Hello!!!!

It's been such a long time since I've posted on my blog.  A family member has encouraged me to do a post and share a link for our upcoming adoption.

I have no good excuses for not blogging for such a long period of time.  I do think that being able to use Facebook may have contributed to my absence here.  Also, I went through a period of time when things were taking longer than we'd planned with our adoption and I was down about that sometimes. Then one day led into the next and before I knew it, I was out of the blogging habit.

So many of you have been faithful to your blogs and I appreciate that.  I do still look in on you, and comment here and there.  I love to look in on your lovely families and your world.

Our family is doing well.  All of our adult children are well and happy.  Jadyn is loving 1st grade and so excited about becoming a big sister soon.

Our adoption trip to China is coming up very, very soon.  You can read the details here, and see our journey. Evan Comes Home  I will be updating with our China schedule soon. We appreciate all prayers and good thoughts for our trip, for safety, health, and bonding.  We appreciate your support very much.

What's a post without some pictures?  Here are some recent ones of Jadyn and Evan.  Can't wait 'til they can be together as brother and sister.

Girls Just Want To Have Fun

All is well here at our home.  The last week or so has passed so quickly.  We've been busy with a number of things, but we've still had time for some fun.

 Jadyn is off from school tomorrow, so who knows what we will get into.  I hope it's nice enough for a little trip to the park.  I haven't checked the weather yet.  I think neither of us would mind the rain.  She loves to be out in it as much as I will let her.  Following, are some photos of her playing in the rain on a pretty cold day.

We planted some seeds recently and hopefully they will grow basil and tomatoes.  Jadyn just loves to do this sort of thing. No sprouts yet, but maybe they will be up any day.  They are on the kitchen windowsill.

Last weekend, I took Jadyn to an open house at a local nursery.  She was so excited to do the children's activities. Here she is, having her face painted.  She also planted seeds, and had her caricature drawn.  There were treats and balloons too.  What's not to love? 

Planting sunflower seeds.  They are already growing!

Jadyn and I went shopping yesterday. We were actually just shopping for pillows, but of course we had to stop and take a look at the purses, hats, and flip flops.  We had some fun trying on hats.  

Jadyn snapped a couple of me.  They were pretty fuzzy, but I'm adding this one anyway.  It was fun to be silly together.  

Treasure from a 6 year old.  :)  Some day, she won't be into picking the dandelions for me, so I'll enjoy this phase.  

Have a very wonderful Mother's Day weekend with your family!

Has Spring Sprung?

We believe spring is here.  There are signs of it here and there, and we have had Easter.  Surely it must be here.We long for warm days with no wind, and no jackets required.

Our Easter weekend was really nice.  We spent time with friends and family and enjoyed it very much.
On Saturday evening, we had Lauryn and Aaron over for dinner and games, and this was our Easter meal together.  The highlight of the weekend was worshiping at church on Sunday.  We are so blessed to have a Savior who is alive and active in our lives!
We ate a light lunch after church and then spent the day just relaxing. We had an egg hunt late in the afternoon.

A couple of times during the weekend (actually more if truth be told) my thoughts turned to Evan.  When Jadyn was dyeing eggs I said, "Guess who will be dyeing Easter eggs with you next year?"  She couldn't guess, and so I told her it would be her little brother.  Then on Sunday I was thinking that he will be here for the egg hunt next year.  Exciting thoughts!  I think it must be sinking in.  I have gone from - Will This Really Happen?  to - He Will Be Here With Us!

Easter flowers

This was not my best year for taking Easter photos.  Seriously.  I didn't get a picture of Jadyn in her Easter dress. There wasn't time to get photos before church and then she had ketchup on her dress and it was all wrinkly afterward. I will just have to dress her in it again and do some photos.  A few years from now, I'll be glad I have the photos and it won't matter what day they were taken.

Here is Lexi.  She had her 12th birthday on Monday!  She looks pretty good for a lady who is advancing in her years.  ;)  She is 70 years old in cat years.  I think she has the right idea about how to spend her days. -- Ask for food, nap, maybe do a little self hygiene, nap, ask for food again, nap, snuggle with someone special, nap.  

I am looking forward to the weekend and time with family.  Enjoy yours, whatever you choose to do!

For The Birds!

For the birds!  That's what this weather is.  I think winter just loves Minnesota a bit too much this year.  How can we miss winter if it won't Go Away??  Oh, that's right, we won't miss it at all.

I looked out this morning, and I saw 2 beautiful cardinals in the tree.  I do have to admit they looked beautiful in the snowy branches.  I wanted to snap a picture of them, but of course they were gone by the time I came back with my camera.  I did take quite a few other photos of birds.  I will share how lovely they looked on this April morning.

