Just a quick update from Denver, since it is Fast (or "slow" Sunday, per Caroline), and it has been forever since I've written, including Travis even including a quasi-post since last time I wrote. Here is an update on our lives.
Kids just finished up school this last week.
Sam graduated from elementary school! We now have a son who is in Middle School (or will be in August)!
Sam was excited for spelling bee but it was a little anticlimactic, he got out in the second or third round on "vessel". He knew all the tougher words, but he spelled this one right at some point while practicing with his mother and he never practiced it again. Reminds me of my experience with "countervail". Sam spelled it "vessle".
Sam has been a phenomenal student, of course, and just wrapped up his spring soccer season and is busy with scouts and piano lessons.
Neil was supposed to have his last day of school on Friday. However, on Thursday night he slipped getting out of the shower. Here is what happened!
It was traumatic for a moment. His big tooth got knocked loose, and he was bleeding all over. Then his mom put her arms around him and he calmed down. He fell asleep and we took him to the dentist the next morning, who pushed the tooth back into its socket and put in a "splint" - brace it to other teeth. He will have it for four weeks. But he is feeling better already.
So he missed the last day of school, including the closing day party. He has excelled in school this year and really loves it, the Spanish element of it is so exciting and interesting to him, it keeps him engaged and he really is learning quite a bit of Spanish.
We had to do a science project together - we decided to build columns out of a single piece of paper and see what column design was the strongest - square, triangle, round, or just a zigzag. The round column was strongest - we poured water into a tupperware and measured the water at the point of failure. As you can see, Neil was into it, and Josie was right behind!
Josie is my bike riding champion. She wants to go every day. She is good at it now - starting, stopping, turning, pedaling, everything all on her own. She is confident and courageous. Also she likes to ask me to go - so that earns her lots of points. I put Jensen in a carrier on my back and ride my bike and Josie follows along side. This morning a woman stopped us and said, "this is a Norman Rockwell moment". Some people look at us like we are crazy but others just smile and are nice. I like them the most!
So today I am sitting outside of our home on our last Sunday here, enjoying the last Sunday on our south facing veranda. We move in 12 days! The Thursday/Friday after we get back from Mexico! Anyways, it is about 78 degrees and beautiful. Josie is sitting next to me and that I am aware, has written her first story. It reads as follows:
---A man saw. She said 'I am a cat". Main said, "I am not a cat" She said he said. I am a cat am not a cat." ---
It fills an entire page. It is pretty darn cute. she needed help knowing how to write an "H", and how so spell "she". But she spelled (or misspelled) everything else on her own, including "siad" and "sol" (saw).
Jensen is growing up big. The other night Kathryn went into his room and he was sleeping in the corner of his crib. He is sleeping better at night now - generally just waking once for a quick 15 minute nursing before going back to sleep. Sometimes he sleeps to 6, but sometimes until 7:30 or 8am. Those are the best days! His hair is a strawberry blonde and he smiles constantly. He has captured our hearts!
So yeah, we are moving two days after returning from Mexico. Kathryn has led the way on packing and we are in decent shape. We look forward to getting settled in to the new world. The kids couldn't be more excited, about school being out, Mexico, and the new house. I asked Sam if he had to choose between giving back one on those three things, which one would it be. He said school being out! He'd rather see his cousins in Mexico for a week than get the summer off. Josie ran around telling EVERYONE at church today that we are going to Cancun this week. It was highly embarrassing. When I say everyone, I mean every random person visitor everyone. So yeah, it hasn't been very humble or low key. We tried.
Here is a quick picture at the Denver Botantical gardens. There is a great garden sculpture exhibition right now with all these horses made of bronze... the originals were all made of wood, but have been cast in bronze and painted. They are amazing. Look at the whole family here!
Much love! See you soon.
Phil
