A Special Picnic at Minnewaska

Today, Sierra and I finished camp around 12 noon.  I was trying to figure out what to do for the rest of the day.  It was gorgeous, the kind of summer day I love.  The sky was blue, the grass was green, there was a breeze and the temperature was in the high 70s.  No way I wanted to go home and clean, or do anything in the house!!  We live in an area called the Rondout Valley.  We are nestled between two mountain ranges.  Close by are two mountains, each have beautiful lakes.  When they boys were younger I used to wait for a summer day like this and take them hiking on one of the mountains.  It was always one of my favorite days.  We used to watch the hawks when we were on top of the mountain. They would fly out and glide down below us.  Anyway...I digress!!!  Since it was already after noon time I decided we would go on a special picnic.  One of the mountains has a road you can drive up right to the lake.  There are plenty of hiking trails once you get up there.  Since I didn't have a lot of time...that is the option I chose.  We stopped and got some lunch and then drove to the mountain.Sierra hadn't been there before.  We parked the car and walked up the path.  I told her to run ahead to see what she could see.  When she saw the lake she simply squealed in delight.  " Mommy..its the most beautiful lake!!"  We found a rock and had our lunch.  She just kept saying how much she loved nature and we were really in nature now!!  After lunch we walked around a little.  The mountain is a state park and they even have a swimming area.  It was the perfect thing to do on a perfect day!

 No matter where we are Sierra always spots the new moon.  Do you see it??

Three and a half years later...

I remember when my boys were babies.......I remember their little arms reaching back out to me when someone else was holding them...and they had had enough...and wanted me back.  I remember when they fell as toddlers, again they ran over to me, crying and wanting me to pick them up to kiss away their boo boos, and wipe away their tears.  They came to me and I took care of what ever their needs. It came naturally...for them and for me.
When you adopt a child at the age of three, it is not the same.  The first time Sierra fell and got hurt, she lay there, not  crying, not moving, NOT reaching out to me.  She really didn't want me to pick her up, but I did anyway/. That incident was over three years ago.  Since then we have spent   much time teaching Sierra what the role of parents are.  She didn't know....there had been no one for the first three years of her life that was there for her.  We knew we had made great progress, we knew she loved us and trusted that we would be there for her.  But still, the other night, an incident brought home to us, how far she has come.  We were at a friends house for a graduation party.Sierra was playing with a group of children.  We were near by but not in sight.  All of a sudden she came tearing around the house, crying.  She was looking and looking, amongst the  many people there, for me.  She found me and I picked her up and held her close.  She had gotten hurt, she had fallen and hit her ear.  I brought her in the house and Scott followed us.  We put ice on it and with in 5 minutes she was good to go!!  She ran back out to rejoin her friends.  I started to get teary eyed.  I looked at Scott and I knew he knew what I was going to say.  "Do you realize that it was  the only time that I can remember that she has run to me when she has gotten hurt?"   I could tell , even in her frenzied state, that she was looking for us.  Not just anyone...us!   Three and a half years.......she is finally....really....truly......home!!!

I'm baaaackkkkk...

I so miss writing here.  I really love writing...I always have...almost as much as I love talking!  LOL  I love being able to post pictures as I love taking p hots too.  And blogging is really a way to do both.  But it takes time...and our days are so full.
  There is a  very sad update to Spencer's story.  About three weeks ago...his  Dad committed suicide.  He also had battled alcoholism and had been doing great.  But Spencer's death ( also by suicide )  caused him more pain then he could handle.  Please keep Spencer's mother and younger brother in your prayers.  I can not even begin to imagine.....
The boys have been busy working.  ALl three of them work together for the dame lawn maintenance
company.  The other day I looked out the window at school and saw them mowing the cemetery across the road.  I love seeing them together!  AND I am so glad their job provides them with health insurance.  It sure puts my mind at ease.  They are good men and I am proud of them. I find it hard to believe that David will be 21 in a few weeks...How has the time gone so fast...but of course Tim will be 29 in Oct. and Paul is married!!

Here we all are on Memorial Day!

Sierra is doing well.  She had blossomed in kindergarten and has become quite the reader.  We take turns reading to each other now at night and i love it.  She is so enthusiastic about it.  She is so stinin smart  its hard to stay one step ahead of her.  Yesterday I asked her what she wanted for breakfast ...she replied" an egg"  I said what kind and she said  " a chicken egg!!!  Too funny...right!  She is a handful at times...still has a mind of her own...is still having some problems with boundaries and doing what she wants even if she has been told no.  But she has come a far way and she is such a delight!!  But we are working hard on behavior and focusing!!!  I am diligent as a parent.  I have been having such a hard time lately seeing the parenting, or better yet, lack of parenting, that is occurring.  I will be posting about it soon.  It really has me worried....

