And Brian and the boys fed him more carrots.  He was a very happy horse and I had some very happy boys too.

and sometimes watering them.

(These photos were from Monday a week and a half ago, before all the rain and when coats and hats were still necessary, except for when you are peeing.)

Spring is coming soon and we are SO ready for it!  We NEED to get outside more and play.  Brian’s working on getting our backyard fenced in…..it is currently loaded with piles of poop(horse and dog) and there’s a mini-lake from all the rain.  BUT SPRING IS COMING!!!!!!!!

(Here’s one of the horses that is dropped off in our backyard to cut the grass….he’s a miniature, there’s a big one that comes to visit too. Brian and the boys feed them carrots sometimes.)

Brian surprised me with a trip to Buenos Aires last Sunday to celebrate our anniversary.  The E’s and the D’s took turns watching our kids. (Thanks so much guys!) And we headed to the city for a day of fun surprises.  First we went to San Telmo, it’s one of the oldest parts of the city and is now known for it’s antique stores and antique fair every weekend.  We had a blast looking around and taking photos(there is a link here).  Then we went to Recoleta (where the famous cemetery is) and walked around the artisan fair there.  What was so wonderful about it is that it isn’t just for tourists, there were a TON of people there, and I heard Spanish more often spoken than English.  And I love to see all the crazy, beautiful, and amazing things people make.  I don’t think I’ll be buying any little wooden ships in lightbulbs, but I did find some jewelry for myself.  We ate lunch outside, spring is coming, and it’s been in the 60′s this last week during the day.  Then we sat on a huge hill and listened to a group of young guys drumming.  The next surprise was a show called Fuerza Bruta(there’s a link here too)…..that I was so skeptical of when we first got in line and I kept asking a gazillion questions.  Brian didn’t answer most of my questions, but I figured this would have to be better than the circus we went to last month, and if only a little bit well then, at least something to mock for years to come.  But it turned out to be pretty amazing and surprisingly fun and we danced and got rained on.  We then made our way around some displays of photographs from people around the world,that was in the same building as the show.  We ate dinner at TGIFriday’s….some yummy ribs and salmon and a delicious mojito and then walked around the old port in B.A. and took some more fun photos.  We had so much fun together, so very much fun.  I wish we could do more things like this more often!

In San Telmo

At Fuerza Bruta

All while standing for the whole performance, we had wind blown at us, paper thrown at us, a tarp waved on us, Brian was kissed on his forehead by one of the performers, and we got rained on.  It was crazy fun.

He’s going on his first field trip and I’m really nervous.  Brian convinced me to let him go.  So, off he goes.  We found out about the field trip on Friday and Monday I wrote a note offering to go, because nothing was said about chaperones.  And I got no response back….so I really don’t know how many chaperones they have…..or if only the extra teachers from his school are going or what.  I DON’T KNOW and it is sort of driving me crazy.  I’m praying a lot.  I stuck a piece of paper in his pocket with his name and our numbers.  And told him not to walk off by himself…and I gave him several other instructions.  They are going to the Natural Science Museum here in La Plata, we’ve been to it before.  His class just finished a unit on dinosaurs, so they are going to the museum to see the dinosaur bones.  I don’t think I’d be nearly as worried if this was Malachi’s trip to the museum, but Elijah doesn’t quite speak Spanish as well as his brother yet, and well he doesn’t quite understand it as well, either.  So…..I’m praying a lot.

You’ll find all three of our boys in this video.  One of the coaches often lets Zekey practice with the other boys for 10 minutes on Tues. and Thurs.  At the Saturday game, he put a jersey on Zekey and tried to put him in the game……Zekey didn’t want anything to do with that! (BTW, he’s not ready for that anyway!)

From 2010 8-5 download

I’ve waited way too long to update but, here it is, our new place.  The answer to so many prayers, and we truly are thankful.  It still isn’t without it’s quirks, but my sighs now are much more from relief than “oh my goodness, how am I ever gonna be able to stay here.”   The amount of space has revolutionized my life…..I can sit in a room and read and even close a door not to be disturbed(this sometimes happens when the boys are at school and Zeke is napping) and I have my own table for scrapbooking and computer space too, and well  more room for clothes drying and play space for the boys.  It’s brought much relief to my life.  Brian mentioned this example to me today….he just went away for four days and everything went well while he was gone….not that the boys didn’t have some totally outrageously disobedient moments, but I was better able to handle them.  I’ve been an emotional roller coaster for way too long…..and it feels good to not cry all the time and not feel so emotionally out of control.  Some of the chaos is disappearing…..that’s wonderful. And I think I may be able to start blogging again some more.  

Our sweet, sensitive little guy spilled his heart out to me at bedtime.  He was sad and mad that Ellie and Em didn’t want to play with him today, but played with Violeta and many other girls at recess.  Violeta had a hula hoop….so, what kid wouldn’t want to play with her?  He talked himself through how sad he was….and then told me when he was walking by himself on the sidewalk and two other kids asked him what happened, he just pouted more and walked away.  And then said, but “Mama, I knew Jesus was with me, he’s ALWAYS with me.”   He said he didn’t want Violeta to bring that hula hoop to school anymore, because he wants Em and Ellie to play with him.  He asked how to tell her not to bring it again, Malachi proceeded to tell him what to say to her in Spanish.  Then a few minutes later Elijah says, “you know it did look like lots of fun.  I want to play with them too.And girls are kind, maybe she’ll let me play too. How do I ask her to play too?”  Malachi told him what to say in Spanish….and gave a mini-language lesson on using vos if it is only one person and ustedes if it is more than one person.   My amazing Malachi boy,   

The lesson in all this, at first I tried to solve it for him, then I stepped back and  just listened and he talked and talked and talked and 15 minutes later he solved the problem all by himself.  I have some amazing boys.

1.  We can’t wait to move to the new place….it’s 2 upstairs apartments….4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and 2 kitchens and a huge passage way on the first floor that we’ll be able to use for storage.
2. Renting it was a team effort…crazily, the only people who didn’t sign the rental contract are Deb and I, so yeah, Nate, Rich, Jil and Brian signed it.  Funny, crazy, and weird…..all decided by the property management company. It’s the same company that rented to Rich and Jil and the team office that is below their house….so that must be why they signed it. 
3.  Jil and I cleaned it today. 
4.  The yard is MUCH bigger than I thought.
5. I think I’m finally over the guilt of how absolutely fabulous this place is and that it IS an answer to prayer and God’s provision for us.  God cares about us…..and me…and my sanity.
6. We have to wait for the electric meter to be reinstalled and then we’ll move. 
7. We got our tv back tonight, and it WAS fixable and we watched Fantastic Mr. Fox……it was funny.
8.  I have itchy hives all over my body….and I have no idea why.
9.  Pictures sometime in the near future of the new place…..and hopefully, it won’t take us 6 months to get internet and phone service just two streets over. 
10.  Tomorrow we try again to figure out my Argentine document.  Hoping we make some more progress on it all.