Hurricane Sandy

The latest big news in the Northeast is Hurricane Sandy. They’ve been tracking her for about two weeks and no one really took them seriously even though the models were consistent in their prediction of her hitting us with such voracity that it may realign the coast for good. And she did. Sandy was not to be trifled with. She continued to drop in pressure and expand her territory to 1,000 miles as she hit us dead on. Many were negative and unbelieving. Many of those people stubbornly refused to “give in” to the “hype” but lost everything, including their lives because of it. They are still sending out search and rescue teams along the…

New Normal

A lot has transpired since last I wrote. I’m so glad I got that one picture of me pregnant. We had wanted to get good pictures with the boys and me and monthly shots of my growing belly, but it never happened. And it wouldn’t have been finished anyway since I barely got into my third trimester before my pregnancy came to a screeching halt. Cohen Robert Simrak was born at 31 weeks gestation, 3lbs 8oz – nine weeks early – due to severe pre-eclampsia. We were both on the verge of death and no one realized how close until after they cut me open and rescued Cohen from a calcified (read “DEAD”) placenta. He…

Home Alone. Or Am I?

Back when Dan headed up the Senior High Youth Group at our church, he traveled a lot. I didn’t always go with him, so I’d be home alone with the boys. I could be home alone for a month at a time without him. I never liked it, but somehow I got through it. I don’t know how. But I did. But now, he’s gone for a couple of days and I miss him terribly. The boys and I have managed to fill our time with fun things to do. But at night, when all is dark and the house is creaky, I really miss him. I had just finished folding the laundry and crawled in…

To Blog Or Not To Blog

My better half has instructed me to take up blogging again. I’ve thought about it several times, but I’m at the point where I just don’t know what to say. I never thought I’d be there, but I am. These past two years have been especially challenging for me as our community, collective family social life, schedules and basic way-of-thinking have been challenged and changed so dramatically. I realized recently that it all dates back to the miscarriage. It was at that point, that everything started changing for us. It wasn’t just the miscarriage that marked the change, but it was at that time that the changes started taking place that involved a whole host…

Back To Homemaking

I’m happy to report that I have now returned to being a homemaker as my primary occupation. Eli continues in Kindergarten at Faith Christian Academy. He is blossoming and doing very well in class. Gabe is back home with me. I’m very excited to have the alone time with him. The transition has been taken in stride by everyone. Dan and I are both relieved that I can be home and freed up to do things around the house, run errands, cut back on expenses (convenience can be an expensive necessity, at times), focus on Gabe and prepare for our next child due in July. We are very excited (and a little nervous) about entering…

Simrak Christmas Photo Card 2011

Photo Card View the entire collection of cards.

Catching up with pictures.

                          And most shocking of all, America’s most wanted fugitive was caught and put to death after searching for him for a decade. It’s been an exciting few weeks. I hope to settle more into a regular routine and find more time for myself and our family as we get accustomed to the busyness of the weeks’ work. Stay tuned, my good friends. It’s encouraging to know you care. Your comments, calls, texts, emails, and Facebook posts mean a lot to me.

back to bed

Unfortunately, Eli and I are not better as I had hoped. I woke up to Eli lying beside me in bed at o’ dark thirty this morning mumbling, “Mummy, I don’t feel well…” I think it took me a while to respond, but I eventually carried him back to bed. Then I realized that my alarm had already gone off and I had missed it. And the nausea returned. I was ready to get up and push through it, but realized the very real possibility of throwing up (or otherwise) at work with all those little babes around me. Then the thought of it going through each of those little ones and then spreading to…

Our Sunday Morning

As it turned out, Eli got sick so Brooke and her family didn’t come to visit after all. Thankfully, Mary is close by so they went there instead. This past week was my first week of full time work at FCA. It was a good week. But complete adjustment for all of us may take some time. Making sure I’m organized as a wife and mother is a must. Dan and I began getting up at 5:30 (or so) to do devotions together and get the day started right before the kids got up. Dinner needs to be planned and ready to go when I get home. Somehow the laundry and cleaning needs to get…

Barcode Oneliner

“A zebra is just a living breathing barcode.”