Farewell 2008

Dear Lord,
please give me…
A few friends who understand me and remain my friends;
A work to do which has real value,
without which the world would be the poorer;
A mind unafraid to travel, even though the trail be not blazed;
An understanding heart;
A sense of humor;
Time for quiet, silent meditation;
A feeling of the presence of God;
The patience to wait for the coming of these things,
With the wisdom to recognize them when they come.
Amen.
Anonymous

Happy New Year!!!

How Many Miles?

I read a quote today that said, "there is no telling how many miles you will have to run while chasing a dream". How appropriate! I have to admit for the first time I really don't feel like running the race anymore.

I. am. tired. of. running.

Thankfully the Lord more specifically gave me Isaiah 40. Lord, help me to trust and understand.

Look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars?
He brings them out like an army, one after another, calling each by its name.
Because of his great power and incomparable strength, not a single one is missing.
O Jacob, how can you say the Lord does not see your troubles?
O Israel, how can you say God ignores your rights?
Have you never heard? Have you never understood?
The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.
Even youths will become weak and tired,
and young men will fall in exhaustion.
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:26-31

The Book of Isaiah

Do you ever get the feeling there's something you should do? You know, that nagging feeling that says, "do this".

Well, I've had that feeling all week. Everytime I pray about whether or not we are supposed to adopt "R", I keep hearing this little voice telling me I'm supposed to read the book of Isaiah.

Well, I did it - all 66 chapters! This book was written by the prophet Isaiah and is basically broken into words of judgment and words of comfort. My Bible says the first half of Isaiah brings the message of judgment to Judah, Israel, and the surrounding pagan nations. The second half brings a message of forgiveness, comfort and hope with the coming of the Messiah.

Would someone please tell me what this has to do with this little boy???? I am completely stumped. I am certainly no Bible scholar - not even close. All throughout the book it talked about sons, but it also talked about daughters of Zion.

I need time to let this sink in and maybe something will come to me. All I know is that the more I look at his picture the more I think I could completely fall for him...if I let myself do that. Please continue to pray that we receive clear confirmation on what God's plan is. We covet your prayers.

Jwaye Nowel

Merry Christmas friends! Our family has been so blessed by your love & prayers over the last few months and I'm asking you to not stop now.

We have been given the opportunity to adopt an adorable little boy. I have to tell you we really had no intention of adopting a boy, but at the same time we want to be open to God's plan - not ours. We are taking some time to pray about what God wants us to do. I ask you to join with us in prayer that God would give us clear direction (think flashing neon sign telling us whether or not this is our child kind of clear). We are also praying that our hearts will be open to whatever plan God may have because we know His ways are better than our own.

Please also continue to pray for Anchise. We are still praying for a miracle that she would be returned to Three Angels. That would certainly be the best Christmas gift I could think of!

We are looking forward to celebrating Christ's birth and spending time together as a family over the next few days. I pray your holidays are filled with many blessings.

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Luke 2:16-20

Yo prese ale, yo jwenn Mari ak Jozèf, ansanm ak tipitit la kouche kote yo bay bèt yo manje a. Lè yo wè l', yo tanmen rakonte sa zanj lan te di yo sou pitit la. Tout moun ki t'ap koute yo te sezi tande sa yo t'ap rakonte a. Mari menm te kenbe tout pawòl sa yo nan kè l', li t'ap repase yo nan tèt li. Apre sa, gadò mouton yo al fè wout yo; yo t'ap di jan Bondye gen pouvwa, yo t'ap fè lwanj li, paske tou sa yo te tande ak tou sa yo te wè a te dakò ak sa zanj lan te fè yo konnen.
Luke 2:16-20 (Haitian Creole)

Jingle Bells

A "Winter" Concert

We attended Keaton's "winter" concert last night at school. It irritates me that we can't call it a Christmas concert, but that's a whole 'nother post.

