Welcome to our blog!

Hopefully this will provide information to our families...namely that yes, we are still alive! I'm hoping the blog will be like e-mailing to me. That's so much easier than mailing something. Oh, I'm a great letter writer, I just seem to have a disconnect with putting a stamp on the envelope and finally, putting it in the mailbox!

We are making plans to go to Mexico with Jose. Actually, it might be me and Jose. Andy has a band trip over Hillcrest's Easter vacation and Doug's time off from work is very limited and he'll have school bus to drive again.

Wayne and Nancy will be staying close to home over the next few months. Nancy is due with No. 2 in April.

JP (Julius Patrick) and Julie are busy too. While Wayne and Nancy have a growing family with Breiden and No. 2 on the way, JP and Julie are also growing their brood...of dogs! They have Jada, a birthday gift from Julie last June, and now have... puppy! Puppy (as yet, unnamed) is the same breed as Jada and will be a good companion. I visited JP and Julie on Sunday after JP said they had a surprise for me. What fun! Jada is still adjusting but she seemed to be doing okay!

They've taught Jada to ring a bell when she needs to go out. How clever they are! I've just taught our beagle, Mocha, to sit!

Jose and Andy are busy with basketball...oh, and school, of course.

Andy is a freshman and Hillcrest Lutheran Academy this year and is on the JV team. His first game he made many shots, all nice shots, but nothing went in! His coach told him he'd surely remember this first JV game for the rest of his life! His scoring is great now. He's made several baskets at each game and even a few threes! Way to go, Andy! Keep up the good work!

Jose is playing team basketball for the first time in his life. At the orphanage, they would play more for fun and would quit when they wanted to....now he has to keep playing until coach takes him out. He played soccer this fall and did quite well. He wasn't going to play basketball until he went to his first game to see his friends play. Then he wanted to join the group so the next day, he joined the team. Thanks Craig for the opportunity for Jose!

Wayne is ministries director at Hillcrest. He is a spiritual advisor for the students and heads chapel and local and global missions plus the peer ministry group. And he's a great dad to Breiden!

He operates The Stu or student union. He opens it about an hour before classes start. Students can visit, play board games, work on computers or purchase goodies or a mocha latte. I visited Wayne once last year and had a mocha latte. He makes a mean latte!

Nancy's mom has been visiting and helped us celebrate Breiden's first birthday! What a night that was! Nancy made a special cake decorated like a baseball. Breiden seemed to enjoy squishing the cake and frosting although when someone put his hand in his mouth, he just kept sucking his fingers. Ahhhh, sugary frosting! Despite the sugar, he went to bed on time after thoroughly enjoying time with his cousins, aunt, uncles, grandmas and mom and dad! What a party! Too bad Doug missed the celebration but he came for a while after he finished a bus trip and dear Nancy, ever so thoughtful, brought Breiden over for a special visit with Grandpa the next night.

JP and Julie are busy with their puppies and work. JP is at Thrivent. I keep meeting friends who say they've met JP who is talking to people about their Thrivent plans. He's doing a good job and is finding just how many people know his mom and dad! Several of my old CC buds have said they've talked to him! Neat.

And Julie continues studies and working at Applebees. JP and Julie are a great uncle and aunt pair. Breiden lights up so much when they come! But I can't figure out how they can get Breiden to sleep so long at their place!

Doug keeps busy with his bus driving. I don't think people realize how much time he takes mapping out his longer road trips. He enjoys driving. Me? I sleep once the car is moving!

Well, welcome to our blog and welcome to our family.