The best of 2009

2009 was a very busy year and a year with lots of changes.

The end of January found me spending a week in Mexico helping at orphanages and other various projects for a week.

Part of the team I was with.

I flew straight to Guatemala from Mexico and spent three weeks there living at an orphanage and doing some sight seeing.

Merry, Harmony and 4 of our friends were there too so we had a great time!

We spent a lot of our time at the orphanage with the ten babies. They were so much fun!

Chino, the little guy I left my heart with.

At the end of our stay we met three more friends and spent a few days in Antigua. We toured the city, fabric shopped, and spent a day at the ocean.

Wes graduated from nursing school in May and we had a party at Lake Michigan!

4th of July camp-out in our backyard.

Pool time with some of the girls from our children's ministry.

The Pine River canoe trip was one of the highlights of the year!

Time spent with nieces and nephews...

..and sisters

Visits from Michael and Rhoda!

Evenings at Lake Michigan with friends!

Lots of canning.

Visits from Wes! (photo taken by Seth Haley)

Lots of time spent with Jordan! (photo taken by Seth Haley)

A visit to Florida with Vern and Christa to spend time with Vern's sister and her family!

And a short visit to New York!

Hunting and Happy times

Michael and Rhoda are here right now with two of Rhoda's brothers. It is so fun to have them here and they are all enjoying getting in on a little bit of Winter.

Harm shot a deer on Saturday with all of us watching out the windows. She did great!

Everyone had to go out and see it. :)

The nieces are very happy to have Michael around again. He's a good horse.

Rhoda coloring with Cami, Kirsten and her nephew Weston.

Yesterday Harmony and Seth each shot another deer out of the back yard so now we have three deer hanging in the garage! That will make some good meat the Winter!

I miss Wes!

I have been missing Wes even more then usual lately so I decided to dedicate a blog post just to him and a few things I miss about him. Don't read unless you want to miss him too. :)

I miss his funny sense of humor. This is a jell-o that Merry made to take to church and eat for lunch one Sunday , Wes saw it in the fridge and decided to doctor it up a little. (Those of you who know Wes will recognize his trademark smiley face with a tongue sticking out).

I miss him helping in the Kitchen. He's a great cook!

I miss his Life Care uniform. He was so handsome in it! I also miss his pager going off and him rushing out the door to a call.

I miss his little red Jeep and riding around with him.

I miss watching him interact with his friends...

...and his nieces and nephews....

...and the children at our kids ministry.

I miss his hugs. He gives the best ever.

But most of all I miss just spending time with him.

I love you Wes and even though I miss you I'm so glad that you have the job you always dreamed of!

Fun in NY!

Mike had some work to do in New York so I got to spend a Friday night and Saturday with Jo and Alex Pooler while Mike and Anna stayed with some friends of theirs. We had a wonderful time!

Alex and her boyfriend, Will.

Thanks again girls! It was a blast! :)

Snow!