The View From Wolfhill

Kindergarten Graduation

2011-06-30T20:58:00.001-05:00

I loved it! It was so cute. They walked down the isle in their caps and gowns cute as they could be and smiles on their faces. I will not post a group shot since I’m trying to be so careful about the other kiddos privacy. Anyway here is what I can post…Hope with Nanny. (Nanny is really Bradley Ben Sunnie and Heath’s grandmother but she loves Hopie like one of her own…and Hope really loves Nanny)Hope and her Grandma…I’ve got to start checking for blinks and take better pictures…sorry Grandma but Hope would not like it if I left off a picture of you and her together. Sunnie Kay and Hope MarieHope and her sisters…Bethany, Carmen and Misty Audrey Hope and Heath… aren’t they cute.

Kindergarten graduation is only symbolic but it’s lots of fun and we all really enjoyed the day!

Becky

Memorial Weekend Picnic

2011-05-31T00:05:00.001-05:00

Each year we are blessed to be a part of a gathering of people of all ages from the small community where Ronnie’s Dad grew up. There is a small cemetery beside a small church with covered picnic pavilions and lots of beautiful trees and plants. The cemetery upkeep is taken care of by a group of volunteer trustee’s and workers who have family buried there. It is really a community wide event and lots of folks from out of town make their way back to this little wide spot in the road to enjoy the fellowship with old and new friends, enjoy the picnic and to help carry on the business of seeing to it that this little cemetery continues to have the best of care and those who are buried there are respected and their graves attended throughout the year.

Here are a few pictures from this years picnic.

Here Misty tenderly arranges flowers on Wade’s grave…we do miss him so much.

These markers are beautiful although I did blur out the names and the dates for privacy.

All babies love Misty…or “Sissy” as her nieces and nephews call her. Rick holding up the old oak.This picture shows the little church. Heath never knew his Grandpa Junie but I know Grandpa Junie would love this precious little one standing on his military grave marker. I somehow missed getting a picture of cute little Audrey with her two cute pigtails and ruffled denim skirt…she was a cutie. Maybe Misty got a picture. I’ll add it later if she does.

The mighty Oak tree that stands watch…Grandma with a granddaughter and two great-grandchildren.

Hope helped her Dad lead the folks in the Pledge to the American Flag today…it was a precious site for this Mom who waited so long to bring her to a free country and home to her family who loves her so much. We are blessed and we pray for those family members and others serving in the Military on this special weekend.

Sunday Snapshot… “So Loved”

2011-04-25T10:59:00.008-05:00

I love the shirts I got for our girls from donating to the “So Loved” adoption fundraiser. I feel so blessed to be able to give to such a wonderful cause. To know that we are a part of bringing home those two precious babies…is just awesome!! Here is a pic of the girls sporting their new Tee’s on Easter Sunday with Grandma and Hope. More Easter photos later… promise.

If you would like to help bring home these beautiful girls from China click the box. A wonderful precious family! Visit their family website at http://nihaoyall.com/ Believe me you will be blessed reading their amazing story.

Gates Of Wolfhill

2011-03-16T15:01:00.001-05:00

I am often asked if Wolfhill is an exclusive gated community. Yes, it is, so I figured I should show some pictures of the gates along with a fashion model.

This is Hope standing by the Jasmine gate.

Hope in the Honeysuckle gate. Hope in Grandpa Junie’s winding gate

Hope in front of the temporary gate Grandpa built in 1976

Gary Contact Us…Leave A Comment Here

2011-03-12T08:44:00.001-06:00

Gary we have been watching the news and hope to hear from you. We are concerned about your family and Asako’s family. We will keep the comment unpublished for your privacy. We are praying for you all.

Love

Ronnie and Becky

Wolfhill Christmas 2010

2011-01-02T15:07:00.001-06:00

We really enjoyed our family time this year. It seems when you lose someone you love during the year that family time becomes even more precious to you. We all really missed Wade at Christmas. As you will see in one of the pictures below Caleb took over his Dad’s job of putting together toys and we were all able to smile and enjoy that. We are even more thankful this year for the birth this holiday season celebrates…because of that we will all be together again someday.

Halloween 2010

2010-11-11T12:31:00.001-06:00

They were soooooooooooooo cute!!!Hey I think I’ll climb that tree….

Look I did it!!!Little Miss Lady Bug was just too busy to stop for pictures

Hopie’s impression of a bumblebee drinking nectar.

Heath…

2010-09-17T09:01:00.001-05:00

He is such a cutie pie and such a good good baby. Recently we took some of the kids down by the pond to take a few pictures. I’ll post some of the others later but these few of Heath just could not wait any longer. Note the smile in the first few pictures…it did not last long. As soon as that third picture was snapped he fell right out of that little white chair and was not a happy camper after that!

“I just don’t want to smile anymore…” “But aren’t I just precious”

Becky

My Dear Sweet Aunt…

2010-09-15T14:34:00.001-05:00

Aunt Jan went home to be with the Lord last week and we will miss her so very very much. She was a wonderful lady who was always there when I needed her. She made my wedding gown and touched my heart in so many ways over the years. I still have that wedding gown and I still love my Aunt Jan. Her family planned a beautiful tribute to her last weekend and we were so honored to be with them during the services. Love and prayers to you all…we will see her again…

Vacation Fun !

2010-08-13T09:21:00.001-05:00

This past week we took five of the grandchildren and Hope to Port Aransas for a few days. It was so much fun. We have the BEST grandchildren in the world. A few pictures of the trip down there to get started… The life of the party…Caleb. See those two sleepers on either side of him…the Bingham boys, they can sleep anywhere!

