Our cross-country trip is wrapping it up.

We are in Washington state. We have had a wonderful trip crossing the country visiting friends and supporting churches.

I will post more pictures soon.

We are about to write our own song like the 12 days of Christmas- but it would be about 12 security check points...
on the first security check point my true love gave to me,
one double stroller
two little children
three laptops
four backpacks
five screaming fits...
six one ounce fluids
seven tsa bins
eight tennis shoes
nine flights so far
ten people waiting
eleven small toys
twelve snack foods

You get the idea... it will be good to be settled at home for a while too!

Montana Ministry

It is so beautiful in Montana. The fall colors are in full swing here. As we drive through town there are views of the snowy mountains and yellow trees that line the river that runs through town!

We have had some wonderful opportunities to speak at churches and study the Bible with Cornerstone and Crossroads churches here. It is good to see the growth and changes in churches that we haven't seen in several years. We are so blessed to be a part of so many lives and churches as their missionaries!

Glasses

Weston got his glasses. He can see much better.

There are a few fun moments that I thought I would share. When we were walking back from the optometrist he yelled, "Wow look I can see birds--- I can see them so well- LOOK!"

Then last night we were walking to dinner and he was yelling and looking at planes that were landing at the local airport. He could track with the planes, which is a new thing. I used to have to point his hand to follow my arm up to the point I was trying to show him.

Today the TV was on and he was running around and not watching it. I got up and helped him put on his glasses. As soon as I put them on his little face, he stopped running and started watching TV. He stood still for 20 minutes watching--- this is a first!

We got him the glasses that change into sunglasses outside, he says that they are magic and thinks that is very cool!

He is having a little trouble with dizziness and headaches as he adjusts to his new view of the world, but over all seems very happy about his new glasses.

Broken Arm

We got to MN on Tuesday. About two hours later Weston slid off of the window seat at our hotel and broke his arm. :( We took him to urgent care (in a taxi!) and got x-rays and found out he broke his forearm right below the elbow. Our urgent care doctors splinted his arm and that really helped him have less pain. Our doctor was so great, he even drove us back to our hotel!!

So this morning after LOTS of phone calls to our insurance company we found a covered provider. After finding the right one and borrowing a car, we took him to the doctor. It was the nicest doctor's office we have ever seen. They actually had a concierge to come and meet us at the door. She walked us to the correct office and we were completely amazed.

We saw a wonderful doctor and his assistant was completely wonderful. Weston's doctor is actually the official team doctor for the Vikings football team! So there is no question that Weston got the best available care!

Weston chose a blue cast and it starts at his shoulder and ends at his thumb. He is doing fine now! Auntie Megan helped him glue on some fishy stickers on his cast! He said, "I want to wear this cast forever and decorate it everyday!" Megan bought him that great shirt today... fitting huh?

New York

Julie babysat overnight and Peter and I were able to go to New York City!
The highlights of our WONDERFUL TRIP:

• Train ride from PA-NY
• A tour on a red double-decker bus (with an excellent tour guide that made me LOVE New York!)
• A Broadway Show- Mary Poppins (which was absolutely awesome!)
• Great French food at a outdoor cafe (fabulous duck crepes and roasted garlic!)
• A night walk to Rockafeller Center, Radio City music hall and Time Square
  
• A morning walk through Central Park with our favorite Starbucks!
  
• A Hudson River boat tour
  

It was GREAT--- Tonight we are in MN and eating TV dinners at our hotel--- but it was a great get away. It is so good to talk and eat at a without having to cut up food for the baby or settle arguements or fly a fork of food into a child's mouth or clean up spills or worry about getting back for an early bedtime for the children.

It is so good spend time together, building up our marriage and our friendship. I am truly blessed by my best friend, Peter, to walk through life so loved and having such a great time together shoulder to shoulder!

Amish Farm Tour

It was a great week visiting with Julie and her friend Magda in PA. It was so fun to watch Weston run over to her with big open arms and give her big hugs and spend time together. They took us to an Amish farm in Lancaster, PA. There was a house tour showing the Amish way of life. The grounds had farm animals and we climbed in buggies too! After this we went to a great local Amish food buffet... it was so delicious!

Water Park

Our hotel in Lancaster, PA had an indoor water park. We had a great day playing and splashing. It was designed for little kids so our kids loved it. There were switches to turn off and on different faucets and sprayers. Weston had a blast!
Above the main activity pool there was a HUGE bucket that continually filled and then it would tip over and splash water EVERYWHERE!

Fun day!

Weston's First Purchase

Weston is so intruiged with coins. In Mongolia we only have paper money. Before we left Mongolia, Sharon gave him a whole bunch of coins and told him to buy something he wants. He is so cute. He has been wearing them around his neck for almost 3 weeks now and carefully spending his coins. He is a natural saver! It is cute to watch.

We went to Chocolate World. It is mostly a chocolate store, but there is a ride that shows a how they make chocolates. It feels like you are on a factory tour, but there are also singing animated cows. At the end they give out two candies to each person. Weston ate one and then save the second one for two days!

As we entered the candy store, he patiently walked through and looked at everything and decided on one 0.65 candybar! We went and he paid the cashier (he calls it the payer) and he left as happy as a clam! It has been three days and he is still saving it!

He is such a cutie.

Sierra on the other hand, wouldn't even wait for us to unwrap her candy! She ate a bite of foil!

Simple Treasures

It has been fun to watch the kids discover new things and enjoy the simple amazement of drinking fountains, automatic doors, red leaves on the sidewalk, picking an apple from a tree, going swimming, going on an amusement park ride and so many others.

Here are some pictures to show our fun of discovery:




These pictures are at Chocolate World, our hotel pool, and the laundry mat... (i was checking out my new camera's image stabilizer. It works great- capturing even the detail of my jacket inside a moving dryer!)

On Flying with Kids

An interesting experience...
People enter the plane and see us with the children... some smile, some say bad words, some give dirty looks, some tell stories about their kids, but all try to get reseated far away from us.

Usually the other passengers are pleasantly surprised, and say, "wow, your kids do so well!"

Today was not that day...
On one 45 minute flight from Ohio to Washington D.C.
We had a 2-3 fits, 12 snacks, one silly laughing fit, w. was the loud talker the entire time, and s. demanded that all people look at her and admire her. When they ignore her, she continues screaming louder and louder until they look at her and then she laughs. The other passengers did not! That flight ended with the man in front of us putting on his brown sports jacket... on the back of the jacket there was a large piece of sticky brown goo. There is no proof it was from our children, but they were both annoyed.


Great day... our next flight from W.D.C-PA went MUCH better--- even with a hour and twenty minute layover! They did great.

We are in Lancaster, PA at a Howard Johnson hotel. I chose this hotel because there is an indoor pool and water park! It was fun to see Weston swim with his little floaties!