Hi Everyone,
Wow! It's hard to imagine that the entire summer has come and gone and I've not posted on my blog even once! My friends in Japan especially must wonder what has happened to me? Gomenasai! (Forgive me!)
After John's big homecoming, I was very sick this summer with salmonella poisoning; my mom broke her shoulder; my dad had surgery on his hand, and I was helping out Jesse and Elina by watching the kids off and on while they got started back to work and got their schedules sorted out. Needless to say it was pretty crazy couple of months!
On Papa's weekends he's worked very 
hard (with help from the boys and the reward and dip in the pool afterward - ahhhh!) on the backyard putting an above-ground pool and more deck in for the family, and we've all enjoyed it very much this summer. It's been busy but wonderful, however, and I'm feeling my energy returning little by little. So, I'm ready to start blogging again and to get ready for phase two of life here in "Pelikan Parish" . . . as I mentally dubbed our little community here in North Carolina here the other day while listening to the news about Louisiana and Texas. Pelikan Parish has a life of its own, believe me, and I find myself just kind of along for the ride at the moment - which is a lot different than I thought it would be, that's for certain. But that's ok and it's all good.
The grand kids are growing like weeds! Elijah was 10 months old on the 1st of September and is a very big boy! He's a whopping 27 pounds! You should see his feet and hands - reminiscent of Great Dane puppies! (ha) Very cute! He's adorable with the temperament to match and we all just adore him.
Misha will be 3 years old on October 17th! How time flies!
She is constant energy and conversation, and seems to be learning continuously. She uses her daddy's ipod with the ease of a 5-year old! Plays games - all sorts! She's is a master at puzzles and is getting braver in the pool with each plunge. So fun!
Karis has turned my favorite age - FOUR! Her birthday was this past July 15th and we all celebrated at our house. I've always loved four-year-olds. She's the little matriarch of the group and wants to mother her cousins and help them - so cute! She pushes Misha on the swing now and helps us feed Elijah. She'll be swimming all by herself in no time too.
More pictures and catching up tomorrow . . . for now I must pull myself away from the computer and do some "actual" work on my house.
Until then . . .
(((hugs))) and blessings
hard (with help from the boys and the reward and dip in the pool afterward - ahhhh!) on the backyard putting an above-ground pool and more deck in for the family, and we've all enjoyed it very much this summer. It's been busy but wonderful, however, and I'm feeling my energy returning little by little.
