More Emails

Oct 15
Hi Mom,

We saw many Peter Paul Rubens paintings in a museum in Munich, let's see, what else...we also saw some very big paintings.  Tell Reuben I got him a special shirt for the local soccer team.  It is called G____ (with two dots above the "o").  We bought some T Oreos called "Negro".  We have been having a good time so far.

Your son,

Peter

ps: we also got Reuben candy.

Oct. 15

Peter has been really good, although he started coming out of his shell and getting more comfortable today which included a little more running around.  Everyone has been really nice to him though.  We just got back from dinner.  Peter had lentil soup last night, but he said it wasn't as good as yours.  Tonight I chatted with a lot of people.  There are a lot of nice people here, but not anyone that I would guess to be your bosom friend.  There's one cool guy, Jack, that I've been getting to know.  He has 4 kids, their oldest son is 7 and is into all the same things as Peter.  But Jack is the only one that came.  They live in an area by themselves and would like some partner friends.  I'm not sure that they're the ones for us though.  

We're heading to bed now.  Peter slept through the night last night while I stared at the ceiling until about 3.  But I feel good now.

Good night blossom,

Paul


Oct 16 

Dear Mommadora,

Peter Paul Rubens is not Dutch, he is Flemish.  Negros taste a little bit of Oreos, to find out we ate a Negro and then an Oreo.  The weather is very nice, it's only rained during the night.  I like it here.  I can't think of anything to tell people that have asked how we are.  

Today I went to the Penalosa's house while dad was at the conference.  They are from Mexico.  They have two daughters, Amanda and we can't think of the other girl's name.  They also have a two month old baby.  We have had a good time so far.

Your son,

Peter 


Oct. 16

...Peter was kind of shy the first day.  I think it was being in a new place with so many adults.  When he and I go for a walk he is normal, but around the hotel he mostly talks to me and hasn't interacted with the adults a lot.  Although he and Georgia had a nice conversation tonight at dinner that covered a variety of topics.

Tomorrow we're going to head down to S after the conference is over.  It's that little town near E where we stopped.  We're going to spend the night there I think and then come back to I Tuesday night.

Peter spent the day at the Penalosa's apartment and had a nice time.  I'm looking forward to having a good conversation when we get home and unloading all sorts of thoughts that are starting to bounce around about T.

The time is flying by so quick, I wish we could stay another week.  We're trying to get Peter's work done, but we may be a bit behind in math.  Oh yeah, one of his social studies projects is to memorize all the states in the Midwest.  I don't have a list of which states those are.

I love you a bunch.  I mean a BUNCH!  

Paul 

ps - did you work out again?


Oct. 17
The adventure is on!  I'm writing from the P Hotel in S, just north of E.  The conference was more like a business meeting today as we discussed a lot of financial issues, so I sat in the back and helped Peter get through two math lessons.  That was a good thing.  Then we had lunch at a little hole in the wall with Jorge and Raul.  One cool aspect of the conference was the diversity.  I counted one South African, four Mexicans, two Brazillians, four Germans, twelve Americans and four locals .  The meeting got a little exciting at a couple points and one guy said "Damn", so that was something.

We found some neat ruins already in S, the church and tomb of John the apostle are just a few blocks down the street from the bus stop, you and I should have gone there.  There was also a Byzantine castle next to it, but it was closed for renovation.  And there was this old mosque that we went by too.  We happened to be there for call to prayer, it was the first one that we've heard this week, oddly, so that was neat.  Three guys showed up to pray.

We also bought a soccer pencil for all the kids in Peter's class.  So there will now be a three way war between the 3 main soccer teams in the 3rd grade class. 

I've also seen a number of great belly dancing outfits that I'm super tempted to buy you, except I'm way too embarrassed to walk into a shop and buy one.  Maybe you can get a pencil instead.

