It is FINISHED! Bella is a Turpin!

We had to do this over the phone.  There was no way that Bella could travel to California.  So the picture on the left is the Judge and our attorney and then there’s us.  So very happy.  FINALLY.  She is ours.  Ours.   We love you little girl.  Welcome to the family, officially.

Crazy Pictures

Remember we just got a new camera so there are a few crazy ones as we learn what we can do with this thing!  :)

The yield from my garden thus far – 3 sugar peas.  Sammi and I ate them up.  They were so yummy!  I must admit as the weather creeps into the 90s, my love of gardening begins to wane.

 

This is a very important photo!  Not only is Bella off the vent in it (Wahoo babe!), but there are three beautiful girls with DS in this picture.  The girl in the middle goes to church with us.  I used to work with her in Young Women.  Now that she is 19, I have been called to be her Visiting Teacher.  I thought about that and decided to invite her over a couple of times a month to play with us.  She had a wonderful time!  I am so glad.  It was because of my exposure to her that we knew that Joy would be a wonderful addition to our family.  And then along came Bella.  A very special picture to me.

Becca got invited to go with a group of friends to the 8th grade dance.  So we went shopping – a preview of the dress:

Then the Young Women had a garage sale to raise money for Girl’s Camp.  We held it at our house. 

 

 

New Specs for the Princess – just need to figure out how to get them to stay on!  :)

 

 

 

 

 

The rest of these are just random pics from our camera  :)  Enjoy!

        

Spring and Baby Blue Jay.

The Spring flowers are just getting past their peak here so it is time to put the new camera to use in our yard.

 

We also had a Baby Blue Jay that got stuck in the trampoline.

Shelly was able to get him out.  Momma and Daddy Blue Jay kept flitting around to care for the baby.

Sammi the Softball Player

I finally have some good pictures of Sammi playing Softball!

 

Go  Bobcats!

New Camera

Finally………………we have a real camera.  I knew Dallas would respond to this one!!  :) 

It’s a Canon EOS Rebel XS.

 

So we have been playin’:

 

 

 

 

   

Our Week

It was a quiet week.  Kris went back to school.  I lost my helper – welcome to the real world, right?  :)  Bella went down town twice.  Sammi and Jessi had activity days.  Sammi had a softball game.    The girls got to go swimming at the Heckers.  We had friends over to play.  Jessi was Student of the Week again.  Becca is counting down the days till school is OVER!  And I think we are on the very tail end of all the sickness in our house.

 

 

This is what I set up when I have to be the night nurse for Bella.  I don’t want to make any mistakes in the middle of the night in my exhausted state!  :)  Doesn’t she look so grown up in this picture?  :)

 

 

Yesterday we got to go to David Leavitt’s baptism.  I still can’t believe he’s 8!  He was such a shy little guy.  He is growing up so quickly.  Donna and Brad have the cutest family.  Their kids are so well-behaved.  I mean, seriously, look at how kind David is to Joy!  Congrats David – and Mom and Dad!  We were so grateful to be there.  We wish we could see y’all more often.