Really, school is almost over for the year!!!

 

It's amazing that the school year is almost over.  Zoe finishes kindergarten this Wednesday and looking back she has come a long way.  She is now able to sound out small words and read Dr. Seuss books, she is much better at coloring within the lines and using multiple colors and her vocabulary continues to expand. Her teacher feels in most areas she is on target. She must be listening to her brother as she recently mentioned she had aced her math test.   Her swim lessons for this year are done, she just finished her gymnastics with a show that her and her team performed and we are a few weeks out from her dance recital. She really seems to enjoy dance. Zoe has mastered over 60 skills in gymnastics, receiving her red ribbon.  Over the summer, Sonja is going to enroll her in t-ball and tumbling at one of the cheer leading facilities. I have to mention one of her recent comments/actions.  "Dad, I am really full" and she opens her mouth and says "look, see I am full" as if I can see her stomach when looking in her mouth.

 

This year we have attended a number of graduation parties. Zoe's two cousins (Hallie and Madison) graduated from their respective high schools and both looking to go to college in Nebraska. Zoe really looks up to both of them.  We are really proud of both of them.  

 

 
Zoe is just days away from her 6th birthday. She has been asking for about 11 months when her next birthday will be and now we are so close. Her Mom plans to throw a party and invite a number of her school friends. Only two days away! We are also less than two weeks from our second "Gotcha Day".  Yes, it has been two years and we are so glad to have her as part of the family. With Sonja in semi-retirement, we are assured both Zoe and Nathaniel will have someone at home so they can do some fun things over the summer.  Just cannot wait for the pool to warm up enough so we can have some fun in the backyard.

Nathaniel is busy studying for finals and trying out for summer legion baseball. He will know if he makes the baseball team sometime tomorrow. Since the beginning of this year he has added a new pitch to his arsenal.  He throws a two seam fastball, change-up, curve ball and is now able to throw a slider. So, knock on wood he makes the team and has a fun and successful season. He has had a real successful academic and athletic sophomore year.  He received two varsity letters and three all Academic All-Conference Recognition.  He was also nominated as a Captain of the School Band for his Junior year. We are very proud of him. He still has wrestling practice twice a week so he will be really busy throughout the summer.

All is well here.  Glad we are finally seeing some Spring weather and looking forward to the summer. Hope all is well with all of you!

Has Spring Sprung?

Happy Passover & Happy Easter to

all of our family and Friends!

We are at the end if March in Nebraska and the reaming snow from last week is finally melting. Everyone I talk to is just about fed up with the snow and is ready for Spring. Me too!!!

 

It has been a couple for really busy weeks for both Zoe and her brother Nathaniel. Both of them had their parent teachers conferences.  Zoe's teacher indicated that Zoe is doing really well with both her progress and her school grades.  You have to remember that Zoe has been in the United States less than 2 years and she has almost caught up with all of her classmates. Her teacher was pleased with her progress.  However, her teacher was not going to let us leave on a positive indicating that Zoe has a tendency to be aggressive (hitting or saying mean things on occasion) with the other children. So, we have something we will need to continuously focus on.

 

Zoe has been very busy away from school...she received her next ribbon in gymnastics and also received a certificate of accomplishment in her dance classes. Sonja is exploring a cheer leading program in Omaha and she has again signed her up for T-ball this summer. So she will continually be busy with fun activities through the Spring and Summer. 

 

Sonja and Zoe currently are upstairs cleaning Zoe's room.  I can truly say I have never seen anything messier than Zoe's room. I have thought about nominating her for an episode of A&E's Hoarders show. You virtually cannot walk without stepping on something. I can hear Sonja's family chuckling right now saying it's payback for Zoe's  mom's room when she was younger.  While they were in Zoe's room Sonja found Zoe's original traditional dress  that we purchased while we  were in China. We wanted her to have something very special that she can have tied to her birthplace in the Yunnan province. So they decided to stop a few moments from cleaning and dress Zoe up, really is cute on her. This is the tradition dress from the original Chinese The Bai or Baip which Zoe is a part of is one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China.



Nathaniel too has been very busy.  His parent-teacher conference was very positive. He is currently ranked 18th in his class with almost a 4.0 GPA. We are proud of both Nathaniel and Zoe as they both received very positive grade reports.

 

He was in the midst of his High School tryouts where he made the JV team for his high school as a regular player plus will be asked to pitch on a regular basis. Unfortunately due to the late snows and cold weather his first four games have been cancelled or postponed so we are still waiting for his first game. He has a game this Monday, April 1rst that we are hoping they will get to play.  He is still practicing freestyle wrestling twice a week. He now is a regular full time driver and is now aloud to drive where he wants as his restrictions expired on his birthday earlier this week.

 

All is well here...hope you have a nice early spring!