Where have we been?

BUSY, that is for sure.  And tonight will be a brief update because I must go to bed at a decent hour...but wanted to reenter the blogosphere.

Chris and I spent our week away while our kids had a great time with Chen Ayi.  We are so thankful she could come back for the week and care for our kids...and a sad reminder too that she cannot stay.  But all 3 kids did well with her and the help of many friends in driving/picking up and playing with them.  She arrived on a Sunday afternoon and that evening she so quickly had them all playing and entranced with reading.

Chris and I got home on Saturday and Monday morning we all flew out on a short trip north...near a neighboring country on the other side of that mountain.  It was cold but beautiful.  It was quite a trip...a flight, a 10 hour bus ride the next day (which had I known in advance probably would have opted to stay home) and another flight back home the third day.  However, I am also so thankful for opportunities for us to travel with Chris and for my kids to gain such a big perspective on the world and experience new things.  (but I also admit ten hour bus rides with a 1.5 year old is not my favorite way to spend a day).

 Austin loved this part of the trip...loved being free to run around in nature and explore.  There was even an excavator on the mountain digging snow!

 Lucy- with oreo on her mouth.  Let's just say any previous rules we had about snacking quickly go out the window on a long trip like this.

Bennett probably had the hardest time with the cold and climbing...but was happy with Daddy on this walk through these beautiful woods.

Here the kids are making cards to deliver at an orphanage we visited.  We didn't get to see many of the kids but still got a picture of what these children's life looks like on a daily basis.  Better than many orphans at this place for sure, but still falls way short of where children belong...in families.

More later but we are back and playing catch up this week at home.