It was a great show! Keaton loves to sing and was very expressive on the stage which made for great entertainment. When I dropped him off in his classroom there was a little strawberry blonde haired girl that kept looking at him and smiling. I told Keaton how handsome he was and told him to sing loud and smile. She looked at me with a big goofy grin and said, "Keaton looks nice". As I exited the room she was talking near the door with some other girls and they were giggling about Keaton being cute...oy!

Keaton really wanted a red handkerchief for his pocket, but I didn't have one. I went downstairs and dug through my tote of extra fabric and found a small piece of red satin that I cut into a square and folded. When I tucked it in his pocket he looked at me with a big smile and said, "you're a good mom". Ahh, melt my heart. Keaton is my sweet sensitive boy and I am blessed to call him son.

A Special Ornament

There are many ornaments on our tree that hold special memories - each of the kids first Christmas or the one celebrating our first Christmas together. We've added another special ornament to our tree this year and each time we look at it we will remember a precious child and say a little prayer for her.

Candid

The assignment:

Take a picture of yourself right NOW!

DON’T change your clothes,

DON'T fix your hair… Just take a picture.

Post that picture with NO editing.

Post these instructions with your picture.

If you are reading this consider yourself tagged.

Leave me a comment if you are completing the tag.

I feel like I have an advantage because we are just getting ready to leave the house. Normally on a Saturday morning I would look completely horrible...thankfully you are being spared.

The Dream x 4

I've been having a recurring dream. In fact as of today, I've had the same dream four times. The dream basically consists of me having plans to travel to Haiti, but I get to the airport and I've forgotten to buy a ticket. Also, I've usually forgotten things to bring along like money & luggage or anything I might possibly need to travel to a third world country.

I never wake up feeling warm & fuzzy about the whole thing. I usually wake up feeling concerned and freaked out because who makes plans to go to Haiti and doesn't actually buy a ticket or pack anything? Strange.

Snow Day

We had a fair amount of snow last night and into today causing school to be cancelled. We had a fun day at home and the scenery outside was beautiful.

Daytime beauty

Nighttime lights

Our Christmas Tree

Strange Days...

Or should I say strange daze? It's been a weird couple of days with a dash of wonderfulness in the middle.

At the end of last week we received word that our nephew's dad had taken his own life. Yesterday we found out that my Grandma Eliza died. Two very sad situations for various reasons.

Saturday Jeff and I left in the morning and spent the whole day together (kid free) - we went Christmas shopping, went out to lunch, saw Fireproof (which was excellent), shopped some more, and reluctantly came home. We don't do much without the kids and it was so wonderful to spend a carefree day with the one I love. We definitely need to schedule time like that more often.

The Last Day

Here are two photos of Anchise taken on her last day at the orphanage. I have had them for a while, but finally feel at peace enough to post them. Her sweet, beautiful smile still melts my heart. We will love her forever. Please take a moment today to pray for her.

Born to Lead

As if we needed any more reasons to be proud of our girl! Delaney came home with a leadership award presented to her by her ESS teacher. This distinction was for her "community spirit and outstanding leadership". We love you and are so proud of you for being such an amazing young lady.

Adoption Prayer Chain

Kathy's recent post inspired me to be a copycat and do an adoption prayer chain for our home this holiday season. If you are currently in the adoption process or know someone who is, please leave me a comment with the child's name being adopted and how to pray for them. I think this will be a fun thing for our family to do together.

Don't be shy now...quit lurking and leave me a comment. We'll be praying!

A Work of Art...The Turkey Leg Hat

This was our fun project of the day. Don't you just love it's superior styling? If you have some lunch bags and napkins lying around you can make your own! This little number is something no Thanksgiving dinner should be without.

Let Me Set the Scene...

We went to Culver's for lunch with Delaney, Brezlan and my nephew after taking Delaney to a doctor appointment. It was past nap time and "Mr. Magoo" was falling asleep. I got his coat on him and sat him on the seat of the booth while I got Brezlan's coat on. Delaney got out her camera to take a video of him sleeping while sitting up at the booth. He opened his eyes, saw the camera, said "cheese", and immediately fell back to sleep. Hilarious!

