Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to Annalise and Alayna!

Three weeks ago Annalise celebrated her 12th birthday.  Today Alayna celebrates her 15th.

So here is a little walking and skipping through the last year.

Back:  Alayna, Josiah, Alexie
Front:  Jordan, Annalise, Adriana

Getting ready to send Adriana off to college

The first of many summer catches

Alayna celebrating last year

The Sisterhood of MudLove

A lunch date with Adriana near her college

Enjoying fall and playing in the leaves

Fierce competition

Back to the Philippines

Dinner on the roof

It's more fun in the Philippines - even when your companion is Vietnamese

Ready for Camiguin Island

Annalise working on her sand castle - before the tide came in

Taking a break between villages

Camiguin friends

Annalise being a "victim" during PHILEO Response Team training

We need to lift the backboard all the way up there!

Alayna performing during the YWAM Northern Luzon regional conference

I can praise Him! You can praise Him! Everyone praise Jesus!

Alayna doing what Alayna does so well

14 hours on the bus, 5 hours on the boat

Friends on Camiguin Island

Best friends

New friends

I started to do this as separate posts, but too many things conspired against that plan.  First, I have not been so good about making any posts on this blog recently (although I am trying to improve).  Second, they celebrate their birthdays only 3 weeks apart, further aggravating my blog lethargy.  While the first 2 are shaky reasons indeed, I am happy about the last reason:  our daughters, all 4 of them, are close to each other so it is difficult to separate each of them from each other.

Grace,

Tom

Celebrating Adriana's High School Graduation

Just days after our arrival in the United States, we gathered with family and friends to honor the high school graduation of our oldest daughter, Adriana.  Through the efforts of many loved ones, we were treated to a wonderful time of celebration with plenty of food, conversation, and hugs.  This opportunity to gather together was such an encouragement to Adriana.

The coconut, raspberry, and lemon flavored cakes tasted as good as they looked.

Just 3 more days...

Our summer in the States has gone by so very quickly! Thursday morning we will begin our journey back to the Philippines.

Please pray for us as we:

• pack and prepare for our travel,
• say our good-byes to loved ones,
• travel the about 27 hours to the Philippines and the 13 hours to our apartment in Bontoc,
• and transition back to our life and ministry in the Philippines.

Thank you so much. Your prayers are vital to our family.

Butterfly's First Solo Flight

One of Annalise's goals for our time at home was to learn to ride a bicycle without training wheels. On our second day at Lisa's parents, that goal was accomplished! She has been racing around since.

Great job Butterfly!