Mercy.

This is the longest semester OF MY LIFE.

There are things to share...but no time to do it.

Hang in there.

We're coming...

Sorry we've been gone....

Life has been quite busy for us. Many things going on as well as the end of the school year approaching. Although, we are on a home schooling schedule, I want the kids to get to have a summer as much like they are used to as possible...so we press on toward the end of the month.

Lately, the Prince earned his red belt in TKD. His next is a red/black and then finally a black. It will be very difficult for him to get to black belt before the summer is up...but not impossible. He can go to practice every day if he wants in the summer and they do belt tests once a month in the summer as opposed to every other. He can do it if he REALLY wants to. We'll keep you posted...

And of course with the new Karate Kid on the horizon...we pay tribute...and stay true to our silliness~

Also, as foreigners we are often asked to be special guests for various things...I've blogged some of those before...last weekend we were special guest judges for a singing competition held at a Teacher University in a nearby town. It was great fun and very interesting. There is a foreign teacher at that school that we have become friends with. She had the Princess with her and was coming from another place when we entered the auditorium. It was packed with students. We drew stares and made our way to the front. I kept wondering where my daughter was and what was taking them so long to get there. Maybe I just didn't see them come in...not to worry. Because the MINUTE the other teacher entered with the Princess...the entire place erupted with a loud, "AWWWWW!" She stole the show. After the competition, while the scores were being tallied, they asked our family to sing something, which of course we did. We took the opportunity to sing, "Lord, I lift your name on high!" It was nice to sing parts as a family, but the best thing was the text message that our foreign teacher friend received afterward from a female student that told her she was glad to hear the Lord's name being praised on her campus.

While we were there, we stayed at some friends' apartment and the King got sick. The Princess tucked him in with her precious "Snowball" puppy and proceeded to take a picture (I'm training her the RIGHT way! LOL.)

Today we were taken by some friends to the pet market. It's a wonderful and terrible place at the same time.
Wonderful in that we got to hold and pet as many little fuzzy things as we could stand. Look at this precious puppy!Terrible in that there are so many that need homes and they are living in terrible conditions. We saw some that were obviously sick. Tons of puppies crowded into cages as well as hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, etc. You get the picture...
This is a dwarf hamster and while all the others were huddled together sleeping he was climbing the ceiling. Every now and again his back legs would slip and he would look like he was hanging from monkey bars...but in seconds he was back to climbing...no doubt looking for the "exit" sign.
More dwarf hamsters...
...and bunnies. They looked so soft, but many looked sick and dirty.

There was a purpose for going. The kids have friends who all have pets and we only have fish. While the fish are fun to watch, it's not the same as having a furry little thing (or big thing) to love. So...we researched Dwarf Hamsters...knowing friends who have some and decided to check them out.

Meet Elsa and Kylie.

This is Kylie. She's the feisty one and slippery! This is their shower. You put a certain kind of powder in it, place them inside and they bathe themselves. Actually, kind of cool to watch. Kylie was making so much noise we said she definitely belongs to us...singing in the shower!
Where's Waldo? I mean, Elsa? She's burrowed under the wheel. She's the shy, quiet type.
Kylie is a little bigger than Elsa. The Prince is holding her and she's thinking she's gonna try and get away!
...but the Prince is quick fingered and squeezed at just the right time with just the right pressure. These are the Princesses chosen pets. The Prince would rather have a dog...but we can't, so his next choice is a cat...and we can't...so, this is our compromise. We thought about a lot of different things...including birds, but we are firm believers in adopting for life (ours or theirs) and it was extremely difficult to part with our pets when we came over here (not to mention that birds live long and prosper!).

They are fun to watch and we are satisfied, not to mention that I NOW know where to go when I need some SERIOUS fuzz therapy.

There is so much more, but I have an on-line final to study for as well as homework to do...gotta run!

Lots of love!

Happy Mother's Day!

"To all the MOMS I've loved before...

who've traveled in and out my door...

I'm glad you came along...

I dedicate this song...

to all the MOMS I've loved before."

Hey, if Willie Nelson can sing about all the women in his life...why can't I? Although in a strictly platonic way, of course.

Just thinking today about my mom and how I cherish her and my MIL and how I cherish her...then thinking about all the females in my life that I'm blessed to know and how many of them are mother's.

What a privilege to be called, "Mom."

What a special job it is.

What a CHALLENGING job it is.

But mostly, what a blessing.

To all the Moms, I know...some who mothered me, some who mothered my family members, some who have mothered alongside of me, some who have inspired me as a mother...

Happy Mother's Day. Thank you for what you do. The way I see it...it's THE MOST IMPORTANT job in the world. Mom's are the only people (besides teachers) who pour into the lives of everyone else...every other occupation there is. :)