19 months, news and a summer review

I know, I know, it's a looong time ago since I wrote. Or maybe you haven't even noticed because just like us, you are busy with your babies growing faster than you run.

Our babies are doing just fine. Jennifer is enjoying her summer vacation and Erik is still unaware about his pre-school career soon to begin. As probably most children, they too have developed so much during these months. In the beginning of the summer we got ourselves a trampoline. It has been great for them - Jennifer is now a much better climber and Erik has fantastic balance for his age. He jumps, climbs and skips as a much older child. Erik has developed quite a vocabulary, especially when it comes to vehicles. He is passionate about tractors. Most days, "Tatto" is his first and last word. He is a very quick learner and immediately tries to immitate what you're saying or doing. He's still a biter and a pincher. He runs really fast and manages stairs so well. Even the ladder up to the trampoline is nemas problemas! Both I and my husband are daily fascinated by how much of a "boy" he is. Jennifer has never been as girlish like he is boyish. Still, he has been exposed to same toys from beginning.

Both children have been playing a lot with water - both in our backyard aswell as on the beach.

We have made several sea tours watching my father-in-law baiting eel. I'm so proud and happy that my children get to see and experience this old craftmanship that might be lost forever sooner than we can imagine. There are only few in Sweden who are permitted to caugh eel. My father-in-law is one of them.

Jennifer helping grandfather 

Checking out a plaice

Checking out a boat. Very apreciated.

Three generations in the same boat <3

Besides staying close to the sea, we have also been to the Astrid Lindgren World in Vimmerby. You know, this fantastic lady who wrote the books about Pippi Longstocking, Karlsson-on-the-Roof, Children of Noisy Village and Emil of Lönneberga. We had so much fun and our kids were so happy and SO exhausted after two whole days there.

The show at Pippi's house

Jennifer Longstocking

Jenni-Pippi

Jennifer, dressed as Emil's little sister, Ida.

Jennifer also has taken a few horseback riding lessons, which we both enjoyed very much.

She's a natural, if you ask me. Here with a shetland pony "Lisa".
Jennifers favourite horse at the riding school.

My parents visited us during 2 weeks in July. Wonderful days!
Here's Jennifer with my mother

Painting our windows

Erik with my father

Enjoying watermelon in our backyard

This summer really has been fantastic when it comes to weather. Most people can't even remember when we had such a sunny and warm summer last time. It's also my last summer on maternity leave. EVER. Wow!, I better don't think of it in this way during these last weeks of freedom. It's a new beginning and maybe one could also say that we are going to take a step into the real world, being two working parents and children at pre-school. Most people do it. But for us it was going to be a bit extra tricky due to our working hours. With my husband working as a medical sales rep., he often travelles with very short notice. Making a monthly or even a weekly schedule for him is rather complicated since most operations and procedures that he needs to attend (in order to guide doctors) are planned from day to day. Considering my own extremely early or late (or whole night) working hours at the hospital and the lack of family members/friends who coud step in and leave or pick up our children at the pre-school, one of us must work part time.  Due to the salary, it's me. Believe me, I don't mind at all. But I'm sick and tired of being poor. The one who rarely has own money. That's me.

So, at the same time as I was looking forward to start working 50% at my hospital ward again, I also dreamed of either finding a job in India or Bangladesh and take my family for a year or two abroad. Or a job, closer to my home, with "normal" working hours so that I could earn more. I sent so many emails and got wonderful help from our friends abroad, too.(Thank you SO SO much!) I was even offered a very interesting job in Dhaka but the thing was, it was voluntary. Almost no salary at all. Sadly, we could not afford it.
And then something very weird happened one morning. I got a phone call from a lady who said that she called from our local health centre. She had got a tip about calling me from her colleague (who used to be our childrens nurse). She wondered whether I could consider working there this summer. I could, but I also mentioned that it would be great if that would lead to something permanent, too. I met the boss. We agreed on the summer schedule and I started to work when my husband could stay at home with Jennifer and Erik - just a few days a week. And then, one of the last days of July, I was offered to continue working there. And I agreed!!! As resigning must be done 3 months in advance here, I'm still going to work 7 weeks at my ward before I will start at my new job in November but I'm absolutely thrilled! I know my guardian angel has been involved in this :) Not only am I going to work about 1,5 km from home (I need to buy a bicycle!), I'm also getting to study an university course over a year, in order to get Asthma/allergy/cronical obstructive lung disease speciality (my second, next to diabetes).

So, if you call me at the Health Centre, I probably look something like this :)