Oh, and for lunch, we had our choice of several entrees in buffet style pans.  One of them looked like chicken and potatoes in a sauce.  So I asked what it was, and he said, "Chicken and potatoes".  I'll have that then.  So I did, except as it turns out it was chicken gizzards.  But, as one would expect from T, they were the best chicken gizzards I've ever eaten.  

And Peter finally spent a little bit of his money today.  He bought a rubiks cube.  He's mentioned every rubiks cube that we've seen throughout the trip.  It cost two dollars.  And one of the cubes just fell off.  Next time we'll buy the five dollar version.

Yeah, it'd be fun to stay longer, but we won't.  We did what we came to do, it's been a good trip.  And I'm almost out of money.  There will be plenty of time for seeing and doing everything in a few years, and then you and the other boys can join us!  

On the ground floor of Jorge's apartment is a Christian tae-kwon-do studio, pretty wild huh?  I didn't go into the tae kwon do place, but Jorge's son is almost a black belt there.

It's been colder today, but it's supposed to warm up tomorrow.  Sorry I can't send more pictures, I left the cord in I.  The Penalosas are keeping our big bag while we're traveling.  We're spending the night with them tomorrow.

Please tell Reuben, "Yes, I'll be home quite soon.  Are you standing on your head?  I like you so very incredibly much too.  I'm coming back soon, I have something secret for you too."

 

I miss you a bunch, but not in the sort of way that I can't function and get weepy throughout the day.  More in the way that...

My love is for you,

Paul

Yes Pictures

Paul has very kindly supplied us with some photos...

A Lego vending machine in the Munich subway.

Wow, what a great way to start

a big trip for an 8-year-old boy.

Did they make a purchase?

I don't know.

 

 This is mystery pic #1.

I think it's in Munich.

Do you know?

Naturally, this would be mystery pic #2.

Neat maze pattern on the ground.

Do you know where this is?

I don't.

This is the only picture they have taken in T.

The chandelier in their hotel.

Thanks for the pictures, Dear.

Very thoughtful.  Take more.  Thanks.

Email Excerpts

Emails from my traveling boys, with comments inserted by me...

Oct. 13

Dear Mom,

We found a street with a lot of stores on it.  We went to a few museums in Munich.  The Deutches Museum was very interesting, the gift shop had many kinds of dice, even hundred sided.  Tell Reuben I said "hi".

Your son,

Peter

Oct 13

We made it to I. Peter is a little sick today and our suitcase got lost.  But we're in T, so it will be ok.  See you in a few days.  I love you, you, you.  Paul

(*Do you know how many suitcases they brought?  One.  And it didn't make it there.  Ha.)

Oct 14

After a soda and cracker combo Peter started feeling better.  We went walking and found a neat shopping street with a bookstore that we enjoyed and our new favorite soccer team, I think it's the local team.  Peter and Reuben are now fans though, because they have shirts.

I found S, he's sleeping next door.  Peter and I had pide (*like pizza) for late lunch which he seemed to enjoy and our missing suitcase is supposedly going to be delivered around 7:00.

Munich was really neat, St.Peter's Cathedral blew my mind, but the whole city is very picturesque.  I wish you were here, but having a screaming, out-of-control baby on the flight here reminded me that not everyone in the family is necessarily good at traveling yet.

Love you,

Paul



Oct 14
From Me to Paul

How great that your suitcase didn't make it.  You love hard situations. And you're a guy, so it's not even that hard to be without your clothes and whatnot.  Has it arrived yet?

Glad Peter is feeling better.  Glad Munich was interesting.  Were you guys so tired arriving there at 2am our time?

So what have we been doing, you silently wonder?  Um, I took out the compost.  That was a highlight.  We've raked a lot of leaves and watched the leaf truck suck them up.  Charlie slept so good Wed night - until 6am then had a bottle, then slept till 8:30am.  It was bliss.  Last night was paybacks.  Reuben woke up screaming because he was wet, which woke up Charlie who felt he should also scream.  Ooo, I went to the bar Wed night (Emily came over after the boys were asleep) and I won third place in the poker game.  Except really I didn't at all.  But I could have, if I had thought of it. 

