Last hurrah of the summer, the guys went camping with the group from church...they set up the tent in our backyard...just so Ellyana & I could see what it was like...very cool!
Zach started PM Kindergarten, he is ABSOLUTELY loving it! He's as happy as can be, he's only got 16 kids in his class...11 boys...the weekend was too long...he couldn't wait to get back to school on Monday!
Here he is waiting to go in the first day...tough day for mommy "letting go"...so much rejoicing now to see him so happy where God has him!
Ellyana LOVES to talk on the phone, "Gam-ma?" She talks & listens for a little bit & then starts pushing all the buttons.
Street hockey with soccer shin guards, ski goggles & a mower & doll car?
Ellyana was happy to get to be in the "haircut chair" on the night of the guys' haircuts...it was a sad day for me to snip out a couple of "knots"...all the website advice, multiple hair products, and the satin pillowcase did not prevent them...we'll keep trying!
At our local "Victorian Festival" (a very scaled down version of the Pumpkin Festival with lots of people wandering around in long dresses & wide hats & guys in knickers)...BJ did awesome again at free throws...even beating out his dad
The kids trying their 1st cotton candy...while waiting for the parade...I would say the cotton candy got "mixed reviews"
& sharing the "loot" after the parade
OK, this was last year to this year at the orchard...boy, have times changed! Lots more excitement with Sister Bear running around!
Apples to eatGoats to feed
Hay bales to jump with Daddy
And speaking of Daddy, is that him or a Superhero...side-walking/ side crawling to push the Princess on a trike through a tire!?! It was amazing to watch!
And if you were standing here right now, she would probably yell "BYE-BYE" at the top of her lungs and maybe blow you a kiss!
Cousins learning the joys of Jarlings.
Getting to be with girlfriends (we missed you Jode!)
Both girls have been home 1 year, seem so similar & are suriving just fine in their families of brothers! 
Brian told a few of the older girls at our friends event that Ellyana doesn't have any sisters, so they could show her "girl" stuff...she made her "debut" in this beautiful princess dress...she does love to wear around her plastic high heels my sister gave her & bang things with her "wand"...but I don't think she has been in a full princess dress before!
And this week has been a wonderful week of doing whatever...the beach, the pool, bowling, bike riding, playing outside...
soaking in the last few days of summer, it feels too soon to be over. I'm sure I would be still saying that in 6 months...I love having my kids home & not being on a tight schedule...with both boys headed to school in the fall...I'm very sentimental...we had "meet the teacher" night last night...it is peaceful & good & we are so thankful for how God has done abundantly more than we can ask or imagine...to HIM we give all the glory & we trust HIM for this next school year!
The restaurant is beautiful, it was fun to be back with the sights, smell & food of Ethiopia.
Zach thought the HOT cloths that they gave us at the table (before & after we ate) were awesome!
Ellyana trying her first tastes of Ethiopian food (she was mostly on the bottle & just ate bland food when we were there). She was suspicious at first, but then seemed to really like it. At the end she got some spicy lentils, it was hilarious to watch...she ate them then drank A LOT of water, then ate some more, drank a lot & then a little bit later ate some more...it was so cute...she really did seem to enjoy the place! She danced a little to music & seemed to take in all the sights!
Back home she got an Amharic Children's Bible Story book that she liked looking at (Amharic is the language spoken in Ethiopia)
And mostly we spent the evening...humbly grateFULL for the blessing of the precious daughter God has entrusted to us, and totally are amazed at the JOY that she brings to our home & wherever she goes! Ellyana, you are SUCH a blessing to our family! We all love you so very, very much!
BJ graduated from preschool.
Enjoyed T-ball
And he continued to grow in wisdom and stature!
He graduated from a wonderful year of Kindergarten.
Loves basketball, biking
Swimming
And now has graduated from 1st grade 
He's the best oldest brother!!!
Tears fill my eyes as I've went through the pictures of BJ growing up, each milestone we hit does that to me. I think I would be that way a little just because he's the first one hitting these steps, but as I think back about all the things we didn't know if he would ever be able to do...they really are a BIG deal. And they are also a BIG deal because we believe in a really BIG God who answered A LOT of prayers...and today he stands like a real "man" in our living room...it is sooo humbling!
