Happy 63rd Anniversary Mamaw and Papaw

Today is my Mamaw and Papaw's 63rd Wedding Anniversary. Thank you for showing everyone that with a little work and a lot of love you can make it through. I know that it has not always been easy but you sure make it look like it is. Happy Anniversary to both of you! We love you very, very, very much!!!! As my sister said, we are very lucky because we have seen some really strong marriages. Both of our Grandparents were married over 60 years, our Parents celebrated 42 years in February, My sister and her husband have been together for 16 and in August I will celebrate my 2nd anniversary with my wonderful husband. Here's to many, many more! We love you all!! Hope your day was wonderful Mamaw and Papaw.

Love, Jill, Rob, Josh, Brad and Emmalee

Happy belated Birthday -Honey/Rob/Daddy

I am a day late and a dollar short which is the story of my life. I did not forget my husbands birthday - I just never had time to get on the computer and write anything!!!! so here goes. I want to wish my husband a wonderful, fabulous, spectacular birthday and many, many, many, many more. We had a pork tendorloin, mashed potatos, gravy and corn on the cob on Sunday to celebrate Rob's birthday and then last night we had the leftovers. Then Bradley, Rob and I went to Bass Pro Shop so Rob could spend some of his birthday money!!! He was like a kid in the candy store.

Anyways, I hope you had a wonderful birthday!! We love you very much!
Love, Josh, Brad, Emmalee and me!

Happy Anniversary Jan and Jodie!

Jodie, in your blog you asked if we remembered what we were doing 16 years ago and the answer is "yes". I was in Holland watching my sister say "I DO". I was happy for you then and I am even happier for you know. I am suprised you actually found someone to put up with you all these years!!! Just kidding! (that was for sharing the turtle story!!) I love you both very much and want to wish you a very Happy Anniversary and many, many, many more. Thanks for making it look so easy!!
Love always, Jill, Rob, Josh, Brad and Emmalee (Papa Jim and Nana too!)

Father's Day 2007

I want to wish a Happy Father's Day to my Dad!!!! I can not begin to thank you for all of your love, leadership, friendship and tolerance through out the years!!!! You are an amazing man and I am proud to call you Dad. I know it has not always been easy but Thank you for always being there for both Jodie and I and now our families.

To my Papaw, thank you for showing us the way, for always giving us your hand to hold and for sharing your wisdom. You too are an amazing man and we can't thank you enough for all you have done and continue to do for us.

To my Papa - you are always in my heart! We love you now and forever. Thank you for all you taught us!

To my Father In Law - Al - We hope you have a wonderful Father's Day. Thank you for your love and friendship. We are looking forward to your visit in July!

To my husband - Rob - Thank you for being such a wonderful Father to our children. Joshua, Bradley and Emmalee are very lucky to have you! I love you very much!!!!

Love, Jill, Josh, Brad and Emmalee

Welcome Maria Margaret Hansell

On Friday, June 15th at about 9:30 AM our family grew larger. My youngest cousin Jenny and her Husband Andy welcomed their newest baby girl into the world. Everyone is healthy and happy. I do not have any more details. Congratulations to Jenny, Andy and big sis Julia. It has been a very exciting time for our family with all of the new additions. I can not begin to explain how lucky all these little ones are, they have joined quite an amazing family. Maria, I know you will be just as spoiled as the rest of them. Congrats to my Aunt Joanie and Uncle Roy for their newest granddaughter. Love and kisses from all of us!!!!

A Whole Bunch of Firsts!!!!!

Emmalee is spreading her wings and really trying hard to fly..... I am not sure how happy I am about how quickly she is growing up!!! I know she is just over eight months old and we still have a lot of growing up to do and a lot of firsts to witness but still. (I know I sound like every Mother out there!) Emmalee is able to get up on her hands and knees and crawl but if she really wants to get somewhere fast she goes back to the old "army crawl" and puts it in high gear. She has mastered going up and down steps and goes where ever she sets her mind. She is showing that she has a little bit of a temper.... If she wants to go somewhere and you stop her from going there she lets you know she is not very happy with it. She is now using her tongue to make more sounds... she rubs her tongue across her top gums and sings to everyone she sees. She is also making DaDaDaDaDa, NaNaNaNa and GaGaGaGa. Soon she will be talking in full sentences......

She showed off for Papa Jim and Nana the other day and decided she was going to go from her tummy to sitting up... she did it twice for them and when she would get to the seated position she would look at them and clap. She would not do it for Rob and I until the next night and then I was able to take pictures of it.

She is also clapping her hands to patty cake... she has a dog that plays music and when it says "SO BIG" she looks around like, well isn't any one going to ask me how big I am? The dog also sings Patty Cake along with several other songs.

