In case you haven't noticed, it has been a while since we wrote. The reason is mainly very slow internet. Our previous post took us a total of 6 hours to upload the pictures. It dropped us a couple dozen times while loading up the images.

When we came back from Kiev, we hit the ground running and haven't slowed down since. Jamie went back to his responsibilities at church, the kids started new school year, and Agatha keeps me busy. The break came last weekend with the Ukraine shutting down for 3 weeks because of the swine flu. Schools are closed, universities are closed, daycare centers were open (so parents can go to work), but now some have closed since there was no heat (we had freezing temperatures at night for a few days last week). Our kids don't have gymnastics, dance, art class for the three weeks. We keep doing school at home, of course.

I was at the market today -- everything is the same, except for some people wearing masks. I had to take Timmy to a children's clinic yesterday for a Dr appointment -- it was closed. I think the hospitals are open. A friend of hours who teaches at a college here in town said that because of the 3-week break the college will be going on Saturdays and Sundays until March 15. The professors will have to teach in double shifts every day AND work on Saturday and Sunday, partly because only one building out of the 4 that the college owns has heat, so only one building will be functioning. The story is oh, so familiar! Every year when they city first turns on heat, it seems, the pipes need to be dug up and worked on -- well into the cold season. One but wonders, why couldn't they do it in the summer? Back to quarantine, though, it will be interesting to see what happens. They call it 'California flu' here.

I have to confess it's hard writing a post after such a long break. I feel I have to write something profound. I will try to write updates on our lives over the last 2 months and on current events as well. I am falling asleep at the computer -- last night Aggie was up a lot. I better get some rest before she wakes up tonight. It's good to be back.