Motherhood

My children are troopers. They are amazing. The way that they flex from one thing to another, is quite amazing. This week we have taxied all around this city. I don’t have the car here, so we’ve been hailing cabs and walking about.

We walked for about an hour the other day. Weston collected rocks. Sierra knelt down with beggar children and sang with them on the street for money. Meanwhile, Weston questioned me about them. He was so disturbed and couldn’t understand why they were doing this. “Aren’t they cold mom? Why don’t they go home it’s getting dark. They must be cold,” he reasons. He’s right, those poor boys. I hope they really have a home, but begging in winter, when there are no tourists, is not very profitable, so I wonder too. Meanwhile Sierra giggles and kneels with them and holds out her hands like the boys. Everyone who passes smiles, she even makes the boys smile!

We finally arrived to eat Indian food, the real thing cooked by a man from India, they don’t bat an eye. They take off their shoes, they sit on the ground next to the short table. They look at the menu and they drink hot tea. We draw pictures and take silly photographs. Lentil soup comes and a cilantro chicken dish that is doused in curry sauce. They don’t blink and eye they eat it. They say, “lt’s good.”

After dinner, we bundle up in 2-3 layers each and hit the street again. Sierra rides in her stroller and Weston walks beside me, holding on to the stroller. Umbrella strollers are amazing things. They can take a beating and still keep working. They are great for weaving in and out of pedestrian traffic and keep in their space on a narrow side walk bursting with people. The trusty little stroller holds my 40 pound treasure so that we can traverse this foreign city together.

My kids are not perfect- by any means. They are just so able to handle this life. This boy and girl were made for it. They embrace it fairly well and are all the better for it. Weston spoke in 4 languages today, all from his memory. He wants me to translate everything. Sierra is a major joy and just full of smiles for all.

They adapt in their own ways within the talents and strengths God has given them. Weston tries to deeply understand and make his mind as orderly as possible by questioning and understanding at a deeper level than a boy of five. Sierra charms her way through Asia with her doll like face and happy heart. She blows kisses at everyone and understands emotions perfectly- she has no need for words in that talented part of her personality.

I am thankful for my children. I love them so much. I want more of them. Yes, the baby bug has hit me again. I didn’t know if it would, but my baby is three and needs another sibling. (This is not an announcement, by the way,) just a crazy woman who is overwhelmed at the grace of God.

I can’t believe what a blessing motherhood has been for me. I am so full of mistakes and sin. Motherhood points each one out to me, my laziness, my selfishness, my harshness. Really, I am all of those things and more and God uses my children to show me how weak I am and to turn me back to Him, begging for mercy on me and my kids. Asking for wisdom and guidance…

Motherhood is truly a gift.

Another UB day

We went to another museum and to my favorite Indian food restaurant


But first I taught the kids to hail a cab
We walked in the city
Sierra rode in style- as usual.
We got to sit in the fancy tent- AWESOME
Silly fun with mommy
the cutest kids in the world
a cool peacock
our chair pillows on the ground.

Great fun-- but we are missing daddy. Come home soon! Because for me Peter and the kids are my home in this life of wandering. :) It has nothing to do with where I hang my hat! That a good thing right? In a tent, in a ger, in a cabin with no water, in a fine hotel on a beautiful beach, in the car driving across the planet- I am home with my family! What a blessing.

Where do we stay in UB?

This is the kitchen of the apartment where we are staying.

The labels on the pictures tell some details, but they're much smaller than I thought they would be! You'll have to click to enlarge.

The kids don't wear many clothes here because the apartment is HOT! We have the window open now and it's night!

Peter is going to be here in 3 days- we miss him. 19 minutes until the children's bedtime! :)

Don't like hand washables?

Here is a new idea for you.

When we travel, I hand wash a lot. I sometimes go to the laundry mat or a get laundry service, but who wants to spend a vacation in the laundry mat waiting for the blasted dryer or spend lots of money laundry service?! Not me, remember I’m frugal (ok cheap!)

We’re in UB. The laundry machine is broken. I have been washing by hand. Who likes bending down over the tub squishing and swashing? All the while getting water on the floor, my clothes and hating bending down to reach the clothes and be the human agitator?

