I've included a few pictures of the apartment. It's not totally put together, but this gives a better idea.
We are finally, truly starting to settle in La Paz. We've been back for almost a month now, which has been great. The kids have their own beds, and we've put their rooms together and have some storage for their stuff and a wooden storage thing for the playroom. And we have couches and a dining room table and we bought a rug and a television (thanks to the family for that awesome gift) and everything feels like it's actually real.
Alexis has loved being back at school, and it was really cool to see her with her classmates at a birthday party last week and how much they enjoyed having her around. (I don't know what I'll do if I end up having a popular kid since I never was in the least.) She's been working a lot on writing her numbers so that they're neater. Maybe she can have better writing than her mother, and by better I mean at least somewhat legible. She gets up every morning and plays quietly in her room until the rest of the family is up, and she comes home from school every day very happy and excited. Except for one day, when she "broke" something on the bus and another kid threatened her with the office, which terrified her. Other than that, she still loves school and her teacher, and she loves seeing the other teachers outside of school, too.
Micah is his same euphoric, miserable self. Ecstatic one moment, writhing in agony the next. He is getting pretty good at counting, and we're still working on his colors. He has a number of them but still gets the basics confused a lot. He goes out with me a lot in the mornings and is getting more used to being without a stroller, although he still frequently wants to be held. He loves having the car shopping carts to himself when we go to the grocery store, though. His favorite new thing is Blue's Clues; he gets REALLY into answering the questions. His talking has just exploded recently, too. It kept feeling like he was going through growth spurts for a few months, but now it seems like he's going through talking spurts and is forming so many long, complete sentences now. It's always fascinating to listen to him bust out with a word I've never heard him use.
Everyone has been fighting colds on and off, but I'm hoping that we've all recovered for the most part. It has been rainy, rainy, rainy here, making it a bit difficult to get laundry to dry. We have an enclosed laundry area in our apartment, which is wonderful, but when it's wet, it takes longer. Plus I haven't been able to wash sheets because I can't find a sunny day for them to dry outside. I've loved the rain, though, and it's especially nice that if I have to go out, we're in a garage and there's a grocery store that has garage parking. If I need food, the rain isn't even a worry.
I still go to the market a few blocks away frequently, but I think I'm going to stop going as much for a few reasons. First, they're typically more expensive than the grocery stores. Two, I never know what I'm going to find or if they're going to have it. I went yesterday primarily looking for cherries but had about a dozen other things on the list and walked out with only two items purchased. I then proceeded to go to the grocery store. I wonder if the grocery stores are at some point going to put the markets out of business because the stores can buy in such bulk. (I imagine that's why most prices are lower, but I could be wrong about that.)
It's also CARNAVAL this long weekend, so my plan is to avoid going places where my children might be in danger of being pelted with water balloons. That's how they have fun here. I can just imagine Micah's reaction to that, and I'd rather keep that in my imagination instead of my reality.
Alexis has loved being back at school, and it was really cool to see her with her classmates at a birthday party last week and how much they enjoyed having her around. (I don't know what I'll do if I end up having a popular kid since I never was in the least.) She's been working a lot on writing her numbers so that they're neater. Maybe she can have better writing than her mother, and by better I mean at least somewhat legible. She gets up every morning and plays quietly in her room until the rest of the family is up, and she comes home from school every day very happy and excited. Except for one day, when she "broke" something on the bus and another kid threatened her with the office, which terrified her. Other than that, she still loves school and her teacher, and she loves seeing the other teachers outside of school, too.
Micah is his same euphoric, miserable self. Ecstatic one moment, writhing in agony the next. He is getting pretty good at counting, and we're still working on his colors. He has a number of them but still gets the basics confused a lot. He goes out with me a lot in the mornings and is getting more used to being without a stroller, although he still frequently wants to be held. He loves having the car shopping carts to himself when we go to the grocery store, though. His favorite new thing is Blue's Clues; he gets REALLY into answering the questions. His talking has just exploded recently, too. It kept feeling like he was going through growth spurts for a few months, but now it seems like he's going through talking spurts and is forming so many long, complete sentences now. It's always fascinating to listen to him bust out with a word I've never heard him use.
Everyone has been fighting colds on and off, but I'm hoping that we've all recovered for the most part. It has been rainy, rainy, rainy here, making it a bit difficult to get laundry to dry. We have an enclosed laundry area in our apartment, which is wonderful, but when it's wet, it takes longer. Plus I haven't been able to wash sheets because I can't find a sunny day for them to dry outside. I've loved the rain, though, and it's especially nice that if I have to go out, we're in a garage and there's a grocery store that has garage parking. If I need food, the rain isn't even a worry.
I still go to the market a few blocks away frequently, but I think I'm going to stop going as much for a few reasons. First, they're typically more expensive than the grocery stores. Two, I never know what I'm going to find or if they're going to have it. I went yesterday primarily looking for cherries but had about a dozen other things on the list and walked out with only two items purchased. I then proceeded to go to the grocery store. I wonder if the grocery stores are at some point going to put the markets out of business because the stores can buy in such bulk. (I imagine that's why most prices are lower, but I could be wrong about that.)
It's also CARNAVAL this long weekend, so my plan is to avoid going places where my children might be in danger of being pelted with water balloons. That's how they have fun here. I can just imagine Micah's reaction to that, and I'd rather keep that in my imagination instead of my reality.
3 comments:
I can see where this is both exhilarating and terrifying at alternating times and yet, strong within your newsy update is the sound of budding routine and familiar rhythms ... I am praising the Lord for this awesome report. Mark began assisting Bp Bena last December at St Margaret's Woodbridge, and we have a mutual love affair there. What a great parish and since they all just lost the 5 yr lawsuit, we are helping make the difficult transition of leaving their 50 year old property atop a beautiful densely wooded hill to a new home. Mark serves without compensation but does so with absolute joy and gratitude to be preaching, teaching, ministering in healing and counseling again. His health has completely turned around and the family says "he's back!". The Anglican Dio also asked him to help their team of lawyers to negotiate and mediate how to navigate the court's decision without bankrupting all the.churches, incl St Marg. He is using his 22 yr career as VP of American Arbitration Assn and his exp in alternative dispute resolution.
Which brings me to the news that Mark has a new job as the CEO of CRCS (Conflict Resolution & Conciliation Services) in downtown Fairfax. It's a Christian org that does what he did until 15 yrs ago ... but with businesses, family relationships, etc. who want the org that administers their justice to be rooted in Christ! The best part is that his Board of Directors has agreed to allow him to tent make with this job -- so he can support himself and remain serving St Marg's!
Also Thea is due with her third baby in September - but very sick as she was the last time, so pls pray. Josh and Heather are moving up here this spring and Sam's life is about to change as well....
Pls hug and kiss those babies of yours for us! We love and miss you tons and pray you will come and stay with us when you want to visit your old stomping grounds!
Great pictures, your apartment looks lovely. Hope we can make it down for a visit sometime.
I love seeing your pictures! The kids rooms are adorable and the house shelf is really cute! It's also fun to hear how the kids are growing up!
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