I’m sorry for the late posting; I thought I had posted this months ago. In June we received an update from the boys’ sister, Tigist. Joy and Abebe met with her on about May 31. During their visit, they shared a letter that we had sent and pictures of the boys. We are very grateful that Joy is able to keep us informed about Tigist (and their grandfather). This year we learned that Tigist is now married. In the pictures here, you can see her looking at recent pictures of the boys. She seems healthy and all accounts are good.
Category Archives: Family
Birthdays
It was birthday week here at the Averill home. Daniel’s birthday was on Monday, October 8 and David’s followed on Friday. Because of soccer and other activities, we gave them their gifts early in the morning and then get on with the day. We took a few pictures and, since they’re such good looking kids, thought we’d share them.
Daniel & Columbus (&Isabela too)
Our big cat, Columbus, really likes to spend time with Daniel. Columbus will sometimes follow him around until he sits – wherever that might be. Occasionally, Columbus’ sister, Isabella, likes to get in on the action. Here are a few recent pictures of Daniel with the cats. And as I typed this, Columbus jumped in my lap!
Birthday Party 2012
As in previous years, we were pleased to host a gathering / fundraiser to honor the boys on their birthdays. Our goal is to continue to connect them with their heritage, and to teach them that there are things they can do help other kids that are currently in the situation our boys were in just a few short years ago. We ask our family and friends to consider donating funds to support the orphanage in Ethiopia as a birthday gift. We also gather at Bradley Lake Park so all the kids can run around, kick a soccer ball, and do the other things they like to do (and, really, there’s nothing they like to do more than kick a soccer ball).
This year, we had amazing weather (last year we had a downpour). And we were (are) overwhelmed with the generosity of our family and friends. Thank you to everyone who helped us raise about $1,500 for Adoption Ministry’s Orphan & Widows Home. The orphanage provides a safe place for many who desperately need one. And it united us with our sons!
First Day of School
David (left) and Daniel
There is not enough space in the internet to describe how well Daniel & David are doing in school! They continue to have some challenges, but their progress is beyond logical explanation. So far this year, what has impressed us the most is Daniel’s sudden ability to do most of his homework on his own. Through last year, he was doing very well and had essentially caught up to grade level, but he was virtually unable to do his homework without close supervision. Suddenly, he seems to “get it.” David, meanwhile, did not really need to catch up because he started school in the middle of first grade.
The school year has started out very well. Click the picture to see a few more from the first day of school.
First Day of 6th and 4th Grades
This is the last year that Daniel will be in elementary school, and it’s the first year that Daniel and David are on the same recess schedule. That makes this year a very special one in which they get to spend some time together. We continue to be amazed at the academic progress made by these two very intelligent kids. We’ve come to expect their athletic performances, but progress in school is nothing short of miraculous. To top it off, they enjoy school. Here are some pictures from the first day of school – click on the one shown to see more.
Sounders!
We experienced our first Sounders soccer game as a family. The boys had been before since Margie spoils them, but Sary-Jo and I had never been. What a day! The crowd was absolutely electric. Our seats were high and in the corner (the “cheap seats”), and they gave us a great view of all the action. It was great to see the whole field and watch the teams set up their offense, move the ball around, and look for that opportunity to strike. The Sounders beat the L.A. Galaxy, and then we stayed around for some post-game festivities, which included a lot of music from the marching band. What a blast!
A Busy Yet Relaxing Day
On Thursday, a group of us went up to La Jolla for a kayaking tour. Our guide took us to see Leopard Sharks and much other sea life. We also got to see the long-time home of Theodor Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss. That was very timely because Daniel had just finished reading his biography. We made our way out to a cave, and went in in small groups. Our guide gave us quite a bit of history, and we truly enjoyed the experience.
We were unable to take a camera on the kayaks, but Sary-Jo took some pictures and video. She spent the time hanging out with Jill and her curls. After the kayaking, we enjoyed a fantastic lunch at George’s in La Jolla.
Later, we returned to “our” beach and had more fun. In addition to more boogie-boarding, we had played Dads vs. Kids football on the beach, barbecued flank steak, watched the kids play volleyball, and enjoyed smores under a full moon! Incredible day.
Enjoy the pictures and the videos. The video above is from the kayaking trip and the one below includes some good snippets from throughout the afternoon and evening. Following that, we have more pictures from the afternoon / evening.
Sea World (awesome!)
We had one day set aside in this vacation for Sea World San Diego so we decided to make the most of it. Sary-Jo’s mom joined us to make a party of 5. The park opens at 9:00 am and we were inside by 9:02. We went straight to ride, Journey to Atlantis, in order to beat the lines. It was a fun ride, but Sea World is really about the shows. There were so many shows that careful planning was required. We mapped out the day and checked our plan periodically. We stayed relentlessly true to the plan. There was show after show, a timeout for lunch, then more shows. We went up in the tower to take in a beautiful sunset, and then finished with the Shamu Rocks show and fireworks. There was no time for dinner, but I don’t think anyone really minded because the shows were so entertaining.
For the afternoon Shamu show, Daniel and David sat in the soak zone, which is appropriately named. They would not have been wetter had they been in the tank with the whales! It was a typical August day in San Diego so the wetness felt good. We have a bit of video showing the soaking – the boys were in the second row.
For those of you who have been to Sea World, you don’t need an explanation; if you haven’t been there, an explanation wouldn’t really help. Just enjoy the pictures and video.
Oh… the park closes at 10:00; we left at about 10:30 and found dinner back on the base.
July 31
The 31st was a very laid back day. Jankel and Randy went for a bike ride around the base, and several of the kids and adults went for a run on the track. Max impressed us all with the number of laps he complete (I forgot how many, but it was a lot). Besides that, it was a day spent on the beach, including pizza dinner on the beach. Some also kicked a soccer ball around (imagine that!) and played a fun beanbag game. This is truly rest and relaxation!