Stand Still

So we are at a bit of a stand still with our adoption.  Ukraine has changed some things in regards to homestudies and we are waiting for the kinks to get ironed out and then our paperwork (dossier) will be sent over.  Because we have more time now, we have changed our fundraising supper to OCTOBER 17th.
That give us a bit more time to get everything together.
It looks like our travel date will be pushed back to early 2014 which suits us well.  Personally I would be fine with spring but I know Travis would like to go before seeding season comes!
As many of you know Travis has changed jobs.  He was selling Case IH farm equipment and he has now taken a position with Green Valley Equipment managing the Altona dealership.  A switch from red to green has caused an upheaval among the crew.  Our kids have had a bit of a hard time swallowing the color change.  They are slowly coming around but they did have their red worlds shaken!
The start of our school year is off to a how should I say it?  Regular start.  I called my Mom on the phone after our first day back at school and told her is was a complete flop!  She said that she recalls me calling her every year on the first day and relaying the same story.  So I guess it is a regular start.  By now, 2 weeks in there is less protesting about English lessons so we are sailing in only mildly wavy seas.  Travis is faithful to remind me of why we are doing what we are doing and once again I can set my sights on eternal goals.  I get so short sighted so quickly when things don't go according to my plan.  I know that pretty soon everyone will have the routine down pat but for now their teacher is gently guiding their attitudes towards grammar and penmanship towards smoother waters which I will appreciate!
One picture from before our first day took a dive and the boys decided that shooting guns and bows was far more interesting!  I am all for making learning fun but there are somethings that you just have to learn and they are not always fun!

We are missing these kiddos that have returned to Mexico.  What a good summer it was!

 Here is our yard summer project.  I grew up swimming in our yard pond and had so much fun so we had the opportunity to have a hole dug and our house and we jumped at it!  Thanks Dad T!!  This was the start of the day.

 He dug it 8 feet deep.

 A big hole to play it!  We started to fill it with our well water and a few days later we were swimming.  With all the heat that we had in August the swimming hole was put to good use!  Now we are ready to do the landscaping around it.