Saying Goodbye to our dear friends

One thing about Southern California is that it is transitional! People come and go like the weather. It is one thing I will never get used too! I hope I never do, even as hard as it is. Each person has left something with me and in most cases is going to do great things. I have said good bye to a lot of really great friends over the years, actually some of my best friends. They are all for great reasons, marriage, missions, ministry, family, etc. I am very happy for all of them, but it is not easy for me to say good bye. Yesterday, our family had to say good bye to some of our best friends, the Water's family (Chris, Elizabeth, Ethan, and Alethea). We said good bye to a family we have grown very close to over the last 6 or 7 years, from even before our children were born and we lived in Highland Park. We have been through a lot together. When our children were born it brought us even closer. We are Ethan's Godparents and I had the pleasure of being at his birth. They are a part of our One Voice Family also. We have traveled together, gone on adventures together, sipped tea, cried together, watched our kids play and just been there through good and bad times.
This past Sunday we had a commissioning time for them at church and I had the pleasure of leading a prayer time. While I was preparing the following verse came to me and I hope it could be an encouragement to them as they move to Idaho.

Philippians 1:3-11

New International Version (NIV)

Thanksgiving and Prayer

³ I thank my God every time I remember you. ⁴ In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy ⁵ because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, ⁶ being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
⁷ It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. ⁸ God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
⁹ And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, ¹⁰ so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, ¹¹ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

DeeDee and TyTy....at church Sunday they talked to the kids about saying goodbye. Tyler apparently told Anne(his godmother) that Ethan was going to leave and he thought he was going to cry. Ethan said, "TyTy...I love him!" They are buddies and it is going to be hard on them:(

One last visit to Tahoe for Korean BBQ

Our girls are three weeks apart in age

We are so thankful for the time we have had with you Chris and Elizabeth! You have been a blessing to us and to so many! We love you guys and wish you the best in Idaho!

4th of July and Visit from Grandma and Grandpa

It was a fun packed week when Grandma and Grandpa arrived. They met us at a parade in South Pasadena on the 4th of July. We saw drummers and bicycles, which Ty loved. Ty wore Grandma and Grandpa out by taking them to the Santa Monica Pier, the Zoo, out to eat, to Jamba Juice and fireworks that were way past Grandpa and Tyler's bedtime. Thanks for coming Grandma and Grandpa!

4th of July after the parade

Angela getting ready for Cheer-leading:)

Angela loves watermelon!!!

Grandpa teaching Ty about lizards. He even had him kiss one.

Fireworks at the Rose bowl with Grandma and Grandpa

on Ferris wheel at Santa Monica Pier

On a ride with Grandma on Santa Monica Pier

Santa Monica Pier

Grandpa's still got it!

At the zoo with Grandma, Grandpa and Mommy

Petting zoo

Ty riding his scooter.

Father's Day

Just wanted daddy to know he is appreciated!! I love this saying:) I am happy to say that my kids just love their daddy and so do I. Thank you to Aunt Christy for helping us with photo shop:)

Dave and Ty flew to Kansas for his cousin Brandon's wedding. They met Grandma and Grandpa there.Ty was so tired one night he fell asleep at the dinner table.

1st Annual Ice Cream Knight

We hosted our 1st annual "Ice Cream Knight" last weekend. It was a blast! We resisted the temptation to make it a competition between the Knight and Jackson Family Vanilla ice cream recipes this year. We had some great competition though we had the following entries:

Tropical Banana Extravaganza
Burbon Peach with a carmel sauce
Southern Pecan
Mint Chocolate Cookie
Knight Vanilla
Cardamon Orange with homemade cookie bowls and pistachios
Kiwi
Peppermint
Papaya Sorbet

The WINNER was: Burbon Peach!!!!!

Here is Steve being "Knighted" as the winner of the Ice Cream Knight.

We judged the winner by who got the most donations toward Family Promise of San Gabriel Valley. They made $54. We had about 70 people there on and off throughout the evening...neighbors, frisbee players, friends, church community, etc. 

Summer fun

Coy Pond at the City of Hope Hospital with his buddy Jace. We are spending time with them before their baby sister arrives any day now. There were hundreds of Coy fish that came to eat their fish food. They swarmed the food when the boys threw it into the water. It looked as though they hadn't eaten in days. They were swimming on top pf each other. It was a sight to see.

One of Ty's last outings with his buddy Ethan before they move to Boise. This duo doesn't know what is going to hit them in about three weeks:(

One of Angela's first friends, Alethea, that she will say good bye to in a few weeks also. We had a fun first visit to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach last week.

Divers in the tank at the Aquarium

Ty's first visit to the Dentist. He is getting an xray taken.

Pee-Wee Basketball at the YMCA in Monrovia with his buddy Jace.

Starting to learn Defensive position.

All hands in at the end of the practice.

Angela does the trick too. Getting ready to be a cheerleader I guess.

Picnic lunch in the backyard with his buddies Jace and Sander after doing some Very Hungry Caterpillar activities.