need. I’m tired of empty seats at Christmas dinner every other year and anniversary presents in the mail flying overseas. I’m tired of new men and women walking around with invisible wounds that don’t heal.

Our flag is a beautiful thing- but I’m tired of seeing it draped over a casket. I’m tired of men and women missing pieces of their bodies, minds, and souls.

I want peace in Syria. I want people to stop killing each other in Syria, as well as anywhere else in the world. I want to look back on wars, not anticipate them. I want to make plans for the next year, and the year after that don’t revolve around being in a foreign country. I want proof that the people we’re helping aren’t the people who have been trying to kill us for more than a decade. I want to know that the people we’re attacking are the ones who used the Chemical Weapons. I want to know how Syria’s problem is a threat to America, our Freedom, and our people. I want to know why we’re doing this alone, when the use of Chemical Weapons should get an international response.

I can’t protest in uniform or speak against the leaders of our country. But I can address people.

Stop worrying about Miley Cyrus rubbing her ass on Beetlejuice. The next season of The Walking Dead will be available on DVD and Netflix and I promise, it won’t change from what they’ve shown on television. Unless you play football, and your income depends on that next game, stop obsessing over a sport for a bit. The clubs, bars, honky-tonks, and juke joints will be there all year.

Ben Affleck isn’t a real hero, so it doesn’t matter what he does in a Batman costume at this point. You might want to turn your attention to this for just a minute, and maybe say how you feel about it- one way or another.

Because a whole lot of people are going to die real soon, no matter what. It’s just a matter of who they are.

the 'ing's of our life

Hannah is camped out in the living room in a basinet. When JB needed to turn the light on above her head, he pulled out his eye mask to help make sure she stayed asleep. It really cracked me up!

 

Learning. We are learning our new little girl. So far she seems very mellow and sweet. She has a nice cry. (Some babies ... well, ummm, Elijah ... did not.) She is slowly getting her days
and nights screwed on straight and is very snuggly and chubby. We like her. :)

Welcoming. There's a new sibling to welcome aboard. Each of the kids is getting to know Hannah in their own way. Abigail doesn't want to hold her as much as I thought she would. (Which is probably a good thing.) But she's kind and curious and gentle which is great. Isaac is very sweet with her, giving her kisses or talking to her. However, overall, you can tell she's not anything of great note on his radar. Sidge asks the most questions and is the most curious about her arrival: umbilical cords, breast feeding, diaper changing ... Sidge wants to understand what is going on.

Doctoring. So glad to have a doctor on board. Little things are popping up. I've got some sort of rash on my stomach and legs. Hannah's bottom is mighty red. I've had some really bad pain in my lower left side. Those types of things. And having JB here means I just have to say, "What do you think about ..." and we have an answer. That alone was worth four years of medical school and three years of residency. The hospital recommended the local "Pediatric & Associates" which is right down the street. They saw Abigail on Monday and will see her again next Monday before we fly back. They can also get a letter which the airlines may require for flight.

Recovering. This is where Wendi is right now. I'm recovering from my fifth (and prayerfully last!) stomach surgery. Overall my recovery has gone nearly flawlessly. I was able to leave the hospital a day early and am now navigating the stairs at my parents' home and actually able to pick things up off the ground without using my toes. My biggest obstacle is always trying to manage the pain while keeping my bowels moving. (Percocet can back you up to put it bluntly.) I have a great fear of my bowels shutting down again like they did with Sidge and gas pain is a booger!

Preparing. We are preparing for our return to the island. Hard to believe we are planning to navigate a return trip in just a week. We will take a commercial flight north and then we hope to catch a military flight back to the island. Unfortunately, it's an overnight flight. Yuck! JB is also busy packing up boxes to ship stuff home. Man, we've accumulated a lot of things during our two months here.

Scrubby-ing. We miss him. JB's tech back on the island, a single gal whose name is, ironically Hannah Olivia (which were our two final contenders for a baby name), is staying at our house and taking care of our pup for us!

