Day +360: Readjusting to our little flat

After nine days at Teri and Brent's palatial home on 5 acres in Lake Stevens, we're readjusting to our little 2-bedroom flat with no outdoor space. Isaac did nothing but run around all week. He ran all over the house, around and around and up the stairs and down the stairs and around and around again. Then Uncle or cousin Nicholas or Daddy would take him outside and he would run around on the grass. Mina Brigitta was very active as well, though not quite so much as her brother. Her favorite activity was chasing the kitty around. She didn't understand why the cat kept running away, but she got very excited whenever she saw it.

I think about the only time Isaac sat down was when he was in the car "driving", which became one of his favorite activities. Auntie let him sit in her car by himself, and he would sit there for a long time working the seat belt, pushing buttons, and turning the steering wheel. He'd say "want drive blue car-car!" Yesterday he said he wanted to "drive uncle truck!" We can't exactly let him sit in the car by himself on the street, so that activity is going to have to end, unfortunately.

Mina Brigitta had a wonderful birthday. There were 25-30 or so people there including three grandparents, six first cousins, two aunts, one uncle, and quite a few members of Brent's family, who all live in Lake Stevens. Seemed like everyone was hanging on everything Mina Brigitta did, and she had a good night. She knows the birthday drill by now, and she waited patiently while we sang Happy Birthday to her and then made short work of the three candles. Isaac was sitting next to her, and he liked the singing so much that he said "More!" when we were done, so Auntie re-lit the candles and sang it again. The singing was very nice; it was a somewhat more enthusiastic rendering of Happy Birthday than normal, seems to me. It made a big impression on Isaac, he still asks us to sing "Happy doo doo." Mina managed to overcome her shyness while she was opening presents and say thank yous and give hugs. She was especially excited about a bright purple and green sleeping bag, complete with a flower pillow, from Brent's brother Bryan and his family.

Nine days was a nice long trip. We got to spend some real quality time with the Paylors, and had a couple days with Grandma and Grandpa and Kari and Carmen too. Isaac absolutely loved his Anta Teri. I was definitely third choice after about Monday, and Uncle Brent was gaining on me after he took Isaac for a ride on their ATV quad. He loved his cousins too, and by the end he was calling Nicholas "Nick-a-nuss" and Kennedy "Ken-DEEEE".

Just re-read this description, and I'm not even doing it justice. It was just very, very nice to connect with so many people who have helped us in so many ways over the last two and a half years, and wonderful to be able to watch them shower Mina with their love in person. I was a bit apprehensive about the trip, not for any particular reason but probably just because things have been going so well. Don't want to upset the apple cart. But the trip was necessary in so many ways. We are already looking forward to the next one in mid-July.

Day +365 is this Saturday and is coming up quickly. We are planning to mark the occasion with a trip to the Mt. Shasta area -- our donor sent a letter with peace written in about 300 languages in it, one of which was Wintu, the language of native Americans in the Mt. Shasta area. The Wintu word for peace is Mina. So we thought that would be a nice way to commemorate the anniversary. After we return there will be lots and lots of tests scheduled. I will post details when I get them.

To everyone who helped make our trip to Washington so special, thank you so, so much! And to everyone who has supported us, both in person and from afar, over the last year and more, thank you too! I have no doubt that we wouldn't be where we are today if not for everyone's efforts, and we will forever be in your debt.