Pining

September 3-4

The kids had their last day of swimming for the season. Lynn said the pool is often closed by mid-August. We are so thankful we enjoyed it for so long. The wonderful weather is supposed to hold out for a week , at most. Lynn and I have been longing to get outside, but cooking meals for ourselves and the plumbers, cleaning, and organizing children, and attempting school, have taken the lion's share of our time. Nothing out of the ordinary I suppose! But we did get out for a short walk and it was so refreshing to be in the sunshine and the breeze.

The kids are still having a wonderful time, but there have been hints of a desire to see home again. Naomi and Diana really want to see their cat and Naomi is missing her blanket of all things. Diana said,"Mom, I'm getting homesick. I'm having fun here, but I want to be home too." Ezra was swinging on the swing Lynn has in her house, and he said, "Mom, I want to swing in the hammock at home with you." And Evangeline keeps saying, "My daddy's gone. I miss my daddy." How hard for a toddler. She has object permanence but no concept of time.

The older kids are faring far better; their days are so full of activity. It's all quite a change from our last Arctic summer when Keegan was the one pining for home. This time we are going to be dragging Keegan home by his heels. However, when he saw Joel wrestling with his friend, James, Keegan thought, "I wish I could be doing that with Dillon." Bronwyn said, "You know what I miss about home, Mom? Going in the kitchen and just making whatever we want with no limitations and lots of space." She added that home is nice because you know everyone you see. Kenzie misses having a routine. Josiah is anxious to play with the toys he left behind. And it goes without saying, there's so many people they can't wait to see again.

Lest you think only the kids are thinking of home, I can hardly help myself, either. When I hear what you all are doing, I wish I could be there too. Don't you know when I'm having an adventure, you're all supposed to sit and wait until I come home to have fun? I am looking forward to a good sleep on a bed that I don't have to crawl into,(I'm sure glad you're enjoying mine, Mom!) and I think after living in a trailer, my house will be bigger than I remember. And that is always a good thing!

When we receive a letter from home, it always brighten our day. A special package of clothes for the little ones this week was such a treat. (Thanks, Tanya!) When I told Lynn about the parcel, she said, "Now you know what it's like to be a missionary getting care packages in the mail!" And when I'm blogging, somehow you don't seem quite so far away. It's like I'm talking to you over tea ( or should I say a cappuccino!--Oh I know Kurt is missing that!), except I am definitely monopolizing the conversation.

I'll tell you another tale tomorrow.