Passporting. We are getting the little lady ready to fly! We were able to get a birth certificate the day after the baby was born. Today JB managed to get passport photos of Hannah at a local pharmacy. On Thursday, JB, me and the baby will spend the entire day in Miami (about an hour away) getting her a same-day passport!

Visiting. We are spending time with family members we won't see for quite awhile. All of JB's brothers and sisters are here or have been here except for his sister Katie. My brother lives here too. John's sister Elizabeth flew in from South Carolina with her twin boys. His brother Rob and his girlfriend came down two weekends. We've gotten to spend some good quality time with his brother Matt and his wife Danielle. It's been great.

Blessing. We are watching the Lord's blessings every day. Individuals in my parents' Bible Study have been blessing our family with meals. What a great gift! This was a place that both JB and I spent our entire childhood, and it is wonderful to touch base with individuals who played a part in my life growing up.

Watching. A bit more TV than we are used to. Abigail has become addicted to Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. She makes a sign for "Mickey" by putting her hands on her head like ears. She asks to watch it nearly non-stop so mostly we are trying to keep her episode viewing down to a few a day. What will we do when we return to the Azores and we do not have Direct TV?

Eating. Aaaaaah "American" food. We sure are trying to get our full before we head back "home."

Our trip to the Towers

During the summer of 2001, JB and I took a driving trip along the East coast of the USA. On July 1st, 2011, JB took this picture (above) of me in front of the World Trade Center buildings when our trip took us through New York City.

It would, of course, be just a little over two months later that the entire world would watch everything change. I was a school teacher in 2001, and in 2006, five years later, I wrote about what I was doing on September 11, 2001. I posted about this here: September 11, 2006 Reflections.

Those of us old enough to remember will never forget where we were that day.

First bath

 

Here is Hannah taking her first bath. We had to bathe this chick fast because of all that hair she has!

Happy Grandparents Day (Part II) ... exciting news to share

So today I present a thank you and share some excitement with all of you regarding JB's parents: the other greatest grandparents in the world.

To say that I like my in-laws would be an incredible understatement. I love them. They are amazing people: fantastic parents and even more fantastic grandparents.

Their help so many times in our lives has been incredibly appreciated, especially help with each of our babies. Mom was there to watch Isaac when I spent a week in the hospital after Sidge was born. We were able to vacation with them in Germany shortly after Abigail's arrival (see photo above). And now, during this babe's life, they have been standing by ready and able to help with everything as well.

Grama K. has always amazed me with her creativity. She can entertain the kids with a piece of wood or one cup of play dough. She is one of those Gramas that has a ton of tricks up her sleeve. I have also always admired her for the way she can let the rest of her world go and just live in the present. She is able to multi-task and focus on the task at hand without looking in any other direction too much. Anytime we come over, she quickly puts aside anything else begging for her attention and gives the attention to the people there presently.

Grampa K. is, truly, just a great man. If there is a man that I want my boys to learn from and emulate, he would be at the top of that list. I am not surprised to be married to such a great man. He had a great example of a man to follow. Dad K. works incredibly hard, with long hours, as a carpenter. But there is nothing more important to him than his family. He would do anything for any member of his brood any day.

So it is with great excitement that I share some incredible news. These wonderful people that I call Mom and Dad, are moving to the Azores with us! Yes, you read that correctly. It is time for Dad to retire. We always thought he would do this after JB's commitment to the military expired next summer. But he decided to do it a little earlier. He is putting his hammer down and going to come live with us. They'll be with us in the Azores until next summer and will then share a part of our lives where life next takes us.

Mom is actually flying out just a day after us. Dad was planning on coming with her, but he still has some things to accomplish and finish up here in South Florida. So he'll do that and hopefully be just a few weeks behind her.

We are so amazingly blessed to have JB's parents finish out our time on the island with us. To have our kids get to have their grandparents near them for the first time ... ever ... is an amazing feeling. We are very excited.

Happy Grandparents Day Grampa and Grama K.

Let the adventure begin!

