It's been so nice to have my mom with us. She's used to keeping herself busy and having lots of things to do. But the past couple of weeks have been the opposite of that. I think she's loving spending time with the family but is also looking forward to going back home next week. She has lots of creative ideas that will allow her to continue being involved in the community, specifically working with women.
We're already making plans to have her come and visit us in Houston when we move there over the summer (She has good friends there whom she would like to visit as well).
We celebrated her birthday with a delicious dinner, cooked by James, and chocolate cake. Here she is blowing out the candles. Unfortunately, I took only a few pictures this weekend because our camera died on us.
We'll be heading out to Amherst again next weekend.









This was taken before we left. My mom and Sasha doing some floor exercises:



Vacuuming the floor:



A view from the kitchen that made me smile, just 'cause they're beautiful:



Sasha loves her Mima:



Thank you to all our parents who want to make sure we're bundled up and warm during this very cold winter! This time we received a box of knitted clothes from Grandma Patti! Thank you SO MUCH! We were so touched. We can see that so much time and love were put into this. We received beautiful hats, sweaters and scarves:






Here she is trying to close one eye and open the other:



And here she is trying to close the opposite eye:

We spent a couple of days at Colin and Britt's place and had a great time, as usual.
Sasha has the time of her life whenever we go out there. We'll be there again next weekend to hang out and to celebrate my mom's birthday (Jan. 27th).

Here are the cousins:





Making cookies:



My mom got to spend time with her grandkids:




And with Colin and Britt:

My mom arrived a couple of days ago!
Unfortunately, she got really sick during her stay in Haifa and returned to the States feeling very weak. She's resting a lot and staying warm.
James and I, and especially Sasha, are extremely happy that she's here with us.



Sasha has really been getting into water coloring:


Waiting for Daddy to get out of class:



We had a snow storm a few days ago which left everything looking so pure and clean:





We finally got Sasha a booster chair and now we all eat together at the table. This has changed the whole eating dynamic: Sasha actually eats! And it's been so nice to sit down together for our meals.. especially with James' delicious cooking. : )







A new project: washing dishes!


Anxiously waiting to go to sleep in her new bed:


She's recently gotten into legos again:


Showing off the necklace she made with smaller beads:



Since we've been fixing up Sasha's room, I've added lots of pictures and paintings to her walls.
These drawings hang above her bed. During James and my birthing class, we were asked to draw the first thing that came into our mind when we thought about birth.
What came to my mind was surrender. Surrendering to nature. My body knows what to do.
There I am, a tiny plant, surrendering to God's Power and Will:



James' drawing always makes me smile. What came to his mind was Joy! He saw himself joyously walking down the road of life, clicking his heels!