Big News!

We are excited to announce that we are officially in the process of adopting again. We have started the homestudy process and have signed contracts with a new adoption agency and are working on our new dossier. We are so excited to begin the journey again and grow our family.

To answer a few questions that we know are coming, No, we are not using AGCI again. Yes, we loved working with them and have nothing but good things to say about them. They have grown as an agency and have a large waitlist as well as a large number of families working on their paperwork.


We are planning to adopt two children. Not one or two, but only two! We are excited to be growing our family from three to five! It has been a dream of ours and something we have been praying about since we were married.


We will hopefully not need to fundraise to the same extent we did for the past adoption. Our awesome agency is set up as a non-profit and will take tax deductible donations in our honor if anyone so desires to help out in that matter. We will be using the adoption tax refund from Mason and are planning another garage sale for the Spring. And finally, we will be applying for as many grants as possible.

Please join with us as in prayer through this journey. Pray as God prepares us and our family for two new children as well as the two new children being prepared for us. Thank you in advance for your prayers and support!

Labor Day Weekend

I have some more pictures to add to this and will update this, but blogger is not letting me upload more pictures at this point. So, we will add the rest of the pictures later. So, here is labor day weekend...

We went down to Albuquerque, NM to see Dan's great aunt Jane. We had a great time visiting her and had the opportunity to go to the botanical garden and aquarium. It was a great time.

Mommy and Mason during lunch

Daddy and Mason looking at the fishes...

Mason crashed after a bit at the aquarium.

The whole gang. This is me, Aunt Jane, Mason, Dan, and Grandma Betty. (She joined us on this trip)On our way out to the car.

I don't think Mason realized we had an 8 1/2 hour road trip ahead of us by the looks of this picture. He did really well, but it was a long trip. We had a good time and always do when we go see Aunt Jane.

Under Contract!

We are officially under contract on our dream house. It is such a God thing. We have been praying for guidance over the summer as to 'our next step' and had been feeling like we were supposed to stay here in GC. We are in an apartment that isn't the greatest, but it works, and the lease is up soon. We were trying to figure out what to do and then my sister says that she has found the perfect house for us. Low and behold, she was right! This is our dream home. It has an amazing porch, beautiful wood floor and woodwork, tall ceiling, lots of bedrooms, finished attic space, unfinished basement, brick patio out back, corner lot, and big, mature trees! This is truly our dream home. It was also super cheap! We love good deals, and this is one. It was a repo that had been bank owned for two years. They just wanted to get rid of it. It needs loving - a paint job, minor updating, cleaning up the yard. It's a great home! We can't wait to close and get it and settle before the holidays. Enjoy the couple pictures of the house and the beautiful entry with the stairs and woodwork.

picture fest again

So we have been enjoying life with Mason, and getting used to being parents with our special little boy who is not so little anymore. It is so fun to watch his personality come out and see him experience life. Enjoy the pictures!

Here is Mason in his smiley face shirt that says it all.

Daddy and Mason playing games with friends.

Mason enjoying sitting in a car seat even when out of the car, and his friends Abigail.

Mason ridding a toy.


I love the look on Mason's face and the finger pointing at me. He was talking to me like he was telling me what what going to happen next. I guess I point my finger at him when talking a bit more then I realized.

Sleeping boy.

Ready to go. Just need the keys.

Playing it up with Grandma. He has the same smile in stores and other places. Such a FLIRT!

Riding in the car with cousin Dylon, while grandma and grandpa watch.

Mason tries out a three wheeler.

Tara and Mason eating more food. This boy sure does love his food!!

Picnic time. Mason eating up all the attention.

"Hot Dog"

Trista filling the water table for Braden and Mason.

Bocce Ball with Family and Friends.

Grandma playing with Mason.

Grandpa shares the wonderful view from the deck with Mason. Unfortunately the mountains were fogged in today.

Mason in his du-rag. Give him a few years and he might be the next Dread Pirate Roberts.

The first hat Mason has left on for longer then five minutes.

Mason running after Pipper who came to the apartment for a visit one afternoon.

Mason strutting his stuff with a football.

Crazy Catch-up!

Ok, so now I am going to update you of the past 5 months of our life or so in one semi-quick post!

Feb - We bond with our baby and both head back to work.

March - Lots going on, very busy. Travel to see family! A week visit from Aunt. Mason takes first steps.

April - Mason learns to sleep all night long! Praise God!!!

May - Three new cousins join the family! Put house on market to sell. Mason is running everywhere!

June - Close on house. Move into apartment! Become debt free (Huge PRAISE GOD!!!)

Now - Wait upon the Lord! We are anxious to see what the Lord has in store for us. There are so many things in store for us. We are excited to walk in His plan. We are praying that He lead and guide us. Please join with us in prayer as we seek the Lord and his guidance for the next step for our family!

I will do my best to upload some amazing pictures in the next week or so and am determined to keep you up to date as our future unfolds!

Pictures - The trip home! - Jan 28 - Jan. 30, 2010

And miracles do happen! The last post of our trip! I will finally be able to post current events - and there is so much to post on that as well!!!

So, here is our entire travel group before we get ready to load the bus to head to the hotel!

All our luggage mounded into the bus.

One the way to the airport

On the plane headed home!

Notice the outfit change (minus the pants)

At the aiport all wrapped up in a blanket (because still no pants)

Sleeping for a little bit in a bassinett on the plane.

Our new outfit in Minnesota

Do you notice the before and after. The upper one is before we got on the plane, the next is after getting on and falling on the floor and getting a rug burn above the right eye. You will notice it in all the pictures from here on out.

On the tram in Denver and in our very last outfit! (the second new one!)

Part of our greeting party - It was so awesome to see them all!

Getting our luggage.

Cute posters to welcome us!

Waiting for our delayed flight (and eventually cancelled flight) out of Denver.

At Dan's sister's house, that night trying to get some sleep...

Getting ready to head home... again. (this time in borrowed clothes...thanks Tris)

new cousins.

The wonderful trip home. Lots of crying.

And then finally, exhaustion, and sleep!

Dan, I believe semi shocked that Mason crashed!

Since our airport greeting committee got disbanded because of our cancelled flights, the next afternoon, we just had a nice family greeting at our house over dinner!

Looking at a few pictures and videos that evening.

Nap time.

Resting with Daddy

Looking at pictures.

That was the jist of our whole trip. I hope you all enjoyed it. I had fun writing it and am sorry it has taken so long to get it posted. Thank you all for your patience. I am excited to be able to write more about the rest of our life these past 4 months. So many milestones to tell you all about!!!