Okay...my reasons I love summer...

I'm going to try this again...but since the last time I have added one more reason why I love summer:

Exhibit A:

You can't find this activity in the winter time...actually I don't think you can find this activity anywhere else except in the Midwest...although maybe in the South too...do you know what it is:

I took these pictures with my phone so they aren't the greatest quality...but still...not bad!

Yep...you guessed it (wait...you didn't?!?) it is a pick-up truck derby! Jon and I went to it the week of the Fourth of July at a county fair...it was a lot of fun...I actually do like derby's...especially when they have pick-up trucks! My favorite one was a turquoisey blue (how do you like that color description?!?) older looking truck but he didn't win...rats. Anyway...reason number one for liking summer...derby and county fair time (and I didn't even mention the yummy deep fried fair food!).

Exhibit B:

Well actually I don't have a picture for this one, although I wish I did, but I love fireflies! And you don't get those in the winter either! While we were driving home one night I asked Jon if he had seen any yet, and his reply was no...so I pressed my nose to the window (not really but it makes for a better visual) to find those fireflies. Well I did see one and I was so excited that I said...oh...there's one! Which lead to Jon slamming (well maybe slamming is too hard of a word but the breaks did go on) on the brakes and me thinking...wow...he really wanted me to see the firefly. Well he totally forgot about my question and was sure that I was talking about a deer...I forgot that I was suppose to be looking for those...ha...maybe you had to be there...it was funny! But then being the sweet guy he is...on the Fourth while we were watching the fireworks from Valley Grove there were a lot of them up there and so we ran around like kids again trying to catch them...I don't know but I think there used to be a lot more of them then there are now...and I think that they are getting faster 'cause we only caught one. But it was sure fun watching Jon run and leap trying to catch them for me...I'm sure I looked funny too but I can't see myself so I don't know! No...I probably look pretty graceful!

Exhibit C:

I love summer because teachers have the summer off. That means that my friend Chelsea and her hubby Philip can come and visit me! It was so much fun having them at our house and catching up with them! It has been way too long and they live all the way on the West Coast...which I heard is getting hit hard with a heat wave right now...they are not used to that...sorry guys! Here's a few pictures of us from their time here:

Chelsea and I....Chelsea was my maid of honor at my wedding...we have had a lot of fun times together and I miss her and wish she wasn't so far away...but we try to make the most of our times together!

After Chelsea took this picture she said...awe...you guys look like brother and sister. Actually, if you know my brother, Sam and Philip could look a lot a like!

Here's the cute couple that just celebrated their 3rd anniversary...it was a great wedding to be in ...116 degrees in a church that had no air conditioning...that was not my kind of summer! But their wedding was beautiful and so much fun to be in...thanks guys!

Exhibit D:

Bonfires and Smores! Since we put our fire pit in last year we've really been trying to take advantage of it! And this summer has been great because it hasn't been overly hot and there haven't been too many bugs!

Levi

Levi and big teaser Jon in the background

Jon and Greta

Toasted Marshmallows...duh!

Jon's sister Annette and Logan

Exhibit E: (don't worry...I won't go through the whole alphabet...I'm almost done)

My pretty flowers...although they are hard work keeping them looking nice. We haven't had a lot of rain this year so I've had to put my A game on and get out there and water them...I usually forget!

Okay...I think I'm done...I do love the summer...or the activities of the summer...and I am very thankful that this one hasn't been too hot!! In other news...we are in the Book (for the adoption agency)! So...let the calls start coming in! In another post I'll put the pictures in of our scrapbook...it turned out cute. And check out our kids' blog...I tweaked it a bit to cutesy (is that a word and if so...how do you spell it?!?) it up! Also...(wow...I do have a lot to say today!) I have been reading through Job lately and it's so good! So I am thinking about doing another blog for a Bible Study where we can all read the same thing...I'll post the passage on the blog...and then in the comments section we can discuss it...it's like a book club...online! What do you think? Okay...running for now...

Ahhhh...I can breath

That's what I said on Wednesday when I a.) finished my scrapbook for the adoption agency and b.) found out that I didn't have to do a third draft of my "dear birthmom" letter! Yea! We are so close to going into "The Book" at the agency that it is not even funny! I am so sorry that I have been MIA on this blog...maybe no one even checks it anymore! But I do have some entries that I cannot wait to get on here (like answering your questions about the adoption process...so if you have any more let me know)...and now maybe I'll have more time! Anyway...for the time being I just thought I'd get on here real quick and give you an update and thank you for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers as we finished up the paperwork and all for the adoption stuff. It does feel good to breath again! And I was going to tell you about why I love summer around here but blogger is not letting me post my pictures...and I really need my pictures to tell the story (well maybe not...but I'd like them) so I guess you'll have to wait until next time :) But...I will give you one reason right now why I love this summer...65 degrees today...yes...I do love this weather! I am not one that likes it hot and sticky...anywhere from about 60-78 is perfect for me. Well I hope you all are enjoying your summer so far...and I will talk to you soon! (And hopefully be able to post pictures!)

Writers Block

So I'm trying to work on our "Dear Birthmom Letter" but I'm having writers block....I know...hard to believe huh! So then I realized it's been a while since I've written on here so....here I am! Just a quick update on what's going on in our lives. We are officially done with any meetings we have to go to for all the adoption stuff. We now just have to write our letter and then make our picture book and then turn it all in. The whole letter writing thing is not easy. How do you tell all about yourself and all that you like to do in one letter. And it's kind of a funny thing...you feel like you are marketing yourself to a potential birthmom and something about that doesn't necessarily feel right. But I'm just going to pray about it and pray that the right words would come out and reach the one woman who is suppose to be our birthmom to our baby. So I guess you could pray about that for us too:) I'm hoping to have all this done by the first of July but then I realized that that is only in 2 weeks and they make you write 3 different drafts of your letter before it is finalized so we'll see if it gets done by then...I hope so. Also, I realize that some of you may have questions about all this adoption stuff that I haven't answered yet so please feel free to leave a comment and I'll try to answer any questions. Moving on...about 10 days ago (or so) I saw on Steven Curtis' website (or his managers blog) that they were looking for pictures of dads with their little girls to play on a slide show with the song Cinderella for Father's Day (on a side note...that song came out when we were pregnant with Emmalee and Jon always said he was going to dance with her to it...well...it's one thing he's now looking forward to doing in Heaven...and we also know all to well the lyrics..."all too soon the clock will strike midnight (or in our case...noon) and she'll be gone"...). Well I decided I would send a picture of Jon holding Emmalee in and see if it made it...guess what...I checked today and there it was! So head on over to www.stevencurtischapman.com and see it for yourself...the whole slide show is about 4 min 25 sec and Jon and Emma's picture is at the 3:40 mark. It was just so cool to see...for me at least:) They did a very good job and it's very sweet to watch...I think you all will like it. Let's see...oh...our pastor has been doing some great sermons lately so sometime I'm going to post the link on here so that you can listen to them as well...they have been awesome and very inspiring...but I'm looking at the clock here and realize I better get back to work! Please also be in prayer for us on Friday...this is my would be due date with the boys...in all likely hood they would have already been here with us but this date just seems to be looming over me lately. It's going to be a hard day but we'll make it through. My sister-in-law, Annette, asked me to go shopping that day so that will be fun and it will help take my mind off of the day for a bit. And I realize that I haven't posted on the other site for a while and I do intend to get back but I've just been processing some things and I'm not ready to write them yet. But I do plan on writing something on Friday so we'll see. Well thank you in advance for any prayers you send up on our behalf...we greatly appreciate them. And if there is anything I can ever pray for you please leave a comment or send me and e-mail...I would love to return the favor! Talk to you all later!

