Kentucky and Thanksgiving

Our adoption agency, Arise Adoptions, is based out of Louisville, KY, and they were having a one-year anniversary celebration on November 6. At the same time, my very dear and close friend, Kelly, and her family, happened to be driving through Louisville on their way to Chicago. I was thinking how great it would be to be able to go and meet our agency director and some of the families that are also in process, and of course to also be able to see Kelly; so I decided to check out airfare to KY. And to my surprise, the tickets were cheap, only $268 round trip; but I didn't purchase them then. I still needed to talk with Sammy. A few days later, it came to me that we had a credit coming to us from an airline--not sure which one it was--from the visit trip that we had cancelled last November to visit Josi. (We decided to cancel, because we knew it would only be a couple of weeks after the visit that we would be picking her up. Little did we know that she would be gone just a few days after our visit trip would have ended.) Anyway, I called and indeed we had a credit with American Airlines. With such a good deal, Sammy didn't have any problems with me going. So, I got to go to Louisville with Aubrey and little Sammy for a nice little vacation. It was so nice getting away for a few days and also getting to spend some good quality time with Aubrey and Sam. We all had so much fun. Kentucky was absolutely BEAUTIFUL. I LOVE the country and have always seen myself living amongst trees and grass. I still often wonder why God put us here in the desert, but I know we have a purpose here.

The Arise celebration was awesome. Just being able to meet and fellowship with others using our same agency, and in the same situation as we are, with our children in the same orphanages, made it so worth the trip. I met some really fantastic families.

Meeting Kelly and her family was the highlight of our trip. We met at the Louisville Zoo and had a great time walking and talking and looking at the animals... which were all awake and very animated. It was the best zoo I have ever been too. After the Zoo, we had lunch, and then spent a couple of hours in our hotel room before they had to continue on to Chicago. Our kids hit it off really well as we knew they would. Now we just have to get our older kids together. Neither of our older ones went on the trip. Maybe next year...

Kelly and me

Aubrey and Karaline, Kelly's daughter.


Kolton and Karson, Kelly's sons, with Sammy in the middle.

Kemry, Kelly's sweet and beautiful Guatemalan angel.

Kelly's four and my two.

(Kelly's Kollin and Karly stayed behind in TN, and my Haley, & Shay stayed behind in CA along with Robby and Daddy.)

Another shot of all the kids.

We were invited to a BBQ from another Arise family. The kids had so much fun playing in the trees, (it's like a forest in KY,) jumping in leaf piles, and playing with the other children there.

We even got to go on a real hayride.

We had a memorable Thanksgiving. The turkey turned out fantastic and we had really great company.

Aubrey and her friend, Janelle

Haley and her friend, Jocelyn

Four giggly girls

My sis, Tina, and her boyfriend, Granger

Robby and Sammy

My mom

My niece, Amanda

My great nephew, Caleb, showing me his turkey

The little boys

Tina, and her son, Michael, and his Caleb
Mom, Tina, Amanda, and me