A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer...

So since I am at a loss for new photos, I decided to go dig up a classic from my past with Bryan - our first date. Look how little we are! This was taken in December of 2001, our junior year of high school before the winter formal (SnoBall). As you can tell from this photo, we are rather awkward with our hands and not knowing what to do (or even where to look at the camera!). We weren't dating at this time, and I had gotten up the courage to ask him to SnoBall (it's a guy-ask-girl dance) as a friend. I was partially convinced by Samantha and Melissa to do this, and part of me really wanted to ask him, but didn't want to get rejected. I decorated his Buick on the inside with snowflakes and streamers to ask him, and he called that night to say yes! It was my first dance, and I borrowed the dress from Amanda Acker (then Uram) -- thanks Amanda! I'm not sure whose idea the umbrella was, but I think we were both relieved that Bryan had something to hold in this photo. We had

So my camera is in the shop, and I, in turn, am feeling helpless. Somehow its LCD screen got cracked and the display no longer works, so I had to send it away to Nikon in California, and apparently it takes up to 2 weeks to get back! I normally carry my camera around in my bag with me, everywhere I go...now my bag is very light and I keep driving by things I wish I could take photos of. It's driving me insane...how did I manage before my camera....and so my dependancy on electronics continues. So I write this to let you know that there won't be any new photos on here for a while, but maybe I will dig up some interesting ones, since no one likes to read a blog without photos!

With my husband gone at a pastor's conference in Washington, I took Macie over to visit my parents and the puppies. My family ended up playing Scrabble, upon my suggestion, and I ended up holding little #4 girl puppy in my hood all night. She just snuggled right in there against the back of my neck only letting out the occasional mew when she had a bad dream. Macie had a good time getting to know the puppies too, even though their cries made her nervous. She wouldn't stop licking little #4, so I had to hide her in my hood. They are so cute, but still blind for a few more days. They get cuter every time I see them!

On this day to remember those who serve and some who have paid the ultimate price, the rain came down in buckets. I suppose it's fitting for a day like today to be stormy, because, after all, sacrifice is not a sunny topic. It is somber, like the rain, and even though the flags fly wet today, thanks be to God that they still fly.

Two months ago, this was our game night crowd. Now, we have added two more...Ben and Isla. Ben is happily back at home after National Guard training, and Isla is happily breathing air instead of floating around in Kari's belly. Here is Ben and Isla in a staring contest. Isla was pretty unstoppable, but Ben managed to win once!

My parents' dog RyeLeigh had her third litter of puppies yesterday, and she had her biggest litter ever -- 12! The poor dog looked like a cow before she had those pups! I went over there yesterday to see them, and they are really cute, but they are still blind, and their cuteness is nowhere near how cute they will get. If anyone is looking for the cutest puppies ever for Christmas, these will be weaned just in time and they are awesome, purebred German Shorthair Pointers - great family and hunting dogs.

So I'm a bit late because I thought Bryan was going to update his blog with these photos, but I guess he's not yet because he's too busy (understandably). Bryan holds a high school Bible study on Wednesday night, called Man Club because it used to be just for guys, and the name stuck. Anyway, on the week of Halloween, he brought the kids up to Salem to go to the deaf school haunted house. Shocker -- they have never been to a haunted house, and hardly any of them carve pumpkins! Isn't that terrible?! Anyway, we exposed them to the scary clowns, strobe lights and chainsaw attacks of the deaf school haunted house, and I had a great time laughing at all their screaming. I only got scared once...maybe twice. My favorite was when a guy popped out and freaked Bryan out! I laughed so hard! The whole time I had Sun literally attached to my left arm. I think she had her eyes closed the entire time and was crying by the end...yes she is a Junior in high school. We had a great ti