Happy Birthday Sweet Baby boy

24 years ago I had my baby Alex.  He was such a beautiful baby.  I didn't know I could love a child so much or what it even meant to be a mother, the labor was long and hard, but the baby was perfect and sweet.  I took him home with promises to have a good life.  It wasn't perfect, I was young but I made promises to that child that I would be the best mother anyone ever had.  I doted over him and enjoyed ever second.  Alex was a very alert baby, His eyes bright, for a newborn he was very interactive, I thought that was normal.  I didn't realize newborns slept alot, fed, and slept because Alex didn't.  He didn't really cry much.  I have been told by family members they felt cheated because I didn't show him off or pass him around, I was so into him that I spent every hour with him.  
Did I know?  Did God give me the gift of a content alert newborn?  When he was ten days old, he died in his sleep.  No indication of anything not right, he was just gone, and my world crashed.  My life prior to Alex was empty and my life after Alex has been built with his memory.  Everything I do and the person I am is due to this perfect little baby that God called Home... 

Not a day goes by that I do not think of my sweet babies in Heaven and not a day goes by that I miss and long for them, but I think of their eternal life of happiness, never any sorrows, never any pain, and I pray in God's mercy one day I will be reunited with my sweet babies and will understand His will.  

College Days Jaclyn and Carolyn

University of Nebraska has started its fall semester!  Jaclyn starting as a Freshmen and Carolyn starting her Senior Year.  Of course after a nice long summer, the kids were dragging the feet at going back to the real world...but they did it. haha.  

Happy 20th Birthday Katie

Today was our Katelyn's birthday.  20 years ago right now was right up there with the best nights of my life, at long last I had a child in my arms, my Katie- did.  Its amazing how fast 20 years can go by.  My sweet little cling on baby, all grown up going to college and so independent.  You were the sweetest child, the child with so much imagination, the one I think back and think you were so little for so long.  You have by far overcome obstacles that were difficult but with much pride you have become a beautiful young lady.  We miss our little Katie -did, but we sure love our daughter Katelyn.  Happy Birthday honey.

Family Camping Trip!

We went on our family camping trip and lets just say...we did not stay nearly long enough.  We are planning next year staying a few more days now we know what they have there and the accomodations are so perfect.  We could even go in the fall sometime and let Steve teach the older kids to hunt while me and the younger kids stay at the cabin.  

It was fun filled for sure.  The cabin was wonderful.  Fully equipped with cookware, all the essentials you would  need, even a tv. haha.  One room at the front of the cabin and two at the back of the cabin, a screened in porch and a nice patio with a large yard and an amazing view.  We grilled Grandpa's sausage and hotdogs and hamburgers while we were there.  We had marsh  mellows and played outside and relaxed in the outdoors.

The second day we hiked and it was pretty fun, quite a challenging hike in some areas.  We came back, tired tired!  Me and Steve and the baby took a rest while the big kids ventured back out. Then in the afternoon we finally found a little area we could let the kids play in a sand pit area of part of the river.  

One thing unlike Michigan where you can find a lake to swim in anywhere, finding outdoor water to swim in that's not a pool is very difficult here in Nebraska, they did have a pool and first it was closed but second we didn't want to pool swim!  That would be the only slightly bummer note.  

We had a lot of fun last night and played cards and just had a great time.  

Then this morning a bit annoyed, my plan of eating breakfast and coffee on our last morning out on the porch was destroyed as somehow the dogs got off the rope we had them leashed with, they had just been put out not 10 minutes and I heard a yelp and looked up and they were gone.  How in the world were we going to find them? Its only a 1640acres  state park you know, after about an hour of searching, we heard another yelp and thank the Good Lord, thier rope got caught on a tree not far from the cabin, and we only had time to hurry and pack and clean and head out.  I was not happy!  

On the way home we stopped in O'Neil about an hour drive because their is a CMRI chapel there and we wanted to see it on our way home.  Next year we are so going for longer!!!!

hanging around the cabin

Hiking the Niobara State Park 

River Fun

Back at the cabin

The Lodge at the State Park

O Neil Nebraska little church in the country

The Cabin The living room

kitchen

screened in porch

one room at the front of cabin, girls room

2nd bedroom at back of cabin, boys room

3rd room me and Steve took

kitchen

Hiking

Lodge Area