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Sarah comes to visit! My brother
Arlen lives near Charlotte, and we
were privileged to have his 14 year
old daughter, Sarah, come to visit
us for a week. She is a really
lovely girl and we all had a great
time. The kids adored her, and
wouldn't leave her alone. She was
a good sport about it, but by the
end of the week, I think she was
relieved to get back to the peace
and quiet of her own house!
Arlen lives near Charlotte, and we
were privileged to have his 14 year
old daughter, Sarah, come to visit
us for a week. She is a really
lovely girl and we all had a great
time. The kids adored her, and
wouldn't leave her alone. She was
a good sport about it, but by the
end of the week, I think she was
relieved to get back to the peace
and quiet of her own house!
My brother and his family came up on
July 4th to get Sarah. Eden took to
Uncle Arlen right away, and cozied up
to him in the big red chair.
July 4th to get Sarah. Eden took to
Uncle Arlen right away, and cozied up
to him in the big red chair.
Lovely girls.... Sarah with her 12 year old
sister Rachel. Doesn't she have
gorgeous hair?
sister Rachel. Doesn't she have
gorgeous hair?
Sarah spent a lot of time on the trampoline, and by the time
she left had perfected her front flip pretty well. The kids
loved playing with her on the trampoline.
she left had perfected her front flip pretty well. The kids
loved playing with her on the trampoline.
Mama and her little boys.
My lovely Hannah....
Silas and Maggie have
been taking swimming
lessons at the YMCA and
poor Silas is so cold that
he can hardly do
anything for shivering.
His lips literally turned
blue today. I was able to
order him a little "thermal
bathing suit", sort of like
a little wetsuit, online.
Although it wasn't really
in the budget, we
decided it was worth it for
our skinny little guy to
enjoy the pool this
summer. I think he looks
pretty cool!
been taking swimming
lessons at the YMCA and
poor Silas is so cold that
he can hardly do
anything for shivering.
His lips literally turned
blue today. I was able to
order him a little "thermal
bathing suit", sort of like
a little wetsuit, online.
Although it wasn't really
in the budget, we
decided it was worth it for
our skinny little guy to
enjoy the pool this
summer. I think he looks
pretty cool!
July 2009 Update:
Summertime and the living is easy! Well, to an extent anyway. My little ones are thoroughly
enjoying this summer weather, and I never tire of watching them drink in the summer sun, running,
jumping, swimming, and catching fireflies and crickets.
The big thing missing from all our photos is Jordan, who is still in Italy, teaching English. She is in
her fourth week of teaching, and having many experiences, both good and bad. Last Sunday she
was in Venice riding a gondola! She is meeting a lot of interesting people, and making some life
long friends. She is also learning some hard life lessons as she had her bag stolen with her credit
card, debit card, American sim card, brand new camera and memory card, her pay that she had
just received that day, and her passport. Yes, quite a mess to clean up and try to fix everything.
And not too easy to be a shoulder to cry on from thousands of miles away, but I did my best and we
think we have most everything taken care of.
Art is still hoping for work to come in. There are still many possibilities out there, and we are waiting
for people to read proposals and make decisions. It is still a difficult time, but I guess in some ways
we have gotten used to it. Please continue to pray for things to improve. I think I've had about
enough of this. Every meal time when the kids pray, they always say, "And help Daddy to get a big
job." Yesterday when Isaac was praying it was so cute. He prayed, "And help Daddy to get FIVE
jobs! Amen!" We all bust out laughing. Yes, five jobs would be pretty good right now!
Everyone else is doing well. Hannah continues to love her job as a Tae Kwon Do instructor, and
manager in training. Canaan is working a lot of hours at Moe's but besides that doesn't have many
responsibilites this summer and is enjoying that. The little ones are all healthy and well, with no
surgeries or major medical procedures in the near future, so that's refreshing. Maggie got stung by
a yellow jacket today though, bless her heart. These things happen. I felt so sorry for her but she
was so cute. Every time she starts to talk about it she starts crying all over again!
