Lady Warrior Soccer

Charlotte and her fellow Lady Warriors had their first soccer game today!

This is the first season Charlotte has played soccer and she sure seems to enjoy it.

This is her sweet and dedicated coach -

Coach Pog

It was a hot day for a game

and the girls' first time on a full size field

they sure hustled out there

and they gave it their all

We came up a goal short for a win.

But as both teams gathered for prayer at the end of the game,

they were all winners in our eyes!

"...whatever you do, do it for the glory of God!"

1 Corinthians 10:31

Way to go Worriors!!!

First Day of Autumn

We welcomed autumn today!

All week long, David and I have explored one of my favorite things about autumn. . .

APPLES!

We've read a plethora of our favorite apple books.

David has about memorized 

10 Apples Up on Top!!!

We painted with apples . . .

This was so much fun!

 And today we made applesauce.

Have you ever seen somebody have so much fun peeling apples?

He cranked and cranked --

peeled a whole bag of organic green apples

and sampled one, too!

He sure thought this pile of peelings was a lot of fun to eat, too.

In went the sugar and cinnamon. . .

He thoroughly enjoyed making applesauce.

But eating it was a whole different story.

He licked it a few times

exclaiming, "this is sooooo yummy!"

But I wasn't convinced, are you?

In the end, we decided to save it for Peter, Charlotte, Claire and Mimi!

Thumbs up for that great idea!

Looking forward to our first fall weekend.

I'm fixin' (new Texas lingo) to make an apple pie for my sweetheart

who has been gone for the past two weeks.  So glad he is home!!!

Happy Gotcha Day, Claire!

Seven years ago today, Yue Hui Ping

became our beautiful and beloved daughter and sister

Fall at Last???

Prasie God for the rain we've had the past few days!

It has brought welcome relief to our dry land and hot temperatures.

The forcast is calling for cooler temperatures - 

Does that mean we can declare the coming of fall?

Funny how low nineties feels "cool" when you've had

month after month of temperatures above 100 degrees!

Well, I've been waiting to hang my fall wreath since September rolled around

and today it went on the front door.

I'm ready for fall even if we're still wearing shorts and flip flops!

Several weeks ago, I thoroughly enjoyed this Saturday afternoon project.
Inspired by some fall wreaths I saw on Pinterest,

I collected my favorite fall foliage and blossoms,
gathered some fun ribbons and a grapevine wreath...

I decoupaged the black and white scrapbook paper to a big wooden 'A' for Achterkirch

and had a hay day with my hot glue gun

{best thing EVER!}

Maybe for now my 'A' can stand for. . .

ALMOST FALL!!!



Are there signs of fall where you are???

Charlotte Rides Again!!!

Charlotte was a little thing when she rode in Arizona. . .

happiest days of her little life I think!

She loves horses more than anything else.

It was sad but necessary (for a number or reasons)

 when we made the decision to discontinue lessons.

She has ALWAYS wanted to ride again.

When we arrived here in Houston, 

I was told about a precious little stable just five minutes from our home.

I inquired about lessons and was so pleased with their overall philosophy

we decided to commit to a Friday afternoon riding time for our horse lover.

I drove her out to the stable a few weeks ago to see it.

{not telling her that she was enrolled}

She was so excited to see the horses.

When I told her she was going to come for lessons,

she started crying tears of joy!

and today was her first lesson.

In her words, it was "awesome" and "a little bit scary"

Afterall, it has been a few years since she's been on a horse.

Next week she'll be back in a familiar english saddle

This is a tremendous blessing for Charlotte.

We are so pleased to be able to see her do something for which she has so much passion.

and something that brings her so much joy!

The day I told her she was going to ride again,

I overheard her bedtime prayers -

she was thanking God for answering her prayers

and letting all things work out so she could ride again!

Indeed we are so thankful, too!

Travis McDonald, the equestrian center's director says,

"when you find the power of the horse and the gentleness of his spirit,

you have found a true treasure."

Happy Moon Festival

Moon Festival 2000 Yin Chang Zhong (b.1968 Chinese) Watercolor Red Lantern Folk Art, Mukashi Collection

Today we celebrate the Chinese Moon Festival or

Mid-Autumn Festival.  It is one of the most celebrated festivals in China.

It is particularly special to our family because we were in China

to receive Claire Hui Ping during the Moon Festival in 2004.

It is a celebration of the end of the harvest season and reason for

families to come together and enjoy the full and beautiful moon.
{Think American Thanksgiving}

Mooncakes are the traditional sweet or savory treat enjoyed during the festivities.

We sent a box to David's foster family a year ago for the Autumn Festival.

They are given as gifts and shared together during this time with family and friends

They are quite an interesting delicacy -

Usually round in shape, they are a thin pastry shell filled with an array of fascinating fillings:

whole egg yolks, minced meats,bean curd, dates or lotus paste to name a few.
The top is marked with the symbols of the festival.
{Think American fruitcake}

You guessed it - not a family favorite!  We usually just enjoy Chinese food for dinner.

Tonight:  Chinese Chicken with Walnuts and Brown Rice



This is our favorite Moon Festival book:

and over the weekend, the kids made lanterns which are traditionally
taken outdoors with candles inside for moon gazing fun!

The heart of the Moon Festival is reunion.
Families travel home (sometimes all the way back to China) to be together.

We are apart from our families today, and even apart from our Baba who is traveling,
but as we gaze at the glorious full moon,
we pray that we will, God willing, be united for a special time together very soon!!!

Claire Gets Glasses!

Claire is showing off her new eyeglasses.

She has mixed feelings about them

and she's shed a few tears. . .

But we think she is adorable!

And precious!

And oh so studious!

The cutie boo will always be

THE CUTIE BOO!!!

Meredith as Sarah

Meredith is taking drama this semester.

Here she is as Sarah presenting a Bible character monologue

to her younger schoolmates.

A prayer team from her class assembled in the hall outside the doors where students were

sharing their pieces -

to pray for the actor and for the children hearing the Bible story 

told from the first person perspective.

She had so much fun writing it...

and it looks as though it was fun to share it, too!

I was able to get this photo of her becasue it is on the current issue of the school newsletter.

I opened it up on line this morning and was blessed to see

this special picture with the third graders!

Great assignment with multiple great purposes!

A Warrior Football Update

I know Papa Achterkirch was probably disappointed

I didn't have pictures from last weeks

football game (another win 36-6).  

So today I was sure to bring the camera 

so I could catch some of the action!

We enjoyed a great home game this evening.

It was a little cooler
{low nineties feels almost fallish}
and odd as it was, there was occasional ash filtering upon us
from the fires believe it or not

All day it smelled like all of Texas was having a BBQ!

Ahead at halftime 7-0, the Warriors head to the locker room

David drove this hummer along the bench the whole game.

Look how dirty he was by the end of the game - love it!

Charlotte's soccer teammates

(They had their first practice today!)

Coaching before going in

Peter and his buddy James guarding the backfield -

the last defense against the opponents running backs

and cover for passing

(are you impressed with my growing game and position knowledge!?)

The Warriors took away another victory this evening
44-0 against the Cougars of Northland

Way to go Warriors!