This picture is something of a miracle.

Since we moved here, Jess has found going to Young Women activities a struggle - to say the least.  All the YW have made huge efforts to include her and be nice to her, but the language barrier is always there and Jess has had a really hard time with that.  Every Wednesday, we have the same fight - Jess doesn't want to go to YW, and I make her, then she is mad at me for the rest of the night.

So, you can imagine my surprise when she informed me last Sunday that she'd invited the YW to our house for their Wednesday night activity.  I tried not to break into my Happy Dance, but it was hard.  I've been playing it cool all week, but I am delighted that she felt comfortable enough to ask these girls over.  

I know this doesn't necessarily mean that our Wednesday night fights are over, but hey - Baby Steps!

It's Thai Tuesday, baby!

This is a serious highlight in my week - meeting these fantastic women for an hour or so of sparkling conversation and delicious food.  I cannot think of a better combination!

These three boys fought ALL AFTERNOON, until I was ready to throw in the towel.  After dinner, they finally settled down and were friends long enough to play this game.

It is now 7:00 p.m., and they are back to fighting.  Brad is gone, and I think we are going to forgo FHE tonight in favor of early bedtime.  I'm pretty sure putting them all to bed will promote more family harmony than trying to corral them for a lesson.

Like all Mormon mothers everywhere, I have a notebook in my scripture bag that I can whip out during sacrament meeting so my kid can draw and hopefully sit still and be quiet for a few minutes.

And, like all Mormon five-year-olds everywhere, Lukie entertained himself by drawing a picture of his family.

I'm not sure, however, if it is normal for said Mormon five-year-old to draw his family with "vampire eyes", masks, and swords.  

Sometimes I don't think those church messages are getting through.

Tonight we had a little barbeque with a family from another ward in our stake.  I'd heard about this family from our stake president, and he encouraged us to get together because the mom is also American and facing the same challenges that I am. (Have I ever mentioned that our stake president is seriously the best man on earth?  Well, he is.)

Their little girl E has personality to spare, and she decided that Jess was her BFF.  The two of them disappeared for a while, and when we went to check on them, we found them upstairs in the bathroom, where E was putting make-up on Jess.  Luckily, Jess got most of it off before I snapped this photo.

This little boy gave us a scare this afternoon!

At 3:30, Jessica burst into the house and told me that Luke had not gotten off the bus after school.  Just then, the bus company called to tell me the same thing, then paused for a minute when the bus driver called the other line.  The bus driver said that Luke had fallen asleep on the bus, so he missed getting off with Jess and Pep.  

We were talking, trying to figure out where I could meet the bus to collect my boy, when the driver interjected again with the news that Pepper had run all the way to the next bus stop to get his brother.  I should mention that Jess had dumped all her stuff on Pep so she could run home to tell me that Luke was still on the bus, so Pep ran all that way with his backpack, Jess's book bag, and Jess's gym bag all in tow.  Pepper was the hero today!

Today, I walked out of McDonalds (where I was getting an emergency burger after my class), and when I looked over at my car, I just had to laugh.  

My silver car looks like an absolute ELEPHANT next to the sleek little red car in front.  Is it any wonder I feel like a mammoth whenever I drive on these narrow German roads?