Peter -n- Melodye

What joy it is to count to 5 once again while setting the table... What joy to fill 2 cups to the top (as opposed to the 3 that can only be filled up halfway since somebody will probably spill at some point during the meal)... What joy to talk with an adult during supper... What joy to have my best friend home...

I thought that Jonathan wasn't really understanding what was going on here.  I told him that his mommy was coming, but his only response was, "Mommy? Merica?"  I figured he hadn't understood. So I put him down for a nap and when he woke up he was yelling, "Daddy? Daddy?" and as soon as I came in he changed it to, "Mommy? 'Ere?"  I picked him up and said she hadn't come yet but she was coming on an airplane.  "A-p’ane? Mommy? Comin’?"  Then he just kind of looked off into space for a few minutes and his grin got bigger and bigger.  To be honest he looked kind of silly with that big ol' grin on his face.   But somehow that silly look seemed familiar...  Where had I seen someone with that same silly grin...?   Oh, yeah, that was me this morning in the mirror when I was thinking about Melodye coming home. J

I've been on cloud nine ever since receiving the news that Melodye's lab tests came back as we prayed and that her seat was reserved on the plane. All evening while we waited for that news I've barely been able to concentrate, read, listen to the boys. Then I got the news and I was just overjoyed and could hardly think of anything else. At bedtime I asked the boys who wanted to pray and thank God that Mommy was coming home. We had the usual contest to see who would get to pray and I said they could both pray. Here is what Joshua said in his prayer: Thank You, God, that Mommy is coming back tomorrow. Thank You, thank You, THANK YOU that Jesus died on the cross. … Amen. I thought that was neat. I was so caught up in Melodye’s return that Jesus’ death on the cross wasn’t even in my thinking. And my 5-year-old was happy too, but he remembered that Jesus’ death was that much more important and a cause for even more rejoicing. Thank you, God, that You are

We asked you to pray that her number would be under 125 and the lab results just came back at 124!  Praise God.  All flights are reserved and she will head out in the next few hours.   THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS AND THANK YOU, GOD, EVEN MORE FOR ANSWERING THEM!   You can imagine that the mood in our house is pretty joyous right now...

Well, at 12noon EST we were supposed to find out whether or not Melodye can return on a flight tonight arriving tomorrow. It's now 12:45 and the lab has still not returned the results. THE WAITING IS KILLING ME!!!

Joshua & Jonathan enjoying watching "Baby Bach" (from the Baby Einstein series) Given a choice between Bach, Beethoven, and Einstein, Jonathan will pretty consistently choose Bach. What a genius!

Hey!  Maybe some good news here! Melodye spoke with her Dr again and pleaded her case.  He expressed that he was trying very hard to find the right balance between being a careful doctor and also recognizing the need for her to be back with her family.  The long and the short of their conversation is that he agreed she can leave on Monday if her HCG levels are down around 125.  That gives a very concrete prayer request that we would very much appreciate your taking before the throne regularly and persistently and earnestly. We definitely don't want to rush things if it is unwise, but if it is possible we REALLY want Melodye/Mommy back in the same country we are in. Please also pray that there will be openings on the flights needed to make the connections.  She would have to leave on a later flight than initially scheduled and so there's not much room for rescheduling if there are no available seats... Thank you for your prayers! -Peter

Dear Mommy, I love you sooo much. There's Arthur games on the computer at the bookmarks [on the internet]. I love you up to the sky and back. That's all. Joshua

[typed by Christopher himself] Dear mommy on wensday I stayed home.on Thursday I stayed home.and on Friday I stayed home.on wensday I went to school to play at recess all day long.on Thursday I went to Aarons and abbies house we played pouwer rangers together.and on Friday tomorrow I will go to the Eshelmans and I will go to the Ogburns for A sleep over. Christopher

Melodye asked me to send her pictures of the boys so she would have up-to-date pictures with her. Here's one of Joshua.

Melodye asked me to send her pictures of the boys so she would have up-to-date pictures with her. Here's one of Jonathan.

Melodye asked me to send her pictures of the boys so she would have up-to-date pictures with her. Here's one of Christopher.

Dear pray-ers, Melodye visited with the doctor again today. Last time he said it could be 7-10 days or it could be as long as a month. This time he said probably next Friday (24th) to leave. There is a certain number on her labwork (HCG, I think was the name, for you medical people) that needs to get down to 0. It was 5500 in Albania then it went up to 7000 in the states. Last time it was measured it was down to 1500 and this time it was 700. Obviously we're moving in the right direction, but apparently this level can gradually subside for a long time and then suddenly spike up very high again and that's what the doctor is concerned about. Meanwhile the boys and I are being treated very well by team-mates and Albanians alike here. We've had many meals brought to us and offers of many more and many people have offered to take the children for varying lengths of time. We are so grateful for this outpouring of love -- I don't know what we would have done without thi

Hey, a small golf clap is in order... Jonathan got out of his pyjamas and into clothes for the first time since Mommy left. (That doesn't mean he hasn't been out a lot nor that I haven't changed his PJs -- just that it's easier to leave him in the PJs and change them once a day rather than having to change clothes once in the am and once in the pm.) But maybe you want to take the golf clap back. Now that I got him dressed this morning I put him to bed in his clothes... :-)

Christopher and Joshua both have Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off school. How on earth are they going to fill their time?!? Wednesday: Miss Lewellyn (AKA Jennifer) takes them to the playground at the GDQ with Jonathan (6) and Luke (5) Ogburn. Poor boys. They have to spend time with their friends AND play at the playground. (Besides the fact that Jennifer took it on herself to entertain them with treasure hunts and organized games and etc!) Joshua says it was the most fun he's had all year! Thursday: Poor boys again have to spend time with friends -- Mrs Doci (AKA Nicky) offers to take the boys to play with Aaron (6) and Abbie (5). Needless to say, the boys are crushed to have to go see friends again. Friday: Aunt Carolyn (Eshelman) offers to take the boys to play with Aubrey (6) and Katie (8). Imagine the suffering! Then to top it off they are going on a sleepover with Jonathan & Luke in the evening (sans Jonathan Bowers this time). What a borin

Christopher with is MUCH loved 1st-grade teacher, Ann Bryant 

Christopher with his class on their best behavior... 

Christopher with his class as they usually are... :-) 

Christopher, Star Student of the GDQ 1st Grade! 

Family photo August 2005 

Well, for the first time in about 13-14 years I am not with my wife on Valentine's Day. (We've only been married 11 years, but we spent Feb 14 together for at least 2-3 years prior to getting married.) Melodye is in the US awaiting appropriate lab results before the doctor will release her to come back to Albania. She was evacuated on an emergency basis a week ago due to a suspected ectopic pregnancy. Turned out to be a molar pregnancy, but that can still be life threatening so we are glad she is in the US. Unfortunately that leaves the 4 men in our family alone on this side of the ocean. Jonathan (2) has taken to following me around from one room to another (even to the bathroom) because he just can't bear to be apart from Daddy now that Mommy has been gone for several days. We had originally thought Melodye would get back today and we had told the boys that. When I told Joshua (5) that Mommy wouldn't be back for a week or more he cried and cried. Christopher (