"BeeLax....."

Because Grace always says 'belax' for relax, we thought it appropriate that she and Bella go as "bees" again this year.

Grace, of course, is the queen bee and Bella is the worker bee. (TOTALLY fits their personalities!)


And then there is Daddy "beelaxin" mon.....


We went to a super fun Halloween party that the Character Counts high school students from Magic City Campus hosted for our Dream Catchers baseball team.

Painting/carving pumpkins...


A costume catwalk...(our girlies were voted two of the best dressed & won a $10 Wally world gift certificate)

Pizza, cookies, treats, bobbing for apples


We had a thriller of a time!

"BeeLax....."

Because Grace always says 'belax' for relax, we thought it appropriate that she and Bella go as "bees" again this year.

Grace, of course, is the queen bee and Bella is the worker bee. (TOTALLY fits their personalities!)


And then there is Daddy "beelaxin" mon.....


We went to a super fun Halloween party that the Character Counts high school students from Magic City Campus hosted for our Dream Catchers baseball team.

Painting/carving pumpkins...


A costume catwalk...(our girlies were voted two of the best dressed & won a $10 Wally world gift certificate)

Pizza, cookies, treats, bobbing for apples


We had a thriller of a time!

One Less

I loved this video I saw recently on a blog I follow called http://cornishadoptionjourney.blogspot.com

It so beautifully sums up adoption and why we do what we do....

One Less by Matthew West (The Story Behind The Song) from emicmg on Vimeo.

One Less

I loved this video I saw recently on a blog I follow called http://cornishadoptionjourney.blogspot.com

It so beautifully sums up adoption and why we do what we do....

One Less by Matthew West (The Story Behind The Song) from emicmg on Vimeo.

Putting Sissy's Hat into Action.....

Just two days....that's all Bella had to wait before she could put Sissy's hat (& matching scarf) into action. Bella has been wearing them inside the house in anticipation of the snow!

Here she is waiting for the bus in snow & hurricane-force winds.....



She loves it and is snug as a bug in a rug!

Putting Sissy's Hat into Action.....

Just two days....that's all Bella had to wait before she could put Sissy's hat (& matching scarf) into action. Bella has been wearing them inside the house in anticipation of the snow!

Here she is waiting for the bus in snow & hurricane-force winds.....



She loves it and is snug as a bug in a rug!

Sissy's Hats.....

With the cooler weather moving into North Dakota this week, Sissy broke out her craft supplies and made two hats for her little sisters. She is going to make flowers to attach to them after she gets matching yarn. But, they are cute without them, so I thought I would share.....


(Note that Grace is STILL wearing her favorite 'orange' shirt!)

Sissy's Hats.....

With the cooler weather moving into North Dakota this week, Sissy broke out her craft supplies and made two hats for her little sisters. She is going to make flowers to attach to them after she gets matching yarn. But, they are cute without them, so I thought I would share.....


(Note that Grace is STILL wearing her favorite 'orange' shirt!)

Bella Beaver....

MSU Beaver that is!

We took this picture for our alum's Connections magazine. They give t-shirts to new family additions and then welcome photos of the children for them to include in the magazine.

She makes a very cute MSU Beaver, don't you think? :)

Bella Beaver....

MSU Beaver that is!

We took this picture for our alum's Connections magazine. They give t-shirts to new family additions and then welcome photos of the children for them to include in the magazine.

She makes a very cute MSU Beaver, don't you think? :)

A Perfect 10-10-10....

Right after church, we loaded the car and headed out to Rice Lake for the day. Yes, we did! I know, I know, how can this be for ND in October???!!! We even had major blizzard around this day just a few years ago.

Kevin said if this is global warming, then we'll take it! :) We had the best day ever....73 degrees, sunshine and no wind!

Our cabin (or cavin as Grace calls it) is nothing more than a trailer home--though a '71 "Champion"!

Our perfect day held all the typical summertime lake activities.

We bonded....


We boated.....

We tubed....


We fished....

We had a campfire....

And, s'mores too.....


From start to finish....

It was a glorious way to spend the perfect day!

A Perfect 10-10-10....

Right after church, we loaded the car and headed out to Rice Lake for the day. Yes, we did! I know, I know, how can this be for ND in October???!!! We even had major blizzard around this day just a few years ago.

Kevin said if this is global warming, then we'll take it! :) We had the best day ever....73 degrees, sunshine and no wind!

