I am finally getting around to doing the tag from Sarah Maney…like you Holly! I guess life is just now starting to slow down.

The tag was to go to our pictures, the 4th folder, 4th picture and write about it.

Here is our picture…..

It isn’t a great photo but it is fun that it happens to be of Paul and Jonas since Sarah is the one that tagged us! This picture was taken when Paul, Sarah and Jonas drove ALL THE WAY from Lubbock for a visit when we were in Ft Worth! We had brunch with some of Seth’s college buddies so that we could catch up and meet each others new additions. Jonas and Paul are playing with Jonas’s plane that Jackson brought for him from Colombia!

I tag Leigh, Claire, Meredith and Margo!

I am thankful we are in Colombia because there are a zillion holidays here. Seth was home yesterday so that we could observe Ascension or something like that. It was so nice for him to be around because Jackson has been really sick since Wed. None of us have slept for days! Jackson had a fever of 103+ and had to be monitored all of the time. We were giving him a luke warm bath at 2:30 AM one night.  Although Jackson still isn’t 100% we are slowly catching up on rest. We are at least past the vomiting we hope! Anyhow, after a very long few days it was great for Seth to be home on Monday!

After being on vacation together and then having some sick days I have been begging Seth teasingly to stay home from work to be with us.  Seth and I were laying in bed yesterday while Jackson napped and we started talking about how amazing it would be if our society flip-flopped the traditional retirement schedule. Why not be home while your kids are growing up and then head to the work force when your kids go off to college and you are bored.  Obviously, we work when our kids are young to have the money to support a family but since the social security system isn’t working anyways why not do a “reverse retirement”??  Seth’s influence on Jackson is so different than my own. He just loves his daddy so much and learns so much from him. When Mondays roll around Jackson is looking around calling for daddy all day. Wouldn’t it be cool to invest hours in our kids when they are young! And then when we need something new and challenging we can do something new at retirement age! I like the sound of it!

On with the random thoughts, I love spring cleaning!! Seth and I got busy this weekend working on cleaning out our closets. We filled half of our guest bed with clothes to send with our maid to people in her church.  It was so much fun to feel like we made great progress in getting organized. Since we move alot their really isn’t time to let things accumulate. For this post we had lots of “maybe we will use them in Bogota even though we haven’t worn them in a yr”. We got rid of so much! I tried to go through a cabinet with boxes of old pictures today. What do you do with all of your old pictures from prom, youth group, trips, Christmas’s. I don’t want to throw them all away but honestly, my photography skills just were not worthy of using film back then. I printed way to many doubles! Sorting pictures will have to wait for another day.  We made it through our medicine cabinets and brought ourselves to throw away all of that old expired stuff….you know the tons of boxes and bottles that you are sure the doctor will prescribe tomorrow. So, even though it feels nothing like Spring here and will never feel like spring here we had some successful Spring cleaning!

some random pics from the week…

We had no idea that babies sometimes sit down and sit for longer than 5 mins until Jackson was so sick! He just couldn’t keep up!

Thomas the Train bubbles make any boy smile!

This random picture is in here specifically for Bonnie, Leigh and Stephanie. I found this cute dalmation shirt for Jackson…one of you needs to have a boy so they can inherit it!!! I was trying to get him to show off his shirt..this is the best I could do!

I’m wrapping up this random blog posting!

Coming off a tough 2008, I am evaluating our year to come. We are aware we will tread through some tough times as we did in 2008 but we are hopeful that 2009 will bring refreshment and newness.

What’s in store for 2009…

Seth began a new rotation this week in the Fraud Dept. He will be stepping away from the visa line to work more intently on uncovering fraud for the next while. This opportunity came up about a month ago and it seemed like yet another great opportunity.  I think I mentioned before that he is managing the organization of the big 4th of July bash here at post so he is already in to meetings for that. I am continuing to see patients and have added 3 new ones in the new year.  I am able to work two days a week and help financially while still being with Jackson so this has been a huge blessing. Jackson is beginning a new endeavor in the new year, he is going to be attending a “Mother’s Day Out”-type program for 3 hours two mornings a week. This will help to relieve his misery on one of the mornings I am working and give him some much needed run around time with other kids as now he is stuck in our apt. I am apprehensive about sending him but we visited the little school (with only 10 kids at a time) and he loved it! It is more like a little house with only kids his age, a garden with a bunny, special music times, etc.  Jackson is 17 months old and never stops surprising us. I really don’t know what life would be like without his joy and fresh excitement about new things.

Seth and I have started “Love Dare” that his sister and brother-in-law gave us for Christmas.  We are enjoying it thoroughly although I must admit it is already challenging us. It is providing a time each day for us to sit down together and focus on our relationship. It is a great catalyst for discussions about tough things and a great reminder to appreciate one another. I highly recommend it to every married couple.