Happy Grandparents Day (Part I)

"The impetus for a National Grandparents Day originated with Marian McQuade, a housewife in Fayette County, West Virginia. Her primary motivation was to champion the cause of lonely elderly in nursing homes. She also hoped to persuade grandchildren to tap the wisdom and heritage their grandparents could provide. President Jimmy Carter, in 1978, proclaimed that National Grandparents Day would be celebrated every year on the first Sunday after Labor Day."

I find it a welcome coincidence that Grandparents Day falls on September 8th this year ... just four days after the birth of our daughter. There has been no other time during the five years that I have been a parent, that I would feel more of a need to say thank you to my parents, George and Diane Huisman, than this year.

I have now been living at their house since the 26th of July. I showed up with my three small children and took over their home. Literally. We ... took ... over. Two of their three bedrooms are now being utilized by our family. There are toys tucked into every corner. Swimming toys and attire line the entry way. There are piles of shoes and laundry and containers of apple juice and goldfish everywhere.

While both my parents work full-time, they have given up every other spare minute that they have to help our little military family come to America (sans Daddy) so that I can deliver out little girl.

By the time I got up in the morning, my Dad and Mom were already awake with one or both of the boys. Juices has been made. Granola bars passed out. Fruit cut up. Sometimes a cartoon was on. Sometimes crayons or puzzles were out.
During the work day, my mom would check on us periodically. Did I need anything? Was I okay? How could she help? She'd get home between four and five o'clock and would not even stop to sit down before jumping in and helping me. Dinner. Baths. Entertainment. You name it, she did it.    

On the weekends, the help continued. If I needed them to skip church, they would. The park. Swimming. Groceries. Meals. Laundry. Everything. Anything.

I was still battling morning sickness at the end of this pregnancy. And, with what we now know to be a ten pound baby inside me, I was far from energetic when it came to motherhood. I was lying on my parents' couch much more than I was helping.

But they didn't care. They encouraged me to rest, to lay down, and to let them do everything.

Now that baby has arrived, my Mom is probably more sleep deprived than I am. I honestly do not see her doing anything for herself. She is working or helping me. Only when I encourage her does she agree to take a nap. And then, she'll often have one of my kids with her. As I write this, she and Isaac are upstairs playing his favorite computer game with her. She is up numerous times in the night with me offering to give the baby a bottle or hold her or anything else I might need.

I have always been close with my Dad and Mom. They have always held a special place in my life. Since I have had kids, that love and appreciation has only intensified. They now have six grandchildren five and under! And they love each and every one of them immensely and whole-heartedly. My father was always a loving man. But I would have never called him a softie.

Until he became a grandparent.

Now, he is majorly soft. He is goo when it comes to these little people running everywhere around their little townhome.

Usually, I find words are easy for me, especially when I can write them. But I have struggled to find an adequate way to say thank you to my parents for opening their home and taking care of me and my children during the last seven weeks. So I'll just say ... thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Happy Grandparents Day Dad and Mom. I love you!

Hannah Joy Kitsteiner

 

Four little Kitsteiners

And then there were four.

I am "home" from the hospital! Now I can load some stuff and share some stuff on the blog. While I could get online at the hospital, I couldn't load anything to blogger. A bit frustrating but the last three times I was at the hospital, there was no internet access at all so I have nothing to complain about. Man are things different with technology.

Here are some videos of the kiddos meeting their little sister:

Isaac meets Hannah
Sidge meets Hannah
Abigail meets Hannah (quick kiss)
Abigial meets Hannah (longer)

I was glad to see this videos as I was not feeling very good during this part and don't really remember it that much (see below).

I checked into the hospital on Wednesday at 10am. They hooked me up to the monitor and the nurse was like, "You are having contractions every 2 to 3 minutes." Yep. Sure was. Sure have been. But these babies got really intense, and by the time the doctor came in, he was like, "I'm glad we have this scheduled for today."

Me too!

It was nice to receive the epidural and stop feeling those for awhile.

It is true, yes sir'ee that this little lady weighed 10 pounds and 2 ounces. Can you believe it? I definitely thought I looked "smaller" with Hannah than I did with Sidge or Abigail. Before we went back to deliver, I guessed that she was 8.2. JB guessed 7.15. We were both way off.

