I'm still here!

This update is for you, Celesta ;)

How has it been almost two months since I've blogged?! I do enjoy blogging and hope to keep this thing going.

For now, here's the update, bullet style :)

- We were so glad to have my sister and her family back home after being away for two months in America. Joel and I missed them so much and our kids couldn't wait to play with their cousins again.

- We enjoyed one last day trip to the beach in September before school started

- Yohanis, Colson AND Vienna all started school in September. Yohanis is in first grade and Vienna and Colson are in kindergarten together. They are all doing so well! I wasn't sure how Yohanis would do since he has only been speaking Turkish a little over a year and 1st grade is the real deal here! But he is understanding everything and doing such a great job, I'm so proud of these guys!

- My kids had fun cutting up paper into a gazillion itty bitty pieces and throwing them up in the air. Then they would roll around on the floor laughing their heads off. I just had to include these pictures because my kids crack me up. I love them!

- We celebrated Yohanis' 7th birthday in October. I still can't believe that I have a 7 year old!

Yohanis wanted to go bowling for his birthday!

- The very next day Vienna decided to turn 4 YEARS OLD!

The birthday girl wanted to jump on the trampolines :)

- And then if all these kids getting older wasn't bad enough, Isaiah decided to start walking at 11 months! Where has my baby gone?!
 

Isaiah's latest favorite thing? The washing machine, of course!

 - This week I have 7 kids (ages 11 months to 8 years). We are taking care of my sister's kids while they are in Ethiopia meeting their SON! I am so excited for them and can't wait till E is finally home! It has been a crazy week with all these kids and Joel and I may or may not have declared that everyone needed to whisper at dinnertime tonight. Let's just say our house has been LOUD the past week! It has been fun though, I'm so glad these guys have each other and have made such great friendships with one another.

- It's Kurban Bayramı (Festival of Sacrifice) here in Turkey. This is a four-day holiday when sheep or other animals are slaughtered in memory of the ram sacrificed by Abraham in place of his son. According to Islamic tradition, after the animal is sacrificed the meat is then shared. One third is saved for the household, one third is shared between friends and neighbors and one third is given to the poor. We already received a big bag of meat from our neighbors! Kind of funny to have your neighbor ring your doorbell, hand you a bag full of bloody, raw meat and say "Happy Holiday!"

Okay, I think I'm all caught up now. Hopefully I can get in the groove again :)