Life Around Here Lately

It is around 7:30 in the morning here and EVERYONE is still sleeping.  This is a very rare occurance around here as usually the kids are awake by 6:30, but stay in their room playing until 7:30.  I have decided to let everyone sleep in this morning as it has been quite hectic lately with the sickness, preparing for Poland, preparing taxes, prayer letters....Nights haven't been much better.  Anna has been waking up crying every night because of diarrhea and stomach aches (I'm guessing?).  The past two nights have been a little better, only once instead of 4-6 times.  The quiet is so nice and relaxing.  In fact, I feel so relaxed and so peaceful, it makes me want to cry.  Not a sad cry, just a cry of contentment.  (And no, Dad and Mom Curtis, I am NOT pregnant...just thought I should clarify.)

Besides dealing with the parasite/sickness, here are some of the other things we've been busy with lately:

1)Bree and I "tilled" up the ground for my little garden.  While we were up digging up the garden she said "Our mom didn't raise her no sissies."  haha.  I'm sure we gave the Ukrainians something to look at!  I'm sure they all wanted to come by and see the American girls working!  I really am excited!  Can't wait to get back and plant!  It is so relaxing to work in a garden.  Every time the Ukrainians walk by they stare at it.  I am sure they are thinking "About time they started a garden!" then "That isn't going to be big enough!"  For them, a garden is their whole yard! 

2)We started raking up some of the trash the builders left on a little mound beside our house and digging up dirt to put in the back where I want a little flower bed.  I think it will be beautiful, if the flowers make it.  Eric bought me some seeds of different varieties of beautiful white flowers to plant.  The only problem is that when it rains, it's a flood back there.  We'll see.

3)I finished a couple of the sewing/mending projects.  Still have 2 that need to be done before our trip to Poland.  I was planning on sharing some of them with you, but not sure I will get a chance before our trip.  Wish I'd stop putting things off until the last minute.

4)Sammy is keeping me busy these days as well.  You know those little "stoppers" on the bottom of walkers?  Well, what use to stop Anna and Lydia don't stop Sammy.  They may slow him down...a little, but definitely don't stop him.  He is SO fast and has gained mobility faster than the girls, who were content to sit on a blanket and play.  Not Sammy!  He's wizzing through the house in his walker, or crawling (He is especially fast when doing, what we call, the "sniper" crawl.  Fits him perfectly!), or pulling himself up walking around holding things.  Needless to say, he keeps me busy.  We have had to start training with him early and I think he is finally getting the meaning of "no" or "don't touch".  He is so happy and sweet though, you can't help but love that little rascally face. 

5)Here in the village, we have people dropping in all the time, at any moment, without warning.  It is customary to provide tea/coffe and cookies, which I'm getting better at keeping on hand (do you know how hard it is to have cookies and stuff in the house all the time and not eat them?).  The other night Yuri and two other men stopped by.  The bathroom had a couple things out of order, so I just shut the door.  Do you know what the first thing Yuri did when he came in was?  That's right.  He opened the bathroom door to show one of the guys the tile work he did and mentioned that it was a bathroom!  Oh, well.

Well, my Lydia is singing "Allelua" to the tune of "I Surrender All" so I guess they are awake now.

Thank you all for your prayers!  All of your notes were an encouragement.