Midwest Manners

The first couple of months living here was complete culture shock. I would say that it felt like a different country. I would be walking outside pushing the kids in the stroller when I would have multiple people wave at me. They were walking, driving, on a motorcycle etc. Should I wave back? I don't know them and I don't want them to think I know them when I dont. I kept thinking that they must go to the church and know who I am but I don't know them! Then I realized they were just being nice and didn't know me. So now I return their waves.

While we were in California our lawn got mowed. No one has claimed it but we have a few suspitions. No one ever wants anything in return. Our neighbor told us to use his pool anytime, so Kai and I went over today and used it. I felt like I was sneeking around or something because he's not home but he's just being the norm here. I heard someone say that in California someone knocks on your door so you'll move your car that's blocking their way. Here they knock for you to move your car so they can mow your lawn. I think 'loving thy neighbor' is taking on a new meaning.

California trip

Here are some pictures of our trip back home:
Nash on my parents lake
Nash and Gigi
At the Irvine Lagoon

Kai at Disneyland
Buzz Lightyear!
On the lake with a dog mask on

Sick

I don't know why it is but vacation brings illness. It first started with my cold, then Nash got it, then Devin threw up, then me, and now Nash has a fever a week later and won't sleep. We had a great time in California and tried not to let any sickness put a damper on our plans. I'll post some pictures tomorrow or so. My mom flew back with us and is staying until tomorrow morning. We have done a lot of shopping over the last few weeks and she stocked me up with a new wardrobe to feel good about myself. :) Kai did great with his 'papa' and 'gigi' and really adapted well with staying at their house and being alone with them. He got to visit Disneyland 3 times! He's a lucky little boy. It's hard to know he is so loved back at home and we can't be around those people everyday. I often wonder what it is about Illnois that called us here and what God is doing? This is the hardest thing I've ever done and I pray that I'm growing closer to Jesus daily.

Devin got a motorcycle. Yes a motorcycle! It's a long story but we feel that it will save a lot of money on gas because he drives so much. He of course is enjoying his new 'toy' and wants to drive it all the time so he came home soaked from the storm that he didn't expect this afternoon.

I hope to keep this blog updated at least once a week.

Funny moments

Kai likes to put this blue bowl on his head and run around the house. This day he decided Nash needed to have a 'hat' too. Nash didn't seem to mind and I cracked up!




Devin wanted me to take a picture of him as a before shot since he is trying to lose some weight. Kai needed a before shot too he said.

We go home tomorrow! Stay tuned for some updates!

July 4th!

Usually on July 4th we spend it with friends and at my parents house going out on their boat, enjoying meals, and watching the fireworks. This year we knew we had to do something or we would surely be homesick! We went to a pastor's house out in the country who had a huge acre yard and a pool. Kai fell asleep on the way there and we put him onto one of their beds and he remained asleep for another 2 hours! Nash fell asleep and woke up as soon as we arrived and refused sleep for the next 5 hours! So while everyone was enjoying the pool and sun, I was trying to calm my fussy baby. He is also in the stage where he cries if anyone but me holds him.

Later that evening I dropped off Devin and Nash at home to go to bed and Kai and I went to watch the fireworks at a local park. He loved them and would call out the colors with each one. The ones that were really loud he would roar at. He roars like a lion in defense of anything that makes him mad or scares him. It's cute, when it's not directed at his parents!

Updates

We are potty-training Kai this week. I don't know if he's really ready and making progress or if I'm just trying too hard. He doesn't quite get the feeling that he has to go yet. The boy could sit on the potty all day and not go! A couple of days ago he sat on the potty to go "poo poo" and somehow missed and went all down the hallway and then stepped in it and tracked it on the carpet! Yesterday he went into the garage and got into my car and peed on my seat. Maybe he's not ready yet because I'm sure not ready!

Nash-He is army crawling and gets to where he needs to go pretty fast. He will see me across the room and laugh, fuss, and make his way to me. He will even get stuck underneath tables and cry while staring at me because he can't get there. He's eating solid foods really well now and he cries in between each bite (mommy can't get it into his mouth fast enough) but before feeding him he's not acting hungry? Nash will take just one kind of bottle and will only drink juice or breast milk out of it. He hates formula. He is a very serious baby to others and rarely lets out a smile or laugh. He just stares and always wants to check out a situation. He also gets distracted easily and doesn't like loud noises.

Our house-The last couple of weeks have been hard. Our basement flooded, baby bunnies fell to their death in our regress windows, our fence blew down from a big 70 mph wind storm, the neighbors tree fell on the other part of the fence into our yard, we discovered poison ivy on 3 of our trees, Devin's car broke down, and our church is having financial problems and doesn't know how they are going to afford to pay the staff. So we are living by faith and resting in the fact that God has us here for a reason and we will be obedient until he calls us back to California (oh please call us back!)

We will be home July 10th-26th so call us to get together!

Pictures of the new house

I've finally taken some pictures!


OUTSIDE



BACKYARD~IF YOU LOOK CLOSE YOU CAN SEE POISON IVY GOING UP OUR TREES!


KAI'S ROOM


NASH'S ROOM


BASEMENT~THERE IS ANOTHER BEDROOM AND BATHROOM AS WELL AS 3 STORAGE ROOMS AROUND THE CORNER