Sorry folks for the long pause between posts.  Someone recently said to me, "Well, you haven't posted in a while so everything must be going well!"  

Ohhhhh ... Eeeek!!!

I do not want to only post and make updates when things AREN'T going well so I will work on that.  Many of you have invested yourselves into our dumplings so we realize that these updates are wanted by some.  So, here's what's been happening around here.  

This little dumpling is doing very well after her recent surgery.  She is NOT at all happy that she cannot participate in gym/recess/sports for another week ... because she feels great and she thinks that means she should be able to do whatever she wants.  

Ahhh ... only one more week ... she'll make it!!

Last week we finished up another year of AWANA!!

Last week, I also went on a field trip with Brynn.  This is her last year at the Elementary School so Parent-Chaperoned Field Trips will pretty much be non-existent, sooooo ... I took the day to chaperone her with a few of the girls from her class.

The girls, of course, enjoyed the time and really got a good visit with the animals.  The zoo was not as busy as it tends to get in the later spring and summer.  It was not very crowded and we could easily see the animals.

My favorite are the peacocks!  

It's always fun to see all the male peacocks in their full glory as they try to impress the females who usually seem less than interested.

At one time, there were five males all squacking and fanning for the attention of three females, all of whom looked as if they didn't even know the males were there.

We've also been semi-busy with Molly and her softball season.  

As we are able, we go to watch some of her games.

The youngers seem to enjoy standing right at the fence ... much to Molly's disapproval.

This guy is quite the character!!

Oh yes, ... he knows he's a superhero!

Thank the LORD that the weather is starting to be warmer and nicer.  We have been getting ready for our garden and are excited to get the plants into the ground.  We plant our seeds ourselves and the kids really enjoy this.

They each take turns spraying the seedlings each day and we all get more and more excited to watch the seedlings grow bigger and bigger!!

I am so thankful that they enjoy helping so much ... I sure hope it lasts!!

This guy even got our potatoes in the ground already ... apparently, they should have been in two weeks ago ... Ooops!!

We've also had a few days suitable for practicing to fly our kites!!

It's impossible to NOT be happy when flying a kite. 

And then ... we just reached the 18-month mark of these little guys being citizens of the USA!!!  Since we got a 'less than desired' photo at the time the certificates arrived (due to Rees' surgical complications), we decided to do a re-take.  

HAPPY CITIZENSHIP ANNIVERSARY BOYS!!

Our most special announcement is that FINALLY ... AFTER 18 MONTHS ... these boys are working on homework independently.  Okay, let me clarify, ... Jonah is mostly consistent at coming home and beginning his homework completely on his own.  Rees is CAPABLE of working on some of his homework independently, however, he does still need to be nudged each day but he has improved and they both have grown SO MUCH with this school year.  

Stay tuned for updates about this guy ... his next surgery is in two weeks.