Good morning! I'm sitting on the couch in my new yoga pants and robe typing on Gary's work laptop. Ahh... I love this week of the year. The Christmas rush is over and Gary is off (so he works 5 hours a day instead of 10). The kids have all new toys to play with so they don't notice me smuggling old ones away to pack away or box to donate. They also don't need me to entertain them yet so I can actually get some things done! Like blog!? We'll see... The tree is still up. I'm not too into the artificial scene but with a small place, allergies of friends and family and the ability to keep it up for 2 months if i want to, artificial wins. Plus it's paid for! It's like buy one get 80 free. The shopper in me has to think of it that way. :) Ahh... the end of December. I'm so thrilled it's not -6 and icy. I just love being relaxed. I love thinking and reminiscing about the past year and looking forward to the next. It's like a mini-vacation time that often turns out to be one of my best reflection times of the year. This winter it has occurred to me almost daily how quickly time flies. A year ago I was panicked that Tyler might NEVER be fully potty trained. The day a boy turns 3, if he's not potty trained the mother apparently grows an extra head based on the way people look at you. :) I have a friend who had a "two headed" incident recently. Apparently the people who volunteer at her church have more knowledge about what her daughter should eat than her. *sigh* so many well meaning people in the world. It's all how you take it I suppose. Anyways, you'll be happy to know Tyler's fully potty trained and I can't even remember the last accident. Can I get an AMEN!?! Yes, time flies. A year ago I was nursing my baby girl and now she's running around and talking up a storm. She's feeding herself and tries to dress herself. She's obsessed with shoes and books. She's my mini-me. :) Tyler is on the verge of being able to read. He knows all his letters and sounds and can sound things out but often doesn't have the patience for it. He's only 4 so I'm not pushing it. He astounds me every day with how smart he is. The things he says sometimes... We're so blessed! In everything our goals are to share Jesus Christ and the Bible with our children and model for them a Christian walk and the miracle of a personal relationship with Christ. Sometimes I feel like this all goes over their heads and hangs out in the backyard somewhere but I got some affirmation this week from the Lord. Christmas Eve Tyler expressed an interest, not for the first time, about asking Christ into his heart. Every time it comes up we talk it through and we try to pray with him, and this time just seemed like it came more from his heart. I don't know how much he truly understands, but then again, none of us truly know or understand the mind and heart of God. It was just so special to hear him talk about spiritual things and, with the faith of a child, come to the feet of Jesus and simply ask forgiveness for his sins and ask Jesus to come into his heart. A play at church had really resonated with him and more than 2 hours after seeing it, he still understood it's message enough to bring it up, talk about it, answer our questions, and pray with us. What a miracle for Christmas! A couple days after Christmas a woman i truly admire for her walk with the Lord told me that she admires the way we integrate Christ into the daily lives of our kids at such a young age. She said it wasn't something she'd thought about really, but she said something to the affect of seeing the results of it in everything Tyler does and says. Ironically as she said this he was screaming like a banshee running around having fun and I probably showed a look of doubt on my face. I'll tell you honestly, that comment has stayed with me and has brought me to tears several times. As a perfectionist I often look at my family of 4 and see only what I want to change and I don't stop to see the good nearly enough. To have someone compliment our efforts as parents in an area that is THE most important meant the world to me. We try our best. Even though I may over think and over analyze and run my life by the schedule- it works for me. So as we go into the new year we'll do our traditional budgeting meeting, we'll swim through mountains of junk in the basement and try to give it a home but this year I think I'll focus more, not on what we didn't accomplish but on what we DID accomplish. We love each other and our children. We are teaching them to love Christ and others and we're doing our very best to walk with the Lord. So it doesn't' matter how many verses Tyler has memorized or how many words he can think of that rhyme with "hat". It 's not about how many words Grace can say or how many teeth she has or even how many loads of clean clothes are up in my room unfolded. It's so easy when you have small children to judge the value of the day by how many veggies each kid ate and whether daddy trips on toys when he comes home from work. Those things are certainly important and the sin of laziness has surely invaded our house 10fold this year. As my efforts to be a better, more organized, less lazy mom continues on into next year I'm also going to make an effort to focus more on eternity. Not because of a compliment, but because we both want our kids to experience true joy and peace that comes from a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and we want to experience it too!

