Cinderella

We had so much fun, helping Brenna celebrate her 3rd birthday yesterday!  She was a gracious big sister and let Felicia help with some of the presents.

Brenna is really, really into princesses and Cinderella, in particular.  Grammy had SO much fun shopping for a Cinderella dress and accessories and making a petticoat that would make the dress pouf ! :-)

Getting the jewelry on

Ready for the ball

Showing us the shoes

Adorable!

Dancing with her Prince Charming

Blowing out the candles

Diving into the yummy cupcakes

Felicia got a belated birthday gift from Mimi and Pa and she climbed right on and started rocking

Cinderella with Great, great Mamma

The birthday girl with her mommy and daddy

Anniversary Peace

Knowing that we were in desperate need of a date, I lined up sitters for the boys for our anniversary and we commenced the decision planning of where to go and what to do.  These dates don't come easily, so we didn't want to waste a minute.  We thought about several options, including a nice dinner out, a movie, etc.  However, as difficult as it might be to understand, we really just wanted peace and quiet and time to talk and pray without being interrupted.  It is rarely quiet in our house!  So, I called a dear friend of mine whose family owns some amazing property with a cute, little cabin on it and she was willing to let us be temporary squatters for the evening.  We got a pizza and headed out there with plenty of time to hike around before it got dark.  It was beautiful and so quiet!  Turns out it was just what we needed and we feel very blessed to have had a few hours away in this paradise!

33 Years!!!!

33 years ago today was a beautiful, hot, sunny day and I married the most wonderful, handsome, guy!!  God continues to stretch and grow us in ways we never imagined and we are so thankful for His love and guidance and mostly, His grace!

Happy 3rd Birthday!!

3 years ago this evening, Tom and I had a sitter lined up for Ian and we headed out for an early anniversary dinner.  However, before we got anywhere to eat, we got word that Elizabeth was in labor so we went into the crazy grandparent mode and headed to the hospital to anxiously await the arrival of our granddaughter.  It seemed like forever but actually was pretty quick and Brenna Noelle entered our lives!  She has grown up so much and is a sweet, spunky little girl that brings us so much joy!  She frequently runs errands with me (the girl loves Aldi!) and makes the boring tasks so much fun. We're so thankful for you, Brenna and love you so much!

Happy Birthday, sweet Brenna!!  Can't wait to celebrate with you on Saturday!!

Grammy and Pops

Ian, Jeremy and Lucas

Ethan's 1st Trip to Indiana

Ethan brought Olivia and his mommy and daddy to Indiana last week for a visit.  We enjoyed having them here so much that I didn't take many pictures....too busy playing!  However, here are a few.

 Great Mamma meeting Ethan (with the quilt she made him)

 This child is adorable!!!!   

 And happy, too!

 Tummy time

 Ian playing the drums while O and Grammy play the tambourines

 Olivia and Brenna going to help Pops get Ian off the bus

 Putting their babies to bed.....priceless! 

 Ethan with Great Pa

Grammy playing Trotty Horse with the girls

So. Much. Fun!!!!!!

Thank you Lindsay and Troy for enduring an unhappy, stuck-in-the-carseat baby and making the long trip to IN!  It was a blessing to have you here!

We love you!!

4 Years!

Four years ago today, we brought this little guy home from Jamaica and how our lives have been blessed! We still can't understand why someone didn't snatch him up years before we found him but are so thankful that God chose us to be his forever parents and for the love and protection he had prior to meeting these crazy white people.  We tried to prepare him but there is no way he could understand how his world was about to change.  

He might have been nervous but in true Ian fashion, he had the flight attendants wrapped around his little finger in no time!

 Meeting the siblings for the first time after getting off the plane.

 He looked a bit overwhelmed at first but as soon as he saw the balloons and truck that Mimi and Pa brought, he was all smiles!

Posing with the kids shortly after coming home......

And, look at him now!

He's had 2 surgeries, doubled his weight, grown a ton, uses a communication device and power chair, LOVES school, loves life, and is becoming such a handsome young man!  We have learned so much from Ian and he continues to teach us what it means to be content and full of joy.

Labor Day Getaway

With an extra day off of school and work, we decided to make a trip to Mom-mom and Dad-dad's at the beautiful Rough River Reservoir and had a blast out of the lake!  We headed over to the boat on Saturday morning and stayed out all day.  It was so much fun!!!

 Jeremy and Dad

 Mom and Ian (or is it Ray Charles?)

 It looks like Lucas was chillin in the water but actually Lucas doesn't "chill" anywhere - I just happened to catch him in that position.  :-)

 Mom-mom, Jeremy and Lucas

 Lucas started out wanting Mom to tube with him but it didn't last long.  He was ready to boot me off pretty quickly and do it by himself.

 Jeremy got brave!

 Mom-mom and Ian pretending to be asleep (Ian is not very good at it!)

 Dad-dad tirelessly drove us all over that huge lake while the thermometer said 99 degrees.

 Cutest little muscle man!

 Not to be outdone, Ian shows his muscles, too!

 Jeremy did a good job driving the boat.

 We took the boat out again on Sunday afternoon/evening and stayed out until dark.  So, so beautiful and peaceful.  We didn't want to leave.

 Thank you, Mom-mom and Dad-dad for letting us come and for all the delicious food and boating and for loving on our boys!  

We love you!