It's Official

Tonight at 7:07 p.m. Bret put a ring on my finger and asked me to marry him!!! Of course, I said yes. The significance of this day and that time is that today marks 7 weeks that he came and brought sweet corn and stayed and talked for over 4 hours. It is also 7 years since I have been widowed. For those of you familiar with the Bible, you know that the 7th year marks the year of Jubilee. Even before Levi and Bret came into my life, I declared that this year was my year of Jubilee and it has certainly been proved to be so. In this 7th year, God has fulfilled the prophecy spoken over me at the time of Brent's funeral. He has brought me a future and a hope. Praise God for His faithfulness to me through all the seasons of life I have walked through. The best is yet to come!!!

By the way, the picture does not do the ring justice. It is much more beautiful in person!! You wouldn't believe how difficult it is to get a good picture of a ring.

My Guys

I just love my guys. They bring me so much joy. Here are some pictures I have taken of them in the past couple of weeks. One day Levi crawled up on Bret's lap with his barn sorting toy. I just had to snap a picture because it was too cute.

This week Levi discovered the riding mower. He was so proud of himself that he could climb up on it. He knows exactly what to do with the steering wheel. Isn't it amazing how little boys know that and what sounds trucks and cars and tractors make without anyone teaching it to them? He also had to check out the wheels of the mower as he is very much into those as well.

Tomorrow maybe I'll actually sit down and write an update of what has been going on in our lives since Labor Day weekend. I did say maybe so don't get too excited yet!!

Family Weekend

My parents and my niece and nephew came for the Labor Day weekend. We had an enjoyable time spending time outside and being together. I'm glad it was such nice weather that we could be outside a lot of the time.


On Saturday morning before my family got here, Levi climbed into Rachel's lap to watch the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse show.




We went to the Lock and Dam that is just a few miles from our house and watched a large barge come through the Locks. Actually, Bret and dad stayed to watch the whole thing but the kids got bored after a little bit so we left and went to the park.












The kids had fun playing at the park. Levi loves the slide and the baby swing.


On Sunday we went to church in the morning. The children were all dressed in plaid shorts so we had to get a picture. We didn't even plan this.






My dad and Bret put in a fire pit so that we could have a campfire. When we originally planned it, it was just going to be our family. Then, Rachel asked if she could invite a few friends over. That turned out to be 10 or 12 friends. Then, Bret suggested we invite our neighbors. So, it turned out to be a quite the party.

Six Months as a Family

This post is for all of you who have been getting after me to put on a picture of Levi. With school starting and other things going on in my life, we haven't been as "camera happy" as we were this summer when I had more time.

I think my son has a shoe fettish because he loves to pull out the shoes from our shoe rack and carry them around. This has been a fascination from the beginning. His latest thing is to try on my shoes and walk around in them. Tonight I got a picture of it. It was funny!!

Today we have officially been a famly of three for 6 months. Wow!! That just blows my mind away because in some ways it seems like it has been so much longer and other times it feels like just yesterday. I wouldn't trade one day of the past 3 years of this process for anything in the world. The wait to bring him home was well worth it!!

This and That

Many of you have requested to see a picture of the wonderful man that God has brought into my life. So, tonight, after he finished making supper for us so that I could get going on my schoolwork, I convinced him to let me take a picture of him.

Yesterday we spent the day shopping with Rachel and her friend Julie. We had a great time! The weather was absolutely beautiful - not too hot and not too cold. Levi was with my friend Sue and her family so we could really focus on some time with the girls. I got some new clothes for the upcoming cooler temperatures, which is always a plus as I often go into the dressing room with about 10 things and come out with nothing because the clothes look cute on the hanger but not on me.

It has been awhile since I have posted anything about what is happening in our family. It has been a crazy couple of weeks.

The first week of August I helped with VBS at our church. I have helped with it every year since we started doing our own (we used to do the town-wide VBS) except for the year that I went to Mexico City on a mission trip. It was definitely a little more challenging this year with Levi to think about.

That week I also started seeing someone special from my church. It started with him bringing over sweet corn and us talking for 4 hours and took off from there. We have actually known each other for at least 7 years but he was away from the area for 1-1/2 years. He just returned to the area the week before we started seeing each other. His name is Bret and I have been so spoiled since he came into my life. He enjoys my children and loves to help take care of all of us. He went with me when Levi had his procedure just 3 days after we started seeing each other and then to every appointment since then. He helped me a ton to get ready to start the school year, cutting out laminated things and hanging things from the ceiling to name a few. Without him and Rachel, I would not have been ready to start this school year. He opens car doors for me and treats me like a princess.

The week after VBS, besides Levi's procedure, I had to try to get in and get my classroom ready. This years was an especially challenging year because of the roof fire at the beginning of the summer and all the other complications that arose because of the roofing.

The Friday before school started, Levi's 14 month birthday on the 14th, we had our last post placement visit. It is hard to believe that Levi has been a part of our family for almost 6 months. September 2nd it will be officially 6 months. Where did that time go? I was talking to Bret and another friend yesterday and sharing that it has been 7 years since my husband Brent passed away and that in this 7th year, God has brought great things into my life - Levi and him. In the Old Testament it talks about the 7th year being the year of Jubilee. For me, that has certainly been the case. I am amazed at how God has completely restored everything that the enemy tried to steal from me plus given me so much more than I ever dreamed of. Our God is AWESOME!!

Before I close this post, I would like to ask for prayer for a young woman from my church. Her daughter is in my second grade class this year. Her husband had just recently gotten a new job in Waterloo, IA and they were making plans to move there as soon as they had worked things out with her ex-husband in regards to her oldest daughter. Yesterday her husband had a heart attack in Waterloo and passed away. He was only in his 30's. I know that she must be devastated right now. My heart aches so much for her because I know what she is feeling.

Happy Birthday Mom!

Today I want to say a special Happy Birthday to my Mom. I am thankful to God for my parents who raised me to be the person I am today. They gave me a solid moral foundation to build my life upon and many opportunities to discover my gifts and talents. They have loved and supported me through many difficult times in my life. I will always be thankful/grateful to my mom for encouraging me to go to Campus Life, where I met Jesus Christ as my Savior. Asking Him to come and live in my heart and guide my life has been the greatest decision I ever made. I love you, Mom!!


"Because He delights in me, He saved me" (Psalm 18:19). Isn't this an amazing thought? God saved me not because of my beauty or my good works or my good attitude but because He delights in me. I am so thankful that it is not based on any of the others because when any of those go, as they all will, then my salvation would be lost.

"If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If he had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, He'll listen. He can live anywhere in the universe, and He chose your heart. And the Christmas gift He sent you in Bethlehem? Face it, friend. He's crazy about you." (From A Gentle Thunder by Max Lucado) This day as you witness one of the many miracles that God sends our way each day, like a sunrise or a flower or a smile from someone special in your life, I hope you will remember how much God loves you and choose this day to live completely sold out to Him.