Manic May & Most of June 2015

Manic May (& Most of June) is the title I chose for this month as it seems like our lives get busier and busier with each week.  Is it the kids' ages with the endless laundry and tidying, the "end of our tour" here with social events or is it just life?  At any rate, I apologize for the time between now and our last post, but I hope you'll enjoy "catching up" with us.

We left you after our amazing trip to Norway and celebrations for myself (29 - hee, hee or something like that), Rosie (8) and Thomas (1).  To conclude our birthday gifts to Rosie, I took her and Pearl on our first "girls only trip" to Cadbury World in Birmingham on the 25th.  It was a lot of fun and we were able to meet good friends, Vierka & Elena Douch, there as well.  Even though we didn't have much on the calendar other than the odd dinner/evening with local friends the next two weeks seemed busy.  Mid-May brought a special birthday to Kris (40) and good-bye to good church friends, Jean (headed back to Madagascar to be with family and do a summer internship before continuing his Masters in Theology and Anne (off for an American adventure all over the states).

Rosie & friend, Martha, at dinner of her 1st sleepover. (at our house!)

Cadbury World, Birmingham area

Rosie & Pearl with Elena Douch showing off facepainting (or arm painting)

The Douch & Holien girls (minus Kristina who was in Slovakia with Grandma)

On 23 May we were then able to check off another area of the world on our Bucket List and headed to the Scottish Highlands with good friends, the Douch Family.  We rented a great self-accommodating cottage through Tomich Holidays in the Scottish highlands. It was about 14 miles west of Drumnadrochit on Loch Ness and about 30 miles SW of Inverness.  We only had about four days so with six kids between the two families, we "tickled" Ben Nevis (Fort William) about 2 hours south of our cottage, hiked Plodda Falls, searched for Nessie on Loch Ness, explored Urqhart Castle and hiked Dog Falls in the Glen Affric National Park area.  It was a slice of heaven up there and the pictures just really don't give it justice.  Being in nature and being so removed from technology perhaps calmed and exhausted our active family a bit. There were so many pictures, but I've limited it to 20....

Preparing to "hike" Ben Nevis

Which peak is it?  We never did find out.  As Darren said on Facebook, "we tickled Ben Nevis".  Meaning we only got a short way above the car park!  Still nice to say we've "seen" it. 

Rosie showing off the troll slipper we found at a stop on our Plodda Falls hike.

Logan hiked with a massive blister he received the day before on Ben Nevis hike.  Really proud of how tough he was!  This is a view of the falls.

Next fixer upper?  Just kidding.  But isn't it gorgeous!?

Darren in his happy place.

Kris in his!

The kids, left to their own devices, built this amazing den.  Really cool!

On Jacobite cruise of Loch Ness.

Looking for Nessie....

The crew of us at lunch following our cruise. 

Did Ali push that tree over?

Dog Falls

Kris & the boys.  I think this was actually on our Plodda Falls hike, but never mind.

Darren helping Kristina along.

Pearl says "Can you see the mountain?" 

All done hiking!  Phew.

at Corrimony Cairn

Group shot at bottom of Plodda Falls.  It was a gorgeous sunny day!

The last event of the May was Kris participating in the Tough Mudder with a team of 8 others on 31 May.  The Tough Mudder is a 13-mile race with obstacles about every 1 - 1 1/2 miles.  I'll attach a "few" of the pictures and am working on getting (from their team photographer) some of the better action shots of this event.  It was quite the achievement and we had a great time cheering him on!  Rosie then did the Mini Mudder following Kris' race which was a 1-mile race with 33 obstacles. She showed great enthusiasm and athletic skill as well as fantastic team work.   We're really proud of her.

Before the race...

See Ed with his hand up in the middle?  Kris is to his right, hard to see.

I got a great workout too.  That's TJ on my back - we figure we walked/ran about 5 miles trying to catch the team and following them.

Steven, Judah & Logan were giving people high fives as they ran by and LOVING IT.

Friend Alison & son, Gideon watching with us.

Here come Kris & Ed...(Alison's other half)

Just missed the cow bell, but smiling anyway

Looks like a poster shot, doesn't it?

Rosie warming up for the Mini Mudder

Rosie and friend, Sophia coming out the long tunnel

The final obstacle #33: leads to the ....

Mud Mountain!

(L-R) Maddie, Steven, Rosie & Sophia

Rosie, Maddie & Sophia with Kris (wearing Pearl) and Tyler

Oh, I guess maybe I haven't announced to everyone what we DO know (perhaps because there is still so much unknown)!  Orders came out and we were accepted to Fort Gordon in Augusta, Georgia.  So, back to hot & humid weather we go.  We are still waiting on official orders so we don't know a whole lot more other than a verbal "you can go in October" at this point. It gives us an idea of where to start looking for a home to rent and which schools we like/or don't like in the area.  And we do know that God will be with us and it's where He wants us to go so it will all work out. 

Just a few other pictures that warm my heart when I see them. I think these few pictures of the boys speak so much louder than words.  And the girls, well, Jen captured their beauty with these shots! 

On that note, we'll leave you until the next update with more "summer" adventures, Logan's 6th birthday celebrations, 4th of July and more.  May God grant you peace and understanding wherever you need Him.