Getting back into routines...or trying to!

So, what's going on with us? This past week we started back to school. Kayla started 7th grade and Elijah started 4th grade. Am I really old enough to have kids that old? Nah, I had Kayla when I was still a baby myself ;) LOL.
Our first day back to school I wanted to start out strong. I made homemade chocolate chip muffins for breakfast. However our first day was a bit rough. I won't call out who or what it was, but it wasn't quite the easy, idyllic day I had pictured. So much for high expectations. It started with my insomnia kicking into high gear, Sunday night, not getting much sleep. Then, several issues that cropped up and school taking much longer than I had anticipated. By two o'clock I was ready to cry.
So, taking my burdens to the Lord, laid my expectations day, asked for His, had some ideas pop up on what I could do to resolve some of the issues I had that day, and called it a day.
Day two of school went better and at the end of the school day I had both kids sign a school contract, laying out exactly what I expected of their behaviors and the consequences that would be dealt out if they broke the rules.
We sailed through days three and four, had a few bumps along the way, but I can say we were all ready for Friday. However Friday had it's own issues. I went to bed Thursday night, laid down and immediately got very dizzy. I was praying it would pass quickly and I would be fine on Friday morning. My body had different ideas. I woke up very dizzy on Friday, had difficulty getting out of bed, and it was only sheer determination (you know I'm very stubborn and determined, right?) that I pulled myself out of bed and got moving, trying to pretend I wasn't miserable! I managed to get the kids started on their school, the parts they could do without me. Someone wasn't very happy to have to start without me, but did do it anyway. I checked my BP and it was fine, 128/88 with my pulse at 80 (which resting pulse is a bit high for me, but I wasn't concerned). I got in the shower, trying to determine if I was going to mess up our school day by trying to get a doctor's appointment (I hate anything that disrupts school, I have a hard time letting it go, even if I am not feeling well. I know, I have issues ;)!) Once I got out of the shower I decided with it being Friday, I had better try to get an appointment. I ended up going to the Embassy med unit, Matt came home and got me. When I got there my BP was 193/104...they were a bit concerned. Long story short, we were there 2 1/2 hours, I had an EKG, BP checks every 20 minutes, blood work and lots of talking. I really wasn't feeling great and didn't give a ton of thought to the fact that the kids were sitting in the waiting room the entire time, with very little supervision. I can tell they are growing up, they were very good, played and read, and entertained themselves the whole time. I am very proud of their behavior. Matt did come down and check on them twice. My blood work came better normal, my thyroid was on the low side f normal, which the doctor said we would keep in the back of our minds. After I had been there about an hour they gave me another dose of my BP meds. When I left my BP was 168/96. I was told to take it easy.

Apparently they don't know me well, that's not a command I can do easily. I will say I have tried. I went to IKEA with Matt yesterday and Church today, I didn't feel great either time, but other than that I am trying to sit still. My BP hasn't gotten as high as it was Friday, but my bottom number has not gone under 90 and at times my resting pulse is between 80 and 105. I try not to walk around too much, as it seems like every time I get up and move around my BP goes up and breathing gets a bit more difficult. The plan is for me to follow up with a cardiologist sometime this week. I am praying for answers and for whatever is causing this to stop. I am ready to feel good again. I am also slightly worried about the pressure I am feeling behind my right eye.
I am hoping that this second week of school goes even better than the first and that being back on routine will be good for us.
We have had a really good weekend (not taking into account how I feel, or regardless, we've not let me not feeling good ruin our weekend). Friday night Matt and I had planned a date night, but wasn't able to find a baby-sitter, which worked out as I couldn't go out anyway, so we made it an unofficial family movie night. We watched Beezus and Ramona, which we had not seen before, and really enjoyed it. Other than Ikea on Saturday we took it easy. We had planned for Saturday night of this week to be family game night. This time it was mine and Matt's turn to plan it and we really had a good time then too. Today we went to Church, Matt made lunch (I am so blessed!) and we played a game with the kiddos this afternoon. Now, the three of them are playing Minecraft and I'm working on this :) I truly do feel blessed and love all this family time we've had this weekend! 

Aegina Island

So, last weekend we went to Aegina Island, one of the Greek Islands. We were looking forward to a weekend of swimming in the pool and hanging out at the beach. It wasn't quite what we had expected.