I believe Ronnie is thinking “I can’t believe I just spent almost fifty dollars in McDonalds”

The Long HOT Summer

2010-07-29T10:05:00.001-05:00

Trying to stay cool and enjoying the kids and grandkids has filled our summer with memories. Just a few photos to share. Misty and the boys went to Hot Springs last week, they needed to get away for a couple of days and it really did them the world of good. Caleb drove the entire time with Misty as his co-pilot. Seriously she said he did very well. He is a good boy!! From a grandmother’s point of view any young man who is 19 and had his license since he was 16 and has not had a speeding ticket or any type of ticket…that’s just WONDERFUL!! I’ll post pictures of their trip later.

Hope thinks watermelon helps her stay cool during this long hot summer.

A little bit of sidewalk chalk amuses Sunnie and Bradley thinks you can stay cool by playing basketball in 100 degree weather.The View From Wolfhill really is beautiful this time of year! Audrey prefers the air conditioned playroom, and her pink pacifier. Of course this is Hopie’s favorite way to keep cool. She has amazed us this summer. She has learned to swim and can go all the way to the bottom and pick up a penny!

A Visit With Aunt Jan

2010-07-10T11:57:00.001-05:00

We recently visited my Aunt Jan (my Daddy’s sister) and enjoyed some time with her and her daughter. Aunt Jan is fighting a terrible disease and we pray she will improve and feel better. We love her lots and wish she was still able to come visit when we have family dinners. Maybe soon. We love you Aunt Jan!!! Hope really loves her Aunt Jan…so does Sunnie Kay

And so do we all!!!!!!!!!!!!

Celebrating July 4th…Wolfhill Style

2010-07-07T12:22:00.001-05:00

These pictures show a little bit of the fun we had here on Wolfhill this 4th of July. From swimming in the pool which by the way was a gift from our niece Sarah’s friend to sitting in the back of pickup trucks in the pasture watching the display of fireworks we had a blast!!!!!!!!!!!! Sunnie and Hope…those two girls just cannot get enough of that pool…they love it!! Audrey surprised us all by not being afraid of the water needless to say the ladder comes out of the pool and the back door has double locks. Heath and Nanny, she stopped by to say hello and wish us all a Happy Day. This time last year Audrey was about Heath ~~size~~ age

I suppose Bradley does look a little “redneck”…watching the fireworks from the top of the cattle trailer… Hope was just a little tired after the long day and decided not to swim at 10:00 pm with Ben and Sunnie!

We celebrated and enjoyed ourselves…we also remember fondly how much Wade LOVED shooting off fireworks and how he always insisted his boys be safe and really put on a good show for us…

Looking Forward...

2010-05-29T09:30:00.015-05:00

Yesterday was eight weeks since Wade died. While we are all still shocked and grieving we are blessed. The silver lining to this cloud has been the faithfulness of God as well as our wonderful family and friends. It almost seems wrong to me to be happy...about anything and I am sure that anyone who has experienced a similar loss has had the same feeling from time to time. God has a way of healing our hearts a little at a time that is very precious to me. Our pastor recently made a statement during a sermon that has really made a home in my heart...he said,"Joy is something we cannot cultivate on our own...it is a gift." I realize in the midst of this time of grief for our family that indeed joy is a gift. When I find myself happy and smiling it is a blessing. Now I am able to embrace the memories with a sense of joy that is truly a gift. I am working at replacing the thoughts of wishing Wade could enjoy this moment with our family with the thought that he is enjoying an even more precious family gathering than we can ever imagine.

This little farm we live on is always busy and now is no exception. Caleb our first grandchild will be graduating High School next week. That does not even seem possible and while we are all still saddened we do see such joy and excitement in this milestone. Caleb is a wonderful young man and we love him dearly. That joy that Pastor Rodney spoke of easily surfaces when we look at him. Tyler, Caleb's brother came in this morning with his new "Show Heifer" for this years county fair...and joy was written all over his face. Wade's boys will never forget their Dad, he was precious to them but I am thankful that life does go on and that God blesses us with the ability to embrace it with joy.

Becky

Sadness, Loss, and Comfort

2010-04-17T12:12:00.003-05:00

We are a close knit family here on Wolfhill and we are going through a time of sorrow. Our son-in-law, Wade, husband of Misty and father of Caleb and Tyler passed away on Friday, April second. Wade had endured a lot of pain and several surgeries over the past decade. Within the last month he had battled recurring infection. On Thursday, April first he had outpatient surgery for a persistant infection in the ear. He went to sleep on Thursday night at home and passed away unexpectedly on Friday morning.

It has been a tragic time for our family. Many of you understand all too well, you have experienced similar losses. The comfort of friends, family, and neighbors has been awe inspiring. The schoolmates and faculty where Caleb and Tyler attend have been wonderful. They gathered around the boys as soon as they heard and stood by them in friendship. They didn't know what to say,(who ever does?) but they were there for them and us.

Old friends and new showed up from everywhere with food, gifts, and help of every kind. Our church, our former church and churches connected in any way to the family came to our aid. I have to stop and wipe away the tears as I try to recount all that has been done for us. In a time that we were overcome with grief, the kindess and ministry of friends, neighbors and church has lifted us up and filled our hearts with gratitude.

We are thankful for the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, who upholds us through the grieving time. We are thankful for the hope we have in Christ, for the promise of resurrection to be united with our Lord and reunited with family members that have died in Christ as Wade did. We are thankful for Wade's life and his love for family.

We will keep on living life to the fullest, loving with all out hearts, knowing that those who love with all their heart risk having it broken at some time. We believe that the reward of love outweighs the risk.

Ronnie

Pray for Us

2010-04-04T14:31:00.001-05:00

We lost our precious son in law Wade. We need your prayers.

The View Has Recently Changed

2010-02-12T16:06:00.002-06:00

A Texas sized snow storm and a beautiful sunset a few day earlier.

I love snow and sunsets....snow is rare here on Wolfhill....but the sunsets Wow you all year long.

Becky

Christmas Eve...Wolfhill Style

2010-01-04T10:11:00.015-06:00

Hope teaching Audrey the fine art of ripping open presents!!

