American Aventures 2012

We're just past the half-way point of our time in the U.S. We've had an enjoyable time visiting friends, family and ministry partners in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Michigan, and in both Northern and Southern California. We've talked a lot about Ukraine and our life there, so much so that Josie and I are tired of hearing each other's stories. And even though it is a bit of a challenge to balance my ongoing field responsibilities and life here, we've made sure to work in plenty of really fun stuff as a family. Heck, after spending most of the last 5 years in post-Soviet, urban blandness, Dietrich would have been in heaven if we had never even left Baba and Papa's farm. But leave the farm we did. Here are some of the highlights of the past 2 months both on and off the farm.

One of the first tasks we gave Papa was to teach Dietrich to ride a bike. Here they are working on it the 1st week.

Here he is by the 2nd week. Thanks, Papa! No more training wheels.

On April's cool mornings, Lev was content to explore the farm. Atop the woodpile was a good place to rest.

This is, seriously, the coolest treehouse I know of. Dietrich and I plan to have some sleepovers in it when we return to Baba and Papa's in July. Thanks, again, Papa!

Enjoying a bed-time story with Baba.

Morgan Hill Presbyterian Church did an awesome Easter egg hunt between services.

Even little Lev got to join in on the action. Props to whomever hid some eggs in the planter.

Home Depot has a free kids workshop on the 1st Saturday of every month. Way to go, HoPo!

Dietrich jumps. All the time. From anything. Here he is jumping in Pennsylvania. Hi Freis.

And here he is jumping in from the play structure in our Southern California apartment complex.

We spent a few hours at the annual St. Bruno's carnival. Dietrich is finally tall enough to go on the cool stuff.

You can't do much in 5 hours at Disneyland so taking pictures was not a priority. But at least we got one that proves Josie exists.

When we get together with young families, we try to do it at a park. You know, for kids. Dietrich is amazing on monkey bars.

Not wanting to be left in the dust, Lev's started practicing whenever and wherever he gets the chance.

We all love Gormiti. Dietrich has learned that when he's not working, Grandpa Norm loves to join us at the park and have Gormiti fights until his hands bleed.

Like tree-climbing father, like tree-climbing son. Hi Godwins.

A neat little park in San Juan Capistrano had an amazingly safe rock pile/path. Here's Dietrich conquering it.

And here's Lev making sure the rocks know he means business.

At Uncle Sam and Auntie Jit's place, someone came up with the fun game of dinosaur toss. It's addictive.

Not surprisingly, even Lev got into it. That triceratops took quite a beating.