I'm glad you're there.  I hope it's fabulous for you both.  I look forward to hearing about what you think of the org. and its workers and if it's a good fit for our family.

Reuben cried and cried after you left at the airport.  Bawled.  He finally consoled himself with the fact that if you didn't go to T then you couldn't bring him back a candy/treat.  He would start to cry again and say, "I miss Daddy" then try to stop when he remembered you were bringing him a treat.  So, please bring him candy.  And pack it in your carry-on so you can give it to him right when you see him.  He talks about you and the treat all day.

And, you should know that I have exercised twice.  Yes.  And if my chili and cornbread dinner will digest, I'll workout again tonight.  I am amazing.  And I got voted off Survivor this week...  If I was a black female mortician named Stacey.  Don't ever secretly sign me up for that show.  I would never be the same.  In a horribly bad bad way.

Charlie can say 'night night' and he's been eating a ton.  He has also mastered riding Peter's scooter.  He stands on it and holds on while I push him down the sidewalk.  Reuben can now do a headstand and hold it.  And I did 4 real pushups.  What have you mastered lately?

And I got the trash to the curb.  Aha.

Love and prayers,

Stacey

Oct 15

Hi Sweetie,

The suitcase got in and I had the bellhop teach me how to say "fantastic", but I forgot it again, but I think it sounds like "Erica".

Peter is coming out of his shell and got to play with a little hispanic girl today.  (*They're with a multi-national group of people.)  I made about half my videos.  (* Paul is making promotional videos for an organization.)

I'm glad that you exercised.  I have candy for Reuben and I almost bought you some awesome chocolate tonight, but then I thought of the child labor thing and didn't buy them. (* He's referring to this article at Rage Against the Minivan.)

I have a couple questions about Peter's homework...

It's time for dinner, so we're going to go eat dinner.  

Love to you!

Pablo

No Pictures

I shall post no new pictures.

Because my camera is in Europe and Asia for a while.

Peter is using it to document his travels with Paul.

They are currently flying over the Atlantic Ocean, headed to Germany for an eleven hour layover, then on to... a city in Asia.

Paul and Peter are both excited about their eleven hours in Germany.  They plan to leave the airport and see some sites, possibly verifying the excellence of German pretzels and beer.  I don't know if Peter will realize that they get in to Germany at 2 AM our time.

But enough about them.  They're not even here.

I need you to know that I worked out tonight.  If I don't tell you then no one will know and it will have been wasted time, right?

Usually, I exercise in the morning.  And it goes something like this...

Paul - "Stacey, are you getting up to exercise?"

Me - no answer because he just woke me up and I want to stay wrapped up in my new ultra cozy flannel sheets.

Paul - "I can do this the hard way," as he turns on the computer and loads up my workout video.

Me - thinking to myself - I don't like the hard way, I'll get up.

And then I work out while he gets Peter ready for school.

Occasionally Charlie sneaks away from Paul's watch and comes and sits on me if I'm on the ground, or hugs my leg if I'm standing up.  And I call for help while Charlie giggles and Reuben thinks about joining him.

So, I realized that if I am going to work out while Paul is gone I'm going to have to do it at night after the boys are in bed.

I just want to say:  DONE.  I did it.  And I have no witnesses.

I even gave up reading that new Amish novel I mentioned a few days ago.  It came in at the library today.  I checked out book one too so I could remember everything that book two is going to reference.  So I'll be saying good night to you soon.

But first, you should also know that I may or may not have something impaled in my tonsils.

Thank you, Steve, for that lovely story you told us on Sunday about your friend and the fish bone that got stuck in her tonsils.

Due to my psychosomatic tendencies, I now am wondering if I need to take myself to the Urgent Care place.

