A few reasons why I love SuMmEr!

SuMmEr - gotta love it!

I love WiNtEr and FaLL and SpRiNg . . . but right now I am loving SuMmEr. Maybe it's the relaxed schedule, garage sale-ing, no pressure from school obligations, working and playing outside, riding bikes, taking walks, fresh fruit, beautiful flowers, the smell of freshly mowed grass, sun-kissed cheeks . . . I don't quite know. But I sure am loving it!

CeLeBr8!

On May 18th - Jacob will be 8 years old.

Jake,

I love you so much and hope you have a gr8 birthday!!!

Happy Mother's Day!

I am so thankful that God made me a mom!

Even from a young age it was my desire "just" to be a mom!

This is my first Mother's Day with Megan.

May 5, 1996

This was also one of my first times holding her.

I had to wait about one month to hold her.

She started out so tiny - we would have to hold her "kangaroo" style.
She weighed in at 2 pounds!

We tried for a long time to have Caleb and FINALLY

he came to us on July 4th, 1999.

He truly was our little firecracker!

He weighed in at 8 pounds and 9 ounces.

Jacob was a complete surprise for more than one reason!

The main reason being . . .

the doctor said that he was 98% sure we were having a girl.

So all along we planned on little Emily . . .

and were we surprised when a 10 pound baby Jacob was born!

Overwhelmed and Consumed!

Wow! I still am trying "to get over" the overwhelming feelings of meeting my bio dad and family. I have missed out on so much that now I want all I can get. I know that probably seems crazy, but . . . that is just how I feel. Talking, laughing, noticing similarities in physical looks and character traits, learning, texting, calling, seeing old pictures, talk of future plans, and spending time together have all but consumed my thoughts and time. To see the interaction between my kids and their "new" family warms my heart. Some people have said, "Aren't you rushing into this?" and I think to myself . . . "No, there's no better time than the present . . . we have to make up for "lost" time". However, one may look at it doesn't really matter . . . because until you are the one going through this whole process - you'll never know how it feels. One thing I do KNOW for sure is that all things happen for a reason/purpose and I am thrilled that this has happened to me (us) at this time.

Have you ever wondered . ? . ? . ? .

Have you ever wondered who you really are? Who you really look like? Why you act the way you act. Well, for a while now (42 years), I have been asking myself these questions. Yes, I knew that I was a ReHfElDt but I never knew my biological father. So for many years, this left me with unanswered questions. I have always been content with decisions that were made in my past, never really wanting to know anything about what really happened. I never had hurt feelings or held grudges - I had lived a happy life. But in recent months, I believe the Lord was preparing my heart. I have had so many more questions, desires to see who I look like, know family history, etc. Don't get me wrong, I am VERY thankful for the life I have lived, the ups and the downs, the people who influenced me - everything has happened for a purpose and I know that. BUT there's always been one little (well maybe not so little) piece missing to my puzzle. About 6 weeks ago, I received a phone call from my biological father - wow! What a surprise. Now I am finding out some of those answers to my questions. Since, we have been talking often and have been planning on meeting - pieces of my puzzle have been fitting in quite well. So this week, while we were in Chicago I got a long awaited call. Since my bio dad lives in Chicago he wanted to meet us at our hotel. I was so excited! I have waited for this for a LONG time. We did meet and had a great time catching up and getting to know one another. I look forward to what lies ahead!

ReSeMbLeNcEs

Ever since Caleb was little - we thought he looked exactly like a REHFELDT and he does. Especially like Uncle Timmy and Justin. One day not so long ago, Darla Burris drove up next to us at the bank and yelled out -" he looks just like Timmy" - we have heard that numerous times in his 10 years of life. Recently we received this picture and couldn't believe the ReSeMbLeNcEs of the teen on the left and Caleb.

What do you think???

Mini Get-a-way

Recently we found (on-line) a great deal that we didn't want to pass up - so on Rick's weekday off we took the kids on a mini get-a-way. . . . . to the Wilderness Resort.

The guys really enjoyed the waterrides. I hate tunnel tube rides (so I took pitures and read my magazines) and Megan wasn't feeling well - so she took a total of three tubes rides and floated down the lazy river.

Everyone got lots of exercise walking to all three parks and then the steps they all had to climb in order to ride those tube slides - PHEW! - they were all worn out.

Our suite was great! Too bad we didn't get to stay longer to enjoy it even more.

While the guys went swimmming on Thursday night -

Meg and I watched

Tammy and the Bachelor - I was named after these movies. :) View from our patio

JAKE

Caleb resting on the murphy bed

One of three indoor waterparks

Our suite at the Glacier Canyon

We stayed here Wed. night

Spa time!Heading off to the Dells

Leaving the Crowne Plaza

What's a girl to do before heading to the pool???

What a suite!

The boys room

The murphy bed

The Glacier Canyon

Have you heard of Where's Waldo?

The wave pool

The Hurricane

The Fantastic Voyage

WiNtEr'S LaSt HoOrAh!

Everyone that knows me - knows I LOVE winter, cold, snow and everything else that goes along with it!!!

But about this time of the year, I can start to smell the fresh air of spring, dream of all the spring cleaning, planting gardens, warm, sunny walks & bike rides and so on. My attitude gradually changes and I AM READY for spring.

BUT winter is still here and so I'll post a few of the boys' last hoorah in the snow.

The boys worked on these forts 3 different times to get them built up - they were proud of their work.

Thanks to our 60 some year old neighbor and the warmer temps the forts are all but gone. Roger (our neighbor) had a snowball fight with Rick and the boys and after he defeated them he started demolishing the snow forts - kinda rubbing it in their face that he was the champion.

So watch out Roger - if we get one more snowfall - you are in for it.

You don't mess with my guys and their snow forts.

Finally!

I really didn't realize that once I started a FB account - that I would hardly ever get to my blog. For one I really don't get alot of computer time - secondly, I just download pictures to FB and everyone can view them and I'm done. BUT recently, I found out that I have had an anonymous blog reader and am going to try my best to keep this blog updated especially for their sake. ; )

Shamefully we seem to be the least photographed in our family.

So here's our most recent picture!

My cousin,Beth and I at the Pampered Chef Spring Launch Conference in Chicago
I should have shut off my flash because my retarded camera does weird things when the flash is on. So pretend the pastel highlights are not there. :)

In Memory of Uncle David - Christmas 2007

Santa is spending his 1st Christmas in Heaven!