I do want to thank you for your kind words about my little accident last week.  I am feeling much better.  I can't wait to get my stitches out in a couple of days.  My finger is still sore and a bit swollen, but hopefully it will be back to normal very soon.  I still have a hideous bruise on my thigh, but my arm no longer looks hideous and that's a very good thing. Thanks for your concern and well wishes.

Now, enjoy the birds....

In order to see birds it is necessary to become part of the silence.

- Robert Lynd

The Crazy, No Good, Very Bad Day

I have to share about my Tuesday.  It was a very crazy day, and so NOT what I was expecting.  The morning was great, I ran a couple of errands and then came home just a few minutes before Jadyn was due to arrive on the bus from Kindergarten.

I pulled into the garage and got out of the car.  Maybe I should say that I got most of myself out of the car.  Somehow, I misjudged and 2 fingers of my right hand were slammed in the car door.  In the split second that it took the pain to register, my brain was also thinking, "Holy Cow! My fingers are shut in the door!" I opened the door and got my fingers out and let me tell you, the pain was among the most intense pain I have EVER felt in my life.

I somehow made it inside and to the kitchen sink.  I turned on the water to start rinsing my fingers. I was trying to reach for the paper towels and I started to feel intensely like I would pass out.  Amazing how quick it happened.  I bent my knees and hung my head down, thinking it would pass.  I remember thinking I should go to the kitchen table and sit.  That's the last thing I remember, until I was crashing into a wooden railing that separates the kitchen from family room.  I passed out and on the way down, I did battle with a wooden chair.  It won.

I badly scraped my forearm, bruised my head, cheek, thigh, hand and who knows what else. I even broke my glasses.  My head was just swimming as I tried to sit up and I was realizing that I needed to get Jadyn from the bus immediately. I rose and had the sense to call my neighbor next door to see if she could step out and get Jadyn. Of course, there was no answer. Isn't that how it always works?  I realized that I would have to somehow get out to the driveway so the bus driver would release Jadyn from 4 houses down.  I made it out there and got her.

We came inside and I told her what happened.  I was so afraid she would be freaked out at the sight of my finger and hearing about what I'd done.  She was so calm and helpful!  I tried to call a friend, and there was no answer.  Next I called Alan and he was on a walk a lunch time.  He was able to come get us and take me to the minor emergency clinic.

The great news is that I had no broken bones, and I only needed stitches.  Thank goodness for that.  Getting stitches was not fun, but very minor compared with fingers in a car door. It is now 3 days later and I am doing much better.  I've had pain during the last several days, but it's almost nil now.  Fingers are swollen and the middle one looks, let's say...quite colorful.  I feel they look amazingly good considering what I did to them.  I am thankful things actually turned out so well.

The moral of the story?  Make sure that your hands and all body parts have exited the vehicle before you slam it's door.  ALWAYS take it seriously when you feel you might faint.  Stop, drop, and sit, or the results are not pretty.

That is my crazy, no good, very bad Tuesday.

Here's a picture of me, with my bandaged hand.  Notice that my middle finger has the huge bandage.  You would not believe how much grief I've heard about my middle finger and the inappropriateness of that.  Oh my.

Chair at right of table and the railing I crashed into.  Never try to battle with a chair of this sort. It hurts.

Our Kansas City Trip, etc.

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood!  It's sunny and mild.  Love this!  There are only a few patches of snow here and there, and the pond is trying to go from solid to liquid -- ever so slowly.  The geese are stopping by to check on it's progress.  I see little shoots beginning to come up in the flower bed.  Maybe spring is on it's way to MN.

Last week was Jadyn's spring break and we enjoyed a trip to Kansas City.  We visited our daughter, Kaitlyn and son-in-law, Chris.  It was so good to see them.  We stayed for 3 nights, and the time went so quickly.  We enjoyed visiting, eating, shopping, a museum visit, and more.  We met our newest grandkitten, Tony.

Jadyn had tons of fun playing with him.  He is sweet, and it almost made me want a kitten. Almost.

Jadyn, Kaitlyn, and Chris in Kansas City.

Downtown KC

Jadyn and Kaitlyn playing a game.

Kaitlyn, Alan, and Jadyn at dinner one evening.

By the way, please excuse the quality of some of the photos.  Some were taken with my phone.  It was just one of those "snap what you can" trips.  :)

We visited at Chris' mom's home one afternoon.  Jadyn enjoyed visiting the horses and other animals.  

Jadyn, holding a baby chick.  So soft!

So now we are home and back to our usual schedule.  Jadyn's back in school and this is good.  Little Miss Active needs her Kindergarten time.  

My brother came for a visit yesterday and stayed the night.  It was nice to have the opportunity to visit with him.  He lives in Texas, in our home town.  It's always a bonus when family comes to visit us.  

Have a wonderful week, friends!