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We really enjoyed this December. We had our annual progressive dinner with my family. Then we had Warren’s family down to celebrate the New Year. We really enjoy being with family. It’s so fun to watch the kids play with all the cousins. We also enjoyed the long Christmas break the girls had, because of the snow. Warren also had a few extra days off. We just relaxed and enjoyed each other and of course played in the snow.

We had a wonderful white Christmas. It was quiet but enjoyable. Of course the girls were up early. They enjoyed what santa left. We stayed home and enjoyed the girls. My Uncle and Aunt AKA Grandpa Ted and Grandma Bub came over that morning and visited. We really enjoyed them. I made Johney cakes like my mom use to when I was a kid. They turned our really good and I had to make another batch for a snack latter.

We had a great Thanksgiving. We had it with Shelly's family. The girls each made pies to bring. Johanna made a chocolate cream pie and Julia made a banana cream pie. Shelly made a lemon pie and apple. We had a nice time with our family and everything was yummy.

We had a great weekend. We had family and friends over to press apple cider. What fun we had. I think we had most of the neighbor hood kids over to. We enjoy working together as a family and we love fresh apple cider.

Summer is here. The girls are out of school and enjoying the free time they have. We have planted the garden with the help of Papa John and Grandma. We are getting ready to go on a little vacation the week of July 4th. It will be nice to get away and enjoy the sunshine. We have also been working out in the yard a lot. We have had slumber parties, friends over, and many trips to the park already.

May is always a fun and exciting month in our family. We celebrate three Birthdays in the wonderful month of May. We also enjoy it because it is Spring. Julia and Johanna both had great Birthdays and so did I. We celebrated with friends and family.

It's a new year. I hope this year will bring us a new little one to our family. We almost have everything ready. We haven't painted the nursery yet or put it together, but we have everything for it. We will finish the nursery soon. I have been organizing and cleaning the rest of the house. I know I wont have a lot of time to do that when the baby comes. We hope the baby will come soon. We know there is a little one out there that will fit into our family. We enjoy listening to the girls pray every night for their baby brother. We also pray for his Birth-mother so she might find us and know without a doubt that her baby should be part of our family.

We had a wonderful Christmas! We enjoyed being home with the girls. My Mom and Step Father came over Christmas morning and made us breakfast then they watched the girls open their gifts. We always enjoy watching how excited they get at Christmas. We had Christmas dinner at my Mom's house. Two of my sisters were there. We also had a progressive dinner a couple of weeks before Christmas and exchanged gifts. Most of my family came. It's also a family tradition. We have done it for the last 9 years or so. We go to my aunt and uncle's house for one part of the dinner, then our house, and we end at my Mom's house. Then we exchanges gifts. It's always a lot of fun. A week after Christmas we went and spent it with Warren's family. We had to help Grandpa and Grandma pack this year along with the Christmas party. Warren's parents were called on a two year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They were called to serve in Hawaii. They are excited to leave. We will miss them, but we know they are serving the lord. We as a family get to take care of the orchard for two years. This should be fun. It will be fun to spend time with the family at the orchard. I know the kids are looking forward to spending spring break there.

We had a great time at the pumpkin patch. This has been a family tradition since before we had children. We enjoy it more with our children of course. They had fun picking their favorite pumpkin. We also had a Birthday party afterward for my cousin, sister, and Warren. We had a great time. Julia was a mouse for Halloween and Johanna was Scooby-Doo. They both looked so cute. We went to Warren's parents for Thanksgiving. We had a wonderful dinner and it was nice to be with family. The kids love playing with all of their cousins.

Johanna started school last week. She is enjoying it and loves her new teacher. Julia will start Kindergarten tomorrow. Julia already has her outfit picked out and her lunch packed. She is ready to go. She met her teacher last week and she loves her already. I am looking forward in preparing more for the arrival of our baby with my free time. We have had a lot of baby items given to us this last week. So I guess it’s time to start the nursery. We are looking forward to his arrival. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. We know this must be a difficult time for you. I know through our fasting and prayers you will be comforted and you will feel peace with your decision.

We just got back from camping with the family at the coast. Grandma, Papa John and Aunt MeMe and Uncle Dean came. We had a good time. We went fishing at Hebo Lake. Johanna caught the only fish and then she accidentally let it go. Not quite sure if it was an accident or not. I think we decided that we did one too many camping trips this year. Warren and Johanna ended up coming home with colds. Can’t believe school starts next week.