40 is a Beautiful Number

Thank you Faith Fellowship!!!!! Our church has been collecting boxes for Haiti for Project Christmas Angel. I was beyond thrilled to find people had generously donated 40 BOXES to be distributed to the children of Haiti.

I will be shipping these to Florida tomorrow and a team will be hand delivering them to Haiti in December. God is good!

The Motley Crew

Hooligans I tell ya...hooligans!

4th Photo Tag

Well, the lovely Sarah Olson tagged me forever ago, and I'm finally getting around to it. I am posting the 4th photo in my fourth folder.

It's actually a picture I saved of some Haitian art of a waterfall. I loved looking at the art in Haiti and I did buy one piece on canvas while I was there. It really was fun getting to know the vendors a little and bartering with them. They were quite comical and very enjoyable company.

If you haven't done the 4th photo tag, I officially tag you. Leave me a comment if you decide to post the 4th photo in your fourth folder.

Limbo

No, I'm not talking about dancing under a stick...

I'm just feeling disconnected from this whole process and I've got to admit I'm not lovin' it. I was looking forward with great anticipation to maybe being in IBESR by now. Instead we've got nothin'. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Bubkis.

So if Anchise is not meant to be our daughter, who is? Where is she? What do we do next? Have you ever felt like you had more questions than answers? Lord, grant us wisdom (and a fair amount of patience).

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7

Thankful

Whether I was able to be her mother for just six days or if it works out to be a lifetime, I am so thankful for the time I got to spend with Anchise in Haiti. This adoption has made me a better person. My time with her made me a better person. I am thankful.

Bondye Bon Tou Tan

Lisa is selling some cool shirts to help with her upcoming mission trip to Haiti. If you're looking for a great shirt for a good cause, go give her some love and order yours today!

We'll Always Have Paris

I barely caught what they were saying on the TV, but basically I heard someone say that EVERYONE wants to go to Paris. Now I can tell you with 100% honesty that I've never had any inkling to go to Paris. I wouldn't even say it's on my top ten places I'd like to visit list. So sorry folks on TV, not EVERYONE wants to go to Paris.

One of the places I've always dreamed of going is Australia. I hope that someday I'll be able to travel there with my man. One of our other "dream" places to visit together is Atlantis. Ahhh, I can just dream of basking in the sun. Or how about Little Palm Island? Sounds peaceful to me!

So where would your dream vacation take place? Where have you been that has been completely wonderful and you would like to go back? Talk to me!

Just Couldn't Do It...

I was scheduled to have a Tastefully Simple adoption fundraiser at our home this Saturday, but I cancelled. I flopped back and forth at least a hundred times on whether or not to have it. I mean, the financial need is still there. The adoption is not over. But the thought of having to talk about it over and over again just seemed overwhelming to me. Don't get me wrong, people have been very supportive, but good intentioned questions and comments sometimes cut like a knife.

So, I bailed on the party, for now. I'm thinking the end of January may be a good time to get together after all of the holiday stuff is over. This is hard.

My Crazy Man

Mr. B says, "looks at my tricks".

Please ignore the clean towels Mr. B emptied

out of the basket and threw all over the living room.

Paint Therapy

Dawn termed my recent project "paint therapy"...and man was she right on the money. I completely needed a project to take my mind off of the adoption (or lack thereof). So Thursday night I made up my mind I was going to paint the living room and kitchen/dining room. Friday night I bought the paint. Today I got one color in the living room done. It looks really great!

The line up of colors includes earthy ocher, braided raffia, and baked bean. Yeah, baked bean isn't the most glamorous color name. I'm thinking whoever came up with that one wasn't feeling creative that day.

This post is boring me to tears...sorry.

Pray for Petionville

The Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity to accept the things

I cannot change; courage to change the things I can;

and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;

Enjoying one moment at a time;

Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;

Taking, as He did, this sinful world

as it is, not as I would have it;

Trusting that He will make all things right

if I surrender to His Will;

That I may be reasonably happy in this life

and supremely happy with Him

Forever in the next.

