Jason waits for Kate

I spent Friday at the World Wildlife Zoo in 100 degree plus weather in Phoenix waiting for Kate to arrive. There were so many colorful animals that I never knew where out there. It was so much fun feedin the Lorry's (small colorful birds). Great fun.

Arizona - Day One

Jason & I spent our first day together in Arizona driving from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon. On the way we stopped at Montezuma's Well - a limestone sink containing a pool of water 55 feet deep & 368 feet across. We enjoyed both the well and the irrigation channel that flows from the well.

Then we headed to the Grand Canyon. Admission was free Sept 27-28 so there were a lot of people in the park. We noticed that there was smoke in the air from a controlled burn so we couldn't see very far on our first stop but the further we drove east the more it cleared. Here are pictures from our drive along the rim.

The view was definitely grand at the canyon!

Arizona

Jason is on his way to Scottsdale Arizona for training on a tax program that he uses at work. He had to get up earlier than normal so that I could take him to the airport before work. For a couple of days we will be 1300 miles apart, but on Friday I will join him in Arizona. We will spend the weekend exploring the Grand Canyon. We look forward to this weekend - spending a little time away from everything and just enjoying God's creation. I will post pictures of our trip next week.

Random Question

If you were an animal, what animal would you be and why?

Kate would be an elephant. It is my favorite animal (and Ricky's too), but there's more to it than that. Elephants are very family oriented and loyal. They stay with their family all of their lives and fiercely protect their families.

Jason would be duck-billed platypus. He just likes the sound of it and thinks it's funny (just like he is).

So now it's your turn, what would you be and why?

Who's Your Family

*~*~*~Who’s Your Family?~*~*~*

The poet Robert Frost said, "Home is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in." . . . Eighteenth-century poet Johann Schiller said, "It is not flesh and blood, but the heart which makes us fathers and sons." . . . Ogden Nash said, "A family is a unit composed not only of children, but of men, women, an occasional animal and the common cold." . . . Desmond Tutu says, "You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them." . . . Sometimes we do choose our family. Your closest family members may not be part of your gene pool, and some in your gene pool you might not choose to swim with. . . . Dodie Smith, author of "The Hundred and One Dalmations," said, "The family--that dear octopus from whose tentacles we never quite escape, nor, in our inmost hearts, ever quite wish to."

*~*~*~Who’s Your Family?~*~*~*

I've been really thinking about family today because yesterday I had the priveledge of meeting my new nephew! I liked the quote by Desmond Tutu the best - "You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them." Although Ricky was chosen, he is certainly a gift from God and Rob, Debbie, Nicole, & Amanda (and the rest of us) are God's gift to him! This proud Aunt is looking forward to getting to know this special boy.

We're online!

This is a first - creating our own blog.

Jason & I are in the midst of planning our wedding

and I thought this would be a great tool

to keep everyone informed on our progress

and the interesting things that happen along the way.

TTFN!