the end of transition

Life may have remained just as lazy and ordinary for some around here,

Our cat, Tsinelas, was waiting for us upon our return, and this is still her favorite spot.

but not for us!

Our days since arriving back almost two weeks ago

have been packed full with cleaning,

Ate Bebeng helps to scour the kitchen

(we found it hard to believe just how much dirt can accumulate in a few short months!)

Dirt-covered storage boxes packed just before we left.  Yes, these were INSIDE the house in our absence.

 Another friend helped us to clean,

and here she is, delightedly wielding the new shop-vac.

When we went shopping for a small vaccum cleaner,

this is the only option we found.

But it's fabulous!  

I'm giving thanks for what might just be my new favorite appliance.

We've also been working on some minor repairs,

and fighting off ant invasions (what's new?)

We painted Michael's and Amy and Elise's rooms,

and the Legos and the keyboard were unpacked and dusted off.

Michael's room WAS clean...yesterday!

The second semester of school

 started back up again - both classes at the local school

and our home school routine,

but some of us have found some time for fun in the midst of it all.

Lego Rivendell, from Tolkien's books

Mark and I are back to work, 

and it feels good to be back in our routines,

all through, at least for a little while, with transitions!

Laminating an order of bookmarks

“Isn't it funny how day by day nothing changes, 

but when you look back, everything is different...”
- C.S. Lewis