Celebrating Melia - 6/7 Party

 We love to celebrate Melia. We find little ways to celebrate like drinks on the 1st of each month to celebrate our "got ya" date, and gifts for A's.... We realize celebrations haven't been the norm for her, and they speak to her.  As July 1st approached and her time of being with us for 6 months approached she asked if we could have a party. We agreed - but the month was CRAZY and so we asked about maybe celebrating her 6th and 7th month with a big party on August 1st? She agreed. 

And thus, a theme was formed - Melia's 6 7 party! LOL   We filled a pinata with candy free prizes, we bought goody bags, balloons, bracelets, tattoos, plates etc, tablecloths, a pinata and a photo backdrop with the appropriate number of months we were celebrating - 6 and 7. 

We invited family, past guardians, family friends and Melia's sisters and their foster families to join us. In the end we had a pretty good crowd, though we missed those who couldn't make it.  We did have a blast. We were especially thankful to Erik and Ingrid for picking up Melia's sisters and bringing them out. 

In this picture, Jared, Arielle - their kids, Bre's kids
Nolan, Stacia, Mike & Me
Melia and her sisters

Jared manned the pinata. He did a masterful job keeping it from being split open until everyone had a couple of swings at it! The company sent the cute blindfold and wand - we brought out a baseball bat for the second round. 

Melia

Annie

Trudy

Alena

Bella

Benny

Gideon

Noah removed the blindfold so he could see. 

Josiah

Danny

Akemi

We couldn't have asked for a better day for a party! The outside plan was far better than the inside plan. It was 82 degrees at our home. Melia made a pineapple upside down cake, I made brownie bites, Akemi made jelly filled DOUGHNUTS (maybe Malasadas? Awfully close if not.) and Alena brought a Guava cake. Dessert was well covered. We also had fruit, veggies, meat and cheese, deviled eggs, pigs in a blanket, bagel bites and pizza rolls. 

Melia spent hours figuring out how to put up the volleyball/badminton net (Michael helped with the finishing touches of the project). 

Guess who blew up all those balloons? 

Ellie and Papap

The photo background and props were a hit! 

Erik and Ingrid (far right below) were the girls' first guardians when their father was injured. Ingrid has been friends with their Auntie since high school and attends ACF, our church. They were the ones who contacted us back in November about providing a forever home for a teen girl.  How thankful we are that they did! 

::snort:: Ellie has the general idea! LOL 

Our out of Valley guests had left, the local grandblessings were playing in the yard, I was picking up plates and trash, when we noticed two uninvited guests in the garden! I SWEAR we are known as the Buffet place to be! 

Bre sent this photo of the kids having a glow stick party at home later in the evening. 

It was a great day to be together, and it was fun to remember and celebrate all that has happened in the 7 months since Melia moved into our family. 

Noah's Game and Allie's Adventure

 We discovered a funny little fact recently. 1 a.m. on Thursday morning is really like right after midnight on Wednesday night. We had all been thinking Ash and Allie were leaving late Thursday night. Nolan noticed the error in all of our thinking yesterday. SO....today was filled with packing and weighing bags, doing last minute budgeting and such and then it was time for Ash and Allie to go to game night at Nolan's. 

This was our final opportunity to catch a soccer game with Noah. Yes - we DID have three young boys in soccer this season. We were happy all the last games were on different nights so we could catch them all.  Melia chose to skip game night and head into Eagle River with us for the game. Noah was impressed with his cheering section. 

Bre & Kids, Cory, Arielle & kids, Larissa, Melia, Mike & Me

A word about this team! They are CUTE!!! CRAZY CUTE. Jared is their coach and quickly realized it would be more about safe fun than games. That first week he simply ran up and down the field chased by about 15 3 year olds....great fun. By tonight, they had the general idea of kicking the ball down the field to a goal....and Jared still runs up and down the field with them. 

Organizing the players...

huddle up

Look at that footwork! 

