Florida

Brody just loved being outside, walking, rolling down the small little ditch. He walked up and down it thinking he was so cool, and he was so cute!! 

This little boy, received lots of love and needless to say, got more spoiled!!

Will try to post some pictures soon of the wedding! :)

This picture was taken before wedding rehearsal. Here is Mark, Mark's Dad, Kinzie the Bride, her Dad Marlin who is Mark's Brother and our Pastor who flew down to marry Kinzie and Tyson!!

Beau and Brynn

Mark and I

The Wedding Party, yes we were all cold!!!

Celebrating with Katelyn's Fund

AWESOME VIDEO!

 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1:27

Luther Ellis spoke at 1st Reformed Church in Sioux Center, for Katelyn's Fund Orphan Sunday! Luther played for the NFL, and has been blessed with 12 children! He challenged us to listen to God's calling, it maybe adoption, helping those financially adopt, praying and encouraging families!

Mark having talking football with Luther!

Brody fell asleep while eating!

Not the best Family picture, but it works for today!

Missing our little one in Liberia!!

God's Grace

The weather has changed, the little pesty black biting bugs are back, along with the little centipedes that are in the basement!!  The weather has been out of the ordinary, with the temps rising to the mid 80's, and cooling of to the 50's in the evening. Hard to know what to put on the kids for school! Football is coming to a close.

 Bradyn will be done next week, and Benjamin's JV games are about done, but he practices with the varsity, so he will be busy!  It was so fun to see Benjamin make a interception this past week!!  Than my Monday and Tuesday nights are free until baseball. 

Benjamin is #23

Bradyn is #74

 Brody goes to the games, and of course he is blinking, waving and when we tell him touch down his arms go in the air!! Brynn is at the games too, but she is so busy playing with her little friends, she has no clue who won, or who played!

 Brody loves it when Grandpa comes to the games, he know Grandpa will walk with him!

Grandpa Kenny and Brody

The wind here in the NW part of Iowa has been crazy! The farmers are busy harvesting the corn and soybeans.  The problem is wind and any sparks will fuel a fire!  The fire departments have been busy putting fires out.  Usually during harvest you don't want rain, but we are praying for some rain and safely for the farmers!

You can see the dust flying in the air!

This week a Adoptive Family had a horrible accident on the farm.  Dillon was a firecracker, I remember him from baseball, and church! He was so blessed to be adopted to his bio father's family in grade school. Benjamin said to me, "Mom, Dillon was so lucky he was adopted, and learned about God's word!" Wow, what a great peace and comfort to know Dillon is in Jesus' arms right now.  It is quite a story, but I ask for prayers for Dillon's entire  Family. 

Dillon

On another note, so excited to read this morning from Joni, 

Lots of big news already this morning! Ellen Johnson Sirleaf wins the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize, and Samaritan's Purse has committed to building a new ELWA hospital!

"4 days and counting before the election. Campaigns, rallies and marches are happening all over the city by 16 different parties. My co-worker and office mate Weemor just said it best, "My prayer is that regardless of the outcome, we are able to accept it." Please pray that regardless of the election outcome, violence is silenced."

“Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”Psalm 23:6 

Have a wonderful weekend, and may God bless you all!

Someone Special...

I would like you to meet someone very special.

Katelyn Sandbulte

 Here is a little information. Mark's Uncle Milton was an amazing God fearing man.  He married Thelma, and Thelma was adopted. Back than adoption was a huge step of faith also, not knowing the plans God has for the Family. There was not much medical history, no tests done and not much information about the birth parents or  awareness of diseases that affect mothers.  Some years later, Thelma has signs of ms or something that affects the daily tasks of raising a large family. Huntington's Disease is what Thelma and her biological mother had.   This took Aunt Thelma life at an early age. Thelma and Milton where blessed with 8 beautiful children. 3 of the children do not have the disease, and will not pass the disease down.  If you have the disease, you have a 50/50 chance. The other 5 out of have already are in heaven, cousins Mike, Connie, Vic, Keith and Cheryl! Mike's oldest son Jeff and Vic's oldest son both have enter the gates of heaven also because of Huntington's.  (both had the juvenile form)   Today Chris,(Connie's son)  is struggling in the local nursing home home is in his early 30's, and Niki who is married, also struggling and  Katelyn is Jeff's daughter of one the children who has this awful debilitating disease. Katelyn is the 4rd generation going through this, seeing and knowing what is happening and what her future holds! So scary for a 20 year old, when all your friends are planning their future and out having fun! The pain of the hurt for this entire Family has been huge, and to see and let go is unfathomable! 

