Hengshan Girls Reunion - Day One Thursday, Jul 10 2008

Hi Everyone,
This weekend we are traveling to Estes Park, Colorado.  We are meeting up with the other eight families we traveled with to China when we adopted Gracie three years ago.  We have a reunion every year and this year is in Estes Park.  Along with our family is our niece Katie and our good friend Jessica.

Tonight we got as far as Strasburg, Colorado and stopped for dinner with our good friends Karla and Kevin and their children Josie, A.J. and Cade.    The grown-ups had a wonderful visit and the kids played like long time friends.  Below, find a few pics.  Tomorrow night we will post the first pics from Estes Park and all the Hengshan girls.

Dana

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Wheat Harvest Monday, Jul 7 2008

 

Hi Everyone,
Looking back on my childhood, one of my favorite times was Harvest.  I remember helping my Grandma get meals ready to take to the field so the men wouldn’t have to take time to come home and eat.  I remember getting to ride the combine with my Grandpa or Uncle Bill.  These are great memories - definitely a part of who I am. 

It has always made me sad that my kids would not have this memory - enter Uncle Ken.  Ken and Andy’s sister Leah will be getting married in a month or so.  I am thrilled for Leah and Ken and their happiness.  I am also happy because my kids now get the chance to experience harvest - their new Uncle Ken is a farmer and  willing to stop in the middle of his busy day and spend some time with Jackson, Grace and Gabriel. 

Of course we took lots of pictures.  You can notice the dark blue skies in the photos.  An hour or so after the photos we had major storms.  We were stuck in the van, on the side of the road, in a hail storm with heavy wind and rain.  It was a little tense.  Although rain is always nice - it also means harvest grinds to a halt.  Say a prayer for strong sunshine tomorrow to dry out the wheat fields.  Enjoy the photos!

Dana

 

 

 

 

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Where are my Googles??? Sunday, Jul 6 2008

Hi All,
We spent this afternoon doing one of our favorite summer activities - swimming in the Crowley pool.  Tim and Ann are always calling with an invite to join them and their sons Alex and Sam.  We have spent many a happy afternoon laughing and splashing.  Today was Gabriel’s second time in the Crowley pool.  Before we left our house he was upset because Grace and Jackson have swimming goggles.  So, on the way we stopped at Walgreens and I got Gabe his own pair of goggles.

Later in the pool Gabriel was trying to tell us something.  He was pointing and grunting and out of nowhere he shouted “GOOGLES”! 

Later on our friend Tim took this great photo of Gabe and his “googles”.

Dana

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Happy Birthday USA! Friday, Jul 4 2008

Hi All,
Today we got all three kids dressed in their identical USA t-shirts (thanks to Andy’s Aunt Ann) and headed to a 4th of July picnic at some friends house (thanks for the invite Wendy and Buddy).  Tonight we will see the city-wide fireworks display and I’m sure sometime in-between Jackson and Andy will set off all the fireworks they bought as well.  Here are a few pics from our picnic.
Dana

 

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The Carnival Thursday, Jul 3 2008

 

Hi Everyone,
Tonight I decided it was time to get out of the house.  Everyone hosed off and we went out to eat dinner.  Since we got Gabe our eating out has been greatly curtailed, but slowly he is getting better.  Tonight he stayed seated the entire meal - which is a HUGE breakthrough.  Afterwards I volunteered to take Jackson and Grace to the carnival (Andy got to go last year).  Andy stayed home with Gabriel - although he got through dinner the thought of keeping track of him at a carnival is a scary, scary thing.  Jackson and Grace had a wonderful time at the carnival - it was the first time for Grace.  Bless her little heart there weren’t many rides that she was tall enough to ride.   For the last several days Jackson has been trying to psych himself up to ride the Ferris Wheel.  Last year he got scared at the last minute and didn’t get on.  This year he rode with no problem - Grace and I went along as well.  Truthfully I HATE amusement park rides.  It was all I could do not to screech at them on the Ferris Wheel not to rock the car.  It was a beautiful evening.  Here are some pics.
Dana

 

 

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Baseball on a hot July night Tuesday, Jul 1 2008