As anyone who has ever worked in a church nursery or preschool knows it's challenging to do so with your little one in the group. Noah learned how to share Dad with the team, and it was priceless to watch. I may be a bit biased, but I found it sweet to watch our son coach his son...a bit bittersweet as I know Josiah would have been on the sidelines cheering every game - possibly even helping coach. LOL  The plan had been for them to raise their children together in the community and sometimes the ache is big...exactly when life is the sweetest. 

Vitaly loves soccer! 

Bachan, Noah and Papa

One of the bright points of the night for Noah was getting a CERTIFICATE!!!!!

His cousins had made him some race cars. I think this one was from Danny? Anyway, Noah was excited to show it off. He told me, "I like racecars Bachan!" 

Some of the grands climbing on the back of the dinosaur skeleton

We headed home after the game to pick up Ash and Allie and head back to Anchorage for their flight. Usually, Allie leaving would mean the end of summer. We aren't quite ready to file away summer, but this is a significant chunk of summer ending. Allie is going back early to get settled into her apartment and handle some details before her senior year begins. She is working on cast and such for "Elevator Pitch," her thesis film.  BTW, she is about 50% of the way to raising the money she needs to pay cast, crew, safety officers and such. If you'd like to follow her progress or hear how to donate to her efforts click the link above or here even! ::snort::   We are so very proud of Allie! We were happy to meet Ash in person. He's a great guy. Anyway - we drove into Anchorage and dropped them off for the next leg of their adventure. 

Thanks to whoever grabbed this photo

It was a somber ride home. I guess summer is coming to an end. August is nearly upon us, Melia will soon begin her junior year and her college class at ABC, Stacia and Allie are both about to start their senior years in college. Wow. Join us in praying that there is time between their graduations for Michael and I to be able to attend Allie's in VA and Stacia's in AK. We think one will be the 14th and one the 15th - and finding those plane connections are proving tricky. Still praying one is moved to the 13th or we find the right connections. 

Note: Ash and Allie were delayed 3 - 5 hours in Seattle but were able to make all connections back to VA. 

OK I have to include this video! Jamin took it last Wednesday (22nd) when he was in town. Noah is driving for the goal...until he sees a butterfly. It's CRAZY CUTE and so typical of coaching 3 yos. 

Most photos without the watermark were provided by Larissa! Thank you. 

July's Family Gathering

 We do not usually have a family gathering out here at the house in July. We are typically dip netting during this time.  Michael's back surgery robbed us of dip netting this year. Some of us just don't have the heart to do the whole trip without Josiah. Others of us are ready to do it next year. We will see what it looks like. 

However, THIS JULY, we had a big gathering. AND...before we gather, someone has to tame a bit of the yard. Melia has been volunteering to do the yard. I don't think she knew how much work it was. LOL Michael was cleared to ride around on the mower. He did that in the general areas, I did the weed eating and edging, Melia did the orchard...and we'll finish the rest "later." I just weed eat until I've used all 4 batteries up and then I call it quits. LOL 

Papa and Noah

A sad word about our young orchard - we lost 4 trees last winter. There wasn't enough snow to insulate them from the cold temps. I don't have the heart to plant more...but we need to do something. 

We don't have any birthdays to celebrate in July and KrUke are in Okinawa so it's hard to celebrate their anniversary here...BUT this is Allie's last family gathering before she goes back to VA AND Jamin and Ash are here as well.  Reason to celebrate. We kept the focus on people rather than food and just had a "bring your own pizza" bash. LOL

It was a GORGEOUS day! We did all the things...kiddy cars, visiting, gaga ball, water fights and water play, trampoline, slides and swings...

Of course Ellie can do it too!  

It wouldn't be a family game without a few bumps and bruises! 

Nolan is going to have a shiner, and Jared's jaw is popping...

Over in this corner - water play and balloon fight! 

Trudy and Noah 

Oh my heart! This little man is a delight. We are going to miss him when he reunites with his family. He moved in with BreZak around the time Melia moved in with us. 

A little break for Pastor Cory. 

Keeper of all things sports like

At some point in the evening, I left to take GG home. When I came back the house was quiet. Ash and Allie have been visiting as much of Alaska as they can. They went to climb the Butte. What a great way to end a busy day! 

This one looks like Hatcher's Pass - I'm not sure! It showed up with the Gathering photos. LOL