Here’s a brief video montage of Daniel & David playing with some of the toys they received for their birthdays. They are definitely enjoying themselves.
Monthly Archives: October 2011
Sary-Jo Visits Janel & Ryan
The Puyallup School District always schedules two in-service days in October. Because SJ was not planning on attending any workshops, it was the perfect four-day weekend for Janel and Dad to scheme a much-needed surprise get-away. SJ doesn’t like surprises and she didn’t want to be gone on Big D’s birthday, so when the surprise was sprung just days before departure, she resisted. However, Janel and Dad worked their magic and insisted it would do wonders to recharge her very worn out batteries. THEY WERE RIGHT!!!! The four days included:
- Going with Janel to cheer practice. SJ enjoyed meeting the girls, watching Janel coach and even got lifted on a stunt (sure brought back those college cheer-leading days!)
- Going to youth group where Ryan and Janel help friends Evan and Angie. After much crazy game playing, the lesson focus was on the various translations of the Bible.
- Spending a day with Janel at school. Three of Janel’s four ASL classes met that day and it was a true joy to see Janel at work. She has really taken to teaching and her kids are truly blessed to have her as a teacher. SJ really enjoyed meeting staff and students alike. Janel, you’re doing a great job! I’m very proud of you!
- Going on a hike with Janel and Ryan. The scenery and foliage were spectacular! We even saw deer along the way. We hiked a couple miles in beautiful weather.
- Getting all dressed up and going out to dinner and then to Rita Moreno’s one-man stage show!! We even got to go back stage and meet the star after the show!! It was a most amazing and unforgettable evening!! Thank you so much, Ryan and Janel!
The best part, however, was just spending sweet time with Janel talking and laughing and just hanging out – no laundry, no cleaning, no cooking, no homework, chores, or disciplining. Great, great weekend!! Can we do it again next month?!!
Daniel’s Birthday
On Saturday, Daniel officially turned eleven years old. It was a busy day that included:
- David’s team, the Rockets, winning a soccer game 3-2. David played goalkeeper for the first half and scored three goals in the second half. It was fun to watch.
- Daniel’s team, the Wolverines, winning their soccer game 9-2. Daniel scored three goals in the first half (the video clip below shows two of them). His friend Nate had a beautiful goal on a header (plus four other goals). This was the last of the games before they realign the division of teams. Since the Wolverines are 5 and 0 with five extremely convincing wins, we believe they will be put in one of the tougher divisions; their games should get more and more interesting.
- Dinner at Lalibela. Ethiopian food is always a treat, so it was good to go on Daniel’s birthday. We had a “cake sampler” at dinner.
- Cake on Sunday night in front of the computer – Sarah and Sarita, her exchange student, were on Skype and helped with the singing. Sary-Jo was out of town Thursday through Sunday morning (look for a post on her California trip), so we celebrated together Sunday night.
Click on the picture above to see more. Watch a couple of Daniel’s birthday goals below.
Opening Birtday Gifts
Daniel & David opened their gifts a bit early because Sary-Jo was headed to California for a visit with Janel. The gift opening was a lot of fun and the boys were very grateful for each item. We took some pictures and a fair amount of video. Click the picture to see more.
Flashback – Eating a Plum
We occasionally spend a few minutes looking at pictures and videos over the past couple years. This helps to remind us just how far we have come as a family, which is especially helpful on those days that it’s clear we have a long way to go. Sometimes we come across an old video that we just have to share. This one came about because the boys were not used to eating fruit from a refrigerator and we served them plums. They had been here less than two weeks, so you not only get their reaction to the cold fruit on their teeth, but you also get a feel for how we communicated without much in the way of a common language. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Third Birthday Party
On Sunday, we got together with friends and family to celebrate Daniel and David’s third birthdays (they turned 11 and 9, repsectively, but this is only their third actual birthday celebration). We invited people to help us support the boys’ orphanage in Ethiopia, including their sister, who is being ministered to by Adoption Ministry and the orphanage. We gathered at Bradley Lake Park and used the covered area, which turned out to be a really good thing when the skies opened up. The kids, and some adults, kept the soccer game going throughout all types of weather we experienced – it started out very pleasant and sunny, but that did not last too long. We don’t know exactly how many people attended, but we consumed over 10 dozen hot dogs. We know there were many scheduling conflicts on a Sunday afternoon, and there were quite a few people unable to make it. But the turnout was amazing and I think everyone had a great time – rain AND shine. The generosity of our family and friends continues to touch our hearts; thank you to all! You are truly making a difference in the lives of Ethiopian children. Click the picture to see more.
The video below includes a little setup, some soccer, and the crowd underneath cover from the rain.
Soccer – October 1
The soccer season continues to roll along. On Saturday, Daniel’s team played in Steilacoom against a team that is fairly new and learning to play together. The kids had fun, but were not presented with a serious challenge. Daniel scored 4 or 5 goals, including a textbook header on a corner kick. The opposing coach said, “it was just beautiful!” David’s team played in Tacoma against a very formidable opponent. It was a very tight game all the way with David scoring 3 goals in a 3-2 victory. It’s obvious now that Fall is here, as evidenced by the umbrellas and coats. Click the picture to see more.