The beautiful frame was handmade by a Macedonian man (Zlatko) who has done the framing of our artwork and photos for years.
Arville & Shelia
The beautiful frame was handmade by a Macedonian man (Zlatko) who has done the framing of our artwork and photos for years.
Arville & Shelia
We want to take this opportunity to thank you for providing this educational experience, the nutritious food, and the nice clothing (you can see your contributions that the children are wearing in the photos) for children who would otherwise not be able or equipped to start first grade next school year.





------------------------
So see, Arville, I guess you are an example to your children in some of the same ways that your dad was an example for you. It seems to me that this character thread continues from one generation to the next in your family. I am so grateful that you made me part of that family - almost 40 years ago!!
I love you and wish you a very Happy Father's Day,







































Here are some pictures from the day's event. I also took the children's pictures for the Yearbook that we give out at the end of every school year -- it just happened to be Habibe's birthday the same day.
I brought cake for her birthday (enough for all 40 children). Habibe was SO surprised and the children want her to have a birthday every week - because they loved the cake.
Advije (Habibe's sister) brought the cake outside for Habibe to blow out the candles. The children all know "Happy Birthday" in English - and now they know what the words mean -- CAKE!!!





























































What a wonderful day New Year's Eve was at the "Future of the Family" kindergarten.
We had 2 special, added events at this year's celebration:
We read stories from some of the BOOKS that were sent to us by the
Fifth Street Elementary School (Heather Goodhue) in Jasper, Indiana
AND
The biggest part of the children's gifts this year was
HATS AND MITTENS
sent to us by a very special Knitting Group in Jasper:
"Tuesday Knitters".
Members of this group are - Ellen Vonderheide (godparents to our grandchildren), Mary Ann Schroeder (Ellen's mother), Sally Klem,Doris Oeding, Charlotte Schneider, Carol Becher, and Sandra Aronoff.
Thank you so much ladies for these beautiful gifts!
Here are photos of the "storytime" and the caps and mittens:

























Tomorrow is Amy's birthday. It was a cold and snowy New Year's Eve in Columbia, Missouri, the day Amy was born. That was 33 years ago --- SO very hard to believe. She was a survivor from the first moment. She was premature and barely 5 pounds, had to stay in an incubator for 4 days, and was jaundiced, but after those 4 days, she began to flourish.
There is a bit of me in Amy -- because once she makes up her mind to do something -- there is hardly any stopping her. HA! And she does everything in "high gear". But she also has her father's personality because she is very patient, slow to anger and very compassionate for other people -- always trying to find a way to make life better for others. Maybe she just got the best of both of us--and not the other stuff. HA!
We wish you a very Happy Birthday (on this New Year's Eve), Amy!!
We love you and are so very proud to call you our daughter,
Mom & Dad








Summertime Photos
Nathan
Sophie
Elijah loves sports - and played football on his school team this year!!


Anna recently bravely lost a tooth BUT Nathan found LOTS (even his back molars have come in already)!!

Amy and I found another mutual creative activity that we can enjoy together: photography!! We might even make it a family business someday.



























