Playing Catch-Up and Some Big News

 Whew!  Things are crazy around here, friends.  While everyone is adjusting really well to the new baby and the added demands he necessarily puts on our lives, to me at least, it feels like everyone needs something from me all the time and all at the same time. But that's life, my life, and I love it.
  Earth has made the transition to our family beautifully and we are slowly getting each other figured out.  He sleeps better if he's well swaddled and if there's a night light on.  He only like one specific kind of pacifier and prefers to be held sitting up so he can see things.   Sky and Fire argue over who gets to hold him and Water hasn't acted out towards Earth at all.  I know this might just be the honeymoon period but I'll take it and hope that it keeps going.
  It has been a hassle and half to get Earth's adoption paperwork in order but it finally is and we've been told that our hearing will be on Ebeye on Tuesday.  Cross your fingers and say a prayer for us that everything goes smoothly!

Water is a little jealous that Earth gets a bottle and he doesn't but he loves to help feed the baby

and sometimes, both our babies need their bottles and cuddles.

A Surprise Baby Shower

  Since Earth is our fourth child and his homecoming was so abrupt, the last thing I expected when I headed to my book club meeting this past weekend was a baby shower but since I have the sweetest,  most wonderful group of friends that a woman could ask for, that's what I got- a surprise baby shower!

Shaving Cream Social

Every year in mid-October, Community Activities hosts a Shaving Cream Social for all the island kids.  Sky has gone for the past two years (2013 and 2014) but this year was the first year for Fire.  Both kids totally understood the point of it (oh, the irony of having to teach your kids about revenge after all the time we spend teaching them for forgive!) and had a blast chasing their friends and getting dirty. 

Earth is Home!

  I spent the last three days just waiting for this day to come.  I kept thinking that Entry/Exit would find a problem with their paperwork or that Elizabeth would change her mind but in the end, nothing went wrong.  A friend came over to Ebeye with me and brought her 11-month-old daughter with her.  It was so wonderful to have L along for support and baby M broke up the huge amounts of awkwardness and tension at the house.  When it was time to go, Elizabeth changed Earth's diaper and clothes, wrapped him up, and placed him in my arms.  I told her we'd be back to visit on Monday and said, one last time, "Emon?" (okay?).  She said, "Emon, sister" and we said good bye.

We stopped at Sister Schaffer's apartment on the way back to the ferry.  She's been a wonderful mentor to me and I knew she would want to see Earth

I changed him into the outfit I picked out for him to meet his daddy in:

Precious Paperwork

Here it is: the paperwork we need to bring Earth home.  Between timing errors, cultural miscommunications, and weather, we hadn't been able to get it from our family on Ebeye.   But now we have it!  My sister Elizabeth has asked me to come for the baby on Friday so that's what we're planning on.  

These past two weeks have held so many ups and downs and there are still a few hurdles that could trip us up.  At this point, even with this paperwork finally in hand, it's just easier to think that something will go wrong so I'm not celebrating just yet.  I will finally believe that all this will really happen when I walk out of the Dock Security Check point with my boy in my arms.

(Is it Friday yet?!)

You'd Think I Was New at This!

Somehow this lovely, peaceful moment happened on one of the last days before D flew back from the States: all three kids seated at the table, quietly coloring or working on sticker projects. I was able to get dinner started and a load of laundry going, all the while patting myself on back.  And then I came back to set the table:

Fire and Fire Prevention Week

  This week was a big one for the little kids on Kwaj and our boy Fire in particular.  He loves anything to do with fire trucks and fire fighters and both have been much more visible than usual during Fire Prevention Week.  The topic for the week in his preschool class was fire prevention and Fire got to bring his toy fire truck for show and share.  He got to sit in a fire truck, get fire-themed temporary tattoos and saw Sparky the Fire Dog twice.  Although the pictures below don't always capture it, having all these things happen in one week made for a very happy boy.

Escaping from the "Fire House"

High Five for Friday #27: This and That

High Five, friends!   I'm all over the place today- this week has been so full of ups and downs that it's hard to wrap it all up.  Here are a few things that have happened, will happen, and won't be happening:

#1

Today's the day!  D flies back in from the States and we are so excited to have him back!  (Is that enough exclamation points?  I'm not sure two is enough to express how great it will be to have D home.  Life's just better when we're all together).

An Update

  Sorry to leave you all (yes, all five of you!) on such a sad note for so long with that last post about Elizabeth.  Between the all uncertainties in our lives right now and single parenting, I just haven't had the time or energy to post.  Let me catch you up on what been happening here:

Scarf Swap

About a month ago, I entered a scarf swap over at Floral and Fudge.  I was so glad that Rachel let me participate, even though we don't live in the US.  My scarf arrived earlier this week, from Cathy at The Queen of Everything.  I love that it's lightweight and I really liked the darker plaid pattern. 

(don't judge- we've already established that I'm not a fashion blogger!)

The Weather Lately

  The weather has been crazy this summer- windy, rainy, and chilly when is should be hot and still. We've had waves in the lagoon and for the last few weeks, the wind has regularly been coming from west, opposite of it's usual direction.  Apparently all this has been caused by a particularly bad El Nino cycle and it's not predicted to end any time soon. 
  To give you an idea of what this kind of weather does to these tiny, low lying islands here are some photos that a friend took just the other day of the lagoon: