It's swim time!

The kids have been swimming since April, so you can see we are all already pretty brown. We are SO thankful for a pool in this AZ heat!
















I just LOVE this picture of my 2 boys!

And look how strong and big Josiah has gotten in the last 1 1/2 years! I mean he came home in a size 6-9 mo pjs!

Here is my flirty boy!
He is not so big. The boy we once called Pudgy, is still only 26 lbs, skinny and short. Little Jameson weighs a few more pounds than him now!

Julia is actually doing a pencil dive/jump, but it looks like she is standing on that floaty thing :)

Look what we saw Saturday morning in our yard!

I looked out the window at 6:30 AM and saw this buck. This is crazy odd in Phoenix, Arizona. We followed him around the neighborhood (yes, some in their pjs and undies). We found out from neighbors that a pair has been around for a couple of months. They escape over and over from a ranch nearby.

Splish Splash - I was gonna take a bath

Saturday morning I ran the bath water so I could take a bath. I left to upload pictures and when I returned to check on the water, my tub had been hijacked by 2 little chocolate, sneaky boys. Can't you just see how tickled they are that they snuck in the tub??!!

Easter 2010

The kids caught this bunny in our yard in the morning before church. They named it Easter.

Fun stuff in April

Josiah is crazy about his chickens. He just catches them and picks them up like a pro. Well, now they are a lot bigger and faster, but he is going to make a great chicken farmer - following after his idol - his big brother.

My 3 little piggies playing in the mud

Catching up - March/April

March we celebrated 4 birthdays at my sister's house and we sang "Happy Birthday" over and over :) - but it was much more fun and easier to celebrate 4 at once.

So Jeremiah turned 2 and got a Curious George cake - because he is literally a monkey and can climb anything. He is a tiny but strong little man with no fear.

Then my niece Rebecca turned 5 and had a chihuahua (glittery dog bone cake), because she is obsessed with Chihuahuas, especially our Mia.

Then Julia turned 8 and she and Janae made this amazing berry trifle desert.

Janae turned 11.

Josiah had severe hearing loss and got tubes put in his ears. Since then, he has really progressed on attempting more sounds and words.

Also, Josiah started preschool for speech when he turned 3, so here he is on his first day! He is doing really well and always has a great report from his teacher. She adores him, but his speech is still struggling quite a bit.

2 weeks ago, he finally passed a hearing test :)

A few changes to Yvonne's plan

**Updated list**
HDTV converter box
Microwave
Queen mattress
glasses
mop/bucket
trash cans
someone with a truck and others willing to help them move Saturday May, 8


Consumables:
dish soap and all purpose cleaner
Salt
Oil
Sugar
Tomato sauce
onions
Children’s Tylenol
Children’s cold medicine
Children’s fluoride rinse – like ACT


** Thanks so much for all of the donations that have come in! It is amazing how God has provided all their needs in just about a week!



As of today, she is moving in with her friend in Phoenix until she finds an apartment. She has found a studio with 2 months free rent and reduced rent after that, but it is not available until June. For this reason, we have a few weeks to collect stuff and we will store it here until she finds a place. Also, we need to be very careful not to collect too much stuff since she will likely be in a studio apartment.

She is so excited to start work - you can't imagine! Wednesday late at night I was trying to figure out how I was going to be here for H's bus at 8:45 and 11:30, go to a hearing doctor with Josiah at 10:00 am and go to the main office for Yvonne to do her final job paperwork, about 45 minutes away - all with 8 kids -6 of them sick with hacking coughs- 4 with fevers and a couple throwing up - then be back by 2:00 for H's dentist appointment. Our friend Tamara emailed me not even knowing anything about that and offered to help us with anything the next day because she had a few free hours! It was a huge blessing. She stayed with sick kids - and packed up all of Yvonne and Happyness' clothes and things in their room, while we ran out to the office. Thanks Tamara!

New ways to help

Yvonne, the refugee from Congo who has been living with us, has just gotten a night job in Phoenix and so she will move back to Phoenix by her friend so that she has access to public transportation and so that her daughter, Happyness, can sleep at her friend’s house while she works. Yvonne has been desperate for a job all along, but either transportation or childcare has been an obstacle, but this seems like a great solution. She will move in the next few days so we are trying to collect some things quickly. God has done a great work in them over the past 2 ½ months and He used many of you to love and serve them in so many ways! Not only is her daughter a completely new child, but Yvonne laughs sometimes now and has hope. Also, a small group from Second Mile collected $650 to pay part of her $1902 airplane bill that she needs to pay back to the US government – praise God – what a burden lifted off her shoulders! A few have donated things or given her small cleaning jobs and a few have been dedicated to helping them with appointments and taking care of her daughter and embracing them. It has been hard, but the blessing has been great! Thank you.

As of now, this is the list I have of needs/wants for her to move to their own place:


Silverware
Couch or love seat or recliners
Large cooking utensils
Children’s video tapes
HDTV converter box
Microwave
Any size beds
Sheets
glasses
mop/bucket
lamp
trash cans

tub or big bucket or toy box for toys
someone with a truck and others willing to help them move


Consumables:
Boxes for moving
dish soap and all purpose cleaner
Toilet paper and paper towels
Salt
White rice
Oil
Sugar
Tomato sauce
onions
Children’s Tylenol
Children’s cold medicine
Children’s fluoride rinse – like ACT

Things we now have:

Dresser or chest of drawers
Cutting board
plastic cups
broom

fan

clock

Feel free to drop this by my parents’ house (outside of their garage or on their front porch) Or by our house (sorry I don't want to post my address, so you can leave a comment or email me at javijoy@cox.net )

Thanks in advance and please pass this on to your friends and small groups!