Blogger Blahs

I know ... I know... I haven't been posting as frequently as I used to. However, it's mainly because I don't have anything to post about. We are apparently leading the life of boredom (at least when you ask the 11-year-old, we are) for which I am not complaining too much. I still can't manage to get the house cleaned, or projects finished or paperwork done or any fun time in so it must not be too boring.

We spent last week car shuffling and kid shuffling because 1) my car is still broken, and 2) Dee'Anna was on vacation. Nana came down Thursday and Friday to take care of the "young'uns" and, of course, we went with Kevin on Tuesday/Wednesday.

This weekend has been pretty much nada, nothing, boring. I worked in the field half a day Saturday, then worked on the computer doing paperwork for FIFTEEN hours today. Yes, you read that right, 15 hours. I stopped only long enough to go to the bathroom and eat lunch and dinner -- or did I eat lunch??? I think I might have had a Pop Tart for lunch.

Kevin was baby-sitter extraordinaire and took care of Ellie and Josh all day so I could try to get caught up with work.

I haven't taken any new pix of Josh or Ellie in a while. We may try to do that this week. I'm excited that we are going to meet up with this family and this family this week at a "mini-Kyrgyz reunion" of sorts. The last time we met up with them, Hotdog and Ellie couldn't walk so this time should be fun!!! And, meeting new kiddos will be fun too!

Ellie has a check up at her doctor's tomorrow so I'll be excited to see how much she weighs and how tall she is now. She fits comfortably into her 6 and 9 month clothes now so I know she's filling out some. She's still a little bitty bit, though.

She is walking much better now, but still holds her hand in the air -- hanging on to her imaginary rope, I suppose. Josh has taught her the word, "GO" (as in Go Away, Ellie!!) and she says it all the time. Her other word for EVERYTHING is "Ba". She points to things and says, "Ba". I haven't heard "mama" a lot more, but she does say it now. She's learned to shake her head "NO" and will do that and sling her hands around if she doesn't want something. I know she understands us more now, because at the park yesterday, I asked if she wanted me to put her down to play with Eli and Robert and she shook her head, "No!" She likes to wave -- backwards -- bye bye when you tell her to. It's sweet.

She continues to be reticent around people that she once would go to willingly. There seems to be no rhyme or reason as to why she chooses one person over another to go to. She loves to play with other kids though.

I think Josh is particularly bored so far this summer. I'm going to have to start working to find friends to come over or for him to go visit and things for us to do. He is way too social to be at home by himself or he starts to invent things to do. Never a good thing. Football practice will start at the end of July, so in a few more weeks, he'll have that social outlet too.

So, I'm off to bed. Yes, I'm still reading my Bible verses every night. I've just finished Numbers and started in Deuteronomy in the OT, and am working through Luke in the New Testament. I continue to be soaking up all of the Old Testament like a sponge. I'm particularly interested in researching the tribes of Isreal and where each tribe's lineage has led to in today's world. I was fascinated to read that Moses married a woman from Ethopia! I'd like to know more things, like which group of people came from, say, the tribe of Gad, or such, and where they currently live in relation to the land God gave them with their inheritance in Canaan. I think it's all really relevant in the times we are living in and would help me be more discerning of things going on in our world.

I'm also very interested in interpretations of how the Old Testament laws given by God relate to us today. While I know we are now saved by grace, I'm interested in knowing about the relationship Jesus' saving grace has on edicts requiring people who murder to also be murdered (ie., capital punishment). Anyone who wants to share comments/dialogue -- feel free. I can't say that I will always agree with you, but I'm interested in hearing your thoughts.

Until later ... I promise there will be photos this week!