It has been too long!

I must admit that I do check my own blog, but only to use it to get to other blogs! Okay, I at least need to update with a new picture of Grayson and Gavin. Grayson is doing wonderful. He is talking, walking and loving life. I am so looking forward to this summer, because he loves being outside. We will have so many adventures to share and I am hoping to keep up with what is happening. For now enjoy the recent pictures... :)

Above: Grayson at Easter with Grandpa and Grandma

Below: Grayson trying to lure the new baby chicks out of the coop!

Busy Summer Days!

I cannot believe it is already July 17!

Gavin is having a great summer and is doing really well in Junior golf and enjoying the time to see Daddy. He has caught on to how to be a big brother and loves it. In fact, yesterday he got Grayson out of his crib, carried him down the stairs and outside to where I was mowing! I told him thank you, but maybe that should be a job for only adults.

Grayson has learned how to army crawl to everything! He is learning the word "NO" now too. He uses his voice in different tones instead of just the basic scream and is starting to babble. He has also learned how to do "soooo big" which is adorable, but I haven't been able to get a picture yet.

Here are a few pictures from this week:

Our pool party was canceled on Wednesday so we called cousin Colton and went to Chuck E Cheese instead!

On the way home, we stopped to get a golf cart ride from Brandon.

Thursday we went to the zoo with friends from school.

Nathan and Grayson love to touch each other.

1st 4th of July!

We had a great 4th of July weekend complete with parades, fishing tournaments, and relaxing in the water (a little chilly but that was okay).

Saturday morning we went to the Grandville parade with Great Grandpa and Grandma, Aunt Wendy and our cousins. Grayson did a great job and wasn't even worried about the sirens!

Our next stop was the cottage for an overnighter. My Dad and I have a friendly fishing competition when I am there. We always say it is based on numbers not size, but I think I lost the argument on this 12 inch bass!

Brandon was able to join us for dinner and I convinced him to where the Baby Bjorn while I fished, what do you think?

Grayson really enjoyed the water and swimming, but we would have to let him sit out on the dock for a while to warm back up again!

Grandpa was a fishing fool this weekend with another bass on Sunday, but he let Gavin count it.

He also caught a pike that was 22 inches, what a fisherman!

Overall, I would say we all had a great 4th of July weekend. As Gavin said after fireworks, "Happy Birthday United States of America!"

Ethiopia

Once in a while people will ask questions about our journey in Ethiopia and what it was like. Today, I had the opportunity to share Grayson and a few stories of Ethiopia with people from Brandon's work. At that moment it takes me back and I realize I travelled to a different country, continent, culture and community... and brought home our son!

I really long to go back to Ethiopia. The people are amazing and the country is the most beautiful place I have ever been. I haven't shared much about the experience on this blog, maybe it is time.

Let me share a few pictures...

Absolutely amazing don't you think? These pictures were all taken on our trip North of the city about 3 hours.

Friends, Anniversary, Sadness

Yesterday was an eventful day.

Gavin, Grayson and I met several other adoptive families at PF Hoffmaster State Park. It was such a great reunion to see people we traveled with. Gavin was excited to know that other families did in fact look like our family too! The picture is of "Big Girum", his sister Rose, "Little Girum" (Grayson), Dawn and myself. We traveled with this family and it was so great to see them again. We will definitely have to do it again some time soon.

Brandon and I also "celebrated" our 11 year anniversary yesterday. I say "celebrated" because we attended a graduation open house with the boys! We are hoping to find a babysitter and enjoy a nice dinner together on Monday night. Brandon is an amazing man and I feel blessed to have him in my life. We really have been together for 16 years including dating, engagement and marriage and I wouldn't change it for the world.

Sadness came at the end of the night. I got a phone call from my father-in-law that my horse was not doing well and in a lot of pain. We waited for the vet to come and they really could not do anything for her. She was colicking and suffering from some neurological damage that we don't understand. After several doses of pain medication, I couldn't watch her suffer. We made the difficult decision to put her to sleep. I think I am still in shock that everything happened so quickly. Gavin and I spent last night remembering the times when we would give her a bath or the day Gavin was riding her down the street and the man asked to buy her.... We may have not seen her as often as we would have liked lately, but she has left a lasting impression and wonderful memories. Today is a sad day....

Bad Blogger!

Okay, I use to get so frustrated with people who came home with children and then suddenly became to "busy" to post! I must apologize because I have turned into one of them!!:)

This is my new renewed commitment to keep things up to date and posted.

First, thank you for all of your prayers and help with my leg. I have a nasty scar, but things are healing very well.

Since I last blogged I had to go back to work for 7 days! It was difficult to leave Grayson with a day care provider, but overall was a great experience for all of us. By the end of the week Grayson was trying to go to Deanna and really enjoyed being with all the children. The best part was He was overjoyed to seem me at the end of the day!

We are now enjoying summer vacation with a lot of activity. Gavin is involved in junior golf and just finished T-ball. Grayson is learning how to relax and "go with the flow". Gavin has had three episodes of poison ivy and so we became eco-friendly poison ivy killers and bought two baby goats! Yep, I said it, we have Bella and Edward as a part of our family and they LOVE to eat poison ivy. Gavin has a great time giving them a bottle each night too.

My next post will include pictures too, I promise!

OUCH!

Well, I don't very often post about myself! Yesterday was a once in a lifetime event though (at least I am praying that it is). I was trimming our cherry tree standing on a ladder in the back yard yesterday afternoon. It was a beautiful day and I love doing things outside so this was not an unusual event for me. The problem with yesterday is that I lost balance on the ladder, fell off and impaled my leg about 4 inches with a 1 inch diameter metal stake! I will spare you all of the gory details and the pictures, but needless to say I was taken in the ambulance to the hospital (first time in my life).
Today I am in a lot of pain and it is difficult for me to take it easy and relax especially with two very active little boys. My mom was at the house today and my mother-in-law is coming tomorrow. The doctors have put me on strong anitbiotics and pain meds and are concerned with infection sooooo walking to the bus stop is out of the question at this point.
Please pray that I have patience because I am already going stir crazy!:)