Christmas Card Video

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  2012 was full of blessings!

http://youtu.be/ZTHBfnC0guM

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Hiccups!

One thing that I enjoyed about being pregnant with the other kids was when they had hiccups.  It may sound weird, but there was something really neat about feeling the constant and predictable thump in my belly as they would hiccup.  I hadn't felt this baby have hiccups yet.  I wondered if it had anything to do with the cysts on her lungs.  But I finally felt them the other day!  Yay!  She is a very active little baby and it is fun to let the big kids feel her kicking.  Brooke loves to give her kisses. She knows there's a baby in there! 

I have been feeling pretty well during the beginning of the 3rd trimester.  Starting to get tired a lot, but my iron is a little low, so I am working on getting it built back up.  I'm still pretty comfortable, althought somtimes she gets her feet in my ribs and it kind of hurts! 

The rest of the family does fun stuff like ride on Daddy's back while I sit and watch them. 

These three are quite the group.  It's so fun to be their mom!

Motherhood is a Calling

I read this post today and wanted to share it, and maybe read it again someday. 
Motherhood Is a Calling (And Where Your Children Rank)


http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/motherhood-is-a-calling-and-where-your-children-rank?fb_action_ids=10152303025085468&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%7B%2210152303025085468%22%3A10150256258984490%7D&action_type_map=%7B%2210152303025085468%22%3A%22og.likes%22%7D&action_ref_map=[]

 

Is it December?

We are enjoying our 70 degree December days!  Today is December 3rd, and Addy and Luke wanted to play at the pond.  After a while, they asked if they could take off their shoes and socks and squish their toes in the mud.  They pretended that they were wearing black shoes.  When they found a deeper spot and sunk in a bit, they were thrilled to be wearing boots!  You can sort of tell in the picture that they have mud up to their knees. 

 

One of the books we are reading this year for geography is called "Paddle to the Sea."  Both kids love that book and when we go to this pond they like to throw little logs and sticks in the water and say, "Look!  It's paddle to the sea!"  The book is about a little boy who carves a canoe out of wood and leaves it in the snow up by the Great Lakes in Canada.  We follow it as the snow melts and it travels along Lake Superior. We learn about where it goes and what it sees as it floats along. 

It is fun to learn alongside the kids.  1st grade is really interesting!

Don't play memory with these kids!

 

Addy and Luke both love to play memory.  Scott lets them play it on his ipad sometimes.  Those two know how the game works.  You don't need to go easy on them either.  And the more they play the better they get.  I am so glad they are developing the ability to focus and concentrate.  Maybe that's why they beat me now.  I'm usually thinking about somthing else when I play them.  Whenever I turn over the wrong card they usually know right where the matching card is and don't waste any time making the match.  Sometimes Brooke plays too. They will help her make a match, because for some reason she turns the exact same cards over every time.  I don't know how she remembers the cards she turned over last time, but it's always the same cards! 

Baby Update!!

We had another sonogram to check on the cysts on baby's lungs.  They are still there, but they are getting much better!  The dr. was very encouraged and said they are smaller and less dense.  They are doing just what they need to do - going away!!! I don't have to go back for another sono for 8 weeks, and that will be just 1 month from the due date.  Dr. also told us that even if the cysts aren't completely gone by the time she is born we will probably just keep watching them until they go away.  It is unlikely that surgery will be needed!  He was very glad to give us the good news!  And he also gave me the okay to deliver her at the Birth and Women's Center because nothing can be done until she is a few weeks old anyway. 
We are SO thankful for the great news!  We are also really impressed by the machine that lets us look into the womb to see what's going on in there.  It has really been neat to see her in 3d.  We didn't get to do that with the other kids.  When we looked at her face this time we saw her hands up by her head, and then she put her thumb in her mouth and started sucking her thumb!  It was incredible!

Operation Christmas Child and turkeys!

 

If you are wondering what Operation Christmas Child and turkeys have in common, probably nothing.  Except that's what we've been doing lately. 

 If you remember last year, Luke was NOT happy about filling a shoebox for OCC.  He wanted all the stuff for himself.  He picked everything out and thought he was going to get to keep it.  It was a little better this year.  He still struggled.  Since he knew he wasn't going to get to keep anything, he didn't even want to pick anything out. 

 I did manage to get Luke to fill his box and smile.  Hopefully he will learn to give with a cheerful attitude someday! Addy loves filling boxes for OCC.  She had a hard time deciding what to get.  Not everything she wanted to put in there would fit! 

