He's Here!

Joseph Brian McEwan was born today at home.  Megan and baby are doing well.  They accommodated by having him before I left for school so I good watch via Google Chat. 

He is precious.

9 lb 2oz  21 inches

(Megan's cousin Haley took pics - Aunt Angie took video)

Just Checkin' In

I am up for the "Worst Blog Keeper Ever" award (a.k.a. The Lame Blog Award).  Part of it is due to the fact I can never find my camera when I need it and half the time I don't even think of it, so that is part of the problem.  Who wants to see a blog without pictures?!  I thought I would plug in my camera just in case I took some pictures I forgot about, but all I have is one of Ethan and one of Bryan.  

Lame.

Oh, and several (lots and lots) of bikes.

Boring.

Phil is starting year two with the bike shop and celebrated by opening a second shop in a town about an hour away.  I celebrated by tagging along :-)  He absolutely loves it.  Of course he is too busy to actually ride the bikes anymore, but that is a whole different problem.

I started school three weeks ago.  Goodness, three weeks already.  I am not doing what I love to do this year (ESL).  But even so, I love going each and every morning and giving love, attention, and hugs to dozens of children each day.  I teach in a school with a lot of children who come from unhappy homes.  I make it a point to always be smiling and to let them know I am happy to see them each and everyday.  And it is not a stretch, because I do love seeing them each and everyday.  I want them to always remember that I think they are of great worth and can accomplish anything.  I make it a point to find the children I worked with last year that I don't get to work with this year.  I want to keep that connection with them.  And I do miss working with them everyday.  Life shouldn't be so hard for ones who are so young.

I am also teaching early morning seminary.  So I leave the house 5:50 a.m. and get home around 7:30 in the evening.  Depending on work at the bike shop.  Dinner?  Thank goodness we all love toast. :-)

Jordan is a junior. What!?!

Ethan is in 6th grade (and yes, each year continues to be somewhat of a battle for services, but it could be worse - much worse.)

Logan has one more year. A picture of him is below.

Bryan visited for almost two weeks.  I LOVED having him home again.  Except he left Lucy, his tarantula, and she is psychotic.  She scares me.  She lunges at you when you open the cage to feed and water her.  Bryan, I think she misses you!

Megan was due last Tuesday!!  We were all hoping for a September 1st birthday to honor Mama Miller, but alas, unless she hurries - like right now - that is not going to happen.   I am so sad I can't be there when this little fella is born, but today I thought "SKYPE!"   I can still be there....yippeee!!!

I will end this lame blog with the few pictures I scavenged from my camera.

Notes from Logan:  Gabon has officially recognized our church as a religion and has allowed for groups to meet there. So that is one huge step taken towards the church in Gabon; I think there are ten members
there now or something. Still a long way to go but that was a huge
step in the right direction.

Yes I eat well! But I have lost lots of weight. Around twenty pounds
actually. I’m pretty skinny!!   I walk a lot everyday. Miles and miles. But it isn’t too bad. I am strong.

That pic is sorta gruesome. we had mice nests in the cupbaord. IT WAS
WAR!!!!!!!!
and yes that is blood.....

This is Ethan, exhausted while the kitchen was being repainted.  He had Dolly and Jill for company.

Journee and Jordan checking out why Grandpa's old beehive was sitting crooked.

 

Logan's One Year Anniversary

 

Well this looks like it is going to be an interesting transfer.  Elder Baker got in. Cool guy. He lived in paris for 4 years, high school actually. and speaks beautiful french already. every one thinks he is french. He struggled just a bit understanding the accent for the first couple days but he is getting good. The apartment is really good. We joke and have fun, but we also make sure everything gets done the way it is supposed to. Elder baker started his mission in Chicago for a transfer because of visa problems so now he gets to see the difference. He was shocked and grateful simultaneously for the amount of work we do and the level of obedience. Apparently Chicago was a pretty apostate area. Very apostate even. Whodathunk it. Everything is going pretty good. We had a baptism last Saturday.

Sister Marie Ciline was baptized by Ruben, her son about to leave on mission. Now her daughters are interested so we will start teaching them.

I found out there are problems with my visa. They can't extend it. So they have to send me out of the country before they can send me back in. Which means they have to send me back to Point Noire before I can come back to Cameroun!!! You can call me mister world traveler... hopefully I will be back in my old sectuer, that would be really cool. Very cool even.

I will be getting there relatively close to the time I got there last year....

I have 4 days till my year mark... that is crazy to me!!!! The down hill descent. There is still so much time to improve. I already think I am awesome; I can get even more awesome now. Don't worry I am also very humble; I will get even more humble.

Well things are going great. The Evansons are awesome but they will be leaving near the end of this transfer. Then the Whitesides come in. and they don't speak french. That will be fun.

I am glad that everyone is happy and healthy we will talk to you next week!!!

Elder McGrath