And Jordan, I hope you're reading this. We love you and miss you and pray for you every day.
Isaac asked today when you were coming home.
Summertime and the living is easy! Well, to an extent anyway. My little ones are thoroughly
enjoying this summer weather, and I never tire of watching them drink in the summer sun, running,
jumping, swimming, and catching fireflies and crickets.
The big thing missing from all our photos is Jordan, who is still in Italy, teaching English. She is in
her fourth week of teaching, and having many experiences, both good and bad. Last Sunday she
was in Venice riding a gondola! She is meeting a lot of interesting people, and making some life
long friends. She is also learning some hard life lessons as she had her bag stolen with her credit
card, debit card, American sim card, brand new camera and memory card, her pay that she had
just received that day, and her passport. Yes, quite a mess to clean up and try to fix everything.
And not too easy to be a shoulder to cry on from thousands of miles away, but I did my best and we
think we have most everything taken care of.
Art is still hoping for work to come in. There are still many possibilities out there, and we are waiting
for people to read proposals and make decisions. It is still a difficult time, but I guess in some ways
we have gotten used to it. Please continue to pray for things to improve. I think I've had about
enough of this. Every meal time when the kids pray, they always say, "And help Daddy to get a big
job." Yesterday when Isaac was praying it was so cute. He prayed, "And help Daddy to get FIVE
jobs! Amen!" We all bust out laughing. Yes, five jobs would be pretty good right now!
Everyone else is doing well. Hannah continues to love her job as a Tae Kwon Do instructor, and
manager in training. Canaan is working a lot of hours at Moe's but besides that doesn't have many
responsibilites this summer and is enjoying that. The little ones are all healthy and well, with no
surgeries or major medical procedures in the near future, so that's refreshing. Maggie got stung by
a yellow jacket today though, bless her heart. These things happen. I felt so sorry for her but she
was so cute. Every time she starts to talk about it she starts crying all over again!
And Jordan, I hope you're reading this. We love you and miss you and pray for you every day.
Isaac asked today when you were coming home.
| Artists at work! |
Maggie worked very hard on the picture below and I love it! It is a picture of BREAKDANCERS!
Is this cute or what? She has the names of the breakdancers beside them. And on Victor
Kim's pants she wanted a texture so she colored it on the trampoline. You gotta love it.
Is this cute or what? She has the names of the breakdancers beside them. And on Victor
Kim's pants she wanted a texture so she colored it on the trampoline. You gotta love it.
Here is a picture Maggie drew of Biscuit and Pickles for my grandfather.
And here are two of Isaac's recent pictures which I think
are so cute. When he came home just over a year ago, he
really couldn't draw anything at all, but he was always
pretty interested in drawing, and would be the first one to
sit down at the table with Maggie to draw. One of his
favorite things to draw is robots, like the one below.
are so cute. When he came home just over a year ago, he
really couldn't draw anything at all, but he was always
pretty interested in drawing, and would be the first one to
sit down at the table with Maggie to draw. One of his
favorite things to draw is robots, like the one below.
More of Hannah's recent work:
| This one is unfinished but I thought it was lovely so far. |
How about those sunflowers?! Earlier this spring,
Maggie and Silas came home from Sunday School with
two little styrofoam cups with seeds planted in them.
And here is what grew from those seeds! Beautiful!
Maggie and Silas came home from Sunday School with
two little styrofoam cups with seeds planted in them.
And here is what grew from those seeds! Beautiful!
Working in the garden
with our little helpers.
with our little helpers.
Fruits of our labor... These tomatoes taste fantastic!
Yes, Jordan, we are taking good
care of Peapod. Look how
beautiful she looks!
care of Peapod. Look how
beautiful she looks!
We let her have her own cucumber....
We washed her and fluff dried her, and
we didn't forget the softener....
we didn't forget the softener....
Here is what Peapod does when she wants attention. She comes and
sits on what you are doing, and pretends to not care.
sits on what you are doing, and pretends to not care.
Isaac realized that she just wanted to
color too, so he gave her a crayon and
let her join in. She's a very smart kitty.
color too, so he gave her a crayon and
let her join in. She's a very smart kitty.
