"Tweat Time"

Our time in DC was so short.  We wanted to see so many friends and we wanted to see so many things but when it came right down to it Shawn had to work.  So we spent our time there actually getting stuff done for our move to Manila.

However we were blessed enough to get together with one family, who we love dearly.  We were in Paraguay together and our kids were good friends.  The Pierces made their way to the hotel on Monday evening, we spent a few hours catching up and then grabbed some dinner before heading to the park to play.  The park is such a wonderful park, on Barton (for those DCers interested) and it kept the kids entertained for hours. 

Eli was constantly getting "lost" at the park.  I even went over and stood right by the play structure to make sure that he would not wander off and get lost with the oh so many people at the park.  But before I knew it he had disappeared. 

I surveyed the park and noticed the ice cream truck stopped in the road with a line around the block.  But if you know my child you know he has no patience; so I found him at the front of the line with his hands out.  Before I could get to him he was running toward me with a "tweat." 

Trying not to shake him for scaring me nearly to death I stomped over to the stroller and grabbed my wallet to pay the ice cream man for the sucker my son had clearly begged off of him.  I stuck my head in the window and said, "Hi, you gave my son a sucker, how much do I owe you?"  He smiled at me and said, "Oh, he gave me a quarter for it. 

Not only was I shocked that Eli had a quarter to give (although he has been keeping "treasures" in his pockets, apparently for this very purpose) but I was even more shocked that he knew what to do with it.  I guess living in a cash economy he has picked up a thing or two. 

So now I know I need to guard my spare change or my 4 year old will be buying suckers from every ice cream vendor he sees. 

Airport Life

We woke up yesterday and heard about the fire at the Miami Airport.  We check the flight info all day long and the flight remained on time.  Here is our day so far. 

3/24
5:00 pm     Leave Hotel
5:30 pm     Arrive at the Airport
6:45 pm     Finally get cat checked in
7:00 pm     Eat dinner (and talk to grandparents)
7:45 pm     Expected boarding time
7:55 pm     Flight delayed to 8:30
8:30 pm     Flight delayed to 9:15
9:15 pm     Flight delayed to 9:45
9:45 pm     Flight delayed to 10:15
10:15 pm   Flight delayed to 11:00
11:00 pm   Flight delayed to 11:30
11:15 pm   Migraine sets in (Relpax #1)
11:30 pm   Flight delayed to 12:15

3/25
12:15 am   Flight delayed to 1:00
12:30 am   Still fighting a migraine (crying and Relpax #2)
1:00 am     Flight delayed to 1:30
1:15 am     Finally some relief from the migraine
1:30 am     Flight delayed to 2:00
2:15 am     Flight canceled
     --- Hubby on phone with American Airlines working on getting rescheduled
     ---I'm on the phone looking for a hotel that will take a cat (all hotels in the area are booked)
     --- Emma gets a migraine
     --- Can't collect bags but are sent to baggage claim to get cat
3:00  am   Arrive at baggage claim
4:00  am   Employees of AA arrive to actually man baggage claim
5:15  am   Cat is in our possession
6:00  am   Recheck cat onto new flight
7:30  am   Take cat out of kennel in hopes that she will use the bathroom (no luck)
7:55  am   Take cat to boarding area
8:10  am   Security AGAIN!
8:25  am   In line trying to get them to put all 5 of us together on the plane
9:24  am   Blogging about how crappy my night has been

Isaac slept about 2 hours, Emma 3 and Eli 4ish, Lisa 2 - 20 min naps and the honey, not a wink. 

Now the question remains will our flight get fuel so we can go?

Sometimes I Thank God for Unanswered Prayers

Yes, I am aware this is a Garth Brooks song, but every time I pass this building in Arlington I can hear that song in my head. 

So many years ago this company found my husband and offered him a job.  The job was not ideal, it would require we move (and pay for it), it was full time hours but listed as a part time position so they didn't have to pay benefits among other things.

However it would get us closer to D.C. (where we thought we needed to be so my honey could get the job he wanted) and it felt like a move in the right direction.  (Mostly it would have been a move in A direction.)

The job was his we just had to wait for the background check to clear.  We waited and called, and waited some more and called.  We even got a W-2 at the end of the year stating that he had not made any money with them.  After a 6 months he applied for his job with the Foreign Service.  It was actually a fluke.  I was on-line one day and noticed the job opening.  The window to apply was 2 days, and the opportunity sounded amazing.  When he got home I showed him the post and asked what he thought.  With a "what have we got to lose" attitude he sat down and went through the 3 hour application process.  I think more than anything we applied for the experience of applying for a federal job, and possibly an interview opportunity.  We really didn't think we could get a job like this. 