A light bulb moment hit me today---

How to hand wash painlessly:

Put clothes, soap and stain stick in a place you can reach from the shower.

Get in shower. Wash yourself as needed. Wash feet well.

Put in the plug

Throw in all the laundry you want to wash and the soap. Agitate laundry with feet.

Enjoy warm water on you and do not feel guilty- you are washing your clothes and getting a leg workout at the same time.

Turn down water once you have enough to wash your clothes.

Pick up each item and inspect for cleanliness. Stain stick as needed and rinse.

Wring and throw into the sink.

Repeat.

Get out and hang up the clothes.

Yay- you’re clean, your clothes are clean and you are done!

It actually works really well! I did a small load of laundry in 10 minutes!

I just might start putting the kids in the bath clothes and all--- wouldn’t that be nice? No laundry pile and teaching them to do their own laundry starting at age 3! Ha ha! We’d certainly need fewer clothes if I did this every day.

Fun City Day

We woke up and watched some cartoons, while mommy recovered from an o so restful night with Sierra. Once the coffee kicked in, we got dressed and headed out. We got a taxi and headed to the museum. The highlights were the dinosaur bones and the huge meteor.



Then we walked to the city square and explored a bit there. It was a little breezy to walk anymore. The wind is hard on the face! So we hopped in a taxi and went to Weston's favorite restaurant.


This is BD's grill. It is an American chain and like Mongolian grill in the USA- the guys really hammed it up for the kids. Tossing the spatulas and food...

And Weston's favorite part--- the FIRE! Two seconds after this Sierra was screaming and running towards me!

Then there was free face painting.

Off to the museum

We are on the way to the museum of natural history. I'll bring the camera and add some pictures when we get home.

Staying in UB

I decided to stay in UB with the kids for the week. It will eliminate 16 hours of travel time for them because they don't have to drive back home or train back down here.

Peter's classes continue on Monday, so he's heading back today. We'll miss him.

I'll be here to pick up Weston's passport as soon as it comes as well!

We made it

We are in UB (have been since yesterday.) We woke up cleaned up the house for the housesitter, stashed a few things in our bedrooms, locked the bedroom and bathrooms doors, stoked the fire one last time and got in the car for our drive to the capital. We had an uneventful trip--- just the kind we want.

We stopped in Darhan and had some food. Peter even took a chance and ordered me a vegetarian egg stir fry- and it was surprisingly good.

We arrived picked up our passports from a friend. We came to our apartment here and settled in with HOT showers and baths.

Our friends had us over for dinner and they even made me a birthday cake. Fun!

Today we went to the American embassy and applied for Weston's new passport. It went well, we were the only ones there and they said our passport would be back probably before the end of Jan. Which is nice, since we're planning to leave Feb. 1.

Then we went to LavaAzza an Italian gelatto place and shared some sundaes. The kids enjoyed it so much.

I am going to try and write my favorite moment of each day on here. It will be a snapshot of our day- a conscience moment of thankfulness for my wonderful life.

My favorite moment of yesterday was watching Sierra snuggle with Peter at LavaAzza and just be "daddy's girl." I really have to get a spy camera (i'm planning on it) to get all these great shots of my favorite unexpected moments.

It's -5 and my kids are glad to play outside

They are so excited, after being inside for two months, it's warm enough for a few minutes of play time outside. Sierra was jumping up and down, cheering and clapping when we asked her if she wanted to go outside! Yay!

New Passport

2005-2010
(sorry about his new picture- it won't turn)

Weston has grows so much since his first passport picture. He was 9 months old when we got the first one. At the post office, where we got his passport in 2005, they wanted him to sit on a stool all by himself so they could take his picture.

I was scared he'd fall off, so Peter held on to the back of his little onsie and ducked down behind him.

What a life this little boy has lived, and he doesn't even know it. The other day I told him he was lucky to get to go to Thailand for vacation. He said, "Why?" I said not very many little kids get to go on vacation there. He said, "Why not?!" To him our life is normal!

• His first flight at 6 weeks old.
• More frequent flyer miles than most US businessmen
  
• In and out of countries near and far-trips across the world and across the country.
• Sleeping in cars, in airplanes, in trains, in strollers-- if that boy is tired- he sleeps!
  
