To our international family, far and wide

So yesterday the kids started school.  They were pretty cute and anyone can appreciate the first day of school moments.  

But there are some moments that I really and truly think only the students who have lived with us will enjoy... they are often and I should call the students who have "moved on" more - but I don't.  So Seonjin, Ma Lina, Jessie, Julia, Asli, Tony Salah, Saad, Kahlad, Kingson just know that we think of you often and have enjoyed sharing our lives with you - and wish that we could share little moments like this on a daily basis again... and we wish we could share in yours. 

Today was Jude's first full day of school and Lucy came home for lunch.  It was just the two of us in the house and I asked her what we were going to have for lunch.  

"noodles" of course.

And she wanted to cook them herself.  So she chose some noodles from the cabinet, asked for some chicken and an egg.  I pulled some chicken broth out of the fridge while she pulled her chair to the stove.  She stirred the noodles into the broth, scrambled the egg into the broth, asked for a little salt and pepper and splash of Maggi "sauce".  Then I poured into a bowl and she added an ice cube and sprinkled it with Jessie's black sesame seeds that she discovered yesterday.  She was so happy with her bowl of noodles.  She even got me a Mickey Mouse "Trivet"  at Disney world that will be perfect for setting her hot noodle bowls on.  I laughed the whole time she was cooking and eating.. think how much more her eating habits are like your's than ours.   

In other news, last night Jarod had the kids eat hot chinese peppers plain... and you would have loved that!! I have videos - I will include them in our year end video.

ALSO - Allen had this extra TV and last night Jarod decided to try it connected to his computer to see how he liked the larger monitor.  He LIKED the extra monitor.  Some things NEVER change huh?

Also, Judes is STILL in his bad photo posing stage... but I am finally learning how to take the cute self-portrait shots.  it turned out nice don't you think?  Thanks for teaching me :).

Anyway, all is good here... just been thinkin' of you all lots with the new semester starting. :) 

I should mention...

WE ARE HAVING THE TIME OF OUR LIVES.

Now, of course, this is tempered with my 2 a.m. anxiety attacks over time and rain - and the ongoing spiritual battle for me to remember that only God can make more of either - so I might as well CHILL.

So, if you'd indulge me for a moment I'd like to share a bit of the awesomeness that is our life.  Jarod and I celebrated 11 years of marriage last week and we came to the consensus that had you told us 11 years ago, "11 years from now you will be living in a big brick debt with a half finished fence, two energy filled children (one who has a really annoying allergy induced throat-clearing tick, and the other with all of Amanda's emotional instability), six people whose cultures and languages confuse you daily, and yard that needs constant water.  You will also be living 5 minutes from 18 family members and you are sure to see at least 2 of them each day.  You will also be caring for a giant dried out and dying tree farm as well as six mentally handicapped men.  Yes, you will foresee no possibility of leaving the desert land of Hays, Kansas anytime in the near future, but you can be sure that everyone you love and grow close to will."
NEITHER of us would have said, "sign me up."
In fact there may have not been an "I do" on that hill that morning, as we for sure would have looked at the other blamingly for this horribly foretold future.  But thankfully there is no fortune telling and also no telling how great our fortune has been... as we have walked this crazy journey hand-in-hand. Both SO glad SOMEONE knows where we are going... even if it never has been and never will be us.

First, I'd like to mention WE are having the time of our lives. (We didn't get a picture of us on our anniversary as our dinner was cut short by an emergency shellfish allergic reaction of the husband - just keepin' it real.  But Jude took this fine photo of us in Honduras.)

Besides us - I think two other generations have really benefited from our marriage.  In fact, all I have heard about and all I plan to hear about for the next ...oh six months... is a recent grandparent sponsored and chaperoned trip to Disney world.  Just take a look for yourselves.

If she follows suit we only have 10 years until the real prince charming enters our life - YIKES!

The sword and the stone.

Can I just say, one of my favorite things in life is watching this girl eat?  She just has a way about it. :)

Those are some IMPRESSIVE grandparents. And an adorable R2D2 - if I do say so myself.

But, we don't have to wonder to far from home to have quite a bit of excitement either. 

Here's the face that is either going to make or break year 12.

Now that is quite a pair.  Watch out world, here they come.

And we like to bring the world with us when we can. 

 Thanks Kingson and Allen for sharing in our fun!

Is it fair for two kids to have both sets of the world's most awesome grandparents?

... and most awesome dad?

And here's the guy who made all of my dreams (that I didn't realize I had - of living in Hays with a million RANDOM people in my life each and every day) come true.

Thanks buddy.