The Longest Day - June 21, 2009

Hello on Sunday evening! I have a bit of catch-up to do... Saturday morning Peter took the boys to the playground while and Hannah and I did an errand to buy Peter an RMI t-shirt for Father's Day. That secret errand didn't stay secret very long. Jacob (in the yellow shirt below) got to shoot baskets with some bigger boys and he really enjoyed that. The playground and basketball court is on the grounds of the College of the Marshall Islands, a two-year college here.
Saturday afternoon, after a nap for Boston and a couple games of Uno and Memory for the rest of us, we went to Jacob’s birth home and visited with his birth grandmother and some of his aunts. It rained off and on all day yesterday and today – our only 2 days in a row here that the kids did not go swimming. On the way back to the hotel we stopped for an early dinner, then baths and books and bed. Even here, so very far from home, our days have some routine which I think helps us all. Boston loves his bath, in fact he gets excited any time anyone takes a bath or shower. We've learned to say "go to the bath?" in Marshallese - and he just beams when we say it!

This morning Peter took Jacob and Hannah out to breakfast and they all had fun doing that. Boston and I stayed back in the room to play and give Jacob and Hannah some special time with Peter. Our church service this morning had lots of special parts to celebrate Father’s Day. At one point, the women of the church sang some songs, then presented each father with a towel, with gifts tied all over it. It’s a beach towel rolled tightly into a tube shape…then on Peter’s towel were razors, gum, a toothbrush, “beauty skin cloth” and deodorant all tied onto the towel with ribbons. The towel is worn around the neck. The man in front of us, who I think is an ambassador for Taiwan handed Jacob a Kit Kat that he took off his towel. Jacob was glad for the treat during church, but what a mess to share a partly melted Kit Kat with your sister! He didn’t have to share with Boston as he had already fallen asleep on Peter’s shoulder. After two hours of the service, the pastor began to preach, and then there was going to be a celebration afterwards with food for Father’s Day too. Hannah had gotten a headache, so we left before the service was completely over. I think Hannah just got overheated in church this morning. She and I spent the afternoon in the hotel room with her resting, us reading books, coloring, watching a dvd, etc. Peter and the boys kept our appointment to visit Jacob’s birth mother Eomi this afternoon - but couldn't find her - so we'll try again another day for that.

I have to tell you a little more about Boston too - he is quite the athlete - with water bottle baseball in the room, etc. He loves to walk to the outside/hallway door of the hotel room and stand there with his back to it - facing the sliding glass doors at the other end of the room. He then runs with all his might across the length of the room and into Peter's arms, laughing so hard! I told Peter it looks like a pole vaulter running that full-out sprint, only there is no pole at the other end for us - but a sliding glass door, lanai and 3 floors down to the ocean! I'll try and get a video to post another time of this fun.

Due to summer travel - Continental Airlines has added a fourth flight each week from Hawaii to Majuro arriving here on Sunday afternoons. A family from the east coast arrived late this afternoon to adopt their daughter this week. We had a chance to meet them tonight at our hotel and visit briefly. It was fun to be able to give them a gallon of water so that they didn't have to run to the store tonight, and also answer a few of those first questions. They have a 5 year old daughter named Grace. Jacob, Hannah and Grace were playing together within minutes of meeting each other. We are looking forward to getting to know them in the days ahead. My current question is -- now that there are four flights into RMI each week, why are there still only three flights out of RMI each week. Where do all those other people go?

Below is a picture I took after dinner tonight. I think the restful afternoon did us all good. Tonight at dinner, when we were the only people in the Tide Table restaurant (they served a big Father's Day brunch earlier and so all the usuals must have already eaten at brunch!), Jacob asked me why our servers always say "please enjoy your dinner". I told him it was because they hoped you liked your food and wanted to come back again. He then said very seriously "but Mom, we come back here every day!" We all had a good laugh at that.

It was a good Father's Day here. Hope the same is true for all of you!

Tomorrow morning we’ll call the US Embassy and see if there is any news of our papers in Manila. Is this our last week here? I told Peter that we could be packed and ready to go in two hours – truly! Bye for now - Love, Lois