Amen.
--Reinhold Niebuhr

Where Do We Go From Here?

We have been asked if our adoption story is over. Let me just say NO WAY! This journey has been so amazing, painful, and beautiful all at the same time. It has been an amazing time of spiritual growth. God has called us to adoption. We believe that fully and have no intention of drawing this journey to a sad close.

With the holiday season approaching we have decided to just sit back and "be" until 2009. If, at that time, Anchise has not been returned to Three Angels we will hopefully be matched with another child. Even if we are matched with another child and Anchise is returned to the orphanage we will take her back at any time. We are already approved for two children on our homestudy and in our hearts she will ALWAYS be our daughter. We love her so much and she has been woven into our family in a mighty way.

Right now our main concern is for Anchise's safety & that her needs are met. I ask you to pray every day that she has shelter, water, food and all of the essentials. We pray and trust that God will provide for her every need.

We thank God for this trial and pray our faith will be strengthened as we place our trust in Him.

Take delight in the Lord,

and he will give you your heart’s desires.
Commit everything you do to the Lord.

Trust him, and he will help you.

He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn,

and the justice of your cause will shine
like the noonday sun.
Be still in the presence of the Lord,

and wait patiently for him to act.

Don’t worry about evil people who prosper

or fret about their wicked schemes.

Psalm 37:4-7

Waves

I am overwhelmed and incredibly thankful to everyone who has left comments, e-mailed us, and called. Your concern, love and prayers for us and our sweet girl lessens the sadness even if just for a moment. Thank you.

I am feeling an incredible loss and deep grief over the events of the past few days. Good and bad times come in waves. I will be fine one moment and then suddenly, without warning, a wave of great sadness will wash over me. How could this be? What good could possibly come from this?

The truth is we may never know what good may come from this, but We TRUST that somehow, someway these events will ultimately be used for the glory of God.

Please continue to pray for Anchise's protection. We pray and trust that God will provide for her every physical and emotional need. Please pray that our hearts will begin to heal and that each wave will be somewhat less sad than the wave before. Pray that if it is His will, that Anchise will be returned to our family. Our hope is in the Lord.

I look up to the mountains—

does my help come from there?

My help comes from the Lord,

who made heaven and earth!
He will not let you stumble;

the one who watches over you will not slumber.

Indeed, he who watches over

Israel never slumbers or sleeps.
The Lord himself watches over you!

The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.

The sun will not harm you by day,

nor the moon at night.
The Lord keeps you from all harm

and watches over your life.

The Lord keeps watch over you

as you come and go, both now and forever.

Psalm 121

No Easy Way to Say This...

Our hearts are very heavy today as we have learned that Anchise's birthmom is unwilling to relinquish her for adoption. She did not appear for DHS while I was in Haiti and did not appear for her rescheduled appointment on the 22nd. She came to the orphanage this morning and indicated there was simply no way she was going to sign. She also told the staff that her situation has not changed in the past year, which means she is still unable to provide a home for Anchise. At this time the plan is for her to come to the orphanage to pick her up on Monday.

This news has been devastating. It seems the time we spent together just a few short weeks ago was but only a dream. We desperately need your prayers!

Please pray for Anchise's protection when she leaves the orphanage. Three Angels has been her loving home for over a year. Please pray that she will be loved and provided for in every possible way. Please pray for her mother, and that if she realizes she is unable to parent her, that she will return her to Three Angels with peace in her heart. Please pray for our family as we wait quietly to hear the Lord's plan for us. May His will be done...

My hope is in the Lord,

Who has renewed my strength,

When everything seems senseless,

My hope is still in Him

Who has made heaven and earth,

And things seen and unseen.

Whatever shade of passing day

My hope is still in Him.

www.robinmark.com

Halloween Fun

My flower and her bee and our magical wizard hit the streets tonight for trick-or-treating. It was beautiful weather today and a nice night for walking around town. Mr. B was being stalked by lots of parents and trick-or-treaters alike who thought he was the cutest little bee they had ever seen. Several people even asked if they could take his picture 'cause he was so stinkin' cute. They all looked great and had a good time.

