Grouse Hunting & Halloween

Well this is my inaugural post on Juli's blog site, but I felt the need to post in regards to my most recent grouse hunt.   It was not the best hunt I've ever experienced, it was not the most productive, but there was one thing that made this hunt extra special, my son Nathan was able to come along with myself and my good friend Trent.   Although we only flushed one grouse, it did not matter.   Seeing the thrill on Nathan's face when I picked him up from school on Friday to acting goofy on the car ride up to Trent's cabin and to just witnessing him being so excited to be hunting with the boys!   Papa Nellie and Trent, I thank you guys from the bottom of my heart for letting me bring Nathan along.   We arrived at camp around 6 pm on Friday night, of course we had to cook a few burgers and brats on the grill, they were very tasty.  Nathan also beat me at a couple games of cribbage played his way.   With him going off to bed around 9:00 Trent and I played cribbage until about 2 am.   He ended up skunking me in the last game and I owe him $3, good luck collecting on that debt!

Saturday morning Nathan was ready to get up and hunt at 6:45 am.   We eventually left the cabin around 8 am after our healthy breakfast of powdered sugar donuts!   They were so good and will be a staple for future trips, Little Debbie never disappoints!     We hunted for about three hours and Nathan never complained once, walked in the woods (not on the trail), and stayed behind me allowing me ample space to shoot should the opportunity had arisen.

See the pictures below from our day in the woods.

Getting in the truck to start the day!  Look at that smile!

Getting ready to head into the woods!

Posing with Dad's gun!

Posing with Dad's gun again!

I can shoot your gun Dad, really I can!

Three tired animals after a fun morning of hunting!

Well all good things must come to an end and we headed back to the cabin to help Trent and Papa Nellie clean up!

I know one thing, I can't wait for the next time we head up hunting together little man!!

Trick or Treating......

Tonight we had trick or treating around our neighborhood!   The kids had fun, Nathan was hard to nail down as he ran from house to house at warp speed, Katelyn spent most of her time comfortable in the stroller only getting out at strategic times when her brother said "Katie they have the big candy bars!", and Ana was happy to be in Mom or Dad's arms for most of the night unless she encountered a dog.   The she would yell down, dog dog!

Nathan provided enough candy for himself along with his sister's.  He was pretty clear that he needed three pieces because his sister's are right over there!    Here are a few pictures from our Halloween Night!  

Picture before we left!

Katie on the move!

Nathan stocking up on some goodies!

Ana riding along!

Nathan not sure if he wants to get closer!

Ana trying her hand at getting a treat!

After trick or treating for about an hour the kids decided they'd head over to the neighbor's house and finish eating/handing out their candy!

Ben

What fun.....

My mom and I have been busy thinking of all different crafts to make.  I just have to share some of them.  There is a craft sale Dec. 3rd in Winneconne that we have a booth for and here are a few items.  If you like something let me know and we will ship it to you.....great christmas gifts, stocking stuffers or teacher gifts.

Key Fobs - $6
many many colors and styles....perfect stocking stuffer for that teen of yours

Lanyard - $10

Perfect for keys or for name badge for work (velcro in back so safe for healthcare workers)

(more colors/styles available)

Jewelry case - $20

Drawstring closure.  Pockets along inside of pouch.  Perfect for travel or for your hard to please teen.

(different styles available)

We also are making nuk/pacifier holders.  They hook to the kids clothes.  I didn't get a picture of it (Ana has it on sleeping :-))  Will post it when she wakes up.  They are $6.  Made of fabric.

Back to work!!!!

Beautiful song.....

So a friend just told me about this song and I had to share it....beautiful!!!

ok don't know how to link it here but if you go here you can watch it....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxwk43EU4gE

Have a great day!!!

Lazy days of Fall......

I LOVE FALL!!!

Love the beautiful color leaves and the different smells.

Love pumpkins and the cool breeze.

I love, love, love fall family memories.  This past Sat was one of those days I would love to rewind and have again.  We had a blast.  Simple but oh so fun.

My parents met us in the morning at Nathan's football game.  And let me tell you it was crazy windy out there.  If you got off your chair you better remember to have someone hold on to it or off it goes....I kid you not.  Soooo windy!!  But so fun.  Love watching him play on a fall morning with a hot cup of coffee!

Then we headed to the little farm close by to pick out pumpkins (Katie didn't want to go so she stayed back with Papa).  They are already out of the fields but it still is such a fun time. 

The beginning of the corn maze.

Ana and MiMi

Then we headed back home.  Nathan was so excited to decorate the front porch and we carved the pumpkins.

We drilled holes that spelled..BOO...then pushed purple lights through it.  Loved how it turned out.

Then to end the day  with a home cooked fish fry.  No crying, lots of laughs, family time and great memories....yep.  Did I mention that I loved this day!?!?!?



(But I'm not a fan of blogger today....took an hour to do this.  Right at the end it deleted everything and I had to start over and pictures took forever to load so not as many as I wanted but hey at least you got something ;-)

Now off to bake some pumpkin bars!!

 

Melts my heart!!!

Once you enter the world of adoption you realize how many people just don't get it.  They don't understand.  They question your motives (I've been asked more then once....Are you trying to prove a point???  Excuse me?!?!?  Are you trying to be a saint???  Ummmm nope!)

Then there are those that look at you and say....I just don't get it..why???

It is as hard for me to understand their point.....

Why not??

Because they have no one else.

We have room in our hearts to love those no one does

But mainly....

Because we feel led and are obeying.

When we are able to tell our story and the story of special needs children in other countries sometimes I walk away thinking, did they hear anything I just said and sometimes I think....

They Get It!

