52 Weeks of Family: Week 26

And just like that we've crossed the six month mark...

Mila:

The hunt continues to find the things that engage you and that you enjoy. It's difficult to ask you as both the language barrier and lack of experience hinders the response.  So, we've been trying new things out. Some things are a bust. Some things are an unexpected surprise...seems you enjoy painting projects, so we did a couple of them this week. 

I've also been working on finding outdoor spaces that you enjoy/tolerate. We spend a lot of time outdoors as a family and I've been intentional in training your brother to hike through the woods. You haven't done so well in wooded areas, but wide open spaces, lakes and beaches are enjoyable places for you. At a local beach park you INITIATED chasing the birds (something your brother taught you while we were in San Diego) and got irritated at Isaac and I when we weren't walking to the beach fast enough for you (?!?!). You happily schlepped over the uneven surfaces and threw rocks in the Sound for a half hour.  (When you got stuck on the way back and I ended up carrying you on my back while guiding Isaac up the hill, over the rocks at the same time...your momma used her muscles on that little adventure!)

Then it was your first Easter! I knew this was a holiday that you would have experienced with the Sisters in Albania, but clearly not the American way (how does one explain, exactly, the whole Jesus raising from the dead/pass the ham & rolls/giant rabbit hiding chicken eggs filled with chocolate?? It really makes zero sense). 

You worshiped your little heart out at church singing "The grave is empty, empty, empty! He is worthy, worthy, worthy!" I suppose it doesn't matter what all the fluff is, when you know where your Hope lies. <3 

Isaac:

You taught your sister how to chase birds and throw rocks in the water and to climb on Momma when you get stuck...which is also the exact same plot line of the animal planet documentary we just watched, so...thanks for that. *wink*

There is a 25 min gap in the mornings after we drop off Mila and before you go into school that has become Momma-Isaac time. Sometimes we just sit in the car and listen to music or goof off, sometimes we do a quick errand together, whatever it is it's the quality time that you live off of. 

You are naturally humorous, but you've picked up on your sister's sass and think it's hysterical to make The Mila Face for the camera now...and I won't lie, it kinda is.

You told your pediatrician this week that you are "trong wike Maui" while flexing your muscles in your underwear. You also painted your face instead of your project, including two giant paintbrush-fulls of black paint directly INTO your tiny ear canals...you know the ones you put your expensive Super Ears in every day. Getting that out was not fun for either of us and you declared "all done ear paint". Uh, yeah. That sounds like a really good plan.  Good thing you are cute. 

You did a good job of letting your sister find some of the Easter eggs in the back yard and then trading out all your chocolate for her marshmallow peeps. (That trade actually worked really well for everyone). You held hands during worship and made sure to tell everyone "Jesus be right back!" because that is, indeed, the Hope we have in Him...He is coming for us all...He'll be right back. 

Me:

During our time in Albania we ate SO MANY wonderful local foods and I became obsessed with figuring out the recipe of one particular desert and it was my goal to do so before Easter. Having no translation for what we had eaten I scoured the internet for what this custard-like cake could even be like, then pieced together several semi-translated recipes to match a single photo I had taken the night we had eaten this heavenly item. It's taken months and several test runs, but I figured it out!! I am so stinking proud of myself. For whatever reason it was really important to me that my Mediterranean daughter have this Greek cake for the only holiday that would be even slightly familiar to her. So in addition to our ham & rolls, we had Greek salad and baked feta and Ekmek cake...of which she did not even try BUT that is not the point. I set a goal and feel like I accomplished a big task and now we have a family recipe that will be passed down to the generations and talked about at church potlucks for years to come. 

Hope. Redemption. His unbelievable, unshakable pursuit of our hearts. His adoption of us as His own.  That is Easter.