Merry Christmas!!

This year I think I'm more excited for Christmas than I've been since childhood. The kids are at a perfect age that traveling should be less hectic and they will really enjoy everything. Not to mention I know the kids will be getting an obscene amount of gifts which will make playtime very fun for me!! This is the first year since we've been married (as far as I recall...) that we've not done Christmas cards, letters or photos. We ran out of time for photos and cards and as far as a letter- well, this is the first year no one has graduated, we've not changed jobs, moved, bought a house, gotten pregnant or had a baby! This has been a quiet year so to speak! :) We've enjoyed receiving cards, photos and letters and greatly appreciate them! We're doing well here in the Bush Household. Heather plugs away at homeschooling Tyler and finding a good balance between play, school, friends, family, and housework. Gary's still loving his job working with technology for the Marlington School district. It has it's challenges but he's thriving there and we're so proud of him. He also ventured into the position of Adjunct Professor at Stark State this year. He loved teaching but the nights away from home were very tough. We're very thankful that our house we own in Mansfield is still rented out to a wonderful couple who care for it. Economic struggles have affected them greatly and we believe the house has been a great blessing to them. However, those struggles make for late and later rent payments. We continue to (try to) trust in the Lord and thank Him for each month the payments do come. Currently they are caught up and we are thrilled and thankful! We are also thankful this year to be so close to my brother who moved back to Ohio last December. It's been so wonderful having the "whole" family together more often! Gary's brother graduated from Law School and passed the Bar Exam and we are so proud of him! He's got a wonderful job and we're prayerful and excited about what the future has for him. Gary's grandmother has been struggling with health problems and has been moved to a nursing home, but she is strong and is doing increasingly well. We really enjoy getting to go visit her since we live so close. Our parents are all doing well and love every minute they can get with the grandkids. Gary and I look forward to our kids having great relationships with all their grand and great-grand parents through their lives. This year we made trips for a Kandray Family reunion, our annual Outer Banks week, took the kids to Cedar Point with Uncle Joshua and Grandma Sandra, spent some time at "Papa's Beach", aka Lake Erie, traveled a couple times to Mansfield and Pittsburgh areas to see friends. We continue to be active at Grace Community Church and became members this year We celebrated Grace's first birthday in May and Tyler's fourth birthday in November. Our Congratulations to all our friends and family members for all the amazing things 2008 has brought you. Know that we constantly lift you all up in prayer for the challenges of the past, present and future. We ask you to do the same for us. We wish all of our family and friends a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. In His Grace, Gary, Heather, Tyler, and Armandina (Grace) Bush Luke 2:1-20

