Oof!

Holy cats! Three weeks since I posted?!

Um... sorry about that?

What can I say? Pesach. Also, pre-Pesach stomach flu, for everyone but Abba. I was sick in bed for a couple of days and really under the weather for another four; every single kid had a fever + diarrhea/vomiting/general ick. Pesach did get made, and so far has been going fine; we had 17 (!) people for the seder, which was fun. Iyyar made it to midnight, Barak made it all the way to nirtzah, at 2 am. Yes, they were all up at 7 am as though nothing had happened. Why can't I do that?!

Various other things are afoot. My husband, who I have decided to rename, for purposes of this blog, Mr. Bigfoot*, is trying to find a job for next year. As a backup, he's also starting the process to get certified as an English teacher, which requires vast amounts of hoop-jumping, beginning with getting every transcript/degree he's ever gotten in his life certified by the Israeli government. Fun fun! If you, or anyone you know, or anyone you've ever met, has a job for my husband, please let me know. Thanks.

Work has been crazy busy. This is good, but also stressful. I think I'll be back in the States for work the last week of June. Not sure yet, but that's how it's looking.

Marika is being adorable. Newest thing: elaborate "I dunno!" shrugs, complete with upturned palms and head inclined at an angle that would send me running for physical therapy. Also, she is enjoying putting her own diapers in the garbage can. When she does, she looks at you expectantly, at which point you, of course, applaud.

Avtalyon torments Marika at every opportunity, steals her toys, blocks her passage everywhere, and has to be watched like a hawk lest he close a door on her hands. Iyyar is settling down somewhat; Pesach break agrees with him, as does all the soy-free meat at this time of year. Barak is also being really cute, and erev Shabbos, when I was rushing around like a madwoman because we were going to have 4 yeshiva guys for dinner and I was running late, he heard Marika crying for attention in the pack-and-play in which she had been unceremoniously deposited for safekeeping. "Imma, do you want me to make Marika happy?" "Yes! Yes PLEASE Barak!" And he did, playing a wild game of peek-a-boo on three sides of the crib. They were both absolutely shrieking with laughter. Good times.

OK. Time to clean up from Shabbos. Hoping for a zoo trip tomorrow. Moadim l'simcha, everyone.

*A few months ago, Alisha brought back some things from the States for us. Because she lives here, not there, said things were bought by me online and sent to her mother's NYC apartment during Alisha's visit there. As anyone who's ever lived in an NYC apartment knows, extra storage space is generally at a premium, and Alisha's mother was extremely nice to permit my random boxes to pile up in her home when, you know, she's never even met me. One of the items was a box containing shoes for my husband, in size Ridiculously Huge, which I discovered too late are not only hard to find here but absurdly expensive (NIS 800! And not even such great quality). Anyway, I finally emailed Alisha's mom to say thank you, and she graciously said it wasn't a big deal (which I suspect wasn't true) and that she hoped one day to meet me, my kids, and Mr. Bigfoot.

I howled. Because he IS. His feet are HUGE and I trip over his shoes regularly. So forget the heilige husband acronym. From now on, he'll always be Mr. Bigfoot to me. :)