Happy 12 Birthday Stuart

Happy 15 Birthday Grant!

Here are a few pictures of Grant from the past 2 or 3 years

Grant on the way to Liberty Day 07

Grant's Birthday last year

Grant decorating the bathroom door for Christmas

Grant and Stuart's about three years ago

May FLowers

The other day the kids where playing outside and came in all decked out in flowers.
Eleanor was supposed to be a Queen, with a crown, ring, and necklace. Maggie was her baby.
Evin and Erick, had headphones and mp3 players

zzzzz...

After a hard days work it always feels good to kick back and catch a few zzzz's

Last Sunday...

This Past Sunday the Carlson family Opened their home to us.
We enjoyed delicious food, learning new games and just getting to know the Carlson family
a little better.

I Lost My First Tooth!!

Easter 2007

Here are a few pictures from Easter morning ...

Sisters in new dresses and BIG smiles.

Anna Vonholten, Joanna Erber, and Raeanne Carlson
blessing the church with music

Breakfast

Grandpa's 76 Birthday

Last Saturday we went over to Grandpa and Grandma Strand's house to celebrate
Grandpa's 76th birthday and Easter.

It was also a good time for the younger kids who enjoyed playing with their cousins, and eating
Grandpa's traditional birthday cake.

We took them to Court !

Last Wednesday we finally finished the last step in what has been a long two year journey to adopt the
three youngest, Eleanor, Erik, and Maggie. We have been through much and I believe grown as a family
in many more ways than one.

Our appointment with the judge was scheduled for 2:50 in the afternoon, a very cold and windy afternoon.
The Erbers and Yens came over to our house about 1:45, and around 2:00 o'clock we where on the road.
After a 20 to 25 min. drive, we all piled out and got into the court house as quick as we could.

After going through security up four flights of stairs, and through a few doors
we where in the hallway out side the courtroom, where we met Grandpa and Grandma Strand
the court session all where running about 10 minutes behind. But after waiting we all went in and sat down,
and all the proper legal things where said and done. It all went pretty smoothly except there was a
piece of paper that went missing somewhere between the time when we filled it out and when it was put on
the judges desk.

When all we got home, we eat dinner and sat around and chatted while some of the boys went out and had a
war of cornstalks. ( fun for those who wish to partake in such a sport, and a lot of fun for those who are watching:)
Grandpa and Grandma left about 6:30 and everyone else after 7:30.
Although this was the end of all the legal part of the adoption. It is not the end, Merely the end of the beginning. We look forward to what God has in store for our family.

Christmas in March...

In the past years our family goes to my Aunt's house to celebrate what is known as "Pawpaw Christmas".
This past year however we where not able to get together with my Aunt and her family, but instead

we where able to host Pawpaw and Grandma at our home. Beside exchanging Christmas gifts,
they where able to meet the three latest additions to our family... and partake of the

many carefully prepared meals that Eleanor and Maggie made them withe Maggie's new
kitchen (complete with cell phone and dishwasher) and play food.

Although the weather was very cold, inside our house was nice and warm, and smiles
and laughter was abundant.

At Christmas time

I thought this was a cute picture of Erik, Aunt, Cousin.

Happy 6th Birthday Erik !

Our Family.

We have been rather busy the last month (and enjoying every moment of it) so there has not been a lot of time for blogging. I think the volume and excitement level in our house has been increased by 33 1/3%. And we are really enjoying that precious hour in the afternoon when we all lay down and read. The other night my parents and Erick where gone over dinner, and I thought wow there is such a small group around the table tonight, and then I realized that not even a month ago this was how big our family was, how fast things change. The Social worker came for the one month review required by Liberia last Friday. She was very nice, and everyone was very well behaved. As she was leaving she informed us that for our two month review we where all supposed to go to her office, but she thought she would come to our house instead because our family was too big to fit in her office :) I will be posting some pictures of all the goings on at the Strand house soon.

They came !

Monday morning at about 10:30 we left for the airport. Stopping first at the store to get dippers (a much needed necessity when traveling with a two year old) then to the Erbers, who where going with us to the airport to take pictures. The Erbers finding out that our family had, had a nutritious feast of beef jerky, crackers, and coke for lunch, quickly whipped up some turkey salad sandwiches chips and water (defiantly more filling then our first lunch). When we got to O’Hare airport about 1:00 where we where met by The Other Strands, who had driven all the way there from West Bend Wi.
The kids plane landed at about 1:30, after the excitement of knowing that there plane had landed, we waited, and waited, and watched the female TSA guard (chuckle chuckle :) strut around in her big sunglasses, very loudly inform people of the things they needed to, and firmly, fervently, informing us that she did not want to be in our home videos and pictures.
And then we saw them our cute little kiddos! After many hugs, kisses, tears, and pictures we said good bye to Mrs.Anglin, and The Other Strands. We all climbed in the Erbers van and headed back to their house. When we got there we dropped them (Erbers) off and drove their van home, had a wonderful dinner of grilled chicken, bread, and sauerkraut (given to us by Aunt Lia) And then We all went to bed.
The kids seem to be very sweet we can't wait till you all can meet them.

on our way to the airport