Update

The truth is, there have been so many things that I have wanted to blog about lately but when it all comes down to it, I haven't had the time. When I am at my computer, I am usually working. And when I am not working, I am often chasing after one kid or another.
3 kids - whew. Wipes me out...

So, I'll give a general update.....
Life is good. Thank G-d. Kids are good, thank G-d. I am so so so happy the winter is over because Bli Iyin Hora, we are able to stay healthy for more than 2 weeks at a time. Not to mention it's great having the windows open and getting the fresh air. I love this weather!

We got Jonah's confirmation that he is going to Gan Lotus next year. We will miss Arazim but it's time for him to move on to bigger and better things. :) This year he was in a Gan for 3+4 year olds (Gan Trom Trom Chova and Gan Trom Chova) and next year it is for 4+5 year olds (Gan Trom Chova and Gan Chova). He will just be there for 1 year though before he starts 1st grade. I am a little nervous because I don't know many of the kids - most of his little friends are staying at Gan Arazim but we know a few people switching over and I assume we will meet people. My Hebrew is improving bit by bit although I am still somewhat intimidated to use it. No matter, Jonah will meet people with no problem. His Hebrew is amazing!! He is even picking up the different verbs for boys and girls. Nice. I'm also excited about his new Gan because he will go until 3:30 everyday instead of 1:30. Woohoo!!!

Sammy had a crazy language explosion over Pesach. We were getting a little concerned because he wasn't using a lot of words and he wasn't putting words together. But we spent Pesach with his cousins (R&V for Seder and Shabbat and S&G plus S&S for the rest of the time). The cousins spent hours and hours playing with each other and Sammy just started talking and talking and talking. He doesn't stop now - B"H! Some of his cutest phrases are "Ew, gwoss" and "Woah baby!".

Kayla, our little princess, is getting so big - even though she is just in the 8th percentile for weight. She's just an itty bitty thing but so much bigger than when we first brought her home. She is finally starting to grow into some of her 3 month clothes. All her 3-6 month are still packed away in a bag just waiting..... She started smiling but she is a pretty serious kid. You have to work for your smile, she doesn't just give them out willy nilly. :) Her 2 big brothers absolutely adore her still and love to take care of her and worry about her when she cries. It's really really sweet. She sleeps VERY VERY well at night (Bli Iyin Hora - it's about time I get a good sleeper!!!) but likes to be held and paid attention to when she is awake.... we'll see how long I can work from home with her.

Shu is getting ready to start his own company. He has been having meetings with lawyers and accountants, and his partner - working on the nitty gritty. So he goes to J'lem a lot. In general that's ok but not when he gets lost trying to get to the trempiata (hitching post) and doesn't get home for hours and hours. This happened a couple times recently and I was nearly out of my mind from the kids. 3 tired kids in the evening - it's a lot of work.

As for me....same ol same ol, I suppose. Still working on the medical billing. It is a job that has really saved us this year - I am not sure what we would have done if we came to Israel with no jobs! Of course, it's not my dream job and one day I will move on. But for now, it fits perfectly. My hours are flexible, I can work day or night. So that's convenient. A couple times the websites I use weren't working so that was really annoying. Especially when it is over the weekend and people don't work on Sunday so I can't call to resolve the issue. Or if I am working in the morning here - it's the middle of the night in the States. So that doesn't help either. Annoying.
I am getting closer and closer to starting a women's basketball game. We had a time and a place (and a cost - booo) but that all fell apart when the guy in charge of sports quit his job. There was some shady stuff going on and apparently he feared for his life and the lives of his family. Yikes! But I persevered and there is a meeting today with the head of the Matnas (community center) and my game will be brought up. So hopefully that will get sorted out and we can start playing this week or next week. The question is do we keep it Anglo or invite the Hebs?
I am missing my friends in the States really really really badly. It's been really hard since Kayla was born because my friends there and some family haven't met her yet. It's weird and I don't like it. And I have a LOT of friends in the States who are either pregnant or recently had babies. And I am not there for that either. My friend recently posted some pics of her daughter's birthday party and a bunch of our other friends and their kids were there. I love looking at the pics and seeing how they are all growing up - but at the same time, it's so hard. It's so hard that we aren't there and our kids aren't growing up right next to them. I don't know if this aspect gets any easier. The other hard part is we have NO clue when we will see them next. I really want to plan a visit to the States. I am so jealous of my friend from here who gets to go back every summer for about 3 weeks or a month!! That would make things so much easier on my end. If I knew that every year I would spend a month in Detroit (and St.Louis) and just get to see everyone and spend time with family and friends. I could handle that. Sadly, we are financially nowhere near a trip to the States. So I guess you all have to come visit us here!!
As I have been telling people....we love it here. We really are very happy and love living in Ariel, have a great community, are making friends, are slowly picking up the Hebrew, are really getting settled in. BUT we still miss our friends and family in the States. It's not one or the other, it's both. Loving it here doesn't make us miss everyone less. And missing everyone there doesn't make us not like it here.

So that's that.
I am going to try and write a small post about Yom HaZikaron and Yom Haatzmaut. But right now I have to get to work so I will try to write it another time.

Ok Adina, I blogged, now I want some more pics. Hehe! :)