They had a little trouble getting Hannah out because she was so big. Lots of pulling and tugging -- much more than I was used to. As soon as she came out, one of the nurses assisting on the surgery said, "It's a ... toddler!" Quite funny. JB noticed how much hair she had. Very dark brown hair. Go figure!

They brought me back to the room after the surgery to recover where it appeared I had a bit of hypothermia set in. This didn't last long, but they just couldn't get my temperature up enough and I therefore felt pretty lousy. Once this was corrected, however, I felt tons better. I wasn't shivering and didn't even feel cold. I was even sweating. But I just didn't feel good until this got fixed.

By Thursday mid day I was up and moving around, and the doctor gave me the choice to go home on Friday or wait until Saturday. I was feeling pretty good and opted for Friday. So here we are.

A huge thank you to my parents, JB's mom, and Aunt Danielle for helping with the kiddos while we were at the hospital. In addition, Abigail was having a hard time away from us so my mom spent the second night at the hospital so that Daddy could be with the other three kids. I really appreciated this.

Here's a picture Danielle sent us from the time she spent with the kiddos on Friday:

 

JB saw this picture and said, "I bet things went down like this..." (Danielle said he nailed it almost exactly!)

Gramma: "Okay, everyone... Thumbs up!"
Isaac: "I'll smile, but I'm not putting my thumbs up. That would be too... conforming."
Elijah: "Thumbs up? Sure!!!! What else do you want me to do?"
Abigail: "I can't quite get my thumbs up, but I can point my fingers!"

 

We will be in South Florida about two weeks before we make our way back to the island. In addition, I wanted to share some incredible news about who will be coming back to the island to live with us for our remaining nine months.

 

But I'll wait to tomorrow to unveil that!

Checked out

Much to say. Much to write. But for now, I've been discharged and we are all back at my parents finding out how to be a family of six. Hope to update you soon!

Pictures

We can't get pictures to load to the blog so click here for some Facebook snaps.

Hannah Joy

We can't get a photo to load via our iPad, but ...

Hannah joy is here!
10 pounds 2 ounces
22.5 inches

She is one huge baby!

Everyone is great!

Last photo before we add one more!

Time to go!

All three kiddos are hanging out with Papa and Grama Di as we get ready to head to the hospital. The boys seem to totally understand what is going on and that they need to be big helpers today with Abigail.

 

We keep explaining to Abigial what is happening. We say, "Where are Mommy and Daddy going?" and she says, "Baby!" Then we tell her that she is going to come up to the hospital and see the baby. "And what else are you going to get to do?" we ask, and she makes the sign with her hands for holding and gets a big smile.

Okay so maybe she doesn't totally get it. She keeps pointing to Papa's stomach and saying "Baby. Baby." :) The boys decided to help Papa was the car so it would be nice and shiny when they went to go see the baby.

Tomorrow is the BIG BIG day!

On May 7, 2008 we welcomed Isaac John Kitsteiner:

 

 

On January 31, 2009, Elijah Luke Kitsteiner joined us on the outside:

 

 

And on July 16, 2011, we first got to meet Abigail Grace Kitsteiner:

 

Time for me to head to bed as we get ready to introduce baby #4!

We know she'll be here on September 4, 2013.

C-section is scheduled for noon.

Stay tuned for her name and much more!

 

If you feel lead to pray for us, we would specifically appreciate prayer for the following:

• For everything to go incredibly smooth during the C-section: guide the doctors and nurses who are bringing this baby into the world.
• During both of my previous sections, I had a concerning amount of bleeding immediately thereafter. Please pray that my body quickly does things the way it is supposed to.
• Our other three little kiddos (primarily Abigail) as she spends a number of days without Daddy and Mommy (something that has not been easy for her.)
• Our other three little kiddos as they welcome a fourth child into our family.
• The individuals (my parents, JB's mom, and Aunt Danielle) who will be watching big siblings while I am in the hospital.
• That any sort of PPD or other complications would not come anywhere near me!

