It is starting to feel like we've been here in Little Rock for a long time now -- we even have pictures on the walls! (they went up about 15 minutes before my brother and his family arrived last week!) It sure didn't take long to get a routine going again -- although we'll admit it is much less involved than what we were doing before we left Bakersfield. We are trying to be careful about the things we commit to and get involved with.
Kelly and the kids start school tomorrow -- she says she's ready! Blake will help yank at our emotions as he is the first to go to school outside our home when he starts classes at Arkansas Baptist. He is loving football -- except when I reminded him that the $30 pair of "receiver gloves" better mean that he has no excuses for not catching anything he can put his "spidey-grip" on! We think we have found a dance studio for Erika and she is itching to start after Labor Day. Brecklyn is looking forward to joining Cade and Erika in AWANA at church this Fall. Kelly and I are enjoying just sitting back and soaking up some great teaching as they have a moratorium of 6 months in the church before you can serve or teach anything. (I did find out that they will allow me to mow the church lawn, though, so I am enjoying that!)
We are humbled by the number of great families we have met at our church and how much they have embraced our family. I had a friend tell me that we were blessed to make a move like this when we have young kids because the body of Christ is almost always quick to reach out to families but often ignores older couples or people who come to a church without kids. (A great reminder to look out for people like this who often get ignored.)
Below, I put up a few of our favorite pictures we have recently taken...
Here is Dad with his two girls at Blake's graduation - with Erika's good friend in the background!
Our second all-star (just ask Dad about his sports glory days sometime!) in the family, Cade (top row on the right)
Erika and her special ballet teacher Mrs Knight -- oh how we'll miss her! (except for Dad who can't be recruited for another role in her next big production!)
Blake on 8th grade graduation night -- we were thankful that he decided to continue his education. (He's a little bummed to learn that 9th grade is considered Jr High at Arkansas Baptist so he technically gets to graduate Jr High again this year!)
Here is Dad with his two girls at Blake's graduation - with Erika's good friend in the background!
Our second all-star (just ask Dad about his sports glory days sometime!) in the family, Cade (top row on the right) 
Erika and her special ballet teacher Mrs Knight -- oh how we'll miss her! (except for Dad who can't be recruited for another role in her next big production!)
Blake on 8th grade graduation night -- we were thankful that he decided to continue his education. (He's a little bummed to learn that 9th grade is considered Jr High at Arkansas Baptist so he technically gets to graduate Jr High again this year!)
