Maria's First Fish

On January 5,2010 was when I got my first fish. His name is Fuego and he is scarlet red and dark black. The day after I got my fish we put it in his bowl. So my mom was draining what he was in before and he fell down the drain!! My mom my put her hand in it and saved my fish!About a week later one of my mom's preschoolers gave me their old fish bowl and everything that came with it.The new fish bowl was downstairs full of water, and Fuego was upstairs.When I came home from school I saw he was in the new bowl. I asked my mom,"Did you put my fish there?" My mom said "No ,Cecilia Did." And I saw what he was in before wasn't downstairs, it was upstairs. I can't believe my fish is still alive!:)

A Saying that I Adore-

Art is a collaboration between God and the artist, and the less the artist does the better.
- Andre Gide

Maria's end of the Year Awards for Testing

And all A Honor Roll all Year

Maria works so hard at school. She earned a medal for her score on the standardized achievement tests. We get a kick out of how seriously she takes her school work....But...shhh...Don't tell her. It makes our life easier that we don't have to worry about her doing her homework.

Project Elevate

Click the following to access the sent link:

09/29/2009 - Teens prepare for real world - VIEW NEWS: A Neighborhood Newspaper*

This is a project close to my heart. I was lucky to be on the ground floor of it's begining.
As children raised in foster care 'age out', which means they were not reuinited with their families or were not adopted. Begin life as an adult, there are many obstacles that they may not be prepared for. This project is unique in that we are there to hopefully aid in the transition process.

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*This article can also be accessed if you copy and paste the entire address below into your web browser.
http://www.viewnews.com/2009/VIEW-Sep-29-Tue-2009/Henderson/31389471.html

Subject: www.lasvegasnow.com : Project Elevate Helps Local Kids Leaving Welfare

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project elevate
> Project Elevate Helps Local Kids Leaving Welfare
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>> Copyright 2009 KLAS

Out to Dinner

When Gabriel came to town we took him to see all of the sights. He loved the town. also ate dinner at the Bellagio Buffet. Here is a photo he took of us after dinner. He found us through doing his geneology. What a great blessing. We know many of our Dutch cousins. But we had no knowledge of him and his family. We now have a crew of new cousins, plus a brand new Maria. (we learned there are lots of Maria's on both mine and Brad's sides of the family.)

Meeting a Long-Lost Dutch Cousin

fine with you, Brad and yout lovely daughters Cecilia and Maria. I send you an other picture and i know that you will like it.

Love and greatings from me and my wive Marijke,
Gabriël
A new born grandchild MARIA ANA van der Heijde

She is lovely-

After my visit to the US we went to Portugal for our holidays. We came back on the 12the of june and we were very busy with our children.

On the 8the of july our new granddaughter MARIA ANA was born. It is a nice little girl, very quiet and sweet. We call her MARIANA. All went well wth the delivery.
I sent you a picture of this new born member of the Van der Heijde family.
I hope everything is fine with all of you. Give my regards to your children.
Greatings and love,

hello...


recently I have been swimming with the fishes... when i came home I found an official note that you can call me dr. now :)


thank you for all your support throughout the years!


hugs,
- shenja


p.s. wanna read it? http://www.shenja.org/Site/playground_files/PhD09_vanderGraaf.pdf