It's only been a few years...

There have been several changes in our lives since I last wrote except the fact that we are still crazy busy and I don't think that will let up anytime soon...

I recently finished my first full year working an RN and was promoted to my next nursing level which basically means I function as an experienced, competent nurse. I am really enjoying my position for now. I like the patient care, and I have a great working relationship with my two providers. When I say my providers I mean I work in a teamlet that consists of two part time providers, myself as the RN Care Manager, a LPN who does clinic check in and check out and a clerk who does scheduling, faxes, appointment reminders etc. One of the doctors is nerdy guy who played D&D in high school, likes games, history, sci-fi---he reminds me of my brothers = ). He also has young kids so we talk kids often.

We are buying/building a house here in Durham. We've decided to call this place home, at least as long as we are in the US. We love the North Carolina. It's a beautiful state, and we are adverse towards cold weather. I have some friends who are settled in this community and I haven't felt rooted to a place since our home in Amherst.

Soumaila continues to write music, make videos, and does tutoring Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday towards attaining his GED.

Let me try to summarize Nassim and Salif at this moment in time.

Nassim is high energy. Perhaps like any other little boy, perhaps more than your average little boy. Time will tell. I foresee obstacles in his future for learning if he doesn't use up some of his physical energy before the day starts or throughout the day. He also gets extremely frustrated and easily angers when he doesn't get something e.g. we were playing catch with a toy tonight and the times he didn't catch it he would run out of the room huffing and puffing. He's obsessed with superheros firstly Spiderman and secondly Batman. He is going to be Spiderman for Halloween. I will try to take some pictures. Since October hit he can't stop talking about pumpkins wherever we go because...well...they are everywhere we go. He also loves The Nightmare Before Christmas and will stand on the couch singing the songs, talking about Jack crying and how Sally loves him. We passed some candy cane lights in Costco and he said, "Mommy! Look! It's for Jack!" He tells me he doesn't like me a few times a week, and that he loves me every night.

Salif is delightful. He is a happy, easy-going, succulent morsel of baby. Nassim was/is lean and long. Salif takes after me as a baby with rolling thighs and eczema on his ankles. He is 7 1/2 months old. He crawls to me, says ma, ma, ma, ma when he's upset. He sings himself to sleep. He pulls himself up. He smiles for EVERYONE. He has sharp hand eye coordinate and a proficient pincer grasp. He picks up microscopic dust, crumbs, garbage and puts it directly in his mouth. yum.

I hope anyone reads this.

Love,

Annie