One of the best toys we have are two swords made out of a pool noodle cut in half with dowel put up each piece for a handle. Lest any of you are afraid that Ethan can't hold his own.... he is only 19 months old and is not afraid to start something with his brother.

It is raining... still. I don't know what the figures are but if you want to see how beautiful it is here, the winter is not when to do it. We have most of our stuff... and although it makes life easier it is just stuff. Things are good here and I am settling into a life of being a mom to two little boys during the day, and four great kids after 3 pm. The air smells so interesting in between the rains.... damp, clean, but with an air of oldness like not all of the dirt and buildings have been replaced by something new. Apparently the entire city was razed during WWII so much so that people were living in caves along the river bank by the end of the war. There are other cities in the country that are old and still have their old buildings and streets, just not here in Podgorica. We have our electric bikes now so that gives us some mobility, and there is a grocery store about a mile away where I can shop pretty easily... it is just not that easy in the rain with the two boys. The women here have been great at taking me to the grocery store and giving me rides to things. I really can't complain.

Well, we've been here about a week and a half. Sunday will be the second group meeting ever of Saints in Montenegro. The mission president and his wife will be here to have meetings with us. Some of our air shipment has arrived... we are still short 1/6 boxes but it will get here eventually. The blue bedroom is now empty. It is going to become the TV room. It was the biggest room besides the living room so Zoe is now in the corner room next to Ethan's closet, Teac is in the Club house, and when our TV finally shows up, we will put it upstairs. Not sure if our Ayi from China is going to come. I think it is not looking good. She is having such a hard time deciding, we think she might be happier if she stayed, but we'll see. I am getting more organized than I have ever been with the kids. We have a job chart and everyone did their jobs this week with minimal complaining. I have clothes baskets so everyone can trudge their own laundry from the basement (minus Ethan)and Marlo seems relieved by the raised level of set organization and routine.
We have a tiny little store just a half a block out our back gate. Marlo has gone to get bread and carrots a couple of times now, all by herself. She feels very independent and I love that the area is safe so that I don't worry about her. In fact, they now walk to and from school everyday. This is a huge deal since they have to leave before Ethan wakes up and I would have to wake him from his nap to go get them. There are several other foreign families in our neighborhood and the girls and I are hoping that they can walk back and forth to have play dates. Almost sounds like some kind of normal life. The people here have been so great.
We stopped by the little old lady's house behind us and had juice and she brought out some chocolates for the boys. She always waves and smiles at us. I recognize people when we go for walks. The people from the embassy have been so helpful. They are coming Monday to install pantry shelves and fix the other little things on my list. So, I am doing well, I just need to learn the language so that I can speak to people better.
Papi is a little stressed because he has so much going on, but we figure in a couple of months things will calm down a little and he can have more normal hours. He even has to work today... and I am taking the kids to an embassy party all by myself. Not sure how that is going to go...maybe I will let the girls bring their nintendos...