Homecoming...

Dylan and his friend Isabel were chosen as the sophomore class homecoming representatives!

It was a dreary rainy day for the pre-game parade and the start of the game...

 However, the rain let up just as half time was starting!

We know we're a tad bit partial, but we happen to agree with the sophomore class, they chose a couple of great kids! 

It was quite the honor, he had a great week with all of the homecoming festivities. 

Like on redneck/camo day...

 and nerd day!

Fun times!

Basketball...

Is over, and baseball is starting, but, I wanted to post a few pictures of Dylan playing basketball.

While they didn't have the best record, they played hard and we cheered loud!  Dylan has improved greatly over the last few years playing basketball and it's fun to watch him play!  My boys even got me into the whole March madness bracket thing, who knew I would end up getting more of my first round bracket right than this guy!!

My favorite part is that he had to 'dress up' on game day, I loved to see him wear a tie.


Spencer was on a team this winter too and did an amazing job.  Dylan's team helped teach and coach the younger kids. Great to see the older kids investing in the younger ones.

Now we're on to baseball and soccer!

Interupting my Haiti blogging to say...

 Happy 15th birthday Dylan!  We are so thankful God blessed us with you!

 Happy Valentines Day!  Ryan gave all of his girls cards and roses! 

And Happy 2nd Gotcha day Luisa!  We are so thankful God blessed us with you too!

more random updates....

*We got a new kitten.  I really didn't want another cat, but it just came out of nowhere one day.  I must admit, it is pretty cute, so here it stays. {We tried to make it a barn cat, but it kept coming back under the front porch.}The kids named it Lucky.  

*I didn't really want one of these either, I think it's kinda ugly, but...after paying for fuel oil last winter, I was eager to do anything to cut down on our heating costs.  Well, it may not be cute, but it stays because I LOVE being warm!  I have a chair right in front of the thing and I pretty much do school from there everyday!  We have not run our furnace yet, and we estimate that even with having to buy the pellet stove and pellets we should still be way under what we paid for fuel oil last winter!

 The kids had a fun time at a recent harvest party with friends from church.  We went all out with dressing them up...we were so creative, the girls went in their traditional dresses from their countries, 2 boys were dressed in camo, which they pretty much wear every day, and Easton was a soccer player.  We obviously don't go all out for these things, but they had a lot of fun playing games and gathering candy!

*After living in this house for a full year now, we finally got all of our stuff moved out of the pole barn and either put where it belongs or dumped it!  What a great feeling that was! Just in time for Dylan's new purchase...

Yes folks, I cried a little today when MY BABY BOY bought a TRUCK!! Thankfully it will sit in the above barn for a while as he is only 14.  We are proud of the smart young man he is and feel he made a wise decision to buy this very affordable truck from some extremely trustworthy people! The best news is, it's a stick shift!  I love to drive them, my first car was a stick too and he paid the same for his truck as I did for my first car many moons ago!

the game...

 What an exciting night we had Friday night!

 Kids with war paint on, rooting for our team!  Even though the game was 2 and a half hours away, we had a great crowd come up to cheer them on!

Dylan's soccer team tied 1 to 1 at the end of the game, it then went into 2 ten minute overtimes, and then a 7 round shootout!
Oh.My.Word. Now I remember why I don't like sports, I get way too involved, it gets me all riled up!
Unfortunately, we lost, but the team played very well, and it was quite an exciting game!
Then...on our way home, at around 11:30 pm, we pulled into Walmart to return a video, I jumped out of the car and heard this loud air leaking sound and realized it was my tire, it had a pretty significant hole in it!  Thankfully, my dad was with me, Ryan was riding with a friend not far behind us and was able to come help.  With the help of a complete stranger who gave us some pliers, fix a flat, a tire repair kit, and some air, we were able to fix it, and it is still holding strong today! 

District soccer champs!

Our team won districts!!!

Tomorrow we are heading up to Suttons Bay again for the soccer regional final game! If they win tomorrow night they have only 2 more games to be the division 4 state champions!!!   It has been so much fun watching these guys play, even Dylan, a freshman on the varsity team has had some playing time!  I don't like sports generally, however, I find myself getting pretty excited and really enjoying it when they play as good as they have lately!  It is fun because we know several of the kids on the team from church.  4 of them were adopted from the same orphanage we have gone to in Mexico, and have all come home since we moved here.  Awesome kids who've had a rough start in life and aren't perfect{who is?} but are loved beyond measure and are amazing on the soccer field.  Dylan's good friend Sammy, also a freshman is number one in the state for assists, and Marcos is number 2 on the leader boards for goals!

Way to go guys, we are so proud of you!

8th grade fun...

 Last weekend I had the privilege of going to the Creation Museum with the 7th and 8th graders from Dylan's class.  We also visited a Castle.  

 These are a great group of kids!

 The Creation Museum was beautiful, the outside gardens were AMAZING!

 My boy has passed me up in height and he loves to rub it in!

 I don't know about you, but I am very glad the dinosaurs are extinct!  Wowsers, can you imagine!

Thursday night we had Dylan's 8th grade graduation!  Oh my goodness, I know I gained a few more grey hairs this week, my kids are growing up way too fast!  Thankfully we are enjoying each of the ages and stages and I am thankful for happy, healthy, growing children.

 Dylan received the "virtue" award from his teacher!  I was brought to tears as they read "Goodness of character, knowing that others are being influenced by my life. 2 Peter 1:5"  We decided to home school our kids to form their character, it was great to hear we were on the right track with that!

 This has been such a great year for Dylan.  His teachers were amazing and it was a blessing that he was able to have this year at our small christian school as a transition from home school before he heads to public school next year.  It was a great environment for him to learn and grow in.  He is excited and ready for high school, just wish I could wrap my head around the fact he is going to be a freshman!  It feels like yesterday I was heading off to high school,  however, I was reminded just how long ago that really was as I have my 20th high school reunion coming up this summer!!!  Really?

The 3 amigos!  Dylan, with his friends Jack and Sammy, the 3 of them really bonded being the only boys in their class of 9!

Dylan we are so proud of you and are excited to see what God has in store for your future!