They understand the crisis

They understand that these children are the same as their little ones who, as we talk, are jumping in the leaves or dancing to the music or laughing as daddy tickles them....

The difference is that if they are left where they are they have.....

No idea what it is to tucked in by mommy every night.

No one to hold them all night and rock them when they don't feel good.

As with Caleb no chance to have an education.

No, absolutely No, chance at meeting their potential, enjoying life to the fullest and most of all

Feeling and receiving complete unconditional LOVE!

 Wed night we went to drop the kids at AWANA.

As we were waiting for it to start Jill B.'s daughter, Anna, came up and handed me this....

She said, Here is some money for Caleb.

I asked her where she got it and she said she earned it.

Even now as I type this it brings tears to my eyes so you can imagine how hard it was for me to keep it together as I hugged her and barely said....thank you!!!!

See she Gets it! 

It completely melts this mommy's heart that others love Caleb.  And it really touches my heart when it is an  8 yr old who has "worked" for the money.  Money that won't buy her something but instead is handed over with a huge smile and a joyful heart!  Anna you are an amazing girl!!! 

Thank you for loving Caleb!

35 days.....

But who is counting...

Not me

well maybe.

We are on day 35 of our wait for our LOA.

I NEVER thought this would be so hard but it is agonizing.  Not only do I want to go get him but with that letter we get to post his picture for you all to see and send him his care package!!!

You know the best part of sending that care package is that he then gets to find out he has a mommy and daddy coming for him.  We will send him pictures of us that his nannies will show him and tell him who we are.  Who his sisters and brother is and how much we love him!!!

How amazing is that. 

I have been trying to follow other's wait and lately some are getting them in about 41-44 days (don't tell my social worker she keeps telling me to not do that....that I will drive myself crazy.  Yep she is right but I can't help it!)

If we follow the same trend we could have it within a week......wow how wonderful that would be.

Last night we spent 2 hrs finishing up our paperwork and will notarize the rest of the papers hopefully tonight.  That way when we get the LOA our I800 paperwork will be done and be sent out right away.

Please pray for our LOA to come this week. 

I can not wait to show you all how much our little guy has grown from the picture on RR that we fell in love with to now!! 

Ok enough suspense.........

Ok I think you all have been patient enough :-)

We have been sooo blessed

humbled

blown away by generosity......


Our benefit was awesome.  During the day we had the craft/bake sale.  It went great.  They sold food for lunch also and there was a very steady stream of people all morning and afternoon.

So many good yummy baked items!!

Sarah and Rachel...Their table had many many items gone by the end of the night.  These girls were  there around 7:30am and were there till the end of the night!!  Unbelievable :) 

My mom, sister and Nathan trying to figure out what scents and items to get from scentsy...oh and the place smelled awesome from her table!

My mom bought me one of these bracelets made by Jake's mom as a memory of the day...LOVE it!

The craft/bake sale ended at 4 so we had 1 hr to set up for the dinner.....ahhhhhh......thank goodness we started a little earlier tearing down and had a TON of people helping.  The dinner went fabulous.  We had so many people come and enjoy the wonderful, delicious spaghetti that Betty and her crew slaved over in the kitchen.... I am sooo bummed I did not get a picture of them because they made that dinner happen.  And from what I hear we served about 250 people and not once were people waiting for them to finish cooking more.  They had it down and moved people through.  For dessert there was cake with the saying that I loved...  When they asked if there was a "saying" I use with Caleb I said no but if there was it would be LOVE CONQUERS.   On the cake they wrote....Love Conquers for Caleb.  One orphan saved is one less loss.  Beautiful!  Ok enough on that here are the pictures.

Ben Gibson did GREAT at emcee-ing.  I am sooo grateful to everyone who stepped in to fill the needs that night!!!

Nathan picking the winner of the 50/50 raffle!!

I just want to say thanks again to every person who showed that night to give up support.  It means everything to us to see we have a community of people behind us cheering us on.

Oh I forgot :)

Y'all were also wondering what the total was....

$7900.00

How amazing is that!!  We made $6500 that day and $1400 in pre-sale and meat raffle tickets!!!!

It was a day that I will never forget and will hold dear to my heart forever.

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Also because we have had just a crazy week I never got to blog about our friends, the Gibson's, who met there beautiful son this friday.  I could never explain their meeting as well as Ashley does :) and the pictures say it all.  Please hop on over and let them know you are praying and supporting them.  I can not imagine what it is going to be like being so far from home and not speaking their language. 

I am sooo thrilled that they are there and holding that boy each day!!  



Not what I thought.....

A month ago I signed up for a card making class.

Since then I have been looking forward to it....really looking forward.  Well last night was the night.  I walk in and I am the only one in the class.   Bummer because I was looking forward to meeting new people but hey at least the teacher can answer my questions right away and this won't take all night.

So we start and I think this is awesome.  I love scrapbooking (even though I'm about 3 yrs behind but that's not the point) and this was kind of playing off that love.  First and second card went great and then 3 was a little annoying.  Then the dreaded 4th.  First she had me color and blend the leaves....ok this was NO fun.  I couldn't get it to look like hers and it was driving me nuts.  Then we had to stamp and emboss....well I felt like a 4 yr old.  First time I didn't press hard enough, second time you couldn't read it because I put on too much ink and pressed too hard.  Finally I said can you just do it and ohhhh I'm running out of time so I'm going to skip the last card.  She decided to do the last one while I finished embossing what she stamped :-)

It was fun but I really thought I would just LOVE it and want to buy every product to do it at home....nope.  That's probably a good thing...lol.  I think I might try though one more time because I do love the finished products......

Those leaves were my enemy last night!

My favorite one