Very Vomitous Vacation

Well, our trip to San Marcos started out good...we were forced to sit in 1st class on the overnight flight to Guadalajara (on the way back too!). The first thing Meadow always does is read the emergency instructions.
The kids all got along really well. Meadow and Lane were best friends and played together a lot. Meadow enjoyed riding Lane's tricycle around the yard.
Here is auntie Katie, to whom I'm afraid we added lots more work! The third day we were there, Meadow woke up very sick, and spent the next 7 hours throwing up. We gave her medicine which calmed her stomach and helped her sleep, but the next night it was the same again all over our fresh clean sheets. You see, there in Mexico constant washing and drying of clothes and blankets is not possible. Everything is line dried, but unfortunately it was cold and rainy! The next day we took her to the doctor who said she had a virus that was affecting many people. He prescribed more medicine, and she seemed to gradually get better. Well, the following night Matthew came down with the same thing! The climax of it all was the point when in the middle of the night, both Matthew and Meadow were simultaneously throwing up on either side of the bed, and I was sitting between them not knowing whether to laugh or cry! It was like a nightmare! Katie graciously mopped the floor while William tried to calm screaming Logan. Fortunately through all the excitement, their kids never woke up! I'll just tell them when they come here in July, their kids are welcome to come vomit on our floor if they need to! ( Preferably on the linoleum!)

All 5 cousins at the park, one of the few outings we managed. Even through all the difficulties, it was good to be there and see all of them again!

Christy's fireplace remodel

While we were at Christy's house in Kent, Matthew and I repainted her fireplace, which was formerly stark white, as you can see in the earlier pictures I posted of her condo. It was a very nice change and she is very pleased with the results! She plans to paint red on the wall to the left, and have the other walls beige. That will help blend it all in better.

Just Needed To Talk

Tonight I had my first mother-daughter talk with Meadow. She was unusually hyper tonight while we tried to get her to go to sleep. After Matthew tried for an hour, he asked her where she wanted to sleep, and she said, "no, I just want to talk." But then she was just being silly. So after I tried calming her she started telling me all about her time in the nursery during church. She talked about the kids sitting at the table eating crackers on a napkin and drinking water. Then she said she played with animals, listing many different ones, balls, cars, and trains...which lead her to the problem. Apparently some of the kids had a Thomas train and a Salty train, which Meadow wanted to play with, but "kids say No!" Then I asked her if that made her sad and she said, "kid screamed and cry. Say no." Then either she or the kid "knock down the cars." I couldn't tell who it was she was talking about. Well, after telling me over and over about the kids not letting her play with the trains, she was finally ready to go to sleep. I laid her in bed, and she was asleep within a minute!
I just wanted to write about that. It was amazing! That was the longest, most coherent conversation I've ever had with her! It was cute. She just needed to talk!

The Travelers

Hello, we are in Seattle right now. Yesterday we had an appointment to get passports, and they actually were issued that same day! That was amazing! So, our plan is to leave for Mexico on Tuesday night, arriving in Guadalajara Wednesday morning. Meadow and Logan got passports too. Logan's is so cute! It's just funny to see that little round face inside a passport! It's cold and snowy here, just like at home. We spent the day walking around downtown Seattle while we waited for the passports. It was a beautiful sunny day, and the kids enjoyed riding in their stroller. Today Matthew is looking at a step van he might buy for his new construction business. He's an official contractor now! His business is called Fine Line Custom Carpentry. He's still part time at Alaska Airlines, so we can keep our benefits, then 3 days a week he does building projects. He wants to specialize in custom cabinetry and trimwork. He's very creative and artistic with wood.

Three Amigos

Benaiah, Logan and Carson played together last night. Well actually, Carson slept through it, but it won't be too long before he joins in too!

Happy New Year!

Here's Logan and daddy in their matching England soccer (football) shirts!
A Question to generate some comments: What were you doing just as the date turned to 2007?
I was at home while the kids slept, enjoying my last cup of tea of '06, which then became my first cup of tea of '07! (It was decaf!)