Thanksgiving Thoughts

November has already been a very busy month! We celebrated Tyler's birthday of course, and Great- Grandma Kandray's birthday too. That was such a special day for me. Last weekend we got to attend the wedding reception of Chris and Melissa Glynn and it was SO much fun. We were positively giddy to be out without the kids- not that we don't adore and love our kids to bits but we needed a break and what better way to get a break than at a romantic reception with free alcohol?!?! :) Gary doesn't drink but I think in spite of his ribbing he finds it quite humorous when I do. he calls me "his lush" which I slightly take offense too because i'm really NOT at all but I know he means it in good humor... I don't want to get ahead of Melissa on posting pictures (it WAS her big day after all) so i'll wait till she has some up here or in facebook before I share mine... or till I get permission from her. :) Sunday we made a quick trip to Mansfield to visit Crossroads because the director of worship from Saddleback Church in California was there leading Crossroads' worship team and it was incredible. That church will always feel like home to us. We walked in the door and Lori Biddle was there and she always has a way of making us feel missed and valued which means so much to us both. We saw so many people who hugged us and asked us how we were and it really meant a lot. If you were one of those people and you are reading this- thank you. I wish we'd have been able to stay longer and visit with more people (and been able to give more advance notice!!) but it was such a blessing to be back. We got to see Ben and Amy and their foster boys who just melted my heart. I"m thankful beyond words to have gotten to meet them. I feel like i knew them already since i've been praying for them so much but to actually get to see and talk to them and hold the baby and feed him just meant to much. Thank you Ben and Amy for making time to see us and share your lives with us. You guys are such an inspiration and blessing to us I can't even begin to describe. We drove by MCS and saw the new addition and I cried. If we still lived there I'd be looking into sending him there... i might even be volunteering there right now and maybe watching some of my friend's kids in the area... it's just so strange to have some of your heart there. We have bits of our hearts all over the nation... California, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, north Carolina, Arizona, Georgia, Florida, all over ohio and pennsylvania... even England and Cambodia!!! I'm sure i've missed someone... I share this because I wanted to take time today to thank you all for the blessings you are and the lessons you teach us. We are who we are today because of each person who has impacted our lives. I know sometimes I feel invisible adn I think everyone goes through those times. This Thanksgiving (or whenever you read this and even if you don't) I pray you know that you have touched my life and I"m thankful for you by name. Also know you are in my prayers. We're so very blessed! I lastly wanted to thank each and every one of you for your prayers over the past 3 years for our house in Mansfield. We still own it, and still owe on it but we've been blessed with Gary's job(s) to be able to "afford" it and while sacrificing is never easy, i think it's been a character building and marriage building experience. We've gotten the privilege of sacrificing in obedience to Christ and in that we've drawn closer together and to Him. We've also had the privilege of seeing the house bless a family who has cared for it even when they've not paid rent. I'm happy to share that they are caught up and current on rent as of this month. The blessing of those renters has allowed us to pay some extra towards the principle of the house this year as well as purchase and pay off our van. We hope to continue to pay off the house and don't think we don't appreciate how far God has brought us in our short time financially. To finally be in a place where all the sacrificing has led us to not living paycheck to paycheck (as long as rent is current!) is something we are daily thankful to the Lord for. To our friends who look to a time when they can say the same, know i"m praying for you and know that it will be worth it someday!!! We know that we are only a few months away from being back where we were so we do our best to stay diligent and even though we screw up ( A LOT- can you say fast food?!?!) we thankful. Lastly, thank you to all of you who have listened to me vent and complain and whine about the sacrifices. We wish you and yours a happy thanksgiving and though it's full of sacrifice, may you find something in YOUR life to be thankful for that God has brought you through!

We had a small get together yesterday for family to celebrate Tyler's birthday.  He had a wonderful time.  Today we had church in the morning but after nap today we took him to Chuck-E-Cheese's and he loved it!  We also went to Toys R Us to get him his free birthday club balloon and cash in his $3 off gift card.  Three matchbox cars for free!   He said it was a very special birthday trip and we know he had a wonderful time.

Enjoy a few photos...

at the end of the party playing with the track Uncle Joshua and Papa built.  He got several new trains and a couple new pieces for his existing track.  He also got an expansion pack which isn't even opened yet!!

At the party with his cake- it split down the middle when I lifted it off the stove and brought it to the table.   :(

He still loved it.

Tyler this morning with his birthday balloon.  He's really four...

Happy

FOURTH

 Birthday

 Tyler! 

We love you!!

OCTOBER!?!!? I can't believe it's already over?! When did it even begin? This month was full of fun times for the Bush family. As always. :) We celebrated Gary's birthday and had fun trick or treating. We also spent some time with grandparents and went to the Algonquin mill festival. We tried to play outside often and had friends over when we could. We're still learning and growing and changing every day! We're again having struggles with our renters. We thought we had a company interested in purchasing the house but they didn't. They wanted to do a deal that left us liable and was very risky on our end and we said no. We'd rather own the house and know we're taking responsibility for the loan we purchased and pay it off than to risk someone taking it for a time and then getting it back! Our goal is financial freedom, not waiting around to see if the company really paid each payment like they "promised". Our renters are taking great care of the house but are behind on utilities and paying rent and we're very frustrated. Again. Pray that they either get their finances in order or leave quietly... an eviction hassle is not what we asked for for Christmas! :) Both of Gary's jobs are going well and he enjoys them. The stress is there (like how do you fix a 6 building school district worth of computers and networks with a 0$ budget?) but it's a good challenge for him and he's made a lot of great relationships. Speaking of relationships we've had many friends in the recent past go through some MAJOR stuff! We want you to know we're praying for you!! Foster care, adoptions, ttc, pregnancy, marital and significant other "stress" (to put it lightly!), job loss, miscarriage, births, deaths, surgery, housing and financial strain... our loved ones have been through it all and our prayers are with you! We miss those of you who are far away so very much! We're homesick for all of you! Enjoy a few painstakingly chosen pictures from October... Gary and I in "our booth" Geneva College Homecoming 08 The kids for Halloween were a fireman and an OSU cheerleader. Happy Birthday Gary! We love you!! Reece's Blizzard Cake- YUM!! At Texas Roadhouse- B-day Lunch We got him an OSU pillow and matching blanket. Jackie, Connie, Caryn and I at Homecoming Our family in front of Old Main- Geneva College Our Family at the Algonquin Mill Festival Playing in the leaves Jack-O-Lanterns from Milk Jugs Chocolate chip pancakes... Another Algonquin Mill pic. Tyler was obsessed with this train! Our Angel Babies...

