Saturday, January 31, 2009

It's a(nother) boy!

Well, a few hours ago we bid adieu to Patrick, our first exchange student. And, about an hour ago we welcomed Dylan, our second exchange student, to our home. (giving us just enough time to scrub down the room and wash the sheets.)

I will miss Patrick. I already miss Patrick. He was very quiet and spent a lot of time in his room but he became a part of our family and I can't believe just like that he won't be. Moments before he left I overheard this conversation in his room:

Abby: Why are you sad?
Patrick (muffled and quiet): Because I'm leaving you guys.
Abby (obviously trying to cheer him up): But you'll be back!

pause

Abby: I'll miss you too.

I had no idea how hard it would be to say good-bye. I had no idea how fun it would be to have exchange students living with us.

I've dreamed of opening my home up to people from overseas ever since 1991 when someone opened up their home to me overseas.

Once again, God, thanks for giving me a home that makes that not only plausible but actually IDEAL.

Friday, January 30, 2009

The time has come

Well, it was fun while it lasted. The baby stage. The put him down in one spot and he stays there until you move him stage.

But, alas poor Yorick, it is over now.

Sigh.

He is on the move now. BIG time. He's not crawling yet but he can get from one spot to another altogether too quickly. And now it begins. The hauling him away from dangerous areas, the pulling bits of garbage out of his mouth, tucking cords away, taking away things he shouldn't be playing with, putting up baby gates...

It was all fine and good to baby proof a house with #1 but with #2 it's a bit trickier seeing as there is #1 who likes to leave things lying about that he shouldn't (a) put in his mouth or (b) play with.

Here we go!

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Last night

Rough night last night. Abby has another cold (she just got over the last one!) and Jack was up more times than *I* think he should have been. This morning as I was making the bed I noticed that apparently Bear's feeling under the weather too.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Blessings all mine with ten thousand beside

(Hey, if my sister-in-law can quote hymn lyrics, so can I.)

It's all about perspective, hey?

The heat it is back on. Now looking back (and not huddling under a blanket to stay warm) we ended up being fairly blessed with the whole ordeal. The first place we called said that it would be an 8 hour wait for a repairman to get to our house. 8 hours of the temperature dropping. shiver. But then when we told him where we lived he said he actually thought he had a repairman in the area. Yup, a few houses away. It was that repairman's last call before heading home but he agreed to come to our house first. (My apologies to his wife and 4 daughters.) It was an evening of trying various things and in the final end basically deciding we need a new furnace. But, he got it up and running for now and I gotta say, if I were to answer the Inside the Actor's Studio question of "What sound or noise do you love?" at that point it would have been "the starting rumble of a furnace fan".

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Mood

It is currently -26 degrees outside (-14.8 Fahrenheit).

It is currently 17 degrees in our house (62.6 Fahrenheit) and falling.

Our furnace has not been on for hours.

There are currently 2 repairmen (earning some serious overtime I'm sure) in our basement doubtful that they can repair our furnace.

Now, if you know how to stay in good spirits in spite of this please let me in on your secret.

Friday, January 02, 2009

Perspective

Also entitled bucking the trends once again.

I decided to weigh myself this morning for the first time in months (apparently a glutton for punishment). As soon as Abby saw the scale out she wanted to weigh herself as well.

I weighed myself first and then she did.

She stepped on the scale looked at the number and shouted:

"I won! I won!"