Seems that every year Misty manages to put a bunch of bows on someone's head. This year it was Miss Audrey...so very very cute.

Christmas Eve is our family time together. I am thankful the girls have always made it a priority to be here with us on that day. Someday that will change but for now it is so special. We start the day cooking up a bunch of goodies. Late in the afternoon we have a wonderful meal together with some of my relatives and then later in the evening we go "over the river and through the woods to grandmothers house" actually it's just across the pasture, there we visit with Ronnie's sister and her family and eat dessert and dive into the gifts grandma has for everyone. Then it is back here for candle lighting and Ronnie reading the Christmas story from the Bible. It is so amazing how the kids get quiet and listen intently...it's my favorite part of the whole Christmas season. Then in a matter of moments all those presents under the tree get unwrapped and the fun begins again. We are so very thankful for our family and our Savior.

Christmas at Grandmas was fun...wall to wall family...

Cousins cousins cousins....four new babies this year at Grandmas...Miss Audrey Elizabeth was born the day after Christmas last year so this is her first Christmas even though every "Babies First Christmas" outfit we saw was way to small....Her little red velvet romper I purchased at Dillards (after Christmas for 2.99) two years before we brought Hope home. Beth kept saying "Mom don't give that away maybe someday I'll have a baby girl" (Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart) The other babies are Subeth's daughter Fallon Paige, Maddie's daughter Adyson, and of course John-Christian Heath
What a beautiful grandmother and granddaughter.

Our Grandchildren...are wonderful we are so very Thankful for them.

Sweet little Audrey...our precious little miracle child. She is wearing Sunnie's first Christmas dress and hat in this picture.

Sunnie Girl holding her precious baby brother...John-Christian Heath

Tyler our Cowboy who we can never get a good smile out of....I keep trying.

Caleb our oldest...18 years old a Senior in High School and a really really good kid.

Cutie Ben at his usual location in the recliner with the laptop playing computer games and laughing at funny utube videos.

And Bradley makes it very hard to get a good picture...these guys...they always cooperated when they were little what happened.

Carmen and Heath

Sunshine

Hope had several cute Christmas outfits this year this one was her favorite.

Christmas Sunday Family Time

2009-12-30T09:59:00.010-06:00

Matching Christmas dresses for our three beautiful girls.

Miss Audrey was really on the go...it's hard on a one year old little girl to be still for pictures!!

Hope and Dad

Hope and Mom

The boys helping sack up the Christmas fruit and candy at church.

John-Christian Heath's first Sunday in Church. Ronnie's Dad would have said he looked like a little "Jelly Bean" That's what he always said about the boys when they were dressed up. We really miss him and fondly remember him during the holidays.

Looks like they are mighty proud of baby brother.

Bradley, Sunnie, Carmen, Heath, John, and Ben

Caleb, Misty, Wade, and Tyler

Beth and Jeff were not able to stop by the house for pictures after church but we are so thankful they were able to attend church with us.

Carmen's Baby Shower

2009-11-18T09:53:00.011-06:00

Audrey, Addison, Hope, and Kerrigan

This time last year we were waiting on this sweet bundle of joy!

Doesn't she look cute?

Carmen and Sunnie Kay....Beautiful

Carmen and Sabrina...this friendship started out in the nursery at church when they were just babies ...what a treasure!

Our beautiful daughters.

All our girls...just look at those smiles

Yum Cake!

Bethany graciously consented to have the baby shower at her house and it was very beautiful and lots of fun. Friends and family blessed her with so many wonderful gifts. It has been nine years since Carmen had a little one around and she needed everything! Thank you to Sabrina for all she did and to help make this such a great day and by the way that cake was so very good! Just ask Miss Audrey Elizabeth.

Brentney and Patty listening to Glenna tell a funny story about shopping for the stroller.

Grandma and Aunt Doris with her newest granddaughter Fallon Paige.

My niece's Brandy and her daughter beautiful Emily...seems like just yesterday Emily was a baby... Ashley's sweet baby boy Maddox.

Carmen says thanks to everyone who made this day so very special!

Halloween Wolfhill Style 2009

2009-11-03T11:16:00.008-06:00

Halloween...2009

A whole pile of cousins and friends make for a fun hayride!! The older guys were hiding in the trees along the way and tried to scare us but we were ready for them...better luck next year guys.

Oh my isn't she cute...Audrey's first Halloween and she loved it...by the way she is taking her first steps...we are so very blessed.

She is just so precious

And Carmen, John and the kids (and all of us around here) are waiting impatiently for the new addition to our family who should be making his appearance in early December.

A wiener roast, hayride, and some smores brought out the vampires ladybugs and leopards on

Wolfhill this Halloween... we really had some fun. Sunnie Kay, Audrey, Peyton and Hope Marie really really enjoyed the evening!

Beautiful girls!

Our Precious Little Lady Bug!!

Wolfhill Time

2009-10-09T10:09:00.006-05:00

I've heard people over the years say something like everyone has the same 24 hours in a day to get things done...it's just how you manage your time. Well, I really think "Swiper the Fox" (you have to be a Dora fan to understand) gets his sneaky hands on my 24 hours!! I suppose I'm not saying "Swiper No Swiping" fast enough! Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I love to sit in my rocking chair our sweet Hopie Marie in my lap and read books to her or cook up something in the kitchen with her doing the "measuring" or go out each morning to see which color of morning glories are bloomed out or possibly all the little made up scenarios which she has become famous for the last couple of weeks. She runs up with sparkling eyes and says "pretend that I am a cat" or "pretend that you are a "cow" (where did that come from) and I am the baby calf." It really tickles me to see her imagination at work. She is also great at working puzzles and working in her little "school" books we bought at Sam's back at the start of the school year. Hope just amazes me and I suppose I have worked her into my 24 hours a day just fine. It's just that the houswork seems to be getting further and further behind...but in the whole scheme of things I'd prefer that "Swiper" just do it.

