Spirit Week and Packages

 This week is Spirit week at school!  It is almost like having halloween every single day--so many costumes to think of!  Even though Elijah is our only boy in school, Malachi and Luke wanted to walk in the parade too!  Elijah was having fun on the first day--sports day!

 I love to see the little guys following their older brother, and Elijah looking up to the older boys at school.

 Meanwhile, back at the home front, Malachi got his birthday package from Grandma Bruce!  So fun!  What's inside?!

 I found the bottom of this kitchen set for sale at a cheap price at a used surplus store.  What a blessing!  Then I had Kuya Arman fix it for me and add the top shelves.  It was fun to put little things in it for Malachi, but so perfect was the fact that Mom found some pans that fit just right on the top.  Thanks Grandma!

 Malachi loves to cook, and I love to watch him pretend!

 Malachi is sitting down to enjoy the meal he just made.  Love the cupcakes, Mom!

 Day two Elijah was a King.  He looks so funny!

 And Sojo was his princess!  Oh, he got 2 princesses--Mika too!

 Day three Elijah was a tree, Malachi was the sun, Luke a leaf, and Papa was a rain cloud.

 I don't think Eljiah liked day 3 as much.  His arms were tired from holding up his branches.  Note to self: Do not make a costume that requires holding arms up for ten minutes, and do not make paper costumes.

 Malachi is one serious-looking sun!  Hahaha!  Oh, I think Moms have more laughs on spirit week than the kids do.  Who would like to make a caption for this photo?

Soccer season has started!  I am now officially a "soccer mom".  I always knew I would be one day--and that day has come!  So fun to have snacks with friends after a great rainy practice.

Emily 2 months--American Citizen

 Emily is ready to celebrate Malachi's birthday!  What a cute party dress!

 On her 2 month birthday, Emily was in Manila for her visit to the US Embassy.  I LOVE the little doll dress my mom sent her, which I saved for this occasion!

 Darling!!  Ready to report her birth abroad!

 Thumbs up!  Emily's US citizenship was approved!  Here we are in Manila just beyond the US Embassy, in the exact same place with the exact same sling we used when we took Luke here 2 years ago.  Funny to find ourselves here with our fourth child, a girl!

 The lovely couple =)  We love you, Emily!

 The next day we took the boys swimming for family day (since we had to leave right after Malachi's birthday for the airport).  I can't help it!  She is such a doll!!  She is learning to smile, and she has dimples!  Adorable!

One of my favorite pics of Emily--her first time to the ocean!  The waves scared/surprised her, but she recovered.

Malachi's 4th Birthday

 My Malachi turned 4 last week!  He requested a green taxi cake.  We have a lot of colored taxis around our city now--they used to all be white.  Now we find pink, orange, yellow, mint, and Malachi's fave--green!  This is my attempt.  (Cheri and Beckie, I always praise God for you when I decorate cakes)!

 I had so much fun watching Malachi at 6:30 A.M. discovering all the birthday surprises I left for him.  He put his presents in a nice tidy pile and then stood on the table to look at his balloons.  "Mom, you should put balloons in the kitchen too," he chided me!

 I took Malachi on a MacDo breakfast date for pancakes.  On our way through the school we saw Papa!  What a happy boy, sitting with both parents and no siblings.  He felt special.

 Yay!  I'm 4!  Big boy!

 His party was after school, so that Elijah and friends could come.  We has a Bible story from Leviticus 7--who knew!  God gave a recipe for cakes in the Bible!  To give thanks to God you can make a cake. We were off to make our own too!

 The kids got their aprons on and partnered up.  Time to crack some eggs!  Thanks to my wonderful helpers, especially Ate Mary Jane, who baked 10 little cakes for party favors (later we decorated).

 Malachi loves to watch Dora, so I made him his own treasure map.  He carried it all the way through to the treasure--his presents!

 I love how he studied the map I made for him.  We still play with it during the day at home--the map IS the treasure!

 4 candles!  I love the glow in his eyes when it was finally his turn to be the one with the candles to blow.  Both brothers birthdays were in May, so he wondered when it would finally be HIS turn!  Thank you, Lord, for friends!

 Time to eat our cake!  We also enjoyed homemade ice cream--thanks to Kaci for giving us that maker!

 The cakes finally cooled and it was time to decorate.  Luke, how many sprinkles did you put on there!?  Wow, that is a lot of umbrellas.  So fun--our party favors.  I think Luke was licking the purple frosting.

Right after the party Nate and I had to jet off on a plane to Manila for our embassy visit with Emily.  So to make it up to the boys, we went swimming on Saturday for a family day.  Emily is in on the sand fun with her darling little suit!

See Facebook for an album of 62 photos!

Our Kids Lately

 I haven't had much time on the computer lately.  I've mostly been holding my precious baby!!  My hands are not free, or if I do open the computer it seems like I get interrupted before I can even finish writing half an email.  I had to wake up at 5 a.m. just to post these pictures before the kids wake up.  I am loving the time with my kids, though!  The days will pass only too quickly.

