Kinley and I were baking the other day and stumbled upon a perfect way to make healthy pie crust, filling, and topping without any refined sugar or artificial ingredients. This is about as healthy as you can get without making the pies taste weird. Crust 1 cup flour 1/2 cup softened butter or coconut oil…
Emily was the greatest joy for our family, and we miss her so much! I want to gather as many people as possible to urge her mom to let her come back. Please, in the comments below, share your favorite Emily stories and why she needs to return to the U.S. to finish high school….
Dearest Emily, It’s quiet here now. Too quiet. There’s a silence in the halls where there used to be slipper shuffles. The fridge still opens, but nothing falls out onto the floor anymore, and I know it sounds dumb, but I miss that, and the “whoops…” afterwards. And your room feels like it’s holding its…
This year with Emily has been absolutely amazing. I couldn’t have asked for a better match. Unfortunately, this exchange year has come to an end. Olga is on her way back to Germany as we speak, and Emily will be right behind her. Emily, you will be missed, but you will always be my sister…
Today it rained! That was a first for June, and it was refreshing to see. Olga, Emily, and Mom are all in Seattle today, and my dad is working, leaving me home alone with a guitar, piano, and brainful of ideas. One of my favorite hobbies is songwriting, and I’m working on a few songs. Other…
Well, it’s Saturday, which means yesterday marked a full week of summer for me and my friends. We’ve been on so many adventures. With Olga here for only two weeks before Emily leaves, we are cramming the fun as much as we possibly can. Yesterday we went to Multnomah Falls and some farms in Hood…
Hey guys! Summer has been slow and fast at the same time! Yesterday, some of Emily’s friends surprised her with a picnic in the park. It was so sweet and thoughtful, and I’m so grateful for them for thinking about her just two weeks before she leaves. She will be missed. Perfectly enough, one of…
Last night, Emily’s mom Olga flew into town for Emily’s last two weeks. She is so sweet and nice, and although she doesn’t speak English (Emily is our translator), she has been so fun to have around. Today as a family, we went to Fort Vancouver and learned about the history of the town. Everybody…
Today was a really sad day for me and my friends. Gunnar packed his bags and moved to Washington, D.C. with his family. While I only knew him for a short time, he quickly became a great friend to the trio. Gunnar, you will be so missed, and we love you so much. Our hearts…
Last night was my eighth-grade celebration, and it was awesome. My friends and I dressed up and I walked into the sanctuary with Mikka. Right behind us were Luca, Gunnar, and Brennan. We had planned to all sit together with Kinley and Meela in front of us, but it didn’t work out. My grandma went…
This year, I have written up a list of thirty goals for the summer. I invite you to join me as I try to accomplish all thirty items through the course of the summer. I have a lot of friends who are also making summer bucket lists, including Claire and Kinley. Here’s my list: watch…
This is it. The end of an era. But this is the dawn of something new. New opportunities on the horizon, new experiences just waiting for me. God is calling me down a path that I wouldn’t have ever imagined I would be on. This year, I made so many new friends who build me…