 We also have been making handprint turkeys.  I suggested it and they both got right to work.  They traced their own hand themselves.  The only thing Addy needed help with was how to spell Thanksgiving.

Luke came up with his own way of making handprint turkeys.  He used both hands!  I thought that was really clever.  I was impressed that he could trace around both hands.  This is by far the best picture he has made.  He even did a great job writing his name.  Good job Lukey!

 The kids had fun dressing up this year.  We went to our church's Harvest Party instead of trick or treating.  The kids had a great time playing games with all their friends.  We did trick or treat my grandma the next day though.  My dad came in from working for a bit to see the costumes.  Brooke was a ladybug.  My dad got to hold her for a quick second so I hurried and took a picture. 

 Here is Mr. Spiderman.  I bet you can't guess who's under the mask!

 And Rapunzel.  Addy and I made some long hair. For the Harvest Party we braided it in with her real hair so it looked sort of the same. Her clever idea!

 

 

 Brooke is sleeping in a big bed now, but the mattress in on the floor.  You can see why.  We had some guards to put on the bed, but she pushed against them in the night and they ripped, so they weren't doing much good.

 A package came in the mail the other day from Nana.  That is always so exciting for the kids.  They got busy making pictures and hand delivered them to the neighbors.  So cute!

 This is what happens Sunday afternoons.  Brooke fights it, but Scott doesn't.

 I was helping Addy with school work yesterday and Luke was in the living room singing.  I noticed that it suddenly got quiet.  I called for him and he didn't answer, so I thought I better go check it out.  He rocked and sang himself to sleep. 

Probably the neatest thing I am finding out about being a mom is that I love it more all the time.  The 3 kids are such good friends and playmates.  I can't imagine doing anything else than raising them.  They are always building and pretending something, and Brooke is just like the big kids now.  I'm so glad that a baby will be joining us in February.  Can't wait for her to get here!  But in the meantime, I will enjoy each day with these 3 little kids as they learn, grow and play.  They truly are a joy and a BLESSING from the Lord.  

The Kitten Project.

 

Well, our kitten project has ended.  Here is Luke trying to enjoy his little kitten for the last time.  He is also enjoying the heater and keeping his hands warm! 

The second kitten died the other day and the last kitten died last night.  They were doing so well at first, but once it got cold they just couldn't handle it.  They stopped eating and even though we tried to keep them warm they were too cold.  It was sad, but the kids took it very well. 

I think we were getting tired of feeding them anyway.  I guess it was a little too much of a project for us.  Maybe if the kittens wouldn't have suffered the last couple days it would have been better, but we knew they were going to die, so what can you do?  They just needed their mama.

Silly Brooke

 Last weekend we went to Thayer for a wedding.  We got to see Papa Larry and Grandma Patty. 

 

Brooke had a sucker while we were waiting at the reception. She LIKED it.

 It was very sticky.

She's our little goof.  Always making us laugh.  Brooke is such a joy!

A Sad Day

Today was a sad day in the Marshall house.  It started off great.  Scott was home and made pancakes for us for breakfast.  But then we went outside to feed the kittens.  One did not get up and meow like usual.  The change from being hot to super cold overnight was too much for one little kitten to handle.  Little Susan had died. 

Susan was Addy's kitty.  Addy could tell because she had some white between her legs.  She didn't believe that her kitty had died until she looked and saw the white mark.  Then she cried as she realized that her new little friend would not wake up.  These kittens are teaching more lessons than I imagined.

Our Kitten Project

 

We adopted kittens!  There were some abandoned kittens on our block that were meowing desperately, so we decided to take them in.  The kids were excited to make a "house" for them.

 The kittens don't stay in this house, but the outside toybox Scott made a few months ago is a perfect kitten house. 

 

We have been feeding them a bottle of kitten formula 2-3 times a day.  The plan is to take them out to my mom and dad's as soon as they get big enought to eat on their own.  In the mean time, we will have a fun time learning about kittens. There are 2 girls and a boy.  Addy named the girls Susan and Lucy.  Luke's kitten was drinking the bottle at the time he named him, so that kitten got the name Drinker.  

Sonogram update

 

We had our sonogram to find out what the abnormal bright spot was in the first sonogram.  It is called Congenital Cystic Adenomatoid Malformation (CCAM).  Basically she has cysts on her right lung.  It is not as bad as it sounds, and really is good news!  It is so good to know what to call it and know what the next few months look like, which is very normal.  I will have to have follow up ultrasounds every 6 weeks to check and see if it is changing.  The dr. said that he thinks it will regress and by the time she is born it could be gone!  We'll just wait and see.  If it doesn't regress and keeps getting bigger then she might have some trouble breathing and will have to have surgery shortly after she is born.  But that is the worst case scenario. 

