A Special Visitor!

My mom (Grandma Janice to the kiddos here!) was able to come down for a visit in May and meet her newest grandson... thanks for coming, Mom!

 Mom and Joel with the six kiddos... what a bunch!

 We had a wonderful afternoon at Cafe Sed with Mom and the kids... the weather was beautiful, the kids were having lots of fun, and we all got to drink smoothies! :)

 Mom has been these four kids' Grandma since I first started taking care of them in 2007 -- my how they've changed!  And they're changing our family right along with it... thank You, Lord!

 Eric -- finally filling out in these photos... :)

[Wait till you see the ones from now... he's a chunk!]

 Awwwwwww... what are dads for?!?

 This all started with Grandpa Jim who would play peek-a-boo; now it has morphed into something Ithan does constantly (and now he can do a somersault!).  His siblings find it entertaining to do it right along with him!

 As you can see... :)

And this morphed into leap-frog all around the backyard in Cafe Sed!

 I love our boys' smiles in this picture!

 The four oldest!

 Good job, Mom -- teaching another generation the joys [and sometimes tedium] of playing Sorry!

 Grandma and Candita... reading, of course!

 This was the gopher that Marcos caught with a bucket... 

yes.  

CAUGHT.  

with a bucket.

that boy has talent.  :)

Mr. Gopher had to go away, though, because (turns out) he likes Daddy's asparagus and tree roots a little too much.

 I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart!!!

[now you're all singing it, aren't you?!?]

 Grandma letting Ithan play with his favorite toy -- WATER!

 Grandma and Baby Eric... :)

 Ann invited Mom and I (and, of course, Baby Eric) for coffee one morning... it was lovely to sit and chat in her new kitchen!

What a sweetie... we love you, Eric!

[notice the beautiful quilt from Grandma Barb... the boys love the colors!]

Thanks for your prayers after the last post, everyone... :)

We found out a couple days ago that Candi's birth certificate is back in Magdalena -- corrected, we hope!  DIF is going on a two-week summer break, so we won't hear anything about Marcos' birth certificate until after that.  Prayerfully, though, we will see a start to the taking away of rights in August -- keep praying!  And muchas thank-you's... :)