Pretty Pretty Pictures & Jon's Birthday

So I thought I'd get on here and show you some pictures of all my flowers...I think I'm done as I have spent way to much moola on them already! But once I got started I just couldn't stop! Unfortunately I don't have a picture of the wagon that I did out at the cemetery...I'll have to get one on here later! And then we also celebrated Jon's birthday this last weekend (May 30th)...he wanted to go to a big nursery here in the Twin Cities, where we picked out more plants and flowers! We also stopped by Fleet Farm (or for those of you in IL...Farm and Fleet) and picked up some seeds for the garden and a couple new bird feeders! And then we went out to eat at the Quarterback Club here in town. Big birthday plans! Oh...and we also planted our part of the garden out at the farm...kinda on a whim but we hadn't gotten out there yet and you need to get seeds into the ground if you want to have a harvest later...so we thought we'd better just do it! Then on Sunday we went out to eat with my parents and my mom made him a homemade carrot cake that had to weigh 10 lbs...it was really good and I don't even like carrot cake. That's about all that's new with us. As far as the adoption stuff goes we have all 4 meetings next week! That's just how it worked out! So it will be a busy week but at least we'll be done. Then we will just need to write our letter and get our photo book done! Wow! It's exciting! Thanks for keeping us in your prayers...we really appreciate it! Now on to the pictures...enjoy!

Emmalee's Wagon...full of flowers...again! Do you see the two little turtles in there? It's like Where's Waldo...look hard! I found them at Cub Foods last year and thought they were too cute to leave at the store...so they now make their home in Emmalee's Garden!

I just like this shot

Our neighbor, Bob, fixed my wheelbarrow from last year...it totally fell apart after I had flowers in it and started watering it. Isn't it cute:)

I just think this flower is so pretty...don't ask me what it's called though...that...I don't know.

My dairy box on my front step...it didn't turn out as cool as last year...oh well.

This is a metal trike that my mom bought for us to have in our yard in memory of the boys. A client of mine actually gave me the flowers to put in it...it's actually a hanging basket but when I put it into the opening of the trike to see if that size pot would work I fell in love with it there so I left it!

Here's the metal flower that my mom got us in memory of Emmalee.

An old freezer basket I had...I thought it turned out cute.

Don't you just love the yellow ones with the purple centers!

I planted these flowers in old enamel wear bowls that I had gotten from Jon's grandma Hedvig.

I just love the pink and green together!

Our hanging basket by our front door

Look Lynne! My bleeding hearts came back! Aren't they so pretty!

Some other very cool flowers that I have no idea what their name is...but aren't they pretty!

I didn't do anything special with these...just put them in the bowl in the container I got them in...I guess I finally got lazy. I just love the way impatients look like little roses when they bloom.

Do you see our little hummingbird?! I guess he's liking our new bird feeders!

My rock garden and flower pots

Our backyard landscaping...doesn't our grass look great! Jon has worked very hard on it to make it look this good!

Jon cutting his cake...would you just look at that thing! And yes...it did taste as good as it looks:)

My mom and dad...aren't they cute!

Sam and Britt...picture perfect!

The birthday boy and his very blessed wife....man...I love this guy! He is the best! Love you Jon!

Well would you look at that!

**When I posted yesterday I forgot to thank you all who have written us lately...I thank you for all the e-mails and Facebook messages...I am going to try real hard next week to write back to all of you but for now I wanted to make sure I thanked you here...thank you for all your great words...they mean so much to us! Okay...now you can go ahead a read the rest of my post... :)

Look who got all wild and crazy on you! It's me! I figured out how to change my blog! I are smart! ha! Well look out now...now that I know how to do this it might be changing all the time! Or not...we'll see. Anywho...just thought I'd jump on here today and play around a little. I've been wanting to do it for a while but it just has seemed to be so busy...but...we finished our last home study meeting today and turned in all of our paper work so...yea....we are part way done! That feels like a huge load is lifted off my shoulders...there was so much crazy paperwork and it feel like you have to jump through so many hoops but I know that it will be worth it! Now we just have to do some workshops, go to a couple more meetings, create our Dear Birthmom letter, and create our picture book....which I think that will be fun to do...or maybe I'll stress over it...yeah...maybe a little...I'm kind of a perfectionist when it comes to something like that...but it will be fun. This whole process of adoption is really exciting and scary all at the same time. Right now it seems like a lot of stuff to do but then in a month or so we'll just be sitting around waiting for the phone to ring. So if any of you out there know of a mom who isn't quite ready to raise her child, please pass on our information to her...we'd love to meet her! After I get my scrapbook done I'll try to take a few photos and post them on here for you. Moving on...we had a fabulous weekend. My time down in IL was super fun catching up with Adam and Katie and getting to know Lucas and Emily. Lucas wasn't too sure of me at first but by the end of the night I even had him sitting on my lap for a bit. Thanks for a great Friday night guys! Our trip back on Saturday was fun...it's always a good time when I'm with my mom and dad. We stopped at this cool little market...they had a greenhouse and a natural foods market all in one...I wish we had more time to spend there but I did manage to pick out some really pretty flowers. I'll post some pictures on here later of them...once they bloom a little more. And Memorial Day was good...we pretty much cleaned our house to get it ready for the home visit today by our Adoptive Parent Counselor (we passed by the way!)...but we did take a little time in the afternoon to go fishing with one of Jon's buddies and his son. And that's about it. Nothing too exciting! Well I'd better get going here...Jon is on his way home and we are off to go get our new couch and loveseat! Our carpet looks great by the way...maybe I'll post a picture of that too...some other day. Here's a few pictures from my mom's 50th Birthday for you now...sorry mom...I was a little late in getting them on here (her birthday was March 31st!). Have a great week!

Mom with her basket of 50 things!

Make a wish!

Just taking care of things

Hey all! I've been wanting to get on here and post for a while now and I just never seem to make the time for it! And unfortunately, today is not the day either but I just wanted to put a little update on here to let you know what's going on in the lives of the Feldman's. I would have wrote a longer post today including some pictures but I just got a call from the carpet store that they are coming to install our carpet tomorrow and so I must get everything out of the office and living room. And since I am doing that...there goes my Internet...for now. So...I have a lot of work to do...so this will have to be short! Things are going good around here...I survived Mother's Day...actually I wasn't feeling so hot that day...don't know if it was allergies or upset stomach or just emotions of the day. We went to church and that was basically it...and I think that's okay...it was a nice day just to be at home and be by ourselves. I did however go out with my mom and sis-in-law, Britt, this last Saturday to celebrate Mother's Day and they gave me a beautiful painting that Britt did...I will have to get a picture of it on here...some other day:) We both loved the picture...the only problem with it Britt.....you didn't sign it!!!!! So I'll have to get it back to you so you can add your John Hancock (or as Tommy Boy would say...your Herbie Hancock) to it:) But seriously...thank you! Three months have also passed since the boys arrived all too soon...and my due date is coming fast...June 19th...it will be good to get past that marker...seems like it hangs over your head. But God is good. And yes...I have planted Emmalee's wagon...full of flowers again! I know you're not really suppose to put so many in there, as they will spread, but mine last year survived so I did it again! And I also got another smaller wagon at an antique store and I planted that one for out at the cemetery...and yes...I will get pictures of that on here as well! Let's see...what else...oh...our friends, Brandon and McKenzie, were in town so we got to have lunch with them on Sunday...we met them at Faith's Lodge in February and we hit it off! They have family in Burnsville so we are very fortunate that we'll be able to see them every once in a while! We had a good time and it's just so nice having friends that have been where you've been and know what we're going through. We can't wait to get together with them again! And I totally forgot to post about my mom's 50th birthday...that was back in March...but I have pictures so I'll post them. As far as the adoption stuff goes we are still in the process of filling out paper work. We have our last home study meeting this next Wednesday and then we have to go to a few workshops, write our Dear Birthmom letter, and do a picture book. There is still so much to do but it's exciting. I am really hoping to be in "The Book" in July...and then we will just keep praying that a birthmom picks us...and hopefully soon! I'm getting kind of tired of being patient!:) Well I think I've updated you on most of what's going on...I am heading out of town Friday and Saturday...I'm going to visit some friends of mine that live in IL...my parents are heading there for a wedding so I'm tagging along to see my friend Adam and his wife Katie and their two kids...so it should be fun times! And then next week is the home study on Wednesday so it might be the following week before I get a real good post on here:) Talk to you all then!

