FaceTime is wonderful

Dana and Julie are so good about FaceTime-ing with us. This keeps us going during those long stretches when we don't get to visit. Tonight we enjoyed seeing Cole play. 

Cole played at the front door with an envelope that Brad and Kathryn had mailed them. He's hoping they will visit him soon!

Passing it Around

I guess we are passing the sickness around. Charlotte came up sick last night, along with Al, and Cindy is battling it this morning. C & C were slated to head to OKC today to help Julie get ready to move, but those plans have been put on hold. What to do? Everyone is taking a nap now. Heal our bodies, Lord! Restore our health!

It doesn't help that along with the 30 mph wind the last two days, we had a major dust storm yesterday. The sky looked red or black or hazy--really off. I don't remember ever seeing it that dusty bad but Marc kind of chuckled when I said that, as if to say "I've seen worse and you'll see worse in the future."

Sometimes I'm tempted to think that no one gets it--how bad the wind is out here. You can't know without experiencing it. But then I remember mom grew up out here and so did all my aunts, and they get it. But it's bad, really bad. 

Of course my view is tainted by the fact that I have a coughing baby, a runny nose myself, and two sick aunts needing nursed back to health...

Check out this wind graph from today:

Visiting Sublette

I love coming to Sublette to visit Dana & family. It is so peaceful here, and fun to come help out where ever we can.

This is my job today, waiting for Cole to wake up. I think this monitor was the best invention ever, watching him sleep and slowly wake up is a blessing.

Charlotte & Dana are in heaven too, garden time. I just know how to clean out the dead stuff, which I am good at.

Times like this make me wish that Sublette was only 6 minutes away instead of 6 hours. Love this place!

Garden Day

Cindy and Charlotte made today great! I felt better from the get go, but they helped out so much! We got the front flower beds weeded, had a find-it-yourself lunch, planted some flowers, and even had time to walk to Papa's Place for a sweet treat after dinner.

I decided this year I wanted to plant marigolds to line my beds. I know they aren't the "cool" flowers, but they're hearty, easy to grow, flower for a long time, give a pop of color, and gosh darn it, I like them! So, here they are, lining my front bed. 

I think it'll only get prettier (and more odorous). 

At Papa's Place

Cindy gave Cole his first taste of ice cream. He didn't spit it out. 

Eating ice from Charlotte's cup

What a great day (it helped that Cole took a 2 hour nap this morning and a FOUR hour nap this afternoon...his little body must've needed it...so we had lots of uninterrupted work time)!

Goodbye Max

This week has been full of goodbyes and they just continue to get harder. Tonight will be another rough one. We have toyed with the idea of giving Max away for awhile now. We decided if we found a good family, then that would be the deciding factor and we would just go for it. There is a family from our church who did a "trial run" with him during the weekend of Brad's wedding. At that point and time, they had an old, sick dog of their own so they weren't sure they could take on another dog. Well they decided to put their dog down last week and said they would take Max. (And no, they didn't put him down SO they could take Max!) The family is mom and dad's age with a daughter in college. The mom stays home and she's looking forward to spoiling Max. I told the woman I was just going to have Anthony bring him over because it would be too hard for me but she encouraged me to come and see where his new home would be and to see his new big yard! We will go over as a family. 

Over this past week, I've realized how this situation will be so much better for him. We are constantly reprimanding him for eating Elsy's food, licking on her, barking, etc. Plus he stays in his kennel all day while we are at work. He needs a better home and this is best. 

So we say goodbye to Max. He treated us well for EIGHT years!! Wow! We will miss him but he will be having fun!

C & C Are Coming!

Cindy and Charlotte are on their way (after waiting out a torrential downpour storm at Mary's just after they left), they just left Dodge, so close. And I can't wait, but I just got sick, stomach sick. And my baby has been sick this week, though he's on the mend but still continues to have tons of dirty diapers (so I think his tummy is still rumbly like mine)--not quite 100%. And Michael is working on our basement, which is a huge blessing--HUGE! But where do you put your aunts that are coming to visit when your basement is under construction? Al and Shirley's, of course (some of the most gracious hosts I know), but that's not as fun as having them here and waking up together and sipping coffee with Charlotte, and Cindy in her robe and sneakers sipping her non-iced water from a juice glass. And then, again, you're sick. But hopefully not for long. Cole's actual down-and-out sickness only lasted a day or two. And then I wonder if I got H1N1 from Joel, who I never saw! Ha! And tomorrow is a gorgeous, non-windy day (our only one of the weekend) and you have major flower bed clean up and planting plans but you're sick. And all you want is your mom but now YOU'RE the mom. And C & C keep trudging along, getting closer and closer and I don't even know if I'll see then tonight. But I am so grateful for them coming and the fact that I know they'll do whatever needs to be done to take care of me and my family, including staying over at Al and Shirley's without hesitation (along with Marvin the traveling Mennonite piano tuner, because, again, they are gracious hosts). And I know it'll all be fun and fine and probably really great...but I'm sick.

