Dear Steve

I recently had two (very short, ahem, ahem) facebook messages from Steve (who is currently in India).  From his breif posts it sounds like he is really enjoying India.  He said he has limited access to email but will be able to check one more time before he heads back to Korea (and then Lord willing back to the States to see US!!!).  He asked me to update the blog for him to check so here goes:

Dear Steve,

We miss you!!  I feel like I won't be able to wait 4 more days but I know I'll have to.  C makes it easier with all his running around, he is one busy boy to keep up with these days!

  I think you'll be amazed at his vocabulary and how much he has learned in just 4 weeks.  He will string 3 or 4 or 5 words together now to make sentances and he will repeat almost every single thing you ask him too.  He has even started responding to "I love you Caleb" with "I love you too."  He has been so good these past weeks - he is listening and obeying (much of the time) and he puts up with the car better than I expected.  We've done a lot of driving!  You will be proud of me, navigating our way all over (Brooklyn Park, Forest Lake, Albertville, Richfield, North Minneapolis, Lake Benton, St. Cloud) ~ We've been making some serious trips!  We start with a pile of toys and books in the front seat and by the end of the trip they are strewn all over the back! 

Poor guy has also been seriously over-tired and over-stimulated for about 4 weeks now.  Working through jetlag, going to bed way past bedtime, taking shorter naps or no naps at all.  It's amazing he isn't a total basket case.  I suppose he'll save that for when we get back to Korea.....He is such a sweetheart and such a joy.  It is so fun to watch him meet and interact and love everyone here. 

Last Sunday we went to church downtown BBC and got to see a number of people.  I found out some friends of ours are expecting their first baby!!!! But she hasn't announced on facebook or her blog yet so you'll have to wait until you get here to find out who it is!  Renee and "her" Chris came and met us at church, which was really special too.  After, my parents and Caleb and I went to Chipotle.

Monday we drove to Brooklyn Park and got to spend the whole day with Krystal.  Her Baby Bump is adorable...we got to see the nursery and talk lots of baby and got all caught up on just about everything.  It was great to spend time together and  Caleb enjoyed all her toys.

Tuesday I was supposed to hang out with Tara, Charlie, Mallory and Emery but Tara and Charlie got sick....the awful yuckie cold that has been going around and C and I just got over.  No fun.  But Mallory and Emery and Caleb and I met at a park in Forest Lake (about a 45 min drive for both of us) and spend the afternoon chasing two toddlers around the playground, talking, catching up, comparing notes, getting new ideas, and eating apples on the grass. 

 You know how Caleb has that really funny quirk where he has claimed his second pacifier as his "lovie" and has to sleep with one in his mouth and a second one in his hands or he can't sleep?  Apparently Emery does the SAME THING!!  I couldn't believe it.  Neither Mallory or I know what to do.....but at least we know someone else is dealing with it too and we can try to brainstorm a solution.

Wednesday Caleb and I drove to Richfield to see Meridian Crossings and my former manager and former co-workers.  It was so fun.  I miss those sweet friends!!!  Their new location is AMAZING and such a great facility.  Caleb enjoyed running all over the offices, climbing up in Brian's chair and using his desk phone (before I could find where he'd run off to), trying out the copier, getting fed from everyone's lunches and snack drawers, stealing someone's blackberry out of their purse when I wasn't looking (and then none of us could figure out who's phone he had taken or whose purse to return it to), drinking out of the "wawa foun-tain"  and wailing when it was time to be done..."fun mama, fun! foun-tain fun."  And of course the visit couldn't have been complete without a total on-the-floor meltdown before we left.....I was one embarrassed mama!  I wasn't surprised though, seeing as he gave me several big yawns right as we pulled up to the parking lot and we were there over 2 hours.....Poor guy.  Needless to say, meldowns + former co-workers = no fun  =( 

From Richfield we drove to Albertville to see the cousins and have a cousin sleepover. 

Unfortunately, Caleb fell asleep about 20 min from their house so his nap for the day was totally shot but we still had fun and it's great to be around another mom who "gets it."  I had a great time with them, even though Jeni and I stayed up way too late talking...you'd think we were in college with nothing to do in the morning, not two moms with kiddos to deal with at 6:30am! 

What were we thinking?!?  ;-)  While I was there, I also picked up some way overdue new clothes for you and Renee drove ALL THE WAY UP to go shopping with us.

The next day we drove back to C-town and Micah came home.  I told Caleb at dinner that Uncle Micah would be coming home but then when I put him to bed and Micah wasn't in yet he was really upset.  He stayed up until Micah came in (about 8pm) and I heard him in there going "Micaw Micaw Micaw"  Soooooo I got him up and he got to rough house and play and get all wound up until 10pm when I put him back down.  Yikes.  It was fun though and that is why we are here, right?  It isn't everyday he gets to stay up late with his beloved Uncle Micaw.  He sure loves him.

Friday my parents, Micah, Caleb and I went to the zoo. 

 It was overcast and rained some but was a ton of fun.  Caleb especially enjoyed his time with the three of them and seeing the monkeys, the sparky the seal show and the polar bears (which he at first thought was a dog and then a horse, poor kid was so confused). 

 After the zoo, we went to the mall, ate lunch at Panera (NUMMMMMY, one of my "must eat at" places), Micah took Caleb on a train ride (which he adored and won't stop talking about "Micaw, train, ON, fun" and I dropped off my rings to get their annual cleaning (so sad to be ring-less right now especially!).

After that Caleb and I headed over to North Minneapolis to see the LANGES!!!!  So. Much. Fun.  Rubi is so grown up and absolutely beautiful.  There are a lot of very cute little girls out there, but few that are just beautiful....she is one of them.  It was so fun to play with her now that she is "all grown up" and to watch Langes be parents.  Caleb and her enjoyed playing together too. 

 After dinner we went for a walk and walked past the last house we offered on.....In some ways, I still really like it and wish we were living there but I know the Lord has been good to us and we are doing exactly what we should be doing...even if it is hard some times. It felt funny to walk by and think about the past year - it has been almost exactly to the week a year ago we offered on that house!  It got late so Caleb and I ended up spending the night, which was great because then Kasi and I got some extra time to catch up.  Oh and G. Hill had his baby last night!!!!!!!!! Yahoo - Congrats to him and Kelli....I didn't get to see baby Isaiah though.  Sad.

This morning we headed back to C-town, Caleb got a nap that wasn't nearly long enough, we played outside, fed Joe snacks (C's favorite thing right now),

checked on the baby birds that he watched hatch out of eggs last week, "rode" the tractor (aka sat on it and pushed buttons), read books on the front lawn, watered the flowers, ate way too much food, and went and saw the house my parents put an offer on this week.  It's really nice, I like it.  It's on the river - really pretty back yard.  And it has a walk out basement with it's own bathroom, kitchen and fireplace.....so we'll have a place to stay =)

Tomorrow we head down to church, hopefully get to see Michelle and then head back up here for some sleep.  Micah leaves for Arizona early....I'm sad to say goodbye to him again.  It's been so fun to watch him with Caleb ~ He is such a great Uncle Micaw.

Well, how's that for a play by play for ya?  It's been a busy week ~ It's been a busy 4 weeks!  We've been having a great time but can't wait for you to come join us.

All my love, Me