Friday, October 28, 2005

A BIG BED!!!



Much to my consternation Nykolas has moved to a big bed. This week he started climbing out of his crib and I was afraid it wouldn't be long until he fell and hurt himself. I was really hoping to put off this big move for several months but alas, life moves faster than I desire.

Sunday, October 23, 2005

Where we are headed....


Last week was quite eventful. Chad had the new VP in town and in the midst of meetings and dinners - one of our closet doors fell on his head. So after sitting down to eat dinner, as a family we spent another evening at the ER. Nykolas seemed very concerned that his daddy might get more attention than him at the hospital so he was pointing out his scar to all the nurses just to make sure the limelight didn't shine away from him for too long. I was a little afraid that it might turn out to be such a hassle with both kids while Chad was being stitched up but both were wonderful! Here is a picture of them pointing to their own 'boo-boos'.

We have learned that our next 'home' will be Okinawa, Japan. We will be moving there in January or February. The Lord is being gentle as our team members here, Adrian and Bambina Arce will be joining us. Adrian and Bambina have three really great kids. Being a team with them will be wonderful....not to mention they were missionaries in Japan for six years, are fluent in Japanese and Adrain is a professor of Japanese culture in their home country of Argentina! Please pray for us as plans fall into place.

Mia is so close to crawling! She is now getting up on her knees and rocking back and forth....lots of time on the floor to practice has drawn Nykolas' attention to her more and more. He seems so much happier when she is on the floor with him....I just have to watch him as often he ends up wrestling her flat! I wonder how much he is going to like her when she can get his toys away from him....hmmmmm....I see conflict ahead. And Nykolas has figured out that if he wiggles his crib enough and pushes it to the bed he can use the bed to climb out!!! I have been awakened several times this week to knocking on his door and "Mom! Mom!" being yelled out.

Familiar

It's funny how foreign surroundings can so quickly become familiar.....brown smiling faces, sing songy accents, the smell of mosquito fogging in the morning, security everywhere, shanty towns filled with people struggling to survive, huge malls filled with stuff. Manila no longer feels like a foreign far away place....the end of the earth, home. Strange how quickly we can adapt to the unfamiliar.

It's far too easy to become comfortable........

Rocker!

Bill and Annie heard me mention the fact that I missed my rocking chair.....we now have a rocker! Nykolas and Mia love it! It is so nice for early morning cuddles!

Wednesday, October 12, 2005

Saturday, October 08, 2005

Chess anyone....


Fun with Uncle Tom...











"Uncle" Tom Bledsoe was here working on the program for the Festival. Tom and his wife Terri connected us with Global Villages, our Ukraine adoption agency. So, without the Bledsoe family we would not have our Nykolas....needless to say, they are dear to our hearts.

We all went to lunch and then toured Intramuros. It will be a trip we will never forget as we got stopped by the police - twice....the first time we paid $50, which we know was pocketed and the second time Chad talked us out of it! Whew! As if the traffic and figuring our way around isn't enough!

Starbucks Fan Club

Saturday, October 01, 2005

Soaking in bed.....

Unstitched.....


Date with Daddy!



You should have seen me by myself with these two and the stroller taking a taxi to the mall to meet Chad!