And even after a long day, she is not too tired to guard
the medicine closet so that Eden doesn't get up at night
and take out all the bandaids again.
the medicine closet so that Eden doesn't get up at night
and take out all the bandaids again.
Swimming lessons! All the little ones have been taking swimming lessons at the Y. Maggie and Silas
went for two weeks, and now Eden and Isaac are in the midst of their two weeks. They get so excited
to go that they wear their goggles from the minute we leave the house.
went for two weeks, and now Eden and Isaac are in the midst of their two weeks. They get so excited
to go that they wear their goggles from the minute we leave the house.
I can explain. No really, it's a cute
story. Ummm.... Well Eden came in
with her shirt on inside out and Hannah
said, "Eden, your shirt is on wrong. Fix
it." So a couple minutes later Eden
came back to Hannah with her shorts
on her head, her shirt on her legs, and
socks on her hands, and laughing at
her own joke. Then she started to
dance around, and before long she
ditched the shorts for a pillow, and
well, it just goes on from there. This is
Eden,,, every day.... I am so blessed!
story. Ummm.... Well Eden came in
with her shirt on inside out and Hannah
said, "Eden, your shirt is on wrong. Fix
it." So a couple minutes later Eden
came back to Hannah with her shorts
on her head, her shirt on her legs, and
socks on her hands, and laughing at
her own joke. Then she started to
dance around, and before long she
ditched the shorts for a pillow, and
well, it just goes on from there. This is
Eden,,, every day.... I am so blessed!
Caramel dansen! One of the many types of music Hannah and Canaan
like is techno, and they somehow became acquainted with this Swedish
techno song called Carameldansen. It is a real earworm and if you want
to listen to it click here, but you may not be able to get it out of your
head. The little ones like to dance to it, and if you try to keep up with the
girls, you'll find it's a real ab workout!
like is techno, and they somehow became acquainted with this Swedish
techno song called Carameldansen. It is a real earworm and if you want
to listen to it click here, but you may not be able to get it out of your
head. The little ones like to dance to it, and if you try to keep up with the
girls, you'll find it's a real ab workout!
Everyone gets in on it, and apparently you can do it while eating a
bowl of cereal (Hannah).
bowl of cereal (Hannah).
My boys...
07-17-09 Update: Not much new happening around the Baker house, just enjoying the summertime. The little
ones are taking swimming lessons. The garden is doing well. The July 2009 page has some new pictures of
the artwork being created around here lately, and a few other goings-on. Oh yes, Art and I celebrated our 23rd
anniversary! Look what a difference 23 years makes! Art's hands look pretty much the same, but mine? Oh
my. You can see the miles on those hands. I told Art that's because he had already been doing a lot of hard
work, and I hadn't yet. I really did not know, on that day 23 years ago, what a very compatible match my God
had picked out for me. We have been through better and worse, and I cannot imagine what my life would have
been without this awesome, godly man by my side. Many people live their whole lives and never meet that one,
and I have already had 23 wonderful years with him. I am deeply blessed, and still so in love....
Jordan, we still miss you so much, every single day. Can't wait until you come home. I'm going to squeeze the
stuffin out of you!
ones are taking swimming lessons. The garden is doing well. The July 2009 page has some new pictures of
the artwork being created around here lately, and a few other goings-on. Oh yes, Art and I celebrated our 23rd
anniversary! Look what a difference 23 years makes! Art's hands look pretty much the same, but mine? Oh
my. You can see the miles on those hands. I told Art that's because he had already been doing a lot of hard
work, and I hadn't yet. I really did not know, on that day 23 years ago, what a very compatible match my God
had picked out for me. We have been through better and worse, and I cannot imagine what my life would have
been without this awesome, godly man by my side. Many people live their whole lives and never meet that one,
and I have already had 23 wonderful years with him. I am deeply blessed, and still so in love....
Jordan, we still miss you so much, every single day. Can't wait until you come home. I'm going to squeeze the
stuffin out of you!
