Growing Up...

 Wow, it has been a fun, busy fall for the boys here! Beau is busy with college, and on Tuesday/Thursday he has no classes so he has been in the field helping his Grandpa VV.  He is really enjoying it!  Classes seem to be going well for him, he does not tell us much!


Benjamin is practicing football with the Varsity, since he is JV they get the privilege of helping practice! The football team won again last night, so another week of practice for Benjamin.


It is hard to believe the boys are growing up, I do miss the days of the 3 of them sitting on the floor watching a movie or playing trains.  Brody is now filling in the trains and cars.  He is such a sweetie, and oh does he love his brothers, and playing or getting into his sisters stuff!! Brynn had a friend over Friday night, and thought it was great because Hannah is use to younger siblings! They had so much fun together!

Here is a picture of Bradyn and some friends after his last 8th Grade year of football!

This past weekend I went to Omaha with my sisters and Mom! We had so much fun!!  Did some shopping, giggling, eating and just enjoyed each others company!

Brynn was so excited to go Trick or Treating!! Brody was a sticky and chocolaty mess!

This weekend we have a Katelyn's Fund Auction and our Church has an Auction on Saturday Night! So our weekend is planned..I guess it involves spending money and visiting with family and friends!!


Volley Ball Action!
Our niece Kassidy plays volleyball tonight with her team for a chance to play at state volleyball tonight, as well as some friends daughters who also play at another place!!
Good Luck Kassidy, Morgan and McKayla!!! So much fun to see hard work pay off!




“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,” Ephesians 1:18 NIV

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

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!

7 weeks....

Happy 7 Weeks together Brody!

I can hardly believe Brody is 7 weeks old today! I(our family) can not imagine life without him! Although we are still in the, "waiting period," since we have not got the signature of the man(birth father). We have learned the agency will be putting the add in the paper, to see if he will come forward and admit and sign! We are just waiting now for the judge to sign papers to terminate his rights!

This little Baby Boy, that God hand picked for our family, I look into to his amazing eyes and I see a little miracle. His bright eyes, hazey blue/brown eyes, a fuzzy curl on the top of his head, his rolls on his legs, long fingers, and his sweet, kissable cheeks....Brody is our son, brother, grandchild and nephew. A child of God! Thank you Lord! Brody is starting to recognize our voices and faces. His smile lights up the room, and he is so close to cooing! He is a mover and is so strong. Did I mention how cute he is! Brody is so handsome!

I received a text last night from Ms. R. Her strength and love for our family is such a blessing! She has to ask how Brody and all of us are. What we have been doing, how football games are going, and how Grandpaw is! Ms. R never had a Grandpaw, so meeting my Dad was so good for her to see how a love of a Grandpaw is. Ms. R is a blessing, I never thought I would be able to talk/text to her after the baby was born. Yet, God had another plan!

This adoption experience was one of the best/heart breaking experiences I have had in my life!Life is not fair, and we know God has a reason for all circumstances.

Waiting for Marcus is still a struggle, but we are so thankful that Marcus has a "family" in the Orphanage! Marcus does not realize what is beyond the Orphanage! Still that bothers me to think, he would have so much more here, but now he is still receiving tons of prayers! I am not sure what is going on over there with our case, if anything. God is working and there has been some progress of children getting their cases moved and united with their forever family's! It would just be so reassuring to know that our case will continue and that with in the year Marcus will be with us, and our family will be complete! :)

When we started the process and told family about the possibility of our family adopting we where questioned,
"do you realize what you are doing?"
"You have 4 beautiful Children, why would you want more?"

Now seeing those people who have said this to us, and seeing their love for Brody is so worth all the questions.
Mark and I knew God had a plan for our family, and to see our family bond and love Brody is such a blessing! God has taught us all something and we are still learning!
Loving others, loving strangers, loving each other, loving God's will, leaning on others, asking for help, reaching out and asking for prayers!
"Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." Matthew 5:7



Brody sleeping on big brother Beau!

Brody spending time with Brynn and Bradyn before the bus comes!

Beau holding Brody after the game!

