June 2009

June has been yet another busy month on the farm. Wheat harvest and bean planting are now finished, so we are waiting for the crops to grow. Josiah and Micah are posing with Kris in their safety goggles they use when playing with their tools.
We also found out some special news this month! Baby #3 is a boy! He will arrive in late October as planned, and is healthy and growing well. Tonya has daily back pain which sometimes makes it difficult to do house and yard work, but otherwise is having a healthy pregnancy.

We have made a new discovery in our backyard in the bird house: a nest of baby blue birds! Josiah checks on them every day by standing on a riding toy and peeking inside. Micah has to be picked up to look, but loves watching them.

Even in temperatures of 100 degrees, our boys love going to play outside. On hot humid days, Tonya can't take the heat, so watches from the sunroom and offers juice on a regular basis! Josiah is playing in the dirt here, one of his favorite outdoor activities. At least it isn't mud anymore! The ground is now dry!

Micah is Josiah's shadow when outdoors. He loves to dig just as much too!

Kris' Grandparents celebrated their 59thth anniversary this month. The entire extended family ate at the family's favorite local restaurant and had cake at their house. These are all of their great-grandchildren.

Here is Tonya with Josiah, Micah, and Kinzie eating cake and ice cream.

Josiah and Micah are always partners in crime. One finds out where the snacks are stashed and secretly shares with the other one. This time they found Tonya's box of cookies while she was on the phone and had eaten quite a few before being caught!

New flowers are growing all the time in our yard. Here by a drainage ditch (where the compound's homes' washers drain out) Tonya has planted many wildflowers to add to some that were already there, and put out our windmill.

Tonya's first rose bushes (in the U.S.) are so much fun to watch bloom, and smell incredible!

In June we also had VBS at our church. Josiah sang with the 3 and 4 year old class on Family night. We didn't know he was going to be doing this in front of hundreds of people, and he wasn't prepared for his first preformance of his life! He cried after seeing Tonya taking this picture and tried to sneak off the stage, but was dragged back by a 4 yr. old!

Tonya was the missions teacher for the elementary classes this year. She loved sharing about different countries, and dressed in an outfit from a different country each day, making the kids guess where it was from. It was such a joy to share her love of missions with so many children who soaked up every lesson!

Behind the kids are some items from different countries Tonya had on display in her room. The kids loved asking what they were and where they were from. They girls are holding prayer cards of missionaries they chose to pray for on the last day of VBS. Many said they would write them so they could get to know their country and how to pray for them better.

Micah is getting ready to turn 2 next month. He is showing more and more personality this spring, but amazes people at his easy going, quiet character when around others.

Our family on Father's Day at church. Tonya got to make Kris a steak lunch before he rushed off to work in the field again for the rest of the day.













Our silly boys, before going to church one Sunday morning.

Josiah decided one morning that he was going to brush Micah's teeth instead of Tonya. He took off the high chair tray, got Micah's toothpaste and tooth brush, and proceded to try to put it in Micah's mouth. Micah yelled "Don't" and shook his head, not letting Josiah do it. I guess there are some things that a big brother isn't supposed to do for you!