Praise Jesus!

She's pretty cute, isn't she.

Back in Texas

Well, we're now in Texas. Wayne drove down on the 29th and 30th with everything we own in our minivan (well, almost everything we own, I think we have 8 more boxes, but that's it!) Addie and I flew down on the 31st and after a 4 hour delay in Dubuque because of fog, then flying standby from Chicago, we made it! Our New Years Eve was not so exciting to say the least, I think I was asleep by 9:00 after that long day! We're getting settled in to our new place and enjoying being back in the warm weather! We have some great friends here in Dallas who are letting us stay in their house with them for the next 8 months! Dan and Cyndi are good friends of ours, and Addie has fallen in love with them and their two dogs, Duke and Daisy!
Here are a few pictures from the last couple of weeks.

Yes, Wayne fit in there as well.

She still makes us smile :)

Looking for the puppies. She really likes Duke and has learned to say his name.

Duke and Daisy. I think they feel safe from Addie on this chair. She likes to chase them around.

Before we left Iowa, we got to celebrate Elias' first birthday! We wore Thomas the Train conductor party hats and had a great time!

And here is the birthday boy!

We wanted to get a picture on the last night with grandpa and grandma and all their grandkids. It was hard!! When we finally did get all three kids looking at the camera, grandma was looking at her cute grandkids! Oh well :)

Christmas...

We had a great Christmas in Iowa with the whole Van Dine family. Addie enjoyed getting some new toys and playing with her cousins! Here are a few pictures of our fun week.

Christmas Eve

Julia, Addie, and Elias are ready to go sledding!

Christmas Eve pjs!

She loves to build with her new blocks!

And she got really good at making the train go! Thanks grandpa!

Snowball fight!

We've been having lots of fun this week!

Don't send a lame Holiday eCard. Try JibJab Sendables!

(Thanks for the idea Angie!)

Rock, rock, rock...

Thanks for the present Grandma Van Dine! Hope it fits in the car to go to Dallas!

Deck the Halls...

We have had some Christmas fun this week! Our annual Emmaus family Christmas party is always a fun treat.

Addie and Elias are waiting for their presents!

Elias got his first. I think this toy includes a hammer! Oh boy!

Addie got some books. 3 of them are Christmas carols. She really likes "Deck the Halls" and tries to sing "Fa la la la la..." with me :)

Elias passed the time with Melsie. He loves riding this thing!

We also went out the play in the snow this week. There's plenty of it!

Mmmmmm...

Our big little girl

It's hard for me to believe that more than one year has gone by with Addie. She is still our baby, but is getting so big! Here are a few pictures to show you just how big our little girl is.

She likes to build things now, like this tower with grandad

And she loves to walk...

...and be carried way up high!

She loves her daddy (her shirt says "My dad is the man")

And she loves to just be a big girl!

Wayne and I are leaving today for Senegal for a week, and we will sure miss her. I have lots of pictures of her to take with me, and a few of us to leave with her :)