Graduation!!

Olivia graduated to 1st Grade and Claire has graduated to the 4yr old class (we are making a big deal of this because she doesn't want to leave Teacher Tatiana!). Olivia had a really nice graduation ceremony .....it was so sweet. This is a huge month.....Uncle Jamey came for a visit, we graduated from Kindergarten AND SHE IS ABOUT TO LOSE HER FRONT TOOTH!!!!

Vanilla?

"Mommy, I am the only vanilla girl in my ballet class." I anticipated having to confront many parenting issues because of having "MK's" but this was not one that had crossed my mind! Olivia has discovered that all of her friends (in ballet) are not only more "chocolate" (skin color:)) but also they have different names like Gabriella, Fabiolla, Esmeralda, etc. and she no longer likes her name because it doesn't "sound" Latino enough.

Wow, I didn't see that one coming! It is a real juggling act to help our girls understand who they are and where they come from while living and learning to live with people who are different, in some ways, from them.

Look at my precious babies sleeping....I couldn't resist snapping this picture! I can't believe Claire is graduating to the four year old class and Olivia is graduating from Kindergarten tomorrow!!! It is so hard to let them grow up...........although they promise to always remain my rock-a-bye babies!!!

Uncle Jamey is here!!!

Last Friday, Uncle Jamey arrived for a visit and to be here for Olivia's Kindergarten graduation on Wednesday. The girls are excited and have plans to entertain him all week although I think his plans include reading and laying on the hammock out back under the porch!

On Saturday, we all went to the amusement park for some outdoor fun.

Claire's Field Trip

Claire's 3 yr old class had a field trip yesterday to the Children's Library and OF COURSE I went along. We had a great time with reading books, face painting, a puppet show and just playing.

Here is a picture of Claire and her teacher "Teacher Tatiana".

We have a friend!

Mark and I had our FIRST Tico family over for dinner last Saturday night. We were so excited because the entire (5 hours) evening was in Spanish.....bad Spanish but still Spanish. We were excited to talk about all different kinds of topics including our faith, family and what a relationship with Christ means in our life.

The girls had a great time visiting with their daughter in all Spanish!

Please pray that this friendship will flourish to a more solid witness opportunity.

Earthquake & a Tropical Storm!!!

OK, we had our first earthquake last week (although I was disappointed because we were in a car and didn't feel it) BUT everyone said it rattled the house!!! Our friend, Socorro said she ran and got under the door frame and she was in our house when it happened.....AWESOME!! Also, we have had rain for several days now all day long and it is because (or so they say) we are in a tropical storm. Wow...2 natural events in 1 week AND I LIVE IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY!

Sir, get up on your feet Sir!

Ok, I have to tell this story on Mark. While we were at the beach he decided to learn how to SURF! So, he and Jonathon went to the surfing school. This young local guy was their instructor and had been surfing since he was 4 years old. In Mark's defense, he says that the sport is much harder than it looks.....but then he says that about Golf....about tennis.....pingpong, etc...... After 30 minutes of eating waves, the instructor say "Sir, you should get on your feet. Get up on your board and get on your feet."

Mark said the ultimate blow to his ego was when the guy carried his board back to the beach for him because he said "Sir, you look really tired". I have posted what Mark was SUPPOSED to look like surfing and what he ACTUALLY looked like.