Mom, I posted this pic for you so you can see the lovely quilt under Emily.  Perfect!  Also, isn't she a doll?!

 I love looking at the little dresses Emily will soon be wearing.  I can't decide which one she should wear for which occasions!  Now with a girl in the family I don't just think about my outfits but hers too!  (The boys are easy--just throw on any shirt and shorts--Haha!).  Thanks to those special people who mailed these darling dresses!

 Emily's eye color is now showing more.  I think they are blue!  (That leaves me and Malachi as the only brown-eyed people in the family).  Mom, also notice the cute blanket!

 Malachi loves baking and cooking.  Here is his play-dough cake.  He is excited for his birthday next week!  Stay tuned for 4th birthday photos.  He is having fun being the oldest at home, though he misses  Elijah now that he is in school.  What a transition for us!

 Here I am with my girl--matching girls.  Oh, did I mention I love having a girl?!  I didn't know I'd love it so much, since I really wanted my boys, but it IS fun and it IS different!  Thank you, Lord!

 I had been praying about Elijah's behavior and respect for his teacher at school.  I wasn't really sure how he would do!  I was praising God that his first week he got "King of the Week" for how well he did.  What a surprised Mama I was, but of course also proud and thankful.  What a cute little Kindergarten boy.  Growing up!

 Little Luke spends his time collecting "creatures" around the house.  I couldn't believe he found 23 of these little things.  I even had dreams about them crawling all over me.  Yuck!  What a fun boy.

 Of course Elijah gave his brothers a turn to wear his crown.  Luke really looks up to his oldest brother, Elijah.  What a cute little boy.

 Even Emily got a turn wearing the crown.  Elijah loves his little sister!

 Nate and I usually have our dates on Saturday mornings.  We like going to the coffee shop and playing a game or chatting over breakfast.  Emily gets to come with us, and she has been quite peaceful these weeks.

 Here is a common vision I have of our little lady--sleeping peacefully with perfectly drawn lips.  Erin, I use those swaddling wraps every single day!  Thanks again!!  So cozy.

Luke is now getting used to not being the baby anymore.  He wants to be like his brothers and be the "driver."  He invited his little friend, Ella, over to play.  She is holding the bucket with the "creatures" and he is giving her a ride.  So fun!

I don't have many photos of Nate teaching since I am home mostly with the boys.  I'll have to find some that students took or get some myself one of these days.

Thanks for your prayers for us!

First Day of Kindergarten

 Today was a very special day.  It marks a change in our lives.  Our firstborn son went to Kindergarten today!  If you are a parent, you know this is a huge day for the Mamas and Papas out there!  Sending your kid out there to be taught by someone other than yourself.  Letting them meet kids and potentially get hurt!  Seeing them spread their wings ever so wide, ready to fly!

Elijah was so cute in his uniform, getting his new shoes on, and wearing his backpack.  Since he grew up at the school with his Papa as the teacher, he has been ready since birth to finally be a student here!  Funny, his music teacher surprised him today.  It was Papa!

Yay!  Elijah's teacher is a photographer.  Therefore, we had a photo moment for the parents!  So glad she likes pictures.  All the kids in Elijah's class are here for their first day--13 of them!  Elijah is standing by the teacher in this picture--I'm glad he likes her!

 I'm amazed, my active independent guy is actually standing nicely in a line here.  This could be the beginning of something totally new for him!  He also sat in a chair for 30 minutes in the opening ceremonies--I was amazed again.  Finally, I snuck past the window of his class and saw him sitting in a desk!  All the days we play and hike and bike and play in the sand, and today I saw him doing things so nicely and calmly with his class.  I can hardly believe my eyes.  Thank you, Lord, for a great first day!

In addition to all the excitement, it was Emily's one month birthday!  What a precious growing girl!

 My friends and I holding our 3 babies!  We had a baby shower together in March, and now we are all here with the live dolls!  All of us also have a son in Kindergarten together, so that is fun!  Thank you, Lord, for friends, and for our babies' friends!

Staff Retreat at Eden

 Our family of six enjoyed our first trip to Eden, a mountain resort near our city.  What a blessing the staff retreat was held here, so our family could enjoy the blessings and fun!  It was our first time here.

The boys had fun fishing for the first time.  Here Elijah and Malachi caught a fish at the same time!  We watched the guy clean them, cook them, and then we ate them. (See Facebook album for more pics).

 They had some fun "Indiana Jones" zip lines near the restaurant, so after every meal Elijah went on them for fun.

 We hiked the mountain trail, which included this hanging bridge and also some other bamboo bridges.

 Elijah enjoyed time with his friends--ready for Kindergarten to start!

 Luke did not enjoy the horse ride---another first for us.  None of them had ever ridden a horse, so we had fun.  Though Luke was terrified at first, he came around the loop with a more calm look on his face.

Pray for us as we begin another school year--our tenth one at this school!  Pray for Nate and his classes, for Elijah going to school for the first time, and for unity and fruitfulness.