Our cabin (or cavin as Grace calls it) is nothing more than a trailer home--though a '71 "Champion"!

Our perfect day held all the typical summertime lake activities.

We bonded....


We boated.....

We tubed....


We fished....

We had a campfire....

And, s'mores too.....


From start to finish....

It was a glorious way to spend the perfect day!

Sissy's Reflections.....on Adoption!

I am so proud of my eldest Elizabeth! She was asked by her English teacher to write a piece for a weekly column in the Religion section of our local newspaper. The column is entitled "Reflections"....Here is what was printed in today's newspaper....

I have heard the analogy many times before that compares becoming a Christian to being adopted into a whole new family, but that parallel didn’t really click with me until this past year. A little angel named Bella is sound asleep in the room next to me, and this is because of adoption. She loves to sing and dance, watch football on TV, and drink chocolate milk with every meal. She gives out hugs to everyone she meets, and she “helps” me brush my hair in the morning. It’s hard to believe that she hasn’t been a part of our family forever.

The amazing fact is that specifically choosing Bella to adopt was almost random, as we only had a small picture and description of her. She could’ve gone to any other family in the world, or not have been adopted at all, and yet here she is, fitting in like a puzzle piece. She didn’t do anything to deserve a new life and all the perks that come with it.

In the same way, no Christian does anything to deserve an eternity in heaven with the Lord. We are like Bella, waiting in an orphanage and unaware that there’s anything better for us. But God, in His mercy, adopted us into His family. Jesus once said, “I will not abandon you as orphans – I will come to you.” (John 14:18, NLT) He spoke those words to his anxious disciples as a promise that even after He is physically gone, He will never leave them to be alone in the world, in the same way that He never leaves us.

The Bible says, “Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them.” (Proverbs 3:27) Thus I also encourage you to evaluate if you can somehow help the orphans in the world, either through donations and financial support, adopting a child into your family, or just through continual prayer. Bella is a healthy and happy little girl, but many, many other children are suffering and going through their days barely conscious of their surroundings. They need to be cuddled and loved just like any child.

“Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress.” (James 1:27) Jesus cares about all these little children…we should, too. A lady recently came up to me in church and said, “God must be so blessed to hear Bella when she sings along to the hymns.” Bella just gripped my hand and smiled up at me. The sounds of her unabashed singing are not only a blessing to Him; she has totally changed my life.

Sissy's Reflections.....on Adoption!

I am so proud of my eldest Elizabeth! She was asked by her English teacher to write a piece for a weekly column in the Religion section of our local newspaper. The column is entitled "Reflections"....Here is what was printed in today's newspaper....

I have heard the analogy many times before that compares becoming a Christian to being adopted into a whole new family, but that parallel didn’t really click with me until this past year. A little angel named Bella is sound asleep in the room next to me, and this is because of adoption. She loves to sing and dance, watch football on TV, and drink chocolate milk with every meal. She gives out hugs to everyone she meets, and she “helps” me brush my hair in the morning. It’s hard to believe that she hasn’t been a part of our family forever.

The amazing fact is that specifically choosing Bella to adopt was almost random, as we only had a small picture and description of her. She could’ve gone to any other family in the world, or not have been adopted at all, and yet here she is, fitting in like a puzzle piece. She didn’t do anything to deserve a new life and all the perks that come with it.

In the same way, no Christian does anything to deserve an eternity in heaven with the Lord. We are like Bella, waiting in an orphanage and unaware that there’s anything better for us. But God, in His mercy, adopted us into His family. Jesus once said, “I will not abandon you as orphans – I will come to you.” (John 14:18, NLT) He spoke those words to his anxious disciples as a promise that even after He is physically gone, He will never leave them to be alone in the world, in the same way that He never leaves us.

The Bible says, “Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them.” (Proverbs 3:27) Thus I also encourage you to evaluate if you can somehow help the orphans in the world, either through donations and financial support, adopting a child into your family, or just through continual prayer. Bella is a healthy and happy little girl, but many, many other children are suffering and going through their days barely conscious of their surroundings. They need to be cuddled and loved just like any child.

“Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress.” (James 1:27) Jesus cares about all these little children…we should, too. A lady recently came up to me in church and said, “God must be so blessed to hear Bella when she sings along to the hymns.” Bella just gripped my hand and smiled up at me. The sounds of her unabashed singing are not only a blessing to Him; she has totally changed my life.