Dear children in Africa

Yesterday, we turned on the sprinkler even though Mom and Dad had told us not to many times. It was left on all day long because we forgot to turn it off.

As a punishment, Mom and Dad made us fill a big bucket with water. Mom gave each of us a small measuring cup. We had to fill the measuring cup with water from the bucket, walk it cross the yard, and dump it into the flower garden. We got tired. It took a long time. It was hot.

Mom and Dad said you do stuff like this everyday and walk a lot further than we had to. It makes us sad that you have to work so hard for water when it's so easy for us.

We will never waste water again. When we grow up we'd like to invent a way for you to get water more easily. We are so sorry.

-Sam and Silas

Update: After all your sweet and encouraging responses to this post, I feel compelled to let you know that this was all Jeff's idea!!! I probably would have resorted to time out or grounding. So, thanks to my amazingly wise husband for his ingenuity and creativeness.

For the LAST time.

Our daughter is not smart because of the color of her skin or because she "has it in her genes." Do you seriously think that a person's color has to do with how smart they are???? As Selah gets older and is understanding more and more, I am starting to tolerate less and less.

It's racism, people- racism. Expect the wrath of a protective mother next time. (Oh and BTW- I AM SELAH'S REAL MOTHER!!!!!)

Our first days of school

What the boys did:

What Selah did while Mommy did school with the boys: We've still got some fine tuning to do, but the first week went amazingly well. Thank you for your prayers and encouragement.

BTW- I'm working on updating my blogroll. I'm not through,yet!! For someone who has a blog, I am very computer illiterate.

In a Funk

I feel myself drawing away from people here. It's not on purpose. I think it must be a sub-conscience thing as we prepare to move to Canada.

I've been pondering what I've learned in my time in Texas and there is much. Too much to write. I've done a few good things, but I've made a lot of mistakes. It's these mistakes (sins, really) that I can't stop thinking about. There's so much I wish I could take back and undo.

I'm so thankful for a God full of grace. I'm thankful for friends who forgive. I'm thankful for a husband who somehow still thinks I'm wonderful. And I'm thankful for sweet children who forget really quickly.

(BTW- Our school is now in session!!! My phone will be turned off from 8:00- 12:00 so I can focus on teaching, but please leave a message and I promise I will call back!)

Gotcha Day!!!!!!

Can it really be that it was a whole year ago that this precious girl became ours forever?????? We love you Selah Thu!!!!!

I can't believe it was one year ago.........

We got up very early in the morning and said "Good-bye" to the boys......

Caught this plane which took us most of the way to Vietnam..........
Met up with this sweet couple............
Got our first glimpse of "the girl"...........So that three weeks later we could become this...............

Showin' off my kiddos......