Our Little Fish!!!

Getting our Greeeeen Belts!

Things on my camera that have not been blogged about...

We have been busy bees as usual, and I thought I'd take some time and unload some pictures from my camera and update the blog a bit.

So, in some semblance of chronological order (sans pic #1 which was yesterday)...here is what we've been up to in the past several months.

Madeline played Upward soccer.

Sometimes Timothy would play a bit too.Sometimes when Madeline played....
....Timothy hid under his jacket and played DS on the sideline.
The kids have been working hard at school. Here are a few pictures from the end of the last school year...

Madeline at her booth on Upper El Museum Day. (Yes, as a matter of fact, the yellow pipe cleaner creation hanging off the table IS in fact a heme....isn't she brilliant?)
Some of the violin students went and played in the local Montessori preschools...
We went to King's Island with Grandma and Poppy....
Madeline and Daddy got wet, while Timothy and I stayed dry...


Alas, my son had another birthday....this makes 8!He loved his stuffed turtle from Mimi and Papa. =)
Madeline went to summer camp....
She got the second most "bunk notes" of anyone in the camp! Thanks to everyone who wrote her! She felt very loved. =)
She was quick to make friends during her time there....
We enjoyed some fireworks with some of our favorite curly haired sisters on the 4th of July.

Speaking of sisters....my baby sis came up to visit me....
OK, maybe some of the visitors were here to take in an ND game weekend too, but we love our visitors whatever their motivation!
Can you believe my little girl is 11?!? She and her friends thought the roof of the shed was the best place to enjoy their pizza....
Then off to Splash Universe to enjoy some fun in the water and to meet up with more friends and family!
We surprised our birthday girl with kittens!
Who love to sleep in brother's room....
The kiddos went to a costume party at the dojang where we take taekwondo. (Yes, I did say we....our whole family is now getting ready to test for our orange belts....I know....aren't we precious?) Here they are with Master Sponseller. Timothy is dressed up as a Jedi, and Madeline is wearing the dress Grandma Elaine made for her. She is a pioneer girl, like Kirsten. P.S. She made the ragdoll she is holding...

And finally....a video finale! Timothy playing "Over the Rainbow":

Spring Recital
The kids had their recital yesterday afternoon. This was Timothy's very first, and Madeline's second. Timothy has been playing piano for a few months now, and Madeline the violin for a year. They both enjoy playing....though we do have to prompt practicing most days. It has paid off though!

They are pictured here with their teacher, and she has done an excellent job with each of them. They are so very different...as you probably know, and can see from the picture...but she has found a way to get the best from both of them, without taking the joy out of it. We are grateful that it has been a positive experience for each of them, and look forward to many more recitals. =)

Easter

Well, here is the picture of my little sweethearts in their Easter best, as promised to my family. We had a sweet day together celebrating what Christ has done for us. I am always overwhelmed when I try to comprehend the magnitude of what He gave up for someone as undeserving as me.

The past couple of years have been tough ones...Mike and I were talking with someone this morning about all of my training, and during the conversation, I made the statement, "It's not about becoming a doctor, it's about being obedient." It really is. When I think about the sacrifice that Christ made on my behalf, and all of the blessings he's bestowed in addition, obedience is such a small offering. So I keep pressing on...only by His grace.

I recorded a bit of the kids' music this afternoon. Because it is late, and I have a very full week coming, I will close with these and call it a night.

Happy and blessed, shannon

Some life that's happened since last I blogged:
I know this has become a barren wasteland of a blog. I have so many pictures and stories, but life is so full right now; there is seldom time to publish our adventures...many of mine seem to be survival quests! Ah, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. On June 1st I start my third year of medical school, which will begin my more purely clinical years of training....yes, years. Still far to go, but we are making it, and growing on the journey.

We do manage to find the time to carve out moments in our hectic schedule, and we've shared time and made memories with many loved ones that will not be forgotten.

Before my spring break, I made it over to Ohio with the kids to spend some time with my grandparents. We had some dinner with my dad's parents. The kids shared their music, Madeline on the violin and Timothy the piano. They played outside in Grandma's playhouse. Then when Grandma and Grandpa dashed off to root on the girls' basket ball team ;), we made our way over to my great grandma's house. The kids did puzzles and made some magnetic creations. Their favorite game by far, however, required only a ping pong ball, a cleared table, and a 98 year old great-great grandma with a strong set of lungs! They put the ball in the middle of the table and then tried to blow it off the other side without letting it fall off their own side. It was too fun! As much fun as this was for everyone, I think Grandma was even more delighted to hear how far the kids have come with their music lessons.

I was also able to shadow my papaw's oncologist while we were there. I would certainly love to be able to go my whole life without being able to write a sentence with the words "my papaw's oncologist" in it. My papaw does have an oncologist though, and in all circumstances, God is good. So I will rejoice in the fact that I have been blessed with a wonderful papaw, and I will report, with gratitude, that I am thrilled with the medical home that the Lord has provided for him. They have a family doctor whom they trust, and he has referred them to a wonderful oncologist. I had the honor of spending some time with her in her practice, and I found her to be an encouragement and an inspiration. In this time when there is so much conflict and frustration in the field of medicine, it is refreshing to see someone practice it so well. To see patients and doctors really connecting and enjoying that relationship in the face of tough circumstances. I needed to see that right now.


