The boys in the morning

Just a glimpse into life around here. This is such a cute age (I know I say that every age, but it's true!).

The boys each have a room to themselves. The girls sleep together. The girls are definitely the better sleepers, so it works out really well. Plus, it will be especially cute when the girls have their matching twin comforters and rug and pink curtains. ;) They are such good friends! They all are, really. We are blessed, blessed, blessed.

The boys' best yet wrestling match!

I love Little Frankenstein's appearance! You'll know what I mean when you see him . . . 

Saturday night: Not much new

I am very happy that our LONGTIME good friends the Metzgers arrived back in Ukarumpa this morning! That's our news for today. They live just across the way from us. It was so good to see them, especially as they had to circle over and over again late yesterday afternoon and were never able to get in due to cloud coverage. They had to re-route to Madang, a coast town a half-hour's flight away. Poor Metzgers! They had such a great attitude, though. I was thanking God that didn't happen to us with the quints on board when we came in the same time of day a month ago. 

Praise God everyone in our house is healthy except me; I have a lingering sinus infection from that nasty cold that landed Seth and Gracie on oxygen. However, I am SO glad no babies are sick, I don't mind too much! (I definitely feel a lot more exhausted than I think I should be, but it's hard to know how much is life with quints on the mission field and how much is the sinus infection. I have to take a nap every day when they do, and I still am really beat by bedtime even though that's much earlier here.)

Seth still wakes up really early because of the prednisone he's on. Gavin and I are both very ready for his medication weaning to be over! Tonight, he (Seth, not Gavin) was bashing Will with a car, so I think his siblings are also ready for him to act a little bit less aggressive and impulsive. I'm just so glad it's one of the mildest-mannered kids who needed the prednisone! I'm also grateful no one needs it continuously. The upside is definitely his eating. He just shovels in the food now! Gavin remembers how hungry he was when he was on prednisone during his leukemia treatment as a pre-teen, so he can relate. I don't think he ever bashed his siblings with cars, though. 

The kids are really happy here, loving the company that comes through our house, loving their big indoor play space and bedrooms and the big yard, and bonding really well with our PNG friends and helpers.

A few pictures from recent days:

I discovered David with my sugar and creamer from my tea set in his hands. Love that impish smile! (I wish he didn't have his pacifier in his mouth, but I can't bear to take them away yet.)

The boys are so cute on their little ride-on toys! David again. He loves to bang this one up and down for some reason.

Marcie and Isaac shaking their heads and saying "no-no-no-no-no" to each other. It's a game Isaac gets her to play with him because it cracks him up how she pushes out her lips and acts so sillily serious. :) By the way, socks are ALWAYS dirty here. It's impossible to clean the floors enough, plus our kids run outside without shoes on. They wear socks because the wood floors are chilly. It drops into the 50's and even the 40's sometimes at night, and in the morning it's only in the 60's.

I had to include this because even though it's mostly optical illusion Will looks HUGE compared to Gracie! It was bedtime but she didn't have her pajamas on yet, and Will was still wearing his clothes from the day.

Handsome boy

What does a quint do when he's all alone?

A contemplative Seth a few weeks ago. [Note David in the background with no shorts on. He'd wet through them.]

Seth was left behind today when a couple of girls came to take the other babies for a walk. It was accidental, but he was happily playing on the back balcony, watching the big kids on the trampoline below and playing with the sheets hanging from the clothesline above him. He was happy as could be and I was making dinner, so I could watch him through the window. It's so much fun to be able to watch just one little toddler and see his personality when no one else is around. He came inside, grinned and laughed at me, went to walk on our water bed (always a fun activity), played with the phone, drove a motorcycle ride-on toy across the living room with "vroom" sound effects, un-potted a weed from the front porch pots, shook the dirt off the weed's roots, played with a die-cast magnetic Thomas the Tank Engine set, came back to smile and laugh at me, and asked for some milk. I got to give him lots of cuddles and kisses, plus a much-needed diaper change. It's just SO cute at this age! They all are! I just almost never see them on their own, although David tends to be more of a loner and will commit himself wholeheartedly to various "projects" around the house. Unfortunately, one recent project involved "unpacking" a box of breakable kitchenware (rejects from years gone by, thankfully). It culminated in his throwing two cups down the back cement stairs. Another project involved dumping all of Gavin's little nail and screw organizing drawers, one by one, into a little pile. Poor Gavin had to deal with the cleanup from both those endeavors of David's. 

