An update of the last few weeks in the US...
We have eaten at almost every fast food restaurant to get our "fill", practically throwing up at the end of each meal but happy to check it off our list. Sad, but true in my case anyway. The kids did not really love any of the kids meals as I thought they would (this I love), but I wasted well over $100 figuring out they wouldn't eat anything. Lesson learned.
Tom and I celebrated our 5 Year Anniversary April 22nd! Tom is in training with Matt, one of our good friends from Israel, and he graciously volunteered to babysit the kids while we went out to dinner. It was wonderful...thank you Matt! We went to PF Changs, one of our favorites and finally had some time to TALK since the first few weeks of our trip were filled with getting over jet lag and entertaining the kids with all their needs. Boy...I miss Florence!!!! But we enjoyed a nice night out and as with most of our moves, they normally land on a birthday, an anniversary or something, so we are prepared for a short-lived celebration. Regardless, it was wonderful and couldn't be happier to be married to the man of my dreams and look forward to each and every anniversary ahead, where ever it may be. :)
We have just recently been in a one bedroom hotel for two weeks. This, by far, has been the most rude awakening to the US and to my wonderful busy life of two children. Unfortunately, Chase and Hannah resorted to chasing Piper around the 700 square feet of space, including the closets and bathrooms. Poor thing is traumatized. They did well however entertaining themselves by using the closet as a hiding spot and drawing on themselves. Ha
Hiding in the closet, making a fort, coloring on paper and on ourselves (as Chase has shown us above) and a nice smile from Hannah. Anything we could do to keep ourselves busy.
A few adjustments for the kids (or should I say Chase) was NOT to look into the elevator cracks and stick fingers inside this amazing ride of a lifetime. This being his first elevator experience and yet another, if you can imagine experience. Hannah also asked repeatedly while in the apartment if we could PLEASE just go downstairs.
We had a second floor apartment with a balcony and realized after walking out just once on the balcony that Chase could easily fit through the rails. We found this out after he was hanging half in and half out....ummmm SCARY!! Needles to say, we did not go out on the balcony after that experience.
Tom's wonderful grandfather has been gracious enough to lend us his car while we are here since we do not have one. We are pimped out with the Lincoln and feel pretty cool. I have to admit, its a smooth ride. :) So, luckily the kids and I have been able to get out, have a few mall playtime experiences, Target and grocery store experiences...to last me the rest of the year!! Ha
On our first Target experience I managed to keep the kids quite calm while walking them around in the cart. I am of course in amazement (as I am every time I go to Target after living overseas) at EVERYTHING they pack into this place. It is so awesome...but so overwhelming. Wow, that is A LOT of stuff. Anyway, I managed to take a look around, grab some sippy cups and t-shirts for the kids, get them a few snacks and get in line for the check-out. At this point Chase had enough of sitting in the cart and with no running and touching ALL of the THINGS, he was in rare form! I decided that since I was almost through, I would let him out. He looked at the shelf next to the register, the one provided JUST FOR KIDS, so that you will buy and extra $20 of crap to keep your kid quiet before you check-out...Yeah, that shelf. The "stuff" was in the bags and in the cart and I needed to pay, so while taking out my credit card the phrase... WINDOWS IS SHUTTING DOWN went on the computer screen. Oh yes, Chase went behind the counter and turned off the computer before I could even finish my purchase. AWESOME! So, we had to move registers (with Chase screaming) unpack the bags and re-check everything. That was super fun!
Our first grocery experience included Tom, myself and the kids. This grocery store was huge! Although we had ONE quite large grocery store in Kenya, the kids had never seen anything like this. It's amazing how easily they adapt, I want this, I want that, etc. Eeeghh! I can only imagine their eyes seeing the amount of snacks, cookies and chips that they normally rarely see except when the commissary gets in a special shipment for that week. It doesn't help that every kid item has a cartoon character on it like Disney Princesses!!! Mickey Mouse Or Toy Story!!! It is difficult for them not to see...the point, of course! Thank you marketing department!! Ha
We again, decided to let Chase out of the cart...Yes, friends....I am slowly learning, and off we went chasing him isle around isle. He thought is was a fun game. He then found the large bouncy ball cart (that they again put right at the check-out for your child's benefit) and pulled out some balls for the whole store to enjoy. HA Tom chased the balls around and so did Chase so they could again put them all back in the cart. But while Chase was chasing the balls, he ran into one of the battery racks and his eye went straight into one of the holders. Luckily he did not need stitches, but he had quite a bit of blood and a nice cut over his eye as a souvenir from the fun time at the grocery store.
We have had a few more of these experience with Mr. Chase like him eating a piece of used gum at the Amsterdam airport or him trying to run on the moving sidewalk (the wrong way) at the airport and having to chase him half way down to catch him. I seriously need to get in shape to keep up with this guy! I am sure I will think of a few more stories and undoubtedly, a few more things will happen before our trip is over.
But through the ups and downs and the ins and outs of experiencing being back in the US, we have been able to do some fun things. We have been able to visit old friends...
My friend Robert and his wife Christy who just had their beautiful baby boy this past weekend. Chase LOVED Christy and would not leave her side. So cute!
And George and his wife Anna with their cutie pie.
Our friends from Miami, Toni and Kristen Ramirez (left) and Oliver and Heather (Right), also from Miami. And a picture with Tom's old boss from Israel and our good friend Matt, from Israel (and also the babysitter for us for our anniversary). :)
We were also able to enjoy the park, a few miles from the apartment. We played at the creek and at a playground and went on some nice walks.
After arriving April 16th and staying at the temporary apartment for two weeks, we then packed up our stuff again and with the help of my friend, moved to our next location. We are gratefully staying with my very good friend Auntie Michelle. She is a dear friend of mine from Israel that now lives in Virginia. When she heard our predicament of having to leave our temporary apartment (a story for later...much later) and the government not giving us a place to stay...she graciously offered her home to us. What a saint!! I mean truly...A SAINT!!
We have now been at the Young's home for a little over a week. We joined her husband and three boys for what has been a crazy experience with 5 kids...but a truly wonderful and incredible learning experience for me. It is so nice to have space for the kids and be in a real home, one I know the kids have really missed in only a few weeks. All the kids seem to be having a blast, most of the time. There are always moments, but all in all, I feel like it is going well. For the real story, you may need to ask my friend Michelle. She is a true blogger and you can check out here REAL experiences on http://www.triffecta.com/?p=1692
Ha Ha.
Ha Ha.
A few pictures of the kids playing, eating, chilling out, dancing and having fun!
Michelle, with the assembly line, dishing out the kids dinner. Michelle, how do you make it look so easy? :)
What's next? All I have to do now is find a place to stay for our third and final move in DC and rent a car for our 4th and final move and trek it down to Atlanta for some family time for Tom
and HOME for the kids and I.
Oh, the adventures ahead...
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