One Month Down

Well, we've survived our first month in Belgium, barely. Let me just do a quick re-cap of this month's events.

Upon arriving in Belgium Daxton had a pretty bad cough, which progressively got worse. After 2 weeks we took Daxton to the doctor and discovered he had pneumonia. We were prescribed antibiotics, a nebulizer treatment (aerosol), and also 5 "kinestheropie" treatment sessions with a doctor who basically pushes on his chest for 30 minutes, forcing him to cough up the stuff in his lungs. It was a hard time. Well, we've been here a month now and Dax is still sick. We took him back to the doctor today. He still has stuff in his lungs, but only the top most part of his lung, and so we were given more prescriptions which will hopefully get rid of this thing. (oh, yeah, he has pink eye too.) So that's what's up with Daxton.

Ella was checked out today as well because she too has begun coughing. Luckily, hers isn't as bad as Daxton's, but we were prescribed medicine for her as well. Ella will be 3 months old in a few days. She is so much fun. She is smiling so much, laughing, and kicking her chubby legs. Her favorite time is in the bath-she goes crazy in there. I think I have another fish on my hands.

Joshua has had a cough too, but nothing serious. He has just started school here. It is a french speaking school called "La Fermette" (the farm). His first day was yesterday. He was so excited to go, but needless to say he was soon crying. His teacher told us that he came to her crying and said "I don't speak french." It honestly breaks my heart. However, there are other English children who attend the school, so english is spoken a little, but the teachers only speak french. Josh went back today and had a much better day. The school seems pretty nice. They do gymnastics weekly (he did that today, they bus the children to a gym close by-the kids need special shoes, kinda like ballet slippers) and once every other week they go swimming (yes, he needs to wear a speedo-no joke.) They also have farm animals that they help take care of. The hours are mon-fri from 8:30-3:30, but Wednesday is early out at 12:00. So tomorrow will be his first full day. They do lots of crafts, painting and such. So I really think this is the best thing for him to be doing. He has a good friend from the ward who also goes to the school and they will play together at recess.

Now on to Cameron. Cameron has had it the worst. Daxton was diagnosed with pneumonia on Friday the 9th. The following Monday night Cam woke up at midnight shaking uncontrollably. He had a fever, and had trouble breathing. We took him to the doctor in the morning and found he too had pneumonia. The antibiotics didn't seem to be working and by Tuesday evening Cam called a friend for a blessing and to be taken to the hospital. He could barely walk. He spent the night there and they discovered fluids in his lungs and an infection in his blood. He was given different antibiotics, and came home. By the following Thursday he was back in the hospital because he was having severe chest pain again and trouble breathing. He stayed in the hospital until Sunday evening. Now he is finally home with us. He is on different antibiotics (who knew there were so many?) and is doing So much better. He finally went to school today. I am so glad he is home, and alive.

Now me. All I can say is WOW. Who would have thought this would be so difficult? Two things that got me through: Prayer and Nutella. I have never been through anything like this before. Thinking back on it makes me cry because I was so scared for so long. I was given strength that wasn't my own, and through prayer we have survived this scary situation. I just continue to pray that it won't come back and that Daxton and Ella and Cameron will heal entirely and the sickness won't plague our family any more. However, this experience has forced me out of my comfort zone. I was forced to start driving and to talk to people. Don't even get me started on driving over here because it is insane. I think I have seen most of Brussels now-not by choice mind you-I've been lost just about every time I've been behind the wheel. It's been a wild ride, and I hope it will soon be over so we can actually enjoy being here.

Thanks to all of you for your thoughts and prayers. This experience has strengthened my testimony and I am able to see things so differently-see the things that really matter. I suppose that's what life is all about-you have to experience the bad to appreciate the good. I like the good.

One more note-America rocks.

The pictures above are of our family in Tervuren Park, Daxton giving his"look", Ella in the tub, and the boys eating crepes for breakfast (can't get enough!)

Love you all!

