The Birthday Celebration

The birthday girl!

Blowing up balloons

Dora table cloth :)

Chayah and Mom

Kisses for th birthday girl

8 years old!

Outside fun with new puppy, Tara

Chayah the 8 year old Birthday Princess

Chayah had her birthday almost a month ago while we were on vacation. We celebrated at big sister Chrissy's house, with her husband Micah, and... brand new puppy Tara! Before we went on vacation, Chayah would tell everyone (literally) that she was going to her sister's house in North Carolina for her birthday. She was sooo excited and looked forward to this day so much! Chayah is such a sweet girl, almost always has a smile on her face, and is so caring towards others, especially her sisters. If we are playing a game and she thinks I was treated unfairly she will start crying. She is very sensitive and also loves to joke! She loves laughing and getting others to laugh. She can also be quite bossy! At school her friend prayed "Dear God, please help Chayah not to be so bossy!" She seems to have a motherly instinct and likes to tell people what to do and what not to do. She is a funny girl! Her favorite food is french fries. I think she would be thrilled if they were all she had to eat, but there would have to be alot of them to keep her filled! Even though she is itty bitty she loves to eat! Minutes after dinner she will say she is hungry again, still she has about the tiniest wrists and waist I've ever seen. She doesn't like chocolate much though, about the only food she will refuse! (I think she's crazy).

She can get scared very easily sometimes but was so brave this Fourth of July as she watched the fireworks and cannons go off on either side of her, I was so proud! She is our little patriotic girl for sure. She loves America, the National Anthem, the pledge of allegience, the flag, the military, everything!

I love our little Chayah so much, it's crazy to think of her being 8 already and home now for 1 and 1/2 years! She really has grown up so much since she came home. She loves going to school (and has the best school too!) and will be in First grade this year!

You're growing up so fast Chayah! We love you and are so proud of you!

Kindergarten Graduation

At the beginning of June the girls graduated from Kindergarten. It was a very momentous occasion because you don't graduate every year. Sarah and Chayah are in the same class at the most AMAZING school! Their school really is fantastic, has the best teachers, awesome activities and trips that they've taken over the year, and best of all is an awesome Christian school where the girls come home singing Bible songs and reciting Bible verses. Oh, and both of my little sisters are geniuses. Did I mention that Sarah scored on the fourth grade level for math?! And got the best possible score for Bible?! Amazing. And Chayah is simply fantastic as well.. she does such a good job on everything that she does and I know she would have done excellently as well but she didn't have the same testing as she is still learning to read English. :)

Now introducing the graduating class of 2010..

Leading everyone in pledges

Singing

One of the features of their graduation was that they recited the alphabet with a Bible verse for each letter. Each child was assigned two verses to memorize and say by themselves and the rest of the verses they did as a class. They had been learning these verses each week since the beginning of the year. Sarah reciting her verses.. She had the "I" and "M" verses:
"If you ask anything in my name, I will do it." John 14:14
"My Son give me your heart." Proverbs 23:26

Chayah reciting her verses.. She had the "K" and "S" verses:
"Keep your tongue from evil." Psalm 34:13
"Seek the Lord while He may be found." Isaiah 55:6

Chayah, after receiving her diploma, with her amazing teacher and principal

Sarah, after receiving her diploma, with her amazing teacher and principal

The graduating Kindergarten class with their diplomas.. all ready for 1st grade!!

Our beautiful little graduates :)

Me and my Chay Chay

Chayah and Chrissy

Chayah with her favorite teacher's assistant :)

Me and my Sar Bear

Sarah and Mommy

Chrissy and Sarah

Sarah and her amazing teacher and teacher's assistant.. she LOVES them both! (as does Chayah)

I am so thankful that we are so blessed to have such an awesome school for the girls to go to. I love their school and the girls definitely love it too! :)
During graduation, their teacher gave each of the kids a Fruit of the Spirit award, presenting each child with the fruit she saw most in them over the past year. Sarah received the "Kindness" award and Chayah received the "Goodness" award. :)
At the end of graduation, the parents were given a book for their child (or two books in our case ;). The books are so beautiful..with pictures from the first day of school all through the end of the school year. Each of the trips that they've taken is highlighted with pictures and stories, as well as the special days they had over the year such as their Pilgrim and Indian feast for Thanksgiving with the Preschool class (the Kindergartners were the Pilgrims and the Preschoolers were the Indians), Pajama Rama Day (where they got to wear pajamas to school and meet the Spring Bunny..a REAL bunny that came to school for the day), and so many more. Each book also includes their artwork and little stories that they have written. The books are truly beautiful and such a treasure to be able to look back on this last year, their first full year of school and have it as such a wonderful memory filled and beautiful book. Their school just amazes me!! And I am so proud of my two little Kindergarten graduates.. they're growing up so fast!