Next Friday brings the end of the school year.  We will be leaving on Saturday for our first camping trip.  The following week I start( July 1) summer camp.  I am thinking that this may be my last year....after almost 25 years of doing camp  I think it is time to pass it on...Time for some new blood!!!

I will be posting again soon...some photos showing what we have been doing!!!  if you stop by please read a comment so I know you have!!!

Happy Birthday Scott!!

Happy Birthday to the best guy ever.  I am so lucky to be his wife.  He is so good to me and he works so hard for our family and he is an awesome Dad.  I knew he would be(:  He shows his love in so many ways from putting got my pills for me each morning, to making me a cup of tea at night.  I know that his family is always his first priority and whatever we need, he provides.  I only hope he knows how much we love him!!  Happy Birthday Babe...make it a great one!

Update on Ivy Joy!!

She is doing wonderfully!!  It has  been simply amazing watching the transformation of this  beautiful little girl.  To God be the Glory!!  This is what prayers, adoption, love and a family can accomplish!!

Check this out!!!

"Heart" felt prayers please

I have been following three blogs of little girls from China with serious heart disease.  Annie,
 here  has been a bloggy friend for a few years.  Her daughter Katie Grace has been discharged today  PTL!!!  While following their blog I found a link to another precious girl Ivy.  I was awed by this little girl, her family, and their Faith.  Please pray for sweet Ivy as she recovers from her very serious operation.  And remember , in China, she was deemed unadoptable and inoperable here
 And another sweet girl is waiting for a heart transplant.  here Rachel also was brought home from China, her new family not knowing if her broken heart could be fixed!  All three Moms have written wonderful posts abut what is really important this weekend.  Please stop by all three places( you will be glad you did ) and keep all three families in your prayers!!  I absolutely can not write a better Easter post!!

I have wanted to post but I wanted as  many people as possible to read about Spencer and the important message his Mom wanted to share.  So...if you have not done so...please read the post below!!!!
We have been busy here.  I haven't posted this but we are moving...less than a mile down the road...into the house that Scott grew up in.  It will be a good move for us, but there is a lot to do before that happens.  There is 40 years of stuff in the house we are moving into  and about 10 years of stuff in our house we are moving out of.  It makes for a lot of stuff.  But its good timing as I have been wanting to get rid of more stuff in our lives.  The things and junk we really don't need.  We are doing some remodeling in the "new" house...the kitchen, turning the garage into a den/guest room, making the laundry room a little larger and adding a mud room.  We are in no hurry ( at least that is what Scott keeps saying) so we are taking our time.  The kitchen is done as of this week when they put the counter tops on!!  I will hate leaving behind so many precious memories and things like the bluestone walkway and wall my son David made for me when he was 16.  I cry every time I  look at it.  But we will make new memories and Scott is so excited to be back at the house!


Our dear friends Jill and Steve moved to Maine in December.  They have 3 wonderful children.  Izzy, their youngest was adopted from China in 2010.  We have missed them terribly.  But...they came for a visit in March AND last weekend e took a long weekend and went to visit them.  It was awesome.  I love Maine...I always feel like i am going back home when I visit...although I have never lived there.  If I could retire and have a place there I would be sooo happy!!  We love spending time with this family and had so much fun!!

We have been on spring break.  I have really loved the weather...cool and sunny.  Ticks are a problem this year. I found one crawling on Sierra the other day and then found one embedded in my neck the next.  Many around here have been diagnosed with Lyme disease and I am on a preventive dose of antibiotics.  as I won't give up waling we must be more diligent in checking each other!!
david has been busy going to college at the community college three days a week and then working the other two.  He loves to keep busy though and that is a good thing!!


We are looking forward to two camping trips this summer.  Gas is so expensive and since we are pulling the camper...we will only be going about two hours away....once to Pennsylvania and once to Corinth NY.  But we love both places and Sierra and I will be kayaking on the lakes!!


Sierra is loving kindergarten and is a sponge for learning.  Thank goodness for the internet as I can not always answer all of her many, MANY questions!!  She is a blessing to our family and also to all who meet her.  Just the other day I was telling her we needed to go through her toys and weed out what she doesn't need.  I told her we were having a yard sale and she could sell her toys and keep the money for something special  She said. "No Mommy, I want to send the money to China so they can build a hospital where kids can go and not have to pay.  We have been following  some blogs of newly adopted children from China who have undergone serious heart surgeries.  I was so proud of her!!


I hope to be a better blogger.  I get so caught u pin reading others.  If you stop by to visit please leave a comment.  I'd love to know who you are!!