What a year. It has been full of excitement and adventure, love, tears, lots of change, fear, and rejoicing. I'm amazed at how much has happened, it feels like last January was only a few months ago. I was commenting on how crazy this year has been and my sister kindly pointed out that 2005 was crazy for me and so was the year before. Either this is normal life or I need to slow down. Here is a condensed version of 2006:
January-a visit to Switzerland, full of discovery
February-I resign my job at the Alban Institute in preparation for a move to Switzerland
March-the birth of my beautiful niece Aliza, I'm an aunt for the first time
April-I leave Alban and move home
May-I spend a week with my Gramma in the hospital
June-a trip to California, meeting lots of new people
July-move to Switzerland
August-learning to be Swiss
September-move back to the U.S., discober a growth on my thyroid
October-lots of doctor appointments
November- thyroid surgery, the left half was removed, no cancer!
December-another niece or nephew is on the way
For those that can read between the lines, a lot was happening around these events. I want a year with less drama but I've never been content to live an uncomplicated life. Maybe I'll change or maybe that is just who I am. I've wondered where God was through all this and I don't understand why all the things that happen in a year are necessary but God was there and he has provided exactly what I needed through all of it. He is enough.
Brian and Meghan announced that they are expecting a baby. Meghan is due in September. That means I'm going to be an aunt again! There couldn't be any better news than that. My little brother is going to make a great daddy. I can't imagine loving another niece or nephew as much as I love Aliza but I know I'll fall in love the same way as soon as I see this baby.
Woohoo! I got a good pathology report, no cancer! Aliza was so happy she gave me kisses, sweet, slobbery, 8 month old kisses. :) Maybe she didn't know what was going on but her timing was good anyway. I'm so relieved not to have to worry about this anymore. I do have something called Hashimoto's Disease and it is very welcome. It only means that at some point in the future the remaining part of my thyroid may become enlarged or get nodules like the removed side did and then I will have to take medication or have it removed.
Read about Hashimoto's at http://endocrineweb.com/thyroiditis.html. Or better yet, forget about thyroid problems, thank God for everything you can think of, and enjoy your day. That's my plan.
Surgery was successful and I'm home recupperating. Actually I feel better than I have in weeks. It is such a weight lifted to know that that thing is out of my neck. The surgeon said that the mass was entirely confined to the thyroid and he removed all of it. I still have to wait a few days to hear the pathology report but I feel wonderful at the moment. I've had very little pain and haven't taken anything more than ibuprofen since I've been home. I was in the hospital overnight and my nurse felt guilty for not doing more for me. I slept all night and only woke up when she came in, I thought it was a great thing. The weeks leading up were definately more difficult than the surgery. The nurse who checked me in got annoyed with me for not having insurance and refusing a pregnancy test, she thought I was pretty irresponsible but I think she got over it. I decided right before surgery as they were putting the IV in that I really didn't want this to be happening. I admit it was bad timing to decide that, a little late, but they gave me something for anxiety and pretty soon I was over it. I have a pretty wonderful family. Mom and Dad were with my the whole time and everyone came to visit that evening in my hospital room. Carla brought Aliza along. She's great, Aliza has no clue when she's supposed to be quiet and serious and so she was full of smiles and giggles and had fun bouncing on my mattress that changed air pressure on its own. She was much to young to be allowed in the hospital but my hall was pretty empty so the nurse just looked the other way after exclaiming how cute she is.
I was thinking back this morning on everything God has done to bring me to today and how wonderfully he cares for me. The prayers of many people have been holding me up when all I could do was cry and now it is time to rejoice and to trust him for a good pathology report.
The day before surgery Dad took me on fishing trip. We joined the crew of the Morning Star to voyage about 15 miles out of Ocean City. It was a beautiful day. There's no better feeling than the rise and fall of the waves, smelling the salt, occassionally getting drenched by the sea spray, and the freedom of being the only boat for miles in a world that is perfectly round and flat, unchanging for as far as the eye can see and dreaming of all the different lands that touch this same ocean. Ok, so I like being on the water. Best of all, we caught fish! Every time our hooks hit the bottom we didn't have to wait more than a few seconds for a sea bass to come along and snatch the bait. We each had our limit by noon and for the next half hour helped the rest of the fishermen get their limit. Dad and I won the contest of seeing who caught the biggest fish by having the two heaviest. I was the only girl on board which no one overlooked. Everyone else had a name as far as I could tell but I was simply "the girl." At least it was good, "The girl caught the first fish", "good thing you brought the girl with you, she's catchin' fish"...I even baited my hook most of the time and took a few fish off the hook when the mate wasn't nearby. It takes me too long but one of these times I'll get good at it. Until then that's what Dad is for. It worked quite well that while he was taking the fish off of my hook I would bring one in on his line. I'm lucky he still takes me along!
A few pictures from Aliza's six month photo shoot. She can do it all from princess to fishing baby.
This time I went along with Alexa and the boys to sell at the flea market. I got rid of my friend the sewing machine and a few other things to lighten my load. The boys brought some toys to sell but as soon as they made some money they found other things to buy so took home as much as they brought. Jeremy made a mistake and sold his prized item for 50 Rap instead of 15 Franks so he wasn't quite so happy but maybe it will help him learn his numbers in German. Here he is busy selling.
I found this little treasure at the flea market this morning. The guy couldn't speak any English and I don't think he knew how to use a sewing machine anyway. I brought it home, cleaned it up and started taking it apart. It basically works except that the thread keeps falling off of its sideways holder and the part that keeps the bobbin in place is missing too. I overlooked those things on the sidewalk. One more catch, the motor works but fails to make the needle go up and down. I can turn the knob by hand though and then it acts like it would sew something. Oh well, maybe I'll get it figured out yet. Moral of the story, probably shouldn't buy something you can't test or can't discuss with the seller.
I just finished reading Blessed Child and A Man Called Blessed by Ted Dekker and Bill Bright, if you are looking for something to read I highly recommend both. They will challenge your assumptions about what it means to live a Christian life and what is possible when a person really falls in love with the Father. Check it out on Amazon:
