lately

It seems self-centered to write a blog just about us, but I suppose that's why people check this blog - to see what we're up to. Posting plain pictures (especially of food) is more fun. Nevertheless, here is an update of lately.

Jared goes to class daily. He has PT (physical training) on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. He enjoys this, even though it's at 6:30 a.m. He'd rather exercise for an hour than show up in class at 6:30 and sit there listening to an instructor that early in the morning, which is what he has to do on Tuesdays and Thursdays. So far, he has gotten lunch breaks at home and gets out of class around 4:00.

Isaac doesn't like it when I call this apartment "home." He usually says he wants "to go back to the apartment." Until two days ago, he was still saying "I want to go hommmme," but these last couple days, he has used the term "home" for the apartment when he wanted to leave the swimming pool or Wal-Mart or something. Carly, on the other hand, has never seemed to mind being gone from home (the real home), or else, she hasn't acted like it. The other day, she said that she missed Lucy. Isaac said that he missed the cats. Carly got big eyes and a smile when I told her that Grandma Sally and Grandpa Alan were coming for a visit in a few weeks.

The kids' days have been filled with play, whatever suits their fancy. Lately it's been trains and tracks (what's new?!). Carly lines all the farm animals up on a big wooden train car. The other day I watched them line up their 40+ markers, naming each one of them with every name they could think of. Isaac insisted that Loren was brown. They like playing preschool and Curious George games on the computer, but we limit them, reminding them that computers make you dumb if you spend too much time on them. I wonder what they think of me typing on this blog. Probably: Mommy must be getting real dumb! One particular preschool game plays songs as a reward for completing a task. Yesterday I saw a different side of Carly and Isaac as an Elvis tune with the words "gimme that barnhouse rock" came on. Carly immediately stood dancing on the desk chair with wheels. Isaac starting head banging from side to side. After Carly's dance, she started flinging her hair around everywhere. Isaac jumped off his chair. Oh my.

On regular weekdays, we run errands in the morning so as to avoid the heat. Early afternoons are spent doing school activities followed by swimming in the pool. 100 degrees doesn't feel so bad when you're splashing around. Twice a week we go to the complex's laundromat. Carly and Isaac race there with their trike, bike, or scooter, and Carly gets mad if Isaac wins. Starting in September, we plan to attend MOPS meetings, where the kids will have more interaction with other kids and I will have more interaction with other Christian mothers.

I asked Jared a couple weeks ago if we could start a new tradition eating out for Sunday lunch every week. This has eliminated the "I'm hungry" wails and my scramble to find something edible from the fridge leftovers as soon as we return home from church. Now this is rest. Or maybe I should just plan better. But my excuse for no more do-ahead Sunday lunches is: my oven here doesn't have "delay start." Church and the people in this tiny church have been a blessing to us. We SO appreciate the bold Truth being preached. Monday night, a church elder (who happens to be the pastor's dad) came to visit with his wife. I might write more about our conversation in another blog, but the evening was a true blessing; it's just what we needed. We enjoyed listening to their testimonies and sharing ours as well.

And talking about blessings...

It is an understatement to say that we appreciate all of you. It's rather humbling to try to grasp how much time has been spent on your loving us. Prayer for us. Sermons and Bible studies sent to us. The kids' Sunday School lessons sent, written in the form of personal letters. Packages sent to make us feel special on our anniversary and my birthday. Emails, I mean personal ones, sent just to fill our day with devotions, thoughts, conversations and news from home. Regular phone calls. And there are other ways I'm forgetting. Just thinking of all these undeserved blessings makes me cry. Not that we're so homesick; we're not as bad as we were. But to wonder: Who are WE, to deserve this kind of love?! What's even more amazing is how God loves us, even died for us, even though we're dirty, rotten sinners. Okay, I didn't think this blogpost was going in this direction, but this song comes to mind. Who Am I?!? (Click on it to listen.)

Have a meaningful day. We love you all!