We got a report of all the notes and it was good to see the following:  Very active baby for 22 weeks. Vizualized with normal appearance: head, brain, face, spine, neck, skin, abdominal wall, gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, bladder, extremities, skeleton. 

It was also fun to see her in 3d.  Can you see her cute little face in the picture?  She looks like the other kiddos.  Now we better start thinking about getting her a name!

Tuesday Night Fun!

 

Scott was making up games to play with the kids with a ball.  Here's "Blow the Ball."

Here she is!!!

I went in for a "fun" sonogram today.  I wanted Addy and Luke to get a chance to see their sister since we won't be taking them with us next week to the "scary" sonogram.  I also wanted to make sure it's a girl.

 

 Here is our perfect little miracle girl.  She was movng SO much.  She wouldn't hold still!  I even felt a lot of it!  It was so incredible to see and feel this little baby.  I love the above picture because you can almost see her whole body.  Head to the left, legs to the right.  Just under the baby's spine you may see a whitish triangle.  I think that is what they are wanting to check more into, but not totally sure.  Anyway, she looks great to me!

 

 You may not be able to tell, but this picture says she's definitely a girl!

 

 This picture is looking down on the baby's shins.  You can see her left knee really well.  And her feet are side by side on the right side of the pic.  SO cool!

 

Here is the profile picture.  Her mouth was a little bit open.  We saw her chewing something!  So cute.

 

It was really fun to do this sonogram and get to see her moving around so much.  Mandy checked out her heart and said it looked really good.  The only thing that was suspicious was a bright spot in her chest.  We'll find out what that's all about next week.  They didn't think it would be anything major. But even if it is it doesn't matter.  It's not major to God and He's in control of it.

It will be so fun to see how God gets this little girl to us.  Every pregnancy really is different!  I can't wait to hold her and I am so glad God chose me to be her mommy.  

Learning about how things grow

 

Every week I try to go out to my grandparent house to help them with whatever needs to be done.  It also is a good opportunity for the kids to know their great grandparents. I think that is a rare treat.  I grew up half a mile down the road from my grandparents and I am glad I get to share them with my kids.  I also get to see my dad when we're there and the kids learn about the farm.  Today it was time to dig the sweet potatoes.  The kids were so excited to help and they really got into it.

 My dad is probably one of the best people that could teach the kids about how things grow.  He loves that the kids are interested in what he does.  Luke never passes up a ride on the tractor or a chance to "farm."  He has a genuite interest in farming right now and wants to go with Papa Mike and help him whenever he can. 

Uncle Bren helped Addy dig up her treasures.  That is really what it felt like.  They found some HUGE sweet potatoes.  They got to help plant the sweet potatoes a couple months ago, so hopefully being a part of the process will help them enjoy eating them!  Anybody have a good recipe for sweet potatoes?  

Enjoying the Day

 

We are lucky to live right next to Jones Park.  We take advantage of all the nature in our "back yard". Yesterday we explored the pond.  The kids LOVED it.

 The shoes came off quickly and they found sticks for "fishing". The sticks also worked well as shovels when they found something buried in the mud. 

 Brooke wanted to get in on the action and see all the cool stuff they were finding.  Luke found a stick that looke like a gun.  That was "really cool."

 Brooke is no baby anymore.  She wanted to feel the mud squish through her toes too.  Don't you wish you could squat like that?

Luke tried to make a nest with seaweed he pulled up out of the water.  Good ole Kansas fun!

On the way back Addy commented on how soft her feet felt.  When we got all cleaned up it was amazing how clean and soft all the kid's feet were.  I guess we found a good natural foot scrub!



Never Be Afraid to Trust and Unknown Future to a Known God. - Corrie Ten Boom

In 2 weeks we have the ultrasound to find out what, if anything, is wrong with the baby.  Yesterday was a wonderful day of fellowship with my family in Christ.  They are the best.  I am being blanketed by Christ's love right now, and there is much peace. I felt like the Sunday School lesson and the sermon were especially for me.  And then we had a sweet time of prayer in the evening.  God is helping me go through this trial.  I am not alone.  He feels so close.  I even have an excitement in seeing what God will do through this. 