Now that the kids are in bed we can loot their candy...he he.

Mama Said There'd Be Days Like This...

My Name is Stephanie, and I'm a Procrastinator

Well, I did it last year. And the year before. And most likely the year before that. I have all year to make my kids Halloween costumes, but I cannot start this project until the last moment. I just can't. I would like to clarify, however, that I do my best work under pressure!

I have been hard at it sewing costumes for the last few days. Keaton's is done. Delaney's is 1/4 done. Brezlan's is 3/4 done. My husband just looks at me and shakes his head and smiles. He thinks I am crazy, but I nothing makes me happier than seeing the smiles on my kids faces when they put on their costumes. I will sew on...

Say It Isn't So...

I just looked out the window and it is snowing. Snowing. There are tiny little flakes falling from the sky. Ugh.

Now, I know it won't last, but frankly I'm not ready to see it at all. Yesterday it was raining, today it is snowing, by Wednesday it is supposed to be in the 60's again vs. the 30's. You just never know what the day will bring weather wise when you live in Wisconsin.

Oops, the snow is already done and the sun just came back out. Fun stuff!

Yummy, Yummy, Yummy, I've Got Seafood in My Tummy

I thought I'd splurge and make a surprise special dinner for me and the hubby tonight. We've got no exciting adoption news to report, but sometimes a special meal for two can lift your spirits. We spent a little time today lamenting over Anchise's pictures and talking about how much we want her home.

I made one of our favorite dishes - cajun seafood pasta. It is so scrumptious and we love to sop up the sauce with a nice loaf of crusty bread. Yummy!

Cajun Seafood Pasta
2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup chopped green onions
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 pkg. baby portabella mushrooms (quartered)
5 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 lb. shrimp, peeled & deveined
1 lb. sea scallops (cut if larger)
1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 lb. dry fettuccine pasta

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente.
2. Pour dream into large skillet and cook over medium heat. Stir constantly until just about boiling. Reduce head and add herbs, salt, peppers, onions, and parsley. Simmer 7 to 8 minutes, or until thickened.
3. Stir in seafood, mushrooms, and tomatoes, cooking until shrimp is no longer transparent.
4. Stir in cheeses, blending well.
5. Drain pasta. Serve sauce over noodles.

A Proud Moment

I was talking to Delaney tonight about school. I told her I ran into another mom yesterday who told me her daughter was struggling a little with the popularity issues that crop up in middle school. I asked Delaney if it ever bothered her that she was not a part of the "it" crowd. She looked at me matter-of-factly and said, "I'm popular with God and that's all that matters to me." I think I started grinning from ear to ear. I'm so proud of my girl. It makes me so happy to know she is confident and happy with who she is and has a heart for the Lord.

Birthparent Interview Today!

While I was in Haiti filing our I-600, I also turned in our paperwork for the Adjudicate Orphan Status First Pilot Program. That means our birthparent interview will be conducted at the beginning of the process, instead of the end.

Anchise's birthmother's interview is scheduled for today at the American Consulate. The purpose is to verify that she is indeed the birthparent and that she has willingly relinquised Anchise for adoption. Please pray that she shows up for her appointment and that she will have the appropriate answers for the interviewer (so we can avoid DNA testing). Also, please pray that she will be filled with God's peace and comfort during this time and that she will be treated respectfully.

A Favorite Moment

There were so many great moments on our trip and this was one of my favorites. To see these kids just bust out in song was great. I love their sweet voices.

It's amazing how the trip already seems like a lifetime ago. I'm ready to go back...

Anchise Likes Church

The Sunday before we left we attended church service at Port au Prince Fellowship. We had the pleasure of meeting John McHoul from Heartline while we were there. Anchise clearly enjoyed the service. She really came alive during the music.

I Miss This Face

I miss the smell of her beautiful brown skin. I miss looking into her dark eyes & seeing the way her eyelashes are perfectly curled. I miss the feel of her hair and the way that it felt to hold her when she sleeps. I love this girl! Thank you Lord for our precious Anchise!

