It's NOT a pretty picture

The question of the day is:

How are you doing?

We appreciate that people care and take the time to ask but, quite frankly, it's hard to answer.

We have less than a week before we get on the plane to Brazil and the days are full of emotion.

A swinging pendulum really.

It's a bit like opening a present -
there's excitement about the unknown, we're happy to be receiving the gift and are overjoyed with the giver for thinking we are worthy of it. While at the same time we're hoping it's something we're going to like, we don't feel deserving of it, and yet we're enjoying the anticipation and wish the revealing could just be on hold a little bit longer....

We know that we are in for surprises. Even though we have been to Brazil 3 times we have only scratched the surface of it and have only to guess what actually living there will look like.

Surprises are okay - good actually - if they end up being something you like...I'm willing my mind to like Brazil.

Warren is very excited and
I have been too -

up until the last few weeks.








Good byes are just too hard and I can't seem to get past that and onto the "joy set before us". I don't suppose that's unusual for a woman.
The tears come easily right now so if I happen to tear up around you just turn your head -

I'm not a pretty crier.


After all: it's hard to leave you all.

Yummmmmmm

Oh, taste and see

that the Lord is good.

Blessed is the man who trusts in Him.

Ps. 34:8

But those who seek the Lord should not lack any good thing.

Ps. 34:10b


Give us pure hearts, Lord!

The Long Way to Oregon

You would think that after being gone for more than a month we would have been in a hurry to get "home".

In the past we would have been

but the reality of our lives being so different now made us want to linger.

So we did.

We took I-84 back to Oregon and made a stop in Baker City. We had spent some time here before but this time we spent a lot of time! It was informative and enjoyable. There is so much to see and we would recommend it to everyone.

There are many life size exhibits which makes you feel as if you are on the Oregon Trail yourself.

Very realistic.

It was an eye opener to see what man will put himself through in order to obtain what they believed to be a better life. We have benefited from that sacrifice.

If you have vacation time and you don't know what to do - go to Baker City.

You'll be glad you did.

Growing up

We probably did miss out but it never felt that way.

To have grown up in a family of girls was just the way it was. I don't remember mourning the fact that I didn't have any brothers. It meant for lively dinner conversations on most evenings, sharing of clothes, intimate talks and on more than a few occasions refereeing the bickering that often took place.



But with all that said, I must add that the greatest thing about being raised with 3 sisters was, and still is,
the laughter.

And now as adults, we have as often as possible, what we call "sister's weekend".
It's really more like a 5 day celebration most of the time but we take what we can get.

We do some shopping. Go out to eat (it's against the rule for the hostess to cook!) watch movies, talk (okay, that should have been first on the list because there is a lot of that!) and ......laugh!

We had one of those weekends the last week I was in Idaho. It went all too quickly. But it was good.
Very good!

No, I can't really say that I missed having brothers but I can't imagine my life without my sisters.

Idaho Time

Family: an ever important ingredient to a happy life!

Time spent at Mom and Dad Millers when first getting to Idaho.

Max and Caroline - boy, was he taken by her!

Cori - so good to see nieces and their families

A small but full house - especially with love!

Showing Jake where we had been

Conversation? Or rather in awe of how the women in the family could talk!

I can't believe it but I didn't get a single picture of the wedding of my niece Kali. We ended up being pretty busy with the logistics of it all. It was beautiful though - you'll just have to believe me on that one!

July 2, 2003 A Very Special Day

Happy Birthday to you.
Happy Birthday to you.
Happy Birthday, sweet Jakey!
Happy Birthday to you!!!!!!

I can hardly believe that you are 6 years old today!

You have grown up so fast as it feels like only yesterday that we saw you for the first time:
1 week old in the Budapest airport.

We loved you immediately!!!!

You are a most unusual, amazing young boy. (handsome too!)

We are so excited to see all that God has in mind for your life.
He has purpose for you, Jake.
Our prayer is that you love and follow Him always.

We love you so very much!

June 30th, 2009

We are home.

It was great!

We are tired.

It is late!

Enough said for now....