John's goodbye

On August 25 John returned to the Philippines with the rest of the children and their chaperones.  I came to really liking John and his chaperones.  It feels like a small part of me is gone now.  
The days are quieter without all the fuss of the kids tattling on one another and the constant movement and noise.  The dogs are quieter now too.  Life is going on as we wonder, did John like us.  Did he enjoy his time here?  Did he start feeling the same as I did, or is he just a kid who was having the time of this life?

The airport was a very emotional time for me and others when the children left.  When John went to the restroom, he told Boyd, "Mom is crying".   That was his only statement.  I gave him a big hug and told him I would miss him.  Here are pics from the airport farewell.

This last picture is the last we saw of John.   He was heading to the security gate....

Last picnic of the three weeks

Sunday was the last picnic for the children before they return to the Philippines.  I didn't get many pictures because there were so many people to talk to and socialize with.  The photographer (Kaci) that I hired for free did not feel like taking pictures.  She made a new friend named Eliza.  I believe she lives in St. Louis. 
The kids all played a game or two of soccer and played on the play ground.  The water balloon toss turned into a water balloon throw.  Which is what I expected for children over the age of 4. LOL 

John goes back to the Philippines in just 2 short days.  He will be missed by Boyd and myself.  The kids, they just need a break.  Which they are getting now that school is back in session full time.

Football season has begun and playing around

Friday night was the first scrimmage of the high school football season.  I loaded all the kids up and took them to the field.  Paid our canned goods to get in and settled in for the excitment.   It was clouding up and looked like it could rain.  It sounded like it could rain too!  I brought three umbrellas just in case.  The players were announced one at a time to the crowd that attended and the scrimmage began!  The thunder in the distance was getting closer and then the lightening started in the distance.  Within 10 minutes of the actual scrimmage starting,  it was delayed due to lightening, then later due to weather...   We came home and the kids started fooling around on the tumbling mat with music from a cell phone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2dvuG5hFyk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DTx5nbwRlCg


Saturday morning we went to Kole's first game with his team of 2nd and 3rd graders.  It was a great game.  John likes to watch the game, but not play football. 
Here are some pics from the day!

wrestling times.....testing Kole's patience...

Wrestling fun and caught!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDjGdM5fCYg

How annoying can one boy get...  much more than this! LOL  Just ask Kole

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rEs1WoRVBM


It really is all in good fun.  I think John is getting very comfortable.

St. Louis Zoo trip

We had a very noisy start to our trip. LOL  ala John.  He was doing a great job annoying Kole.  He was singing the words to Baby by Justin Beiber, over and over and over and then saying somthing and then clapping his hands, then singing and then they were poking each other...  hilarious!  O.k. not so funny for Kole.  So we moved Kali by John and Kole by Kaci....  That seemed to work a little better.  We stopped at a rest area and Kali, Kaci, and Kole all sat in the far back and John sat by himself in the middle row.  Peace and quiet at last....  

It was very hot at the zoo, but we really enjoyed our time seeing as much as we could by noon.  The penguin house is an awesome must!  Nice and cold inside.    Our next trip, if there is one....  will be to take the train from point to point and see the stuff instead of walking it all.

Here are some pictures from the trip

watching penguinswith a snakeAll steamed up giraffeswith zebras

Wonderful Chaperone dinner

Tonight we had Imelda  and Jacqueline the chaperones and Sara over for dinner with us and John.  Menu was steak on the grill, sweet corn, baked beans and watermelon...  We chatted before dinner while it was cooking and during the meal...  a lot of laughs and embarrassing moments for the kids and their manners...LOL
Tomorrow is the boat ride and potluck!  More pictures then

Here we all are after a big dinner!  Even the dogs tried to get in on the picture

First big picnic

We had a wonderful time at the picnic today where all the children were able to see each other again..  There were games for the children and food galore!   A couple who had done some training for us was there with their 14 children.  It was really neat to see their family again.   Many other families interested in adoption or hosting were there as well.  We had a wonderful time meeting them and chatting.

Here are a few pictures of the picnic

EatingJohn with friend Joshuagetting drinksat the pondgetting tired

Busy fun

John has been with us for nearly 3 full days now and it has been filled with swimming, bike rides, dog walks, jumping on the trampoline, and swim party.  He has been having the time of his life.  The kids are having fun showing him things and teaching him words.  He has tried to teach them some words also.

Here are some pictures of some things he has been doing the past couple days.

playing in the poolsmiling for the camerapracticing his dog paddleloading the squirterjumping on the trampoline

Arrival!!! August 4!

The airport was packed if Springfield airport can be.. Five families and In His Hands Orphan Outreach reprsentatives and Madison representatives.  I think we clogged the area coming from the gate.  I got a couple bad pictures.  There were so many people waiting there for others and since the earlier flight had been canceled this flight was pretty full.

John is adorable.  He is quiet, which is expected.  He was helping his friends and the chaperones to get their luggage.  All the bags arrived!  YEAH!!!  The morning flight was canceled so John did not get to come until the noon flight that arrived at 1:00 pm.   When we arrived home we showed him the bathroom and bedroom.  introduced the dogs and the kids hit the pool.

I went to register kids for school.  whew!

Here are a few pictures!

getting luggageBoyd and the kidsall of us at the airport

in the pool kind of

Two days left

Only 2 days until Jan-Jan comes!  We will meet him at the airport Wednesday morning!  Then back to work for me on Thursday with days off here and there to enjoy time with our temporary foster son. 
We have a lot to do yet.  We should have most of the logistics taken care of today or tomorrow morning.  Everyone is getting very excited.     It will be a very exciting time Wednesday morning!