So Wolfhill Time...is for whatever Hope and I decide is important that day!!!

Becky

Roaring River Family Vacation 2009

2009-08-28T09:28:00.007-05:00

We really really enjoyed being together in such a beautiful place. These grandchildren of ours tend to create FUN!!

These guys know how to shop. Below Miss Hope Marie had to get into the act!!

Misty Audrey and Wade

We had to take several rest stops along the way with a baby, a four year old, and an expectant Mom in tow. Carmen holding Audrey.

Misty Hope Caleb and Ben

A few pictures from our Roaring River family vacation. We had so much fun.

Sorry

2009-08-19T08:28:00.005-05:00

We are having great difficulty uploading pictures lately..Ronnie seems to think my computer is slow because of the THOUSANDS of pictures I have on it...hmmm. We are trying to get up and running again so we can update with photos of our family and also our site we dedicate mostly to Hope.

Don't give up on us, we will get this fixed soon.

Check back again

Becky

Ben Graduates...Eighth Grade

2009-07-09T22:50:00.003-05:00

One of the things I really love about small schools ... Junior High Graduation!! Our sweet grandson Ben graduated in late May and we are so very proud of him. When he graduated from Kindergarden 8 years ago he sort of stole the show with his smile and his antics during the group songs. He was a bit more subdued this year. We love you Ben.

Family Reunion Time

2009-06-30T10:28:00.003-05:00

We recently had a wonderful day at a family reunion for Ronnie's Dad's family. We met at a local lake for lunch and really enjoyed the day. We all brought old family photos and our daughter Misty came up with a wonderful plan for sharing those. She brought her laptop and scanner and whenever we came upon a photo that anyone in the family wanted copies of we scanned in that photo and will be able to share those via email or CD. No more lost or misplaced photos when you loan them out to be copied. Thank you Misty!

We were so busy talking and laughing throughout the day that we did not take a lot of pictures but I did get a few.

Happy Birthday Sunnie

2009-06-17T08:34:00.003-05:00

Sunnie's latest trick...this girl is alway up for some creative fun!!

The birthday girl and her Aunt...

Nine Years Old.......oh my how can that be?

May is a busy month birthday month on Wolfhill. Caleb, Sunnie, and Grandma all have birthdays. Sunnie is a very very busy little girl this time of year and was so busy she did not even have a free weekend day to have a party...so we all went to our favorite local mexican restuarant...(yum) and had supper together after her softball game on her birthday. It was so much fun. We love you Sunshine...

Happy Birthday Caleb

2009-06-15T09:49:00.005-05:00

Our oldest grandson Caleb had a very special birthday this year...he turned eighteen!! Wow it seems like yesterday he was a precious little bitty boy. Now he is over six feet tall and so very cute. He is a really good boy...respectful and kind...uses good judgement...and is a Christian what more could you ask from a young man. We are so very proud of you Caleb...very proud and thankful.

Becky

Either I Am Slow .... Or Life Is FAST

2009-05-24T06:19:00.000-05:00

It just seems that recently I do not have time to do anything!! Not sure what happened. After I retired I thought I would be blogging every day but alas it's been a month since I updated this site. I must to better. I suppose the little four year old blessing could have something to do with it but actually I think it has more to do with my own procrastination tendencies and the fact that I must be the world's most disorganized person...but I am really working on that.

Here are a few pictures of Mother's Day on Wolfhill a few weeks late. I have to be the most blessed mother on earth. My daughters are the greatest and my husband well if you know him you can easily understand when I say he is wonderful. This year Ronnie decided that our daughters as well as myself would have a day off. He cooked and even enlisted the son-in-laws help in getting an awsome dinner on the table and they also did most of the clean up. It was so refreshing and so wonderful.

I am thankful for my mother and I treasure her memory as well as those of my grandmothers and greatgrandmothers who also had a great impact on who I am...and I must have the best mother-in-law on the planet. She has been a blessing to me for over 35 years now.

This was a really special mother's day around here since our daughter Bethany who had been told by numerous doctors that she would probably never have a child was celebrating her first mother's day. We are so blessed.

Misty and Carmen are wonderful mom's who are raising really great children. Hope is a joy and such a blessing.

I think there is not a mom in the world more blessed than I am. My greatest desire is to be a good mom, grandmother, and wife and I know both would be impossible if it were not for Jesus who turned my life around and brought out the best in me...I am so very thankful...

Thanks Ronnie for making Mother's Day so special this year. I love you.

Becky

I'm trying to locate a new picture of our grandsons to post...but those guys tend to disappear when I get out my camera.

Easter 2009

2009-04-22T08:34:00.008-05:00

Our sweet Hope Marie

What a wonderful celebration day...we started out with church at Harvest Time then on to church with our daughters and their families ... we were blessed to have the opportunity to worship Jesus with all four daughters and their families...what more could you ask when you are blessed with ... a Saviour and a wonderful family.

Here it is...Easter on Wolfhill. We usually have lots of kiddos hunting eggs but this year were unable to have everyone here at the same time.

Caleb ready to fulfill his duty... official egg hider!!

This year the guys hid the eggs...they grow up so fast!! See how creative they were!!

I bought Hope a really cute outfit for hunting eggs but...when you live in Texas the weather decides what you wear...so barn boots jeans and a jacket took the place of capris and sandles!

Sunnie Kay cute in any outfit!!

Aren't they sweet?

Hope with her Easter Basket

I love to see her sweet almond shaped eyes twinkle when she smiles like this!!

Our very own baby bunny!! Beautiful Audrey

Audrey with her Great Grandmother

A bunch of beauties.

What a precious family...with one additional sweetie pie Hope Marie!

First Easter with a new baby...what a precious time (for all of us)

Beautiful

John was taking the picture below ...aren't they just so sweet...Our wonderful grandchildren...

