Our Taiwanese Family

My son Gerald is probably my most consistent correspondent; he writes pretty much every week.  We often do facetime, so I get to see his handsome face and also the rest of the family.  But it is not like spending time in each other's space.  So it has been such a treat to have Gerald, Frances and kids here for almost a month.  Their days are full of activities, but we still find time to talk and bond.  I'm so grateful that we could have this time together.

Gerald and Frances like to keep the kids busy and they like to try out different activities for future trips.  Next summer they plan to bring English students here for the July month.  This year they brought two additional girls, so we have 4 children here with us.  The girls are sisters, Michelle (16) and Yvonne (12).  Yvonne has become my little kitchen shadow.  She seems to have a passion for helping!  Whenever I am in the kitchen she appears and has come to know what I need to prepare for our meals.  She anticipates me by getting out just the right knife, or pot, baking supply.  I have come to love that girl!  Here is Yvonne, cooking scotch scones.

The kids spent lots of time in the water.  One of their favorite things was floating the Boise River.  Our floating supplies got plenty of use.  That's a good thing.  We also enjoyed cooking, painting, ball games, biking, rafting, playing Mexican Train, and a marathon Star Wars night.

Here's Angelica on one of our water outings.

 Michelle, Angelica and Yvonne pop corn for our TV night.

 Our paintings; we all painted a picture by following a Youtube instructor.  Seth wasn't very happy with the results; can you tell that from his expression?

In the midst of all of this, we had other company.  Nephew Bryan and his wife Jessica and kids spent a night with us.  Also one of our Fremont friends, Sammy Thompson, and kids spent a night.  It has been a wild, but wonderful month.  Sadly, our kids leave on Sunday and it will be some months before we see them again.  

Here is Sammie and here family.  She is second from left.

Michelle and Yvonne enjoying the back yard sunset.

 Seth and Angelica in our back yard, in a happy moment.