We Made it! Belgium

Hello all! It is cloudy, rainy, and foggy Monday morning. I love it! After living in St. George for 2 years, the rain and clouds were missed, so this weather has been wonderful. However, the mist and humidity does a number on my hair-I look like a combo between Richard Simmons and a Chia Pet. Cam says my hair feels like barbie hair, which is pretty accurate (what's he doing playing with baribies anyways?)

Life is good. We all journey to church yesterday. Since we still don't have a car, we took the almost 2 hour tram/metro ride to and from church. Loaded with all 3 kids and the double stroller, it was quite the spectacle. The double stroller is nice, and we are getting pretty good at lifting it up and down stairs and on and off the metro. It is perfect in size, and just barely fits through the tram doors. However, my back is killing me. Not only does it hurt from lugging the stroller everywhere, but Cam and I had to load all our laundry in backpack/suitcases and walk to town to get it done at the laundromat. We looked pretty goofy, but hey! We have clean clothes.

Joshua-
Josh is getting adjusted, but is still pretty nervous about everything. Whenever he hears someone speaking Dutch or French, he gets anxious and almost starts to cry. However, church yesterday was great for him. There are about 5 other 3 and 4 year olds in is class, so that has helped. When we first got here, he couldn't believe that Cam didn't tell him about all the sticks that are lying on the ground. Dad told him to get excited about the Belgian Waffles and riding the train, but I guess lots of sticks on the ground must have slipped his mind (hee hee). We are planning on him starting French school in a few weeks.

Daxton-
Well, Daxton, what do you say about this boy? He currently has a GIANT goose egg on his head from falling onto the corner of the bathroom doorway, almost split his head open (luckily it wasn't too deep) and then this morning he cut the corner of his eye when he woke up on his chest of drawers. So he pretty much looks like we beat him. He is fun though, and is constantly making us laugh. He can say "shoe" and "what's that" and of course mama and dada. We repeat stuff to him in French, hoping he might pick it up.

Ella-
Ella is now 2 months old and is currently crying, so I need to go get her. There, now she's going to sleep in her crib. She is getting chubby. She has had the hardest time adjusting here (which is odd to me) but maybe one day I will get a good night's sleep. It's always one of the kids who wakes up 3 or 4 times during the night. Needless to say, we're tired.

Cam-
Cam is loving school (thank goodness, right?) He has met people from around the globe, and is known as the mormon kid. For most of them he's the only lds kid they've ever met. Some of them are surprised to find out that he's just a normal guy (well, almost normal). His favorite class is European Foreign Security Policy. The professor is Director of Policy at NATO, (a big wig) and I guess he's an excellent teacher. I'm glad Cam has friends he can talk with about this kind of stuff, cause man does it fly over my head (and between my ears.)

Me-
I love Belgian Waffles. Honestly, they are SOOOO good. Whenever we get off the metros I can smell them, and we have to stop and buy them. They are coated with this sugary syrup stuff, oh man I need to stop talking about them, or we'll have to go get one. Also, Nutella is the best stuff ever made. I can eat anything, as long as it's coated with Nutella. So basically all I do is eat, but as long as we're walking EVERYWHERE I figure I can justify it.
I am loving it here. It is such a beautiful country, and we've only seen a small portion of it. It will be an interesting and very exciting year. However, my mom and sister are still here (for 2 more days) so ask me how I'm doing after they leave. They have been awesome and Wednesday is going to be a hard day.

I haven't taken any pictures with my camera, and we can't load any of my sister's pics on, so the photos are going to be kinda random. However, my sister has some great pictures that she will email when she gets home.

The Pictures above are of:
Shera Josh and Dax in the Park right by our house (it's behind the African Museum)
Ella 2 months old
Cam and Josh standing by the "Mannekin Pis" (peeing boy, yeah that's right, Brussels is famous for this one)
Josh in front of this fun Candy Shop
All of us in "Grande Place"

We have been around town a lot, to the African Museum (just down the street a ways) and to this giant grassy park. We have also been to "Grande Place" which is a beautiful part of Brussels with lots of little shops and gorgeous buildings. Josh and Dax tried to catch the pigeons there.

Life is good and we hope to hear from you all soon!