Tearjerker

Well, with all of the global excitement regarding this morning's royal wedding, I have a confession to make.  I'm a bit of a sap.  I like sad and sentimental movies, books, TV shows, really anything that can make you cry.  I mean who doesn't right?  Right?  In fact the genre "Tearjerker" is one of my favorites!  And yes, I did DVR the royal wedding (thanks TiVo!) as well as watch a bit of it this morning while getting ready.  I then listened to it on the MSNBC XM radio channel all the way to work.  I'll admit to being one of the billions of people totally addicted to the royal wedding.   

To some of you this will come as no surprise.  To others, I stand proud of my sappiness.  Currently I am slightly obsessed with the movie Country Strong (Amy is now rolling her eyes).  I totally did not see the ending coming and I love the movie.  Definitely one to own.  It drives Amy crazy, let's just say she was not as big a fan of the movie as I was.  She enjoyed it, but found it depressing.  I, on the other hand, enjoy this occasionally.  I know I can't be alone in this, but I'm willing to admit it.  I'll also admit that I may have passed this trait down to Braeden.  Don't let the two of us watch Marley & Me together.  Toward the end we become two blubbering and inconsolable people, bawling our eyes out over that sweet old dog.  This isn't the only movie that gets me though, the list is long.  Happy tears, sad tears, depressed tears, heaving sobs.  You name it, I've done it.  That's alright though, I'm just in touch and comfortable with my emotions.  Sometimes a good cry is just what you need.  Well, for Braeden and I at least.  

So, I guess that's it for a totally random post.  Random, but topical.  Well, I've got 6 hours of footage to get through, so I'd better get started.

All is well, tissues in hand, in Drosche Land.   

Sunday Snapshot - He Is Risen!

So, I've been MIA this past week.  Sorry.  It was a busy week although when I look back at it I can't really recall much of it.  Maybe because it was all a blur?  Maybe because I am mentally exhausted from it all?  Whatever the reason, I'm back now.  I hope to get back to regular blogging this week.  But for now we are smack in the middle of an oh-so-needed vacation.  Easter break!  The last break of the school year before summer!  After this it is full speed ahead craziness at school so I'm mentally preparing for that.  We have thoroughly enjoyed our extra days home and with one left we have a small mountain of laundry to catch up on so that's my only concrete plan for tomorrow.  But I digress, as usual.  Onto the snapshots.

Today was a joyous day as we celebrated the resurrection of our Lord and Savior.  We spent yesterday with the cousins dying eggs and decorating cookies.  Today it was a fun breakfast with DD (my Mom), a great church service, and lunch and splashing with the cousins!  I of course have had my camera handy for the past 48 hours (there was a soccer game in there too yesterday) so I am wading through tons of new pictures.  Below are some good Easter ones!  Enjoy!

Braeden posing for me after hunting Easter eggs

 

 Jack's turn!

 This picture is my boys in a nutshell, or eggshell!  Goofy and ready for candy!

 Showing off their new outfits!

Sunday Snapshot - Brotherly Love

Well, it's no secret.  The boys can be a little crazy.  Wild animals so to speak.  And yes, they do fight, sometimes a lot!  But lately I have noticed a little more love between them.  A little more bond.  Maybe it's because they are growing up.  Maybe it's because they let their guard down and just have fun.  Regardless of the reason we've been given glimpses into what the future for Braeden and Jackson holds.  Yesterday after Braeden's soccer game we ate lunch at the park.  I of course had my camera out and ready, snapping away.  I could smell a Sunday Snapshot in the air!  After uploading the pictures to my computer, lo a behold, there it was.  Captured evidence that maybe, just maybe, they aren't as crazy and wild as we fear.  Maybe we are doing something right.  These pictures melt my heart and make me smile.  Enjoy!

 Jack didn't want to jump off of this one part.  Braeden was holding out his arms and saying he would catch him!  :)

 An impromptu hug!

 

 Love it!

 

 The only one that was posed!