In 2009, (Septemberish) we are wrapping up our time in Bogota and we are heading back to the DC area to start the adventure of learning German. Our first move to DC was tough because we didn’t know the area, didn’t have a church, and didn’t have any family of friends. DC oddly now seems like another home to us. While in DC we were embraced by our small group, made great friends, found a church and got plugged in. In addition to our previous connections we are thrilled that my brother and sister-in-law and my two nieces moved to DC this past summer. We have my aunt and her family in Maryland which was a treat but we need to see them more next time around! We can’t wait for Jackson to have regular play dates with his cousins and for us to get to have family dinners! We are looking at DC as a time to refresh and recharge before the next big adventure…Bern.  We desperately need spiritual growth and fellowship that we have lacked here. We took that for granted before being overseas and we are praying even now that Bern will provide a healthier church environment.

As we look to the next 9 months before leaving Bogota we are working to stay plugged in and build friendships. It is hard to do when we are so excited to be going back “home” for a bit. We are looking for places to live in DC, sorting out the old, preparing for the new and trying to keep ourselves grounded all the while.

My prayer for this year for our family is that we can truly have a year of health and peace. That God would strengthen us and “keep us grounded” as we prepare, transition and re-plant. This is the life He cut out for us for this time, we trust that he will provide all that we need to live it well.

We thought we should catch up on the last few weeks on 2008. (This has taken me 3 days to finish….Jackson doesn’t love me blogging. Anyhow, we included LOTS of pictures!)

Jackson and I headed to Texas a few days earlier than Seth. The flight was awful as Jackson was determined to have his freedom and run the aisle! We survived and arrived in Ft. Worth a couple of hours later than expected. When we arrived the roads were icing over so we had to stay in a hotel our first night.  It took 3 hotels until we found one that could provide a crib. It was an adventure indeed. We had some good chilly days in Crowley, Texas but no snow. We did have lots of treats at Nama’s house, like buckeyes! A highlight for Jackson was when Daddy took him for  a walk and let him hold some rocks that they found along the way. He came home from the walk with chubby cheeks and brown drool flowing from his lips.  Seth said “When he said “cookie” I told him no it was a rock. I didn’t realize he would eat it”. Jackson had sand and dirt all in his teeth. A memory for sure!

We got to see some of our dear friends from Dallas. We attended Park Cities Presbyterian where we met and saw so many people that we miss so much! While in town we also had brunch with some of Seth’s college buddies and their wives and baby boys! Time sure does fly by being overseas. The babies have grown so much! Blogging has kept us up to speed but it was fun to meet them in person.

Seth and his college buddies plus babies

On our way to Houston we took a detour through Waco for Jackson to meet the bears at Baylor!

After Dallas/Ft Worth we headed to Houston where we visited with my family more, adding in Ryan and Stephanie and the girls.  Jackson loved his cousins and was very flexible when Lizzy wanted to head lock him in hugs. He learned the very important phrase “that’s mine”. Ever since we were with Lizzy, Jackson has been hugging every kid in sight! She taught him the important stuff- tackle hugs and possession! He learned how to say “Ruthie” and when we got home to Bogota late last night he saw the Christmas card and yelled “Ruth”. We got to the Children’s Museum, ate at some of our favorite restaurants and since we were across from the Galleria we did a fair amount of shopping!

Uncle Graham and his girlfriend Tina. Tina spent a few days with us in Houston! It was so fun having her along!

milking a cow with daddy at the Children’s Museum

The kiddos on Christmas Eve (looks like the girls are collaborating- “you pin him down and I will kiss him”

Christmas morning, the boxes were the most fun

Oscar the Grouch shirt from Nana!

After Christmas with my family we headed to Friendswood to be with Seth’s family! The eating, shopping and visiting continued!  We went to the Houston Zoo and got to play lots in the back yard and ride in the wagon! Jackson had a blast having a backyard and got more bumps, bruises and bites at one time than he has ever had! It’s proof of a good time for boys! He had fun with all of his cousins  but he especially stuck close to Wade who was closest to his size! Our friends Jonathan and Meredith stopped in to see us in Friendswood which was such a fun treat. Jackson accidentally nailed their baby Luke in the head with a maraca which was his form of a “love tap” I guess. Poor Luke. He took it like a champ!

The Kolb gang

Seth and his sisters, Sara and Claire

Jackson with his cousins.

Looking at the baboon with Daddy

Carousel with Mommy

Brushing the goat

saying “Choo Choo” on the train at the zoo. Jackson has so many new words. Yesterday he learned “church” and today “chin”. He seems so interested in talking and imitating! Makes his Mama proud!

We also made a follow-up trip to MD Anderson to make sure that Jackson was mass-free! 2 days in a row driving to the hospital and spending hours of visiting time is not a fun way to spend vacation but it was a good reminder of God’s faithfulness to us. Jackson had some scar tissue but nothing unusual. We will return again in 6 months.  We are so thankful for a healthy boy!

still pretty drunk from the MRI…didn’t stop him from talking like a drunken sailor!

visiting Dr. Huh was a little like visiting Santa…no way was Jackson going to sit on his lap!

We gained way too much “Christmas treat” weight at all three locations of our trip! Seth is proud of his gains, I am trying to get back to normal healthy eating! It was so nice to see family and friends and specifically for Jackson to have time to really know his family back home. One of our fears  with being abroad is Jackson not knowing his extended family. Although he had some separation anxiety he really jumped in and enjoyed himself!

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas with family and friends! It was so great to see so many of you! We look forward to our home leave in the Fall to catch up for more than a few hours here and there!