The End of Summer

Hello again, friends. Summer has passed in a blink and the first days of Fall are here. I've taken the week off of work with no particular plan in mind... so far it's been a day of yard work and a day of puttering around the house and completing small tasks. One of those was assembling some boxes to send to Grace's birth mom and sisters in the Marshall Islands.

We Skyped with Emi a couple weeks ago and asked if there was anything we could send her. The request - school supplies, some jewelry making supplies and a few dollars ("anything you can spare") for bus money so the girls could get to school. Yup, I think we can handle that! Emi's daughter, Destiny, joined her mom on the call and it was wonderful to see her! So far we've only seen Bertha as Destiny has been in school. The girls sure are getting big - it's been over two years so I guess I shouldn't be surprised but knowing it happens and seeing it are two different things.


As I look back over that paragraph I find there is more to say about a number of things:
First - Destiny is still going to school which is a big, big deal! We were really happy to hear that and would love to do more to help her stay all the way through graduation. And something we didn't realize, Bertha began school this year as well. I thought that wouldn't happen until next year but, again, am glad that Emi's made education a priority for the girls.

Second - money for the bus lead us to the discovery at that Emi and the girls are no longer living with Bubu (Emi's mom). Bubu has moved to a neighborhood in the direction of Laura Beach while Emi and the girls are now living with an uncle in a neighborhood in the opposite direction - near the RRE hotel (but not as far as Rita for those of you familiar with the geography). The girls now have to take a bus in order to get to the school but Emi still sells jewelry she makes so the girls can get to class.

And last - the Skyping in general. The CAA has been so helpful in setting up the calls for us. In many cases, the birth families don't speak much English so intervention by the CAA is not only helpful but necessary if we want to 'talk' to our families. When necessary, a woman named Maje (a birth mom herself) will help translate for us. If anyone in the CAA happens to follow my blog, you get a HUGE thank you from me for your help!

On this side of the world, things are pretty great. We've had a fun summer of MN/RMI gatherings and Kemems. It seems there is something planned every couple weeks. It's been fun to see how the kids have started to develop into their own little people. They run around in packs at every event having a blast with each other. While it's adorable now, the adults are getting a little nervous about what it'll be like in 10 years when they hit the teen years! Here are a few pictures of the events this summer:

The Second Annual MN/RMI Picnic:

Everybody!

Grace

Jaslynn

Josey

Esme & Nevaeh

Kate & Lucia

There have been a few "Firsts" as well:

First ice cream cone solo

First outfit Grace assembled all by herself

First crush... so cute!

First crush's older brother - likes cars and trucks so Grace thinks he pretty cool too

First hair cut - just beginning...

middle...

... and finished product!

First swimming lessons...

JUMP!

Various Kemems:

All the kids - at one of the Kemems...

Jaslynn's Kemem

Nate's Kemem

Micah at Nate's Kemem

A few random get togethers with friends:

A picnic with the Saunders and Bradleys

Hugs for Wyatt

Riding horses at the Children's Museum with the Saunders

Pool party at the Saunders

Hanging around the park...

Bumble Bee Jockey

2013 Minnesota State Fair

Various few fashion statements:

Sporting the necklace Emi made her...

Digging Minnie Mouse

Working the pose...

Definitely a cool hat!

Mom's helper:

Watering mom's attempt at gardening

My very own garden gnome ;)

We just returned from a weekend camping with 7 other families but I don't have all the pictures yet. Had a great time looking at bugs and eating smores. Grace ran around like a crazy person and didn't seem to mind sleeping in the tent so much. A pretty amazing end to the Summer of 2013!