7 Random/Quirky Things About Me

OK, first I was tagged by the lovely & talented Mrs. Green and now I've been tagged by the fabulous Leslie, so I guess I need to do my part. Here goes:

1. In high school I LOVED Duran Duran. I don't mean just a little bit, I LOVED them! My room was wall-to-wall DD posters. John Taylor was my absolute favorite and I dreamed of the day we would get married. Ha! That is so lame.
2. We are a musical family - I play flute, Jeff plays drums, Delaney plays flute & cello. I secretly long to play guitar & piano. Some day...
3. I enjoy gourmet cooking for dinner guests, but I don't do it very often because the best & freshest ingredients are often too rich for my budget. I love trying new recipes all the time - gourmet or not.
4. One of my favorite non-gourmet meals is a good old-fashioned hillbilly dinner - fried potatoes, pinto beans with raw onion cut up in it, cornbread, homemade applesauce & sweet tea. Yummy! I was born in West Virginia & request this meal every year on my birthday from my mom.
5. My faith in the Lord has grown tremendously in the past five years. I've always been a believer, but unfortunately much of my life has been spent being a "casual Christian" - it was good to have God for emergencies & such, but I didn't think about Him on a regular basis. I strive each day to include God in my whole day, my whole life. I fail frequently, but His mercies are new every morning. The adoption has grown my faith in ways I could have never imagined. God is good!
6. My favorite movies are pre-20th century period pieces. I recently watched Becoming Jane and loved it. Pride & Prejudice is coming via Netflix this week & I can't wait.
7. If I could go back in time & change one thing it would be to never get any cats. We have three cats who are 16 years old and I'm sorry to say they have worn out their welcome. Animal lovers please don't hate me (sorry Cara).

So there are some completely random things about me. I tag Katy, Michelle, Lena, Tracy, & anyone else who wants to participate.

UPDATE: I officially tag Kristina even though she thinks my head is filled with cheese and that I have forgotten her since I've been home, even though it's not true & she knows I love her very much!

A Great Day

This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice & be glad in it!

We had an amazing speaker at church this morning - Apostle Greenwell Simutowe. He is the founder of Missions Outreach Ministries International located in Zambia. His passion for the Lord was inspiring & was a great start to the day. There was a spaghetti lunch afterwards as a fundraiser for his ministry which we were happy to participate in...yummy! Please join me in praying for Apostle Simutowe and that his ministry will reach many for Christ.

Our town had a huge fire safety event today & firefighters from throughout the area came with demonstrations, prizes, & of course their trucks. Mr. B was in heaven with all of these firetrucks in one location. All the kids had a lot of fun!

My great afternoon continued with a Swedish massage...oh yeah! Have I mentioned what a huge perk it is to have a massage therapist for a husband?

Even without all of these wonderful blessings, I would hope I could still wake up & want to praise the Lord. We have much to be thankful for!

Did You Ever...

...just want to live in a cave to shield yourself from human ignorance? Today is that day for me. Ugh.

I therefore make the following announcement:

• We have been called by God to specifically adopt a child from Haiti. He has ordained this in our lives since the beginning of time. Who are we to argue with that?
• If you are concerned about the number of children in the U.S. that need to be adopted, please, I encourage you to get more information & welcome a child from the U.S. into your home.
• Adoption from any country is a great way to build a family. I pray every day that more children will be welcomed into loving homes.

Ugh.

Praise Report

Praise the Lord - we were blessed with a $100 donation today towards our adoption. It always amazes me when someone who doesn't even know us chooses to bless us.

Thank you Lord for knowing & caring about our needs and providing for them at just the right time.

So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
Matthew 6:31-33

Photo Frustration (Somewhat Resolved)

We have a very old computer (it runs Windows 98 for cryin' out loud) and I have been having difficulty getting my photos from the memory card to the computer. I have figured out how to do it, but it is a little time consuming. Here are just a few photos from the trip. Gosh, I miss that girl!