I'm a bit embarrassed at how long it's been since I've last blogged. It's not that I haven't thought about it, I just haven't been inspired in the moments I've had available. I can always write about the kids I suppose but then I thought that anyone who actually reads our blog would get bored (except the grandparents). Don't get me wrong, I think they are perfectly amusing and incredibly fun but I'm under the assumption that people want to hear about life in Tajikistan as well. I'm just going to write about whatever comes to mind for a bit so that another 3 months doesn't pass by without a peep from me.
I understand that the biggest news in the U.S. is that bin Laden has been killed. You'd think that living 110km from the Afghan border might warrent some excitement over this here but you'd be wrong. I actually heard about it in references on Facebook and Rees and I finally read some headlines a few days later. I'm not going to use up space to give any thoughts or opinions on that necessarily (I'm quite opinion-less on that actually. It's more like a fact that I don't need to process beyond just taking in the information) I do want to say that no one here is talking about it. It's not an eerie silence, either - it just doesn't seem to interest anyone. Now the tornadoes and floods that have been happening in the U.S. and the unusually cold winter and spring there has everyone interested. In fact, it's our local friends and neighbors that have kept us updated on what's been happening in the U.S. and they are all struck by how tragic all these storms and whatnot have been. Ask someone if they heard that bin Laden was killed and they say something to the effect of, "oh yeah, I heard that." One of my friends said, "Isn't it a lie? Haven't they been saying they got him for a long time?" Some of our family/friends have asked how this news has affected us living here and it really hasn't affected us and I'm not sure how/if it will. The continued unrest in the Middle East and North Africa hasn't affected us either, though many local friends shake their heads and just thank God that there's no fighting here (the civil war here ended in the late '90s and no one wants to see more fighting any time soon). Around the tandoor outside (clay oven for cooking non - bread) the women frequently comment to me about how peaceful it is here and they want to make sure that I tell my family that. So there you have it everyone - it's peaceful here :)
On a totally different note - I really have to go on record to say that having kids that are 4 and 2 years old is WAY different than having a 3 and 1 year old. I'm a huge fan! I can't believe how much more I'm enjoying my kids TOGETHER now than I was a year ago. It's such a sweet time. We still have our tussles over discipline and such and Emmett is super curious and ALWAYS into everything and can be pretty exhausting but they are at such cute ages. I can't believe how much Hannah is growing up and slowly slowly we are moving out of everything being a power struggle and she's becoming more helpful and cooperative. I didn't know if I'd survive parenting such a spirited child even 6 months ago, but we're starting to understand each other better and she's finally decided that it's not such a bad thing to help out. She is enjoying Emmett much more now too and he's starting to talk (of course, only she, Rees and I can understand him) which is fun for her as she teaches him new words. They actually play together now (fights included) and can keep each other occupied for up to 20 minutes or so - of course, not when I try to initiate that but I'm not going to be picky :) I find myself enjoying them more than being drained by them most days and I'm so thankful for that. It's an answer to prayer really as I'd been praying that I'd be able to really enjoy my kids - thank you God.
On another totally different note - I'm sick of rats. They're disgusting. I think we've caught 7 in the last year and I'd much rather catch mice than rats. We have these glue trap things - do you know what I'm talking about? It looks like a thin, hardback children's book and you open it up and lay it out flat and there's glue on both sides - no poison, just glue. We caught the first 2 or 3 rats w/ just the glue trap but then the 3rd (or maybe 4th?) was just way too smart for us. S/he also liked chocolate - I'll let you guess how we figured that out. We tried multiple glue traps and he (I'll call him a him though he was probably a she as I just doubt that boy rats are as clever as this one was) and found one just covered with eaten up and spit out plastic bags (he was just walking all over that thing!). Next Rees put a traditional rat trap under our sink with something to bait the rat (cheese or bread or something) and we found the bait gone in the morning but the trap hadn't gone off - he knew it wasn't set right. The next day we set it correctly and that night there was poop by the trap but he hadn't touched it. That's the night we found half-eaten chocolate wrappers and figured out what this rat was interested in. Finally, we set a glue trap with a big fat chocolate in the center and we finally got him! We've caught many more with chocolate since then. Just a few days ago we caught another one. This one had the gaul to run behind me in the kitchen in broad day-light and into the bathroom. It was a good size rat too (yuck!!!). We set a trap in the bathroom after the kids went to sleep (with chocolate of course) and sure enough, we caught it! I'll fess up here and say that previously I just threw the rat in the trap out the window but now we know our downstairs neighbors better and they have a granddaughter just a year older than Hannah who plays outside under said window and I just thought about what I would want if it were my kid playing outside (I wouldn't want her to be curious and open the trap and get her hand stuck in the glue with the rat). So, I put on a heavy-duty glove, peeled the rat off the trap by the tail and tossed it outside. YUCK, YUCK, DOUBLE, TRIPLE, QUADRUPLE YUCK! I thought a cat would be able to dispose of a rat who was no longer on a trap a little easier but I have to say that I don't think I can do that again. I also don't want a half-live rat stuck to a trap hanging out in my garbage can either so I don't know what I'll do. I thought we had another one this morning but turns out it was decomposing cauliflower (the stuff doesn't stay good for more than maybe 2 days!) - also quite disgusting but much easier to get rid of. If anyone has any ideas, let me know.
Well, that's my random post for now. I hope to be inspired again soon.
Hi Sara!
ReplyDelete1) Don't worry, I just took two months off blogging. And by far most of what I write about is my child. It's for my own record and also for the grandparents. I figure other readers can always choose to skim the so-called boring parts. For the record though, I love hearing about your kids!
2) I'm so glad you are enjoying your kids so much these days!
3) I unfortunately read this post about the rats while I was eating breakfast. I share your disgust (who doesn't?). We have big rats here too but with the cats, we've been able to keep them out of the house (along with the mice). But we still have lots in the street and our yard. My cat catches them and will eat parts of it. So then there is rat guts to clean up. Thank God I have a helper during the week!! I know it's terrible but she does it for me because I just can't stomach it. Once there was a mess to clean on the weekend, I tried to do it and I nearly barfed. I screamed like a school girl and ran to Andrey and told him I'd give him anything he wants if he does it for me. It was even difficult for him but he did it, blessed man!