This is a totally new thing that I wanted to start since we have friends relocating and others all over the US. Hope this works out. This was the end of another week full of exams and studying for Mike (surprise there) while I continue to try and get all the other things done, including Christmas shopping and making preparations to head home at Christmas. We are so excited to be able to see our families and to see how much our nieces and nephew have grown. It is hard not being close to watch them grow up, but we enjoy the time we do have with them. Our little family keeps growing also. Hammy, who is only 5 1/2 months, now is bigger in size and weighs more than Tiger and is almost the size of Cinder. He is a beast! He recently went in to visit the vet to prepare for him to lose his manhood, and he weighed in at ~8 1/2 pounds. He survived the surgery and doesn't seem to hate us for it. His personality is back, and during these cold winter months his affection will come in handy with keeping me warm. He's a lover! The pictures can help you compare how much he has grown and how big he is now.

Hammy when we first brought him home (July 17, 2006)

Hammy now (November 19 th)

Here are some pictures of the rest of the clan also:

Cinder & Hammy

Henry right after we got him groomed so he wouldn't look like a Muppet.

Tiger enjoying his window seat at the new house.

And above is a picture of our new home (since June) for those who haven't seen any other pictures. It has been a blessing to have our own space and know that God has given this gift to us for our time in Kansas.

This week ahead is only a two day week of studying and school for Mike and for me at work also. Of course, when Mike isn't doing schoolwork he is on call at the hospital, so we are a bit limited on what we can do while we both have off. But either way it will be great to relax and spend time with friends, plus we will be setting up for Christmas (one of my favorite things to do). We are planning to have Thanksgiving with our "little church family" since we can't make it back east and also to enjoy the holiday with some of our friends that will be moving away soon. We will miss the Rozenbooms and Scotts, especially knowing that they are now part of our family and made our time here in Kansas all the better. It will be a sad couple of weeks ahead but we know that God has wonderful plans for them in Georgia and Iowa.

That is the latest from Kansas and the Marino clan for now...to be continued