Catching up...and an embarrassing/funny story

(this post has taken a few days to write so forgive my references to "yesterday" as they will not be accurate)

So, I love writing....I really do.  And, overall I enjoy blogging, but right now it is really and truly difficult.  Our days are so long and exhausting both physically and mentally that I am really struggling with getting all of the memories down.  I just know that I will regret it if I don't but please keep in mind if I'm not making much sense or you see misspelled words, please forgive me!  Many of you may not have adopted before but many more of you have had biological children and know what the postpartum time period is like.  Consider an international adoption to be amplified by about 10 times!!!  It's rough....

In fact, today, I just decided that I am flat out tired.  Complete exhaustion!  We took a taxi to our favorite restaurant here to meet with the other wonderful adoptive family in town...I looked at the beautiful lit up bridges and I looked at the sparkling lights in the trees that cause a reflection in the sparkling snow.  And, I thought....this is *beautiful* and....I want to go home!   I reflected on that for awhile (we were stuck in traffic, lol!)  And, I realized that our children will most likely go through that same feeling.  The feeling of, "this is all lovely and nice but it just doesn't feel like home...I still feel like a fish out of water".   And, I will work hard to remember that it is nothing personal.  After all, I feel no dislike towards the people of this wonderful country but it isn't my home.  I could make it my home if all of my family were here...but it would still take awhile to finally feel like I was in my own pond and comfy again. 

Well, maybe telling this next story will cheer me up because it was certainly funny!  So several days ago we went to the zoo with the children.  Yes, an outdoor zoo in negative degree weather!  My husband joked that he figured that all we would see is frozen feet poking up through the snow at each exhibit.  But, as you can see...there are animals who deal with the cold just fine...or at least they can live through it as I can't vouch for how happy they are!  Here is my new camel friend...if you watch the video carefully you will catch a precursor to my later embarrassing moment...okay, no more clues!

Notice that there is virtually no fence but merely a small thin and low wire which is what my husband was so kindly pointing out, as the camel got closer!

It was sooooo cold!  There were a few indoor exhibits and I wanted to stay in them as loooong as possible!

The first we went into was the flamingos and some other random birds (sorry, I admit I wasn't paying particular attention...my brain was frozen! :-)

The next indoor exhibit was the giraffes....they were rocking out in the warmth to 80's American music!

I couldn't help but think of the movie "Madagascar" and imagined how the giraffes might be smiling and dancing around in front of the windows while the other animals shivered in the snow.

My husband tried to point out a few more outdoor (and icy) exhibits while I muttered a few "uh huhs" and plodded a straight forward line towards the tropical house....another heated and indoor exhibit.

It was very warm....but had a very strong odor that nearly made me run back out into the cold.  But, I didn't...my body won and my nose lost! 

The twins had no issue and ran up the wooden bridge that takes you up over four crocodiles!  We all ooohed and aaahed for awhile at all of the different frogs and snakes and bugs.  Then, we entered the "dark and scary area"  Okay, I named it that!  I have no idea what they call it since the signs aren't in English.  But,
it is an area with nocturnal animals with black lights and it is very dark.

I. charged right in but K. definitely held back and wasn't so sure that she wanted to go.  I encouraged her and then offered to carry her which she took me up on right away.  She has been playing "baby" a lot which is great and perfect for bonding! :-)

So, we headed down the winding corridor into darkness.  The exhibits often had more than one kind of animal, so we would be looking at a larger animal and then there would be these fast darting shadows of rats and mice running around.  Super creepy!

We got near the end and there were the cutest little monkeys with white faces that kind of glowed in the dark.  As we got closer and our eyes could adjust and focus, I saw that one was curiously inching his way down the log towards us behind the glass.  Both of the twins were a bit hesitant but I saw the little monkey coming and I said, "Oh, look he's coming to see us!  How cute!  Come over and to the glass and see him!"  So, I put K. down next to the glass and bent down and said "Come here little monk......AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

My entire body literally self propelled backwards in absolute instinctual movement as the "cute" little monkey launched himself off the log and towards the glass and my face!!!!!

My camera went sliding across the floor as my body slammed against the brick wall behind me.  My legs then buckled and my feet slid out from under me and I ended up crumpled on the floor.  The twins went running out of the "dark and scary area" screaming for "DADDY!!!!!"

My husband said that I. looked just like the scene in "Home Alone" where he runs out with his arms up in the air. (I. does look a lot like a young McCauley Culkin! :-)

I began to gather my things and my camera while hysterically laughing and *wishing* that we had gotten that on camera so that we could win on "America's funniest Home Videos"  I limped back up the hallway to be sure that the twins were okay and had found their dad.

The twins were both completely laughing and weren't traumatized at all...they both wanted to show Daddy the scary monkey.  So, we wandered back while I examined my purple bruised finger that I couldn't remember injuring in my fall. 

As we approached, I looked up and there was that stinking monkey peering around the corner with his little white face just taunting me to try to come over there one more time.  LOL!  I shreiked again much to the delight of the twins and to my wonderful husband.  I told him that there was no way that I could go over there again! 

Here is my other new "friend" the Douroucouli or night monkey!
I had to go by them with my back towards the cage to get out....when I told my husband that I wished we had gotten my embarrassing moment on video, he said that maybe the zoo kept a camera on that exhibit for that exact purpose! Ha ha!  Well, it might just be the second time I make it on tv here in the twin's country.  We were interviewed at the mall when we first arrived by a news team that was asking people how they felt about the cold.  They thought it was very funny when I told them we were from California! :-)

Well, this post has taken way too long and I need to head for bed so that we can have a better day tomorrow.  I will post about it once I am able to regroup and get some rest so that I can see things more positively.  Thanks everyone for your continued support and prayers....and laughter at my expense!