More baby stuff... ♥

Here are a few more pictures of our time with family this past weekend!
Adelaide with her Uncle Chris.
More Grandpa time!
Getting sleepy...... (Adelaide, that is - not Grandpa)!
Yesterday, Beka, Ayeresam and I drove to Nikki's parents' home for a last visit with David, Nikki, and Adelaide before they head back to Colorado. Ayeresam was getting so tired, and yet, this is such a precious picture of these cousins and their mommies.
With Dave, our youngest son. So happy for ANY time with our kids.

Below is a short video clip of Adelaide performing a cute trick. If she wants her pacifier, and it is within reach of her mouth, she will dive-bomb for it! We all shared lots of laughs watching her perform!

Adorable Adelaide

Bonus update: Just added the picture above - stole it from David's Facebook page! ♥

Just a few recent pictures of our precious granddaughter, Adelaide. (Thanks for sharing, David.)
She's five months old already, and looks ready to tackle the world!
Such a sweet, drooly little cutie pie. Love you, Adelaide! Miss you soooo much!♥

Seizing the Moment to Celebrate LIFE

I awoke yesterday with an intense longing to be near the ocean. Perhaps it was because of of the many television programs that had aired the day before, commemorating the ninth anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks, which of course included heartbreaking stories of the many innocent people who died on that horrific day. My heavy heart desperately needed to celebrate LIFE, and to see the amazing power of God's creation.

So, Mark and I hopped in the car for a spontaneous trip to Beverly Beach, just north of Newport. The first thing we saw after hiking over the rocks to the sand was definitely not alive. This sea lion, however, was providing food for the many little critters who were crawling in and around it.
Not such a good shot of Mark, because of the position of the sun, but you can see what a breathtakingly beautiful and warm day it was on the coast.
Ahhh, just what my spirit needed!
Do any of you ever stomp on these little "bulbs" just to hear the POP it makes? Yes, I did pop a few yesterday!


Lunch: Absolutely scrumptious fish and chips and clam chowder at Szabo's. And then it was time to head back home, because I had a play date with Ayeresam!
He and I went to the waterfront in Corvallis to play in the fountain. He was very intrigued by the water bubbling up from the grates. Some water was soaring very high, and some streams were much smaller. It was such a joy to experience the fountain with him, to see his excitement and hear his sweet squeals of delight.
Baby A always has his pointer finger at the ready, just in case he needs to point to something!


Nothing is much cuter than a baby wearing only a diaper!
He was zonked by the end of the afternoon. I love this precious little guy SO much! And I think he kind of likes me, too! ♥
Thus ended this most excellent and perfect day. I saw the hand of God all day long: in the powerful ocean waves, in the intensity of the clear blue skies, in the trees just beginning to display their lovely fall colors, and in the sweet face of my dear grandson. My prayer of praise at yesterday's end: It's a beautiful day, and it's great to be alive.

Meeting Karen...

I enjoyed a very special evening last night with Sarah and Beka. We went to the home of #1 best-selling Christian fiction author Karen Kingsbury for an adoption baby shower. The event was being held as a fundraiser for a young couple who are adopting a son from Ethiopia (Jake and Beka knew of this couple through their own extensive networking with other adoptive families, which is how we came to know about it and receive an invitation). Of course, since we have a sweet, precious grandson from that same country, the shower provided the perfect opportunity for the three of us to help support another couple who want to bring their baby home as soon as possible.

Karen and her husband have six children, three of whom are biological, and three who are adopted from Haiti (we were able to meet all five of her delightful sons, including the three from Haiti). She spoke eloquently to her guests about her family's adoption experience, sharing stories that were both touching and downright hilarious. Afterward, she was available to sign copies of her books. I purchased her book, Like Dandelion Dust, which she signed for me. Because that particular book speaks to the topic of adoption, I wanted it dedicated to our dear Ayeresam:
Karen has also recently established a foundation to aid families who are in the adoption process. Called the One Chance Foundation, one of its primary goals is to provide financial support to families wishing to adopt. It was such a lovely evening. If you haven't read Karen's books, I would encourage you to do so. Her fiction has great depth, and will definitely encourage you in your walk with Christ. I have read most of what she has written, and her stories never fail to touch my heart. The main thing that impressed me last night was her reminder that we have "One chance to write the story of our lives," so live every day loving well, laughing often, and finding true life in Jesus Christ. It was such an honor to meet her, and an even greater joy to be able to spend the evening with two of my girls.