Highlights of August 2009!

August has been such a fun month! We are really beginning to feel like a family! It seems in many ways like we have always had six kids - I can't imagine it without them. There were many adjustments at first, and we still are adjusting, but everything just seems to be settling in. We took the kids to a big festival in a nearby park where they got to ride ponies, eat watermelon, ride go-carts and do all sorts of art projects. We also took them to their first fair (the Lynden fair) and they experienced their first roller coasters among other fair rides. They also got to sample fair food - welcome to America! Just read on and you will see what a fun month we have had. School starts next week! I can't believe it. We have decided to homeschool everyone but Hannah (in her senior year!) for now and we will see how it goes. Thanks to my GREAT friend, Monica and her wonderful daughters, Anneliese and Rachel, this will be possible! Thank you ladies! I love you!

I always look forward to fall when everything seems to slow down a bit and the days are (much) shorter and the weather is cooler and we can just snuggle inside by the fire and be a family. The summer has been fun and I'm so glad the kids came home at the beginning of May, but I am ready for the next season! Hope you enjoy the pics!

First watermelon eating contest. I think I said in a previous blog that Annamarie went back and did this four times! I think she ate the equivalent of a whole medium watermelon by the time she was finished. She finally won the last time. And - believe it or not - she still loves watermelon! Yum!

First pony ride!

First Cotton Candy! Yum!

I just HAD to share this picture that Rick took of himself on my cell phone. The phone has all of these little "frames" that you can put on your face and I think this one turned out SO funny! It's pretty darn funny with the dog, too! Poor Reggie!

Here we are playing a German game called Obstgarten. My sweet friend who lives in Germany brought it to me when she was here last summer. We finally got to play it tonight. Lynn - I hope you check my blog so that you can see the girls playing it. The loved it so much! Naomi really doesn't like the Raven, however! LOL!

Yes...I love bathtub shots - what can I say???

My friend Lisa and I spent two days braiding yarn into Naomi's hair and she couldn't be happier! She has never had hair this long and she just loves it. She swings it back and fourth and loves that it hits her in the face. When Annamarie is eating and her hair falls into her food she always says, "Mom, my hair is eating with me!" Well - Naomi couldn't wait to tell me that her hair was eating porridge with her the morning after her hair was finished. I owe Lisa a HUGE thank you because she ended up doing most of the braids while I fed, changed, and put David to bed among other interruptions! Thanks you, Lisa! You are a true friend!

I looked down the other day and saw Corey's tennis shoes (our oldest - age 19) and David's tennis shoes (our youngest - 16 months) side by side and it just struck me! Isn't it cute? Hard to believe my first little boy's feet are so huge and that at the same time I have a little boy whose feet are this little. Isn't God amazing???

I just love taking pictures of my kids when they are little and asleep. There is nothing more peaceful than a sleeping baby - isn't he the sweetest thing? I just want to crawl right into the crib with him and snuggle! David is such a joy - you can't even imagine!

Here is little David "reading" a book. Notice the container with the red lid next to him. This contains Shea butter from Ghana - I think he was hoping to make another finger painting but, thankfully, he wasn't able to get the lid off!

This was the highlight of August for us and the kids. We got a visit from Romana - she is the saint who lovingly and tirelessly ministers to the children at Beacon House orphanage. She also spends much of her time helping families in Ghana. The kids were SO excited to see her and show her their rooms and their lifebooks, etc. The man in the picture is the director of social welfare in Ghana and he came to our area to visit and see how the families are doing. This was HUGE and we felt so honored to have him in our home. Such a nice man! Notice that Naomi wore her Belle dress for the occasion! LOL!