because a random blog is better than no blog at all

*We have been at Kirk and Karla's house since Saturday evening and we have rarely been so lazy as we have been here. :) Well, maybe not lazy, but relaxed. :) On Sunday I didn't even go outside one time, and didn't dress my 3 youngest all day. (My husband thought it was scandalous...I found it freeing. haha.)
*Kirk and Karla had the pleasure of introducing us to Jeni's ice cream. Oh my lands. Amazing.
*Did you all know that my newest niece, Mayah, is so sweet? Here, I'll show you. :)
*One major highlight of this trip has been seeing all of the "girls" that I was with in Israel in '97. I love that we can catch up relatively quickly when we see each other after a long time.
*My girls are doing alright, but showing a few signs of being travel weary. (As are Matthew and I...) I took them to get their pictures taken the other day and I can tell you this: Matthew was laughing so hard he was crying because of the on-command smiles from one little munchkin. :) They looked plastic.
*I'm holding sweet little sleeping Mayah even as I type this. :)
*One thing I had to buy while we're over here is summer clothes for the girls. I was feeling a little discouraged about finding summer clothes over here at this time of year, but God reminded me to ask Him about it. A few days later, my cousin Delores took me to Once Upon a Child and they had clothes for all seasons! I was in there for 2 hours and got so much stuff! It was a fun answer to prayer. :)
*Today is American Thanksgiving and Kirk's brother and his family spent the night here last night. This morning we had a delicious brunch of pumpkin cinnamon rolls and breakfast casserole. The guys have been outside barbequeing and smoking/grilling 3 whole chickens while the rest of us are making mashed potatoes, stuffing, buns, etc. I'm looking forward to this a LOT. :)
*I might have to be rolled back to Mada. Huh, that isn't connected to the above paragraph is it? ha ha.
*I am really ready to get back to Mada. It's not all about missing being there, although that is a large part of it. The biggest thing is that I desperately miss having some sort of routine, and I really am tired of living out of a suitcase. This has been such a crazy mix of fun and stress, and I wouldn't want to have missed it, but I'm ready for some kind of normal.
*It seems that it's time to set the table, so I should move on. We're leaving early tomorrow morning for MI and Matthew's Miller family's get-together. Hopefully there won't be any snow, because it's official: I'm a wimp in the cold. :)
See ya.