Happy Birthday Surfer

Surf,

We hope you have such a great birthday! I can't believe that you are already 10 years old! Here are some of our favorite memories about you:

- meeting you for the first time when you came to Utah for our wedding! I couldn't believe that you were so small, and you had SOOO much hair!
- coming to your house right after we were married! I was laying on the couch playing with you, and you spit up on me, right down my shirt - it was gross and disgusting, but Uncle Nate thought it was pretty funny!
- digging for worms with you when your dad and Uncle Nate built your sandbox on another trip out to your house. You were fascinated with them!
- A couple of years ago you were at grandma's house, and we were eating dinner. Somebody said, "I'm stuffed." I had just learned that in Australia, if you say your stuffed, it means you're pregnant, so I told you & Scoutie that. A little while later, that same night, we were sitting in the living room talking, and you and Scoutie came in with clothes stuffed under your shirt and said, "Aunt Clar, we're in Australia, and we're stuffed." It was hilarious. We even took this picture of you.



You always know how to make us laugh and we love you so much! We hope you have an awesome day! And keep your eyes peeled in the mail for your gift!

Love,
Uncle Nate & Aunt Clar

Happy Birthday Cody

Cody,

Happy Birthday! We're not quite sure how old you are, but you're getting up there, right? :) We love you and we hope you have a great day and a great year! We look forward to hanging out with you at some point during the year!! :)

Love,
Nate & Clar

We survived the packers!

Hey family,

It's been a crazy week here in Colorado Springs. We moved out all our stuff and are sleeping on air mattresses, sitting in camp chairs, and eating on a card table. Phuc says we are living like refugees, but I think it's nice to get back to the basics and not have too much to clean up! I do have to admit we both went through a bit of depression this week as they packed all of our stuff while we just sat there watching it go. It's hard to make an empty house feel comfortable like home, but we are slowly coming around and the kids always bring excitement and noise with them. We've also been having to eat out for every meal except our cereal breakfast, but I finally got the kitchen under control yesterday and I made a roast for lunch today after church. I am looking forward to a less busy week, trying to settle back in-we had to pull everything out for the packers, now I'm wiping everything down for our renters and moving our stuff back in and airing out the house from the smoker movers and cardboard boxes.

Hallie got a Dr. Seuss book on Friday night and I took a few minutes with her, trying to teach her how to sound out words to read. I unleashed a total monster and anytime she sees me, she begs me to read with her, she absolutely loves it and is doing remarkably well for only a few days of reading. Phuc and the boys hide every time they see her coming with her book in tow, because it requires the utmost patience to read with her! The kids were out of school on Weds, Thurs, and Fri and then have tomorrow off as well so we've also been doing lots of appointments trying to get everyone up to date for the move. The week has been full of dental appointments, doctor visits, and parent conferences. I am proud to say the kids are all doing awesome in school which makes me worry less about them adjusting in Belgium.

Anyway, that's our week in a nutshell, not real enjoyable, but I'm so glad it's over. Hope you all are doing good, Love ya, Jess

Surprise, Surprise!!

Much to my surprise as I was laying, wallowing in tissues and hot pads and day old clothes my lovely husband brought home the most special gift I could ever receive!! My Mommy!! I was shocked to say the least! Thanks mom for a fantastic surprise!! Can't get much better than this-although now your gone we are missing you too much. We wish so much that dad could've been here to. Your turn next right dad? You gotta wait till we move so you can sit in the hot tub though!

Thanks everyone for making it such a special week and not "spilling the beans"! The kids had a fantastic time, I've not seen them that happy in a long time! We loved playing cards and pictionary and guesstures! We loved the ice trip into the city to see Central Park! Mom has now been across almost all of the bridges in NY and NJ! Thanks for the special "haircut" day! Yes-Clar I totally chopped my hair off-a little shorter than planned but I love starting fresh! My got "chopped too"! Hehe! We went to Longhorn and Wegmans for lunch and lots of mall time(probably a little too much mall time!). Thank you so much for Obeta and I's night out-it was fabulous to spend time with my hubby after such a long and arduous(did I spell that right?) fall! And the kids loved loved loved their babysitter!

I'm so happy we got to see some family for Christmas and even happier that it looks like we'll be seeing much more family this year!! We cannot wait for Jess's visit in a few weeks!!! I love you guys- you are all the best!! Your favorite sister, Amanda

Happy Birthday Obeta

Obeta, Obeta a man with many names! We love you and we hope you had a fabulous birthday!!

Love,
Nate & Clar