Our mini vacation

Well, I'm finally getting back on track after a little vacation follwed by a family visit. Here is a glimpse of our trip to Kansas City where the kids and I met my big sis a week and a half ago. She cashed in all her points and flew out for free, so we could catch up on some fun times. My man stayed home to work and turkey hunt (yes he got a big gobbler but I had the camera with me - oops!). We had so much fun and there is too much to show or tell so I picked out some glimpses. The above photo is in the lobby of the Great Wolf Lodge. Wow, was this a cool place! It actually has a huge indoor water park where we spent most of our time for two days. They had bed time stories by the fireplace the one night we slept there and our room had a mini cabin inside it where the kids all slept in their bunks while we enjoyed a few quiet moments outside of it. I've never seen a hotel like it.

Goose takes a ride down one of the 9 indoor slides. There were big ones you rode down on inner tubes, medium ones like this you sat on your tush and there were some small ones for the smaller kids (Boo was proud to have done 2 of those but decided that was enough for her).

Spiderman was by far the most nimble on this contraption. For a small guy, he had the arm power to stay afloat while crossing these floating logs. He was something to watch.

This is at a regular old Holiday Inn pool. We stayed here the first night of our trip, warming up to the water Park, and again on our last night. The last morning I was spent from all the water play but Aunt Susie was game enough to get back in the pool and swim some more. The kids are starting to sprout gills!

While we practically lived in the water, we did see some other sights. Here we are at Cabella's where the kids are enjoying the huge acquarium. You can't really make out the giant catfish swimming up to devour the kids but you sure can see the stuffed elephants fighting below. If you've never been to Cabella's, it's a must see. They have some amazing mounted animals from all over the world and unless you buy something (like the present for my man), it's free!

The kids had fun picnicing outside Cabella's and feeding the ducks and geese. They loved getting close enough to touch them but the geese got wise soon enough.

We finished our trip with a lunch at the T-Rex cafe. Once again, the kids loved it as there were big anamatronic dinos everywhere and volcanic, jungle or ice age settings. You can imagine the marketing in the souvenier shop. :) Everyone was sad to take Aunt Susie back to the airport and make the long drive home. She truly spoiled them with fun things to do, yummy things to eat and lots of time together building memories. Needless to say after all this, they won't stop talking about this trip for a long time yet. THANKS AUNT SUSIE!

Kinsman Redeemer

I wanted to let everyone know that Kinsman Redeemer is now a legal and official 501 (c) (3) nonprofit corporation!!! Some of you may have seen the link to the website on the blog before and we hope to have it updated soon. We are now officially accepting grant applications AND donations so if you know anyone with a generous heart to help adoptive families, please share our website with them. Also, if you know anyone with ties to Missouri struggling with the financial aspect of completing their adoption, tell them about us as well. It is our desire to bring glory to God by helping to unite more lonely children with their forever families and by ministering to orphans and widows. We appreciate your prayers.

*** an added note: I wanted to clarify for everyone that "we" did not start this and are just happy to be able to serve on the Board of Kinsman Redeemer. A wonderful couple from our church (who helped us financially on both of our adoptions) felt that God would have them help others as well. They wanted to give opportunities for more people to donate toward adoptions and for more people who are stepping out in faith to receive some financial help. Both the giver and receiver will be blessed and God will be glorified.

In it's initial stages KR is focused on Missouri families. We would love to grow to the point that we can open it on a much broader scope but that is up to God's plans and His timing.

Daddy time

As you can see, we did get Spiderman that new bike and it fits him much better. The boys are obsessive about their bikes since the training wheels have been gone - though their space is limited. Jaybird was hurtling down the backyard hill last week trying to hit every mud puddle imaginable. He was covered in mud by the time he was done. Anyway, as you can see here, we do take the kids to town now and then for some quality space in deserted parking lots. Goose has bent her training wheels up to resemble wings but doesn't want them gone as they make her "feel safer". Boo is now on a bike for the first time ever. The boys destroyed her trike last summer so it was sink or swim on 2 wheels. As you can see, with a little moral support from Daddy, she was off like a pro (and quite proud of herself to be one of the gang).

Isn't this precious?

Another Daddy thing is shooting guns. These are the boys attacking balloons strung up in a tree with the BB gun. Daddy will occassionally get out the .22 or the kid size shotgun (which is still a bit intimidating for the boys as it kicks). They really love the BB gun the best. You can barely see it in this photo of Spiderman but he had a huge grin on his face as Daddy gave him pointers. As with many other things, it has been so good for Jaybird to have a brother. They are side by side in activities like this when the girls show little interest. The commaraderie of brotherhood has given these two little men true companions for their adventurous and daring deeds.

Don't I look cool with this?

The Mommas and the Papas

Saturday night we had a fun time celebrating Ethiopia with 5 of the 6 families at our church adopting from Hannah's Hope Ethiopia. Of course, two of us are on the other side of our adoptions but these three families are waiting to travel sometime this spring or early summer. Lori & I wanted to give their taste buds a preview of what is to come when they fly accross the ocean. It seemed the majority actually enjoyed the Ethiopian food and the two who didn't plan to bring lots of snacks. :) Hope and Spiderman were especially glad there was enough food leftover to enjoy it the next day.


Here are the Mommas and below are the Papas. Between these families there will be 6 more kids coming to their forever homes before we know it! Family #1 is bringing home an 8 yr old daughter "T" and they'll probably go first as they have their immigration approval already. Family # 2 is adopting 2 sisters "G" and "T" ages 8 & 10 while Family #3 is bringing home 3 kiddos, "G" is a buddy of Spiderman's and he is 5, big sisters "A" & "A" are about 8 & 10. These two families are waiting for their fingerprint appointment with immigration so it's getting closer. Their files are close so we are optimistic that God may allow them to travel together (and we hear their 4 daughters are best friends as well - wouldn't that be a treat?) Please keep them in your prayers as they all wait to meet their children and that the Father will knit all these hearts together in their new families.


What was "icing on the Ethiopian injera" is the news we learned that same weekend. God has again moved ANOTHER family to adopt ANOTHER sibling group! While this family was a part of our little church, they have moved about an hour and a half away to complete a medical residency. It's a good thing they are still connected here as we will want to get to know their 3 boys (ages 5, 10, & 12) when they come home. What is even more exciting about this is that the family has been praying about adopting for a year or more now. They felt it was time to move forward but weren't sure what to do next. On Wednesday, AGCI shared a photo in a newsletter of a new sibling set of 3 brothers and the family saw this the very next day. They just knew these were supposed to be their sons! How wonderful to watch God bring it all together in His perfect timing.

Summer Olympics 2016

Well maybe that is a stretch but the kids are all participating in gymnastics this spring and they love it. We originally just signed up the girls but the first night, there was only one other child in the class so we made a quick decision to enroll the boys since it's practically private lessons. The guys love it and it's a good outlet for all that energy. Poor Goose had envisioned a roomful of girls and it's now grown to her and 4 rather hyper boys.

The Springboard is one of their favorites and so I had to include these photos of the kids getting some air with their X jumps. Spiderman,

Jaybird,

and Goose.

Now Boo gets her own class and it's called Tumble Teenies. This is the exact opposite of the other class. 8 little ladies who are so timid and quiet that they don't dare speak to the teacher. They take their turns and give it their best shot but just staying in a line is accomplishing something. As for Boo, she excells at the balance beam.