David "helping" me stir my coffee. He's also eating some bread and has stacked the food storage canisters.

 A couple of days ago my shoes went missing from the front porch. At first I was worried someone had grabbed them (petty theft is not uncommon), but then I thought to check the laundry chute. Sure enough, there were my shoes. And a bag clip. And a scrap piece of Gavin's woodworking wood. One never knows what one will find down there! Today Marcie found Gavin's motorcycle keys in the bathroom cupboard. Gavin had been looking for them last night and again this morning and had finally given up. :} Who put the keys in the cupboard we'll never know, but it's an illustration of how helter-skelter our lives can be with five busy little ones!

I took the girls and Seth to the store with me today. (Will and David went with me on Monday, so today I left with with a brave friend.) I put Seth in the baby seat of one shopping cart, put Marcie in the baby seat of another shopping cart, and put Gracie in the big basket area of the cart below Marcie's perch. They did great! Marcie and Gracie were dressed identically. All three babies were a big hit, I think especially with the Papua New Guinean employees and friends I saw while there. One friend I bumped into is the doctor from our local hospital. He had heard about the babies and was happy to meet them. He warned me about measles going around. They've had 30 cases so far, and he wanted to be sure our kids were vaccinated. Our clinic here has seen some cases, too.

Well, it's time to go investigate the bottom of the laundry chute as I start yet another load of laundry. My cleaning lady friend will be here in the morning, bless her, and can hang out the clothes. We had a beautiful sunny day today. It would be nice to have another one tomorrow!

Love to all,
Carrie

P.S. Thank you for your prayers for Murmps (Gavin's grandma) and the family! [See previous post] I had a cute picture to post from last summer but can't get the server to upload it. Sorry - maybe later?

Two more pictures

Isaac's new favorite shirt from Uncle Gary and Aunt Marlene: Thank you!! Thanks for the beautiful dresses and shirts for the quints, too!

4th of July, PNG-style (e.g., no real fireworks, a few flares, and some flaming steel wool - FUN!)

Marcie, Gracie, David (and Gwennie in the background; not my child)

Sorry so silent for so long

The days keep coming to a close without my ever remembering to post something; forgive me! I left it that both Seth and Grace were still possibly needing some oxygen. Thank God, they got off and stayed off since I posted that! All five babies are doing very well. Isaac is too, loving life in PNG and saying how happy he is to be here although he misses Peter and Megan from his Dallas life very, very much. It's bittersweet when he tells us things that he remembers about them. Happy memories make us miss loved ones more, don't they? But we're so glad to have them!

Never mind Seth is on a play date with oxygen attached, he's happy! (Taken last Monday, the last day on full-time oxygen)

Speaking of loved ones and happy memories, we just learned that Gavin's grandma, our beloved "Murmps," has terminal cancer. We are indescribably grateful that we got to introduce her to all the quints before we left the U.S. We said our goodbyes then, as she is 92 years old - although she doesn't act or look anywhere near that age! We'd love to be home in CA with the rest of the family during this difficult but special time of home-going. Missing times like this is definitely one of the hardest things about missionary life. Murmps knows she is heading for an eternity of bliss with her Savior and is very ready to be with Him. Her peace and joy are a great encouragement and testimony to me. God gives grace for the race He marks out for us. It's sweet to realize that Murmps will be reunited with Gavin's grandpa, Popsy, her dear sister Kitty, and many other loved ones and family members who have gone before. That doesn't change the fact that her children, her grandchildren, her great grandchildren, her sister Bev and her other family and friends will miss her terribly. Gavin's mom is Murmpsy's eldest daughter, so we appreciate your prayers for Marcia/Marmi in particular.

In other much less weighty news . . . (Murmpsy likes to read these details and see pictures too!)

The kids have all discovered the word "no," (I'm surprised it took them this long!), and they love saying it to each other in a long string of "no-no-no-no's," complete with wagging index fingers near their mouths and, in Marcie's and Will's cases, exaggeratedly protruded lips. It's pretty hilarious. They know when they themselves or a sibling is doing something that's forbidden (climbing on the table, pulling the doggy's tail) or annoying (stealing toys or pacifiers).

