our days & our ways: There's No Place Like Home

This is the sweet sign we came home to after four months away! What a great welcome, especially after the sign we saw in the elevator on the way up:

Yes, it may be inappropriate, but I figure if it's posted in a public elevator...

The kids thought it was pretty funny anyway :)

I love the feeling of walking in a home after a while away and feeling odd. Kind of like a giant in a mouse house or an ant in a castle. The feeling is a little disoriented. Picture caption: Josh on the computer, luggage all over the place, and Hadassah carrying a baby doll bed down the steps (???)

What a joy to let the kids bust out every single toy they own and forgot about as we unpacked and unpacked and unpacked. 7 people = 12 suitcases, about 8 carry-ons, and 14 hands to carry it all (well, in this case, 8 hands to carry it all not including generous friends and a handy luggage cart).

Here is our friend Xiao Li meeting Olivet for the first time...

And us meeting Si en (Caleb), her recently adopted son! What a sweetie!!

So, the month before we left the U.S. was pretty crazy. I'm glad I got a few shots at least. Here we had a great visit with Auntie Sarah, Uncle Trevor, and cousins Gavin & Olivia.

We also got a visit in to the place Josh was sent for a half a year as a boy to straighten up! The kids had so much fun visiting a real farm (as opposed to a fake one??)... Thanks cousin Mark for the tour!

Baby Cows

Q: Viv, what does a cow say? A: Ruff!!!

Q: Lil, what does a cat say? A: Hold me!

Olive trying out a bottle by Lily's daily request.

Happy 31st Birthday Josh! We love you lots! Josh's mom made a special birthday dinner and a great tasting cake!

Here are FIVE generations all in one picture!

Vivi lovin hanging out with some cousins. Can you tell her and Jade (on the right) are related?

Here are our last memories from Appleton before we left for Monroe. The kids and Great Granny playing their version of Hide the Thimble with flower petals.

The excitement of the find

Going on a walk, a really funny walk, because before this moment, Granny was trying to take a picture of me and mom but was facing the camera the wrong way. The picture was so funny and we were laughing. Once it started, there's no stopping!

Olivet with her "lovey" Lamb before it gets dirty and sucked on and spilled on and stepped on. At least we are guessing this is the one she will pick to carry around with her and love :)

I got a horrible sinus cold about a week before we had to leave, so on a Sunday, I stayed home with Viv & Olivet hoping to get some rest. I thought that paint was a good idea since it might occupy Viv for a good 40 to 50 minutes. This all happened in less than 10, and then she wanted down immediately. Rats.

Big sister Gretta at the hospital in Green Bay where Nat had her baby!

Introducing: Leila Francine Gremore!

What a doll!

This day was also another highlight. Sometimes having lots of kids makes me feel like I'm stuck, when I'm really not, we just need to be creative. So..

Josh pushed Olivet in the jogging stroller and ran while I rollerbladed pushing Dass and Viv in the double stroller while Lily and Cade rode their bikes around Appleton. Mapmyrun.com revealed we traveled 4.5 miles on this adventure! Fun times.

My dad and Josh were able to enjoy attending a Packer Game together at Lambeau field, only a short walk from my sisters house. Here's Gampy, The Painter, giving Lily a festive necklace.

And Josh painting Cade's mohawk before Nat and I painted his.

What's this Caedmon is riding in?

Only the sweetest looking car I've ever seen. And it matches our stroller :) No, it's not our rental, it's my Uncle Steve's. Amazing.

As I was washing Hadassah's hair in the bathtub, a small glob of hair came out with the shampoo. It startled me and Hadassah must have noticed the concerned and questioning look on my face. She immediately confessed her sneaking out of her quiet time to get the scissors (that I told her she couldn't play with only minutes before). We have been growing out her bangs for over a year and now they wouldn't even comb down! Oh well, I am thankful she was honest!

I was sitting in this exact spot only 10 minutes before this happened! I drove back from the Y, hopped in the shower, heard some winds, a siren and all of a sudden Josh yelling, "Get in the basement everyone!" A storm with 70mph winds came whipping through without a warning.