I think I am doing pretty well with thinking about the things I know are true, and turning my thoughts back to those truths when the waves of fear, insecurity, and uncertainty creep in.  But I have found that it is much easier to think those thoughts than it is to talk about or express what I am thinking.  I don't think it is possible for me to pray aloud or talk about it without crying. 

So for the next 2 weeks I will wait.  I will trust in the Lord, and I will let Him strengthen me.  I am ready for whatever path He wants to take me down.  I hope and pray for the best.  That there was a mistake and there is nothing wrong with my sweet little girl.  She is letting me know she is here now.  She kicks and moves around. That is so special to me since I was told I wouldn't feel her much because the placenta in on the front of my uterus.  But as Addy told me, "Mama, even if the baby dies that's still good cause she'll be in heaven."  So there is no bad thing that can happen.  Even if she is very sick, has a disability, or dies, my faith will increase. This is a very short time of trial that is good for me.  Where I can say with Paul, "For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:10

Another sono...

We found out the other day that we need to go to Topeka to get another sonogram.  There was something abnormal about the baby's lungs, heart, or liver.  We don't know anything else.  Everything could be just fine, but the doctors want to check things closer.  The appointment is October 12th.  So that's where we're at. 

Receiving the call the other day brought an instant turn of events.  We found out we are having a girl, started getting excited and our mind set on more pink, and then BAM.  But there's nothing I can do, and there is no need to worry.  And there is even a REALLY good thing about all of this uncertainty.  I know the ONE who IS certain.  I don't have to hold everything together, HE is.  I don't have to think about what is in the future, HE knows.  I can REST in knowing that my Savior and Lord cares for me and will hold me up through anything that I might have to face.  He has felt the pain of grief, much more than I can imagine, and HE knows. 

I know that many people have been praying for us the last couple of days, and I am so thankful.  I truly have a peace in my heart and I have found joy in this trial.  I can cling to the promises I find in scripture when the enemy's thoughts start to creep in.  It is a battle I fight many times a day and I am choosing to focus on the things that are certain rather than the things that are uncertain. Philippians 4:4-9 has helped me the last couple days. It says, "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you."
(Philippians 4:4-9 ESV)

I am learning about that peace of God, which surpasses all understanding.  It truly does guard your hearts and minds.  I know who is forming this baby inside my womb right now, and He is making her perfect.  Maybe not perfect according to the worlds standards, but I can't think of many times the world's standards measure up to God's.  

So we will go down this unknown journey guided by Father.  We hope for the best, which could be the baby is absolutely healthy and the 1st sonogram wasn't clear.  Or we will glady share in the sufferings of Christ as we take on whatever lies ahead.  One thing is clear.  God WILL be glorified, and He WILL make His name great.  I know my faith will grow by being a part of this. That is exciting to me!

It's a.....

Well, I thought I was recording the big event. But when I went to push the button to stop recording I realized that I had not been recording.  So I will tell about it instead.

We had as many family as could make it along with a few friends that helped with the kids while we were at the sono.  I had everyone stand on one side if they thought the baby was a boy and the other side if they thought the baby was a girl.  Almost everyone was on the boy side.  So I asked Luke and Addy what color they thought the balloons were going to be.  Luke said he thought they were going to be pink. But he wanted them to be blue.  Addy said she thought they were going to be blue, but she wanted them to be pink.  Then she said it would be okay if they really were blue.  So I told them the open it up and they eagerly ripped it open.  Luke saw the pink balloons and excitedly said, "They're PINK!"  The kids were excited to play with the pink balloons until they all popped. 

My mom was thinking ahead and had a gift for the baby with a little pink outfit in it.  She had a blue one ready too, but I guess she'll have to take it back. 

At bedtime I was talking to the kids about getting another baby sister.  Luke started to cry a little and said, "Can I still take a bath with the baby? Now I won't have anyone to take a bath with."  I'm not sure why he was concerned about this because he takes baths with Brooke all the time. Then Addy said, "I'm glad it's a girl, but I kind of wanted a boy so we could play castle.  Now Brooke doesn't have a prince."  I am sure Luke will figure out that taking a bath by himself isn't such a bad thing, and Addy will find a way to play castle. 

I am just glad that I have a heavenly Father who knows exactly what child to give our family.  This little girl is a good and perfect gift from Him.  At first it was a little tough for me to let the thought of not having a brother for Luke sink in.  It's kind of like an end to the dream you've had since you were a kid.  God lets us choose so many things in life but He doesn't let us choose the gender of our children. I am glad that is something He won't let us mess up. 