Give A Little Bit

Giving.  Doesn't sound too hard.  Maybe it depends on what you're giving.  To whom you're giving.  How hard or easy it is to give.  Deep questions I know, but what am I talking about?  Well, it all goes back to a 931 sermon series in November, November 7 to be exact (listen to it here).  We weren't actually in church that Sunday because that was my birthday weekend and Amy had planned a spectacular 30th birthday trip to San Antonio for us.  We had an awesome time.  But I digress.  Luckily we were able to listen to the podcast of the sermon because that's how Trinity rolls, 931 at least.  In the sermon our Pastor issued a challenge to the congregation.  A pretty powerful one.  Begin tithing, 10%, and if in 3 months if you could prove that God hadn't blessed you immensely (remember it won't necessarily be monetarily) then he would refund your 3 months worth of tithing back, guaranteed.  Sweet huh?  Yeah, 931 is pretty awesome.  If you can't join our awesomeness every Sunday you can follow along live here.  Anyway, we seriously debated it, but I'll be honest, we didn't do it.  I'm not sure why, but I think it boils down to the fact that we weren't ready.  Not ready to give up so much, not ready to fully trust in Him.  So why a post about giving?  Just wait, it's coming.  

Flash forward to this spring.  Trinity's new building is completed and we have a huge celebration service 2 Sundays ago to dedicate it and celebrate all the ways God has blessed Trinity and how he will continue to.  It also coincided with the kick-off of a new campaign, titled Hug2, where we are determined to finish raising money to pay off the new building.  Very Dave Ramsey-esque huh?  Well, Amy and I had been putting off discussing our commitment to the campaign.  Finally it was zero hour and commitments were due (the celebration service).  We had a serious discussion about what was right for our family.  See, Amy and I have been each getting much closer to God separately, but also together as a couple. We've felt our marriage and faiths strengthen.  We have seen numerous blessings bestowed upon us.  So, we decided it was time.  Time to give back to Him.  It's really all his anyway right?  Well, the point of the giving was sacrificial giving.  Something that should be hard, difficult, and uncomfortable.  None of those words are ones you want to use when you are discussing financial matters, but in this instance, it was the core point.  So, we did it, we took a giant leap of faith and gave.  Oh, it was sacrificial alright.  It made us uncomfortable and worried.  But, that's also how we knew it was right.  We also decided to begin giving regularly, and set an amount for that too.  I won't get into amounts and specifications because that's personal, but suffice it to say we made some pretty big decisions when it came down to what we would give.

So, we've been following our plan for 3 weeks now.  Sure of it and excited to give back.  After all, like I mentioned before it is all His already.  We are just a bank in which he invests it all, we have to choose where to place his money for the greatest return.  But our giving didn't stop there.  We also gave to another cause that is very close to our hearts.  Adoption.  From China to be specific.  To a very special family to be even more specific.  You might have noticed the "So Loved" button at the top right of our blog.  Click on it for more info or you can go here to find out more.  See, this is basically our adoption guru.  This woman and her family are our mentors so to speak.  We have been following her blog (here) for quite a while, since we began our adoption process.  She has inspired us in many ways through her adventures, her posts, her advice, and her faith.  So we decided to give back a little to help her and her family bring home their two beautiful daughters.  It is an amazing story that we are so excited to be a part of, in a very small way.

So, giving.  It's not easy.  But just like our pastor, and of course He, has promised us we have already seen a huge return on our investment.  Just this last week we have been blessed in a massive way.  A way that is in so many ways linked directly to our recent giving.  Not only has it all put us in awe of Him and everything He can do, but it also also excited us and inspired us further.  I just wanted to share with y'all because we are so blessed and so happy.  Maybe give a little to you in the form of advice, a personal story, a thought?  Maybe you'll give a little.  To something?  Someone?  Him?  You'll be amazed.  I promise.

All is well, giving and giving, in Drosche Land. 

DONE!