"Money can't buy happiness but it can buy ice cream which is kind of the same thing." WOW! Time has gotten away from me! I had two requests this week to update so, even if for myself and those two, I am. There has been much happening this summer into fall. Grab a cup of tea and look back with me! :) (if you want, you really don't have to- I'm sure you'd much rather do that laundry piled up on your bed right?) July- As you read earlier we celebrated 8 years of marriage this year. Yay and UGH! Marriage can be so hard! Am I right!?! I'm baffled by those who think all it takes is love and think love is a feeling to be sought after. Love is a choice. A choice to be all the things the scriptures tell us love is, the things Christ is.

1 Corinthians 13 Love

1If I speak in the tongues^[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,^[b] but have not love, I gain nothing.

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

I discovered a couple new quotes you've probably seen on our facebook page and my myspace page: "A woman's heart needs to be so lost in God that a man needs to seek Him in order to find her." I love that! It goes both ways too. Nothing is more wonderful than a man who walks with the Lord and seeks Him first. Only that kind of man can love a woman the way she was made to be loved. Again, it goes both ways and again, IT"S HARD!! I want to be selfish and point out all I do and expect and try to make Gary fill in the blanks but that's not the way it works. Only as we seek God and allow His love to fill us can we be equipped to pour love out on others. As God fills us our expectations may not change for our spouse, but we're not looking to them to fill us. Sounds good right? Hard to execute. "Faith makes things possible, not easy."

