Homecoming Weekend

Tyler with his date Julianna

She is a very nice young lady

who also was on the Homecoming Court

She is a Senior, he a Junior way to go buddy!Pinning on the flower. No one really knows how to do that!
I think they look GREAT!!!!

Fall Activities

I wanted to post a picture of Austin in his Class A uniform for Marmion.

He is required to wear this at school on certain days.

I think he looks Great!This is Tom and I after Andrews friends had all of their s'mores

Tom went right to bed after this picture, he was tired

I on the other hand had 10 wild and crazy boys.

This is them after playing football, they still

had a bunch of energy

Andrew at school for his chorus concert. This is

our first time with anyone in concert.

I think he had a good time.

Tom and Andrew at half time.

Tom is the Offensive coach, Andrew plays

defense.

Andrew in the pack getting instructions.


Trevor with his defensive team, he is doing a great job.
In 4 games he has a bunch of sacs, hurried plays, interceptions
unfortunately his team is not doing very well.
I keep encouraging Trevor to just keep working on yourself
and do what you can to make yourself better.

This is Trevor kicking the ball off.
He is a great kicker, I think the soccer helps

Trevor at a tourny, their team lost in the semi-finals.

He did awesome, and no Yellow Cards

I spoke with our Adoption Agency and they are waiting on one more piece of information from our Home Study Coordinator, but things are progressing well. I really feel God at work in our lives and only He knows the perfect timing for all that happens.

Happy 10th Birthday Andrew

Andrew this summer at the golf course

Andrew with Samson when he was 7 year old

My how he has changed.

Hope you have a great day.

Remembering 9/11

I remember exactly where I was on that day. I was getting ready for a clothing re-sale and I was very very busy. As you all know I am not the most orgainzed so when it comes to labeling and pricing it takes me a long time.

Well I was working away in my basement and I got a phone call from Kelly, she told me a plane just hit a building in New York, oh o.k. was my response. I continued working without the T.V. on or the radio, Kelly calls me a little later and told me I had to see this on T.V.. Well the rest of my day, I sat there on the couch unable to move with my jaw dropped open and feeling a sense of loss. I didn't know anybody in the buildings, but my heart went out to them just the same. We are blessed to live in this country and to have the rights that we have, but it is not free, our servicemen and women fight everyday so that we can be safe, I think of all the firefighters and police who sacrificed their lives for the good of others. They are true heros and deserving of honor. Lets remember all who fight for our country today and pray for them and their families.

Summers over?

Here is a fuzzy pic of our extreme tubing adventures

It starts off nice and slow but surely it

gets WILDHere is Kelly with Sara and Julie with Matthew
Julie and Me

Here I am at the Chicago Bean

When I went to get my documents

Apistille, Kelly came with and it was such a beautiful day.

We walked all around Michigan Ave and had a fun time.

Samsons Paw/School

Here is Samson with his hurt front paw.

We went to the vet and he had to pull out

Samsons toe nail.

Poor Baby, he was just limping all over Andrew at the start of 4th Grade
Tyler is a big Junior

Trevor as a 7th Grader

The house is too quiet.

Maybe this time next year we will have our Princess!

School Time for Austin

Austin started school

Here he is in his school uniform

He is holding up 9 fingers for 9th GradeHere he is in his Military Uniform

He looks handsome
So far he is enjoying school.
He already had homework
I pray he does well and becomes
a man of God.

Who is that good looking kid?

Austin had his Orientation today at Marmion

We got to meet some of his teachers and staff

Then he had to...CUT off his long stringy hair.

I was very happy.

He was not.

But after it was done

he didn't think it looked

too bad.

I think he looks good.

What a smile.

Taxi service anyone?

We are back from the lake and things are busy as usual. Austin is trying out for the school soccer team at Marmion, Trevor and Andrew have their travel soccer, and Trevor and Andrew also are doing football. Trevor is with a new team this year it is a travel league in Naperville called the Chargers. Trevor has an awesome Coach, he played college football and his son is awesome. Trevor really has bonded with the coach and his son and challenges Trevor to be a better football player. Trevor received a playbook to study I kid you not this things is 300 pages of plays and it is from the U of Florida, man he has a lot of studying to do. Andrew has decided to go to St. Raphael football again this year, he will have Tom and Trevors former coach, Pat Oliver. He will be with new kids so I think he will have fun learning new things.

So as you can tell by this schedule that I am an official Taxi service. Drive kids here, drive kids there. If you want to get a hold of me in the evenings call my cell because more than likely I am out a field somewhere.

Tyler is finally done with Summer School. He wanted to take an extra class in Math so he would be ahead. He did well. I tell him he is a professional student because he loves school so much.

All of our paperwork is done now and now we wait. Wait to hear from our agency for a referral. In the mean time we just keep busy doing sports.

Middle of Summer Pics

Here is an awesome pic of my great husband.

He was out fishing with the boys.Trevor, Andrew and I rode our bikes along

Lake Shore Drive

It was BEAUTIFUL!!!!

We stopped at Lincoln Park Zoo

Can you believe I have never been there before

It was really nice, and free too!!

