Thank you for your patience . . . again!!

Thanks for your patience while I finish the many posts that have been started over the past few months and post them (chronologically) So, if you see a post that says that we celebrated Levi's birthday recently, you haven't lost your mind - it WAS in March (not "recently") =( It's so much easier to not get behind on these things!

Anna is a 6 year old!

We can't believe our baby girl is already a big 6 year old. We celebrated the occasion about a week early. Anna is completely smitten with horses of late and got a dream come true party which involved sharing horse rides with a bunch of her friends. She was also delighted to discover that one of her gifts was a living, squeaking, super cute creature! Our dear friends Madison and Sydney presented Anna with a guinea pig of her very own!

Anna had the distinction of being the first in our family to celebrate her actual birthday while living in our travel trailer for the summer. We enjoyed our traditional birthday morning donuts and then headed off to the pool (which happened to open for the season on her birthday!)

We continue to be amazed with what a wonderful young lady our sweet Anna is becoming!

Grandpa Sid

We returned home a few days ago from a bittersweet but treasured visit with lots of extended family. The occasion was the funeral service for our beloved "Grandpa Sid".

Re-wind to 1967 when Kevin lost his father (to leukemia) at the age of six. Kevin's mom wisely sought out a "big brother" for him (through the "Big Brothers" program) ~ this is when Sid Smock entered Kevin's life. Sid (and his wonderful wife Ann), however, went above and beyond the typical big brother role, requesting that they be placed with both Kevin and his older brother, KC. Sid and Ann had 2 daughters (Kevin's age and a little younger). Long story short, the following decades found Kevin and KC enveloped in the love of a family; sharing laughter, making memories, enjoying long days by the lake, fishing trips, motorcycle rides, great conversations, trips to the mountains, holiday celebrations ~ life ~ together. Return to present day, where 45 years later, Kevin and his brother are still welcomed, esteemed and included as family by the Smocks.

All of us enjoyed the chance for re-connection and the kids, especially, enjoyed getting to know their cousins better. Kevin spoke at the service and did an excellent job. He and the others who shared were each able to represent the many facets of an incredible man in a way that (I believe) brought him much honor.

Goats!

Easter, and the weeks immediately following it, were eventful at our house this year. We had the great joy of serving as foster parents to a few baby (Nubian) goats. Our first pair (Ginger and Pappy - both girls) were 2 weeks old and only at our house for a few days. Since one of those days happened to be Easter, they had an Easter basket of their very own!

The girls were immediately followed by a sweet set of brothers (Copper and Liefie) who were born on Easter and came to our house when they were just 2 days old. Liefie had been the runt of the litter and had a rough start. He was born folded up and not breathing right away - he was tiny and a little wobbly, but made up for lost time quickly! We all took turns helping to bottle feed them and clean up after them. We kept them primarily in our basement bathroom, but they enjoyed lots of snuggles as well as frolicking and roaming about in the backyard.