Just a couple of pics....

Mount Rushmore!!!



The Badlands!!


Micah (ready to "ride horsey") picking some boots for mama!!

So much to tell...

...but so little time.
We have had another GREAT day!!
I am saving all the details for later...because I want to get to bed soon.
Tomorrow we will drive through Yellowstone for the last time, and then head east toward the Black Hills, Badlands, and Mount Rushmore.

Here are a few photo highlights of the day:

The work of His hands....

This trip has been absolutely amazing so far.
I don't even know where to start...but I thought I would at least post a few pictures (of the 200 plus that I have taken so far!!)
I will definitely have to post much more later. But for now, here are a few highlights.

God's handiwork is AMAZING!!! I feel like these pictures don't even do it justice, because the landscape is so "expansive" that I can't fit it into a picture. But here are a few:



Our first day in Yellowstone was so fun! We have seen herds and herds of bison (and baby bison), many elk, a moose (with a baby!), and.....check this out....A BALD EAGLE! on the first day!!!


I could go on and on ....and I will later.....but I am heading to bed now. Exhausted. AND VERY BLESSED!

Did I happen to mention...???

Did I happen to mention that we are heading to Yellowstone National Park??
On Friday!?!?!
Yikes.
This vacation has REALLY snuck up on us!

We are hoping to visit some (or all) or these places:
Joplin, MO (to visit our sweet friend, Ashley...her hubby, Aaron...and baby Jude, too!!)
Rocky Mountain National Forest
The Grand Tetons
Yellowstone
Old Faithful
Mount Rushmore
The Badlands and Black Hills

And lots of stuff in between!

I am starting to feel a little overwhelmed by the thought of packing a family of 5...for 10 days...and 4,000 miles!!
I should get started.

Amazing Love...

This post may seem a bit "random"...and to some degree, I suppose it is.
But I needed to share.

Earlier today I was going through some of the pictures from Micah's adoption. I was doing this with the hope of finally putting together a "life book" for him to grow up with...a book with the story of how he came into our family.

As I was flipping through the pictures, I came upon these two....and they stopped me "in my tracks."




The pictures are of Micah with one of his "special moms" at the orphanage.
I have seen these 2 pictures a hundred (or more) times, but today I cried.

Here are some of the emotions that led to my tears:

--Have I ever told you....REALLY, REALLY told you....how incredible these women are? When I look at these pictures, I am reminded of how much LOVE they poured into Micah during his first 8 months of life. I love the way she is looking at him in the first picture....and when you look at her SMILE in the second picture, I just think "you can't fake a smile like that.....she LOVED him!!!!"

--I have been bothered all day by the fact that I cannot remember this special mom's name. It is driving me NUTS! I want to know it. I NEED to know it. I want Micah to KNOW her name. So...I am working on it. I knew it at one time, and I am sure I have it written down somewhere...in the meantime, I have emailed some other people to see if they can help me.

--Somewhere along the way, I stopped praying consistently for these women. Not on purpose, it just happened. It struck me today that, at this very moment, there are women caring for orphans in Guatemala and Ethiopia at the Hannah's Hope orphanages.
They are feeding, changing diapers, rocking, singing, giving medicine, kissing "ouchies", cleaning, doing laundry, cooking, etc.
And they do it with so much love.
Our family was blessed to SEE them doing it first-hand.
Our family was blessed because they DID IT FOR MICAH when we couldn't.

Chad and I have said SO MANY times that we are grateful for the love these women gave our son!!

Tonight I am grateful that they continue on...and I will be praying for them...and for the orphans whose lives they touch each day!!

Happy Birthday, ERICA!!!

Happy Birthday, sis!!
We love you and we are so very, very, VERY proud of the young woman that you are becoming! Thank you for the many ways you bless our family...especially with your servant heart and your willing hands!!!

We love you!!!!

Happy Birthday +1, girlfriend!!

+1....because I am a day late with this post.

I have decided that birthday posts to you are difficult to write.
Because what I am really doing is just telling you "publicly" what I pray that you already know in your heart.

Last year I wrote this:
"God blessed my life beyond measure when He formed our friendship....a friendship that was born first and foremost out of our mutual desire to grow in our walk with Him. I love you dearly and pray that we celebrate many more birthdays."

The thing I love most about our friendship is Christ.
...praying with you.... talking with you about what God is doing....studying His word with you...praying for you and your family.

God has shown us (several times) that our friendship is dependent upon Him. When we drift, we struggle. I believe that our friendship was a gift from God, and I believe that He will do whatever it takes to be sure we keep Him "center stage"!! I PRAISE HIM FOR THAT!

I love you!
OH....and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!

:)

Happy Moms Day!!!!!

Happy Mothers Day everyone!
This song put a huge smile on my face last night. Then this morning, when the puppets performed it at church, I just knew I had to share it with you! Hope you enjoy it!!