We survived the Blizzard, only receiving about 6 inches of snow. Mario has us shoveled out already. We celebrated the snow by having some friends over for a 'summer picnic' of grilled hamburgers and ice cream cones. The kids thought this was very fun and it was fun to get caught up with the grown ups too.
The kids and I played with our neighbors during Joshua's nap this morning. Much exercise was had by all, climbing up the hill and sliding down. I was very dry in my new snow pants and what a purchase, unlike the kiddos, mine will fit forever.
We are trying out a new church today, but it has a night-time service. This is a little different for us, but should be fun. I rememberer worshiping Sunday mornings and evenings as a toddler and young girl. I loved those evening services with informal song selection and testimony sharing.
I don't know where the weekend went to. The six of us spend the majority of it sleeping, playing, eating, cleaning, and goofing off. Hope you had good weekends too.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Friday, February 23, 2007
The Blizzard of the Century is Coming!
Hi to all!
I thought I would update on our week as Mario is out getting snowpants for the grownups at our house. We are forecasted to get over ten inches in the next two days. I am glad it is on the weekend so my sweetheart won't be stuck in the traffic that would follow.
Andy's friend parents (the Feldman's) dropped off beatiful bunkbeds for us earlier this week. They really connected with the kiddos, because they also have two boys and two girls. Well, anyways they dropped off-not 15 minutes ago, the cutest bicycle. It is a sturdy little 'John Deere" bicycle and brand new so the kids are going to ride it all through the house during the blizzard. Now they are happily watching "Free Willy 2" also from the Feldman's. Thanks, guys--family night would have been a repeat without ya!
This was a difficult week for me. I was such a 'girl'. Very emotional and for no apparent reason. I did get to tour the local Catholic school and visit a friend in the hospital (thanks, Nana Deb), my mom came back for 24 hours after two weeks of absesnces. Thanks, Mom. My cousin Elizabeth and her family were the highlight of my week, stopping by Thursday, with love, acceptance, and friendship. That was such a blessing. Amidst all the highlights, I really felt like my head was not attached this week. So I apoligize if I messed up and forgot someone's birthday or hurt feelings. I started doing yoga again and am hoping to feel more centered this coming week.
Pray for my sis and her boys, they were in a moderate car accident and are doing fine, but pretty shook up. Pray that they would have peace and that God would provide for their needs.
I hope that everyone in the frozen tundra with us, stays warm and safe. I am now going to patiently wait for Mario to get back with my snowpants and a decaf latte.
love-from Emilee
I thought I would update on our week as Mario is out getting snowpants for the grownups at our house. We are forecasted to get over ten inches in the next two days. I am glad it is on the weekend so my sweetheart won't be stuck in the traffic that would follow.
Andy's friend parents (the Feldman's) dropped off beatiful bunkbeds for us earlier this week. They really connected with the kiddos, because they also have two boys and two girls. Well, anyways they dropped off-not 15 minutes ago, the cutest bicycle. It is a sturdy little 'John Deere" bicycle and brand new so the kids are going to ride it all through the house during the blizzard. Now they are happily watching "Free Willy 2" also from the Feldman's. Thanks, guys--family night would have been a repeat without ya!
This was a difficult week for me. I was such a 'girl'. Very emotional and for no apparent reason. I did get to tour the local Catholic school and visit a friend in the hospital (thanks, Nana Deb), my mom came back for 24 hours after two weeks of absesnces. Thanks, Mom. My cousin Elizabeth and her family were the highlight of my week, stopping by Thursday, with love, acceptance, and friendship. That was such a blessing. Amidst all the highlights, I really felt like my head was not attached this week. So I apoligize if I messed up and forgot someone's birthday or hurt feelings. I started doing yoga again and am hoping to feel more centered this coming week.
Pray for my sis and her boys, they were in a moderate car accident and are doing fine, but pretty shook up. Pray that they would have peace and that God would provide for their needs.
I hope that everyone in the frozen tundra with us, stays warm and safe. I am now going to patiently wait for Mario to get back with my snowpants and a decaf latte.
love-from Emilee
Monday, February 19, 2007
Emilee's First Blog
Good Morning (or whatever time of day, you check in)!