We spent the July 4th weekend at the Cabin with Gary's parents and my mom and made it a day late to Faith Kellogg's first birthday. I had an absolute breakdown in the car when our phone came into service and I got the voice mail from Jackie that we missed the actual party. I was completely devastated. I know she won't remember, but I'll never forget. I've always been a bit of a "messy" and while I have great organizational skills I don't follow through well. I'm the person you hire to clean out and organize your closet but don't' ever even THINK about looking in my closet. It looks wonderful about 4 times a year- each time I clean it out! The next day- mess! I heard it wrong, read it wrong on the invitation, told other people our plans wrong around it, and even wrote it wrong on the calendar. *sigh* We did have a wonderful visit the day we DID make it. :) What a blessing the Kellogg's happened to have an afternoon free for us to fill! Grace began taking steps finally mid-July and we bought Tyler a booster seat so Grace could have his forward facing 5-point harness seat. Two major developmental things that we procrastinated a bit long and made us both proud and sad to pass. We tried to get outside as much as possible enjoying the Neely's baby pool, the local park and our own back yard. We also spent an evening at my brother's house playing Wii Fit and Rock Band (?) which was way too fun. Gary still wants both and I'm still telling him NO! When Tyler is older they can play video games together but right now they both need to be outside running around, not glued to a screen. Grace and I too for that matter! I would enjoy the Wii fit though... End of July brought our annual Camping Trip with our Geneva friends. We camp b/c is cheap and it's tradition. It was a wonderful time of fellowship and Tyler LOVED it. Gary enjoyed getting to be "one of the guys" again and I was glad Grace wasn't quite walking well yet b/c she stayed close and pretty much where I put her on blankets. She ate minimal dirt and grass and only chewed one rock. Haha! Thank heavens we were able to have a cabin- Heather does not sleep well on the ground outside. It was also nice to have 12 hours in the car round trip to just visit with Gary. He taught a college course this summer which on top of work really limited his home time. (He's still doing it and so his home time is even less now with school in session!) August brought the "back to school" craziness for Gary. No matter how well he plans he just can't get everything done. He has his lists of what needs done and then come August second about 40 people come to him and ask him to complete projects that each need an entire month to do. He, thankfully, has been able to hire some part time people to be in elementary buildings to relieve a little of his load. He appreciates them greatly and hopefully the teachers do too. August brought Pap's birthday which was bittersweet. The Forackers were in town that week so an added 3 children (Eve stayed home with her dad b/c of school) to my schedule two half days was SO much fun! Pap's birthday had to be spent without grandma though as she was in the hospital at the time. She had kidney failure and emergency dialisis July 4th weekend and after some time in the hospital was moved to the Alliance hospital to try to help her dementia. After a few weeks there was moved to a nursing home where she is in the Alsheimers unit and just in the past week is starting to do better. She seems to finally have adjusted to her new life and her medications. It's been a very long and tiring road for Grandma, Pap and Stephanie and her siblings. August also brought the Cline's to town for a special visit so up north we trecked. That week Tyler finished his second try at the Pike class at the Y. It'll be awhile before he passes so we've taken a break from that. :) We had friends over one Saturday which also was so much fun. We hope to do it more often! We enjoyed the hot-air balloon lift off at Carnation Days in the Park in Alliance and even celebrated our anniversary with a night away from the kids (thanks mom!) and a Tribe game. Most days I hide in the bathroom, shut my eyes, and imagine that weekend. Other than 2 hours of the fire alarm going off it was very restful. :) The following weekend it was back north a THIRD time for weekend at Papa Tim's and CEDAR POINT with grandma Sandra and Uncle Joshua. That was SO MUCH FUN for all of us. It was a perfect weekend and we even got to enjoy "Papa's beach at Papa's lake". The following weekend took us to the Canfield Fair which Tyler was all over after all the rides the Saturday before. September we had my birthday (29!) and a visit to Grandma Sandra's house. I also took the kids to Amish Country with my friend Connie. It was a nice long "wear the kids out and do what I like" day. :) We also hit a high school football game- my first ever! We joined the Y and started trying to go to family swim on Fridays and go to excersise a couple times a week. Grace has still not adjusted to the childcare room. She also cries every week in nursery but is improving. Grace started learning all sorts of new words and now has a pretty extensive vocabulary. She still has only 2 bottom teeth but has about 6 ready to emerge on her top gum. She has a better crayon grip than her brother and loves to color, well, scribble. She's running like crazy now, still slow and careful- not nearly as dare-devil as her brother but she loves animals and pony rides, hanging upside down and being tossed around. :) She also loves rides on the slide and see-saw in the backyard. She doesn't' go a day without making me some "num-num's" with her dishes and loves books. She's a very very good eater though I still have to fight some things in. Seems once she gets a taste she's fine but it's getting that first bite forced in that's the trouble. She's also starting to feed herself with a fork and spoon. I don't let her try often but she's doing well on days she does try. She knows all her body parts and repeats many of the words I say to her as we label things. I'm homeschooling Tyler and he's learning a lot too. He even sounded out a couple words for me a couple weeks ago. I"m trying to not get too far ahead though and work on sounds and consistancy. I think he's going to be an auditory learner. He hates to draw or color but can answer every question in any book i've thrown at him. He still talks non-stop which is a blessing and a pain in the neck. :) Sometimes a mom just wants some quiet! He still participates in "naptime" but only sleeps probably 4 times a week... if I really wear him out. :) Thankfully he tells himself stories and sings quietly in bed the other 3-4 days a week. I'm enjoying each day's quiet time, no matter how short, as I know soon it'll get shorter and even disappear. Gary's enjoying his job and still enjoys participating in worship team at church. He plays drums twice a month, our young adult small group meets twice a month and now we are involved in weekly worship team practice and Bible study on Thursday nights. He also finds time for grading labs, tests and quizzes for his class, reading a great deal online and watching some tv with me and his beloved sports. I was having a good run on Gridiron challenge Fantasy football until I chose 4 players on the undefeated Giants team playing against the Cleveland Browns. Monday night football proved that with a bit of attention the browns are perfectly capable of playing football, not just pretending, which is exciting as a browns fan but very disheartening when it puts your fantasy team in the toilet! Indoor soccer should be starting up soon and gary's birthday and Tyler's birthday are around the corner. Before you know it Thanksgiving will be over and the time of tree decorating, learning carols and cookie baking will be upon us. Which of course brings the most joyous time of year even though you can't be everywhere at once and please everyone. Yay! Celebrating God's love and family guilt all wrapped up in a neat package called Christmas. :0}- I know Grace will really get into it this year so we are very excited! Our kids are blessed with FOUR grandparents who live to spoil them and we're glad they can because we can't (and don't have to!) We enjoyed the 80 degree weekend we had and I'm NOT looking forward to our first snow! What we are thankful for is that we don't have to plow and we have a hill right here for sledding. We thought we might have an offer on our house in Mansfield by an investment company, but they want to take over the mortgage leaving us on it and liable, but take over the mortgage. It's (at this point) not something we're willing to take on. We want to be free of the mortgage before we pursue another home and this would not allow us to. We're trying to be a blessing to the family who is renting it, helping them out as they really struggle financially and in our current economy (which isn't going to get better if people don't stop taking advantage of the system and do the ethical and responsible thing!!!). They love and care for the house but they don't pay rent on time... we're taking the good with the bad and praying the Lord's glory shines through even as we face the unknown. "Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says "Oh crap, she's up!" "There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, Thy will be done, and those to whom God says, All right, then, have it your way." -- C. S. Lewis

