I ironed about 15 mens shirts today. Phew! I hate ironing. I can't believe growing up we ironed t-shirts, and sheets, and maybe even underwear on top of everything else. Talk about child abuse. At least, we never had so many clothes or people living in one place. Here I take care of seven. Five of them males. Sunday shirts is what they wear to Church on Sundays. Saturday should always be my ironing day. But it rarely is. For as long as humanly possible I try to ignore my ironing board with a growing mass of white cotton on it. It's done now, and I feel liberated from ironing duty for the next couple of weeks. 

I got to talk to my Mom and my sister today. Both are doing fine. Ksenia got her driver's license. Finally! It only took her 8 years living in the States. Alright, she's been way too busy with school all this time. But we can see the light at the end of the tunnel now, she's graduating from BYU this week!

The rest of my Saturday I spent taking David to his violin lesson, taking pictures of my twins jumping on the trampoline, and taking care of Tavish. I am tired to death, so I'm going to hit the sack.

Besides Borscht

Since I can't put aside my everyday chores and children and pull myself together physically and mentally to write a decent blog entry, I'll try something different. I'll drop a line at the end of every day no matter how unremarkable and ordinary. Just to make it feel like my life is not slipping away into the abyss of my small and insignificant existence. I know, I know, I am building the cathedrals, carving that tiny bird under the roof that no one can see. This will be my way to pat myself on the shoulder, and remind myself that this gift of ordinary days is something I've always considered a blessing. So it is. Sticky munchkin faces and all.
So, today's accomplishments are:

- a 30-minute run with Nadia and the twins. Levi put his superhero cape on and announced that he's going to be like a superman. His brother Ethan put his helmet on and said that he'll be a bicycle-man, which is apparently just as cool. He rode his bike while his superman brother insisted on riding in the double stroller.

- I made borscht (Russian beet soup). A big pot of it. Nadia and Levi appreciate my cooking more than the rest of the clan. Oh well, I've done my duty to my family for today. 

- dinner discussion on the topic of Boston Marathon bombing suspects. Well, I said, they were from Russia. Nadia: That's kind of embarrassing. I: Not all Chechens are crazy. David: But all crazy chickens are chickens. Nadia: Chechens, not chickens, child!

- I found a nice crib mobile for Tavish on amazon. Lamaze brand. Tomorrow I need to decide if it's worth $50 though.

- good news from Boston. The remaining suspect was found and is now in custody.

Good night.