Very Thankful!

Well I must say that the days seem to be flying by and Christmas is almost here. I cannot believe how time flies.
We had a great Thanksgiving this year. The total number for sit down dinner was 19.
We loved having everyone travel up to see us. We know that it is not easy for all to make the trip especially those who drive up and back in the same day. Thank you for coming to share this special holiday with us. We love you all very much!
The food was definitely in abundance this year. I tried brining my turkey this year which seemed to turn out good. It was definitely flavorful. When brining a turkey you use a 5 gallon bucket and let the bird soak in the salt water/spice bath for 8 to 16 hours. The highlight of this whole turkey experience was when I innocently asked my 13 year old nephew if he wanted to help me "flip the bird". You can imagine the response that I got from a teenager at this request.
It was a treat to see my sister and half sister this year. We, of course, did our traditional day after Thanksgiving shopping. No real bargains to speak of but lots of laughs and fun with my sisters.
The Adoption
We received our letter for our appointment to have our fingerprinting in Indianapolis on Monday, December 14th. This is the last item we need before we are officially on the waiting list for Ethiopia. Madison and Max are now regularly asking about the children and anticipate their arrival. It is so sweet to here Madison and Max pray for these children that they do not yet know. We continue to pray that God will protect their hearts, minds and bodies until they make it into our home. Thank you for your prayers and support. We will continue to keep you posted as we know more information

Our Latest Adventure

Well we never really know where God is going to call us next. For Chris and I we feel like we have been called to adopt. We are currenly persuing two beautiful children from Africa. We pray that you will share our joy with us and support us in the long and emotional journey. We are hoping to get a sibling group ages 4 and under. Chris and I have been talking and praying about this decision since February of 2009. We sent in our official application on August 2, 2009. We will try to be open and honest about our journey. We really do need your love and support. Thank your for joining us on this adventure. We can not wait to see what God has in store for us.

END TO A GOOD SUMMER!

Well I must say that this has been a very busy summer. We have had lots of visitors, made lots of trips and created tons of memories. I am just sad that it went so fast. As we get ready to send the kids to school and wrap up the summer, I wanted to capture some pictures of Madie and Max. Enjoy! Check back again soon for the kids off to school pictures.

2009 Zoeller FBC Meeting/Picnic

This past weekend we travelled back to Louisville for the annual Zoeller Family Business Council meeting. The weekend was full of meetings and a picnic on Saturday evening. It was a quick weekend but we enjoyed seeing family.

Canoeing at Chain O' Lakes on Memorial Day

We decided to go canoeing today with the kids. Chris had heard about a place not too far a way from home that had great canoeing. The park was called Chain O' Lakes. There are 7 different lakes connected by channels. We canoed to 4 of the seven. We originally thought that it would be fun to do it by paddle boat. Ha, Ha. Our legs were on fire before we even made it out of the first lake. So, needless to say we traded our paddle boat in for a canoe. It proved to be an excellent decision. The kids both took turns paddling and did a great job. We saw lots of wildlife including turtles, fish, ducks wit babies, dragon flies, a blue heron, birds and tons of lilly pads.

After that adventure it is time for a nap! Happy Memorial Day!

Fort Wayne randomness

It has been a while since I have posted so I thought that I would post some random pictures of different things that we have been doing here in Fort Wayne.

Louisville

Well we decided to make a trip to Louisville for Mother's Day weekend to suprise my mom. Mission accomplished! She had no idea that we were coming and she was presently suprised to tears. Which, I do not see very often. We had a fun time staying with Chris' grandma and visiting with friends. The weather was beautiful and we enjoyed the warmth.

Easter

Well Easter this year was a little different than ones in the past. We spent Easter in Fort Wayne for the first time. After several weeks of traveling we decided that the 8 hour drive was more than what we wanted to endure.

We have friends here in Fort Wayne that were nice enough to invite us to be a part of their families Easter festivities. My friend Amber and her husband Keith invited us to their parents home to share the holiday.

We hope that you all had a happy Easter. We wish that we could have seen you and celebrate the joy that only Easter can bring.

Max's cool new glasses

Well today was a milestone in the life of Max. He had to get his first pair of glasses today. The journey started awhile back when he first failed his vision screen for his 5 year old check up. They instructed us that we should have him she a opthamologist. So, we did as they instructed and found out that he really needed glasses. We debated whether or not to get a second opinion but soon noticed how much he was struggling to see things that we could see.

So, now begins the journey of convincing him that glasses are cool and it does not matter what other people say. He is excited since his cousins DJ and Celia have glasses.

Murder and Mayhem at the Zoeller House

Well I must say that Saturday night at our house was probably one of the most eventful since we have lived in Fort Wayne. We decided that we would have a murder/ mystery party. We discussed it in our small church group one night and that was all it took. As most of you know this is our third murder/mystery event. We were so happy that everyone went all out. The costumes were awesome and everyone performed incredibly. One of our guest even commented that her stomach was going to hurt the next day, from all the laughing. I must say that we did miss some of our murder/mystery alumni (Tyia Lynn, David, Lisa, Johnny, Shay and Glen). However, it is good to know that there are also adventurous people who will humor the Zoellers in Fort Wayne. The evening was concluded with awards for Best Dresser, Best Performer, Super Slueth and the person who ended up with the most money. Thanks to everyone who made it a night we will not soon forget!

The Cinderella Ball

Well in my opinion, Chris wins daddy of the year for this one. I received an email from a local art spot that they were helping to sponsor a Cinderella ball that would help support a womens and childrens home here in Fort Wayne. So, of course, as soon as I told Chris about this event he bought tickets.


The email stated the following:
The three-hour event consists of a sit-down dinner, horse-drawn carriage ride, ballroom dance lesson, craft, entertainment, souvenir photo, and commemorative t-shirt. Cinderella and Prince Charming will also be on hand to interact with their royal guests.

So, the event was set and daddy told his little princess that she would have to go pick out a dress and he would wear a matching tie.

Madison was so excited about her new outfit and going to a ball with her daddy.

It was a magical night for both daddy and daughter. One I am sure that they will never forget.

SO OVER IT!!!!

Lets just say that I thought that I was a patient person until today. I can finally say that I am over it!! The snow needs to go. This is the sight that I have been looking at for the past 3 plus weeks. Everyday that I take Madison to school this is what is looking me in the face and mocking me. It has become a personal battle as it continues to grow and get bigger. I am not sure how you pile snow this high. I have not seen them in person hoisting the snow but it must be a sight. The building that you see in the background is Madison's school. I keep reminding myself that it could be worse. I could be in Louisville with no power. Love to all! Stay warm.

Our Little Man Max is 5!!!!

The saying is time flies when you are having fun. Well there is one thing I can say about my little boy - FUN! It is hard for me to believe that he is already 5 years old.

Since we decided to move away from family and friends this birthday was a little more tricky than others. We had tried to work out a fun trip but it fell through. So instead we decided that we would just spoil Max for the day! Movie, Chuck E Cheese and Red Robin. I think we succeeded. We had lots of fun and Max said that he was "Spoiled Rotten".