4th of July

Goodness. Why is it so hard to get the motivation to write sometimes? Since I last wrote, we celebrated the fourth of July with Joel, Hosanna, and Conner in Washington. Last weekend also marked our sixth anniversary of marriage - woo hoo!

It's been a challenge to get the girls down before 9:30 lately, since the girls are sharing a room. If you get Maya down before Jasmine, she inevitably wakes again when she hears Jasmine talking or trying to open the bedroom door for the umpteenth time. It doesn't help that our schedule has been a bit erratic lately. Oh well . . . . I really have nothing to complain about. At least they have their own room!

Farm Country

We went over to Iowa a week or so ago and had the privilege of seeing Ethan's sister, Carmen, graduate from college. This would be praiseworthy all by itself, but when you take into consideration she has a husband and two children to care for, this accomplishment takes on a whole new dimension, transforming Ethan's little sister into a Superwoman -of sorts. We are so proud of her!

While there, we also had a chance to visit with Nick's side of the family, and were given a mini-tour of their farm, complete with cows, chickens, piglets, and even a cat to complete the picture! I was a little shocked to discover that they carry their piglets by the foot, instead of holding them around the middle. But I guess that's the way they are supposed to be carried, and it does not hurt them. It just makes me wonder, what hilarious story is behind that little trick? Anyway, we had a lot of fun and enjoyed getting to catch a glimpse of life in a place where people are living close  to the land . . .

A visit from family

It was so nice to visit with Uncle Tom and Aunt Annette while they were in this last week. We love you both!

Here they are, hanging out with the girls. Jasmine is reading Uncle Tom a story about princesses. : ) And Maya is . . . being her usual happy self.

Maya just cut her first two teeth within this last week - yay!