Spring Trip To Georgia

Julia and David had an opportunity to go to Georgia this March to visit Nanny and Paw-Paw.  Julia had a wonderful time spending endless hours with her Daddy!  She came back a little spoiled.  She spent time with April and Family....and even had a sleep over with Bella. 

She taught PawPaw how to play snap.  A game of Julia's creation.  The rules change each time we play it.  PawPaw, played with her numerous games. 

 Great memories were made with her Nanny and PawPaw.  She enjoyed spending time with them.

 Julia made up with Aunt Torri....Aunt Torri scared Julia a couple years ago and was scared of her...however now they are best buds!  Cousin Jennifer was around too. 

 They went to Jennifer's work place and Julia was quite impressed by the moose hat! 

I am so glad that Julia had this time to make memories with her grandparents.  I held down the fort at home with the help of Grandma and Grandpa Vande Zande!

Today was...

Today was one of those days when I asked myself "what where you thinking when you thought you could handle 4 kids" and than I had a God moment.   This week I was asked "how where you able to adopt native american children?"  This caught me off guard, it made me realize how much of a miracle it was to be able to adopt our boys.  There are so many moments when I feel inadequate and incapible of raising these precious cildren, but all along God had a bigger plan than I could ever imagine.  So as I wrestle them to bed, work on math and spelling and get up in the middle of the night I need to remember that these are the moments God would give me the strength to handle and maybe even some day I will miss them!

Goodbye for now Grandma Damhof, but not forever!

Grandma Damhof was an amazing woman!

She wrote a letter to all of children and grandchildren to be read when she died. I just have to share it with you because she not only magnified Christ with her life but also with her death. Be blessed by her tonight!

Dated May 2009

To My Loved Ones,

I do not know how , nor when, I will die. No one picks the time of his or her death. Some die young and some live to be old like Grandpa and me. God will choose the day we die- God is good and loves us all. My death will not be a mistake.

If God wants me to come to Heaven and live with Him; then that is the best thing for us all. God has decided my work on earth is finished. It is time for me to live in Heaven with Him.

What a joy it will be! I can't imagine what kind of glory it will be to see Jesus face to face: and also see Grandpa again, my Dad, my mother, brothers, grandparents. How exciting Heaven will be! What a party we will have.

I have to say too, that death is a bit scary, just because we don't know what Heaven is like, There are so many things we don't know like what does an immortal body look like or What will we do in Heaven?

But we do know, that we are not our own, but belong body and soul, in life or in death, to our faithful Savior and Lord, so as I lay on my bed I commit my soul, my body, my family and my death to God. I will trust Him with both my body and my soul for eternity.

"Though God's wise and loving purpose clearly now, I may not see, yet I believe, by grace through faith all will work for good for you and me."  John Calvin

So when I die, you must not be too sad. Remember all the good times we had together at Lake Watab, birthday celebrations, pulling taffy, eating caramel rolls. I'm so glad I lived to see my grandchildren all grow into fine young men and women, and that I got to hold so many of my great-grandchildren and kiss them on the cheek. I love each and everyone of you so much.

â€"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, God is with me" and so with this certain knowledge I can face my death knowing that, "I shall dwell in the House of the Lord forever!" That is a long time. I will keep on living, I just won't live on earth anymore.

My prayer is that you will all come and dwell there with me! See you in Heaven!“ Goodbye for now, but not forever!

Love,

Mom, Grandma and G. Grandma

Deut. 33:12

If you are sad about my death; read this verse. God is talking about a hug-A big bear hug.

Pull this verse up under chin like you would a warm blanket on a cold winter night and be comforted. God will enfold you in His love and Spirit and give you comfort!

"When we all get to Heaven, What a day of rejoicing that will be. When we all see Jesus, we'll sing a song of victory!"

"We will see Him face to face and tell the story, Saved by Grace."

Christmas 2012

I am a little behind on blogging...there are so many things I want to remember about my kids when they are little...they grow up way to fast!  Bethany all packed and ready to go! 

 Pre-decroating the christmas tree snack...she thinks she is SO big now because she is sitting on a stool and not her high chair...however, when I put the high chair away because she no longer sat in it, she threw a fit!

An attempt at a christmas photo...yes that is an I-Pad and yes Bethany can cleary say I-pad...

 As good as it is going to get!

 

 Now for a family picture....

Time for presents:

 Julia's high light gift was her Doc Mc Stuffins doll...she LOVES playing doctor and was SO excited to have a real doctor doll!

 Aren't these 2 of the cutest boys around....I think so...they were pretty excited for their DS from Nanny and Paw-Paw.

 Bethany would have been thrilled with a roll of toliet paper because it is her favorite thing in the world to play with, eat and blow her nose with!

However we refrained from getting Bethany toliet paper and got her a dollie.

  Here is our Christmas letter of 2012....

Merry Christmas!

Dwight continues to work for Aurora County as the emergency manager.  He loves his job and enjoys being a Daddy. 

After 10 years of teaching Marty Ruth said goodbye to a job she loved and accepted a job in Platte teaching special education.  She now travels 45 miles a day rather than her 120 miles a day.  The windshield time was traded in for more time with her family. 

Gage is 7!  It is hard to believe that our toothless little boy is in the 1^st grade.   The switch to Dakota Christian has brought Gage coming home saying memory verses and singing praise songs.  A few of Gage’s favorites are animals, documentaries about animals, playing with his friends and playing Wii.   He has become a great reader and Mom and Dad need to remember that we no longer can “spell” secrets. 

Memphis is 6 and is in Kindergarten!  He loves his teacher (Grandma) and is beginning to read as well.  When asked by the newspaper what he would get for his mom and dad for Christmas he responded “A cat to chase away the mice.”  His wish came true and we have a new cat “Gilbert”.  A few of Memphis’s favorites include anything musical, taking anything apart, and playing animals and cars.   

Julia is 4 and LOVES preschool and her teacher.   She has mastered writing her name and is beginning to name letters of the alphabet.  Preschool has taught her how to be a good friend as well as many new songs and memory verses.  A few of Julia’s favorites include playing doctor, singing, and playing dolls. 

Bethany is 18 months and has developed her own personality.  She can’t sit still for more than 2 seconds.      She loves doing whatever her siblings are doing.  She goes to Papa’s 2 days a week and now when in trouble she will cry for her papa.  Bethany’s favorites include playing dolls, dancing and making messes!

We said good bye to Ruth’s grandma this year.  She was an amazing woman of God and wrote this scripture verse in her last Christmas letter:  God is Faithful!

“ Do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart

as long as you shall live teach them to your children and their children after them.”

 

May 2013 bring your family great memories and opportunities to teach your children about the wonderful things God has given us.

 The Baker’s

 

What they found

Mom is done with the angiogram and she has a tear in the artery and a Baker's cyst.  They will operate yet this afternoon to repair the artery and take out the cyst.  She will be in the hospital 2-3 days.  Will post as we get updates.

Mom

Mom is currently in Sioux Falls at the Heart Hospital with a aneurysm in her leg.  After they thicken her blood, they will do an angiogram to determine what type of aneurysm it is.  The type of aneurysm it is will determine the treatment.  We will not know much until this afternoon.
 

Our God is an Awesome God

Tonight on the way home from school Memphis was belting out a chorus of "Our God is an awesome God" with accompaning arm pit music.