This was at one of the many beaches along the Drive

This is at Navy Pier

View from Navy Pier

More Summer Pics

It was raining on 4th of July

But this was a beautiful picture of our flag.

All the cousins and Uncle Gerry playing

a double game of Risk

Our friends from church

The Busch Family

George Family

We had an awesome time together.

We were able to teach the kids all

new activities

"The summer of trying new things"

Austin with a beautiful sunset
Andrew with Samson

We are having a great time relaxing at the lake.

I received news from our Social Worker that our Home Study has been submitted for review from the home office. All of our paperwork is complete. We will wait to hear from them to let us know what the next step will be. We Wait.

Relaxing

Well the week has been wonderful. We had Toms family down for the 4th of July and the weather was not great. We did however enjoy tons of games. Settlers of Caton, Risk, more Risk, yet more Risk, and LCR. It is great when all of the cousins can play the games and it gets all the ages involved.

Sunday was a beautiful day and were able to play on the lake. The kids favorite is still the "Extreme Tubing" that we do.

Austin is taking his airplane flying lessons today so I have to go now and pick him up from the airport. Enjoy the summer.

Lake House

It sure feels good to be at the lake again. I will be here for most of the month, Tom will go home to work. It will take a while for the kids to decompress but I'm looking forward to relaxing. Most of our paperwork is ready, we r just waiting for the homestudy to be approved. We are getting really close now. Maybe by this time next year our daughter will be here enjoying the lake. Hope you all have a great summer.

Camp #2

Here is Kelly at Great America, she is waiting for her favorite ride

The Viper

We took Austin and Nathan, we had a great day, but it was very hot

Can you believe Trevor had football camp this week?

The temp was way above 90 deg, and Trevor

said that on the field it was way over 100 deg.

He loved it though.

It is hard to tell, but that is him in all white

with a dark blue helmet.

He is playing some sort of linebacker I think.

Is this to weird.

Andrew went to camp the next day after

Trevor, and guess what? He got the same

cabin and same bed that Trevor had.

He does have a different counselor.

His name is Steve-O Andrew and Matthew in front of the infamous cabin

1 week down

Here is Andrew at Camp, we were picking up

Trevor and listening to the awesome music.

Trevor had to make a trip to the emergency room

on Friday night at camp.

He started having a hard time breathing and his eyes were getting puffy.

The nurse thought he was having an allergic reaction (to what)?

Doc checked him out and he was fine, but I wonder what that bill is going to cost.

Cha Ching, can you say ATM (Automatic Tommy Money) to the rescue?

Camp was awesome though for Trevor

that is his leader with the bandana his name

is Ryan, and those are his bunk mates.

Here is Nathan and Andrew

at VBS

This was Monday night snack

For those of you who don't know, I help run the VBS at Westmont Alliance Church, this is Toms church where he grew up. They have wonderful people who love the Lord and want to reach out to the community there but lack some of the funds. Kelly, Julie and I help out so that this church which means so much to all of us go back each year and help out. It really is a blessing to us to have God move mountains (schedules) to see this church fill up with 70 or so kids and have laughter and smiles grace the halls. We had 5 kids accept Christ and it was such a renewal in my heart that God uses all people and all circumstances to help build His Kingdom.

Summer Time is here

Heres my wittle buddy playing a mean game of soccer

They won 5-3

Andrew did great!

Look at that technique

for his throw in! Heres my # 2 graduating from 8th Grade

Man my guys are good looking
Off to Marmion for Austin

Here is Trevor in front of his cabin

Surgery on my mouth went well. I am a little swollen on the left side but doing pretty good. I am on a liquid diet, maybe this will help me loose weight? I doubt it, I already had my 2nd bowl of ice cream with chocolate on top. Umm Umm good. Today I took Trevor to camp, he was so happy he got to go in the same cabin Hickory Hill. He was very excited to be there and couldn't wait for the fun to start. I will miss my sporto buddy.

our ATM is very busy

Our ATM is (Automatic Tommy Money) is getting very, very low. I mean this week is a killer, Trevors Teeth, Sally Teeth, Austins Teeth, Dogs to the vet, kids needed their physicals, it just keeps on going.

Things are moving right along now for the adoption. I received my I-600a confirmation letter in the mail today Yeah, and Tom had his finger prints done. I went to have my finger prints redone. Our Letters of Referals are being done and I received the rough draft of our homestudy today.

I'll be getting my bone implant for my implant in my mouth done on Friday, YUCK, YUCK I hate the dentist and everything in the mouth.

Hopefully we will have some nice weather because it sure is yucky out.

Field Day/Sox Game/Graduation Dinner

Here is Andrew at his Field Day.

He is getting ready to throw a softball. This is us before we left for the Sox Game

On the drive in

this was a pretty view

Here is Austin and Andrew.

The Sox Game, 1st Inning

Scott Podsednik on 2nd.

Sox Lost Big Time

5 - 0

10th time shut out this season

most in the MBL (Blaaaahhh)

Pretty cool firework display afterwards.

They were really neat

Austin wanted to go to

Buffalo Wild Wings

Here is the gang celebrating