Adwoa und Ama

Here is our update….

Easter was really nice in Streamwood. You can see pics of the girls in their Easter dresses by clicking on the “Streamwood” link to the right (this is Michael’s sister, Denise’s page). It was so great to see Denise’s new apartment– moving in this weekend! And a nice Easter brunch with Gina, Andy, & K.

SNOW AGAIN today…..
Girls are settling in well. E still really likes it and J has warmed up. I don’t think she loves it yet, but it is growing on her. Apparently she likes going around and saying everyone’s name in the class.
New computer has arrived and Michael will set it up this weekend.
Sea shipment is now on the rails headed to Chicago. We expect it will take another 10 days or so.
Jobs are good for both of us.

Pictures to come this weekend, we hope!!!

Dear All,

Here is what’s new with us…. Michael and I are settling in to our jobs and we both like them so far. E is really enjoying her time at her daycare and we still think it is a really good setting for her. J is not 100% sold on it yet, but it is much better. She cries a bit in the morning, but then plays, talks, eats, and seems pretty content when we arrive in the afternoon to pick her up. We all miss Kinderkrippe still… J mentions Milla, Frau Deiler, Suzy, Elfrieda, and Frau Strauss sometimes…. Apple Tree is nice, but it has not become “family” for us, like Kinderkrippe was.

We traveled to Boston last weekend for my Nana’s memorial service. The service was held at her retirement community and was attended by about 70 people from the facility, family members from all over the country, and friends from New York, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. Nana’s two closest friends, both around her age, traveled great distances to be there. Nana’s 2 daughters, all 5 of us grandchildren, one nephew, and a friend spoke. It was a wonderful picture painted of her and it really captured who she was as a person. Both girls (and their 3 second cousins) were angels during the service– J slept and E listened carefully and quietly, sitting with Nanny & Granddaddy. Nanny said that it was a great comfort to her having E with her during that time.

The trip getting to Boston was a bit of an odyssey due to the tornado that hit Atlanta early Saturday morning. We flew through Atlanta, arriving at 3 PM that day. Our flight to Boston was cancelled and we had to wait for stand-by seats on another flight (during Spring Break….). We were not sure if we would actually get to Boston in time for the 1 PM Sunday service. That was all quite nerve-wracking. We eventually got out of Atlanta at 10:30 PM, arriving at the Boston airport at 1:30 AM and at my parents’ house at 3 AM on Sunday. Our luggage did not make it. Luckily, the lost baggage service has loaner carseats!! Who knew??? We were dressed for travel, not a memorial service, so luckily both Michael and I were able to borrow clothes from my parents for the event.

Our bags arrived in the middle of the night (Sunday-Monday), just in time for us to pack them into the car to head back to the airport on Monday morning! But we were so grateful to have physically made it to Boston in time for the service that we didn’t care too much about the baggage.

Back in Urbandale, we are still happy with the house, and the weather has warmed up enough to be able to play outside a bit. The girls are enjoying the playset in our backyard.

We hope to post some pictures soon!

Michael at home with sick E… yup, first day. I was home with her in the morning. We think she will be all better and ready to go tomorrow. She has a low-grade fever, but not really much else. Gives us an opportunity to get lots of shelves lined in the kitchen…

J seems to have turned a corner at daycare. She cried a lot when I dropped her off, but I called mid-morning and they said she was having fun– had been playing and was now eating lunch. Seeing as she ate NOTHING on Friday there, this is an improvement, for sure.

We are all doing okay… but it will be a while before we are settled. Still no internet at home, so we can only communicate this way from work. That will be remedied soon, we hope…