"For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding."Colossians 1:9

Our First Family Picture

Yesterday was my birthday, and we had a funeral for Mark's Uncle who passed away suddenly from a heart attack, he was only 57! Family is so important, make sure you tell others how much you love them. Mark and I got back from the funeral and my 2 good friends where at our house, cleaned my kitchen up for me and had birthday cake!! Took a nap with Brody! Than when the guys where home from football, we went out for a spaghetti dinner at the Fruited Plan in SCenter. It was wonderful.

I have been so blessed this past year! Family, Friends and God's love for Me, and answered prayers...Brody Josiah!

Many Blessings to All of You!

Fall Fun

Brody showing off his Bears pride..haha!

Last Sunday we got together with my Sisters and Parents..it was so good to be all together again!! Jacoby is growing so fast ans is the cutest little guy too! I am so excited to see Brody and Jacoby play together when they get a bit older! My other sister had exciting news too, so next year, Brody and Jacoby (Lord willing) will have another playmate in the spring!


Went to the Pumpkinland last week with Brynn and Brody, of all times to figure out your camera battery is dead! Ugh...these are from my phone!

Saturday was lawn clean up and get the fence fixed from the traveling horse Joe
Brody is so loved by all of us! It is amazing to me how all the family is wanted to just sit and hold this little baby!! Needless to say, I am behind in laundry!













Brynn is so thrilled with her baby brother, as well as the Guys in the house. I am hoping to get a family picture done soon, with football 3 nights a week, church on Wednesday night, it is nice to just sit and home on night with no plans! :) Brody is going to be a Chicago Bears football fan..our Social Worker in Mississippi would like him to like the Saints...so we might secretly like them too!


Sing praises to God,
sing praises;
sing praises
to our King, sing praises.
Psalm 47:6

Brody is doing so well, I had to take Benjamin to the Dr to see if he is able to play football after having a slight concussion, and I thought I would see how much Brody is weighing...wow, he is up to 10 1/2 lbs!! We are trying to get him on a better sleeping schedule..yawn! Brody love to eat every 2 - 2 1/2 hour stretch, this weekend we are holding him off to 3-4 hour stretch. So I was happy to see he is still gaining w/o eating so much. Mark and I went out Saturday night for dinner and a quick run through WalMart, and we found a snuggle blanket..Oh does Brody look like a little cacoon, but he is sleeping more soundly, and even longer in between feedings!



Mark and I want to Thank all of you, whether you prayed for us, brought us a meal, a gift, helped with the kids, encouraged, hugged, and gave us a friendly smile. Ms. R is doing well, and I know prayers have tremendously helped her, and I have not had contact with her for over a week! She has a job, and is moving on, taking a class for CNA!
Although we are getting closer to terminated the rights of the other party. We ask for prayers for him also. I am excited to get an announcement put together and pictures with the family!! God is so good!!
I have been in some contact with some fellow Adoptive Parents who are so close to getting their children home from Liberia!! I am so excited for them, and pray all goes smoothly for the transition!!
Now, our God, we give you thanks,
and praise your glorious name.
1 Chronicles 29:13
Marcus is doing well, as far as we know. The Agency has not updated us with anything, so we assume he is well. Marcus is in good hands, not only God's hands but those who love him very much!! Joni has told us of times she has stopped and he has been to the market with the Ladies..Benjamin is excited to think he is a shopper!! We are just praying some day, the doors will open for us, and the time is right, Marcus will join our Family in America!
Harvest is in full swing all around us! The leaves are changing, fields are getting taken in. God is so good! Mark has been busy at work! We have some colds here and Benjamin's head is healing.

He(God) has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy."
Acts 14:17
Have a Blessed week, and May God Bless You with His Joy, Peace and Love!
Hope this all makes sense, I will have to reread this when I get back from a football game!! Go Bradyn!!

Grace is Sufficient!

School pictures....

