I'm still here but...

...every free moment in the evenings has been spent reading the Hunger Games Trilogy with Ryan! I will be back sometime soon with loads of thanksgiving. Until then, you all should get this book it is a great read!

Family

Two weekends ago some of my family from the East Coast came to NE for the Texas game (yuck!) and to spend time with us. What a complete delight it was to share our lives with them and have them share their lives with us. I love, love, love that God designed families. Why? Because I rarely see these people and don't often even talk with them, but without hesitation we hug when we meet and they sleep our beds and we share breakfasts and meaningful talks with one another. It's something special about the family bond that we share.



My heart was just overflowing with thankfulness to the Lord when they were here (and even now that they are gone) for...

526. Greeting each other with great big hugs

527. Sharing stories and experiences about healthcare with my uncle and cousin

528. Watching and uncle and seeing so much of my father. In awe of how God makes us unique and the similarities in us as well.

529. A morning run with my cousin.

530. Everyone making dinner together in my kitchen.

531. Good food and delighful conversation...thank you Lord for this pleasure

532. Rob reading to the boys

533. Hallie's admiration of Susanne

534. A walk through a NE forest.

535. My aunt's sincere interest in us and our lives.

536. An opportunity to share our faith, the most important thing to me, with our lives and our words.

Soccer and Birthday Party Pics!

Soccer for the boys 2010





Zac's 5th Birthday Party at the Pumpkin Patch

Look who's FIVE!

Today marks Zac's 5th birthday. I am forever grateful for his presence is our lives. I never could have imagined that God would bring a child from Siberia into our family to be our son when Ryan and I first started our family. Here are just some of the countless reasons I am thanking God today for the gift of Zachary...

516. Zac's endless energy

517. The way he loves fruit.

518. He knows he is our son. Just this weekend I saw him point to me and tell some strangers, "That's my mom!"

519. How he makes up songs about God, "God is soooo powerful and soooo strong. God forgives us always, even when we are bad. God is the best." (His latest song went something like that)

520. The way he plays with and loves his brother and sister.

521. His confidence.

522. Watching him play a sport like soccer. The Lord made him to be a little fighter with lots of perseverance and toughness (most the time).

523. How he makes us laugh almost every day.

524. The way his tongue sticks out just a little while he concentrates on his artwork.

525. His bear hugs and huge kisses!

Happy Birthday, son! We love you always and forever!

So thankful...

500. For the brisk fall air in NE
501. Seasons changing, leaves changing color, change...it is good...it is from God!
502. Hannah living with us again. Her love of life, her smile, her hope. The Jesus joy she imparts to my kiddos.
503. The stars out on an early morning run.
504. My running friends. Conversations with other adoptive parents and new friends.
505. Watching Zac build a worm house.
506. Jacob's healthy body. We had to have a blood test and it was completely normal.
507. Hallie says on the way home from dance, "Mom, I love our home. I just feels so good there."
508. Hannah's comment to us, "Your house is peaceful."
509. Ryan making breakfast for the kids.
510. Listening to Ryan practice spelling words with Hallie.
511. Jacob's writing book from school filled with pictures of him smiling. One page said, "I am happy!"
512. Reading books with Zac at night, snuggling and hearing him say, "Mommy, I love you soooo much!"
513. A 45 minute phone call with my parents.
514. Jean and Doug enjoying an overnight with Hallie. She called the next day to tell me how much she loved their time together.
515. A loving family.

Fall Crafts

I am not the craftiest person, but when I do enjoy decorating my home for the season. Today, we got our house ready for fall! Here are a few crafty ideas I found...

Sparkling Pumpkin
1. Find a pumpkin at the store. 2. Paint the stem brown with acrylic paint 3. Paint the pumpkin with white glue 4. Apply glitter (we used clear) 5. Let dry.



Bat Garland

1. Buy folded tissue paper. 2. Trace a bat design on the paper and cut out. 3. Tape sections together. 4. Hang from mantel or over windows.



Jack-o-lantern Fruit cups
1. Cut the top of orange off in a circle. 2. Dig out inside of orange with a spoon. 3. Cut out jack-o-lantern face with a knife. 4. Fill with fruit (strawberries, raspberries, apples, grapes...)
5. Enjoy!