8 years Yesterday Gary and I celebrated our eighth wedding anniversary. Thank you for the comments and messages and phone calls! I'm very blessed to have Gary in my life. He's a wonderful man!!! He loves me completely good times and bad, challenges me to grow in my faith, as a wife and mother, and as a woman and friend. He encourages me and supports me and let's me be hormonal and psychotic and knows me better than anyone else. In our 8 years I've graduated from college, he's achieved his masters degree, he's held 3 jobs, me 3 as well, we've lived in 5 different homes (one we purchased and can't seem to GIVE away), attended 3 churches and had two beautiful children. Together and separately we've made wonderful friends, sadly losing touch with some. I've lost 2 grandfathers and we've survived my brother being in the military and my parents divorce. His brother has graduated college, met Lia (!), graduated law school and is about to pass his bar exam. His parents have moved to a new house, purchased the "cabbage", changed churches and helped start the current one. We've done our best to support and love and stand by our families and friends as they've lost and had babies, sought out adoption, found and married or lost loves, moved, changed jobs, lost members of their own families and experienced the trials of life as well as God's Love, Grace and Forgiveness. Last night we talked a bit about where we'd be in another 8 years. Where will we live? The kids will be 11 and 9. Where will they go to school? Will they be interested in the arts or sports? Neither? Will I be working? Most of all I pondered who might be in my life now that won't be then... and how many new opportunities God might bring - not to fill the holes- but to help in the healing. Gary and I are blessed beyond measure. When we've been faithful to Him and followed His path for our lives we've seen him work absolute miracles. When we've gone our own ways we've seen him patiently wait for us to return, repent and move forward. Gary- the past almost 11 years of knowing you and being your best friend, and having you as mine, have been all I ever prayed for and more. Thank you for being the man God has called you to be. Thank you for your love and sacrifices you make for not only me but our children too. Thank you for being an example to them of what a good man is, a good husband, a good friend and a hard worker. Thank you for the ways you challenge all of us be better and make a difference for Christ. We have our faults, we have our trials, we have our differences and struggles too... but all in all when you look at eternity, and the mist that is our lives, I hope you'll look at the Bush's as full of faith, hope and love.