Beautiful sweet Sunnie Kay with Audrey at church

This is the best we could do on getting these guys to pose!!! Ya gotta love um!!!!!

Big Wolfhill Announcement

2009-04-17T18:41:00.005-05:00

I'll get to the Easter post a little later. This announcement just cannot wait!!!!!!!!!

Carmen and John are having a baby!!!!!!!!

Bradley, Ben, and Sunnie were very surprised (so were Carmen and John) but thrilled to have another family member on the way.

Of course there is always room in our hearts and lives for another little one and I am so thrilled that little Audrey will have a cousin so close in age. We are so Blessed...

Looking Forward To A Wolfhill Easter

2009-04-10T10:04:00.003-05:00

Something was wrong with my camera ... all my pics were blurred. I later reset every setting to default and it fixed it. Anyway Hope helping Dad fill the plastic eggs for the annual Wolfhill Easter Egg Hunt.

We had a Ladies meeting at church and Hope and Sunnie modeled spring outfits...they did so good but somehow I can't seem to find those pictures...

Audrey and Bethany came to enjoy the fun.

Some of our fondest memories and the times our girls and their families look forward to are centered around religious holidays. The blog site is not really uploading photos very fast ...will post pics later.

The Prom 2009

2009-04-01T13:17:00.007-05:00

Oh my!! When did Caleb get old enough to go the prom...??? Our grandchildren are growing up so fast. Where does time go? Seems just yesterday he was out chasing bugs and now he's chasing girls!!

Caleb and Bailey...she is really pretty... and Caleb you look pretty sharp too!!!

It was so very cold...but they toughed it out.

Being the wonderful guy he is Caleb thrilled Sunnie when she stopped by to peek in on the prom with her mom by picking her up and whisking her onto the dance floor to dance. What third grade girl gets to do that??? Thanks Caleb you made her YEAR!!

Caleb looked so cute and his date Bailey looked beautiful. The weather was very cold and windy so a planned trip to a local park for pictures turned out to not be quite as much fun as anticipated. They nearly froze but the pictures came out good regardless. We are so very proud of you Caleb. Just wanted you to know that!

A Day At The Zoo

2009-03-27T08:33:00.003-05:00

Our family recently spent the day at the Dallas Zoo. We had a lot of fun and it was actually Hope's first visit to the Zoo. She loved it and looked forward to the llama's ( she talks a lot about llama's ...she watches "Diego"!!) . It was a wonderful family day. Ronnie with the guys...they are really growing up. They are good boys and soooooooooo cute!!

Sunnie Kay and Hope enjoying the fish tank in the Childrens Zoo.

Miss Audrey spent most of the day just like this!!

Hope was unafraid of these animals...I think they were brass ducks.

Beautiful. They say they are "special sisters".

And do they ever have FUN together!

Hope LOVED the llama.........she waited all day to see the llama and finally we found it.

Amazed!

Carmen and Sunnie........they really look alike!

Audrey...We REALLY love that little girl!!

2009-03-23T23:23:00.003-05:00

She is so very cute and FAT!! Look at those cheeks and really these pictures are several weeks old...she has even more kissable cheeks now!!

Christmas Eve 2008

2009-02-25T09:42:00.004-06:00

Christmas Eve Traditions...

We have so much fun around here on Christmas Eve...after eating way to much and stopping by Grandmas's for desert and gifts we gather back at home with all the girls and their families. We light the candles and Ronnie reads the Christmas story from the Bible...he usually sits in the recliner with a couple of kids on his lap but this year with Bethany on bedrest she took over that spot and Ronnie sat on the hearth. I love this tradition...the best part of Christmas for me. While Ronnie is reading I just look around the room and whisper a prayer of thanks for our family. We are so very proud of them and thankful for the blessing they bring to our lives. Christmas 2005 we had just received our log in date from China and thought we would have Hope home by Christmas 2006...but due to circumstances beyond our control we did not get to share Christmas with her until 2008. Last year we finally knew who she was and how old she was and were getting ready to go to China to bring her home...

Oh yeah...after the Christmas story then the kids favorite part...GIFTS...........!!!

A Wolfhill Christmas 2008

2009-02-19T10:07:00.005-06:00

What a wonderful Christmas this was for our family...We waited several years to be able to share this holiday with our little girl from China and except for the last year we did not even know who she was or how old she was...what a difference a year can make. Also as most of our family and friends know our daughter Bethany and husband Jeff were expecting their miracle baby this year and little Audrey Elizabeth was born the day after Christmas. Beth had been told by several doctors that her chances of having a baby were pretty much zero but God had other plans and we are so very thankful for this precious Christmas blessing. I believe in miracles...we have two of them in our family this year.

So very glad to have more than just a picture this Christmas!

Bethany showing off the latest sonogram picture. One happy mom!

At the Annual Christmas Parade in town. Christmas at Grandma's House........with all the aunts uncles and cousins....what a wonderful tradition

Bobby with his "baby boy" Robert !

Gwen, little Ricky, Austen, Notika, Sunnie and Hope waiting by Grandma's tree to open presents.

The results...Grandma gave all the kids Christmas PJ's....yeah Grandma you made a lot of little ones so very happy!!

Aunt Doris and Uncle Rick. ( Sorry but my flash does some weird things to photos sometimes) I'm hoping for a new Cannon with lenses for mothers day....hint hint hint.

Carmen showing off her favorite Christmas gift..."Boo" her new puppy. Needless to say Boo was the life of the party as far as all the children were concerned.

Beth was on bed rest so she cheated a little and spent this part of Christmas Eve in Grandma's recliner.

Much more to come...

Family & Friends Visit Audrey Elizabeth

2009-01-06T01:59:00.003-06:00

Tyler really thinks she is cute

Misty Sunnie Kay and Audrey

Could it be possible...another girl with curls in the family......???

