Elliott Times: Getting ready to leave Manila

Saying goodbyes was hard and even as I looked back at these pictures 6 months later, I have tears in my eyes that it has been that long since I saw these sweet friends! Ashley was asking me just this morning if I could have 2 superpowers what would I want them to be-can't tell she has big brothers can you? I told her that I would want:

1. to be able to be in more than one place at a time-like being in bed still while also up getting breakfast for the dog at 6 in the morning or home with kids while in Denmark spending the weekend with Greg before his work week begins again or to be in Manila and here too!

2. to be able to wave my hand a clean things up like Mary Poppins does!!! Wouldn't every mom want this superpower? Ryan asked me if I would have a bag like Mary Poppins too.

This is Teacher Maan-Ashley's sweet ballet teacher while we were in Manila

Ms. Sheryl who was the boys' piano teacher-who came to our house!

Last visit to read with Ryan's class

Our Moms in Prayer group had a going away thing for me-Melissa, Marge, Florence, Becky, and Kari-WOW, I really miss these ladies and praying with them on Mondays at our house

Here is chaos-the first time, packing up everything there! For furniture, they basically built a box around it. It was the same company and some of the same men who brought and unpacked our stuff 3 years ago when we moved to Manila!

Ashley-just making herself comfy!

No more table and I think they packed everything on the island that day because we probably ate dinner standing around it that night-I remember when we first moved Ashley was SO little that her chin didn't clear the counter so it was a trick for her to eat there until we bought her a stool to stand on.

Last chapel of Scott's that I went to at school-a dear friend's husband was speaking-he was in a horrible motorcycle accident a few years ago. He is a pastor of a church in Manila, his oldest was one of Scott's first friends in Manila, and their youngest was a classmate and dear friend of Ashley's. He is an amazing speaker and did a terrific job speaking to the Brent Middle Schoolers.

Last chapel visit with Ashley

Getting a Brent Pride award from Ms. Jingco

Boxes are taking over the house

1 empty refrigerator-hotel time is getting close

Boys playing by the pool!

No I don't think anyone went into the pool in their clothes-this time!

So glad that we were still there for Ashley to get to go to Hannah's birthday party!

I think there is a rule somewhere that if you have to hold the food in with your hands, you have put too much in your mouth!

scavenger hunt

a special pinata that Hannah chose and brought back to Manila from their trip to the US the previous summer

Games

Making ice cream in special cups!

Scott, Greg, and Ryan had been at the boys final belt testing for taekwondo and then joined us at the party-I LOVE the picture of Ryan and his favorite Manila friend, Daniel!

My talented friend, Sheila, makes beautiful cakes!!!!!

Sweet, Sweet, dear friends that just live TOO far away!

Ryan and Greg having their usual fight over who gets to eat the most bacon on Saturday morning! I believe this was our last weekend in the house. We got the movers to wait until Monday to pack and load our bed-none of the kids' beds came back with us-so we could stay in the house over the weekend