Tee Time

This happened while we were in the states.

 

I am not sure who was more excited Marvin or Calvin, but I was told Calvin’s first time on a golf course went well.  Here’s a little video of his first time teeing off.

 

The boy only missed once, he got his coordination skills from his daddy.  I am sure those clubs will get plenty more use each time we are in the states, we have a couple more boys to introduce  the game to.  I know Marvin wishes there were courses here, but I guess it makes it extra special to step foot on a golf course.

10 Kilometers

After training in 4 different countries I did it, I ran a 10K!

one of the many parks I ran in during training

 I ran the entire thing and faster than my usual slow pace and didn’t finish last, which was my goal J. 

As always the first 25 minutes are the hardest for me.  Usually minutes 22-25 I am dying but then I somehow find a good grove after I get past the pain. The rest is pretty easy.  I even passed several people at the end of the race.  At the start of the race when everyone was running at a crazy fast speed I had my doubts that I’d finish before anyone, but I know my pace so I wasn’t tempted to run like the wind, like everyone else did.  Maybe I should have, I could have finished a little faster, but knew how fast my legs ran and my goal was to finish without stopping.

 

I love my mom but she’s not the best photographer, but she tries and for that I'm grateful.  She snapped a picture of my finish…..or I should say my shadow’s finish.  J  Thanks mom, I guess I was just too fast for you.

 

She did however get Marvin’s finish

 

and Calvin’s 1 mile finish. 

 Calvin was pretty proud that he got 3rd place in his first race ever.

 

My dad even ran the race, on his birthday and placed 1^st in his age group!  It was a fun morning and so thankful that I was able to take part in it this year.

 

*If any of you would ever like to run a 5K or 10K race and aren’t in shape or just had a baby like me.  I promise you the Couch 2 5K and Couch 2 10K is the program to use.  I used a free app, C25K & C210K, but I also used the program before I had a smart phone, by writing down the minutes to walk and jog on my arm and using my watch J.  It’s amazing how well it works when I started running in February I never thought I would be able to run for 1 mile let alone 6.  I promise it works and the beautiful thing is that it is only 3 days a week.  Try it, you won’t regret it.  Now Marvin and I have set our goals on a ½ marathon someday.  We’ve both really enjoyed running again.  I’ve loved getting back in shape and the quiet I have to run without the boys.

Small Town America {the County Fair}

We decided it would be fun for the boys to enter a few things into the county fair this year, since we would be back for it. It’s the third year we’ve been able to attend in a row and what a treat for our boys.  They loved it.

 

 

Calvin entered banana bread,

a quilling art project,

 

and some wildflowers.

 

Micah entered fudge,

 

 

 a handprint painting,

and wildflowers. 

 

That little stinker won grand champion with his wildflowers.  Marvin was sure to wake up and find all the purple flowers that they picked on the counter too.  It shows how much we knew about floral arrangements.

They both had fun doing their projects themselves and the second I would try to offer assistance, Calvin was quick to remind me that he had to do it all himself.

 We got to see our nieces show their sheep and see all their exhibits. 

 

My parents came down and saw the boys’ exhibits, we went to the petting zoo together and then they stayed for the parade.

 

 

 

 

 

We enjoyed our share of fair food this year, one day they even had crispitos, which brought back memories of one of the most popular meal when I was in high school.  I of course could not resist ordering it, and perhaps that was a memory better not revisted?!?!  it was fine just not as awesome as I remember them J.  But maybe the cooks at EHS know the right way to make a crispito.

 

 

 

The last few years as we’ve sat down to eat our dinner at the picnic tables on Monday night a band has been playing country music, the sun is lowering in the sky and the weather is just gorgeous.  People are not in a hurry and are chatting with their neighbors or family and it is one of those moments where I see what we are missing raising our boys overseas. 

 

We are a part of a very different community, one not better than the other, just very different from one another.  So in moments like this I choose to give thanks that we’ve been able to give them a taste of a Kansas childhood.   I know it will make a different impression on their childhood years, but we hope our Kansas roots will somehow be transferred to our third culture kids.

The Fourth of July 2014

What a treat to be back for the 4^th of July again this year.  Who would have ever guessed we’d be back three in a row?!?!

 

The boys love fireworks and my dad loaded them up with a huge box of pops. 

 

They had fun shooting a few off at my parents’ house the day of the 4^th with the neighbor kids.  A favorite were the parachutes and rolling the scooter over the line of pops was a close second.

 

Usually my mom’s family gets together on the 4^th at my grandparents farm.  It’s something I looked forward to every year. 

 

We got to shoot off the big fireworks, hang out with our cousins from out of state, eat lots of yummy food and watch a beautiful sunset as the lightening bugs came out to play. 

 

There is just something sweet about watching my kids enjoy shooting off fireworks in the same driveway where I did as a girl that is incredibly comforting

 

As we were driving back to my parents’ house afterwards I almost lost it because it will be our last 4^th of July at the farm in a long time.  We have no trips planned to KS during the summer months for the next several years. L

 

 

 

Like all of us my grandparents are aging.  My grandmother is still very healthy, sharp as anyone and still stunningly beautiful, but my grandpa has struggled with dimensia the past few years.  It breaks my heart seeing him frustrated because he can’t remember.  I don’t expect him to remember me when we come to visit, we have eternity for that, I just pray he finds peace and a hobby in this state of disorientation. 

 

So the future of how long they are still hosting the 4^th of July get together is uncertain.  So until next time I’ll treasure these memories close to my heart.

Lemonade Stand

If my mom wasn’t busy enough after the wedding she decided to have a garage sale, because she thought I might be of some help.  I was able to help her a little, but not much, she did 99% of the work.  Those things are a lot of work, but from the look of the piles it seemed like everyone got rid of a lot of things.

Calvin set up a little lemonade stand and sold cookies as well. 

 

We learned he’s quite the little salesman, the boy made $30.  He would go up to anyone and ask them if they wanted some lemonade or cookies., certainly not shy at all and loves people so he was in his element.  Thanks mom for helping him get his lemonade stand all set up and giving him this American experience, you know the next time we're in the states he's going to beg you to have a garage sale :).

Aaron and Tamara’s big Day

What a blessing it was to be a part of my little brother’s big day. 

Despite a few glitches, you know the part of me not reading the reading I was supposed to read, they were still married.  Tamara looked gorgeous and it was such a treat to get to meet her side of the family.

 

 

  

 

 

Unfortunately in the haste of the day I didn’t snap hardly any pictures, I snagged many of these off of their FB page.  The ones we did snap were done quickly and with tired children. 

blurry but captures how Judah felt about the reception.  Inwardly Marvin was feeling the same way too.

 

Here’s our not so perfect family photo. 

 

I love it because it captured our evening.  Shortly after this I had a sleeping boy snuggled in the Ergo on my chest, another little boy with his head on my lap and a third little boy curled up on the floor behind Marvin’s chair.  Jet lag caught them, thankfully they were pleasant and did a great job in their ring bearer duties.  (In which they were promptly rewarded for with a trip to Target to pick out whatever toy they wanted right after we finished pictures.  Bribing in this case worked like a charm J.)

 

Dinner was delicious, the cake was especially yummy.  I had so much fun catching up with all my relatives, I table hopped after my boys left for the hotel.  Unfortunately my shoes rubbed my feet raw so my dancing was very limited.

 

It was worth all the saving it took to make sure we were there for their big day.  We wished we could have popped up the road to be a part of our nephew and his new wife’s big day as well, we were so sad they were on the same day.  But regardless we are rejoicing in these new marriages.  Marriage is such a sweet gift, it takes some work, but completely worth it.