Family Fun

The guys on my side of the family recently had their annual fishing/golf trip together. While they were doing that, the women of our family had their annual "Watch All the Kids Event!" My sister was up from Cali with her kids and my sister-in-law came over for a few days from Seattle with her girls to hang with all of us. We had some great days at the beach, fountain park, and just playing with cousins. I love to see them all together and now we get to add 2 more to the group!!

After the guys were done with their part, we lovingly ditched handed off our children and headed into Seattle for a spa treatment! Very nice! We also got to shop around for the day and eat at two fabulous places: Shuckers and The Purple Cafe. In between our very important agenda, we just had to take a break at Von's Martini House for a blueberry lemon drop! Yum! What a great memory and time we had together -thanks Mom and Dad for making it happen!!

We ended our time together the next day with our H. Family Fantasy Football Draft! Very fun. Go Lady Wildcats!!! (that is my team and no, I am not as exuberant as I sound right now).

Cyber Shower!

I have to tell you that I am at a cyber shower right now!! My cyber friends from AAI have thrown me a shower to celebrate our referral. I am so blessed to have this group to go through all the ups and downs and ins and outs of adopting from Ghana. Jennine is throwing it and she is just hilarious! She told everyone to bring recipes to share and assured us that we wouldn't gain any weight from it since there wouldn't be any real food! She also asked anyone to shares stories of our two little ones if they have already met them and people are giving advice on what to bring to Ghana and what not to bring. I asked if there was hot water so I could make some espresso. Well?........it is important to me!! I think the three biggest things that were mentioned to bring was toilet paper, a watch (I don't own one anymore now that I carry my phone everywhere), and some sort of cereal or granola bars. Well, I better get back to the shower in case there are still some people I need to mingle with....

5+1=6...BUT 5+2=7!!!!

Yep! It is official. The Jag's have a referral for a little boy.....and he has an adorable sister! We are so thrilled here and can't wait to meet our new children. Ahh! We are going to be a family of 7!!! I was trying to make our family number even, but this is how we roll! We still have a few months in the process until we can bring them home, but we wanted to let you know about our new additions as soon as we could. Our little guy is 2.5 yrs. old and as cute as can be. He has got the cutest little smile and by the look in his eyes, will be able to keep up with his big brother and sisters. Our little girl is 3.5 yrs. and just has the most beautiful eyes! Ughh- I just want to squeeze them both!

I just wanted to let you know how blessed we feel to be bringing these children into our home. Thanks SO much for all your prayers and thoughts during the last year while we have been awaiting a referral. As soon as we can post pictures, we will. But until our case goes to court in Ghana, I can't post it on the blog. (If you want me to send you a picture- this proud mom will eagerly do that)!

(Sorry I didn't call everyone today, but we wanted to share as soon as we could and didn't have enough hours in the day to call anyone except immediate family)

We love you and would appreciate your continued prayers!!!

July- Part IV

Is there really a Part IV? Yep!

The 4th round of people to come and stay with us in July was my cousin, Jamie, and her 4 kids. They came out for my Grandma Gwen's 9oth birthday celebration. The family rented out the Farm Kitchen and we used the Guest House there as our meeting point for meals, bocce ball, Wii, wine tastings, breakfast, and dinner at the end of the reunion. Most of my cousins, aunts, uncles, and siblings were there. It was so fun to see all the younger generation playing together as the older cousins used to! We missed my Uncle Scott and his family, but since he had to undergo more treatments for his cancer, they weren't able to make the trip up. You can read more about how he is doing by keeping up with him on his blog. He is an amazing man and we pray that he is healed soon!

Happy 90th birthday Grandma!

July- Part III

(new sweater she brought me from Hot Mama)

When I was 15, I went to work for the summer at Covenant Harbor Bible Camp in Lake Geneva, WI. I had been going there as a child for a week of summer camp and family camp almost every year since I was 8. It was such a special place for me; I could hardly wait to work there! That summer, and the ones following it, I met some of the best friends I will have for the rest of my life! I am so thankful for how God shaped me those summers by giving me such amazing relationships. My friend Megan, is one of the very special people that God brought me that 1st summer. We lived together in a little bungalow (upper compounds) with Sara, Kristina, Julie, and Amy- and we really bonded(Lenore and Heather came later). Megan and I only lived a half hour away from each other during the school year, so many weekends we got together in high school and college. It was so nice to have each other to hold one another accountable when it seemed nearly impossible in high school. We can look back now and laugh at boys we used to like, clothes we used to wear, and the way we used to make drive-by's(both at home, Lake Geneva, and in the McDonalds drive throughs)!


Last month, Megan and her son came out to visit us for a few days. I felt so honored to have them come since we are both so busy with life and our our families now. (Not to mention her amazing company that she and her husband started a few years ago (http://www.shopmama.com/). I had such a good time reconnecting and just hanging out! We haven't had but more than a meal together in the last 10 years, so it meant the world to me. It was also so special to watch our children play together. We missed her wonderful husband and daughter, but I was so thrilled to see us, almost 20 years later, with our families hanging out and living life together. Thanks for coming Megan!

July- Part II

July and August(almost) have come and gone and I can't believe that I didn't ever update my blog since Justus's birthday. We had so much fun having our close friends and family visit during the month, that I just didn't make this a priority. I am sorry for those of you that check regularly(all three of you!), that I have been a bit of a bore. Oh well!

To recap, we got to have my wonderful friend, Jenn, and her adorable three boys come and visit for a few days. Jenn is such a special friend to me that I made after the first year of living here. Unfortunately, she moved away last year, so we haven't been able to share in the day to day life as much as I was hoping. I am just so appreciative though for her and how God has used her in my life-what a blessing she has been in my life and how fun to be able to re-connect!

Our dear friends, Mike & Becky, and their kiddos also came to visit us for a few days in July. We had so much fun with them going to the beach, walking around Seattle, hitting a Mariners game(6 of us even got haircuts there-for real!!), tea for the girls, and golf and fishing for the boys! What an amazing time we had; we felt so special that they took a family vacation out here just to hang with us. Our kids are all around the same age and our "Ella's" are only two days apart! The kids got along beautifully-they are truly much more like family to us. We have shared so much of our lives together already as we went to college together, Daron worked at camp with them, double dates, we were in each other's weddings, and the kids have grown up seeing each other at least once a year even though we live apart. I am very thankful for such great friends!!