I am sitting here drinking Ethiopian coffee as I attempt my first time updating the blog. It is President's Day, which for one more year does not affect us. The search has begun for the perfect Kindergarten. Keep me in your prayers, as I research options for Chloe. Speaking of Chloe, we were in the car yesterday and she says, the first president was George Washington. We were pretty impressed with her and her preschool. She then said the second president was Abraham Lincoln, well...at least she is remembering the important names!
Isayas is picking up English every day. He speaks in little sentences now, like "I'll get it" when something falls on the ground at a meal. Yes, he knows some abbreviations already. Pray that I have patience and wisdom as I really start to work on numbers and letters with him. I am not sure if he is being ornery or just struggling. Mario and I lean towards believing he is stubborn, the things he is not doing here, are concepts we witnessed him doing in Addis, at school.
Our two year old, Maya, is pretty much acting two. Last night, we went to the nicest shower thrown by Grandpa Daniel and his family. She grunted and moaned in my arms the first 45 minutes, whenever someone spoke to her. Even us. It can be frustrating to figure out what to do about discipline in a new situation and with new people. I eventually sat her by our diaper bag and baby carrier for a time-out. She screamed for two minutes and then had a good party for the rest of the time. We felt surrounded by love and really had fun last night with Mario's aunts and some cool cousins. The kids made fast fun and friends too with the kid cousins that were there. Taylor, Michael, and Tatiana you are cool kids. Little Tami too, but when you and Josh are crawling you two will rock the Rodriguez parties.
Joshua Molla is doing great. Since I was the only one calling him Joshua and Josh here, except for Maya, I started calling him Joshy. This name really caught on with the siblings and they all are calling him Joshy now. Isayas rotates with Joshy and Baby. Very cute. We were supposed to take Joshua in to a specialist on Thursday, the 8th. We were stuck in terrible traffic due to a car accident. The doctor's office refused to see us till the next opening, which was three hours away. We were beyond frustrated. But God has a way of working things out. We had not seen blood in his stool for five days before that appointment, and haven't seen it since. That doctor's visit would have been unnecessary and very expensive, so that traffic saved us a lot of money and Joshua unnecessary discomfort from tests of that nature!
Daddy is doing good. Working hard and getting much satisfaction from that. He is still enjoying his job and coworkers. He comes home and chases the kids around the circle. The four of them are laughing and playing so hard, it is very cute. When we just had the girls, he would play that game with Xena, but now they all participate. I have a feeling that this week will involve much chili eating for our family. Mario needs to defend his second place finish at the work cook-off. If anyone wants to eat chili this week, let me know. We could always use company and guinea pigs! (Please, no one actually give us real guinea pigs as a gift!-I clean up after the perfect number of residents here already!)
I am doing well too. I have been on my own with the kiddos since, Thursday the 8th. My mom/nanny/housekeeper/friend is scheduled to be out with us this week for a couple of nights, but on Saturday was coming down with a second batch of bronchitis. So I might be going alone with the four musketeers once more. Grammie Vicki get better!!!! Thanks to my girlfriends last week who stepped up and helped me out with long phone calls, babysitting so I could grocery shop all alone, and prayer. Thanks to Nana Debbie for the dinner and carpooling Chloe. Hillary Clinton once said it takes a village to raise a child. And she only had one, so how would she really know! Thanks to our village of support, prayers, and understanding. This week my goal is to keep my calm and write numerous thank you notes. In that order!
I am sitting here drinking Ethiopian coffee as I attempt my first time updating the blog. It is President's Day, which for one more year does not affect us. The search has begun for the perfect Kindergarten. Keep me in your prayers, as I research options for Chloe. Speaking of Chloe, we were in the car yesterday and she says, the first president was George Washington. We were pretty impressed with her and her preschool. She then said the second president was Abraham Lincoln, well...at least she is remembering the important names!
Isayas is picking up English every day. He speaks in little sentences now, like "I'll get it" when something falls on the ground at a meal. Yes, he knows some abbreviations already. Pray that I have patience and wisdom as I really start to work on numbers and letters with him. I am not sure if he is being ornery or just struggling. Mario and I lean towards believing he is stubborn, the things he is not doing here, are concepts we witnessed him doing in Addis, at school.