We were up and out of the house by 7:30 Friday morning, to meet our group at the Embassy by 8. We took a tour bus to the port (which was nice) and immediately boarded the Ferry once we go to the port. None of us had ever been on a Ferry and we really enjoyed the ride to the island (the water was super calm!). The kids made a new friend, she is 10, so it was a blast for them to have another kid to hang around with.
Once we got to the island we walked down to our hotel and checked in. There were only 3 single beds in our room, we had to go down and let them know that there were 4 of us, and then they brought in another single bed. It was tight quarters, but it really made us appreciate home more :)
After that we headed out to lunch (with our group). We were right on the water and had some really good food. We were there about 2 hours and then headed back to our hotel. We were really hot and sweaty by this point and couldn't wait to get to the pool. So, we changed into our swimsuits and headed down, only to find out that the pool closes for Greek quiet hours (which is normally 3-5), but the pool was going to be closed from 2:30-5:30. We were super bummed, but thought we would head on down to the ocean. Once we got down there, we realized it was super hard to get in the water, unless you used the ladder. But, the water was too deep (would have been over both kids heads with no where to stand), and I'm not a great swimmer. The waves were super rough and I was afraid the kids would get thrown back into the rocks (it was a rocky beach). We sat by the pool until they opened it at 4:50 (the guy told us not to make any noise for 10 minutes, and Elijah yelled with excitement, lol, we're American's we don't know how to be quiet.)
Saturday we had a tour planned with the group. We went to the Temple of Aphaia, The Monastery of Agios Nektarious and lunch out. We really enjoyed the Temple of Aphaia and the Museum that was there. Lunch was good and the kids got ice cream after. We got back to the hotel around 3pm, so we hung out in our room for a while, reading. We went down to the pool around 5 and swam until about 7. Most of the group ate dinner together, Friday night dinner was served at 9pm and Saturday 8pm. Matt went out both nights to get us something to eat because that was way to late for us to eat, although it was early by Greek standards.
Sunday we walked back down to the ferry, exploring town a bit, stopped at a bakery and got some yummy muffins, then sat and waited on the ferry.
Once we got on the ferry we noticed that the water was much choppier than it had been on Friday. We sat at the front of the ferry, on the top deck both times and the kids loved watching the water hit the boat. We were sitting there chatting when all the sudden we were doused with water! The waves were so rough that it had actually soaked us. We all got a huge laugh out of that. The kids screamed and laughed every time it happened (which was quite a bit for a while there). The wind was strong too and unfortunately Matt bumped me, I felt my hat tip and then it was gone, right into the Mediterranean Sea. At one point Matt said to me "all kidding aside, if this boat tips, swim with the current, don't try to fight it!"
Thankfully right as we were getting near the port, the water calmed down. We were absolutely exhausted when we got home.
We were glad to get away, but so happy to be home!
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Our Ferry boat...

Temple of Aphaia.

One of the ladies joked that this was the first Lego bricks,  you look up at the top of the column! The kids thought that was pretty awesome!

Original design and colors.

Elijah with the statue of Athena.

Inside the Monastery.

Last picture taken of me with me hat :(  The hat was special to me because Matt had gotten it in Cairo in 2006, it was my Hard Rock Café hat.

New Beginnings

There are so many new beginnings. I am thankful that each day we get a "do-over," that each day is a new day to do with what we want. I am thankful that His mercies are new each day.

 

We have had a lot of new beginnings recently, including the newest chapter in our lives: Greece.

 

Tomorrow, we will be embarking on another "new beginning." It's the beginning of the 2014-2015 school year. I am thankful that the mistakes I have made in previous years no longer matter, they are water under the bridge, washed away (kind of like my hat today, but that's another story!). I am thankful that problems we have had in past school years are just that, problems in the past, left there, never to be visited again.

 

This is a new school year, a new beginning and a new chapter. It's a chance to start over, leaving the past in the past and looking forward to what may come in the future.

 

I have started looking forward to this year. I even had a little (gasp!) excitement for this new year! I am excited for new opportunities and new beginnings. I am excited for new curriculum and new friends. We have made several friends who homeschool and have planned some field trips with them. I am excited for what God is going to do with this school year.

 

"They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:23

 

"But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13b-14

 

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

 

Thank you, Lord, for hope and new beginnings. Thank you, that You know the plans for this year and I don't. Thank you that your mercies are new every morning, and thank You for all You do for us. Your love is amazing, steady and unchanging, and we are leaning on Your everlasting arms.

Lykavittos Hill

     My sweet honey took another day off work today to spend with me and the kiddos. We decided to hike Lykavittos Hill today, which is said to be the highest point in Athens. We left our apartment at a little after 8, trying to beat the heat of the day. We parked at the Embassy and walked to Lykavittos Hill and then hiked up to the top. It took us about an hour to walk from the Embassy and then hike up, taking short breaks here and there.
    A few views on the way up the hill...

 Views from the top...Starting with the Acropolis...

 What do you do when someone keeps complaining they are hot ;)

 Cutest view at the top!

 Temple of Zeus from the top...

 On the way down again, you can see some of the steps we climbed.

     If you ever visit Athens, this is a must see. You can see everything from the top I hear that it has amazing sunset views as well and some day we will go back and see them.
We really enjoyed our hike, the exercise, the company and the views. It was a great morning!
     Matt trying to get a picture of the two of us. The sun was on the screen so it was hard to tell what we were getting a picture of!

There is a lot going on in the world right now and I can't tell you how blessed I feel to be able to spend such light-hearted moments with my sweet family.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17