First Day of School! First Day of School!

Remember when Nemo bounced over and over again on and around his dad chanting "First day of school!"? Well, that wasn't how the first day of school was in our house, but the kids were pretty excited to get going.... and a little nervous.

Norah started kindergarten, and we're really excited about where she is. We really like her teacher and her school and her principal- everything! We think that this year will be a great experience for her, and we are looking forward to how the Lord will use her school experience to grow and learn in new ways. She has been very nervous starting out, but it is good for her to be stretched. We're praying that her anxieties and worry ease and that she will learn to trust in the Lord.

Haddon is at the same pre-school as last year, but has a new teacher. We're praying that this year will go well and that his new teacher will become a wonderful ally as we help him speak more and communicate more and move towards being in a typical classroom setting. He's also meeting with a speech therapist once a week. During those times Casey or myself can learn more tools and skills to help Haddon progress his language development.

 Norah was a bit nervous. You can see it on her face! Poor dear!

 One final hug from dad... and a little nudge! Go on Norah! You're gonna do great!

No fear. No worries. He owns this school.

When we dropped him off, we just walked right in, and that was it. He's a champ!

The Only Time We'll EVER Wear Green and Yellow

We are orange. For those of you outside the state of Oregon, that means that we root for the Oregon State Beavers. With that said, we still cheer for a team in green, white and yellow... but NOT the University of Oregon's Ducks. No.

We are cheering (literally) for Team Upward!

Upward Sports is an organization formed to reach kids with the gospel through sports. This year our home church is hosting flag football and cheerleading, and Norah is a cheerleader! Check out the fun that we get to have every Saturday.

Two Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed: Part Deux

Two Little Monkeys Jumping Dancing on the Bed,

Nink shook her bum while H stood on his head.

Mama grabbed the camera, their Dad, and said,

"Quick! Let's watch our monkeys dancing on the bed!"

The Big One

The Oregon State Fair is a big fair. This year there was a dinosaur exhibit, and so we headed out to enjoy the sights and smells (well, some of the smells) of Oregon's Big One.

We Welcome Kylie Marie

As we reached July, we just waited and waited for Kyle and Kari (Casey's brother and his wife) to have their second child. It's a bit more suspenseful to wait for their kids to be born because they like to keep the gender a mystery! Boy? Girl? We were very excited to meet this new little one.

But the day came, and on July 11th, National Free Slurpee Day, we got the pleasure of meeting Kylie Marie. She has been an instant hit in our family, and we are so blessed to add her among the ones we love.

Fireworks

We set off a few small fireworks at Casey's parents' house this year before Independence Day, and then on the holiday, we spent the day together as a family and set off our own fireworks. What was fun was that we were completely, utterly, and totally outdone by our neighbors. They must have spent hundreds on illegal fireworks that were so so so much fun to watch! So we took in the sights and enjoyed their frivolity. From our neighborhood, we can walk up a hill and see a long ways. So we were able to see the big fireworks display at a nearby golf course, and see how many other people outside our neighborhood had spent hundreds on illegal fireworks! All in all, it was a nice way to celebrate America and the freedoms that we still have. We pray that the Lord will watch over us and protect those freedoms that so many men and women have sacrificed their lives to preserve.

Our Boy Turns Four

hat's great about Haddon's birthday this year is that it was the first year that he was actually "into" it. He was pumped about his cake and party and everything. If you know Haddon, then you'll know that he isn't as mature as other children his same age. While other kids get excited about their birthday and communicate what they like by 2 or 3, our son took until his 4th birthday to do that, and it was so sweet.

This year Haddon has been all about pirates, and so we went with that this year. We met at a nearby park, and invite cousins to play and have cupcakes and open presents. The pictures really speak for themselves.

Enjoy.

Thus Ends Pre-School

Norah and Haddon attended pre-school together, and at the end of the year had a celebration. Norah graduated, and will be moving on to kindergarten, but Haddon will be at his pre-school one more year. Here are some shots of them and of their teacher, B.J.
Haddon won't have B.J. this year, and I haven't met his new teacher yet. I'm praying that he will have an understanding and wise teacher who will work with Casey and I to help Haddon grow and learn in special ways that he needs.

I Guess We Missed Summer

We'll catch everyone up soon. Quick rundown:

Norah did a GREAT job getting her eyes checked. So great that the doctor could tell she needs glasses. So you'll see pictures of her in glasses soon. (That's why I took her out to ice cream)

Haddon turned 4, and we celebrated with a sweet Pirate-themed birthday. I will say that his cake was the coolest cake I've ever made.

We went on vacation to Sunriver with Casey's side of the family.

We welcomed new niece Kylie Marie. She's amazing.

My sister and brother-in-law got their referral for their baby girl from Ethiopia. We're praying that she will be able to come home by the end of the year. I'll tell you about how I broke down at work, and had people staring at me when I got that call... oh wait I just did.

I'm working nearly full-time at LensCrafters (where I heard said news of my new niece), and Casey is getting closer and closer to finishing his masters. I was able to go down to The Master's College and sit in on some of his classes and meet some of his classmates that he's been talking about.


You know you want to read all about it! So, stay tuned. Maybe you'll be able to read about all this by Christmas! Woo-hoo!