Marcie, Will and Gracie are very much into shoes, wearing their own and trying on others'. Will got quite upset when he realized he didn't have his shoes on although three of the other babies had theirs this afternoon at the Frisbee field. He had to go back to the house to get his RIGHT away. Thankfully, the Frisbee field is just in front of our house.

Will sliding at the Weavers' - with shoes on!

The kids played in a big mud puddle today after it poured all morning and part of the afternoon. I wish I'd had a camera!

David's very favorite activity is throwing items down our laundry shoot. I have found many shoes, pacifiers, trucks, cups of milk, clean kitchen towels and even Seth's pulse oximeter and inhaler/spacer in the laundry room. When Seth's oximeter went missing, we knew to go check for it downstairs. Twice. (Thanks, Sarah.) I caught him trying to chuck bread pans and glass lids down there, too, but actually stopped him in time. He's funny, because when told "no," he usually obeys. He does it when no one is looking to tell him no. It makes for some funny discoveries in the mornings when I go to start the laundry!

David, Will and Marcie playing in the laundry basket. That's our shoe shelf and very black dog, Velvet, behind.

Marcie is talking tons now! She has words for many items in her world: juice, milk, binky, paci (both names for her pacifier), blanky, Mommy, Daddy, more, please, food, cracker, cookie, bread, hot, shoe, banana, apple (anything that is round and edible - passion fruit is "apple," as is tomato), up (uppy), down, all done, open, and on and on.

Marcie wanted her arm out of her sleeve for some reason. Gracie wanted one boy shoe and one girl shoe on. Both are on the wrong feet. (See below photo as well.)

The boys definitely know car, airplane and helicopter (or a version of it that sounds like a Spanish swear word). They also know how to make the car, airplane and helicopter sounds. Perhaps cutest of all is the intensity with which they growl when a lion or tiger comes on the TV screen. Will is pretty terrifying-sounding!

Gracie still has her adorable babble. I almost don't want her to learn more words too soon because it might hinder some of her babble-talk! She knows enough to communicate, though, and is a darling little charmer with a huge infectious grin.

Happy little Gracie with her mismatched shoes on the wrong feet and her "new" doggy!

Marcie is currently the most clingy of the babies. She wants Mommy most of the time and will call throughout the house, looking for me. While at times I'd like her to be a bit more independent I do love hearing her call me. :)

Marcie has to close every door or gate she goes through. I am not "allowed" to leave the yard gate open for our dog Velvet to follow us. Poor Velvet has to make up her mind and get through the gate quickly before Marcie closes it. 

Marcie and David very much like to organize, arrange and put things places. Sometimes they put things back where they belong. Sometimes they substitute other interesting items. Both will put shoes on the shoe shelf by our front door if I ask them to. All the kids will take something to someone if asked (and if it's not something they themselves would like). I can ask Marcie to take Seth his shoes and she will. Seth might not be interested in putting his shoes on, which will then concern Marcie until I step in and help him focus on the task at hand.

One thing we wondered/worried about was if the kids would whine to go places in the car like they did in the U.S. The boys especially really asked to go bye-bye, meaning to Costco or ALDI (with Grandpadad) or a park. However, they have all adapted to the fact that we live in a mile-square area, and any car ride takes only a couple of minutes, and that's if we drive at all. They only go somewhere in the car every other day or so, but they seem fine with life in the wide open outdoors instead.

We now have a cat for a year. She's very pretty (and spayed, which is even better). We hope she keeps the rats on the run. Our old house had a lot of rats. They would hold soccer matches in the attic while we were trying to watch a movie or sleep. They used the rat poison, among other things, to "kick" around.

Gavin is keeping super busy between work - he went back full-time last week, all week, hooray! - and projects around the house. The laundry room is being converted to an extension of his woodworking shop, and the washer and dryer (which we have for rainy days) are being moved upstairs. David will lose his favorite pastime when Gavin screws the laundry shoot permanently shut! Gavin thankfully can do a bit of plumbing in addition to woodworking. He built us a lovely front gate, and the fence is working out perfectly for keeping kids and our dog in! It's not working for keeping complete strangers from coming up and "giving five" to each of the babies in turn. The kids love giving five, but I have a hard time with it, knowing all the germs they are coming into contact with! This is a very hand-shaking culture, but hand-washing is not a cultural norm in the villages around us. There isn't running water, to begin with, so you can't blame them! While I am grateful that my kids are so friendly to others, it's hard for this ol' mom, who doesn't want another respiratory illness to sweep through the family and land Seth and/or Grace on oxygen. The sign I put up asking people to wash their hands first might as well be in Dutch. :} I just pray, keep applying the hand sanitizer and wiping their hands, and commit our family to God's care!