BrynnBradyn

Benjamin

Beau

Beau's still playing football......:)

Beau is in there somewhere! What fun to have a winning season! God has been so good to the

team and we pray that it will continue! The weather has not been so nice! Needless to say, Mark and I are coughing, and coughing! Tomorrow nights game will be in the 60's ! :)

A friend is going through a treatments for thyroid cancer, and some ladies decided we needed to have a fun night out, with encouragement and uplifting her! The intention is to get her ready to be quiet in isolation.We had a Ugly Sweater Party, and had a wonderful evening for Jo. Please pray for her and her family.

2 Corinthians 12:9, "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."

We have been hearing some rumblings about Liberia.....keep praying!

If you get a chance, check out Katelyn's fund Auction Friday night, and Sunday will be an awesome day of worship with other fellow adoptive parents! I am really excited to see the Steven Curtis Chapman's Orphan Sunday!

Blessing's!

Triple Chocolate Mess-Crock Pot!

It is only 2 months before the wedding, and of course all women who enjoy food like myself, love to bake and obviously I love to eat it! Well, I am trying to watch it, so, diet! Yikes, why don't all people have the same metabolism?? We had this treat at a profession of faith, and Janet made this wonderful Chocolate Mess! WOW! I would love to whip this up and grab a spoon! So I thought I would share it rather than eat it!



Triple Chocolate Mess (Crock Pot)
1 pkg. chocolate cake mix- dark chocolate :)
1 pint sour cream
1 small pkg. of instant chocolate pudding (dry)
1 small bag of chocolate chips
3/4 cup of oil
4 eggs
1 cup of water

Spray the crock pot with non-stick spray.
Mix all the ingredients and cook on low for 5-6 hours.
Serve warm with ice cream!
Do not overcook or it will turn to cake!
Enjoy!

It is like hot fudge and chocolate cake! :)

Football, Bridal Shower and a New Picture of Marcus!

Friday Night we went to the football game! Beau is part of the team, and we were so excited to watch him get in Friday night. But it didn't happen, I feel so bad for him. The Nighthawks won 40something to 6.

Saturday morning we left home early to go to Adrian, MN to watch Bradyn play in his first football game! :) Our area just started the Midwest Youth Football League. The Sioux County Storm lost, but they did a great job, considering this was their first game.

Tomorrow night is Benjamin's first football game of the year! Go Nighthawks! I will post a picture on here tomorrow night!!
Today was my little sister's first Bridal Shower!! It was a wonderful day! Karen(Julie's going to be "Mom") family and friends all chipped in and gave a great shower for Julie! She received many gifts! Brynn and her cousin Addi had so much fun helping Aunt Julie open gifts! I can not believe the wedding is in 2 months!! Our dresses came in Friday! :) We only need the flower girl dresses to come in! I am more excited to see them! :) Addi and Brynn are going to be so cute!

I have prayed that Marcus would be home by the time the wedding is here! I know deep in my heart, this is highly unlikely. We did get this cute little picture of him this week in his school uniform. It is so amazing that a country so poor, has uniforms for their school aged children!

Oh our sweet little boy in Liberia! We pray for you so much throughout our day!

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
1 Corinthians 13:4

Ouch..... But Worth It!!

When you start your adoption process, the first big decision is, "yes" we are moving ahead, now what, well you find a agency that makes you feel part of their family, easy to work with, respectable, and most of all Christian Family values. We have been very blessed to have found our agency. I wanted to put a big plug for our agency! Tonight there is an informational meeting! Check it out if you have desire to find out about what is involved! After all it is National Adoption Month!

ADOPTIVE FAMILIES NEEDED
New Horizons Adoption Agency is a non denominational Christian adoption agency. Adoptive families are needed for domestic and international adoptions. An informational meeting will be held Thursday, November 6, 2008 at 6:30 p.m. at New Life Reformed Church, Sioux Center. Please RSVP to Heidi De Kruyf at 712-577-9505 or call for more information.

