Anticipation...

Ok, so now that your anticipation is built up (or, you probably just totally forgot). Ok, so one totally cool thing that has happened with this adoption. So the story goes: We wrote a cookbook as a fundraiser for our adoption. It has sold well here locally as well as in Colorado Springs, CO. We sold it at church a number of times and one lady there bought a couple of cookbooks. She is a friend and her husband is a deacon with Dan. Well, she bought one cookbook to give her daughter in law. Just a bit ago, I got an email with the subject being: do you remember me? Low and behold this daughter in law just so happens to be the girl who was my best friend when we lived here in Garden City when I was 8 or so. We only lived here for 2 1/2 years or so, but she was my bestest friend and lived just down the block. So, through this cookbook and adoption, I have been reconnected with an old friend whom I haven't seen in who knows how many years. I haven't had the chance to upload an old picture, but will do so hopefully within the next couple of weeks. Isn't that cool!

Gluttons for Punishment

Yes...I am a glutton for punishment and I drag my husband in with me... :) Well, we have decided to do another garage sale, actually I decided and he reluctancly agreed. They're tiring and exhausting and tons of work. We did the first at the begining of garage sale season here in town and we figured it went so well that we would do another one near to the end of the season. So, on August 7 & 8 we are going to be holding another. For those of you nearby, donations are always welcome. We have tons of stuff already, but will gladly take more. the more you have, the more people stop! I am praying we raise $3,500 with this garage sale - wouldn't that be awesome!

It's exciting to think about how God has provided for this adoption. We are now raising money for travel expenses and other such incidentals. We have the referral money, so that is one less stresser. We are excited to see the way the Lord is moving in our lives and the lives of those around us. So many times He has shown us that this is what we are supposed to be doing. I have an awesome 'reconnection' story coming from the adoption, but that will have to wait for another day, or later tonight. I want to find a good picture to scan in and post with the story. Anticipation - it's what keeps you coming back for more...T

Last two weeks...another long one, but what did you expect

Ok, the last two weeks... how crazy, only getting us ready for the next couple... It started off with 2 weekends ago going to play paintball with a couple of the guys from our Bible Bowl team. We borrowed supplies from one of the ones who wasn't able to play due to harvest. (thanks Paul, the gun was great)

Then that Thursday, we headed off to Indianapolis for the national Bible Bowl tournament. We had lots of fun and got to see numerous things around Indianapolis. First of all the Speedway...

We stayed downtown Indianapolis at the Embassy Suites. We were about 2 blocks from the War Memorail. It was pretty amazing. Here is a far away shot.

Then Dan, myself, and another sponsor Susannah decided to pull a prank on the lead sponsor and got these hair clips to make her think we dyed our hair... it took about 5 days for her to figure out they were fake.

Here is Dan and I the first day of competition.

One night, we took the whole crew (35 of us minus 1) to a WNBA game. Everyone had a great time!

Dan, Susannah and me...

At halftime they had a 1 armed juggler, it was pretty amazing...

One night, we took all the kids out to the old spaghetti factory. It was fun and most had never been to one. (which I just somehow deleted the picture, so you just have to imagine it...)

Then on the way home, we (Dan, Susannah, and I) decided to play another prank on the sponsor. It was histarical. We go the other two female sponsors in on it and had a great laugh. The kids were dying to know what was going on. It was fun.

On the last day, a couple of us were walking to where we had the vans parked, and I saw these smokestacks. I thought they were cool, especially with the stairs wrapped around them.

We got back from Indianapolis on Wednesday night. Went to work for the rest of the week. Then on Saturday, Dan worked and I went to the nephews Trevor and Brendan's swim meet. It was a lot of fun, but extremely hot. It was like 103 degrees at 10:45 a.m. It was hot!!! They took a break and let everyone get into the pool if they wanted to, clothed and all. So, in went our niece Macy, nephew Grant, and myself. It felt good, sopping wet, fully clothed.

The boys were having their names put across their back, and Grant was feeling left out and kept grabbing the marker and trying to write on himself. So, I did it for him, and let me tell you, he thouht he was big stuff!

Here is Trever getting ready to race and also him doing the butterfly. They have district meet next week, which Trevor qualified for in every stroke he races and Brendan (who is in an older age group) qualified in 2 or 3 of his strokes. Unfortunately, I did not get any pictures of Brendan because I timed races the whole time he raced. Sorry...

We're back and have new numbers

We'll, we got back on Wednesday late, we are still exhausted. I will post more on the trip later, but we got new numbers - so here you go:

Girls:

Siblings:

Boys:

On the Road Again...

We are off at 5 a.m. to Indianapolis, IN!!! We are going with the Bible Bowl team to the National Competition. It will be a great time and you will get some great posts when we get back.. Have a wonderful Independence Day!!! T

Official Numbers

We are officially, as of Friday, june 26th, on the Wait List!!! FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our numbers are as follows:

GIRLS

BOYS

SIBLINGS

Hello and goodbye!

Today we said hello and goodbye to our homestudy. We received our homestudy officially at 2:15 this afternoon. It was sitting sadly alone on our porch until Dan got home from work around 3. Then he grabbed it and raced down to the office on his bike (in 100 degree heat, none the less) and added it to the dossier and finished making copies. We were in a serious time crunch because we were hoping to get it out in todays UPS shipment which leaves Staples (handily where Dan works) anywhere from 4-5. So, the race was on. We got it all finished copied and together and then Dan hopped in the car and raced back to Staples (thankfully we live in a small town), and got there at right about 5. Thankfully, the UPS shipment had not been sent. Being an employee, Dan just went behind the counter and did all the shipping stuff himself so we didn't have to wait on anyone to 'serve' us. Our dossier will officially be at AGCI tomorrow by 10:30! WooHoo!!!!!!! You have no idea, ok, some of you might have an idea, but still, you have no idea... Ok, here are a few pictures... (we thought the binder clips were fun...)

Also, here is a fun picture of what I went to bed to the other night. I had stayed up reading, and when i went to bed, the cat had taken my spot. He had no intention of moving either. I even laid down and used him as the pillow and he didn't move. I actually had to pick him up and put him at the foot of the bed...