Hyper-vigilant hand-washing aside, I stay busy just trying to keep an eye on the kids and keep up with laundry and cooking/baking and putting stuff where it belongs. We still aren't fully unpacked, but the essentials (including my beautiful tea set collection, complete with the Shelly tea cup and saucer Murmps gave me when I married Gavin) are in place, more or less. It feels like home, which is the most important thing!

Gracie using the toy basket as her seat this evening. Seth has a full tummy but scrawny legs still! He's eating great, I just pray he gains weight. The pediatrician keeps telling me not to worry about it, he'll be the size he should be. :}

My favorite part of living here is having friends drop in to visit. It's lovely to have a cup of tea with them or even just keep cooking while they chat and lend a helping hand. Sometimes it's pretty much just bedlam if the kids are tired and hungry and scrambling for attention. Oh well! :)

It's past bedtime now. Gavin turned in the for the night quite a while ago. We go to bed and get up early here! The kids are in bed by 6:45 most nights, up at the same time in the morning. We're grateful they sleep 12 solid hours most nights! Thank God for good health. Please keep praying they stay healthy, Lord willing. We landed in the PNG Highlands in the middle of winter, so it's cold and flu season here, alas.

Love and gratitude,
Carrie

P.S. I am about six weeks behind on email and thank-you's, so please forgive me if something from you has fallen through the cracks! I don't know if I'll ever catch up! We are SO grateful for all the prayers, notes of encouragement, gifts, support, etc., etc., etc. We can't say so enough!

The Waltz of the Oxygen Tanks is coming to an end, Lord willing!

Neither Gracie nor Seth has been on the oxygen tanks much at all today, aside from a nap and rest or two. They wander around with their little cannula tubing in tow behind them. Marcie was using Gracie's as a leash. Gracie was NOT amused!

We are very, very, very happy and more grateful than words can express to say we are seeing a very bright light at the end of this tunnel. All the kids seem to be getting better. Will seems to be nearly well (aside from a yucky nose). Seth and Gracie are much better; Marcie and David are still running fevers but aren't coughing hardly at all anymore. All but Will are still clingier than normal, but we know that too will pass. We breathe a huge sigh of relief, say a huge prayer of thanksgiving, and pray these kids stay healthy for many months to come! This has been a real doozy for the PNG kids in our valley, too, poor things. Four were transported to the hospital today.

Gracie is off oxygen and satting 98% on our home-use monitor. Seth was 92%, so I nudged the tiniest bit of oxygen on and he popped right up to 95-96%. He has been super funny and hungry and active with the prednisone coursing through his system. Gracie still seems to feel miserable, so I'd love prayers for her complete recovery. She just seems so tiny and vulnerable.

Thank you for praying! We are very encouraged. Our pediatrician is too. :)

The woman is my cleaner and good friend, and the man is a relative of hers and Bible college scholar who heard our story from her first, then saw it on the Internet, and his college basically sent him to check up on us to verify that we really, truly are in PNG. They recognize how miraculous that is! Lord willing, we pray we can STAY in PNG without oxygen tubing hanging off of our babies (although realistically Seth may need oxygen from time to time when bad bugs lille this last one go through the community).

 Pictures taken by the Carey kids Monday last week:

David

These next four pictures feature Seth. He seems to be a favorite. ;)

Gracie

Will

Marcie on my lap

My silly big boy :)

P.S. I wrote earlier this evening:

Will in particular seems to really have come into his own here. He is just super happy and content! He is such a people person and loves his freedom, and our house and yard is set up so that he can run out onto the veranda and all around the yard without getting into the road, plus the fence is see-through (wire) unlike our board fence in Duncanville. This community that loves our babies so much suits him just fine, too. He's like a little prince! 

I am really enjoying cooking and baking again. I also enjoy hanging my laundry out most days as our surroundings are SO beautiful here. It takes my breath away every day, every time I lift my head and look up at the hills and trees and gardens around us.