T-minus 24 hours

Well it's really less than that.  Tomorrow at this time, we will be three hours into our flight back to the States.  I keep wanting to say home, even though one, I have never and will never live in Webster, NY and two, Istinye is home.  At least for the next 14 months.

Now its times to get all the little stuff together.

Milly is excited for her first trip to the US!

Always playing catch up

Yet again, I had intentions of posting more.  But the last few weeks have just been crazy.   Jocy was sick, Elly was sick and then Nate.  During that one week, I had someone home sick everyday.  Then Mommy got sick.  Thankfully, it wasn't Elly's stomach bug.  A friend of mine got it from her son and she said it was horrible.  But the head and chest cold I got had me down for a week.  I'm still fighting a cough, but at least I am getting some sleep.  But now Milly is fighting it and teething.

The last few days I have been trying to make up for the last two weeks.  My to do list is ten miles long. So the last two days have been nonstop.  I am exhausted.  Today is kind of my day off for the week.  But I still have packing to do.  I would really love to be in bed right now.  But I'm making sure we have everything together, fixing Leapsters and trying to find camera chargers.  Because this Friday at 7am, we will be heading to the US for the first time in 22 months.  We didn't plan to ever go home during our three year assignment.  It's so hard to fly with 3 (now 4) kids, so we told everyone they had to come to us.  But we never expected to have a funeral to attend.  And as sad as I am to have lost my father in law, I am so excited to go home.  To not have to worry about language barriers, crazy drivers, and being able to find anything I want, will be amazing.  But my biggest fear is that going home this one time, will make the last 14 months difficult.

 I have my moments where I am ready to go home.  Difficult neighbors, tiring and frustrating drives to gymnastics, not finding what I want at the grocery just fuels those feelings.  But then we'd have to leave our friends and we still have so much to see and do here.  And do we really want to go home after this one assignment?  Our kids are getting to experience so much more than they ever would if we had stayed in Missouri.  I don't ever want that bubble for my kids.  It's a nice lovely life, but its so sheltered and close minded.  I think everyone should have to travel abroad, maybe in college.  It really gives you a different look at life and how lucky we are as Americans.  But also  learn how we are perceived as Americans.  I really think it would make us a better country.

So two days from now, we will be somewhere over Europe.  I'm scared shit less taking an 11 hour flight with a 7 month old. She did great flying to Barcelona at Christmas, but she is much more vocal and mobile now.  I'm hope she will be contend playing at my feet and then sleep the rest of the time.  And I don't even want to think about the jet lag.  When we flew to Istanbul, we had an 11pm flight.  So they slept the whole flight because it was bedtime.  Between the excitement and less than 12 hours of sleep, they happily went to bed at a decent hour Istanbul time.  But with only a week and our crazy flight times, I'm so afraid of total meltdown kids.  Or maybe the excitement of seeing family and the fun things we have planned will keep them happy.  Then it will just be an BIG Ol' ugly mess when we get home.

Who knows.  Trying not to stress about it.  This rainy day is just killing me!  LOL.  I'm going to be lazy for the next 30 minutes and then my housekeeper will be here and I have to get back to it.  I'm praying that everything will go smoothly and we have a wonderful trip.  Then when we get back, we have a month before Portugal!!!

It never ends

There is rarely a calm time in our house.  But I guess you expect that with 4 kids, 2 dogs and a cat.  Then add living in a foreign country, good times!

  Last week the kids and Joel had off Tuesday for Children's Day.  We tried for a nice calm day at home because the rest of the city would be out and about.  The weather has finally turned GORGEOUS!  Highs in the 70s and the sun shining.  We spent a bit of time outside but Joel ended up spending most of the day on the phone for work.  The US, England, and Germany teams don't respect the Holidays here.  But don't you dare ask them to work on their holidays.  Last minute, the Education Ministry decided to add Wednesday as another holiday for the kids.  Great, if you would have told me sooner, we  would have gone on a long holiday weekend!  Thanks!  But we ended up spending our Wednesday going to Kocaeli and getting Milly's paperwork done for her Residence Permit.  Happy to get it done but taking all the kids for the 3 hour round trip drive was a blast.  We made the appointment before they announced the additional holiday.  I was absolutely exhausted after that day.  Did I mention, Milly is still getting up every few hours at night.  Some nights has been every hour and half.  So I'm one tired Mama!  I seem to have lost ALL brain function.  Really hoping its just a growth spurt or teething.

So last week was great fun.  Saturday, we slept in a little and had plans to go the Pazar before gymnastics.  Friday I had gone to the Spice Market and did some shopping around Eminonu for our trip home.  My stomach has been bothering me on and off.  Jocy tells us as we are walking out the door that her stomach hurts and she doesn't want to go.  The fact that she didn't want to go should have been a sign.  She loves to go.  We convinced her to go but she was miserable the whole time. So we made it quick and when we got home sent her straight to bed.  About an hour later, she comes into our room full blown asthma attack and can barely breath.  She tends to work herself into a panic attack too when this happens.  She had her meds that morning and we gave her both inhalers again.  But it wasn't doing much good.  So off to the ER we went.  I was kind of pissed Joel made us all go.  I have been three times with out him. Two in the last two months.  And I knew we were going to be the awhile.  So three breathing treatments, a shot, and three hours later, she finally starts breathing better.  And she puked all over the ER, me and her dad.  Awesome day!

Sunday we had a small family thing for Nate's birthday.  But that is a post all on its on.  Jocy spent Monday home.  We don't get a lot of one on one time, so we had a good time!  She keeps pestering me to watch Poltergeist.  I told her it was the first scary movie I saw in first grade.  I remember how I couldn't sleep for a week without my light on.  So I keep putting her off.  One of these days she is going to get me tho.  Nate had a school party since it was his actual birthday.  Tanya made the most adorable cupcakes for school.  I didn't tell him about it and he was really surprised!  Hope it makes up for not doing a big friend party this year.  I'm just not up to it yet.

Tuesday was Nate's Sports Day (another post) and Wednesday was Labor Day.  Another day with everyone home.  Joel ended up on the phone a lot and the girls had gymnastics at 10am all the way out in Arikoy.  So kind of ruined the morning.  Plus we need to do some grocery shopping.  It was a long day of doing really nothing.  I was so looking forward to crawling in bed early!!  I got all 4 kids bathed and ready for bed before dinner.  Milly went down about 7:20pm.  The others in bed at 8pm.  I crawled in bed a little after 9:30pm.  15 minutes later the joy of the night started.  Poor Elly puked the night away.  Jocy was awake because of Elly and Nate was up a few times.  Not sure if it was his "nightmares" or he wanted to check out what was going on.  Because Elly was NOT quiet about it.  I'm surprised I held myself and didn't puke it was so bad.  So guess who did sleep last night?? The one kiddo that never does!!  Milly slept 11 hours!!!  Not a single peep.  And I didn't get much sleep at all.  Thankfully, Joel took the second shift of Elly's puking.  She is now at 3 hours without getting sick and sleeping peacefully.  I had plans for a nice long walk this morning, a stop at the pet shop and the flower shopping.  But I guess it can wait another day.  Hopefully, tomorrow I can head back to bootcamp!!

I'm praying for a calm and relaxing weekend!!!  With some sleep!!  Truthfully, I love our crazy life.  But I think for maybe just a week, I'd like a nice dull week!