Hi From Omaha!

Delaney with Baby Jakson (Cousin Katie's Baby). She was drinking orange soda! Can you tell?
In the wagon with Jakson
Joel and Dylan getting ready to hike. (With Mom, too, of course!)
Stream on the hike.
Our view from Rocky Mountain National Park--Trail Ridge Road

The girls on the way OUT to Colorado. Still smiling!
This sign says "Welcome to Colorful Colorado". Eastern CO isn't too exciting!!
The Julesboro visitor's center...

Hello everyone! It has been ages since I've blogged, but I finally got my pics downloaded and wanted to share them. I haven't taken too many pictures lately, it seems like!

We are doing great here. I started school with kids on the 22nd. So far, it's wonderful. I have the best classes I have ever had in my 7 years of teaching. I am cautiously optimistic about the school year!!! I have some awesome kids to work with. I am feeling so lucky!

Right before I started school, Joel's mom, Jane, came to stay with us to take care of the girls. She retired from the IRS last December and plans to stay with us during the school week and is going home on the weekends. So far, so good! The girls love having her here. They have a lot of fun together.

Olivia and Joel start school on the 4th of Sept. Olivia's 1st grade teacher is Mrs. Flowers. She is excited to get the teacher she wanted, but it's hard to hear which friends got placed in the other class. I think there are 32 1st graders this year.

Joel is excited for the year to start, he has had a busy summer getting ready for everything. Enrollment at the school is up, his 8th grade class is full and there are kids on the waiting list to get in. That's pretty exciting news for the future of the school!!! We did get some bad news that Joel's dad, John, will be having open-heart surgery in a little over a week. He developed cellulitis in his legs a month and a half ago and the bacteria traveled to his heart and has done some damage to his aortic valve. He has been on IV antibiotics for about 6 weeks but found out this week the bacteria was antibiotic resistant and they will have to go in and repair/replace the valve. It's a pretty difficult situation--he is not in good health right now. Please pray for him! John's relationship with Joel and Dawn has never been a very good one so now he is feeling the need to fix all of that. It has been tough on all of them...

Delaney is growing up so fast, her hair is getting long and shaggy--she needs a haircut, I think! We worked on potty training this summer and I would say she is about 90% of the way there. During the day she might still have an accident every once in awhile, but she is making good progress! Nights have been kind of on and off. Some nights she will remember to get up around 3 and potty, sometimes she sleeps right through. But we think she is getting the hang of it!!!

The new baby is growing, too. She weighs about 3.5 pounds now, according to what I have been reading. She is very active, especially at night when I'm not! :) We can't wait to meet her. I have about 8 weeks left and I know they will go fast!!!

I hope all of you are enjoying the last few weeks of summer. It is beautiful here today and is supposed to be sunny and in the 70s for us next week. I can't wait! Our love to all of you!!!

Jan--your vacation spot looked heavenly! And the girls loved the pic of Meg and Barney!!!

Casey--Are things still a go on your house? Hope it all works out okay!

Love you all,

Regina and the fam