 Please take time to pray for Katelyn, her Family, Chris, Niki and their families!
 The auction coming up, if you live in the NW Iowa come and join us for waffles on Oct. 22!

She is a sweet girl, who is struggling along with her Family!  Who is in need of God's love to fill her and others heart, as well as financial help, so she can continue to live at home with her Family!

Isaiah 40:28-31  Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God,   the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint,   and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary,and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;   they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary;   they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 41:10  fear not, for I am with you;  be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you,  I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Fall

"For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth." Psalm 71:5 

Fall is officially tomorrow!! I love fall, the smells, fresh air, cool breeze, the crunchy sound of the grass and corn, pumpkins, the colors of the trees.  God is so good, every season you see God's work in all things great and small. 

  Our past month has been a bit out of sorts, Labor Day weekend I had knee surgery, and than ended up with the flu!  I felt great after surgery and the next day. Than on Labor Day I knew something wasn't quite right. I am so thankful for my wonderful friend Jolene and my Mom for helping out here! When I was in bed for those few days, I thought about those who are sick with cancer and other illnesses every day and how blessed our family is with health!

 Mark has been so busy with work, another huge blessing!! The last few years you could really feel the economy drop in the family's cement business, and now it has picked up!!!  Beau is going to classes 3 days a week, and working the other 2-3 days!! 

Ben and Bradyn are busy with school and football!!  Those 2 are really growing up, and it is crazy how all the boys all have different personalities.  Bradyn surprised me last Monday night and made profession of faith!!  He surprised me at Ben's football game and told me that he had Dad(Mark) take him to church and he is so excited!!

 Brynn is enjoying school and friends!! She just had a sleep over with 8 other girls!!  She had a blast. Girls are so different than boys, her wonderful brothers love to get her fired up!! It is so great to see how she plays with Brody, and cares for him so much!!

 Brody is SO busy!! If he isn't in a cupboard, he is fishing in the toilet, playing with the toilet paper, trying to ride on his little tractors, figured out how to get on the kitchen table and waving bye, bye to go outside!! He loves to be with other children. I dropped him off at day care last week when I had a follow up on my knee.  He loved playing with all the other kids and didn't even notice when I left!!  Brody is winking, and learning where his nose, eyes, hair, he makes animal noises and is about walking.

 As we continue to wait for Marcus and news on Liberia. I ask for you to continue to pray for health for Marcus, for the country as elections are coming up. God has a wonderful President in Liberia, we continue to pray for President Sirleaf.  Pray also for our Agency, as we wait for word on adoptions updates in Liberia! I am excited to make a date with the young lady who went to Liberia this summer! Nikkel has a dvd with Marcus and pictures!!  God Bless You All!

 “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Oh the Fun!

It has been busy here graduation!! Here are a few pictures!! Brody is so busy getting into everything!! He learned how to go up steps! He did so good. while weweregetting ready for the graduation party for Beau!

Brody's smile just melts our hearts! We are so blessed!!
Had the chance to go on the field trip with Brynn's class to the Sioux Falls Zoo!! It was lots of fun!!

Our main computer is not working so well, hopefully we can figure it out soon!

Our New Niece...

Welcome to the Family

Piper Annalise

7 lbs, 9 oz

My sister Kari and Family just welcomed a beautiful Baby Girl!!

Piper is welcomed home to 2 Big Brothers and a Big Sister!

(I can't get the picture to turn!)

Piper is going to have to keep these 2 cousins in line!

As my sister Julie and I waited, Jacoby and Brody where all over eachother!

Brody is more aggressive than Jacoby!

