David was recognized at his school’s HEART Assembly for demonstrating empathy. This award is very appropriate for David. He is a very caring boy who goes out of his way to meet the needs of others. It reminds me of the first time we saw video of him – he was on the stoop in the orphanage helping a younger boy (adorable) with his sandals. Many of the other kids were already playing, but David was focused on Besufacad. We’re so proud of him.
Thanksgiving 2011
We hosted a small group of family for Thanksgiving. The meal was great, and the conversation even better. We have so much for which to be thankful. It’s been a year of tremendous growth in so many ways. We’ve grown as a family, the boys’ integration into our community has made major strides, they’ve just shot up physically… It’s amazing and we’re so grateful to God for all He has done for us.
After dinner, Aidan enjoyed watching Daniel’s newest helicopter (while David was manning the video camera). Enjoy the video. There are some very good pictures in here also. Within the picture slide show, you’ll find the boys’ lists of things for which they are thankful. Please enjoy.
The Best Thing About Being A Rocket
David wrote his soccer coach a thank you letter for her work with the
Rockets. Click on each page to see it larger; then use the back button
to return.
Turkey Jamboree
As they did last year, the Rockets finished the season with the Turkey Jamboree, played nearby in Fife. They won two games and tied the final game (it’s not really a tournament so they don’t award first place, etc.). The pictures will show you that it was quite cold, but we had a lot of fun.
End of Regular Season Soccer
The Rockets played their last regular season game on November 12. The team grew tremendously during the year – even those of us relatively new to soccer could see the improvement. They finished undefeated and happy! Click the picture to see more from this game.
Soccer – Nov. 6
Daniel’s team, the Wolverines, played in a tournament called the Rec Cup, for recreational league teams. They won their first two games of the tournament, but then were eliminated by an excellent team from West Seattle. Daniel played hard, and the whole team played well, albeit in a losing effort. It was a beautiful day and the field was excellent, so we got some good pictures to share here.
Carving Pumpkins / Trick or Treat!
Daniel & David proved to be fully self-sufficient in the pumpkin carving department. Considering that I (Randy) really do not enjoy the carving (well, the messy part anyway), it was great to just supervise and watch the boys put their artistic talent to work. The pumpkins came out great and the boys cleaned up their mess completely! Great job, boys.
We also included a couple pictures from Halloween! Randy took the boys around the neighborhood while SJ stayed home and greeted the trick-or-treaters. Many of the Karshner kids come to our house and it’s so fun to see them! D & D had a great time, but no time to count the loot tonight as it’s a school night…. Note: We got the costumes three weekends ago and David had to literally squeeze into Iron Man!! We’re thinking another week and it won’t fit at all! He is growing like a weed!
Fright Fest @ Wild Waves
After the pumpkin patch, we put on our warm clothes and went to Wild Waves / Enchanted Village for Fright Fest, where the rides are open at night. Daniel & David spent a lot of time at Wild Waves this summer (with Sary-Jo), so they were good guides. We rode on all their favorite rides, including the Timberhawk roller coaster and the Ring of Fire. We had a blast! Click the picture to see more.
2011 Pumpkin Patch
We took the boys to the pumpkin patch, where we made it through the corn maze, went on a hay ride, shot some gourds in the sling shot and bought our pumpkins for the year. The weather was great and we had fun. Click on the picture to see more.
Karshner Karnival
We went to Karshner’s annual Karnival. There were volunteers everywhere, with kids playing games to win candy, cupcakes & other prizes. There was a good turnout and everybody seemed to be having a great time. Here are our pictures (click the picture to see more).