Well, as you may have surmised from the title of this post, I am finally finished with my M.Ed. program!  WOO HOO!  This past Wednesday was the last day of my final course.  I had submitted all of my work the day before just to be safe.  In order to celebrate I suggested via Facebook that people were now officially free to refer to me as Master, so far no takers!  :)  So, what to do with all of the free time now, other than bask in it?  Well, I think for at least one week I will do nothing, yes nothing.  Then I do need to get started on Trinity's 2010/2011 yearbook.  Luckily I've done this before with the same company at Memorial so I'm not too worried about it.  For now though, I am just glad to be done.  Not that it was difficult, just time consuming.  I have to say though, I am very glad that I did all of my coursework online.  I don't know how people do it when they have to go to an actual class.  That would have done me in long ago!

So, my M.Ed. is finished and now Amy only has 2 more courses to go.  I will also be spending my free time encouraging Amy so she can power through these next 16 weeks.  Ahhhh, once we are both done, then the celebrating can begin!  Oh the freedom we'll have back!  Plus, finishing our M.Ed. programs is just one more thing we can cross off of our to-do lists that gets us closer to Margaux!  Now there's some inspiration!

All is well, master of one more thing, in Drosche Land.

Sunday Snapshot - 2nd Time Around

Here we go again!  After much debate and research I've decided to stick here with Blogger.  So, with a small fee, I have upgraded storage and am ready to blog, post, and share pictures to my heart's content!  Well at least as content as I can get from 20 GB!  :)  Enjoy!

Posing for me in his uniform by our decorated car!  

 

#7!  It's always been my favorite number, especially now!

 

 My favorite pic from the day!  

He's so cute when he's focused and in the zone!

 

It's my favorite so I had to play around with it!

Sunday Snapshot - Game Time

So, yesterday was Braeden's very first soccer game and it was awesome.  What was I ever worried about?  He loves the game.  He also truly does get the concept of what to do, how to kick the ball, where to go, and how to play goalie.  He loves to be the goalie and gets all serious about it, as you can see in one of the pictures below.  It was a family affair as everyone came out to watch Braeden and his team, the Tigers, begin their season.  Afterward we celebrated with food at La Finca of course, where else?  All in all it was an incredible day and really showed me just how much our little guy is growing up.  I took about 140ish pictures so I figure with 8 total games in the season I should approach 1,000 pictures easily!  I'm crazy but that's alright!  We are officially suburbanites now and I am constantly referring to Amy as a Soccer Mom!  Who knew we, or the boys, were that old?!  We'd better enjoy it while it lasts!  Enjoy!



Well, here is where you would find the pictures but I ran into some problems.  See, apparently it seems as though I have already reached my 1GB capacity through Blogger for storing files.  Meaning, I cannot upload any new pictures.  :(  Hmmmm.  Buy more space?  Change to another service?   Bummer.  Well, the pictures are awesome, trust me.  I am going to post anyway and troubleshoot about this dilemma.  Hopefully we will have an answer by then.  

All is well, out of space, in Drosche Land.

Not So Lonely

So, you know the song.  One is the loneliest number.  Well, not here, not with me.  One is the freakin' happiest number here in Drosche Land.  Why?  Well, because that is the number of weeks I have left in my M.Ed. program!  Ok, ok, settle down the applause and cheering.  Wednesday I submitted my final paper for my last course.  This week I only have to tie everything together and create a resume.  Then I'm done!  Finished!  Finito!  No mas!  I cannot wait!  As you can tell I am slightly excited about it.  Amy keeps telling me we need to do something special to celebrate so I am trying to think of a restaurant to visit.  I'm just going to be so happy to be finished, anything will be a celebration!  :)  

I've had several posts working in my head over the past few days but we've been busy here so I guess I'll just cram them all into one amalgamation of a post.  First of all, next year I am not giving up sweets for Lent!  It's been rough people, let me tell you.  Yes, I know that it is supposed to be difficult but I didn't realize how many sweets I ate, or how much I would miss them!  Easter is just around the corner and will be filled with the joyous resurrection of our Lord and chocolate, lots of chocolate.

Braeden's first soccer game was yesterday!  I was probably the most excited out of all of us.  I won't get into too many details because I am planning a Sunday Snapshot post later tonight, but it was awesome!  I am amazed that I was ever worried about it all!  Silly me!

