This evening, Nicolai is being honored by the Free Wheelchair Mission for his fundraising efforts on their behalf. His total now stands at $110,000 which translates into 2500 wheelchairs for the disabled of Tanzania. The banquet is being held at the beautiful Fairmont Copley Hotel and we are treated to this vision of our boys looking quite dignified.

 
This afternoon, Mark and I drove with Kyle to Princeton, MA for his soccer match. I took portratis of all the boys and this team photo before the game started. Kyle has fully recovered from his bout with mono and was in fine form. His team was leading 2-0 at halftime when we had to leave in time to make Nicolai’s award ceremony. I had a slight muscle injury and decided to miss my game to avoid further aggravation but should return to action next weekend.

 
Emmanuel shares the story of his mother, the other source of his inspiration, with the congregation. When he was young, his mother carried Emmanuel on her back for the 6 mile round trip to school. When he became too heavy for her, he hopped the distance on one leg before he eventually got a pair of crutches. Try hopping one block and you will learn what indomitable spirit and unrelenting determination means. Emmanuel proudly showed off the high tech prosthetic he now wears and thanked his supporters in the US for their generosity.

 
This morning begins a big day for Nicolai. At church he joins Emmanuel Efosa Yeboah of Emmanuel’s Gift fame, in front of the congregation to discuss the importance of inspiration. Seeing Emmanuel’s movie inspired Nicolai to raise money to buy wheelchairs for the diabled poor of Tanzania. Emmanuel was inspired by disabled athlete Jim MacLaren who lost his leg in a horrific accident and went on to become a world class triathlete and to overcome even greater challenges. Follow this link to learn more about this amazing human being.

 
Mark has a serious tete-a-tete with his daughter about her eating manners.

 
Mark and Jeanine tag team to feed Rose who wound up with as much food on her face as in her mouth. Verify this claim by clicking on the photo for an enlarged view.

 
Despite the damp and cool conditions today, the older kids enjoyed playing outdoors. Mark and I spent the better part of the day working on the kayak. It was Mark who really got me interested in building one and it was a lot of fun working with him. We were able to fiberglass the inside hull and prepare the inside deck for fiberglassing, two very big tasks.

 
Maya was glued to baby Rose and really seemed to enjoy being the oldest girl amongst these cousins rather than her normal status as the youngest of our family.

 
Mario has gotten very tall and is quite the handsome young man. At age thirteen he looks like he is about ready to start shaving.

 
Mario consoles her sister after she learns that all the ice cream has been devoured before she could get any.

 
Sohpia gets the better of Nicolai in a wrestling contest that erupts spontaneously in the living room.

 
My brother Mark and his family flew out from Minnesota to attend an award ceremony for Nicolai later this weekend. Pictured here is my sister-in-law, Marie, and nieces, Sophia and little Rose.

 
Today, on the way home from work, I decided I deserved an ice cream cone and stopped in at my favorite shop. I rarely feel guilty about anything I do but must admit that I paused in the garage to finish my cone and to dispose of all evidence of my purchase before entering the house. Delaying this post by five days should satisfy the statute of limitations on being pressured by the kids into a return visit.

 
Here is a close up featuring an apple, corn, and fish next to the anatomically correct male and mother with baby gathered around a campfire.