Boating With the Family.

Summer is nearing the end so we took the opportunity to go boating with our family! We had a great time together, and the weather, and the water couldn't have been more perfect. This is a picture of Suzanne (in the blue) with her sister, and her sister's triplets, on their gigantic tube which was being pulled behind the boat.

Brent, and His Buddy.

A couple of weeks ago, we went to my sister's house for dinner. Our nephew, N, absolutely loves Brent- he is one of his FAVORITE people. They just seem to have a special connection. N has a fascination with hats, and is always wearing some type of hat whether it be a ball cap, a fishing hat, a pirate hat, you name it! When we got there for dinner, N said to Brent, "lets trade hats." So he took his hat off and traded with Brent. I'm not exactly sure what type of hat Brent ended up wearing-I think maybe it was a Peter Pan hat. It sure looks good on him!

A Perfect, Lazy, Rainy, Sunday Afternoon.

Today was the perfect, relaxing Sunday which was something we definitely needed. We started the day off attending church which was uplifting as always, and it something we look forward to each week. It is such a wonderful way to start our week with some spiritual "nourishment." After church we fixed lunch together, and since it was raining outside we took a nap! Oh, how I love Sunday afternoon naps!! Later we went for a walk together, and then picked some fresh produce from our garden for dinner. We visited with a friend, then took a drive up Birch Creek to turn out a couple of our horses to pasture. Today was purely a day of rest, relaxation, and quality time together. A perfect Sunday!

Thanks for making me laugh!!

Brent is one of the funniest people I know. He has a very funny personality, a great sense of humor, and he's ALWAYS making me laugh, sometimes intentionally, and sometimes unintentionally. Here is a perfect example. This happened on a day I wasn't particularly looking forward to, but because of him I couldn't help but start the day with a smile. A few days ago I woke up to Brent whispering in his sleep "I almost ordered a cheese burger and fries." I couldn't help but laugh out loud, which woke him up. I asked him what he was talking about, and he just smiled and said, "be quiet." He is always talking in his sleep, and I'm always curious to know what he was dreaming about (as I'm laughing at him). So I asked him again, and he explained that a friend of ours was trying to feed him dinner. That's all the explanation I got this time. Then there was the time when he was yelling in his sleep at a cougar that was at the elementary school trying to attack him, or the time when he was explaining which cows go in which pens. He has also once given me directions in his sleep on how to build something out of 2x4s, and I remember him saying once, "careful with that gate Johnny." I could keep going, but I'm probably embarrassing him!! He's very entertaining while he's sleeping, and if he forgot to tell me what he had done during the day, I am sometimes privileged to find out while he is sleeping! Thanks for the laughs, honey.

Appy.

This horse is often the center of many jokes because of his spotted hide (he's an Appaloosa, hence the name "Appy"). I actually think he's kind of pretty, and he's good natured, so it doesn't matter that people make fun of him!

Roping in Grace, Idaho.

This weekend we went to Grace, where Brent competed in a team branding, which is one of Brent's all time favorite things! He competed on a couple of teams with his brother, Jared, who is pictured here with Brent. Jared is the youngest in the family, and will be a junior in high school this year.

Brent and Jared.


Okay, I better explain exactly what a team branding is. Basically, there are 4 members on a team, and 4 cattle in the arena. Two of the team members have to rope (while horseback) 2 of the cattle around the head, and back feet. The other two team members brand the cattle, (with paint, or pancake batter-- harmless!) once they've been roped. Then they switch duties, and the two people who "branded" the first two cattle, rope the last 2 cattle, and the other 2 team members brand them. Sounds complicated, but it's really not. It is a timed event, and the team with the fastest time wins a cash prize!! Brent loves this event. . . really, he loves anything that has to do with roping, horses, and cows! He entered this one NINE TIMES!! Brent and J are the two on the ground running in the pic below.

Suzanne with our horse, "Appy" at the team branding.

From God's Arms To My Arms To Yours.

One of my favorite adoption songs is by Michael McClean called "From Gods Arms To My Arms To Yours." The song was written for a young mother to sing for the couple she had decided to place her baby for adoption with. She had a feeling this was the best thing she could do for her soon-to-be-born child, but she needed a song to seal the peace of her decision. The first time I heard this song, I was at a Michael McClean performance when I was around 12 years old. It touched my heart then, and I still love it to this day. While growing up, I always thought I would want to adopt, but I didn't realize it would become a reality (hopefully). I am so thankful for the blessing of adoption. I want to share with you the words to this beautiful song:

FROM GOD'S ARMS TO MY ARMS TO YOURS

"With so many wrong decisions in my past I'm not quite sure
If I can ever hope to trust my judgement anymore
But lately I've been thinking 'cause it's all I've had to do
And in my heart I feel that I should give this child to you

And maybe you can tell your baby
When you love him so, that he was loved before
By someone who delivered your son
From God's arms to my arms to yours

Now if you choose to tell him, or if he wants to know
How the one who gave him life could bear to let him go
Just tell him there were sleepless nights I prayed and paced the floors
And knew the only peace I'd find is if this child was yours

And maybe you can tell your baby
When you love him so, that he was loved before
By someone who delivered your son
From God's arms to my arms to yours

Now I know you don't have to do this
But could you kiss him once for me
The first time he ties his shoes
Or falls and skins his knee

And could you hold him twice as long
When he makes his mistakes
And tell him that he's not alone
Sometimes that's all it takes
I know how much he'll ache

Well this may not be the answer
For another girl like me
And I'm not on a soapbox saying
How we all should be
I'm just trusting in my feelings
And I'm trusting God above
And I'm trusting you can give this baby
Both his mother's love

And maybe you can tell your baby
When you love him so, that he was loved before
By someone who delivered your precious one
From God's arms to my arms to yours"

The great thing about OPEN ADOPTION is that, not only will we TELL our baby-to-be that he or she was loved before, but she will KNOW this, and be able to SEE this. We truly believe adoption is an act of love, and the greatest gift we could ever imagine. We hope and pray that we will have the opportunity to experience this gift which we will be eternally grateful for.

Lava Continued.

Here are a few more pics from our weekend in Lava.

Floating the River and Miniature Golf- Lava Hot Springs, Idaho.

Brent and Suzanne floating through the rapids, hanging on for dear life!

Suzanne and "A" enjoying some calm water for a moment.

Not quite ready to sign on to the PGA-- yet.

Nice "putt!"