Snow & More

Will the sun ever return to Kansas? This is what it has looked like for 2 weeks (ok maybe I am exaggerating-maybe not) and it has been very blahh! At least the tree looks pretty.

Here is a picture of Jacob last week. He fell asleep and we couldn't get him to wake up. He decided if he covered his face we couldn't tell he was still sleeping. Poor guy ended up having an ear infection. I took him to the Dr. (the only appt I could get) during recess time. He was soooo mad at me because he missed the only "outdoor" recess they had been given in a long time!

Ben decided he looked like Santa Claus and wanted his picture taken. After hanging out in the snow the only way to warm up is with a "hot bath" according to Ben.

Ben shoveling. Jacob's picture didn't turn out but I assure you he was outside too. In Colorado we were out in the snow all the time.

After playing in the snow one is bound to have wet clothes. Rather then tracking it through the house and stepping in cold, wet, puddles all night, they had to take their clothes off by the back door. With this weather, no wonder why my laundry has doubled!

Little Addison Marie

Luke's niece and goddaughter, Shasta, had her first baby on February 4th. As many of you know, Shasta lived with us for 6 months while she did her student teaching in Andover. The boys were 6 and 19 months old when she moved in with us that semester. She was an absolute blessing during that time. She will never know how big of a help she was to us and further she was awesome with boys! She is very special to our family.

She got a job at Herrington High School after graduation teaching English. She met her husband Nick through a co-worker. They asked the boys to be the ring bearers in their wedding and the boys were excited. They love Nick and they love Shasta. So when we heard she had her baby we couldn't WAIT to go see them in Abilene.

This is Addison Marie...She is absolutely adorable. She was 6# 15 oz and 20 inches long.

Here is Addison with her mom.

Nick let the boys hold Addison. Jacob didn't want to at first, but when he saw Ben holding her, Jacob quickly changed his mind.

Jacob holding Addison.

Ben and Jacob thinking Addison is a keeper. I almost see halo's over their heads! It doesn't happen very often!

Miss Addison and her Nanna Re.

I couldn't wait to get my hands on her! Ben posed so he could get pringles.

Jacob not too sure about this baby. Jacob told Shasta he didn't want the baby to "pee" on him because that's what babies do....hmmm

Jacob, Ben and Aunt Re

Addison's little feet. She was stretching her feet and toes.

She was to get her first bath tonight, I wonder how that went?

Here is the proud papa.

If any of you are in Manhattan and need some adult beverages, Nick is doing a little advertising for his store.

Beer Goggles is the place to be for your pre or post party before a Wildcat Victory! Go State! Sorry I had to throw that in!

1st & 40th Birthday

January 30th we went to a very special birthday party. My cousin and her daughter were celebrating "milestone" birthdays. Little Miss Seely, turned one year old on 30th. She is such a good little girl. She doesn't know a stranger and she loves her grandma and grandpa!

Seely loved the balloons and the boys had a great time at the party. They also liked the fact they could eat cake, have punch and other junk food! Further, they got to bowl and play with other kids their own ages too. On a side note, Ben ate too much junk food and threw up in bed that night! At least they had fun......I guess!

Special balloons that were made made extra "heavy duty." Seely loved giving them kisses. Must I say she has her grandpa wrapped around her finger?

Seely wanting to run after the balloons, but not before I scooped her up for a picture.

Happy 40th to her mom! She has waited a long time for this little blessing. We are so glad we have gotten to spend time with them over the last few months. I hope they don't stay away too long because we have had such a good time seeing them.

Yoga

Despite the snow and sleet
I will see you in one hour.
RUTH, here I COME!

P.S. Try to be nice to me!

Up To Date

After drinking two cups of coffee tonight at mom-2-mom and cappuccino dessert, I am officially wired! So here is the latest;

• My dad is here from Thailand for one month. I picked him up from the airport on Saturday 1/30/10.
• Ben finished up his last basketball game on Saturday. Just in time to start soccer.
• Jacob is also enrolled for soccer. Of course Ben and Jacob will be on different teams which means we will be camping out at the rec center on Saturday mornings for 6 weeks. Yeah Me!
• I am still trying to figure out my life purpose for Bible Study. I have been thinking and praying about this for months (I might be dead before I figure it out-literally)!
• I completed my "spiritual gifts assessment" and am laughing at my answers ( I will share later).
• I have officially cooked and baked more in this last month than I have cooked in the last 10 years. This is very scary. Especially when Luke tells my dad that he has "domesticated" me. Good thing there were witnesses or Luke may have had one of those frying pans upside his head! :)
• I would love Trooper to become a "mostly" indoor dog to keep me company during the day. If Luke keeps making "domesticated" comments, Troop may be an inside dog sooner, than later!
• Oh.......and if you have never had your b*** kicked by a 65+ lady in yoga class, I don't recommend it! Last week was the first time I felt well enough to attempt to try yoga (not kickboxing but I will be back there ONE day). I thought it would be easy, which it was "kind-of" until I tried to get out of bed the next morning.....I am sure Ruth (Yes, Ruth) wasn't sore because it wasn't her first rodeo doing the "warrior pose". I will go back Thursday to see if I can keep up with her....Yeah right....

I will try to get some pictures posted soon of our adventures.

Luke's Home-Part 2

Monday was the big day for our family, knowing our missing "link" would be home that night. Mid afternoon I got a call from Luke and our conversation went something like this:

Luke: Could you call and make me an appointment with Dr. E.. tomorrow?
Me: Sure. What do I need to tell them you need to be seen for? Parasites or what?
Luke: (Hesitating) Just tell them I scratched my leg in Liberia.
Me: Okay
Luke: My phone is almost out of battery so I will call you on my way home.

The conversation was very short and to the point as you can tell. However, I know my husband I knew he wasn't being very forthcoming. Regardless, I called and made an appointment.

Once Luke got home that night and somewhat "settled" after 26 hours of being en-route to Kansas City from Liberia and 3 hours on the road in the fog.........The truth finally came out as he was little delirious from traveling.

Luke: "Don't freak out when you see my leg."
Me: "Okay"
Luke: "I hurt my leg in Liberia and had to get stitches."
Me: (looking at his leg with a grin) "I knew something was up but I didn't think it required that many stitches!"

Here is a picture of his "cut" according the blog on 1/14/10. 13 stitches on the bottom and 26 up top for a total of 39 stitches. It doesn't look as "angry" in this picture as it did when he first got home...Thank goodness!

Luke had a great story behind the care he got in a 3rd world hospital. I think he was a little worried about cross contamination, hence the reason for the Dr. appointment in the US. Thankfully, he was on an antibiotic for Malaria two weeks before he left and is to be on it another month. The antibiotic he is taking is also used to treat staph infection so Luke was covered. We will continue to watch out for other signs of infection but so far so good.

Birthday Breakfast

On Monday, the boys didn't have school due to Martin Luther King Day. I was reading my daily devotions when Jacob woke up. We snuggled while I finished my devotions and he watched "Sid the Science Kid." During the episode, Sid, and his father made a special meal for Sid's mom. Once Ben woke up I could hear the two of them plotting "something."

Jacob told me to stay in the bedroom because they had a "surprise for me." I kept hearing pots and pans bang around and a few disagreements. Otherwise, they asked me for some help a few times but ultimately they made me breakfast! I love how they decorated the plate as a happy face with eyebrows and all!.

Once we got some pictures we all sat down and had a wonderful breakfast. They did a GREAT job! Even better it was a nice way to our end our 13 days without their dad.