April 20 Enjoying life as a family of four

Today we awoke to a beautiful day in Kazakhstan. The sun is shining and the temperature is just cool enough to need a light jacket. We packed the kids up and took them to the playground at the baby house for the second day in a row. There is a “sandbox” there and Caleb spent over an hour both today and yesterday playing. He was just in heaven. Julia slept yesterday in the baby carrier, but today she enjoyed swinging on the baby swing. Unfortunately because it was warmer today and she still has to wear a snowsuit, she was not comfortable in the baby carrier. Anyway, this evening we go to get Julia’s passport photo taken and to get a stroller for her. Both Ethan and I will need strollers coming home for navigating the airports and the long layovers, so we have no choice but to buy another stroller. Then the plan is to make egg salad (we have tried to boil them in the tea kettle) and watch some light hearted Seinfeld.
Tomorrow our travel partners from Boston have court and then are flying home. We hate to see them go, along with their 2 year old daughter who Caleb has enjoyed, but we are getting our suite back that was theirs! This will make our 4th move since coming to the Skiff. We are currently in a 2 room suite, but it is small, only 2 windows and no table. Frankly, it feels very cave like and depressing. So, we are heading back to the suite that was ours the first couple of weeks we were here before Ethan left. We will stay there until Ethan leaves with Caleb and then I will move back into the small room that Caleb and I shared while Ethan was gone. Another advantage of the bigger suite is that we met up with a couple yesterday that just got here who want to come over and play card games in the evenings! So, this way we will have space. I never thought playing cards with another couple would bring this much excitement to my heart, but it has! One thing Kazakhstan has taught me is to never take the little things for granted, like English speaking people.
Julia is feeling better; unfortunately Caleb woke up at 2 am last night with a fever, so he is on antibiotics now as well. I am sure it is likely just a viral infection, but I am not taking any chances here in Kaz with them being sick. The last thing I want is to have to take them to any health care facility in Kazakhstan. Their treatment here for kids when they are sick typically involves getting them in as many layers of clothes as humanly possible and putting them in front of the furnace, as they believe that cold air causes illnesses. I am so thankful that we brought antibiotics for us.
Well, no update at this point on when Julia and I will be allowed to head for home. The last word was a possible May 16 departure date, but I think that will not be finalized until the 15 day wait period is complete after court (April 28). I am still holding out a glimmer of hope for a sooner departure date, maybe a day or so, but who knows. Please keep praying! Regardless of when we get to leave, I am finally starting to see a little light at the end of this long tunnel and feeling encouraged.
P.S. Yes, having sick kids, one of which you have only known for a couple of weeks, in a cramped hotel room in a foreign country is a bit stressful…but this will not last forever. In a month it will all be a memory! Oh, and notice the picture of Caleb yesterday, Ethan is in charge of the laundry 