Ryan's Award

Ryan got a Brent Pride Award last week at chapel for his classroom job.  He wrote a newsletter for his class about Spirit Week and all his classmates crazy costumes!

Reading his newsletter-complete with jokes at the end

 Showing off his award!  We are amazed at how he has grown up during our 3 years here-he is not as quiet and reserved as he used to be and is often doing something funny, yet still has such a sweet, kind, tender heart for others!  We love you Ryan!

Moving Back!

2nd post of the day-Well, we have known to be expecting it for months-our 3 years here was up in July-and people have been looking for the right next assignment for Greg since before we went home for our summer home leave.

On the night of Aug. 19th we got a phone call to see if Greg was interested in a new project and he was in Greenville for a week and a half in early September for work meetings related to the new project and house shopping for us!  He found a great house and we are excited about the kids new schools.  We think that we are leaving Manila on October 16.  We are sad to leave behind all the sweet friends we have made here-it has been an amazing experience in so many ways.  However we are all excited about being home and getting to see more of our extended family and friends there!


Last Sunday, September 14th the kids came up with the idea all by themselves to make a countdown paper tear off chain for the days until we move.  I got out the paper and here is their finished product!  One of them gets to tear off a link every morning and today we are already down to 25 days-that is a little scary to think of all that has to be accomplished in those 25 days but we survived all the craziness of moving surveyors and packers last time and we will again!

Greg had a very productive Friday night on the phone setting up utilities for the new house and continuing to make progress on all the paperwork for our loan and closing.

 Below is Ashley's 2nd sign that says "yay!  Snow finaly now we won't always have to be warm"  I should start praying now for snow in Greenville this winter because the children will be very sad if they don't have any to play in!

Scott and Greg's dive trip

 Out on the boat

 I wish my Daddy could hear the excitement in Scott's voice describing all the cool things he saw and found as they dove on this trip!

 A cool eel!

 Lunch on the boat

 Scott beside a big barrel sponge

 So fun that they got to do this together!  Especially knowing that we are MOVING HOME SOON!

Spirit Week at School!

 This was for matching Monday-all 3 were matching with someone in their class.

 Tourist Tuesday-Scott was wearing a shirt from Singapore, Ashley-one Greg brought her from Australia, and Ryan one we got in Alaska this summer

 This was Wacky Wednesday-Ryan is definitely ready!

 They all wore mis-matched shoes!

 and crazy clothes combinations-by far, the favorite day at our house!

 Wacky faces to go with the wacky clothes!

 Throwback Thursday.  Scott is a ninja, Ashley wore a McDonalds t-shirt that was mine from childhood-remember the "two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese" etc, commercial?  Ryan is wearing a t-shirt from China because they are an old country.  This one was hard for us!

 a gold family-ready to leave for the house rally on Friday morning!

 At the big school they paint faces and hair

 Here are Ashley and some of her gold house friends!

 They took house yearbook pictures first then the younger kids (thru 2nd grade) go to a smaller gym for a house rally just for them.

 Scott is on the far left of these pictures and Ryan is more in the middle with a gold streamer tied around his forehead!

 Love the Emerald glasses that Scott's teacher from 5th grade is wearing!

 The younger kids had a dance they did and played games

 It gets REALLY loud in the big gym with 3rd-12th grade cheering for their house

 Here is the Brent Lion getting showered with confetti!

 The big kids play games too!

 Below in the Azure shirt is a classmate and friend of Ashley's in the bean bag relay

 It was fun!

They always sing the Brent school song too!  It was a fun day celebrating school spirit!