Good Morning!! By request i'm updating... quickly...
As you know in May Grace had an ear infection, followed by the mystery rash, followed by falling down our stairs, then we went to a wedding in Pittsburgh leaving the kids with the Bush's, then she broke her leg, then we had memorial day, then June hit!
We've so far had the Kandray Family reunion in Salt Fork, I drove with the kidsto my grandma's to see my Aunt Pat who lives in Cali, Grace got her cast off and I drove with the kids to see my mom and the kids rode her horse. Whew! We also had Portraits taken a week or two ago at Penny's so i'll download those as well. We leave Friday for the beach and Tyler is finally at an age where he's the most excited of us all. :)
I hope this finds all who read well and full of blessings!
With Love and Prayers,
The Bush's

taking Grace to the ER....twice. Saturday morning while packing and getting ready to leave for the weekend Grace fell down our entire flight of stairs. My fault. she was bleeding in the mouth so we left in a hurry to take her to the ER with the Bush's meeting us there to be with Tyler. She tore the skin between her top lip and top gums= no recollection to it's name- but was otherwise fine. We were directed to give her motrin for pain and orajel if needed. We decided she was acting fine enough to go ahead and rush off to the wedding which we did. The weekend without the kids was wonderful and publicly- thank you to the Kelloggs for hosting us. We greatly appreciate it. We got back to the Bush's today around 4:30 and both kids were napping. Steph told us about how Grace hurt her leg while sliding earlier and while she was hard to console she was also exhausted so they had her nap and hoped she'd wake up fine. Unfortunately she did not. She was fussy and clearly in pain and could not crawl so we took her again to the ER. Several nurses recognized us. X rays showed she broke her right leg, both bones. They are actually "bent" I guess not bad breaks but she's in a half cast (plaster on bottom) toe to hip. She's already crawling with it and clearly is much more comfortable but it was an incredibly stressful several hours as she got increasingly agitated and cried more and more. She was very upset for the x rays and of course the wrapping of her leg. Please keep us all in prayer. Right now seems to be adjusting - praise GOD! She just pulls that leg when she crawls but she'll have to see the orthopedic surgeon (where steph works) sometime this week for possibly further x rays and casts and an indication of how long she'll be in the cast. She'll for sure be in it for her first birthday and we are praying NOT for vacation at the beach.... sand and casts do not mix I imagine... we are sorry for not personally emailing people but the stress and anxiety of Saturday morning on top of this and the late night excitement of the wedding has left Gary and I fully exhausted. We are so very thankful that nothing more serious happened.

Trying to get more April photos up of the kids... the add photo page is not working... sorry!


Tyler playing outside
A visit to the Kellogg's Grace-Tyler-Faith
Girls and Daddys
Girls and Mommys

After much effort and as little bad language (out loud) as I could manage
I have constructed the swing set. Here are some pictures and videos to enjoy.
(posted by gary)







Tyler kicking the ball as well!

Happy April! It's here and half gone already! Grace is still crawling, loves to stand on her knees but does not stand or pull herself to standing just yet. Both kids are sweet as can be. Tyler is getting to be very independant and, if possible, even more curious than before. I've got him signed up for swimming lessons which begin Tuesday so keep that in your prayers! Since last post we've enjoyed Easter as well as spring break where we got to spend time with friends which was a big blessing. Thank you to all who made an effor to see us when we were near or to come to see us here at the house. :) We love you! Enjoy a few more recent pictures of the kids and God Bless.


On this day I insisted we take a walk... it was much colder than I realized!
Even a princess can weild a sword!

Finger painting... he only got some on his eyebrow and fingers... go figure.
All by himself Tyler figured out how to get the cars to go best on the track using the large dump truck as a lift to make a ramp. He found by adding these others it went better and some cars even "flew" into the dump truck. I'm amazed sometimes at the things he comes up with!
And then sometimes I catch things like this and am reminded that he's only three... in my boots!
Grace is just a sweetie and her hair is growing... just in front and over her ears of course. :)
Josh and Faith Kellogg, Gary, Tyler and Grace Bush

Jackie and Faith Kellogg, Heather, Tyler and Grace Bush
Our little ham! Her new silly face is about her only face! Still no teeth you'll notice!
He didn't exactly smile but he did look at the camera... he's so sweet!
My best picture of the three of them smiling -Grace-Tyler-Faith