He scored high enough on the test that he qualified for an interview.  He had to fly to CA to interview and the process was long and grueling.  And then the waiting began.  Several weeks later they called him with his "number," this is the order in which they will hire applicants.  They do not tell you how many they will hire or what your prospects are just your number.  To be honest I can't remember what his was, but 16 seems to stick out in my head.  He called to tell me the news, but this is a small agency and we had know idea what this meant.  But before he could get off the phone with me they had reached his "number," and the rest is history in the making. 

Had our prayers for that job first job been answered (the way we wanted them to) I don't know that we would be here.  I was so frustrated at the time, yet I'm so grateful it happened.  Not just because my hubby has a job that he loves (when he is not learning Spanish), and not just because I would rather be seeing the world rather than living FAR outside of DC because we couldn't afford it any other way.  But because every time I drive past that building I get a reminder that there is a bigger picture, and I have God on my side to help get us to where we need to go. 

So today I thank God for hearing and answering my prayers, even if the answer is NO.

DC Cupcakes

Well we are approaching our last few weeks in DC and we decided to do something we have been meaning to do for months.   

We got to DC (actually Georgetown) Cupcake yesterday afternoon and the first thing out of my hubby's mouth is "There is no cupcake worth waiting in this line for."  I explained it is not the cupcake we were waiting for but the opportunity to eat a cupcake from a company that the kids and I have watched on TV.  We left the decision up to the kids and surprisingly it was Isaac that decided he was willing to wait for his chocolate cupcake.  

 

The line was an entire block long and the store is very small.  They have 2 people taking orders while 3 girls fill the orders.  They will only allow about 15 people in the store an any given times so needless to say the wait was crazy long.  It took just over 2 hours from the time we got in line until we walked out the door with our cupcakes. 

Shawn commented that the way they make their money is because people come with the intention of buying just a few but after 2 hours they are willing to double their order just so they never have to go back.  And we did.  We bought 12 cupcake and the cost of $31.58 and hurried home to enjoy them.

What came as the real shock was it was the really simple one that turned out the be the best.  Isaac ordered 2 chocolate cupcakes (the best so far). Emma ordered a chocolate peanut butter and mint cookies and cream.  Shawn and I got coconut, key lime, salted caramel and red velvet. 

We stood in line so long we made friends with the people in front of us and the people behind us.  Our entertainment was watching cars try to parallel park.  Several gave up, a couple made it and received applause, and one lady hit the car behind her. 

When we left, the line was even longer than when we arrived.  And although it was a long wait, it was defiantly a memory we made together. All in all the kids did great.  Even Eli was a trooper, he talked to anyone who would look at him.

Did I mention "Life is a Zoo"???

On Monday we said goodbye to the wonderful family that came to visit us.  We were so excited for their visit and the goodbyes come far too quickly.  But while they were here we created some wonderful memories. 

My family flew in super late on Tuesday night and like all bad mothers do I decided to take my kids out of school on Wednesday afternoon for some of this memory making.  We picked them up at 11:30 and headed to the zoo.  I love the zoo and I love it even more with my kids.  

My groundhog children

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We are stunning, aren't we???

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My littlest man, loving the time outdoors.

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I can't remember why we decided to lay down here but it was funny.

At the farm animals.  We LOVE Sweetie Pie.

Fun with the Fam at Mt. Vernon

Without a doubt one of my favorite places to visit here in the DC area is Mt. Vernon.   I don't know why but I love learning about George Washington.  I feel everytime I go there I learn something new (or learned the last time I was there but had forgotten.)

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The kids jumping of the Ha-Ha Wall. 

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Looking over the Potomac.  (Not the Mississippi as suggested by someone in out tour group.)

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Group HUG!

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We went on the "National Treasure 2" tour.  They showed us all the places they filmed in the movie.

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One of the places they took us was the basment of the house. This was very interesting.  Here you see the cornerstone of the house laid by Lawrence Washington (General Washington's half brother.)

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We went to story hour and this was there for pictures.  What you don't see is the note on the back instructing parents not to let their children put their heads all the way through the holes as they might get "stuck."  I can only imagine the scene that cause that note to be posted back there. 

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The kids dressed up in old fashioned clothing.

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The Fam.  I am so glad we had the opportunity to build these memories together.  These are moments none of us will forget. 

The First Official Sleepover

Last night was another first for both the big kids.  Emma has never had a sleepover with the exception of having a cousin over from time to time.  But the stake decided to have a father son camp out (Isaac's first) and so we decided to invite Emma's closest friend (for the time being) over for a sleep over.  They had so much fun. 

The Agenda:

1- Dinner at a local burger joint.  Good but greasy.

2- Tuck Everlasting and popcorn

3- painting of the finger nails and nail art

4- pillow/tickle fight

5- roll hair in curlers

6- sleep

Was seemed funny to me was this is the kind of sleepover you would see on a movie.  But they did it all.  There was also much giggling and playing Wii.  They told me their goal was to stay up past 1am.  However I believe they were in bed around 10:30 and by the time I got to them at 11:30 they were fast asleep. 