• In various homes that we've made together- First our little rental condo, then here, then the "borrowed" house, then the "tree" house and back to our cabin here.
  
• Riding water buffaloes, elephants, and camels.
  
• Swimming at hotels and walking on foreign beaches
• He could traverse the Incheon airport alone!

I love you little boy, our boy with a heart for exploration, maps and imagination- He knew you in my womb and knit you together specially to thrive in this wacky and amazing life.

I can't stop thinking about this, so I have to tell you

Today Peter got pork at the market. It is rare to find pork and it is always a treat. I took it out of the bag to deal with it. On one side it looked like wonderful pork- very nice. This is the side that Peter looked at when he purchased it.

On the other side---- there was an UDDER! I almost died. I was shocked! I am used to handling and partially butchering meat, but today was almost more than I could take!

I did it though- the dog is eating the yucky parts (like the udder) and the rest is in the crockpot!

Chili verde anyone? ha ha :)

Art

Here are some of the art projects of the week. Weston really has done a great work with art this year.

I also made a little video. There are some mistakes and typos in the video, but I am to lazy to redo it- sorry! I tried a higher quality this time- hope it's clearer and that you can see it better.

Mosaic flower!
Making a collage
Finger painting fun!
Weston's bird- he had watched birds on the windowsill all morning and so we drew this.

Good Saturday

Today we were at home. We had a little art time in the morning. Yesterday the children spent the afternoon finger painting and so today we used the finger paints to make collage are like Eric Carle, the author of The Hungry Caterpillar.

Sierra LOVES cutting and spend her time cutting/tearing with her safety scissors. Weston carefully copied a picture from the Bird Who Loved a Mountain" one of Carle's books.

We watched Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, had hamburgers with warm buns straight from the oven! Yummy.


While Sierra napped and Peter studied I ran 3.25 miles and Weston played with trains in the treadmill room.

We just wrapped up the night with Chicken barley soup. It was good and EASY to make because Mommy is tired!

Time to snuggle in with the family.

I'll post pictures of our art tomorrow.

Haiti

I just read about Haiti online. So terribly sad!

We wanted to do something right away and were glad to learn that EFCA already has people on the ground there and they have set up a donation page online.

If you are interested click here. They have details and a place to give online on that webpage.

It made me glad to know things were already being done to help. So I thought I'd pass it on.

Fire on the Porch

Everyday as I wash the dishes, I see smoke on the porch. For a split second, I am alarmed. It's not smoke. Our puppies are curled up on a pillow there on the porch sleeping. It's the heat of their breath rising. It is so cold that their breath rises about 5 feet before it dissipates and is gone.

Our washer drain froze yesterday. I had to move the washer (while full of water!) next to the fire and let it melt for a long time.

Today our bathtub didn't drain- we had to thaw it with the space heater.

Have I mentioned it's cold here? The Mongolian news says this is the coldest winter in 30 years! It has been -40 to -60 for about 4 weeks. Sad.

That is why we are heading to Thailand in 16.25 days, not that I'm counting. I am so excited. The anticipation of a vacation in a warm place and fresh food, is really more fun than I can explain.

When I find a frozen drain, or I am struggling to dress my kids in 3-4 layers, or my toes are cold, I just think, "In ___ days, I'll be in Thailand." It is part of my sanity to know that I am going to have a rest soon.

We are going to a conference about homeschooling. The children are going to VBS! We are staying at a place that provides all our meals and laundry. They return the clothes clean, ironed and folded at the end of each day! :) *happy sigh*

December 2009

Final day of 2009 review.
It was really fun for me to walk down memory lane and remember what happened by looking through my pictures. What a treat.

Here's a few new pictures from last month.

Playing at home!
Sierra in my shower cap. Weston in a Santa beard. Weston made it himself with the cotton I had around the nativity!

Best part of my day?

Now- 6:04pm

Weston is building a cube with linking blocks. Sierra is snuggling with me and trying to zip her sweatshirt.

We are listening to Peter and the Wolf. Every so often Weston yells, "flute" or "violin" and Sierra laughs as the music changes from soft to scary!

Music tames the wild beast, I have proof!

Presently, 6:08, they have both gone to their beds because they are fighting. It was a nice four minutes! :)