FEBRUARY 15TH UPDATE

WE CAN'T BELIEVE THAT IT IS ALREADY MID-FEBRUARY. NOT TO SCARE YOU, BUT EASTER IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER. BEFORE YOU KNOW IT SUMMER WILL BE HERE AND SOMETIME IN JULY OR MAYBE AUGUST, OUR INVENTORY OF GRANKIDS WILL DOUBLE, FROM THREE TO SIX. THINGS IN THE KAMMER HOUSE-HOLD ARE MOVING ALONG AS WELL AS CAN BE EXPECTED. SINCE IN THE NEXT MONTHS THIS BLOG WILL BE FOCUSED ON THE NEW GRANDCHILDREN, YET TO BE BORN, I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE NICE TO FEATURE THE CURRENT "BUNDLES OF JOY" THAT ARE IN OUR LIVES, SO I HAVE ATTACHED A FAMILY PHOTO TAKEN AT CHRISTMAS TIME LAST YEAR. IN THE PICTURE IS BREANNA, AGE 11, HANNAH, AGE 7, AND RACHEL AGE 5, AS WELL AS PROUD GRANDPARENTS, GRANDMA SHARON AND GRANDPA BERNIE. THIS PICTURE WAS TAKEN DURING THE LADIES CHRISTMAS TEA AT CHURCH, WHICH SHARON COORDINATED.

CHRISTY HAS BEEN BUSY VISITING HER OB-GYN'S. SHE HAS TWO ASSIGNED TO HER. ONE HANDLES THE "NORMAL" OB-GYN STUFF WHILE THE OTHER IS A SPECIALIST IN MULTIPLE BIRTHS. BOTH DOCTORS ARE PLEASED WITH THE PROGRESS OF THE BABIES AS THEY ALL HAVE STRONG HEARTBEATS AND ARE ACTIVE. LAST WEEK THE BABIES WERE ABOUT 2 INCHES IN SIZE. CHRISTY HAS STOPPED WORKING AS BEING ON HER FEET ALL DAY MADE HER PRETTY TIRED. WE HAD BEEN CONCERNED THAT THE ODORS OF THE VARIOUS CHEMICALS USED IN THE BEAUTY SALON MIGHT PASS TO THE BABIES THROUGH CHRISTY'S BLOOD, AND EVEN THOUGH WE WERE ASSURED BY HER DOCTORS NOT TO WORRY, HAVING HER AS A STAY AT HOME MOM TO BE, MAKES US FEEL BETTER. PRELIMINARY TESTS DONE LAST WEEK FOR DOWNS SYNDROME WERE NEGATIVE, THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF DOWNS SYNDROME. CHRISTY HAS BEEN HAVING HEADACHES AND SINCE SHE CAN'T/WON'T TAKE ANY MEDICATIONS, SHE JUST HAS TO SUFFER THROUGH THEM. STEVE HAS ACCEPTED THE ROLE OF A FATHER TO BE WITH FLYING COLORS. HE HELPS WITH THE WASH, KEEPING THE HOUSE IN ORDER, AND GENERALLY WAITS ON CHRISTY HAND AND FOOT. THE "PRINCESS" OF COURSE LOVES THIS. THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE ON THE PRAYER CHAIN HAVE BEEN A REAL BLESSING TO STEVE AND CHRISTY. PLEASE KEEP THOSE PRAYERS COMING ON YOUR APPOINTED TIMES. SHARON ADVISES THAT THERE ARE STILL A FEW SLOTS UNFILLED, SO IF YOU ARE NOT ON THE PRAYER CHAIN AND WOULD LIKE TO BE SEND SHARON A NOTE AT SLKAMMER@PREFER.NET. WELL IT IS GETTING LATE, AND I AM RUNIN GOUT OF STUFF TO SAY, SO UNTIL NEXT TIME, GOD BLESS. BERND AND SHARON

I am back at a new site

Hello all, can't believe that it has already been a over a year since I last posted anything to this blog. What a year it has been. Mona, my cousin’s daughter from Germany was with us as an exchange student until summer 2007. The experience of having a high school student back in the house was fun but a bit more than we expected. We found ourselves going to high school swimming meets and cheering her on, something we had not done since our son graduated from high school about 17 or 18 years ago. After the school year ended her family came over to visit and we all went to Hawaii and then on a house boat at Lake Powell.

We moved my mom in with us in August as she has a moderate condition of Alzheimer, wasn't remembering to take her medications and just not eating healthy. Doctors advised us that she should not be living alone, so we moved her living room and bedroom furniture into our two guest bedrooms and set up house for her. She continues to resist this move, but is gradually realizing that she is not going back into her place. Having my mom here is quite a bit of work for Sharon, so I have decided to roll back on the number of hours that I am working, making myself available to help.

Sharon is doing well with her breast cancer. All tests so far fail to show any evidence of the cancer. She continues to take massive doses of herbal drugs to boost her immune system. Later this year she is planning on beginning her reconstructive surgery to build a "mound" where the breast was removed. Sharon and I continue to bowl two nights a week, with both of our averages improving, and we have rejoined our dance studio, taking dance lessons one night a week. On Monday nights the family comes over for dinner and socializing, so that takes 4 out of the 7 evenings each week.

Just before Christmas we got the good news that our daughter Christy and her husband Steve were expecting. Within a week we learned that there were probably multiple embryos, and shortly afterward it was confirmed that Christy is expecting TRIPLETS. We are very excited about all of this even though it has not really sunk in with me. There are so many things to think about and plan, but one thing is for sure. Christy's pregnancy is considered a high risk pregnancy, due to the lateness in life and the fact that this is her first pregnancy. Sharon is in the process of setting up a 7X24 prayer chain, so that every hour of the day someone in the world will be praying for her and the babies. The list is not completed yet, so please say a prayer for healthy babies growing in her womb, and a healthy and normal pregnancy and delivery for Christy. I am attaching a picture of the three little ones, baby A, baby B, and baby C for you to enjoy. Not much to see yet, but I can tell you that they have a strong heartbeat and are growing normally according to Christy's doctor.

February 5 - latest update on Christy. She went to the Dr yesterday morning. Babies are all doing fine, strong heartbeats and moving around as expected. They are currently about 42mm long, slightly less than 2 inches. Christy has a video of the ultrasound but I havn't figured out how to post it, and if I did I'm not sure you could figure out what you are seeing. Christy knows, so I guess that is what is important. Sadly Christy is having to notify her clients that she will be stopping work soon. I think she is as sad as her clients, but, the pregnancy comes first, and since it is considered a high risk pregnancy she has to do everything possible to help those three little miracles grow to become living family members. Bernd

About that prayer chain Bernd mentioned, I need everyone who is interested to let me know what time slot you would like. What we ask is that you designate an hour for each day and sometime within that hour you say a prayer for Christy, Steve and the babies. For example, if I signed up for 2 p.m., then sometime between 2 and 3 I would say a prayer. You do not have to pray the whole hour! Several of our friends in Europe have signed up for times that will be during the middle of the night for us here. The times I have someone signed up for so far are: 1, 2, 3, 8, and 9 a.m., 12, 3, and 11 p.m. Pacific time. Some of them have more than one person signed up but I would really like to see at least one person for each hour so e-mail me if you are interested: slkammer@prefer.net Thanks!