Boys will be boys!

On July 4th, our friends the Sluchers came to visit. Luckily there weren't any cabins left in Pigeon Forge so they decided to come our way for a quick vacation. We had a lot of fun shooting off fireworks in the woods, well let's say the boys did. After burned holes in shirts and lots of singed hair we had our own little fireworks display. It was awesome to see Mike, Leah, Will and Mallory in our neck of the woods!

Semyone (Sam) Came to visit!

I have known Sam since he was 14 years old. Sam is from Russia and is in the USA this summer raising support to work as a missionary to his own people. He works with Campus Crusade working with Russian teenagers. He is now 22 years old and feels that God is calling him to full time ministry. He came and visited us for a week. He helped up work and also had some fun spending Independence day with us. He was also able to obtain a temporary driver's license while he was here.

Baby Nora is here!

My sister Starr had baby Nora a little earlier then expected. She was due July 11 but came into this world on May 29. She was early and spent a week in the hospital and now is doing fine. She was very small weighing only a little over 5 pounds. She lost some weight in the hospital but was able to come home when she got back to five pounds. I am very excited about the new addition and was very excited to get to hold her a week after she was born. She has flaming red hair like the rest of her family and I am sure she will fill out as she eats lots of milk every day.

Shaina's Graduation

Shaina graduated from 8th grade this year. In TN, they wear a cap and gown for 8th grade grad. She is really excited about going to high school!

Update

Since April, we have been really busy with Church and other various activities. Jason and Shaina received their yellow belts in Karate during the month of April. They also talked Holly into taking karate with them. Holly has been enjoying the karate time for the workouts and the new stuff that she is learning. She also was very excited to break her first board by kicking it!

Shaina is approaching the end of her 8th grade school year. She has had a lot of activities going on such as 8th grade formal and 8th grade graduation. They will have a formal graduation for the following school year with a cap and gown. I will post pictures next week of the graduation. Here's a picture from her 8th grade prom. Hopefully I will get some more pics up next week.

Shaina's 14th B-day!

Shaina's birthday was on 4/7. I asked her if she wanted to have a b-day party with her friends. She was really excited so we decided to have one. She invited ten of her friends for an afternoon of fun. They walked in the woods behind our house, played at the bonfire until it rained, and had hamburgers, hotdogs and cake and ice cream. Shaina was really excited because this was her first "friend" party her entire life. It all turned out good and the kids had a blast!

Easter Picture

This isn't the best picture of us ever but it's the only one I have from Easter.