Thoughts from Dana

Cole's Journey

Somewhere along the line, Cole got old enough, brave enough, agile enough to start climbing up the play equipment at the park. Here's his journey...

The pursuit...

Assessing the situation...

Tackling it...

Perseverance...

Stamina...

Victory...

Where to go from here...

He just seems so old when he's doing stuff like this. I guess he WILL be one before we know it!

End of Year Appreciation Celebration

The Olathe school district invited all their volunteers and mentors to an end of the year appreciation celebration today.  Each week Dave mentors a 2nd grade boy and I meet with a 7th grade girl so we got to go to the party! Look at all the loot we got to take home (X 2 because we each got a bag)!  Lots of Hallmark items, coupons for Culver's ice cream and a 3-month meal-a-month card from Chick-Fil-A. Who knew it paid to volunteer??

They provided a light meal for us. A middle school girls choral group sang. The Assistant Superintendent spoke with levity. We were appreciated and thanked and felt special and valued.  It was very nice.

Professional Assistants Day . . . again

Right about this time each year Dave comes home saying Professional Assistants Day is coming.  This means I need to put my thinking cap on to come up with a gift idea for him to give to his assistants.  Since he wants to give something to all SEVEN of the Counseling Center assistants, the gift needs to be cost effective, in other words cheap!  In the past we've given violets, chocolate covered strawberries, tea bags & a mug, bedding plants, personalized note pads, lotion, peanut clusters, plates & napkins.  Oh boy!  What to give this year?

Over Easter weekend I planned to make a snack mix to have while Brad, Kathryn, Julie and Elsy were here.  That never happened so decided to mix it up and divvy it out for the JCCC gals.  Julie and I brainstormed what to put it in.  On Julie's suggestion, I visited the Dollar Store and found some fun bowls.

I put the snack mix in freezer bags, placed the bags in the bowls and called it good!  

And all Dave has to do is write the note cards and tote the items to work.  

Welp, I guess I better go find something to put these lovely bowls in so he can get them to the college in one piece in the morning.  

Happy Professional Assistants Day everybody!

Before & After

The rental house is done! Michael even put up a "For Rent" sign today. We're just waiting for a bite. Here is the before and after...

Before 

After

Michael, Al, and Shirley have worked tirelessly on this house to get it where it is today. Marc helped when he was able. It is really cute inside with wood floors, new bathroom everything, new kitchen floor, added dishwasher, new central heat/air, and a new coat of paint on everything! 

Wanna come see it? Better yet, wanna rent it?

Getting Involved in Church, Part II

From Georgann:

Cindy was a willing and ABLE participant in the Walk With Jesus church event last Saturday.  She knew her part and even practiced a couple words she found she mispronounced time and again:  Gethsemane and soldier.  She was a pro!  She is a great performer and servant.  But then, we all KNEW that!!

Getting Involved in Church

When I first got involved at First Pres. It was because of Glen Menke & the Ellis family. Today I took the first step getting involved at Colonial Pres. Once again with Glenn & the great leaders of the Ellis family.

I was the guide in the Garden of Gethsemane. It was a walk with Jesus at 6 stations. Georgann did the Last Supper and Dave was the Roman soldier at the empty tomb. 

Charlotte had the perfect job for her greeting families at the beginning & end.

I think it was a great way to start at the church I will attend, it is great being around family at church, especially when Glenn greets me with "Aunt Cindy" and you get to see part of the Ellis family. I feel blessed!

Mommies Group

One of Marc's farmer's wives invited me to be a part of their Mommies Group with girls from Copeland, Montezuma, and Satanta.  I figured I'd try it out because I'm always up for social gatherings and looking for different things to do. 

 

The moms are a little different than me--a little more "hoity toity", but we have one thing in common--kids.  So, that's where we connect.  No matter who you are or how you live, you still have the same issues with your kids.

 

After my first get together (at this great big house with a huge finished basement with heated floors!), I wasn't sure the group was for me (no one asked me any questions, the girls don't live in my town, do I need to be putting effort and time into these relationships?), but I made myself give it a go again, and I was glad I did.

 

This time we went to the Garden City zoo.  It was a windy, cold morning and we showed up with a stroller brigade of about 5 families (mine was the coolest stroller, thanks to my huge group of friends who went together to get me the best of the best...thanks, Katie!).  It was fun to walk around the zoo and talk as we went.  Cole had fun seeing the animals, which I wasn't expecting.  I just thought he'd be along for the ride, but he actually really enjoyed seeing them moving around...especially the monkeys and the otters.