Great Grandmother Barbara Elizabeth and Aunt Doris visit Audrey.

Dear Friends Tracy above and Kyla and Amy below.

IT'S A GIRL!!!!! A BEAUTIFUL SWEET BABY GIRL

2008-12-27T22:23:00.001-06:00

Audrey Elizabeth

6 lbs 8.2 oz

18 inches long

12:00 pm

Congratulations Jeff & Bethany

She is truly a miracle.

Audrey Elizabeth arrived at 12:00 noon on December 26, 2008. She is absolutely beautiful and the whole family is in love with her. She weighs 6 lbs 8.2 oz and is18 inches long. She is a tiny thing but very healthy and doing wonderful. Bethany is doing great too. Audrey has more hair than any baby in our immediate family ever had. It is also dark which is a surprise we all just assumed she would have lighter hair.

We are so very thankful and feel so blessed. Welcome to the Wolfhill Gang Audrey.

Forgive Us For No Updates...Please

2008-12-21T23:41:00.000-06:00

We are so very busy and will update as soon as we can. Thanks for checking back again.

Our daughter Bethany is on bedrest and has been for most of the month of December and should be having her baby sometime this week...a little early but she is having blood pressure problems. Please pray for Beth and baby Audrey... we are so very excited. Our miracle granddaughter!!!

Hope has been so very busy...a wedding...she was a flower girl (sweet sweet) and also practicing and performing in the Christmas production at church. She actually made it through the first song!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This time last year...she was just one of many in a cold orphanage in China and this year she has blessed our lives in more ways that we will ever be able to share. What a precious gift this child is to our family.

Merry Christmas to everyone...

Don't give up on us...

And check back soon for some very exciting news.

Love

Becky

Well...Ben DID it & We MISSED It!!

2008-11-18T06:30:00.001-06:00

Ben made his goal in the basketball game tonight...and we MISSED IT. When I called him after the game he said "Everyone was Cheering"....!! The game was not a home game and with Ronnie getting home after 5:00 and needing to feed the cows..we have decided we will not make a lot of the out of town games this year but I really really wish we had made it to this game!!

Ben we are so very proud of you!!!

Happy Birthday Ronnie

2008-11-13T14:10:00.000-06:00

A trip to the state park was the perfect setting on a beautiful fall day for Ronnie's birthday party/picnic. We had so much fun!!! I'll just post a few pictures and you can see for yourself.

Happy Birthday We Love You Very Much!!

Not the best "Hook em Horns" picture but you get the message !

Feeding the ducks and geese...they were friendly and hungry!!
Swinging in the same swings they used as little girls.Caleb enjoying the day.TylerCaleb Wade Misty and TylerBethany, Jeff, and baby AudreyCarmen and Sunnie Kay

Hope and me.

Becky

Ben's Goal

2008-11-12T08:14:00.000-06:00

We are so very proud of all our grandchildren. They are sweet, kind, compassionate and lots of fun! They are individuals and each of them have different interests. Caleb, Tyler, Bradley, Ben, and Sunnie all enjoy sports but Ben is the least interested in sports. When he was little he played T-ball and coach pitch but when it came time to play on teams where other kids his own age were pitching he just decided there was no need in letting them "target practice" on him. I thought that was an excellent decision...

Last year when he entered junior high as a seventh grader he decided to play basketball. He had played basketball on the youth leagues for several seasons and enjoyed it. Ben is not aggressive or an extreme athlete he just enjoys basketball. Ben has made it known to players, coaches, family and friends that he has a set a goal for himself. That goal is to make a basket in a game! Word has gotten out and he now has a huge cheering section (like the entire school and all their families.) One night this week in a game Ben got the ball and made a score... the crowd erupted in applause and excitement but the ref said he fouled and the score did not count. Bummer!!

We were unable to be at the game that night but we will not miss another if we can help it. I want to be a witness to this milestone in Ben's life!! A few more facts that make this goal of Ben's so great. Bradley...Ben's brother who is only 14 months older is a sports natural and last year Ben was a bit discouraged with basketball and Bradley bribed him to stay on the team by giving him all of his points on a certain online computer game...(which makes me very proud of big brother Bradley) so Ben took him up on it and stuck with the team all year and even though he did not get much playing time he had a goal. In the last game of the year everyone was yelling "give the ball to Ben". In the end last year Ben did not accomplish his goal but was not discouraged and is playing again this year. His goal is still to make a score in a game!!!! Some players goal may be to score three pointers or steal the ball from opponents or make the most points in a game but Ben just wants to make a score.

Do I sound like a proud grandmother? Well I am very proud and the thing I am the most proud of is that Ben is so well grounded that he can look at his interests, (hey guys the world is not all about sports...) set a realistic goal for himself, and GO FOR IT!! Ben we are so very proud of you...and I have faith that you will succeed in whatever goals you set in the future!

Becky

Hope Goes To Vote

2008-11-09T19:48:00.000-06:00

Becky needed to vote last week so Hope and I went with her to the local community center. I had voted early about two weeks previously. Hope wore her American flag shirt with blue jeans and a red ribbon.

We then went to a new park for a hamburger lunch. The park is on the site of the old cotton mill that once employed hundreds of local folk including at one time my dad, my grandfather and other family members. In the late seventies when I was needing extra work Dad and I worked on the demolition and salvaging of the old mill. Dad was paid a dollar fifty an hour and I was paid a dollar twenty five. There is very little evidence of the old mill still visible. When I was toiling on the tear down, what if I could have looked into the future about thirty years and seen myself standing on the old railroad track holding a little Chinese daughter? Life takes some amazing twists.

Becky grew up just a couple of blocks from this bridge in the house where her grandparents lived for over fifty years. I played along the creek that it crosses when I was a kid and my grandparents lived about the same distance away.