Hidden Island

Check it out! Terceira Island (where we live) is listed on this USA TODAY compilation of "Hidden Islands You've Never Heard Of."

Elijah getting ready to see Daddy

I decided to take just the boys to the airport. JB got an earlier flight but was still due in late (8:30) for kid standards. I put Abigail to bed and got the boys ready to go. About that time, I found Sidge on the stairs at my parents' home, crying. I asked him why he was crying. He said, "Because I'm so happy to go get Daddy. You know how you cried when I was born because you were so happy? That's why I am crying." Priceless. I got a video of him talking about it afterwards:



As for Abigail, she ended up hearing JB and sitting up in her bed when we got home. She immediately jumped up, lifted her arms, and yelled "Daddy!" They spent about 5-10 minutes after that just snuggling on the bed before she agreed to go back to bed.

Everyone is so happy to have their jet-lagged Daddy back home. It is strange. To go from single-parent-parenting to having your partner back will take some adjusting. And we only have a few days to find a new normal as I go in for my bloodwork today (Tuesday) and our C-section is scheduled for Wednesday around noon!

Keep checking the blog. Sometime on Wednesday we'll get a post up announcing the birth of our daughter, who we are pretty sure we have finally named.

Syria guest post (By Bara)

Back in medical school, JB and I were fortunate to meet Bara. Bara was doing some training at Mayo Clinic but was from Syria, and JB actually met him in the Mayo locker room. (Bara had no idea how to open the Master Locks on the lockers so JB showed him and after conversation, invited him to join our family for Thanksgiving Dinner the next day.)

Since that day, we have continued to stay in touch with Bara -- some seasons more than others. We have continued to educate each other on different cultures.

Syria has therefore remained of interest to me. Not only because of Bara, but because of the border it shares with Turkey (as illustrated in this photo below):

I've been wanting to ask Bara to write a post on my blog, providing education for Americans, who generally speaking, are pretty out of touch with what is going on in the world. Yesterday on Facebook, he posted a link to an article: 9 questions about Syria you were too embarrassed to ask.

Please note that Bara added a few notes of his own to the article posted above. I really encourage us all to read this and educate ourselves on this delicate situation. He specifically disagreed with the answer to number 6 within the article and explains that below:

As for 6, I really think that the US can do a lot! I understand tat the US doesn't want to be involved physically with yet another war, but there are so many ways where a superpower like the US can help! Examples, and not limited to, are:

1. supplying the rebels with advanced weapons, or at least allowing other nations (Saudia, Qatar) to do so, implement a no fly zone so Assad regime would stop bombing civilians from the air, multiple infrequent air strikes that could tire the regime.
2. And last but not least: make sure that Assad doesn't cross the chemical weapon redline again.

And I know you all are worried about extremists getting hold of American weapons! That's a legit point and I do respect that argument, however, I don't know if I ever announced that I was in northern Syria few weeks ago to help with the humanitarian work there! And I can definitely see how extremism can grow under those circumstances! BUT that's where the west can interfere: if you guys arm the moderate groups, they'll grow stronger and eventually they will dominate! How do I know?!? I've seen with my eyes when I was there! People there are desperate !!! They just want someone, anyone , to get them out of the misery!

I will come

This article really hit home for me. I love all my children, of course, but there is something about my little girl that resonates with me in a different way. JB echoes this statement. And on Wednesday, there will be two little girls in our home. I pray this ministers to you the way it did to me.

I’m tired and she’s tired. And she’s been weeping with frustration, her face a smudge of red cheeks and snotty trails.

I go down on my knees beside her little, chubby legs. They’re curving over the edge of her green froggy potty stool and she is glaring hot blue eyes into my face. I reach for her and she swats at me and doesn’t want the comfort I know she wants.

I gently take her hands and pull her up. Her tender self all frustration and sweat and nakedness melting into me. I cup her with my arms and my words and slowly stroke those damp curls back from her cheeks.

I’ve got deadlines and to-do lists and no clue what to make for dinner. There is one quiet window before the boys come home and Pete has made it back early and we’re hoping for a snatched ten minute nap. But she’s inconsolable for reasons she can’t put into two-year-old words yet and I’m on my knees reaching for her.

