Could life be any better?

"Don't be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes.4 You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.5 This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful. They trusted God and accepted the authority of their husbands." 1 Peter 3:3-5

Over the last few days I have really focused on the meaning of my life as a woman, child of God, wife, mother, daughter, sister, and friend. Through adoption so many of these have changed for the good and the bad. My hubby and I have faced good and bad times, funny and sad moments, and those times when you know life really is perfect. I have learned through God's Word, His promises, talking with my hubby and friends, that beauty that I have really is an inward thing. I don't need to worry about if my hair is perfect, or my clothes are too tight, or that I didn't get to shower that day. As a wonderful friend said, each time I feed the kids, or play with Sophia, or kiss a wound, or become a tickle monster, or even change a diaper I am worshiping the Lord. Isn't this really all that matters? I mean He has given me this beautiful and wonderful life filled with love, joy, happiness and trials. George and I have had our moments in the last 2 months along with me and the teenagers. Through God's grace we are starting to get into a good rhythym and we are starting to really become a whole family. Whether it is Nick playing the Ethiopian drum with Sophia, or Malcom playing horsey with Caleb, or Kevin farting on Giovanni (I mean what are big brothers for anyway?), we really have become a family. Our house is loud - sweet music to God. Our car stinks of hockey gear, formula, dirty diapers, stinky kid breath - a beautiful fragrance to God. Our days are busy full of meals, naptime, swimming, bikes, prayer, singing, dancing - full of God's love. I would never trade this life for anything else.

So where are we at now? Brutus is doing well. He just had a swollen salivary gland (no wonder the dog slobbers like Beehtoven the dog). We start school in 2 days (Loessee in Wolaitan - oh and a yeah for me!). I start work in 2 weeks. Yuck! The hubby rearranged the living room. Sophia is crawling everywhere! The boys english is better and better everyday. Although they are NOT brothers. Their brothers are in Wolaita! Kevin starts school in a couple of weeks, and Malchi will be leaving for the Air Force in a couple of months.

Summer has flown by! I can't believe I have two children that are starting kindergarten. I know I will be the blubbering mom on the sidewalk. We will definitely have pictures of that one! Well, since I haven't posted a lot of pictures, here are so recent and not so recent pictures. I hope you all are enjoying these last days. Soon the snow will fall and it will be time to start the hibernating for the winter. I can't wait to see the looks on the boys faces when we get the first snowfall.

Thank you for reading and I pray you are all doing well!




Giovanni HAD to have his training wheels off. By the next afternoon he was riding like a pro!















Malcom playing with the two boys. They love to wrestle with him.













Sophia, Giovanni and Caleb riding on the lawn mower with their Daddy!


































Their first Spokane Indians baseball game. They had so much fun! There were fireworks at the end which of course was the highlight of the night! I have never seen Giovanni jump so far!











Uncle Bobby teaching the boys new swim moves.















Don't dogs need baths?














Yipee!














Oh yeah? I can too!













Wherever there is a camera, there are always two Ethiopian boys!














Sophia's first time in the "big" pool.















Great Grandma Mabel with baby Sophia.












Every year my father-in-law takes all his grandkids in school to get hair cuts and shoes for school. This has become a Labor Day tradition. It amazes me at the love he has for these children. Wait till you see the Christmas pictures!























Oh, and it wasn't long till the boys learned the Raskell tradition.














Such good big brothers!













Didn't I say they love Malcom!













Giovanni in his new car (beep-beep).

















Caleb wanted to be shipped back to Wolaita. :)












"Much love"














She is not always happy, but still cute!














OK, so we weren't going to spoil them, but how could you pass up a jumping fort for $100? It is awesome and they love it.









3 years ago I met a young girl at Middle school camp. She was one of my girls in my cabin. She is from St. Maries, Idaho. Later that summer she talked us into coming down for their Paul Bunyan Days. She said they had the most spectacular fireworks around. So we went. It was so fun! And yes, the fireworks are like none I have ever seen. You sit on the football field and watch a great groundshow and sky show. So as is are tradition now, we took the kids to their first Paul Bunyan Days. It was full of carnival rides, pizza, cotton candy (they did not like that!), popcorn, glow sticks and of course, fireworks. I will admit that Caleb actually fell asleep during the finale. Who knows why, it was awesome!



I tried to get Caleb to put his arm around his "American" brother, but that didn't work.










So the next few pictures are of the roller coaster, carousel and giant slide. They loved each time they went.
























Is she not the cutest cbaby in the world!













So this is what happens when you are trying to clean your desk. A boy finds a plastic bag and it becomes a superboy outfit!










So, hair dressers have them, car washes have them, car dealerships have them, and now, the Raskells have one! Yes, to much joy to my hubby, we are now the proud owners of a wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube man. It all started when some person invested the big blow up balloons for advertising. You know, the ones of the big sunshine or gorilla. Well, my husband has always liked to imitate them. Then came a Simpsons episode where Homer thought the inflatable tube man was his friend. (I tried to find the clip to download - no luck. I also want to note I am not for or against the Simpsons. There are some funny episodes) That is all my husband talks about, "He was my only friend". Well last week he got a call from his oldest son wondering if he would like this inflatable tube man from the car wash he works at. Well, duh! So I give you pictures of two Ethiopian boys reactions to the wacky waving inflatable arm flailing tube man.














When we arrived home my wonderful friends from my old work had decorated our front lawn with forks spelling Welcome Home and a pinata for the kids. It tooks us a few weeks to hit the pinata, but we finally did and the boys loved all the candy and toys. I love my friends!