Happy Thanks-Oh, My Lung!!!

Alright, so it's been a while. Time for us to get reacquainted. However, I have no idea how to catch up on the past three months - so I am going to start with our first major holiday back in the States and then kind of see where we go from there.

As you all know, this past Thursday was Thanksgiving. And as you also know, many men participate in tradition known as a "Turkey Bowl": an activity in which a group of men gather together early in the morning to play a game of football in subarctic temperatures. Scott has never missed a Turkey Bowl (even when we are out of town). Scott left for his game around 8am and I started to thaw the turkey (yes, bad planning on my part). I had just finished giving Mr. Turkey an hour long bath when Scott came home. He did not look like he had the best game of his life. He was trying to stretch out his chest and told me he was having a tough time getting a deep breath. When I asked what happened, Scott explained that his team had done and onside kick and he dove for the ball. Just as he was about to make contact with the pig skin, his chest collided with someone's knee. He said he tried playing for about ten more minutes, but then realized he should head home.

After talking for a while we realized that we should get a chest x-ray, just to make sure everything was alright. We walked in the ER and joined about four other fallen heroes of the Turkey Bowl phenomenon.

So let's cut to the chase - Scott got an x-ray. Diagnosis: punctured lung.

The ER doctor told us that a pulmonary specialist was going to do a procedure he had never seen before and wanted to let us know he would be standing in to watch. Okay, no problem.

About an hour later the pulmonary specialist showed up, but the ER doctor was the one holding the scalpel. She (the specialist) plopped down on a stool and started looking at the computer screen. Here is the following dialogue: (also, please note that Scott was awake for all of this):

(oh, and just so you know, Scott doesn't like needles or any other hospital paraphernalia):

ER doc: So, do I cut him open with the scalpel, or do I just kind of ram it in.

Specialist: Probably cut him. It makes it easier to get it in. Once you insert the catheter keep pushing until you hear a "pop" - then you'll know you are in the lung.

At this point I noticed Scott's white knuckles grabbing onto the sheet. The ER doctor made his cut and announced, "Wow! I am already at the bone." Nice. The catheter finally made it's way into the lung with the doctor and specialist rehearsing a play-by-play of the entire process.

Scott was a trouper and even made it out of the ER in time for our 2pm appointment for Thanksgiving dinner. Luckily Scott was so drugged up that I think he was able to enjoy most of the meal. After dinner we spent the better part of the evening trying to find a pharmacy that was open to fill his prescription.

Yesterday night, both Scott and I were looking forward to hopping into bed and getting a good night's rest. It was around 10:30pm when Scott's phone rang (with a Utah area code - NOT a good sign). Turns out a part of the refinery went down and the operations people could not find the replacement part. Situation: Scott needed to get over to the refinery and help them find the part. Problem: Scott had just taken his pain meds and was not allowed to drive. Luckily my mom was in town and happily came over to watch the kids.

I will not give you all the details of our night - but we did not get home until 2:30am. So much for a relaxing evening.

Now....let me try to give the Cliff's Notes version of the past three months:

August: We packed up the apartment and made our way to Utah. Three days before we left, Scott came into the kitchen with a shocked look on his face. "Guess what I found on the balcony," he said. He led me outside and to our utter shock THERE WAS BOWSER!!! Bowser: our pet turtle who was deemed dead three weeks prior and who we had BURIED in a flower pot. He somehow dug himself out of his grave and survived on who-knows-what for almost a month. We decided that Bowser had bought himself a ticket to the U.S. He spent most of his journey in a tupperware inside a sock (and was almost caught a few times) - but he made it and is doing well.

September: We found a furnished home we could rent by the month while we looked for a home. The boys got settled in at their new school and Scott started work. We also hiked the Y as a family for the first time....boy! that was a hot day!

October: We somehow scored a sweet deal on a house. The property had gone into foreclosure twice and the investor who had picked it up had a hard loan due the first of November....and guess who were the only people who could close in less than two weeks! Woo-hoo!!!! We are home owners!!!

I also had the chance to head down to Arizona to see my niece, Xanga, get sealed in the temple. It was an incredible experience and I don't think I have ever seen such a happy bride. However, one of the funniest parts of the day was when my dad's cell phone went off in the middle of the ceremony. We had been told at least twice to turn off our cell phones and I think my dad inadvertently turned it on while making sure it was off. About thirty minutes into the ceremony steel-drum, Caribbean cruise music started playing....had I been anywhere else I would have gotten up and started dancing.

