He's home!

Ryan was gone on a mission trip to Romania for the past 2 weeks.

 The kids made the welcome home sign and wrote him notes.

 He took a great group of teens from church and did ministry in Romania with a missionary from our church who is there.  They had an amazing trip and maybe, just maybe I can get him to share some stories from his trip...that is after he has slept off his jet lag!

The kids and I held down the fort and I am happy to report that all the animals are still alive! That was my biggest fear!  Not that they didn't give me a few more gray hairs, but they are doing well and we are so happy to have the real farmer back!

 apparently we didn't feed this guy on time, so he helped himself!

 One morning I woke up to see the boys walking this guy BACK into the pasture!  Good thing he is super tame and will come when called!  Apparently the electric fence was turned off and he just decided to go for a stroll OUTSIDE of the pasture!  He ate a few of my flowers but then decided he wanted back in the pasture, the boys found him standing there nose to the fence mooing to get back in!

Then there are these 2 who both lost hair in spots...nice!  Only on my watch does stuff like this happen.

But, we did a few fun things too to help pass the time.

 I made strawberry freezer jam while the boys made a potato cannon with the help of their friend Ryan!!  They rode their bikes into town for the parts.  I had no idea that it was possible to launch a potato or apple that far!  Amazing!

 They played in the kiddie pool but mostly had fun with the buckets of water, which makes me wonder...why bother with the pool?

 We went to the beach and tried to have a picnic lunch there, but it was so windy we ended up eating sand and being sand blasted!

 I doubt this was fun, but I enjoyed watching them wash my car!  I did help them wax it though. 

 They may kill me, but I caught this shot of my brother in laws playing on the swing while they were up here.

 The VZ cousins spent a few nights at grampa and grama's cabin and they had a great time together!

And we went down to Chicago for the day to the Lincoln park Zoo,{great FREE zoo if you're ever in the vicinity, check it out!} we were able to meet up with my best friend since the sixth grade!  It was great to catch up with Kadie again and see her beautiful children!  In the picture above, Anaya and Kadie's son Jake are both 5!  They are both off the charts, just in opposite directions, too fun!

We went down to visit my family and were invited over to a few friends homes as well, lots of fun things that helped pass the time.  I sure wish I could have gone with him, but I truly felt my part in this ministry was to be here for the kids.  While I don't like it when Ryan is gone, I am so grateful that he had this opportunity to share the gospel with the beautiful people over in Romania. Many people came to know the Lord as a result and that is what our lives are all about!  Praising Jesus tonight for such an amazing blessing! 

All together again...

We are so happy to be together again!  Here are my happy kids with their goods from Mexico (soccer jerseys) and their favorite "thing" ~ Daddy!  Jayden has my basket on his head, and you can't really see Anaya's little basket, but he thought of us all! 

The red van was miraculously fixed just in time for them to leave{YAY God!}  However Ryan is still battling a nasty mouth infection.  All in all it was a great trip, pictures to come in the days ahead, for now we are enjoying our time together!  

what we've been up to...

we spent a little time at the beach...

and at my parents pool...

and hanging out with cousins at my sisters pool.  I love that Anaya has the same idea of swimming as I do, "it's all good if I don't get wet!"  Yep, my idea of swimming is going near the pool, maybe putting my feet in, but do not splash me, do not make me go in, or heaven forbid under the water!!!  She fell in the pool with her life jacket on and fell feet first into a ring, never got wet above her waist and she cried for 10 minutes!  So funny!

We are surviving our time without Ryan, thanks to a few dear friends and family, but we are really looking forward to his safe return.  He is battling an infection, and one of the church vans is broken down...and they are supposed to leave in the morning, but all in all things are going well....we shall see what tomorrow brings.  Hopefully a miraculously fixed van and safe travels!  Dylan was off to camp this week too and we got him home today!  YAY!  But now Spencer is gone to Chicago with my parents to see a Sox game.  I will be happy Monday night when we are all {minus one ~ little Luisa} home and under one roof!

2 years ago...

Yesterday, was the day 2 years ago we finally arrived home from Guatemala with Anaya!  Wow, she has grown and changed so much since then!  We love you Anaya, you continue to bless us each and every day with your beautiful smile and sweet personality!

Never in a million years would we have ever dreamed that I would go to Guatemala and stay there for 7 weeks with 5 kids!!  And now as we step out in faith with another international adoption, I can't fathom that I may be spending another 4 to 6 weeks in Colombia with 6 kids!  Oh the adventures God brings us on!

If you think of it this week, please be in prayer for Ryan and the 24 youth/staff he is taking down to Mexico on a mission trip to Lily of the Valley Orphanage.  I am not able to go this year, {and am completely jealous!}  He is going to take a small group up into the mountains and minister to the people there too.  I can't wait to hear what God does on this trip.  Hopefully Linda will be able to update the blog {Our Ministry to the Orphans} or Nikki (who is taking Ryan and the team into the mountains) also has a site {On Eagles Wings Ministry} Check it out!

a relaxing weekend...

We enjoyed our first weekend of being home with nothing on the calendar since summer began! We had a campfire cookout, we even tried corn on the cob cooked on the campfire, it was very good!

~notice the bench the boys made us is still holding up! To see more of our amazing bench, click here!

Anaya enjoyed it too!

Then of course no weekend is complete without a fishing trip! Ryan caught this huge walleye, and then we ate it for dinner a few hours later. This was one fish I actually ate a piece of! Despite being ugly, it tasted very good!! Ryan ALWAYS prepares any and all animals he kills (I am NOT a fan of cooking wild game, or any meat for that matter!) and I always try a bite, to be nice, but this was actually good! He GRILLED it! Since we have been married(almost 15 years)He has not grilled as much as he has this summer! YAY! I HATE cooking, so it works for me!

And since hunting season is only, hmm let's see...LESS THAN 2 months away!!!! The boys are practicing their shooting skills! I can't bear the thought of fall!!! Even though I love fall...

Summer is waaaay too short, but we really enjoyed our weekend with nothing to do!

Ryan...

Not only is he a kind, loving, thoughtful, loyal, sincere, hardworking and most valued husband,

but he is also a very involved, gentle, caring, fun, wise, and much loved daddy who will be greatly missed while he is in Mexico! I am so thankful to God for Ryan and what a blessing he is to me.

Please be in prayer for him this weekend as he heads to Mexico with a group of teens. Safety in travel and especially a safe, uneventful border crossing! I am amazed at how much work goes into a trip like this. Please check out Linda's blog here, to see what we have in store for us next week! I am fine with the water issue, I am ready to work hard, I am not sure about the heat~I hate hot weather~ it gives me a headache so I am packing plenty of Tylenol!! But, what I am most afraid of is the tarantula spiders...Seriously this freaks me out! Remember that "spider" in Guatemala? Well, these things are huge and hairy! I am claiming 2 Timothy 1:7 God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.