Something got stuck in my throat last night.

I had one of those choking moments when I couldn't breathe and I didn't know if it was better to cough or just try to swallow really hard.

Trying to cough up the stuckness scared me, so I opted for swallowing.

And now it feels like whatever is stuck is hanging over the little flap between my breathing tube and my eating tube.

I doubt that's possible, but that's what it feels like.

Or maybe this is what having an impaled tonsil feels like.

I haven't died from lack of oxygen yet.

But you might check in on me over the next few days.  Will Reuben know what to do if I collapse in an unconscious manner?

I have a lot of food in the fridge, so they won't starve.

But changing Charlie's diaper could be interesting.

And by 'interesting' I mean a mess.

Okay.

Cozy, warm, entire-bed-to-myself, I-can-sleep-in-an-L-if-I-want-to, here I come.

Leaves

It's been two months!

Here we are,

two months of five-dom.

To celebrate our survival

we took a family picture and

our social worker will come visit tomorrow

for our second post-placement visit.

Yahoo!

Did you see those leaves behind us?

The trees are amazing right now.

 This in the tree in our front yard.

And it's 80 degrees.

For over a week we get 70-80 degrees and sunshine.

It is so wonderful.

Nevermind the winter dread,

we pulled out our shorts and sunblock again.

And now for the inaugural leaf pile playing...

Charlie enjoyed the leaves in moderation.

Not up to his chest.

And now,

I have some pirate books to read.

Aloud.

To Reuben.

I'm more of an Amish novel gal.

Waiting for this one to come in at the library...

The second in the Rose Trilogy.

The best Amish novel I've read,

but I don't remember why.

It's been so long since I read the first one,

called The Thorn,

that I'm going to have to reread it before I move on

to The Judgement.

My reading comprehension/retention

has always been quite poor,

but it's great for rereading books and watching

movies over and over again.

Huh, Paul?

Can't get enough of Pride and Prejudice.

Is he too proud, or is it her?
Will they end up together in the end?

Courageous

We don't go to the movie theater.  It's too expensive and too much of what I don't want to see.

But, once in a while there is a movie worth my ten dollars, plus the hour drive there, and money to pay the sitter.  The End of the Spear and The Blind Side were the most recent.

Right now it's called Courageous.

Paul and a group of guys went to see it last Friday night when it opened.

The responses I heard from some of the guys were...

"I'm not telling you anything.  You need to go see it."

"It was really good.  It made me think."

"There was even an action scene that was realistic and well done."

"All the guys in our group, who have daughters, cried."

"I was a little worried about a couple cheesy lines at the beginning, but it ended up being the most well done movie this group has made."


"This group" being the Sherwood folks who made Fireproof and Facing the Giants.

Here's the trailer...

If you want to see the whole screen, click over HERE to watch it.  And you might want to click over there anyway to see more clips and find a theater near you.

P.S.  No one paid me to write this.

Cookies and Burritos

Applesauce cookies were a Christmas tradition when I was growing up.  My mom only made them at Christmas time.  It is a sentimental recipe from Louise Brackney, a friend of my Granny's.

Since moving out with my own copy of the applesauce cookie recipe, I have broken the tradition and I make them any time I want them.  Aha!  With chopped walnuts and a bit of wheat flour.  And then we eat the whole batch in 24 hours, leaving them out on the cooling rack so they get a little crunchy/dried out on the edges.  Yum.  Then we've effectively quenched that craving and I don't make them again for a long time.

Tiffany mentioned them to Carly on Facebook recently, which ignited my craving for them, thus causing me to make a delicious batch.  And test them on Charlie... 

I was a little worried he wouldn't like them because he powerfully rejected the sacred avocado.  Would he also spit out the treasured applesauce cookie?

Checking out the in-mouth texture.

Giving it the poke test.

And, does it work as a hand exfoliant?

Approved!

And then we practiced the ancient art of

rolling Reuben into a burrito.