An Afternoon of Rest

This past week has been stressful. Well, to be honest, the past several weeks have been stressful. I really hate moving. But that is beside the point. This afternoon, after dropping a load of furniture off at the church and doing some last-minute shopping, we visited a dear couple we know from AJ's preschool and Timo's work.

Hoping for sun, we headed out to their house for lunch, swimming, fika, and fellowship. Lunch was delicious, with plenty of protein to feed my growing baby. The kids were growing restless as they waited for the adults to finish eating and talking so they could go swimming.

We finally finished, and the kids excitedly changed and headed down to the pool. They swam for about 20 minutes before the sun decided to hide behind a cloud, and the air grew cooler. K got out, went back in, and got out again. H reluctantly let me take his swimming jacket off so I could wrap him in a towel. He stood there shivering and protesting simultaneously. AJ was also out and in and out again. They just didn't want to give up their chance to swim.

When all three kids had climbed out of the pool, we walked to the house to dry off, warm up, and have fika. Annette served ice cream and American cheesecake topped with fresh berries. We ate with relish, and H devoured two pieces of cheesecake. AJ ate a little bit of everything, as did K.



AJ with a mouth full of deliciousness



When the kids were done, K and AJ sat in the now-present sun and played.



Playing with Polly Pockets



After fika, I insisted on taking a picture of Hans and Timo. After all, they have worked together for the past 3.5 years, and he has been there for us on many occasions. He helped us put in our sod, helped take down a tree, and invited us to attend several gatherings with them. 



Hans and Timo

 After fika, we looked at some wedding pictures and a short video from their daughter's wedding two weeks ago. It was fun to hear about Swedish wedding traditions and see pictures from a Swedish wedding. When it was over, we talked some more while the kids ran some of their energy off.

Before we left, AJ gave Annette a big hug. AJ doesn't just hug anyone. She is a very special lady who has gotten to know our sweet boy at preschool and always treated him well. I asked if he would take a picture with her, and he agreed (another indicator in how much she means to him). On my small camera screen, the shot looked fine, but it turned out blurry once I got it on my computer. I am so bummed because it would have been a great shot otherwise.

Annette and AJ

 This afternoon was a much-needed time of rest and fellowship. I am thankful for these friends and what they have meant to us during our time here.