Settling In

Welcome to our island home. While the town of Kodiak is turning greener everyday the mountains surrounding the town are still very white with snow. Barometer mountain is almost halfway green so we should have almost 4more months of summer before it starts snowing, at least that's what I've been told.

So catching up from crab fest which was a lot of fun and had very large delicious crabs.

We haven't had very many sunny days since then maybe one or two a week. At crab fest we met some very nice missionaries, that we actually spent most of the weekend with. It was a little different being on the receiving end of a mission trip. Although, it was a little funny when the first guy approached us and started his "do remember the day you excepted Jesus Christ into your lives," we cut him a little short when we both answered yes. He moved on to the next group of people however one of his team members continued to talk with us. She had kids back home that she was missing so she enjoyed the girls for a few minutes. We were then invited to their host church for Sunday service and a cook out followed by a "no talent talent show". We've been enjoying the church ever since. So on to family life. . .

We have all continued to adjust to the area and changes in settings. S has enjoyed the chances to fish since being on nights. He even caught his first salmon. A red that was delicious!! A couple of days after catching it however they closed his favorite fishing river so that the salmon in that river could repopulate this year. So he hasn't really been able to fish since then so he has been practicing his guitar instead. He's hoping to start the drums as well. The church is in need of some instrument players as their worship band has all recently been transferred.

I can't believe how much the girls have changed in just the month and a half they have been here. A is moving into 3T (some 4t) clothes and B is almost in 18mo clothes. A has also become little miss independent. She wants to do it herself for everything, to include potting, getting her own snack and drinks, or coloring. You name it she wants to do it herself!

She discovered that frozen blueberries make a wonderful snack. It started with a "boo-boo" that needed ice, as ALL boo-boo's do now. Only instead of getting ice she grabbed a bag of frozen blueberries. While putting them back a few fell out and all of sudden she has a new favorite snack. For several days I couldn't keep her out of them. It only took once for her to see me put some in a bowl for her and from then on she would help herself to a bowl of blueberries at snack time. She is even nice enough to share these wonderful snacks with her sister, who then leaves blue hand prints everywhere.
She's turning into such a little "mommy". From taking care of her baby dolls to caring for B and now that S is on nights she makes sure to tuck him in when he gets in in the mornings to include hugs and kisses on the head so he can go "night night". She insists on helping me sweep and unload the dish washer. Shes even pretty good at it. She takes things out of the dishwasher hands them to me and I put them way. It works pretty well most days. At meals and snack she insists on setting the table and getting baby's food. In this instance she got baby's food before it was ready. B didn't mind getting all the cookies instead of just a few.

B has also become more independent now that she is walking much better. I think the only reason she decided to start walking was because crawling was hurting her knees. She and A were playing chase in the house earlier and after crawling on the linoleum in the entryway she came walking back to me crying.

The two of them are also playing together much better and will even sit and played NICELY for 15-30mins some days. They really enjoy B's basketball and A's doll house.

The two of them have also finally settled into their new home and surroundings. When we first got here A was a nightmare come nap time and bedtime, she refused to stay in bed. She didn't want to go to sleep unless one of us was in the room with her. If we left the room she would get in bed with B and snuggle in. It would take us 2-3 hours to get her settled down enough to go to sleep. The past almost 2 weeks have been much better. She is finally staying in bed even if she doesn't go to sleep she lays there nicely or plays quietly with stormy.

I'm also settling in as well. I'm hoping to start an in-home child care center that will provide a little more income and help me to become more structured. So this weekend we have the summer solstice, which will be the longest day on the island. The recreation department is having a family day tomorrow to celebrate. Currently the sun isn't really setting it simply dips below the horizon travels back to the east then rises again. So we should have a very fun weekend that will hopefully also be beautiful.