Halloween: Just for the record, Jacob was a soccer player (yet again), while Andrew opted for a Super Mario costume. Matthew and I decided it was not worth it to go trick-or-treating in the snow.

November: We moved into our home and the boxes arrived. I think we had a total of 453 boxes. We also had a mover who decided to traipse through our entire house with grease on his shoe: across the family room, up the stairs, into the master bedroom, down the stairs, down the other stairs to the basement, and across the basement. It reminded me of that black stuff in Spiderman 3 - it just seemd to grow as he made his way through the house.

We have also managed to move into the nicest neighborhood in the world. Our first day moving in we had about six people stop by to welcome us. Some brought phone numbers, other's baked goods: it was amazing!!!

Jacob's soccer team also won their league championship at the beginning of the month. They had an undefeated season. HUGE change from last year when Jacob had a total loss season.

I also found out that I have a warrant out for my arrest in Singapore. Background: Two weeks before we moved I was cited for having "tampered" with one of my parking tickets (valued at $0.50). I tried explaining to the three police officers who surrounded my car that I was moving and that I wanted to pay the ticket there and then. I was informed that it had to be send in for "analysis" and that I should receive my ticket in the mail within five days. I never got the ticket. About two weeks ago I received a letter informing me that I had failed to pay my parking ticket, a warrant had been issued, and that I had $15,000 bail looming. (Please let me repeat that the initial violation was for $0.50!!!!!! Does this seem just a bit overboard to anyone else?!?!?!) Anyway, for all of you who thought I would be returning to Singapore anytime soon - you may want to consider coming to me instead.

On to happier things....

I had an awesome experience with my family about a week ago. My dad bought all the kids tickets to the Harvard/Yale game (he is an alumni of Harvard....class of '52...awwww, so cute!) So all six of the Barrys made their way to Cambridge last Friday. We spent the day with my dad touring the campus and seeing his old digs. It was incredible. I am the biggest fool in the world and forgot to bring a camera! I do not think I will ever forgive myself for that one. Saturday we went to the game. Factoid: the Harvard stadium is 109 years old and is the oldest colligate stadium in the country.

Alright...this is getting too long.....

I wonder if anyone is still reading this?.....

Here are some pics of the family since that is the only reason people look at blogs in the first place.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!!

Here was are getting ready to board the plane. We were SOOOOO excited to fly Business Class this one last time.

Andrew getting all snuggled in for the flight.

I think Matthew may have been a little tight on space. Yup. That is his seat.

Don't get used to this, Jacob.

Enjoying being back in our native land.

Andrew being typical Andrew. I came back from the bathroom and this is what I found waiting for me. When I asked what he was doing he said, "I'm tired."

Jacob made sure he put on one of his infamous Michael Jackson performances. He "let" Andrew be his back-up dancer.

The family hike up the Y. It was a hot one that day. Black shirt and jeans=bad idea.

Poor Matthew was so sweaty.

Matthew's first time at the kitchen table. I think it was the best day of his six month life.

Jacob and Andrew on their first day of school. I think they were secretly excited not to have to wear uniforms though they would not admit it at the time.

So, this is a "project" for school. Last year he had to do a powerpoint presentation of Afghanistan. This year he had to make an edible map of Utah. Sounds like my kind of school - though I have no idea how that will help him with any kind of future career outside of the culinary arts.

Mr. Artwork. I think he was recreating our journey from Singapore.

Jacob's team was Arsenal.

Andrew had been begging for a new bike. We devised a point system for him to earn one and he was ecstatic when he finally got it. Here is the proud owner!!!

The morning of our first snowfall. So picturesque and beautiful....

....and here is the next morning at 6am. I don't know if Scott appreciated the fact that I came out laughing to get a picture of him and then hurried back inside to get warm.

The boys were THRILLED about the snow. Every morning they would play in it until it was time to go to school.

Yeah - it was kind of deep.

And they played in it after school as well.

Our sweet, little Matthew who loves bath-time.

Scott and the boys hiked up to the Timp Caves the day before they closed. From what I heard they all had a blast.

Getting ready for Halloween. For this first time in my life I finally got to go through a corn maze. However, I think we were all kind of asking what the point was when we got out.

These last two pictures are from this summer, but this is the Barry Family in its entirety (oh shoot, Xanga got married after this...guess this in outdated now...) Anyway, I thought you may like to see how the Barry Family looks these days!

And I think this is the one that's most true to form. Good times!!!!!!!