Last week we went to Seaside Oregon for a few days. Warren went fishing with his parents out in the ocean. They were able to catch plenty of fish and had a good time. The girls and I went site seeing. We went to a few spots that I went to often with my parents when I was a little girl. Warren, Johanna and Julia went on the bumper cars. That was on the list of things to do this summer. Johanna was excited that she was tall enough to drive her own car. Mom was happy to take pictures and wave. We enjoyed the ride home. We stopped and walked one of the beaches just south of Cannon beach. We all enjoyed looking for sea shells, and playing in the water. We also stopped at the Tillamook Cheese Factory. Of course we had to get ice cream. We really enjoyed our time together. We are leaving again this weekend to go to Pacific City. Grandma and Papa John are going too, along with Aunt MeMe and Uncle Dean. It should be a lot of fun.

We are still having a fun and busy summer. We just returned from a family reunion in Washington. It was Shelly’s Dads side of the family. We had a nice and relaxing time. Three out of four of Shelly’s sisters were there. Shelly’s Mom and Step Father were there and lots of cousins and great aunts and uncles. The kids were able to go on a slip and slide for the first time. They had so much fun. I think we as parents had more fun watching them. Warren and I also took some of our great nieces and nephews and our two girls to a dive in movie at the pool. We watched Finding Nemo. They really enjoyed it. It was fun being with family. Papa John cooked breakfast and Warren kept the fire going. Aunt Cindy made sure we were all fed well and had plenty of activities for the kids. I was able to get in a lot of visiting. Warren was able to relax and the kids got to play with their cousins. It was an enjoyable weekend.

I can’t believe it is already July! We had a great fourth. We were able to go to our favorite spot on the Oregon coast and stay for a while. We had so much fun. We love to go camping. We went to some old favorite spots like the Oregon Coast Aquarium, the candy shop and our favorite gift shop Pirates Plunder. We also found some new favorites the OSU Hatfield Marine Science Center, Mike Miller Educational Trail, and Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area. Johanna's favorite part of the trip was going swimming and the chubby bunny contest that she won by putting seven marshmallows in her mouth at the same time and saying “chubby bunny”. The contest was sponsored by the park we stayed at. We will have to post pictures of that. It was pretty cute. Julia's favorite part was all of it she says. Warren’s favorite part was the Aquarium and being with his family. Mine was playing UNO with Warren and the girls by the campfire and having Warren cook a dutch oven dinner for us. The only thing that would have made this trip better is having a new addition to the family to share it with. We are still waiting and praying for our baby to come. You are in our prayers and thoughts always.

We enjoyed attending a family reunion in Tillamook, Oregon this month. We enjoyed being with Warren’s side of the family. The girls enjoyed playing in the sand and flying kites with their cousins. The girls and I enjoyed playing in the ocean. Julia pretended she was a surfer dude. It was so nice camping right by the ocean. It was just beautiful. We enjoyed some beautiful sunsets, and a nice rain storm the morning of our departure. We went to the Tillamook Cheese Factory where we enjoyed the best ice cream cone ever. Johanna was in heaven with all the cheese. Julia enjoyed the pepperoni sticks and of course they both loved the ice cream. We enjoyed a hike on the Cape Lookout trail. Julia, Grandma, Warren’s two sisters, two nieces, a nephew and I made it three fourths of the way. Julia was a little trouper. She enjoyed hiding around the corners and scaring everyone. Johanna, Warren, Grandpa, Warren’s two brother-in-laws, and our little niece made it all the way. It was close to five miles round trip. We were really proud of Johanna for enduring the whole hike with just a few complaints. It was fun being with family.

Today is Mothers Day! What a special day. My thoughts are turned to my dear sweet mother and my mother in law. I also think of the Mothers Days before I had children and how hard they were. I think of my first Mothers Day with Johanna and how wonderful it was. Then my sweet wonderful Mothers Day present five years ago when we were able to bring Julia home the day before Mothers Day. I also think of the girls birth mothers and how thankful I am for them letting me be a mother. My thoughts also turn to you and how hard this decision must be. Our prayers and thought are with you.

We are excited to be starting this wonderful process again. We are ready to add another sweet little baby into our family through adoption. We know that heavenly father will answer our prayers.