My Birthday~ Friday, April 25th

Well, another birthday rolled around and I celebrated all weekend. First I had lunch in the school cafeteria (for the elementary kids) with al ot of little people, including my "birthday buddy" Amelia Kiepke who has the same birthday. Since the cafeteria rule is "no talking" for the first 15 minutes, so they will actually eat...I tried really hard not to chat with Amelia and her friend Anna. It's been fun watching Amelia grow in the four years she and her family have been here. This year she was 5 and I was 59. NEXT year we will both have a SIX in our birthday age !!!!

Then, after playing a song for the 5th grade choir during the elementary music night, I headed over to the Harvest Coffee Shop where Mark was waiting with a surprise birthday cake and a whole lot of people wishing me a happy birthday ! THAT was fun !

The Annual School Carnival was on Saturday and one of the coolest parts was watching Mark get hit with water balloons. He loves it, of course. There weren't too many accurate balloon throwers, but he did get wet.

Sunday afternoon we had a picnic at a local park with six of our Chinese friends. It was a beautiful day and we sat in a grassy area and ate our lunch. Afterward we rode the bumper cars...first time for most of them. Mark said it was his 2nd time he'd ever done it.

So, I had a great birthday celebration..and I don't feel too old yet. Maybe next year I will !

What are little boys made of ?

Yesterday at the village school we noticed this little Kindergartner with his pet snail. I guess little boys all over the world like frogs and snails and puppy dog's tails.

Our theme for this week was about farm animals, so I guess it was his "show and tell".

Did you know that cows in China say something like "Muhhhhhrrrr"... and pigs don't say "oink oink" but rather you have to make that grunting sound, AND I am not sure what the chicken says..but it doesn't sound like they "say" it in English. I do know that animals speak Spanish in Spain. More on that later.

Grandkid's E-mails

I'm entering into a whole new chapter of "Grandmahood"-receiving e-mails from my precious grandkids. Here are two samples. I also get to chat online through SKYPE with Samuel ~ it takes a long time for him to type a few words...but before I know it he will type faster than me. Cycle of life. Circle of love. Needless to say..I'm LOVING being a Grandma. Fewer greater joys.

Dear Grandma,

Thank you for your letter. I liked the pictures ... all three of them.

Dad is typing for me and I can see everything he writes ! :) I am a great reader, you know. I wanted daddy to make a big long line for me like this one.

Well, it's time to go to bed now.

I love you !

Love,

antonio

/\
(I signed my name up there)

Then this one is from Hannah who is four !

YaYa,Hannah typed the

below message for you all by

herself, except for some help

with spelling from me.

You are loved!

Dear yaya

Thank you for coming in September

I love you

Love

hannah

The story behind my blog title

When my youngest son, John, was little he would lean forward from the back seat and kiss me on the cheek when we were on long road trips and say he would keep on "til we get there".....that phrase has stuck with me and reminds me of the journey we are on in life. I am SO glad that God blessed me with kids...and grandkids. Treasures. Rewards. Blessings.

Happy Birthday, Allyson !

Our daughter-in-law Allyson, wife of Tim Reed has an April birthday, too. She is mother to Hannah, Lauren, and Timmy and has one on the way! Thanks for being our loving and special daughter. We love you and appreciate you so much !

Happy Birthday, Craig !

Craig Prescott~ married to Leah, daddy to Scarlet and Sophia, 18 months. Thanks for being our awesome son. We love you !

Happy Birthday, Tim !

Tim was born 31 years ago, April 20th in Madrid, Spain. My 3rd son. Now husband to beautiful Allyson, and Papa to Hannah, Lauren and Timmy. Among many special qualities he is a great soccer player and singer. Felicidades, hijo ! Te queremos mucho !