No longer a Kindergartner

Dawson has finished kindergarten. I can't believe it. I am amazed at what he has learned in a year. To think a few short months ago, he didn't know his days of the week or months of the year. He didn't count past 20. He only wrote his name. Now he can write, spell, read, add, tell time, read a calendar and do much more. It's amazing.

Here are the Koutiala kids.

To say he loves school is an understatement. Here is a year in review...

One night they have movie night and played games.

Thanksgiving

In the Christmas play.

Celebrating his birthday

Reading with Mr. Brian on his last day of school

We brought cake the last afternoon and celebrated the end of the year.

Sweet Caleb at the party

They had a little "graduation" for him. Not many kids probably have graduation parties with their brothers in bathing suits, but oh well. That's our life. :)

Silas helped "BwianJuwie," as he calls them, give Dawson his certificate.

He liked it. :)

Mr. Brian and Mrs. Julie with the graduate. :)

Brian and Julie have already left and moved back to California. We miss them terribly. They were an incredible gift to our team and more importantly to our family. I never realized how grateful a parent felt for those who taught their children. What a gift. Brian and Julie were amazing. They included Dawson, made him feel important and special, and loved him. If they had only done that I would have been happy. However, they also gave him a great education and love for learning. I am so grateful. Not to mention that we gained special friends as well. I am so thankful for the times we got to spend together. Praise the Lord that they came to Koutiala! I will be forever grateful for them and how they blessed our family. Words can't express how much they touched our lives.

I think Dawson's comment to Kenan the other day sums it up. He said, "I'm no longer a kindergartener. I'm a first grader....I wish I was still in kindergarten so Mr. Brian and Mrs. Julie were still my teachers."

We love you, BwianJuwie, Caleb, and Sierra!