Long time!

Wow! I am an absentee blogger! Well as most of you know April turned out to be a very busy month for us. As if it weren't enough that April was the one year mark for us of Emmalee's birthday and her going Home day, I switched salons, we had Easter, we ran up to Brainerd for an art show, celebrated my father-in-laws birthday and we started a very exciting process...but I'll get to that later. I want to thank you all for your many many prayers on our behalf. We are doing good...God is good all the time. I know I say that a lot, but I also want you to know that I believe it too. So...a little recap of our month:

Emmalee's Birthday: I've already written about it on our other blog but we had a wonderful day full of flying kites, releasing balloons, feeding our faces on hamburgers, hot dogs, and of course, birthday cake, and just remembering our sweet girl.

Ronald McDonald House: The day after Emmalee's birthday we went down to the RMD House and fed the families there. If you have a House near you I would really encourage you to get involved with it, whether it be serving a meal or just donating something as simple as toilet paper (but donating treats is much more fun!). It is just so gratifying and we personally know how wonderful it is to come "home" to a warm, home cooked meal! And don't forget to save your pop tabs!

Easter: We had a wonderful Easter. We were at the farm and my whole family was able to join us as well! The kids of course loved their Easter egg hunt (put on this year by Auntie Gretchen)! The pails they are holding I made for them a few years ago for their egg hunts...I still can't believe they like to use them! Some of them look like they are in need of a little TLC...I'll have to get them fixed for next year!

Marguerite's Salon: After all that happened this last year I just felt like I needed a change. So I moved salons. It was a hard choice, as everyone down at Trippers Clippers were so good to me, but I made it and so far things are going really good. I'm starting to feel like I'm getting settled.

Molly's Art Show: Molly is the 8 year old daughter of my dad's cousin, Debbie. Molly has been taking art lessons (I think she's pretty talented for only being 8) and she was able to have her own art show at a gallery in Brainerd. Molly told us that she had created a piece of art work in memory of our Emmalee, Owen and Cooper but she wanted to know if she could keep it to show at her art show. Well of course we had to go up there and see it, so along with my parents we made a weekend of it and it was a lot of fun. Above you can see the painting she did for us. She depicted all our babies as angels and they all got their own clouds! And I love the picture of her showing Jon her art work. He really liked that painting and she was telling him how she did it. I think he convinced her to to one for him! And then the picture of my mom with Raggedy Ann and Andy...it was really cute...plus my mom is so photogenic that I had to include this picture!

Emmalee's One Year in Heaven: As with Emmalee's birthday I have also written about this one on the other blog. We had a great day remembering Emmalee and we had a lot of fun with these ladies at lunch! (Emma's nurses)

Jim's 70th birthday: Jim turned 70! I think he only looks like he's turning 49! We had a barbecue for him out in the shop and of course there was cake there too! Here he is standing next to one of his Oliver tractors that he is working on restoring. He even just got himself written up in a magazine with one of his tractors. Pretty cool!

So that was our month in a short recap. Oh wait...I did elude to something else. Well...you see these two people:

well they are excited to tell you that they have started the Adoption Process! That's right...we have always felt that someday we would like to adopt and so we figured...why wait. Let's get going on it now. We are very excited...and a little overwhelmed (there is so much paperwork!) but we are well on our way. We have had one of our home study meetings so far and the next one is scheduled. We still have few months before we get our letter put into "The Book" for birth mom's to see and hopefully pick us. But we couldn't be more excited to see how God is going to build our family.

And I mentioned this on the Feldman Baby blog but I am going to use this blog for our day to day activities and use the other one as a blog where I can write down my thoughts and feelings on our journey thus far...and write about our babies of course...but it's going to not just be Emmalee's blog anymore....I'm making her share it with her brothers...after all...she should learn to share:) Well thanks for making it this far into the post. I hope you all have a great week and I hope I become better at keeping this blog updated!