Long Overdue Update

I am sitting here in my bed looking at the frozen drizzle still falling and the ice on the roads keeping my husband and kids home for the day. I thought I would take this opportunity to update the blog  and let the blogosphere know why I have not been heard from in months. It is not because I have not wanted to stay caught up documenting the mundane and monumental events of our family life. Unfortunately, I have had a mysterious illness since returning from our trip to Ethiopia to bring our daughter home back in the summer. As I look back at all the pictures I have taken since that time, I am both thankful  and a bit sad. Thankful that God somehow has given me the strength even in my sickness to photo document the events of the last 6
 months. And that He has given me the strength to plan and celebrate special occasions like birthdays and Christmas and many firsts for our daughter. I am sad that I have not been at my best  during these special times and not able to fully enjoy the moments. I think that is why I desperately want to document the moments so I can reflect on them with great joy when I do feel good again.

I somehow came down with a virus that ordinarly does not cause symptoms in healthy individuals. I came down with flu-like  achiness, abdominal pain and a mono-like illness that lasted over 2 months. I had a brief recovery where I began feeling like myself again only to then contract a staph infection and then a pneumonia that has not responded to antibiotics. I continue to struggle with lung pain and am on yet another antibiotic. I have had many scans done and lots of bloodwork with not a lot of answers. It has been quite discouraging  as I so want to enjoy my family. I am praying for and looking forward to complete healing and will have new perspective on enjoying each and every moment with my family!

Bear with me as I back track and begin posting pictures to document the events of the last 6 months!

I think I left off at the end of our family beach week in July, so that is where I will begin....

Stay tuned.....