Fun Times

2008-11-02T20:54:00.000-06:00

Our local church had a fall festival and it was Hope's first chance to experience this kind of Texas fun. Ronnie brought Hope a really cute shirt home when he was working in Houston, it said "My Magical Power Is Being Cute"...she looked really cute at the festival, so did friends Addison, Kerrigan, and Olivia. Sunnie Kay was a "rock star" and believe me she looked like one ...so cute !! We went on a hayride and had roasted hot dogs. Fun Fun Fun!!

Hope with Nanny. Nanny is actually Sunnie, Ben, and Bradley's grandmother but Hope asked if she could be her Nanny too and of course Glenna said yes. She is such a sweet lady and our whole family loves her a lot. Nanny is famous for her popcorn balls and the picture below is a milestone in Hopie's life...her FIRST Nanny popcorn ball and she loved it!!

Sabrina and daughters Addison and Kerrigan aka Wonder Woman and Dora!!

Little Miss Olivia who we have prayed many many prayers for and who continues to be a source of joy and evidence that God is still in the healing business.

Our beautiful grandaughter Sunnie Kay with Hope and "Sugar Baby" our Cat...the only animal Hope will even get close to.
Misty and Hope wearing her pumpkin and witch dress (so very cute) that her Aunt Patty found for her at a garage sale. By the way Hope calls Misty "Sissy".

It's A Girl!!!!!

2008-10-31T09:17:00.000-05:00

We waited a while to make the annnouncement because it took 3 different ultrasounds to be sure. Miss Audrey Elizabeth is very shy!! Jeff and Bethany are having a GIRL. We are thrilled she will be loved and cherished by this big family here on Wolfhill. They are naming her after Jeff's great grandmother and Bethany's grandmother. Years ago Bethany told everyone in the family she wanted to name her little girl after Grandma.

Bethany is doing great. Little Audrey is about 2 lbs 14 oz and 14 to 15 inches long according to the latest ultrasound. We do look forward to January when we can welcome her with hugs and kisses into our family.

I shared before what a miracle this little girl is. We are so very thankful for her.

Becky

A Working Vacation

2008-10-20T21:56:00.000-05:00

Get the message?

The home and buildings were unscathed.

One of the small towns in the area.

After five days: an almost clean alarm panel

This little business had a close call.

Ike 08

Three weeks ago I went to Willis, Texas to work on the Hurricane Ike recovery effort for my company. I was gone for eight days and missed Becky, Hope and the kids and grandkids tremendously. Hope missed me too and I talked to her every day. It was about the fourth night I was away that the she realized I was not coming home after she went to sleep, but actually sleeping somewhere else. The damage in the area where I went to was due mostly to the numerous pine trees being blown down into power lines. I was amazed at how few house were hit by trees. The damage could have been much worse.

We're Having Computer Trouble

2008-10-20T08:17:00.000-05:00

Sorry we have gone so very long without posting pictures and updating about life here on Wolfhill but we are having some computer issues and I broke my camera. The girls have been taking pictures for us until we get our camera replaced but we are unable to get them posted right now. Ronnie and John are working on it and hopefully sometime this week we will be able to get back to normal. I love keeping up with friends and family reading their blogs and apologize that we are so far behind. Check back soon .... please!

Becky

Trouble Loading Pictures

2008-09-25T14:50:00.000-05:00

I am having some serious problems uploading pictures to the blog...I do have several ready to add to the Catch Up post. Please check back soon.

Becky

Wolfhill Catch Up Time

2008-09-22T07:38:00.000-05:00

He made the catch...but the runner was a little ahead of the ball...good try Caleb!!
We are so proud of all our grandchildren. It is so rewarding and FUN to go to their ballgames and activities. I really believe parents bless their children by just being there. Looking up to seem Mom, Dad or Grandparents and in our case Aunts and Uncles and Cousins supporting you at your activities is precious to these guys. (even though at their age you could not get them to admit it)
Hope visits "Miss Carmen" at school.
Fun with Sunnie Kay and friends.
" If Ty is not going to eat it I just might!!"

This week I hope to get at least some more photos of family and friends posted. Since Hope Marie joined our family our focus has been on helping her get adjusted and secure and we have neglected to keep our family posts up to date. Hope is such a joy. We are so very blessed to have been chosen to be her parents.

Now that I'm retired...........YEAH..........I thought I would have plenty of time to blog...but I have discovered that this precious little 3 year old has other ideas as to what I should do with my time, so I have decided that if something is important to me I have to schedule time into my day just like I do with time to read my bible and pray.

While I did get several posts made to document some of the summer activities I do have more to share so hopefully later today I can get some of those photos loaded.

Becky

Remembering Frank

2008-09-08T18:09:00.000-05:00

We were saddened today to hear about the loss of a dear friend Frank Montgomery. Our prayers and thoughts are with Lena and the family. We love you all.

Thirty-Five Wonderful Years

2008-09-02T22:02:00.000-05:00

On Aug. 31 Becky and I celebrated our thirty fifth wedding anniversary. The central AC in our house had gone out and we went to Pizza Hut to be able to eat supper in a cool place. As we enjoyed watching Hope eat crackers, I asked Becky if she could have possibly imagined thirty five years ago that we would have a three year old daughter from China when we were in our mid-fifties. I could not even have started to imagine a tenth of the things that we have experienced in our life as a family. I credit Becky for helping me learn to dream big in the ways that are most important. With Becky by my side, I believe that I can do just about anything, and of course with God, all things are possible.

Ronnie

July 4th on Wolfhill

2008-08-26T08:14:00.000-05:00

I will never forget the first July 4th I spent here on this little farm. It was 35 years ago (wow that makes me seem old...:). The thing that stands out in my memories is how much fun the kids seemed to have. We had a picnic in the pear orchard and it was really hot but that was back during a time when most of us did not have air conditioning in our homes and it was probably hotter at home than in the orchard. We had a wonderful time and later in the evening watched the fireworks at the lake. I easily fell in love with Ronnie's family then and now 35 years later I love them even more. Our girls (all 4 of them) are blessed to have such a great extended family.