I will always come, baby.

 She’s in my arms and slowly beginning the ritual of stroking my right arm. Her curls are warm and sweaty and that pudgy baby cheek fits just under my chin.

I will always come.

I dance with her slowly – the rock and roll of motherhood – and I know this is a promise I can stake my life on.

I will always come.

When you forget your lunch. When you are sheep number 5 in the Christmas play. When you take up the recorder and bleat all the way through the Easter service. When you get that bad hair cut. When you think you want to be a beauty queen, when you swear off fashion altogether.

I will come.

When the mean girls make you want to shrivel inside your skin. When a teacher intimidates you. When you intimidate the teachers. When you think you can sing and try out for a musical, when you get laughed at and people point fingers at your hair and your shoes and your too bony hips.

My darling, I will come.

When that boy breaks your heart and you’re stranded at a college miles away, I will come. When the internship you thought was part of your calling falls through. When a friend gets sick. When the car crashes. When you have more long distance charges than you thought possible. When you run out of gas, chocolate chip cookies and faith.

I will be there.

When you say your “I dos,” when you you start your happily ever afters, when none of it quite feels like you thought it would. When you don’t know how to pick a mattress, when the sofa is in the wrong place, when you regret what feels like signing your life away to someone else. When you keep on keeping on. When you remember how to say sorry. When you need a safe place to say how cliche you feel all “barefoot and pregnant” I will so be there.

When the baby won’t sleep and the world’s on fire with sleep exhaustion.

Sweetheart, I will come.

When your husband’s out of work. When you’re down to one car and have moved in with his in-laws. When your job threatens to break your heart. When toddlers make you question your sanity. When you realize that you’ve made the worst mistake a woman can make. When you’ve run out of tears and still the tears keeping coming.

I will come.

When you move and move and relocate again. When you pack boxes and dreams and hope. When your life is a world of duct tape and questions.

I will still come.

And when your home is warm and your heart is full. When you’re at peace. When you need someone to share the joy, to watch the kids, to admire the dimples. When you want to remember that old recipe for melktert, when you still can’t pick a sofa, when you wish you’d never said yes to the dog.

When you don’t know where you’re going. When you’re the most sure of yourself you’ve ever been. When you’re holding onto faith with just your fingernails. When you’re singing, “Jesus loves me this I know” and you mean it with every tiny, beautiful, miraculous part of your DNA -

Zoe, always I will come.

One hundred different ways I will come when you call. I will rock and roll you with my love and the promise that I will help you get back on your feet. I will hold your hand. I will rejoice. I will babysit. I will pass the tissues. I will wash the dishes.

I will come.

Tonight.

Tomorrow.

And the day after.

And after.

And then some.

Resuable Sandwich Bags

I was recently contacted by a follower of my blog. She wanted to send me some superhero style reusable sandwich bags that she makes. I quickly agreed to share my address and a few days later (man, getting mail in the USA is soooooooo much faster!) I had the bags.

I had never heard of reusable sandwich bags! But I am really impressed with the product and can't wait to try them out. If you are interested in this product, I encourage you to visit her Etsy page by clicking here.

Thanks friend!

Our daddy!

He's home!! Click here to see some hugs.

Abigail prepares for Daddy to come "home"

The boys and I are headed to the airport to pick up JB. It's a little bit late for Abigail so we opted to put her to bed with news that Daddy is in the sky and will be there to see her when she wakes up!

He's almost here!!!

He made the military flight (aka .. "the rotator") this morning.

He got bumped up to an earlier flight.

So now we are just hours away from going to pick up JB from the airport! Not sure who is more excited: me, the kids, or my parents! (Nothing like having an extra set of hands here around these parts.)

Hurry home Daddy! WE MISS YOU!

Free Breakfast at Chik-Fil-A

Way cool deal. Not sure if we'll take advantage of it or not with baby coming, but thought some of you who read my blog might. Click here to take advantage of the deal.

To those of you who live overseas, my deepest apology for throwing this little post in your face!