Happy Halloween!

Wow! It's been a long time since I've updated our pics... sorry, folks! These past few months have been trying, to say the least. It all began with amazingly wonderful & happy news in July - Levi is going to be a big brother! We are thrilled!!!! The baby is due to arrive April 1st.

However - it seemed only moments after we discovered this good news that the sickness began - and it didn't stop until well into October. YUCK!!!! To make life a little more difficult, Joel's work hours increased & he had to be gone a lot more often during the evenings - so hard on him not seeing Levi for days at times.... and leaving me parenting alone while being so sick. We came to the difficult decision that we could no longer be effective & helpful to Heydi & Sheylin - so they have moved out of our home and are living with a family from their church.

Our stress load has now dissolved & we are back on the road to enjoying life again.... my sickness is pretty much gone, the baby is moving all around already & Joel will have every afternoon home with us for November!!! So exciting!

Needless to say, we happily bid the past 3 months good-bye & look forward to the next adventure.... Thank you so much to all who prayed us through!

Halloween was a breath of fresh air at the end of this desert time - we've never laughed so hard as we did at the costume party with good friends a couple of weeks ago! Scary how well Joel can pull off looking like a woman! YIKES! Those knee high nylons are so sexy! Especially with that long, dark leg hair poking through - WHAT!?!?!

Levi had a great time sporting his Wonder Bread costume, passing out candy & carving pumpkins. It's such fun to see the Lord answer our prayers for him to be a blessing to others - it seems every place we go, he makes people laugh & smile!

Colorado - Here we come!

Colorado - a much needed vacation after a few tough months!








We spent a lot of time enjoying creation.... it's always so fun to show Levi amazing things for the first time! We played at Garden of the Gods with our Michigan friends - Jamie, Jason & Charlie - who happened to be in CO the same week for vacation as us! Levi loved climbing the rocks almost as much as Daddy.
Buddies! Charlie & Levi...We visited Focus on the Family & Charlie & Levi had a blast exploring "Wit's End" from Adventures in Odyssey - the place was truly amazing & creatively done! Levi walked through the Narnia Wardrobe only to be transported into the snowy forest....

Ben took Joel rock climbing & that was definitely a highlight - Levi wanted to climb, too!

Hey! Who's driving this rig?

Now for one of the most bazaar things we've ever seen... Bishop's Castle. Nestled in the middle of nowhere - hours & hours off the beaten path way up in the mountains.... a castle that a man is building with field stones & his bare hands. We visited this castle & climbed all over it - though I was shaking from head to toe out of fear the entire time. Joel & Levi climbed to the tip top. If you want to see more - just Google "bishop's castle" and you'll find a couple million sites.

My favorite pic!