Amazing!

Surprise! Knowing that Noelle was missing her prom this weekend, the nurses and patients at Envita hosted the Envita prom for Noelle! It was so wonderful. I don't think Noelle stopped smiling until sometime early afternoon:)

Heading down the hall into her treatment room. The window says, "Welcome to the Envita prom, Envita angels".

We really should have gotten a picture of the table later when it was overflowing with gluten-free, dairy-free yummy food! She got two bouquets! One from her nurse, Roz and one from a fellow patient, Catherine. They actually tried to get a corsage. We also didn't get a good picture of the ceiling which had lots of balloons and streamers. But here is her pink IV pole.

Noelle and Jasmine, one of her nurses.

Patricia, a fellow lyme patient, even brought Noelle a dress to wear and curled her hair! She blew up lots of balloons and put confetti in them to represent the lyme spirochete.

Candy is also a lymie. Candy hosted the Easter event we went to. Today was her last treatment day. We will miss her!


We cannot thank everyone enough for making today such a bright spot for Noelle! Thanks to her nurses, Roz, Jasmine, Melissa and Grant (though the girls said Grant didn't do anything). Thanks to all Noelle's fellow patients who brought food, presents and good cheer: MaryBeth and Kelli, Patricia, Candy, Alesandra and family, Josie and Tory, and Catherine. So sorry if I forgot to mention anyone! You are all cherished!

Ode to Ann

Recently, my college roommate emailed me.

It has been fantastic to be in contact with her again.

It has been amazing and enthralling to see where our

lives are similar and where they are different.

I look forward to where our new relationship takes us!

1987

Scott and I's wedding

the troop from Teen Missions Fiji

At my parents cabin, probably also 1987.

We are both still happily married.

Yeah us!!!!

The eighties called they want their hair back!

Roommates at the University of Northern Iowa.

High School youth trip to Estes Park, Colorado.

Do you think this was before or after we broke the bed??

Party on the patio

We have really been enjoying our new patio.

As have Noelle and her friends.

This is before (or after) a visit to a haunted house.

L to R: Conner, Kaitlyn, Haki, Noelle, Ali, Krystal, Garland, Kelli and Lucas.

Brandi...FINALLY!

We decided to adopt in May 2007. We applied to adopt from Liberia in August 2007.

That fall I began to "meet" some amazing people via email and blogging.

We later changed our adoption plans from Liberia to Ethiopia, but I have

stayed in contact with some of the people I originally met.

One of those people was an amazing young woman who has grown to be very

important not only in my life, but in the life of my daughter, Noelle.

We figured out that Brandi is exactly half way in between our ages!

We finally decided that almost 4 years was too long to go without actually meeting!

So the girls and I drove from Boulder to Colorado Springs to finally meet Brandi and her family!

Is this not the cutest?

Davis is was born in Liberia:)

We are hiking in the "Garden of the Gods".

Brandi and her kids were definitely more experienced hikers than we were.

Not that many mountains to hike in Iowa.

The boys were crushing a little on Noelle!

Colorado Springs Zoo

Free Face Paint!

The last night we got a hotel room so we could go swimming.

This is the view from the pool.

SOOOO AWESOME TO FINALLY MEET YOU, BRANDI!

Sand Lake 2011

For possibly the last year, we spent our family vacation at Sand Lake in Northern Minnesota.

I say that because though it is a wonderful place with lots of amazing memories...

I am tired of cooking and doing dishes three times a day on "vacation".

We stopped in Minneapolis on the way up and back and were able to see the Daigles.

Noelle and her friend, Alli, at the hotel pool on the way up.

Teme joined a water basketball game and

Sabrina played with Oliver in the shallow end!

Fishing off the dock with Daddy, and Matt.

So patriotic!

We had lots of fun tubing, knee boarding and skiing.

Though my skiing turned out to be quite expensive.

First, I noticed that I lost my watch, a pretty

inexpensive Timex sport watch. Sabrina says it is in Oceana.

Then...I noticed that I lost one of my diamond earrings!

I know, why on earth was I wearing them:(

Teme and Tyler Gerdes.

Feeding the ducks, with Anna.

4th of July!

But the bugs were so bad that we didn't last too long outside.

The best part of vacation, kayaking the Bowstring River.

Noelle and Alli.

Teme wasn't sure he was going to make it until he took the lead.

Then he was ready to stay in the lead!

Working hard or hardly working?

P.S. Jake was in Europe when we left so he did not join us this year.

QUASH

Not long ago my good friend, Sue Flynn, lost her daddy to Alzheimers. A couple of weeks ago she, her daughter Megan, Rachel Kauten and I participated in a fun fundraiser for Alzheimers. It was called the Quest to Unravel Alzheimers Scavanger Hunt. It took place at the University of Northern Iowa, where both Sue and I attended. It was a cool day but we had a great time. We were Harald's Angels!

Love like the Ethiopians!

John 13:34&35
"So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples."

Hebrews 13:1&2
"Continue to love each other with true Christian love. Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it."

I have always considered one of my gifts, possibly a spiritual gift, to be hospitality. Since knowing our Ethipian friends my definition of how to love and show hospitality has changed. They know how to really show love, to draw you into their family. This was so evident when we were in the hospital. Two wonderful families drove from Cedar Falls to visit us. Many of their friends visited and loved on us. They brought us wonderful food, mangoes, this yummy warm oatmeal drink, a man who spoke Haydia (Teme's heart language), flowers, companionship and encouragement. When our story appeared on the news, an Ethiopian man came to thank us for "saving one". That means so much.

We are learning how to love. I so hope that we are able to love our friends and family in the way that we have been loved.

I have said that I have been amazed at the friends we have made since adopting Teme. So many of those that have shown us love during this time are new friends, people that we have not known very long. I would just challenge everyone who reads this to show love to someone today. It means so much! Send a card, take a meal, give a word of encouragement. It doesn't take very long or cost very much...and who knows you might even entertain angels.

Our Ethiopian Community

I am so proud to be a part of an emerging Ethiopian community here in the Cedar Valley. I am so happy that Sabrina and Teme get to experience this. We had a pizza party and coffee ceremony. Two "new" families attended. It was great to get to know them. Unfortunately, it was finals week and none of the Ethiopian college students in the area could come, maybe next time! Sabrina LOVES Nunu, our "coffee hostess"!

Trick or Treat!

Please note...I understand all the objections to Halloween, but it is sooooo fun!

After carving pumpkins, the big kids went one way and

Scott and I took the little kids the other way. Tons of fun!

Captain Teme!

Pretty sure he had no idea what was going on but he was very polite,

loved the candy and is always up for a good schmooze!