It will be fun to see how our family adjusts to this new little girl when she arrives.  Scott and I are excited for all the joy and laughter that we have found comes with little girls. I know she will have two little mamas who are ready to be at her beck and call and a big brother who adores her. 

Before Thoughts about Baby #4

It’s about time to reveal the gender of baby number 4!  I had a fun time yesterday finding out on my birthday.  We had the sonogram tech print off a picture showing if the baby is a girl or boy and put it in an envelope.  Then we walked to a park and sat under a tree and talked about what things would be like if the baby is a girl and what things would be like if the baby is a boy.  We are so glad that God knows what is best and He will give us exactly what we need. 

It was fun to think about both ways.  I thought I probably wanted a boy and Scott did too.  Only because we have 2 girls and 1 boy.  Before we even got married we talked about wanting our kids to all have a brother and a sister. And I just have a feeling it is a boy.  But when I laid down on the bed and saw the little fingers and toes and heart beating on the screen it didn’t really matter anymore because I wanted THAT baby, no matter what it was. 
Then I look at my two precious girls and I think, "How could I be disappointed with another one of them?"  When I look at my little guy I think, "It would be really neat for him to have a buddy like him."  I don't wish my girls were boys and I don't wish my boy was a girl, they are so perfect.  This next baby will fit in so well, and I won't wish it is anything different.  Even if the baby isn't healthy or has some physical defect, it is the perfect baby for us and there is no way we could not love it just as much as the other kids. 

Another thing we have talked about briefly is adopting.  A while back we thought that maybe we would adopt someday, and whatever this baby is then we would adopt the opposite.  I don’t know if we will actually do that, but God has put a burden on my heart to adopt.  Scott is starting to think more that way now, but he always wanted to wait and talk about it when it was closer.  If we adopts we don’t want a bigger age gap than there is with the other kids, so it’s getting closer.  It seems like it is such a hard process though. ..

I have asked the kids several times if they would like a baby brother or a baby sister.  Luke thought he wanted a brother for a while, but recently he is saying sister.  He says that he thinks the balloons in the box will be pink and he is okay with that.  Addy has been saying she wants another sister, but all of a sudden she is saying that she thinks the balloons will be blue and she is happy with that.  So it is good to know that nobody will be disappointed.  We all know that God decided to give us a boy or a girl, and He knows what is best for our family. 

In a few hours the kids will open up a big box and will find out if they are getting a brother or a sister.  I can’t wait to see their reaction.  Scott and I are so happy for the blessing of our 4^th child and excited to let everyone know.

17 weeks

Yesterday I had a baby dr. appointment and found out I am 17 weeks.  I have a hard time keeping track this time around.  I think everything looks good.  I was a little nervous for a split second when the baby was measuring less than 17 weeks and she was having a hard time finding the heartbeat.  But Brooke was really low too.  (Does that mean it's a girl?)  The heartbeat was 130-140.  (Does that mean it's a boy?)   Brooke's heartrate was always low too.  Well, we will find out in 2 weeks!  I was able to schedule my sonogram for my birthday!  That will be fun!  We are trying to think of a fun way to tell everyone.  With the other kids we just told, but we want to do something different and fun this time.  If you have any suggestions let me know!

After we find out if the baby is a boy or a girl we will have to start thinking about names again.  You would think we have done this enough times we would have one ready to go.  Agreeing on a name is SOO hard for us.  If it's a boy I know what name Scott is going to want.  It's not a bad name, just not my first choice.  He really doesn't like any of the names I like, so I will probably settle for something he suggests.  I know it won't affect how much I love the child.  Addison, Luke and Brooke were all names he picked out and now I absolutely love those names.  And to give him credit each time I have been in labor he has told me I can name the baby whatever I want. :)

Check back in about 2 weeks to watch the video of how we find out if our baby is a he or a she!

Luke's 1st bike ride and Addy's 2nd tooth!

Crazy coupons

I made a trip to Dillons tonight and came home with some late night pregnancy craving food.  I haven't done any couponing over the summer, but when I heard someone talking about Dillons having some good deals this week I decided to check it out.  There is a website called dillonsfrugalfritzie that puts all the deals and coupons together for you.  All you have to do is print out the coupons and make your list.  My total before coupons was $120.  BUT I got $20 off because every 10 items was $5 off due to the promotion they were running. Then I had a coupon for every single item that doubled to $1 off each item.  So take away another $40 and my total came to $62.  Plus I got 2 catalina coupons for $3 off my next order!  I hope I don't forget to use them!  And I got 92 fuel points so when I get 8 more I can get 10 cents off a gallon for gas.  Hope I don't forget to use that!

