China Boys at Camp Powhatan Summer 2008

Thank you Blue Ridge Mountains Council for a wonderful adventure and great scouting friendship!
(see article page 11)

hiking

swimming

fingerprinting

shooting

Direct Services Troop 888

Boys' Biennial Canoe Trip on our River

Putting in

Waiting for the exchange

Waiting at the end point

Finis

By the way

By the way, we're having the boys' rooms painted today in anticipation of Tim relinquishing his room to his brother. Yes, Josh, for the first time in his life, will have his own room.

More summer pics posted below...

Overnights

Josh helping build Great Uncle Al's plane

Hanging out at the pool with friends

We're back.

Well, I'm back. Some of you know that our family spent the summer in the states (June 5 - August 15). We got back to Asia just two days before the boys started school. Tim is now in 10th, Josh 9th, and Peter began his first year of middle school. Getting back with friends and classes and catching up on foods they'd missed was a good way for the boys to combat jet lag. Too bad that early morning wide awake, ready for action feeling fades away. Our summer was very full and I'll try to post a few pictures below to give the highlights. Thank you to our family and friends (old and new) who gave us their time, words and notes of encouragement, listening ears, and love during these days.

Hanging out with old friends

First helicopter ride.... Thanks Mr. Hendricks!

Josh & Peter both skied, but Josh got hooked.

A New Year!

"The Boys" right before the New Year with an old friend

Well, a lot has happened in the past few months. The Chinese New Year (this year is the Year of the Rat) finished up with a bang, literally. On the final 15th evening of the holiday, all of the firecrackers and fireworks in the entire city seemed to be exploding on the ground or in the sky above our neighborhood complex. It was fun, but not great for sleeping.

The next day we hosted Peter's belated birthday sleepover and attempted to keep six active boys busy with games (including dining-room table ping-pong), an adventure to go eat fastfood chicken and back, capture the flag, a movie, and a disastrous strawberry cake with melted ice cream hidden inside. They were great and I hope enjoyed the time as much as Peter did.

Pete kissing his 100 kuai present

the day after

The next week on February the 28th it SNOWED! We knew of the precipitation even though accumulation began way past bedtime; because our neighbors decided to throw solid, klunking snowballs at our bedroom windows to announce the good news. Tim went out in shorts, a sweater only, and flip flops; because they were the first things he could find to put on.

We've had some sad news and some wonderful news this spring as well. We said good-bye to our househelper of approximately seven years. She had become so dear to us and very much a part of our life and family. She has decided to try her hand at having her own business and we wish her the best. The wonderful news is that our best Chinese friends just had a beautiful baby girl.

Hai Zhen

Not looking my best, but overjoyed and proud.

We have much to be grateful for!

Upcoming events:
Pete has two scout camping trips this spring (one this weekend).
Josh is still playing ice hockey (check out the pics!).
Tim and Josh are practicing for the school play and will also have their service project trips in this quarter.
We have some other trips planned as well. (One in particular which will bring us back to the states for the summer.)