You Know It's Been Too Long...

Yes, we are alive...all four of us!
Photo taken Dickinson, North Dakota

...when you can't for the life of you remember your correct blog username and password combination (obviously, I did figure it out!).

or

....you get an email from a sweet follower in Pennsylvania asking you if you are okay because she hasn't seen you or heard you for oh, MONTHS?

or

....you have so many blog posts in your head, you can't even begin to put them all into words that make sense.

or

...after organizing the photos from the last three months, you seriously consider just pretending they don't exist because it is a little overwhelming...wanting to share all but knowing that won't happen and your readers would probably not be as excited about the 1000 pictures as you are!

So, just for the record, we are alive and doing well and incredibly BLESSED.

We have been to the USA and back.
We have successfully completed 33 weeks of pregnancy.
The love of my life (also known to me as TDH: Tall, dark and handsome!) has started his 3rd semester of college.
Chloe has started her second year of pre-school.
In about 6 weeks our lives will once again change forever, with the expected arrival of our much awaited little boy child, who, before you ask, does not officially have an official name. 
Chloe calls him "Miguel."  That is his "unofficial" name.  We will leave it at that!

While the number of photos from our glorious and full two months in the States is a bit overwhelming, we do want to share glimpses into our time with precious friends and family. What I will do is try to share a little bit everyday over the next few days.  This is part of my new resolution to divide and conquer my little world into "doable" pieces for each day.  Bear with me!

The day after Chloe and I arrived in California, we were honored to be invited to a lovely Tea in honor of my mother.  It was given by my aunt Heidi, cousin Jolyn and her three daughters.  My sister-in-law and Miss Haley were also present.  What a special time of sharing, eating and even a few tears!

Meet Haley.  We were overwhelmingly excited to finally meet this "tiny, but mighty" little niece of mine that I had ever only met in pictures, Skype and on the phone!  Talk about preciousness wrapped up into one fun little girl bubbling over with personality!

The first of many, many swim days for Miss Chloe.  She basically lived in the pool for two months as several of my relatives and friends have pools.  She quickly became a little fish.  She did not quite graduate to "swimmer" but certainly lost her fear of going under water and letting go of the edge of the pool.  Did not take long for the hours in the hot California sun to turn her a beautiful, warm brown color.

My sweet cousin, Jenelle, painting Chloe's toes for her.  Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately!) Chloe was exhausted from hours in the pool and the excitement of her first few days in California and she fell asleep on the job.  This lovely young lady spent hours, along with her sisters, playing with and loving on Chloe this summer.  Their mother spent the same amount of hours loving on me and giving up hours of her busy summer to sit, with tall glasses of iced tea, of course, and talk to me.  I don't have a picture of Jolyn, but thank you, girl.  You have no idea how you ministered to my spirit with the time you invested in the two of us this summer.  May God richly bless you!

Chloe, Alli girl and Chad boy!

Jenelle was the official make up artist for the ballet recitals and Chloe got "done up" too!

My mother and three young cousins were in two ballet performances our first week in California.  I was so proud of my beautiful mother that I just sat and gulped back tears through most of the nearly 2 hour recital.  Though I never knew it, ballet was always something my mother wanted to do.  How I admire her for stepping out of her comfort zone and doing it!

Grandma Phyllis and two of her girlies

What a privilege to call her Mom

Sister Love

My dear parents: dad bought the roses for Chloe to give to mom.

This I leave with you for today:
"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."                                                                             Romans 8:37-39