New Bikes

2016 has been the year of new bikes for our three kids from Grandma and Pop Pop. Oliver got a 16 inch Spiderman bike for his 4th birthday in August. He was riding his bike (with training wheels) until the weather got too cold. Ian got a 20 inch green bike for his birthday earlier this month. He hasn't ridden it yet. I'm not going to sell his blue 16 inch bike until I am sure he is tall enough for the new one. Assuming he grows another inch or two in the next six months, he should be ready for the new one next summer. Today Nadia got up early and went with Paul to work so she could spend the day with her grandparents. They took Nadia shopping. They got her a 24 inch bike, colored pencils, and an adult (animal themed) coloring book. Her 20 inch purple Tinkerbell bike was purchased by my mom in 2014. It will be hard to part with that one in light of who gave it to her, but she's a growing girl, and the boys are not going to want to ride a Tinkerbell bike.

This week was the week of doctor's appointments as four of us had annual appointments. Ian and Nadia had theirs on Tuesday afternoon. Yesterday I had the primary care doctor's office do my annual GYN exam because the GYN office was going to postpone my appointment three more months. In the past I have not been very faithful *at all* with getting these done. After seeing what my mom went through this year, I will not need ANY nagging to have these screenings done every year in the future. I had my mammogram last month. Yesterday in addition the pap smear, I had blood drawn for the BRCA gene mutation test. If I had done it at the GYN office, they would have done a mouth swab. If I have the gene mutation, I will be making an appointment with a GYN so I can have surgery. A woman from church came and sat with my kids in the waiting room a few minutes after I was taken back by the nurse. I was very thankful. The PCP is located about one mile from our house. They are very efficient (far more than the OB/GYN). I think I'll keep going to them for the annual appointments as it took far less time. It was the first time in my life I had a pap smear by someone other than an OB/GYN/RE, but I don't think it will be the last time. This evening Paul had an annual physical. The doctor wants to remove one of his moles next month. One of my prayer requests for 2017 is that Oliver won't be hospitalized. I am hopeful that it might happen!