Emmalee is at a new sitters house who lives just down the street, Emmalee seems to really enjoy the family she is with. Her sitters name is Amy and she and her husband have 3 children 2 boys and 1 girl. Emmalee loves playing with all of them. Amy's husband admitted that Emmalee is all of their favorite. I went to their house on Wednesday night and taught CPR to the 2 oldest children, Amy and her Husband Keith.

Well, I think that actually catches you up on everything going on here....Oh, Emmalee turned 8 months on the 6th of June and that was the Grand Opening of the "Bass Pro Shop" that is less then 5 miles from our house. Rob decided that it was a big deal in her life and we needed to attend the Grand Opening so Emmalee and Rob went and stood in line and I met them there after my Aquatics class. We had fun but it sure was packed. Emmalee even got a onsie to mark the occasion.

Bye for now, we love you all very much!

Love, Jill and family.

Where has the time gone???

I am going to attempt to update you on what has happened since my last entries. After Day on the Lake I spent a week in the water learning another form of Aquatic Body Work called "Healing Dance". Now Healing Dance has been around a while and this is the second 50 hour course I have taken. It was a very busy week and I was very tired every night but it was a good class. I have a lot more tricks I can use when working with someone in the water. Friday of that week I met Nana Phyllis, Pat and Emmalee in Sedona for a funfilled weekend. Pat won a weekend stay in a resort just North of Sedona and invited us to join her. It was a very beautiful resort 1 1/2 miles North of Slide Rock on highway 89A. We had a great time. Emmalee tried eating a lemon and really enjoyed it until she got to the sour part.... Emmalee was also given a Rasberry Popcicle by the owner of the Cafe' and she loved every bite of it. I think she actually experienced her first brain freeze. We spent most of Saturday in Old Town Sedona shopping, shopping and doing more shopping. Emmalee was a real tropper.... but she zonked after a couple of hours. Her little leg kept coming out of the stoller and everytime we would move it forward she would stretch and put it back on the side. We came home Sunday and it was back to work on Monday!

Welcome to the Family Natasha!!!

We would also like to welcome to the family Natasha. Our cousins John and Terry and their daughter McKenzie have been working towards adopting Natasha from Russia. We were notified yesterday that Terry will be bring Natasha home this Thursday for good!!!! It has been a very emotional year and we are so happy Natasha is finally coming home. My sister said it best (again) - Natasha you are a very lucky little girl and we all welcome you with open arms and hearts. We are also lucky to have you as part of our family. John, Terry and McKenzie we are also very happy for you! Please know we love you all and wish you all the best. We can not wait to meet Natasha and personally welcome her to our family.

Love always, Uncle Jim, Aunt Phyllis, Jill, Rob, Josh, Brad and Emmalee

Day on the Lake!

It has been a very busy weekend. Thursday night Rob, Brad and I in one car and Sarah in her car headed to Bartlett Lake Marina in Cave Creek, Arizona. We slept in the Aqua Lodge on Bartlett Lake and on Friday morning we got up bright and early to help St. Joes hospital host the 11th annual Day on the Lake. This is a really awesome event where people with a disability are able to come to the lake and water ski, jet ski, fish, kyake or just go for a boat ride. This is my 10th year volunteering. I was co-dock Master which meant I greeted the participants on the dock and assisted them in going to the spot they needed to participate in which ever event they were scheduled for. Sarah assisted with registration, and the assisted me on the dock!!! I couldn't have done it without her. Rob and Brad drove a pontoon boat for adapted fishing. Dennis showed up about 11:30 on Friday and assisted Rob and Brad on the pontoon. From what I have been told, they caught a lot of fish. I beleive only one person they took out on the lake did not catch a fish. Brad fished from the pier for several hours Friday night and Rob and Dennis took Dennis' bass boat out for about 3 hours and caught about 15 fish. Sarah and I relaxed in the Aqua Lodge and watched movies. We got up Saturday morning to do it all again. It was a wonderful weekend filled with many happy people and a lot of smiles. Emmalee had some precious time with Papa Jim and Nana and also her big brother Josh.

I am now attending a 50 hour Aquatic class called Healing Dance. It is being held in Scottsdale. I am tired but loving being in the water again!!!

Emmalee is crawling anywhere and everywhere, pillows are no obstacle. She has even climbed up and down the stairs at Papa Jim and Nana's House. On Sunday, Emmalee really wanted a bottle and saw one on the lower shelf of our end tables. This again was not an obstacle, before I could do anything, Emmalee was on the shelf knocking all of the magazines out of her way. She is also pulling her self up on things. I put her down for her afternoon nap on Sunday and about an hour later Josh called Rob and I in to her bedroom to find her standing up in the corner looking over the edge at her binki on the floor. Needless to say her bed has now been lowered.

My camera is having technical difficulties (No, Jodie it is not the operator) so when I can find Bradley's camera I will send the pictures of Emmalee eating Oreo Cookies and tasting Papa Jim's bar-b-que ribs.

Love to you all,
Jill and family