A family wedding and reception this weekend provided some good opportunities for pictures of all of the kids … and wonder of wonders, Lydia actually consented to me taking this one!

Olof and Petra took the bus to town this afternoon for lunch and a little quality time. On the way there, he tells me, the early morning he’d had caught up with Olof and he leaned his head back against the seat and closed his eyes. He said to Petra, like you do, “Petra, I’m… Read More Filling in the blanks

As of October 1, Olof joined the ranks of the unemployed. No biggie, really, as we’ve been half-expecting this news for close to three years now, and I think it’s something of a relief for both of us to finally have it done. Also a relief is that he’ll continue to get paid for six… Read More Update

After a long, hard, trying day that was unfortunately just the latest in period of long, hard, trying months, I sighed wearily just now and said resignedly to Olof, “What are we going to do with Lydia?” He didn’t miss a beat before replying, sincerely, “We’re going to weather the storm.” That girl has no… Read More Truth

Appalling news from yesterday’s national election here in my adopted homeland: Anti-immigrant Party Rises in Sweden.

Over the weekend I took the first step in my usual late-pregnancy Zoloft detox, cutting my daily dose in half, and I am feeling wiped out. I know it will pass, but getting there from here is no fun.

Last Friday I had my first “real” midwife appointment of this pregnancy. We had the paperwork appointment in June, then the ultrasound the first week of August, but until last week we hadn’t had any sort of regular checkup, despite the fact that I’m well into my sixth month now. I’m not bothered by that,… Read More Check-up

Here’s Petra’s face less than two weeks after her tumble on the driveway … it’s looking pretty darn good!

Last spring we entered Tage in the lottery for Suzuki-method violin lessons, and his name was picked for the course starting this fall. I have no experience whatever with this style of music instruction, but I’ve heard very good things about it, so I’m hopeful that it leads to good things for us. I don’t… Read More New tricks