My beautiful, funny Ella

Ella likes to "help" me with the laundry folding. ;o) The trick to get her to look at the camera is to let her see herself in the screen. Forgive the dirty face, lol, how'd THAT happen?!

Lucy's Adoption Day

This is a happy day! Lucy is now legally adopted. 

She's been ours for more than two years, but now we finally have the signed and stamped papers to prove it. :o)

This morning when the judge walked into the courtroom, he smiled and said, 

"This will be the best thing happening in my day!"

One of the best days ever for our family; we're looking forward to a day with Lucy in the temple soon!

Thanks to those who came and shared our happiness today!

Joel's 10th Birthday

We had a very simple birthday party for Joel this year, with iced donuts and ice cream because he likes donuts better than cake. :) Here he is in a picture taken of him on his day. We love you Joel! HAPPY BIRTHDAY Buddy!

Our Christmas

Lora is home safe and sound! (yes, plenty of sound, she still loves to talk! ;o)We're so happy! It's wonderful to have so many of our family here with us. Gabe, Robin, Milly and her little Garrett are also here to celebrate Christmas with us on the 8th of January, as well as Janina & Marty and their Collin, Genevieve and Marshall. We miss Katie and Mikelle and hope their holidays are also merry and warm. The local missionaries were with us again this Christmas morning; Elders Knight and Seabolt had stockings and breakfast with us on the 25th. There are many more pictures I hope to add, but here are some for now, as I'm away from my home computer that has the pictures from Milly's camera.

Christmas babies

There is nothing more awe-inspiring than having a new baby in the family at Christmas time. We've been blessed with this several times and even got to see our tiny Tim play the part of baby Jesus in the manger one year, just after we'd brought him home. He'd been a very sick baby for the first five months of his life, so small to have experienced so much, barely 9 pounds and a beautiful, black-haired, brown skinned, Asian baby Jesus with Down syndrome he was! Jesus loves the children and encourages all of us to be as loving, obedient and forgiving as little children are. Seeing little Timmy in that manger left an impression on my heart that I will never forget. Congratulations and blessings to all of you with babies this year! May you always remember that when you are in the service of even the least of these, you are in the service of your God.