 

We ended our morning with lunch at McDonald's, and I bought Cole his first fast food hamburger.  He ate it right up...well, not the bun, just the meat.  I got the girls talking about advice for me with a few things, and that opened conversation right up.  All in all, it was a good outing, and I'm glad I decided to go.

 

Cole in the Cats Canyon (excuse the pacifier, his mama was hoping he'd survive not having had a good morning nap)

Updated photo at my office

This is from Georgann

I was happy to update the family photo I had in my office. The old one didn't have our three new family members: Elsy, Cole and Kathryn. Yes, the grandkids still take center stage. 

I display it proudly!

Maple syrup Adventure

I had a great experience with Charlotte's Michigan family. We went to the Maple bush to collect the sap. It takes 40 gals of sap to make 1 gal of delicious syrup.

This is Charlotte 's niece Shirley, she was our hostess. We had the best home cooked meals and entertainment.

You gather the sap from the buckets on the trees, pour that into 5 gal buckets then into the collection wagon. We walked over 5 miles up & down hills collecting.

The sap is then taken to the sugar shack to be cooked, filtered and bottled.

The shack was very rustic, but they cooked there, they would stay long hours making sure the sap was at the right temperature.

We got to eat fresh syrup that night.

We went back the second and last day of collection. I was getting on the full wagon for ride back. The horses pulled forward and I didn't have a good hold. The wagon wheel rolled over my foot, but God and my boot, soft ground kept me from a broken bone.

Notice the back right wheel, that's the one. I have been sore and swollen for a week, wearing the stupid boot. I am pretty much back to as "normal" as can be. I hated having Charlotte drive the whole way back, but I had the perfect car nest!

It was a fun 12 days, we got to visit with all of Charlotte's family. I did 3 days just sitting around at her sister' house.

Now I know why a gal of maple syrup cost $54, it was a lot of work!! I can now say I have done that!!

Easter at the Ellis house

I added a few new Easter decorations to our house this year. The prints were designed by my friend Cyndi Mawhiney. The door idea was inspired by Pinterest. 

Have a blessed Easter everyone!

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead . . . "
1 Peter 1:3

My Redeemer lives

I know He rescued my soul

His blood has covered my sin

I believe, I believe 

My Redeemer lives!

"He isn't here! He is risen from the dead!"

Like 24:6

Easter baskets

From Georgann

Anyone have a fun DIY Easter basket idea for a little boy? So many of the ideas are so girly.

I made this for Dana when she was 2 years old. She and I thought about adding Cole's name to the handle so he could use it. However, I don't think Cole is the eyelet lace pastel color kind of guy. 

Honestly I haven't looked seriously for any ideas. I just wanted to blog so Dana wouldn't have to hold her bated breath for so long. 

Waiting on Bated Breath...

Ok, ya'll...there's lots of blog-worthy stuff going on out there that we're all dying to hear about!

Julie - you're moving...we want to hear about your new house (location, features) and what you know about your new job...and how you're feeling about leaving OKC and Max (you're leaving Max!)

Norma - what's the latest on the home remodel?  Do you have any finished product pictures?  What do people say when they see it?

Cindy - you fell off a wagon and we haven't heard anything about it?!?  I can't believe that!  What's the story.  And how good is real deal maple syrup?  And how hard is it to get it?

Mom - you're planning a wedding shower for Kyle Ellrich...how are your creative responsibilities coming along?  Can we see a copy of the invitation you made?

Joel - you are about to graduate...from law school!  Are you kidding me?  I don't know your for sure summer plans (besides BAK) and when you plan to start at your new firm and where you plan on living (because last I heard your roommate was getting married) and if you'll still be able to do Young Life.  And you babysat for your former foster care clients?  What?  Who does that?  Only super cool awesome guys...but then you tweeted about cleaning poop off the floor (which still elicits a chuckle out of me as I type this) and we don't hear the story?  Let's hear it!

Brad - you are in lots of pain from your surgery, lots of pain.  But when you feel better (because you will), we want to hear about your new job...going to Maine (who goes to Maine?), and rafting down some river (because there has to be a funny story with that), and your thoughts on marriage (leaving and cleaving, yo) and your upcoming plans for the summer not going to Kamp for the first time in a lot of years and living in the K-Life house with girls in and out of the door all the time and hosting Kathryn's sister, Terrell, and her husband for the weekend and showing them KC.

Who else reads this blog?  What else can you tell us?

A Boy and His Dog

It seems like General has been taking more of an interest in Cole now that he willingly drops food off his tray and leaves a trail of Cheerios from his snack cup in his wake.

Cole likes it...