Eli Turns One

I have to say I was dreading Eli's first birthday.  In our family 1st birthdays are a big deal and we usually have a big family party.  Cake, singing, presents, the works.  I knew that Eli's birthday was going to be different and that made me really sad. 

We have only been here a couple of weeks so although I came prepared with a few birthday decorations and a cake mix, presents had not arrived (with the excetion of my mothers... she is so on top of things).  We have all been feeling VERY under the weather and it just didn't seem like a birthday.

The kids however did make the best of the day.  We put up what decorations we had and spent the afternoon making the cakes.  Everyone did their best to make Eli's day special for Eli. 

Emma and I worked on baking the cakes and then I turned over the frosting and sprinkels to the kids and they each decorated one cake.  I think this has become their favorite part of the birthday tradition.  I used to order cakes because it was a "special" event.  But they love decorating so much it makes the day that much more special.   

The picture below is of my mother on the phone singing to the birthday boy.  She was such a trooper it took him almost an hour to eat (and decide he couldn't eat any more) cake and she was on the phone for the whole of it.  I wish we would have throught a head and brought our camera so we could have skyped. 

This is how all of the cake was eaten:  a big handful and then shoving as much of it into his mouth as possible.  It will probably not surprise you that a good portion of the cake ended up on his lap. 

 How do you not love that smile???

When he was done eating he began just playing and throwing it everywhere.  Emma called it the Splash Zone.  He had a blast!

 

Eli offered many times to share his cake with everyone else.  He is such a great sharerer.  We however refused. 

 I could not decide which of the following pictures was better so you get both.  I have them as the background on my tv so everytime I turn it on I laugh. 

Last but not least I would like to take a moment to remember my father-in-law.  He died 14 years ago on this (April 8th) day.  It has always been a difficult day for our family, but last year on this day our little angel came 2 weeks early to change all that.  I like to think it was Paul's doing; reminding us that he lives on through our children (and believe me the genes are strong).  I believe Eli still gets to talk and play with him all the time and knows him well.  I didn't know him very long but I know he is a great man.  I am thankful for his love and example to my husband.  I am grateful for the home my husband was raised in with strong roots and abounding love that surrounded him.  I hope we can/are providing that environment to our children.  You are missed Paul!  We love you!

Things That Make You Go, Hmmmmm

For security reasons I can't post pictures of our house.  However there are a few things about it that I think are funny enough  to share with you. 

Every single door and closet in the house comes with these keys.  If you want the closet to stay shut you need to lock it.  So all over the house we have keys sticking out of doors.  On day number 2 Emma thought it would be funny to lock Isaac into his room, and then she couldn't get him out.  Of course it was somehow his fault.  

It is hard to tell but this nob is right up against the shower door and does not turn anything on or off.  It appears to be there so we can wonder why it is there. 

I know, this seems like a perfectly normal picture of the front porch light.  However you will find it in my living room.

No comment needed. 

Yes, my washer and dryer are in two totally different rooms.

This is newly laid sod.  It appears to be crab grass.  Our tax dollars at work. 

This is how the trash is collected.  These little bins sit out infront of each house and you take your trash out to it.  They come once or twice a week (no specified day) to collect.  So people just have trash out in front of their house all week long.  

We couldn't open a couple of the doors in the house.  They told us that if we looked in the office we would find the "extra" keys and see if they work.  This is what we found.  60+ keys and hours spent trying to get them to match and the lock smith still had to come out. 

This is our front door.  It is hard to see but you can look through the lock and see right through to the street. 

Nintendo DS fun for the whole family. 

Hope you got a chuckle.  More later.

We Made It!

I wish I add pictures to share with you but we are still without Internet access.  I have been going through withdrawal so when I sent the kids to school today I came to the Embassy with my husband to use the computer here. 

So far so good.   Our bags did finally arrive late Sunday night, so my hubby didn't go to work in shorts and an t-shirt and the kids only had to spend one night without underwear. 

When packing I thought I was so smart I packed a whole carry-on bag of just swim stuff so even if all of our bags got lost (and like that would happen lol) we would still have swimming suits.  Well we arrived and our pool is broken.  What a waste of space.  I could have packed underwear in that space!

The kids started school today and are excited to not spend the day with each other. 

Our house is new to the housing pool so it has many, many, many issues.  Although it has been a great big pain in the butt, I know it is a blessing because it has forced me to use my very crappy spanish with all the people coming to fix it.  I so appreciate that people are patient and with me and willing to point and laugh with me.

I would love to spend time telling you all about my week, but I desperately need to spend some quality time with Amazon.com.

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?

Am I living in a DORM?

This struck me funny when I saw it.  It seems more likely to see this in a college dorm or a work fridge than at home from my 10 year old.

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.