You can tell, Brody is use to having older siblings!

  3 Baby Blessings in our Family in a year!

 God is so good!

On Your Mark...

  This week we had our final post home study update with our SW, Heidi!! We are so special, and since our adoption(s) have taken longer than most, we are blessed to have 2 SW! This is Heidi, and God has blessed us not only as our SW, but a wonderful friend! Here we are at the Casey's Bakery!! Lord willing next month we can celebrate the finalization of Brody Josiah! 

Want to see what I learned to do??

Here I go.....

Oh, boy here I go...



Are you watching??



I did it I am up!

Praying for Sondra and her Family!!
Praying for Ronaldo, Julia and their Family waiting for Guatemala to let them come home!
Children waiting to be adopted!

Loving our Little Boy

Brynn just loves being a big sister. Although, Brody is now pulling her hair, and Brynn can get him to giggle and jabber!

It is beautiful winter day here in Iowa! It is too bad we have kids sick at home. Sore throats, fever, headaches, congestion and some coughing! We are praying Brody can breeze through this one, we do not need him to get rsv!

Have a wonderful and blessed weekend!

5 Months Old

Brody is 5 months old!! We are so in love with our little boy!

God has blessed us so much!

I have written your name on my hand. Isaiah 49:16

I praise you because you made me in am amazing and wonderful way! Psalm 139:14

The Spirit himself bears witness with our Spirit that we are children of God. Romans 8:16

You talking to me?

Brody is enjoying the food, baby food that is! He just loves sitting at the table and getting to eat too! He makes a huge mess, but it does not help when he has how many eyes on him, talking and getting him to smile! What a sweetie!

Preparing for the Holiday's!

I can't believe it is this awesome time of year already! I am thinking the older I get the faster time goes by! Mark and I did some shopping yesterday for Christmas get togethers! It was so nice to go out for the day, Red Lobster and some shopping for names we drew on my side! Tomorrow my sisters are coming over, and we are going to do some Christmas cookies, and than the adults are going out for dinner, while the little ones order in pizza!

Sunday we have a busy day of the Christmas Cantata, and Sunday School Program in the evening!! I seen the forecast, not looking so good as snow is moving in Sunday late afternoon! Not so good, we when the boys are finishing their semester tests, and traveling!

Mark and I talked about the biggest gift we could give our children this year. God's biggest gift was His son for US all! We look at our little Brody and think, wow, what a blessing he is, and to think what God had in store for His Son!! We have so much to be thankful for!

While in Sam's Club, we met this wonderful Liberian woman and her daughters! God blessed Mark and I so much by hearing about her life and culture!! We praise God for this gracious, God fearing, loving lady! God sure has a plan, and we pray for our little guy over in Liberia!! This is our 3rd Christmas thinking and praying for him!

"Let be and be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth!" Psalm 46:10

A weekend filled with God's Blessings!

Brody and Jacoby!

Aunt Julie and Beau talking to Brody!

Cousin Dawson enjoying the water slide!

Our Little Brody, We praise God for your little life! When we started this journey, we did not know how long, who God intended for our Family! It has just been 4 years that we started and we prayed that God would be with the hand picked baby, and the mother carrying you! I never imagined it would take so long, and I realize, what a special little boy you are! All the tears, and questions are answered when I hold you and look at your beautiful little face!! To witness the love Ms. R had for you, as well as your Memaw! God is good! You are SO loved! God's plan is way bigger than I could of ever prayed! You had so many wonderful people praying for you, and Ms. R! I know they will continue to pray for your "Auntie" and that she may feel God's love, and find joy in her life! I pray that God will enter your little heart and bring you much joy and love!! I know God has a huge plan for you, and to continue to love and raise you, is a huge blessing!! We praise God for your life, and the courage, your Auntie had!! We love You so much and we thank God for you every day!! Someday, Lord willing we pray, you will meet your other brother in Liberia!! You have 3 big brothers at home, and 1 sister who adores you!! Aunts & Uncles, Grandparents, and other adopted Aunts, Uncles, and Grandma's who love you!!
I Love You Brody!