Woe is Erich

The boy-child is cutting his one-year molars, which is probably why this viral thing has lasted so long. He is feeling much better, but not without the help of Tylenol every four hours. There is always a challenge... I'm not in a hurry because I know teenagehood is right around the corner. I'll take teething any day.

But on to the cute things he's doing these days... He loves to read his picture books, play with any wheeled toy, and go for walks on a nice day. He is walking/almost running everywhere. He is just a lot of fun to hang out with. Here are some recent pictures:

Hanging in there...

I just finished my week of nursing orientation. What a loooonnngggg week it was. We had to sit in a windowless room across from the morgue for 8 hours a day. I could never have a desk job.

To make things more interesting, Erich and I are sick...again. I just have a cold that is resolving nicely. But poor Erich has an ear infection. The daycare called me Thursday to come get him because his temp climbed to 103. We don't have insurance so I had to call around. It's amazing that doctors' offices won't see patients without insurance, even if they can pay cash. It's ultimately cheaper for me to pay out of pocket by seeing a doctor in office than to go to an urgent care center or ER. Needless to say, we went to the Urgent care center, the doctor took one look at Erich's ears and said, "yep, they're bright red, and I see some bubbles." Bubbles? What are bubbles?" I'm a Peds ICU nurse. I only see the kids whose ear infections never got diagnosed, and they have bigger problems. And then I had to ask the doc to prescribe something from the Meijer "free antibiotic list" since we don't have insurance. Well, now I can sympathize with others somewhat better. The difference is I will have health insurance in a little over a month. I wish I was Canadian.

Anyway, we're on the mend. Thankfully he doesn't need to go to daycare until next Thursday, so he has time to recover. And, thankfully I start working on the unit this week, so I won't be so bored.

Hi Daddy

Well, I finally figured out how to link video to our blog. This one is for Jonathon. We love you and miss you!!!!

An update

So, Jonathon made it back to NJ safely and is cracking down with his writing. Keep going, Schrammy!!!

Jonathon's brother, Joel, and his wife, Magda, made it safely to France and are getting their bearings (sp?) before Magda starts school. Please pray that Joel can find a job so Magda will be able to better focus on her studies. And, please pray they find good, inexpensive housing for their time there. They will be in France until June, at least.

And, sorry, no pictures or videos yet. With all the moving, sorting, storing, and such we lost our photo card reader (and I lost the cable for the camera itself), and the video camera cord is buried in mom and dad's barn. It will probably be a week or so. But, hang in there. I figured out how to link video to this blog, so you'll be able to see Erich in action very soon.

Have a great week!!!

We've arrived

We arrived in Michigan Wednesday evening, just in time for a pretty wicked thunderstorm. Driving was a little harder the second day, because all of us were feeling a little under the weather.
Families share germs, as you all know. We happened to be sharing some form of Strep, I think. We made a trip to the Urgent Care Center yesterday. The doctor didn't have to look very hard before prescribing three rounds of antibiotics. The best part is, we took advantage of our last two days of medical coverage. We won't be covered again until November, so we squeezed right in there.
When I download pics again, I'll write another update. But for now, don't expect much. Walking up the stairs is quite the chore right now.

Moving Stinks

We pick up the moving truck on Monday and we thought that by starting two days ago, we would be busy, but okay. Every time Jonathon takes a batch of packed boxes away to the basement, I look around and think, "Huh, it looks exactly the same as it did 2 hours ago." Meaning, progress is really hard to see when you're packing all of your belongings. This is after we already lost a lot of stuff in the flood earlier this Spring.


To make things more interesting and fun, Jonathon and Erich both have pretty bad colds. The kind where you cough all night and sound pathetic. Last night Erich woke up every half hour until about 3am. Then he slept from 3-5am and did it all over again. At 6:45am I realized all was lost and we got up and played. We are all EXHAUSTED!!

On a very good note, my friend from work, Ali, came over yesterday and played with Erich for four hours (minus a nap) so we could pack without interruption. THANKS ALI!! You may never understand how great that was. And my other work friend, Louela, is taking Erich on Monday so we can load the truck and paint. Friends really do come through for us and we are so grateful.

Okay, well I probably won't write again until we're in Michigan and settled so see ya in a few weeks. Please remember us in your prayers. Thanks!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY (yesterday)!!!!

Jonathon spent his birthday doing statistics and writing at the library. But we still made the day special. I made my very first German Chocolate Cake. It turns out both of us used to request this same cake from our mothers for almost every birthday. Coincidence? I think not.

I actually had to go out and buy 9-inch round cake pans and this nifty cake presenter thingy since I had neither. I have a way of shopping and acquiring things right before a big move.



This picture is for Connie. While she was visiting me in NJ, I made her go out to eat with me every day so I wouldn't have to cook or do dishes. So, Connie, here is proof that I do cook. This is an almost normal scene in our kitchen around dinner time. As you can tell, we don't have a dishwasher. Or, rather, our dishwasher is named "Jonathon." And, yes, I made him do dishes on his birthday. I'm so mean.

"Well, Happy Birthday, and whatever..."
I love you, Schramm!!!