Yesterday we had 1/2 a day, due to teachers in service. DH took 1/2 the day off to make a trip to get those dreaded vaccines! DH ended up with 4 shots, plus his flu shot the day before, poor guy had 5 shots in 2 days! Yellow Fever, Typhoid, Meningitis and Mumps/Measles. B1 had 3, just like me, Yellow Fever, Typhoid and Meningitis. All of us all got the flu shot the day before. We just need to finish up our Hep AB and we should be done, beside getting a script for Malaria! I took my camera out and I thought those 2 were going to crawl in a hole, I did manage a couple pictures, for Marcus' life book! The worst part of the process was paying for all this! YIKES! Thank goodness B1's meningitis shot was free!
We have not had any updates since Monday. We are continually praying, for Marcus' and his "family", Trokon, Larmouth and the Ministry of Health! God is amazing, and we praise him for the steps taken in the last months. Yesterday I compared Marcus' pictures, he is growing and filling out! Praise the Lord! Answered prayers!
Tonight we are going to see Winter weather blow in! The last few weeks have been just awesome, the fall colors, all the harvest being taken in. Although I don't care for some of the smells. The other day DH and I saw 2 beautiful deer in the ditch by our house! I love living out in the country!
Have a great day, thanks for checking in!

Last weekend in October!

This was such a great weekend, weather wise!
Thought I would share some great pictures
that I took throughout the weekend!
This is B4 with her cousins!


B2 had abit of a fall, playing football!

B4 playing with her favorite cousin!

Could it really be the last weekend in October?

Friday night we did a bit of Trick or Treating, and ended up eating a nice dinner and went home! We woke up and found these 2 feed wagons on our drive way! I just figured the neighbors needed a place to park them.


I talked to DH later in the morning and found out, someone took them from DH's parents house and drove them to our place. Scary, we never heard anything on the drive way!


Sunday mornings are always a rush in our home. We never have had an excuse for being late as yesterday! Our fridge door came off! Some of us thought it was funny, but DH, found no humor in it!


This is a follow up picture to B2's cut!


Cute nieces, finding corn left behind!

Those Brown Eyes

God has been so evident in our walk with our adoption!

We have not received any word on our I171's, what a bummer!
But we did get 2 pictures of a brown eyed boy! I am not going to put his full picture up
until the paper work finished and he is officially part of our family! :)
I thought I would just put part of his best features on the side here! The process is moving in Liberia, questions were answered, we keep inching forward! We are all getting excited!!
Tomorrow marks November 1 already! It is National Adoption month! I have been listening to some awesome cd's I bought from Focus on the Family! Wow, inspirational! We are not all called to adopt, I have had this twinge in my heart since high school, and now I look at Marcus' big brown eyes to think, this is all in God's hands is just amazing!
Please continue to pray for our journey! We are going to apply for Katelyn's Fund grant to help cover some of the expense of traveling over and back, so we need to get that done this weekend!

I ask another prayer request: a special little boy named Caleb is having seizures this am, please pray for Caleb and his family, you can follow along on their journey:

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/calebsybesma

Have a terrific fall weekend! The weather is going to be perfect!
God Bless You all!!

Football & Volleyball

It is so much fun to go watch B2 play football and do well! It is more fun when you win! :) B2 is not the tallest boy in his 7th Grade class, but he can keep up with the biggest boys! He is #32!

He is playing some where in the line! I want to get some colorful socks, or a nice flower sticking out of his helmet would be so helpful!

After B2's game, we headed to NWC to watch Roo play some volleyball! We got there late, but it was so much fun watching B4 and her cousin's cheer for Roo!

Go USF!

Roo managed to get in for the varsity, one play while we were there!! Look how cute she looks! It is so much fun having the chance to go and encourage all the nieces and nephews!

I talked to our SW awhile ago, she said all is going well over in Liberia! :) And that in time Marcus will come home! I guess he got his package, I would of loved to hear what his facial expressions where when he saw the photo album. What his "family" at the orphanage thought?

Yesterday was a great day for B1, not only sleeping in a bit, he had his appointment in SFalls, and no more crutches! He had a time walking again! He had physical therapy for an hour and now he is a bit sore! No running, swimming or twisting his leg for 6 more weeks! Praise the Lord for healing! :)

Thanks for checking in, the family went to Kade's 12th Birthday Party, B4 is sick, she has a bit of pneumonia!

May God Bless you all! Thanks for checking in!

I am reading Sunset by Karen Kingsbury, on the 9th Chapter! Oooh it is so good!