Marquez's Baptism

This morning when I was at the computer Marquez asked what I was doing. "Blogging about your baptism," I told him. " They should call it 'bragging', not 'blogging'!" was his reply. That cracked me up because it is so true, and so perceptive of him.

Well, if I am charged with bragging about my kids, then I plead guilty! I just can't help it. I am so proud of them and I think they are beautiful and everything they do is so smart and cute and fascinating and funny. I just can't get over it.

They play a game of Catan the night before to calm some of Marquez's nerves. Will is orange and he won! This was Will's first time wanting to play with them and I was so happy. He actually stuck with it even when it was hard and confusing, which is a big step for him. His attention span usually won't hold out that long. And he got a chance to feel successful which is so crucial. He needs to experience mastery to spark his interest to try more new things.

Makaylee gets busy de-pet-hairing the runners for a dollar. Really, we had that much hair on there? Gross! Good thing pets have some endearing qualities as well!

Its the morning of the baptism and we are so proud of Marquez. He has been wanting to do this for a few years now but things kept coming up at the last minute. He got changed into his baptism clothes and Makaylee squeezed him. She still didn't believe that he was going to get dunked under water in the church service :)

Marquez (on the far left) went first to give his testimony. He was so afraid to give the wrong answer that when the pastor asked him why he wanted to get baptized, he paused and answered, "I don't know." He was so nervous, it was cute. But leading up to this baptism service he told us baptism is about making a public announcement of one's desire to follow Christ with their life. And though not necessary for salvation, it is a symbol of dying to himself (going under the water), and raising up with Christ, washed free from his sins. I am glad he has wanted to make his faith his own, and not just that of his parents. Because someday when he arrives at the Pearly gates, he won't get in based on his own merit or his parents'. It will be because he trusted in Christ to forgive his sins and he followed him with his life. He understands this so well, but gets so shy. Who wouldn't with 500 people watching you?!

My camera ran out of batteries so all I got was this picture of him drying off :(

now to celebrate with friends and family afterwards

Nyah makes me so nervous outside. She loves climbing the stairs but I am so afraid she will lose her balance and fall backwards onto the rock. Maybe she should wear her bike helmet.

There is only one word for her- PRECIOUS.

Nyah decides she will eat fruit that doesn't come from a baby food jar for the first time.

She likes it!

loves the accessories

caught with a mouthful of food

Aunt Sacra explains herself

Orin added a board to the bottom of the rope. Soon there won't be grass under there, either!

vroom vroom

getting dirty

playing "500" with cousins

Marquez got it!

Doing the "spider"- Jenae and I used to swing like this on the playground in elementary school with our friends.

sisters- so glad they have each other

Thank you God for my sister

beauty shop time

Nana with her sons

Orin and his brother both accidentally wore their brown shirts and I kept getting those two mixed up.

Auntie Sacra tries out a trampoline for the first time.

Grandpa and Grandma came over yesterday, too! I gave him his Father's Day present a week early. Its a little small, but its not for him; its for my new sister! My parents are adopting a six year old girl from Ethiopia!!!! We are so excited for them and so happy for the little girl to get to have some great parents! I won't be able to post her picture or name for a few more months because of international adoption law but if I could sum her up in a word it would definately be A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E. And she looks pretty spunky, too! She has that sparkle in her eyes ;)

Love it!

We spent the last 2 weekends at my parents house and it was a lot of fun. Its like an all-inclusive resort with your favorite people in the world! What could be better? Will got another birthday celebration.

Last weekend they treated us to an afternoon at NW Trek. Glad it was a beautiful day!
Nyah's teeny, little button nose hada hard time keeping up her sunglasses.

picking flowers for Grandma

It was so cool to see the family of black-tailed deer crossing the lake to get to their island.

enjoying being out in nature

The girls on the lookout for animals on the tram ride. Makaylee kept shouting out whenever she saw something with the hugest smile. Her enthusiasm is contagious :)

Marquez and Orin looking for buffalo

The kids love being spending time with Grandpa and Grandma and we are so lucky to live close. Makaylee cried for them the first 20 mins. on the way home and I didn't try to talk her out of it. Poor thing- I told her we were staying 3 days but she thought that meant 3 nights, too. It was so sweet.

Nyah is talking so much now, even saying 3 word sentences. It is so fun to watch them play imaginatively together. Today they dressed up and Makaylee announced in all seriousness, "We are pretending I am the big sister and she is the little sister as they went walking with purses and high heels."

Nyah-Noelle keeps getting cuter everyday.

"Want some, Mommy?"
See what I mean? She even makes wet, slobbery, slimy string cheese hard to resist.

She sure knows how to charm the socks off of anyone.

She is our little slice of heaven. What a gift children are.

But when she starts standing on her tray, I have to draw the line somewhere...

Will gives his birthday present from Grandma a try

making the most of what little Vitamin D we have gotten so far in June

Rear facing seats are fun!

playing in Mommy and Daddy's bed

Makaylee's last day of school party at Skateworld. I don't know if she ate more or skated, but she sure had a blast. This was her first time skating on a rink and she found it to be a lot harder than rollerblading on the sidewalk- but that didn't stop her. She is one determined little trooper!

her buddy readers from 6th grade help her around the floor a few times

eating again

polished off the whole bag before hitting the rink again for the Hokey Pokey

fell a lot but sure had fun doing it

and talked Mom into more snacks

never gave up

our friend Lillian has been bringing over her sweet little kitten Delilah and the kids are just enamored with her

Orin got a kick out of Nyah at the Mexican restaurant. She kept dipping the chips in salsa, then sucking it off and repeating. She pretty much ate the entire bowl herself. She likes spicy food!

Will's behavior problems are virtually non-existent now. Through much prayer of friends and family, his little heart has done a complete 180. Praise the Lord! He still works miracles!

Nyah is already to the point where she has to do everything big sister does. Even if she can't do it, she's gotMakaylee's back- literally.





We went to Grandpa and Grandma's for the weekend so hear the Ugandan Orphan's Choir at their church. The kids really enjoyed the tribal dress and drumming. On top of singing, the children played all the instruments themselves! What special, talented children sold out to their creator. He will most surely use their lives for his Glory. He is the father to the fatherless.