Lastly, it's Boys Only here in Drosche Land for the next few days.  This morning we dropped Amy off at the airport as she is flying to fabulous Midland, TX.  She is on the accreditation team for a center there and they are doing their visit/consultation/advice thing.  We miss her lots, not as much as she misses us though.  However, this time we had the glorious iChat!  Sweet!  The boys love it and it is nice to see her.  What did traveling spouses and long-distance relationshippers do before that?  We couldn't get FaceTime on the Macs yet though, we are one software update behind.  Hopefully we will soon though so we can download it.  The plan is to take the iPad to China when we get Margaux and leave my computer with my parents and Amy's computer with her Mom so we can chat with them via FaceTime while we're overseas!  Awesome huh?  It is one thing we are looking forward to during our travels.  

So, that about sums it up.  Nothing to major going on.  We are still flying high on the great news from Amy's blood work so life here in Drosche Land is pleasant once more!

All is well, minus one, here in Drosche Land.   

Lifted

As in a weight, a huge one.  

Off of our shoulders, our hearts, our minds.  

So, you know that we have been dealing with Amy's mysterious racing heart issue for about 2 weeks now.  Last I posted we were still awaiting a call from the doctor regarding her latest blood work, the results of which could indicate something very minor or something extremely serious.  I couldn't bring myself to mention it before, because we were still in shock and disbelief, but the worst case scenario was a rare form of cancer.  Before I go on, I'll alleviate any further worries and state that Amy got a call today, a day early!, and everything in her blood work was normal, negative for the cancer.  It is still somewhat amazing to me that this past week we were fearfully expecting that call.  A call that could turn our lives upside down completely.  Luckily our prayers, and the many prayers of our many friends and family (THANK YOU ALL), were answered today.  

So, while it is not cancer, her cardiologist still wants to do further testing to figure out what is going on.  He also still seems to be of the opinion that it is not anxiety/stress related.  She goes in on next Wednesday, when she returns from a trip out of town, for a stress test and maybe more.  However, regardless of the results we rejoice in the wonderful news He has given us today.  The worry, fear, anxiety, and sleepless nights are behind us.  We move forward with continued prayers for a quick and simple diagnosis.

I will say though that this past week has brought about many feelings, emotions, thoughts, and discussions that we have never had to have.  Plans for our future.  Plans for our children's futures.  Plans for worst case situations.  I did a lot of research into the type of cancer that we were fearing and I can't stop thinking about all I've read.  People suffering from it, and all other forms, remain on my heart and in my prayers.  Our last week was tough enough, I can't imagine what these people's daily lives are as they deal with the answers we didn't have to hear.  

In the end though, when all is said and done, I have to say that I am even more aware of the blessings God has bestowed upon me and our family.  I find myself even more grateful for Amy and the boys.  Also, with our good news came the renewed vigor to dive back into the paper chase for Margaux.  Her adoption was obviously also in the front of our minds all week long as we fretted and worried.  Amy actually met with our social worker today to drop off a slew of paperwork for our home study!  Maybe I'll begin counting down the days until the submission of our dossier?  Hmmmm, I'm thinking a button on the side?  :)  Be on the lookout!

All is well, sleeping easy tonight, in Drosche Land. 

Goooooooaaaaaaal!

So, today was Braeden's first soccer practice and honestly i was anxious about it all day.  That and with everything going on with Amy's blood work, i was pretty much a mess.  Don't get me wrong, he is great, but doing something like this is not where he shines (think back to his previous dance recitals at school where he sat next to me crying rather than performing) or I should say was not something where he shined.  After tonight though, he is a rock star!  i couldn't be more proud of him.  We got to the park and kicked the ball around for a bit before his coach showed up.  Once practice started it was "Bye Dad" with no looking back!  He spoke to his coach and his teammates and truly enjoyed it.  He did fall once though and (slightly) scraped his hand.  I kissed it and sent him back in, with some encouragement from his coach he was good to go.  

Aside from his endless enthusiasm, he also did very well.  He totally got the concept of getting the ball and then dribbling it to the goal.  When they were scrimmaging he was right there in front getting to the ball before anyone else.  Now, I'll admit he gets his dashing good looks and comedic timing from me, but the athletic ability?  Nope.  Not from me at all.  Amy played sports so maybe it comes from her?  Maybe it is some latent gene from somewhere way back?  Maybe he is just a soccer phenom?  Ok, I'm getting a little ahead of myself I guess.  But, regardless of skill and ability he loved it and had a wonderful time.  This may be just what he needs to come out of his shy shell a bit.  

