Summer is over.

It is time.....time to say goodbye to summer.  So sad.  Every year I mourn.  Seriously I love summer.  I love the simple mornings, grilled food, pool time, time with my parents, and a fun schedule of things we want to do(for the most part).

This summer was so special with Israel and Dawit.  Sharing so many firsts with them as a whole family.  It is going to be hard for them when everyone is gone, and they are left with just me.  Let's face it, I am just not as fun as their teenage brothers and sisters.

Tonight Dawit said,  first sleep then preschool.  They do not start until Sept 6th so it was hard to explain to him that no, we need to wait a few more days.  He just wants to go to school like his big brothers and sisters.  He is going to be a little disappointed when he realizes that it is only twice a week and only for a few hours.

So goodbye summer but hello to a Sr, Sophmore, Freshman, 7th grader, and 2 preschoolers!!  Life just keeps going.  Whether  I want it to or not.

As we continue to work on language with our beautiful boys we often laugh.  Actually we laugh everyday with these guys.  They just crack us up. Today Israel and I were working on his S's.  Especially his "yes".  Here is a video of his progress.  Let's just say we have some more work ahead of us.  Remember, he has no idea what he is saying, I think that's what make its so funny. 

Here is a duet from our cuties.

So summer is ending for the James' but the laughing and the singing will not!!

Grandma and Grumpa more Idaho.

"Grandma and Grumpa more Idaho."  That's the first words I heard this morning as the boys woke up. Visiting family was a success.  Such a success that Dawit refused to leave the check in desk at the airport..  I think he finally realized that the family was not coming home with us.

Before we left for Idaho I made books for them that would show them where we going and who would be there.  I could not wait for all 7 cousins, my brother and his wife and my mom and dad to meet these 2 little boys.  They hit it off the moment we got together.  Hugs all around as they met the 2 new James boys.  And tears all around as my mom and dad hugged and kissed Dawit and Israel like they had not seen them in a long time. 

The boys learned how to pedal a bike, jump off a dock, tubing, eat strawberries right out of the garden, pet a horse, find the bull, cross a cattle guard, and charm the socks off their great grandmother!

They also learned some new phrases.  I'm gonna,  Okay?,  what is that,  and the best is, "more Idaho please."

Family is precious and should never be taken for granted.  I look at these little boys and wonder what family life was like for them.  They loved their great grandmother(my moms mom, who is 94)  It was like they already knew her.  Did they have a strong relationship with older people?  Did they follow their older brother around and ask to be held by their sisters?  Did their mother before she died snuggle them at nite and sing to them?  Did their dad toss them around and wrestle?  All questions I will never know the answers to.  Again, family is precious and should never be taken for granted. 

Sometimes pictures tell a better story.  This is my family who  I will never take for granted.  They are precious people who I wish I lived closer to.