Hi All,
Tonight Jackson had a baseball game.  Joining us were Andy’s Mom, Dad and Aunt Elaine.  Jackson had a great game and as always had fun.  I think he liked having his own cheering section.  It started out hot and very windy, but ended up not too bad outside.  Oh, by the way, Jackson finally lost his second front tooth.  He now has a HUGE gap up front.  It was hilarious the other night to watch him eat ribs.  It was difficult, but he managed to get ‘er done.  Here are some pics from the game.
Dana

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Friends and Family Monday, Jun 30 2008

Hi Everyone,
This weekend was Uncle Dink’s last Sunday to preach at our church before he retires.  There was a wonderful service with lots of music and a dinner for family and friends to celebrate the event.  Andy sang a solo that left many all teary-eyed.  After the church service we went to the waterpark with several cousins/nieces/nephews.  Later that same evening my good friend Eric got in town.  He will be staying with us until Tuesday.  Here are some pictures.
Dana

 

 

 

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Just some pictures Saturday, Jun 28 2008

Hi Everyone,
Not a lot to report - just a few pictures from the last couple of days.

Photo One:  Jackson after his ballgame.  Notice that he lost one of his front teeth.  The other is just hanging on by a thread.  When they are both gone I imagine he will have a pretty good gap up front!

Photo Two:  Gracie with her Aunt Leah.  Grace is modeling the dress she is wearing for Aunt Leah and Uncle Ken’s wedding.  Grace is mortified at the thought that they might kiss at the wedding.  Her words are, “Oooo, Gross!”.

Photo Three:  Jackson completing his first slide into home.  Not that there was a close play at the plate he just decided he wanted to try and slide.

Photo Four:  Aunt Leah snuggling with Gabriel.

Dana

 

 

 

 

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Something new & blue for Andy Thursday, Jun 26 2008

Hi All:

Today I started something new in my quest to live long enough to see these children grow into adults: an insulin pump.

I was diagnosed with diabetes as a teenager (1984 or 1985 - I don’t remember now) and I’ve taken multiple injections of insulin daily since then. I’ve had serious eye complications from the disease (eye surgeries in 1999 and 2000) and in December of 2007, I got horribly sick with the flu and it sent me in to diabetic ketoacidosis - my blood sugar was well over 800 (normal is 110), my body temperature was down to 94 and my body was starting to shut down when I arrived in the ER at Hays Medical Center.

I’ve started a new blog describing my experiences with the pump, which I’ve named Clark (in honor of Clark Kent, Superman’s alter ego). If you would like to read about my adventures on the pump, check out the blog

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Stanton Weekend Sunday, Jun 22 2008

Hi Everyone,
We received the sad news on Thursday that Andy’s Uncle Jim had passed away.  Jim was such a fun man - he always had a funny joke or story to tell.  At one of the first Stanton family get-togethers I attended (probably 11 years ago) somebody asked what my family had done for a living when I was growing up.  I responded that my Dad worked in the oil fields and I jokingly said that I guess that made us oil-field trash (a phrase common in Oklahoma and Kansas during the 80’s).  I remember Jim laughed and said that I was in good company with the Stanton family.  I also remember that he loved my mincemeat cookies and my raisin cream pie.  My son Jackson loved Jim (and of course Jim’s wife Elaine).  When visiting Logan, one of Jacksons favorite activities was going down to visit Jim and Elaine.

Jim’s funeral was on Saturday.  Funerals are such a mix of emotions.  Everybody is sad because somebody has died, but on the other hand you always also have a good time because ALL your family get together for the time around the funeral.  It is a time to reminece and tell stories about the “old days”.  There is always a ton of food, the kids get to play, you get to see cousins and relatives you hadn’t seen for years.  You almost feel guilty for having such a good time, but knowing Uncle Jim he wouldn’t have had wanted it anyother way!  Below, find some photos from the weekend.

Dana

 

Jackson, Grace and Gabe with some of the (many) Stanton cousins.

 

 

 

 One of our Stanton rituals is to keep track of how tall the kids get.  We measure them on the inside of Grandma Stanton’s pantry door.  So far Zane (shown measuring his sister Katie) has the top notch.

  

 

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