updates

yesterday was a bad day. I went to hinkley to pick up Cody and Chrysta and had to take the baby (15 passenger van) so I could take all the kids as Eric wasnt home yet from work. I normally love driving it. but it was a big nervewracking as roads were less than optimal. My other van is frozen in the driveway because of the rain last week. the back wheels are frozen and it was frozen to the driveway. so we made it to Hinkley and back....almost. The water pump went out about 18 miles from home. Eric was unable to get my van moving so that left the prius. He could only take 4 kids at a time. Each trip took 40 minutes round trip. no heat. very cold. so those of us left in the van were pretty cold while he drove the others home. thankfully we always bring lots of blankets in the big van. it paid off. While Cody Natasha and me were the only ones left waiting the police came. they let us be warm in the back of the squad while we waited. they called a tow truck for us. Then Eric finally came back. We had to follow the tow truck to take the van to Mora which is about 30 miles from where we live. but the only place in our town that does auto mechanics was closed. by this time I had to go to the bathroom so bad I nearly didnt make it. I had been holding it for several HOURS as there was just no other option! Natasha Cody and I were cuddled under about 20 blankets when the police came. took hours for my feet to warm up. and the truck we dont drive in winter and take out the battery and drop the insurance. so now we are a 4 vehicle family down to ONE!


This week is also philly week. which means I dont have a car to go to the cities. Our friends are busy this week anyways so Eric will have to drive us I guess. He is on call Sunday so not sure how we will get back home again! But it will be like a party when we get there! many other AMC families there!

So the good stuff. a new house. a new job. a new city. new schools. all that good fun. We are looking for a new house. in a new city. with new schools. and looking very forward to it. We have a list of about 4 at this point that we really like the looks of from online, but need to go look in person. they are in Hermantown and Esko. one is a smaller house that could be a really great fix up and turn it into our dream home. its on a small river/creek which could be a lot of fun! Eric starts his new job in July so I dont know when we will move. before that I guess!

Someone asked what was on my mind so heavily awhile back. As most people know, our Natasha has a sister. We fought to seperate them and take only Natasha. we won. but also we lost. Natasha lost her sister. she misses her. I miss her. and her sister misses Natasha. The sister will likely go to an institution as she is very very delayed. She functions at maybe a 2 year old level at age 6. We didnt feel we could take that on. I feel terribly that we left her behind. I dont know how we could go back and get her, or when we could go back, or even IF we could get her home. but I miss her and think of her and it hurts my heart that we left her there. and it hurts my heart that Natasha and her sister Vika are hurting. Not a day goes by that I dont think of her. Natasha sometimes cries when we talk of her sister. I always hold her and tell her that I understand and its ok for her to cry and feel sad. I just wish there were more I could do.

on a happier note, miss sophie wants to walk so bad! she is getting SO STRONG! today she tried SO HARD to climb the stairs in the movie part of the dentist office. she was able to propel a ride on toy more than she ever did before but I had to help her balance on the narrow seat. she is getting on her feet at the couch nearly every day. she is just so determined! today she found herself a new way to eat soup! she puts her arm on the spoon and uses it like a lever lifting the spoon to her mouth. pretty impressive. this kid is going places!!

well I better get dinner on for my hungry crew. tonight is chicken and potatoes and green beans and maybe some biscuits if chrysta quits playing her piano and makes some. I cant complain too much though because I love to hear her play.