My receipt said I saved $106.  But that's if everything was regular price, and I never pay regular price for anything at Dillons.  But a 65% savings sounds pretty good! It was pretty exciting and the kids were thrilled by the cereal.  They've never seen Lucky Charms and Cinnamon Toast Crunch in our house before.  We'll mix it with plain ol Cheerios of course and see how long we can make it last! The biggest excitement for the kids (and Scott) was the Toaster Strudels.  Those are a once a year treat at our house. So I guess I'm done for the year with special treats.  Guess I'll have to stop. :)

First Day of School

 We started school the other day. Addy is a first grader and is loving it. Her favorite subject is math and nature study.  She likes all the other things we do too, but she's not much into learning how to read yet.  She knows several words and can read a few small books, but it's just not her thing.  I'm expecting it to "click" here pretty soon and it will become one of her favorite things to do. 

Scott is teaching geometry and college algebra this year.  He is also taking one class from K-State.  No coaching soccer this season.  I say, "WOOO HOOOO!" 

 After the school day was done we headed out to my mom and dad's to spend some time with them before they get crazy busy with school.  My dad took us down to the dried up creek to explore.  The big kids got to ride on the horse and Brooke got to ride on Scott's shoulders.

That horse had to grab a mouthful of weeds to eat as he walked by. 

The kids had a great time picking up turkey feathers and clam shells.  We found a live clam and broke it open to see inside.  Luke did a little disection with it.  We even found a super old Oldsmobile matchbox car. We thought maybe it was one of my grandpa's old toys.  They sure don't make 'em like that anymore. 

Friends Reunited

After the fun day in Oklahoma, we headed to Albuquerque.  This was our first time to that part of the country. 

The kids did great during the long car ride.  The giant lollipops helped to keep them busy and quiet for awhile.  I gave them a small gift every few hours.  Things like pipe cleaners, activity books, little figurine toys.  But the best little gift was their own tape dispenser.  Luke folded and taped paper for hours.

We did many different and fun things.  Here we are at the Concert at the Zoo.  Sandy brought a lot of snacks and the kids played on the mat while we listened to music.

When it got dark the glo sticks were fun. 

When the Lees lived a couple blocks from us Luke was never all that excited to go to their house.  During this trip he was Mrs. Lee's little buddy.  Now he adores her.

Maybe Luke likes Mrs. Lee so much now because she let him throw water balloons at her!  He had a really great time. Luke also loved playing with Andrew and Matt and sleeping with them in their room.

Brooke conked out after the hike.  Sleeping little girls are so cute.

These two had a great time together.  They picked up where they left off.  It was another hard goodbye when we left.

They did a dance for us everyday. 

As we were leaving the Standerwicks were arriving.  It was great to be together. 

On the way home we stayed at a hotel in Liberal.  When we pulled up to the hotel Luke saw a van that looked like the Lee's and said, "LOOK! THE LEES ARE HERE!"  He was so excited.  Then he was disappointed that they weren't there.

Brooke loved staying in a hotel.  She thought everything about it was fun. Brooke did a really great job sleeping in the playpen beside us the entire trip. She never woke us up.  The first morning when she woke up and realized we were beside her she just kept repeating, "Hi...hi...hi." In a sweet little baby voice.  Then she would sit and play quietly until we were ready to get up.  She is amazing!  I think she is the best baby ever.

Luke has his mouth taped shut in this picture.  See I told you tape was the best gift for riding in the car!  On the way back we slowed down to go throught many many tiny towns.  They were all mainly a grain elevator with a few houses around it.  It was like the same thing over and over.  When we started getting into some bigger towns that had some restaurants like Emporia has Luke started asking, "Do we just have to find our house?"  I guess as things started looking more familiar he thought we could be home because up until then nothing looked familiar. 

We even got to make a quick stop in Pratt to visit our friends the Monhollons.  I forgot to take pictures. Darn.  It was good to catch up with them. They have two adorable little girls now and it was fun to meet their youngest for the first time.

As much as I loved visiting our friends and loved the sight of the Albuquerque mountain, I was glad to get home.  Those Flint Hills were a beautiful sight. It was neat to see how the beautiful mountains turned into flat, dry land with cactii and rocks then turned into flat green farmland (they irrigate in Western KS) then turned into beautiful rolling hills.  God really is AWESOME!