I watched him in prideful awe for the entire practice.  No, I didn't cry (at least on on the outside), but I did take 70 pictures and 2 videos!  I've posted some to Facebook of course but will throw some here too just because it was so hard to narrow it down!  I'm hoping to get some great shots at his first game on Saturday for this weekend's Sunday Snapshot!  Until then I will be basking in the joy that can only come from being an ecstatically proud parent of an awesome child!

All is well, beaming, in Drosche Land.

 Not an action shot, but I really like this one of his listening to his coach

 He caught me snapping pics!

Look at him go!

 

  He was AWESOME!

Sunday Snapshot - Celebration

So, today was a pretty big day for Trinity.  It was our one massive Celebration Service to kick off the second campaign for the new building.  It was an awesome event with over 800 members showing up to celebrate everything we have been blessed with and done as part of Trinity's ministry.  After the service was a big party with barbecue, bouncy houses, a rock wall, a petting zoo, games, and pony rides!  We had a blast, especially the kids.  One of their favorite parts of the day was the cotton candy.  I have a love/hate relationship with cotton candy.  I love to eat it, but hate for the kids to eat it.  Messy, sticky, and skin-stainingly colorful.  Ironically I think these are some of the same reasons the boys love it!  All in all it was a great day and we are all beat.  Exciting times ahead for Trinity and we are glad to be a part of it.  Below are the boys, fully expressing their love for cotton candy!  Enjoy!

 Braeden enjoying his treat!

 Jack with his cotton candy!

  

The Heart of the Matter

So, I've been a bit absent from things again lately.  But it is not without good reason.  See, we've been dealing with an unwanted adventure for the past week or so.  I'll begin at the beginning, a few weeks ago.  Amy had been having these "episodes" where her heart began to race, she got light-headed and dizzy, and she was very tired and lethargic.  We put off a trip to the doctor for a while, trying to self diagnose the issue.  We tracked the episodes, we tried to notice triggers or similarities between them.  But we could find none.  When they began she was having them about once a week.  As of last week it was more like once a day.  So finally, under the pressure of family and friends, she went to the doctor this past week.  Her doctor in turn sent her to a cardiologist.  The trip to this specialist nearly ruled out any form of anxiety/stress problem.  She was ordered to wear a heart monitor for 24 hours to see if they would be able to find any patterns and/or answers that way.  While wearing the heart monitor she had one episode.  However, after turning it back in to the doctor and receiving the phone call back from him, we found out that they were occurring much more frequently than we thought, and were actually worse than we thought.  He mentioned 5 incidences, and alluded to more, where her heart rate accelerated, the worst being at 3am when it went above 150 bpm, while she was asleep.  

This news was of course not what we were awaiting, nor was it what we wanted to hear.  He ordered her in for further and more extensive blood work.  Basically, he thinks that it is not a heart related problem.  The reason for this is the fact that the rhythm of her heart is not changing, it is just sped up significantly.  Instead, he thinks it is something hormonal.  Something in her body is releasing some hormone for some reason.  This in turn is causing her heart to race.  So, what we thought was the problem is actually a side affect of something else.  We have several possibilities as to what the problem might be, but I'm not going to get into them here.  Not now.  Some are relatively minor, others quite a bit more serious.  As you can imagine, things are a little heavy in Drosche Land right now. 

So now we wait.  There's that word, yet again.  Wait for the results of her blood work.  Wait for answers.  Wait for the next step.  Wait.  This seems to be a theme in our lives lately, huh?  You'd think we would be experts at this by now, but nope.  It doesn't get any easier.    Thus we proceed in the same manner as we have with everything else.  With lots of prayer.  Hopefully Monday brings answers instead of more waiting, but we will see.  Until then we pray, lots, and of course wait.

All is (not totally) well, with heavy hearts, in Drosche Land.