Our two year old, Maya, is pretty much acting two. Last night, we went to the nicest shower thrown by Grandpa Daniel and his family. She grunted and moaned in my arms the first 45 minutes, whenever someone spoke to her. Even us. It can be frustrating to figure out what to do about discipline in a new situation and with new people. I eventually sat her by our diaper bag and baby carrier for a time-out. She screamed for two minutes and then had a good party for the rest of the time. We felt surrounded by love and really had fun last night with Mario's aunts and some cool cousins. The kids made fast fun and friends too with the kid cousins that were there. Taylor, Michael, and Tatiana you are cool kids. Little Tami too, but when you and Josh are crawling you two will rock the Rodriguez parties.
Joshua Molla is doing great. Since I was the only one calling him Joshua and Josh here, except for Maya, I started calling him Joshy. This name really caught on with the siblings and they all are calling him Joshy now. Isayas rotates with Joshy and Baby. Very cute. We were supposed to take Joshua in to a specialist on Thursday, the 8th. We were stuck in terrible traffic due to a car accident. The doctor's office refused to see us till the next opening, which was three hours away. We were beyond frustrated. But God has a way of working things out. We had not seen blood in his stool for five days before that appointment, and haven't seen it since. That doctor's visit would have been unnecessary and very expensive, so that traffic saved us a lot of money and Joshua unnecessary discomfort from tests of that nature!
Daddy is doing good. Working hard and getting much satisfaction from that. He is still enjoying his job and coworkers. He comes home and chases the kids around the circle. The four of them are laughing and playing so hard, it is very cute. When we just had the girls, he would play that game with Xena, but now they all participate. I have a feeling that this week will involve much chili eating for our family. Mario needs to defend his second place finish at the work cook-off. If anyone wants to eat chili this week, let me know. We could always use company and guinea pigs! (Please, no one actually give us real guinea pigs as a gift!-I clean up after the perfect number of residents here already!)
I am doing well too. I have been on my own with the kiddos since, Thursday the 8th. My mom/nanny/housekeeper/friend is scheduled to be out with us this week for a couple of nights, but on Saturday was coming down with a second batch of bronchitis. So I might be going alone with the four musketeers once more. Grammie Vicki get better!!!! Thanks to my girlfriends last week who stepped up and helped me out with long phone calls, babysitting so I could grocery shop all alone, and prayer. Thanks to Nana Debbie for the dinner and carpooling Chloe. Hillary Clinton once said it takes a village to raise a child. And she only had one, so how would she really know! Thanks to our village of support, prayers, and understanding. This week my goal is to keep my calm and write numerous thank you notes. In that order!
Friday, February 09, 2007
Brrrrrrrr!!
As fate would have it, a zone for our hot water heat went bad in the middle of the coldest stretch of weather in 14 years or something. The zone that no longer works is the one that controls the bedrooms upstairs, so sleeping has been chilly!
Since this exact thing happened 2 years ago, and back then we fixed it by using a space heater to heat the wall with the pipes in them, believing that the pipes were frozen. So we did the same thing this time, only...it didn't work. We still had to heat. WE tried for several days, but to no avail. So I decided that I would cut some holes into the wall in the playroom, trying to find the pipes that we thought were frozen. Turns out, there are no pipes in the wall...they must be redirected somewhere else! So now I have 4 holes in the wall, and it turns out a motor valve went bad! So there was no water moving in the zone!
So, we had the Service Plus guy come out to fix it, and he finds that the whole boiler is bad, expelling carbon monoxide like the car was parked and running in the basement! So things were very dangerous in our house! Praise God that He protected us!
So as I write this, we have new boiler being installed and I hope to be warm within the next few hours.
During all this, Em and I got to go on our first date since Italy, dining at a very nice restaurant in Minneapolis called Masa, an up-scale Mexican eatery. The food was good, stay away from the guacamole (no flavor) and the margaritas ($9 for ice and triple sec???)
The kids are doing well, with everyone having the sniffles and that's about it. With this cold snap, we have been unable to get out of the house much, and the kids are starting to get cabin fever, big time.
In the pictures above, you can see Isayas eating ice cream for the first time. He loved it! Many Ehtiopian kids don't, as the chill and creaminess of it is offsetting at first. But dove right in!
Also, in the picture with Joshy in the truck, please note that all precautions were taken to ensure his safey. No one was hurt in the taking of that picture.
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