So...about spring break. It was exhausting in a completely wonderful way! I made a facebook album of pictures, and you can click the link and see the album, even if you don't have facebook. Here are a few of our pictures:


Here is a link to more: Disney Album


Worn out, but very happy and blessed, shannon

Lunchbox notes:

This is the note I put into Timothy's lunchbox when I packed it:

This is the note I found in Timothy's lunchbox when I unpacked it:

Blessed, shannon

He's #1!
Yesterday in the car Madeline and Timothy were making up their superhero theme songs. It was Madeline's turn, and conversation in the back seat sounded a bit like this:

Madeline (singing): She so fast! She's so smart! She's number one! She....
Timothy: Madeline! Wait!
Madeline: Um, what?
Timothy (very matter-of-factly): She just can't be number one. Jesus is number one!
Madeline: Oh, you're right. Can she be number two?

He is right. Love those kiddos! =)

A little performance for you...

She is improving with each practice and really enjoying it. What a blessing to watch her learn and grow!

More Summer Adventures...
Before we took off for our roadtrip this summer we had a few other adventures. One of which was a trip to Ohio to visit my family....specifically to see this good looking pair. My Uncle Dwight and Aunt Letty are missionaries who have been serving the Lord at Echo Ranch Bible Camp in Alaska. Before Alaska, Dwight was a missionary in Holland though, and it was there that he met my aunt.

They now have two handsome boys, and after a decade at Echo Ranch, they are moving back to Holland to work with American youth on a military base with MYCM, an organization that plants missionaries on military bases to establish a "Club Beyond" ministry for the youth. Such a perfect fit for their family!

We had such a busy weekend! We started by spending some time at my grandparents' house. Madeline and Timothy had so much fun playing with their cousins David and Ruben.

Here are Madeline and Ruben setting the table for a yummy brunch...

Mike and the kids playing with a fussball table outside grandma's clubhouse...

Grandma has the inside all decked out...the kids had a ton of fun...

They even talked grandpa into sawing off an old ladder so they could fit it inside the clubhouse and climb up to the "loft"...

Later that afternoon, we were able to go visit my great-grandma Lenola....that makes her Madeline and Timothy's great-GREAT-grandma. Timothy told her he was turning seven. You can imagine how impressed he was when she informed him that she is 97! The kids had fun doing a puzzle with her...one of the same puzzles I did when I was their age.

If they look proud it's because she went on and on about them the way she always did me and my sisters...."look at them! this is the fastest this puzzle has ever gone together! they don't need our help at all!" and just like it worked on me, Heather and Laura...those kiddos worked all the harder and faster...it was precious. I am so glad my kids have been so blessed to know so many of their grandparents.

The next day after church we had ourselves a cookout at Spring Lake.

In addition to good food, there was swimming and fishing. Here Madeline and David show off the first catch of the day...

It took awhile, but Timothy mustered the courage to go down the slide...

Here he is checking out a turtle one of the boys found for him. Right after I took this picture he leaned over to grandma and said, " Look Grandma Elaine! The turtle is reading the nutrition facts!" (I'm not kidding.)

Madeline had fun paddle boating....we fit a lot of activity into our weekend away!

After we got home, we discovered a very cool new place to play. It's called Bremen Bounce and it is a warehouse full inflatable toys that the kids can play on. They had a great time!

plus I got to catch up with this little peanut's mama!

I even got to hold her sweet little sister =)

We weren't home but a few days before we headed down south to see my family in TN. The kids had fun at a splashpad...

Then later we celebrated Timothy's birthday! Check out that cake. I mean he doesn't ask for much...just a cake that is "half white and half chocolate and has all the United States with the lines between them and a dark blue frame..." (Way to go Mimi!)

Upon arriving home (again) the kids were off to a week of day camp at IUSB. I stopped in to see them one of the days when they were visiting the library....

Madeline read so many books in that one week that she maxed out the library's summer reading award program and got prizes, coupons, and a free book of her choosing =)

I can't say enough how much I love this lady! Miss Jennifer has had both our kiddos in her class at IUSB Child Development Center. She is such an amazing teacher who really makes my kids feel loved. We're so glad God put her in our lives.

Since I was at IUSB...I stopped by and saw Mike. Doesn't he look thrilled to see me??? ;)

That weekend Timothy had his long awaited birthday party/sleepover. We started out at Chuck E. Cheese so the kids could play...

See, the kids?

Timothy was so excited that this buddy could come to his party....especially since he is a friend from his old school. They're a pretty sweet pair...

Again....see how much fun the kids are having...

We finally headed back home for cake and presents.

Timothy was tickled with the thoughtful gifts that his buddies picked out for him...

There was a lot less pressure on me to get the perfect cake, since he'd already had it....but we did get another to share at this party....

One of the gifts that Timothy got was a remote controlled car. Mike and the kids came up with this (extremely safe) game....the kids stood on the trampoline with the car and then Mike steered it around trying to tag them out...last one on the trampoline wins. They could have played it all day.

Here's the whole gang playing inside...

Mike and I decided that our little man had grown enough that it was time for a new bike!

The whole slumber party came out to see the maiden voyage...

Phone calls home to reassure mom....no homesickness here!

Finally asleep!

Here's another treat....we got to spend the afternoon with some good friends after church, and wouldn't you know it? They let me cuddle their sweet little boy. Don't I look happy with a baby?

Mike and Kevin and all the kids...I think they were watching "police chases gone wrong" on youtube or something...

We cut all the snapdragons from our garden and brought them into the house to enjoy before our big road trip. Aren't they beautiful?

Another quick visit before our big trip. I met up with a friend of mine who is starting med school in the fall...here's my oldest holding her youngest.

A visit to the park to run off some steam...

Even more fun when you meet up with friends!

So, as you can see, we've been as busy and blessed as usual. We had so much fun on our road trip too. I look forward to sharing our adventures from all over the U.S.!

-shannon