Isaac and Daddy had a great time too.  They got new sleeping bags and ate s'mores, even though I warned Isaac they may not have them.  He assured me you can't have a campfire without s'mores.  They stayed up late and hung out with the boys and when the stake ran out of food for breakfast this morning they went to IHOP.  Who could ask for anything more?

Mother of the Year --- Maybe Next Year

It is official I am out of the running for Mother of the Year.  Isaac had a short day today.  I (or someone designated) is required to pick him up at the bus stop.  I headed down in plenty of time; I was worried that I would be bored waiting for him at the bus stop so took a second to find my book to read while I waited.  I arrived at the bus stop to see a mother yelling, "Stop! stop! she is here, she is here."  Yes, the bus was already there and they were about to take my sweet son back to the school to wait for me to come pick him up. (Good thing I decided not to go back for a water.)

I guess we will see tomorrow if I learned my lesson.

1st Day of School

After returning from a long weekend in PA we finally got to bed and in my fatigued state I set my alarm clock to go off at 6pm.  So when I rolled over and peeked at the time this morning I was jolted out of bed when I realized it was 25 after 6.  Emma had to catch the bus at 7:00 and it was the first day of school so hair and clothes must be perfect.  It was a race against the clock but as you can see we made it in plenty of time to get her out the door. 

One of my favorite things about the school year this year is that Isaac catches the bus exactly one hour after Emma does.  So we do not have the early morning fighting, teasing, bossing and lolly gagging with each other.  I came in the house after walking Emma to the bus stop and got Isaac going.  He was a little more nervous and woke up with a really bad headache.  I'm sure I seemed like the most high maintenance mother as I took him in and introduced myself to the teacher.  I explained that Isaac wears glasses but doesn't have them today, and then went onto tell him the my kid had a headache and I made him come to school because it was the first day.  Isaac was feeling much better by the time we got to school but I miss having a teacher I can go into and talk to like a friend about my kids.  Yes, it is true although I never doubted it I miss VV very much.  Before I sent Isaac off to school I found him thumbing through a photo album of a CA friend and he told me he hope he can make as good a friend here as he had in CA. 

Surprisingly enough I had planned to do the dance of joy when my kids finally made it out the door for a new school year, but I did shed a few tears as I walked back to my car after dropping Isaac off. 

You will be happy to know that when Isaac got home he had informed me he made a new friend... Daniel.  Daniel plays Star Wars with him and after they learn about the Revolutionary War next week they are going to play that too.  (Daniel will be General Washington and Isaac will be one of his Life Guards...his BEST Life Guard.) 

The best thing about their day:

Emma- "I got my own locker."

Isaac- "I got to ride the bus home."

The Beginning of the End

Yesterday we went to Emma's new school to get her locker and meet her home room teacher.  I have to say I can not believe my baby is going to be in middle school.  I really do feel like it is the beginning of the end of her being our "little girl."   Before we know it she will be talking back, rolling her eyes and want to spend more time with friend than with us.  --- Oh wait!!!  We are already there.

Nonetheless, she is not our baby anymore.  I can't believe how fast time flies.  As we plan our life from here in the DC area to South America it hit us that when we are bidding on our next post Emma will be entering 8th grade.  How did that happen?  But for here and now we will be just focusing on the wonderful moments we have with our 10 year old, 6 year old and little one.

Restoring Honor

Yesterday we headed downtown to attend the Glenn Beck rally for "Restoring Honor."  I have to admit I was wishy-washy on if I wanted to take the kids downtown into the craziness that I knew it would be.  But Shawn was determined to teach our kids that when the government is not working the way you want them to you need to take a stand.  So we went. 

We made it to the Metro a little after 8 (the Rally started at 10).  The train arrived and there was no room on it.  Train number two arrived we moved up to the front of the platform hoping the cars at the beginning of the train would have more room.  Yet still no room.  I told Shawn I would take him downtown drop him, Emma and Isaac off at the rally and Eli and I would just come home.  But we decided to wait for just one more train to see if we could not make a family day of it.  We were able to fit onto train number 4 and arrived down town just before 10.  The Metro station was so crowded it took us 20 minutes to get out.  We walked the 5 blocks to the Linclon Memorial and then another 5 or so to find a place to stand and listen. 

After about an  hour and a half we decided to head up the hill to take a look at the sight from the Washington Monument.  It was a sight to see.  There were so many people there.  We talked to "friends" in each place that we stopped.  On the Metro, in the wings of the mall and at the Washington Monument.  It was so wonderful to meet people from all walks of life that are feeling the same way about the world and our government that we do.  It was amazing to me that with all that we had in common just how little we talked about it.  It was almost like an understanding of oneness (if that is a word) that we all shared and we could relax and talk about the exciting things in life.

I think it will be something to remember for years to come.