The Tacoma City Running Club kicked off the Fourth of July with its inaugural Independence 5K run, so of course the boys had to enter. It was a downhill course, starting at a park and ending down at the waterfront. It turned out to be a great day for running – dry but not hot. Out of 469 runners who finished the race, Daniel finished 20th overall and first in the under 14 age group, with a time of 17:29.5. David finished 50th overall and third in the under 14, with a time of 20:05.6. Way to go, boys!
Success Soccer Camp 2013
Once again, Daniel and David were able to participate in a week-long soccer camp run by a former US Olympic coach, Colleen Hacker. It’s an fun yet intense camp that included five hours of soccer every day. The culmination is their “World Cup” in which kids are matched up on “National” teams. This year, David managed to get his team established as Ethiopia. They had a blast; we have a TON of pictures. Enjoy.
Baptized!
Daniel & David
Above all else, our prayer for the boys has always been that they will follow the Lord their whole lives. When we first adopted them, we were thrilled to learn that they had both accepted Jesus as savior and lord of their lives. We quickly became aware that they were quite familiar with the Bible. Both have demonstrated wisdom – Daniel to a very impressive degree – and an ability to apply Biblical principles to every day life.
So it was really not a huge surprise when they expressed interest in being baptized. But it was a huge joy! Our friend and pastor, Paul Moffett, performed the baptisms. Paul wrote one of our reference letters leading up to adoption, so it was a special treat all around. As he spoke with the boys, he mentioned our personal history as well as the story of the Ethiopian official mentioned in the book of Acts. Ethiopia was one of the earliest places to receive the gospel, so we think of our boys as spiritual descendants of that man.
Farewell to Borja
Julie & Cindy’s exchange student, Borja, had to go home to Spain. He is a great kid and our boys really bonded with him, especially over soccer. They threw one final party before he left. Enjoy the pictures.
Last Day of Elementary School
Daniel
The BIG DAY finally came – Daniel’s last day at Karshner Elementary School (and David’s last day of 4th grade). Karshner sends their graduates off in grand fashion, with an assembly on the last day which includes the entire staff lining up to celebrate the kids.
It’s amazing to think of how much growth and learning has taken place during the 3 1/2 years Daniel spent at Karshner. When he started, in January 2010, he spoke little English and had virtually none of the home and family experiences that his classmates had. He jumped in to the middle of third grade with much less preparation than all of the kindergartners. He barely knew his parents and, I’m quite certain, did not yet have a grasp that his new family and living situation would last. He was surrounded by kids who didn’t exactly look like him, yet they were kids! They loved him and accepted him and he thrived!
Over time, they would experience his tremendous contributions. We think of Daniel’s athletic skill and achievements and I think that helped him build relationships. But Daniel’s huge heart and concern for others, and for doing what is right, is what really drives him and has led to his tremendous success.
Thank you so much to the staff, volunteers, and students of Karshner Elementary School.
Click the picture to see more.
Awards Assembly
Daniel with PHS Cheerleaders
In case you haven’t noticed, we’re rather proud of our boys and their accomplishments. Both were recognized for meeting their reading goals at an awards assembly (complete with cheerleaders) at the end of the school year.
Fathers Day 2013
Fathers Day this year was a great day to spend with Sary-Jo and the boys. It was more subdued than some years which is often a good thing. The pictures pretty much tell the story, so there’s no real need for words. Enjoy.
6th Grade Party
Daniel
Karshner arranged to have the local YMCA facility reserved just for the sixth graders. The party went on much of the night (but it was not an over nighter). In our family, Mom and Dad tag-teamed it, with Sary-Jo starting out and Randy coming on in relief. Daniel and his friends had so much fun. They played dodgeball (with the adults winning!), basketball, volleyball, and a variety of other games. And of course there were plenty of snacks. The kids were well-behaved and everyone had a great time.
Basketball Challenge
Daniel
Karshner Elementary School (where our boys attend) and Spinning Elementary decided to stage a friendly basketball game between the 6th graders. They actually played two games – one for the boys and one for the girls. The kids and families had so much fun. We were especially impressed with the sportsmanship as the kids cheered each other on and just generally had a great time. During the girls game, it was so much fun to see the kids sing the Karshner school song, which they had learned during music class this year.
Click the picture to see more. Watch the video of the school song (I missed the beginning due to the spontaneous nature of the singing).
Pie in the Face
Sary-Jo and David
As a reward for the students meeting goals, Sary-Jo and another teacher took a pie to the face. As you can see in the pictures, the kids enjoyed it!