written a week ago
January 3rd
So this is my last week in the US. Last of two. Seems like it’s been longer. In all, I haven’t thought too much of life beyond the moment (save for an earlier entry) but today I’m going to catch up.
Merry Christmas from Arkansas!
The first week en etas unis was full of warm NW Arkansas air and early wake ups with Hope and Nora. We had coffee at Kennedy Coffee. Mr. Kennedy roasts his own beans. We ate Mexican food at Maria’s. We visited Tessa and her family. They biked through Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary one summer on the bike trail I ride most days in the spring and fall and had thoughtful comments about parenting, marriage, Christianity, and other areas of life. It was good to see my sister, Dave and meet their friends. Much is on the horizon for them...
On my way to Michigan, I stopped to visit Angela who lives in the town of Muscatine, Iowa, the Pearl of the Mississippi. The Pearl of the Mississippi because they were known to make pearl buttons and snaps. I asked Angela if they still make them and she thought not. What a refreshing trip to be with an old friend who loves life but is familiar with the grey; to remember good times in Hungary and to be able to talk frankly about difficulties of the American life but to not be completely void of hope.
Now I’m in Michigan with Elli and Jenna, Alyssa and Ben, Brian and Kristine. I wish I could put pictures on this…not until I return with the proper software. Without pictures, all I can say is that these two girls are precious. Little mites. Jenna has no buns because she’s 3lbs11oz. But she’ll grow them soon. They are pretty much growing machines right now. They do this by sleeping and eating. That’s basically all they do. Oh and they both love touch. In the hospital Elli’s natural oxygen levels rose when Kristine or Brian had a hand or finger on her.
Ben’s dealing with being an older 4 year old brother who’s getting a bit less attention. He’s pretty irritable especially when I join him in song and he says to stop copying him or when he says, “You smell like an aunt. You smell like an ant.”
“Thank you. Because that’s what I am.”
Ben, “You smell like a turtle.”
Me, “You smell like a boy.”
Ben, “No, you smell like a dog.”
Me, “Okay, that’s too far. I’ll only accept smelling like an aunt.”
He also tells me I'm the bad guy and kicks me, but it’s all good. I don’t let him dish it out, and knowing he’s figuring what is and is not acceptable, what it means to be an older brother of twins, and a 4 ½ year old it’s a bit easier. My sister says i'm learning what it's like to have a younger sibling. I guess that's how we treat each other...which I don't know what that says about my maturity, but anyway...
So this is my last week in the US. Last of two. Seems like it’s been longer. In all, I haven’t thought too much of life beyond the moment (save for an earlier entry) but today I’m going to catch up.
Merry Christmas from Arkansas!
The first week en etas unis was full of warm NW Arkansas air and early wake ups with Hope and Nora. We had coffee at Kennedy Coffee. Mr. Kennedy roasts his own beans. We ate Mexican food at Maria’s. We visited Tessa and her family. They biked through Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary one summer on the bike trail I ride most days in the spring and fall and had thoughtful comments about parenting, marriage, Christianity, and other areas of life. It was good to see my sister, Dave and meet their friends. Much is on the horizon for them...
On my way to Michigan, I stopped to visit Angela who lives in the town of Muscatine, Iowa, the Pearl of the Mississippi. The Pearl of the Mississippi because they were known to make pearl buttons and snaps. I asked Angela if they still make them and she thought not. What a refreshing trip to be with an old friend who loves life but is familiar with the grey; to remember good times in Hungary and to be able to talk frankly about difficulties of the American life but to not be completely void of hope.
Now I’m in Michigan with Elli and Jenna, Alyssa and Ben, Brian and Kristine. I wish I could put pictures on this…not until I return with the proper software. Without pictures, all I can say is that these two girls are precious. Little mites. Jenna has no buns because she’s 3lbs11oz. But she’ll grow them soon. They are pretty much growing machines right now. They do this by sleeping and eating. That’s basically all they do. Oh and they both love touch. In the hospital Elli’s natural oxygen levels rose when Kristine or Brian had a hand or finger on her.
Ben’s dealing with being an older 4 year old brother who’s getting a bit less attention. He’s pretty irritable especially when I join him in song and he says to stop copying him or when he says, “You smell like an aunt. You smell like an ant.”
“Thank you. Because that’s what I am.”
Ben, “You smell like a turtle.”
Me, “You smell like a boy.”
Ben, “No, you smell like a dog.”
Me, “Okay, that’s too far. I’ll only accept smelling like an aunt.”
He also tells me I'm the bad guy and kicks me, but it’s all good. I don’t let him dish it out, and knowing he’s figuring what is and is not acceptable, what it means to be an older brother of twins, and a 4 ½ year old it’s a bit easier. My sister says i'm learning what it's like to have a younger sibling. I guess that's how we treat each other...which I don't know what that says about my maturity, but anyway...
posted by Laura at Tuesday, January 10, 2006
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