Basketball / Soccer



On the weekend our lives seem to revolve a lot around soccer and basketball, among other things. Micah's team has finished their season after a crazy last game.  Their team came in second, but they had already won their division and were playing in an older division.  It has been a good season, but I think we are all ready for a break. 

Believe it or not they did not call this a foul - it was a jump ball.

 

Driving the lane



Ethan still has a few games, but then we have tournaments.  Soccer NEVER stops here.

That one got past him, but he looked good trying.





Emergency Room

Thankfully we have not needed the ER in the 2 1/2 years we have lived here.  However, in 2 weeks time we made 2 visits.  First was Andy with a kidney stone and then Micah took and elbow during basketball practice and got his first stitches.

I can't say that either visit was fun, but it was encouraging to know that we were able to take care of it all in Portuguese and everyone survived:)  It was also an amazing reminder of how good and gracious God is.  He has seen us through so much and we are so blessed in return.

Abundant Blessings

(arrival to Portugal - Jan 2009)

When we arrived in Lisbon almost 1 1/2 years ago, I had many concerns.  My biggest concern was for Micah & Ethan.  We had decided that public school was the best option, but it was not an easy decision.  The first day we left them, I cried all the way home - how would they function when they couldn't understand anything going on around them?  However, I had to trust God that He was bigger than all of my worries and that He would be with them every step of the way.  I must admit, those first few months were not easy. Communication with the school and teachers was difficult for all of us.  There were days of tears (for everyone) and days were we had to almost kick them out of the house. 

All that said, I must share some wonderful news.  After completing their first full year in Portuguese public schools, both boys have recieved passing grades for this school year.  It looks good on paper, but the true significance of it is so much more.  Micah and Ethan have both managed to learn a second language AND pass their academic classes as well.  They have also made friends and  adapted to the culture quite well.  Today when we entered the school building the security officer greeted us with, "Congratulations.  Have you seen Micah's grades?  He did so well."   The Father has blessed us immensly and we are so proud of our boys.  Now as we approach a new move, please pray for a smooth transistion to a new school and new friends.

(a few months ago at an anciet ruin - March 2010)

Off the Beaten Path

There are 2 bridges that cross the river in Lisbon and we had only been across one of them, so today after church we decided to venture across the April 25th Bridge in search of a new beach. After crossing the bridge (which is similar to the Golden Gate in San Fransisco), we pulled out the GPS, told it to find the closest beach and off we went. The directions took us on some less traveled roads through small towns and alongside a marsh. It was a welcome break from the city, however we became a bit skeptical of the GPS when we took a turn onto unpaved roads. Much to our suprise, we rounded a corner and a wide expanse of beach greeted us. There was a small inlet with windsurfers and fishermen and this opened to a large area of beach with some of the highest sand dunes we have seen. The water was so blue, but sooo cold. The boys decided the dunes looked like more fun, so we settled in for a while as they raced to the tops, slid back down and searched for shells. The best treat of the day was the little concession stand that was selling FUNNEL CAKES! YUMMY! All in all, it was a great day spent at the beach and a welcome break from city life (if only for a few hours).

ETHAN IS OFFICALLY 8 YEARS OLD

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ETHAN!!!

Ethan picked out a Lighting McQeen cake at the local bakery and and we had a party at school. Here is a video of his class singing to him and some pictures. (you'll have to scroll down to the bottom of the page and mute the music player in order to hear them sing.)

Since Micah got the Wii for his birthday, Ethan got .......

Guitar Hero. I don't know was more excited - Ethan or Micah.

Turning 13

It is hard to believe that we have an official teenager in the house. Wasn't it just yesterday that we were bringing him home? Time flies so quickly. We want so desperatly for them to crawl and walk, then wish they would stay put! We are so excited with their first words and then wonder will they ever be silent! We wonder will they ever be able to feed themselves, then wonder where are they putting it all and will they ever stop eating!

It seems as if we blink and the time is gone. I look at Micah and realize that we now have a young man on our hands and all of the new responsiblity that this stage brings. Will we survive? Will he? What do we do with a teenager?!

We are so grateful to God for this wonderful child He has given us and for the extrodinary gifted and talented young man that he has become. He has such a caring, quiet and tender spirit.

We love you Micah and look forward to seeing all the Lord does in your life as you enter this new stage of life!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Armour of God

This is a video of what Ethan learned in school last week. You will have to turn off the volume on the music player at the bottom of the blog page in order to hear him.

Horses

On the way home from dinner last night we stopped to see some church members who were out in the field with their horses. The boys climbed right over the fence to see the horses, but when they asked Ethan if he wanted to get on one he moved away quickly. I snapped a few quick pictures (because I carry my camera everywhere now). Thank you to the Parkers for letting us pet the horses. We really enjoyed the visit!

Toothless

Tonight has been eventful at our house. Ethan has lost his first tooth! It has been loose for a few days and he wanted me to buy apples for him to eat, thinking it might come out. Tonight I came home from the store with apples and he immediatley got one and took a bite. Then it was really loose. I checked it and it came right out. He was so excited. He asked Andy if we could call someone and tell them, so we've called grandparents. School starts Monday, so I think he's proud he will be able to show it off.

Pig Pickin' Cake

Tonight we are having our annual deacon picnic at church. The men always have a dessert contest. They have to make a dessert all by themselves. This is the second year that the boys have entered. This year they made a Pig Pickin' Cake. I have no idea where the name came from, but it is a really good cake and they had fun making it.

Pig Pickin' Cake
Cake:
1 box yellow cake mix
11oz can mandarin oranges
4 eggs
1/4 c oil

Icing:
16oz crushed pineapple, drained
1 small instant vanilla pudding mix
2 8oz whipped topping

Preheat oven to 350. Grease & flour 3 round cake pans. Mix together the cake mix, oranges in juice, eggs and oil. Divide batter among 3 pans. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Cool layers on a wire rack. While cakes cool, make icing. Mix drained pineapple with the pudding mix and fold into whipped topping. Fill layers and frost cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Momisms

It's been a crazy kind of day at our house and I thought these videos kind-of summed it all up. Many of you may have seen these before, but I think most moms can relate. You will have to scroll down and pause the music on my playlist to listen to the videos. Enjoy!!!

Family Time

Michelle's parents have been visiting for a few days (to pick up furntiure) so we took them to one of our favorite picnic spots in the Smokey Mountians. We had a nice picnic and then the boys played on the rocks and in the river. I think they had a good time, but wow was the water cold. We've loved living so close to the mountains and visit every time we get a chance. We hope to get a few more trips in before we leave.

The Eyes Have It

We are trying to get all of our medical items taken care of before we leave, so yesterday we all went to the eye doctor. Ethan was fine and he has decide the eye doctor is his favorite doctor because they didn't poke him or stick him. My prescription had not changed, but he said "multi focal" lenses were in the near future for Andy and I. That's just a new fancy word for bifocals and it still doesn't sound anybetter. I was hoping to hold off until at least 40! Micah was excited that he gets glasses. He won't have to wear then all the time right now, just when he is in the back of the classroom. They dilated our eyes and gave us plastic sunglasses. The boys thought they were hilarious, so I snapped a picture of Micah in his.