Merry Christmas

Jaden's Summer

Little clip

Our apartment

The skyline has changed a bit since our Indiana days as the view from our balcony shows! Two pictures taken from either corner of our apartment show our living room, kitchen and dining areas. (We also have two bedrooms and a small bath off the dining room. I'll blog those another time.)

Jaden & Ethne

Just a few recent photos of Jaden and Ethne taken in our new apartment here in Japan. Ethne has a cute little personality--very smiley, loves to be talked to, loves to be with people. Recently she's started using a fake cough or a little squeal when she wants to get someone's attention. The squeal tactic works really well with Jaden. Ethne starts and they go back and forth exchanging laughs and squeals.

Grandpa time

Jaden having fun with Grandpa B in the first fall leaves. We've been enjoying time outside in my folks big backyard. As the evenings begin to cool down, we've transitioned from pool and sandbox play to leaves, fires and the occasional s'more.

Fall Festival 5

Alan running through main street Roanoke, amidst carts set up for a farmer's market. In his first road race, the Roanoke Fall Festival Five, Alan finished strong taking fourth overall in a field of 82 racers! He completed the five mile run in 30 minutes and 45 seconds...pretty impressive for his first race!

Ethne chan

A few recent photos of little Ethne. She's a sweetheart! She's very smiley. She loves to be talked to. Recently she has become more aware of Jaden, watching him and trying to get his attention with her little "coos" and smiles.

Summer fun

We've spent a lot of time in Grandma and Grandpa B's backyard this summer--eating popsicles, playing in the sandbox with trucks, taking walks around the pond and splashing in the kiddie pool. Jaden is all boy, playing outside by the hour.

Day at Daytona

During our four-day trip to Florida, we had the opportunity to crash Karl & Teresa K's beach vacation for an afternoon. We had a great time boogie boarding, digging in the sand and playing soccer on the beach with our nieces and nephews. Jaden loved the sand, but not the water. He had fun playing with our friends' little girl, Gracie. He also enjoyed chasing away beach-strolling seagulls. Ethne spent her first day at the ocean under the shade of the beach umbrella with Aunt Teresa. Thanks for a fun day Karl and Teresa!

Columbia accomodations

We were blessed to be able to stay in the Springdale House during our recent visit to SC. The Springdale House is a beautiful, antebellum special events venue recently moved, renovated and opened by close friends of ours living in Columbia. The day before we left for SC, we didn't know where we would be staying. We had prayed asking the Lord to provide for our accommodations. He gave us the opportunity to stay in this lovely place and to reconnect with our dear friends. We actually had a great time reconnecting with lots of friends during our brief two-day visit to SC.

On the road again

The four of us have spent a lot of time in the car over the course of the last three weeks, visiting eight states and logging more than 2,000 miles so far!

Sliding rock

Alan flying wildly over the sliding rock at Pisgah National Forest in Brevard, NC. Mason and Haley K take their turn sliding too! From playing "farkle" to running in the morning with Uncle Al (who Jaden began calling "Uncle Owl"!) to our day trip to Pisgah we had a great time hanging out with our nieces and nephews in NC.

Ethne Megumi Kropp

Jaden's first haircut

Family Time in DC

After Alan completed his ordination exams in March, we headed for DC for family time and a few days away. We caravanned with my folks and spent time with my brother, sister-in-law and nephew. Highlights included watching Jaden and baby Tyler play and laugh together, enjoying mealtimes together and riding the train to downtown DC to see the cherry blossoms at their peak.

Visit from G's B

Jaden with Grandma and Grandpa B. Since first wearing his tie, Jaden has really learned to like it! He asks to wear it with t-shirts. (Once I let him wear it to the grocery store that way since it was cool and he was also wearing a jacket.) Today he wanted to wear it with his basketball jersey...that's where we draw the line.

Music for two

Alan playing and singing for Jaden. Jaden has enjoyed Alan's new guitar every bit as much as Alan has! He loves it when Alan plays the guitar for him.

Jaden's house

Jaden playing in a house of couch cushions that daddy constructed for him. Note the little red excavator in the foreground. Recently Jaden has become very interested in excavators and other construction vehicles. He remembers where they are working along the roads we commonly drive and looks for them whenever we go out.

Jaden sipping

Jaden sipping down the last of his miso soup.

Supping and smiling

Jaden proudly displaying his empty soup bowl. He's become a good little eater. He particularly enjoys miso soup. He likes the tofu, but also enjoys holding the bowl up to his mouth and sipping down every last drop of broth.

Taking cover

Jaden under my umbrella while playing outside with Grandpa. It had snowed so there was enough snow for a snowman...a good reason to get outside on an Ohio's winter day. But then it started to rain on top of the snow making everything sloppy and wet. Jaden didn't want to leave the snowman project, but didn't want to get wet either so he had a good time sled riding and snowman building under the shelter of mom's umbrella.

Special days with Grandma K

While Alan and I went away for a few days, Grandma K came to spend some special time with Jaden. The day we arrived home from our trip, it snowed and snowed! We enjoyed getting outside, pulling Jaden in his little sled, visiting the shaggy horses over at the barn and tramping through the snow.

Visit from Grandpa & Grandma B

Jaden and Grandpa B building a snowman on a wet, snowy day. Jaden preferred the shelter of the umbrella, but loved Grandpa's finished product, a snowman right outside his bedroom window.

Images of Quito, Ecuador

Mountains and taxis, a common view when driving down a Quito street. Quito, elevation 10,000 feet, is situated in a long valley, surrounded by mountains (several of them volcanic) on all sides. The seminary we stayed at in Quito offered a beautiful mountain view once the fog cleared in the morning. Quito's elevation combined with its proximity to the equator resulted in warm sunny days and chilly mornings and evenings.

A Christian lady from the mountain village of Agato, Ecuador selling her products, brightly colored bracelets, handbags, scarves as well as warm alpaca hats and sweaters.

A view of a mountain couple back-dropped by Quito housing early one January morning.