LEAP YEAR CELEBRATION

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU !

Each Leap Year we celebrate the birthday of our friend, Jack Petter. It's already a rare thing to be born on February 29th, but Jack's story is even more unusual, because he is one in a set of triplets born that day! This year Jack celebrated his "15th Birthday" with a party for family and friends at the Turf Club in Twin Falls.

A TRIP TO OTIS ORCHARDS, WASHINGTON

FEBRUARY 21 - 24, 2008

With everything going smoothly at home, Harry and I made a spur-of-the-moment decision to drive north to visit Peter and Jenn. It was the first time that I got to see their new house, and the first time that either Harry or I got to see our grandson, Liam Mitchell, born back on November 19th.

The heavy winter snows look much prettier in the Idaho mountains than they do on a dairy! The drive was beautiful and the time went by quickly as we enjoyed an interesting book enroute.

After spending the first night in Riggins, we drove on, the next day, arriving in Otis Orchards around noon. We got a tour of Peter and Jenn's new house, and saw Karis, who is talking up a storm, and Liam, who looks much older than his three months. What a big boy!

Peter and the "Conquistador" welcome us at the front door.

The time with Pete and Jenn went by quickly, doing simple things...
visiting the new Cabelas store,
enjoying dinner at GW Hunters Steakhouse,
attending the Motorcycle Show at the Spokane convention center,
lunching at Chili's, & having a swim at the hotel swimming pool.
Peter and Karis in the Peppertree Hotel swimming pool.

Our visit concluded with a a soup and pie dinner at Peter and Jenn's house.

VISA CENTER NEWS!

After months of waiting, and lots of paperwork, Jake finally received word today from the National Visa Center that Vereni's interview appointment has been scheduled. That's the last step in getting the documentation that Vereni needs to enter the USA! Vereni's interview is scheduled in the city of Juarez on March 11, 2008 at 9:45 a.m. Sofia already has a passport, so it appears that Jake and Vereni and little Sofi will soon be able to be together in the "CasaAzul" as a family.

GRACIE IS SIX!

Gracie celebrates her birthday in fine style this year, with one party at the family's Superbowl gathering, and another hosted by her mom and dad.

Gifts received: Stuffed hedgehog, books galore, tea set, blankets, craft kits, nerf toy, bubble bath, my little baby pony, earrings, necklace, a plastic snake, salt and pepper shakers, and clothes, and swimsuit.

LIFE DOESN'T ALWAYS GO THE WAY THAT IT SHOULD

When reading this blog, it is easy to imagine a life that is ideal. But our lives have been anything but that lately! This blog was begun just days after our newest grandson arrived. It had been a difficult pregnancy for Adriana, our daughter, as she suffered extreme emotional unrest the last five months of the pregnancy, complaining of anxiety and clearly slipping into a deep depression. Her fragile condition required two hospital stays in the local psychiatric facility, one in September and another in November..

For a few days, following the birth of Benjamin in late December, Adriana did well, and seemed to be back to her old self. But her recovery was short-lived. Soon Adriana was locked back in the depression. Fearing that she was a danger to herself, her doctors called in the state examiner who put Adriana on a protective hold in the local mental health hospital once again. We have become witnesses to the devastating effects of postpartum depression, and our experience has shown how little help is available for families struggling with this problem.

Medication and talk-therapy have done little to improve our daughter's condition. Insurance coverage is very limited, adding a hefty financial burden to a young family that is already stressed to the max.

Our research in resources, medical facilities, counselors, psychiatrists...continues, as we try to find the right path to getting our daughter well again. Yesterday our plans to fly to Houston's Menninger Clinic were thwarted when a last minute phone call from the insurance company held out the hope that the insurer might extend benefits and pay for Adriana's care at an in-patient facility in her "network". (Menninger is not in her network.) Today we learned that the benefits have been exhausted and there will be no extension. This latest turn of events is unfortunate because we had waited about 10 days for a bed to become available at Menninger. Now we look ahead to the future of Adriana's care with uncertainty. Our plans will probably take us out of state, as there is no appropriate facility for postpartum depression in our area.

Because Adriana is quite overwhelmed with the responsibilities of motherhood, a nanny has been hired to help out with the children. Meanwhile beautiful baby Benjamin is thriving and growing quickly, on the verge of smiling already, oblivious to the chaos and the storm going on all around him. We have not been blind to the blessing of a healthy baby boy, but we long for the day when we will see Adriana's smile and hear her laughter again. It is our constant prayer that God will make her well soon.

LEGACY IN BLACK AND WHITE

TOP ROW: ISABELLA SOFIA, ELIZABETH MARIEKE, AVA NICOLE

MIDDLE ROW: KAYA RACHEL, LIAM MITCHELL, GRACE ADELAIDE
BOTTOM ROW: KARIS BEDA, BENJAMIN NOEL, ISABELLA SOFIA (AGAIN)