Now days the "orchard" is just a collection of trees that have grown up in what used to be a pear orchard. It is still beautiful there but years ago in the spring it would look like snow had fallen when the pear trees bloomed out...it was beautiful. We keep saying we would like to replant pear trees down there but we would have to re-fence to keep the cattle out of the area until the trees got more established. Maybe someday!

Here are a few pics from this years celebration...most of which was spent indoors...are we getting soft or what!!!

This is a perfect July 4th picture...don't you agree!!

Somehow Bethany avoided the camera this year but this picture shows Ronnie finishing up the gravy to complete menu ordered by Beth this year...fried chicken, gravy, corn on the cob, etc...of course we all cater to her cravings!!!!!!!!!!Hope and Sunnie Kay squeezing lemons with Misty for fresh lemonade.Sweet GwenBreaking in Hope's new pool.

Ben looking quite cute and comfortable.Austin forgot how to smile in this photo, but isn't he just so very CUTE!!Our little firecracker!!!!!!!!! Miss Hope Marie.The heat and excitement got the best of these four Americans!!Washer pitching a Wolfhill 4th of July tradition. The kiddos had a ring side seat in Grandma's Oak tree.

Ben, Carmen, and Sunnie Kay showing Hope how much fun sparklers can be.

A new American Citizen celebrating!!
My nephew Mike...who furnished a lot of excitement with his fantastic fireworks display.We did spend a little time outside after it cooled off a little!! Family .... that's what America is all about!!

Becky

The First Week...

2008-08-18T14:31:00.000-05:00

I just completed my first week as a "retiree" and I just have one thing to say...I have been quite busy. I suppose a portion of that could be attributed to the fact that there is a quite active 3 year old running around here. I love IT!!! The week was complicated by a nasty summer cold that invaded the first weekend. I have lots of projects lined up...Ronnie said "you will get bored"!! NEVER! Here are a couple of pictures and a promise that soon we will get caught up on posting!

Becky

Ronnie and Hope enjoying a bike ride Cute cute cute on the 4th of July...more July 4th photos soon. Tyler riding Yellow Dixie...we have 2 horses named Dixie... one we named and one we bought that was already named.

I'm retired!!

2008-08-10T22:19:00.000-05:00

Becky here. August 8th was my last day at work...we decided that Miss Hope Marie needs mom at home and so early retirement for me!!!!!!!!!!! I am very excited but mostly thankful that I have a such a wonderful husband who shares my values and dreams.

We have been so very busy lately that we have had to let some things go and updating our blogs sadly was one of those things...but all that is going to change. Previously Ronnie would write things when he had time and I would take care of putting them on the blog for him...so hopefully we will be able to go back to that. I love to read the things he writes. I will fill in with my ramblings when needed...mostly about our daughters and grandchildren!!

Becky

A Fun Weekend At The Lake

2008-07-14T08:46:00.000-05:00

Misty and her family spent some time a few weeks ago with my nephew Mike and his family at the lake. The pictures say it all...they had FUN...and lots of it!! Sunnie spent the night with them in Misty and Wade's new (used) camper trailer. A couple years ago they bought a little tent trailer and updated it a little...sold it for a profit and bought another fixer-upper. In a few years they will probably have moved up to a Coach!! Family fun ...nothing better!!

Misty and Sunnie

Robert and his friend with a few pony tails... what were they thinking. I snapped this pic and said you do realize this will wind up on the internet!!! Cory a bit blown away by the pony tails.
Cory and Tyler doing a little fishing.

Wade can only drive with his back problems he has to be very cautious but can still enjoy the fun from the driver's seat.

Caleb and Chris
Cory and Dania

Visitors..we stopped by for supper and of course Hope was very interested in the momma duck and her babies.

Cory and Tyler
Cory with his catch!! Good job Cory are you the only real fisherman in the family...or just the best!!
The campsite.

Pretty view...great kids.

Oh Tyler that is going to hurt!!

Brave Sunnie and her lifeguard Caleb.

Sunnie Kay ... Hey Coke what a picture ... we will sell it to you for advertising for about 1 million.

Tyler's County Fair Entry 2008

2008-07-08T11:44:00.000-05:00

Tyler named her Autumn. She is learning ...slowly..to lead. We are so proud of Tyler for working with her so much and accomplishing so much already. Heading for the first "Weigh In" a requirment for the Fair entry. She will be weighed again in a couple of months, all a part of the competition.
She was a little reluctant but Ty prevailed in the end.
"I did it...She is in the trailer!!!!!!!!"

Tyler is showing his new heifer in the County Fair this year. He takes good care of her and is working with her daily to get her ready for the fair. He has to keep good records and work with her so that she will lead and he can easily handle her during the show. Last year he won "Reserve Grand Champion" and is looking forward to the competition this year.

Becky

What A Busy Time

2008-06-17T15:40:00.000-05:00

Bradley is playing on the All-Star team for his age group...this is his last year to be eligible. He will be in High School next year. As of today his team is undefeated in the regional tournament. Tonight his game will be at 8:00 PM and if they win they will progress to the State Tournament.

Last night was tough on our family because our nephew Robert was playing on the other team and his team lost. We are a baseball loving family and Robert is a great ball player. I believe the All Star team he played for has been to the State Tournament several times. They have some great coaches Robert's dad included. Congratulations on a great year Robert and Bobby.

Tyler was also asked to play on the All Star team for his age group but chose not to participate this year. He is concentrating all his energies on his heifer which he recently bought and is grooming for the County Fair this fall. Last year Tyler won Reserve Grand Champion with his entry which came from his Uncle Red's herd.

Sunnie Kay is going to be playing in her first All Star tournament this year. Her team will be playing in a couple of weeks.

Caleb has his first job!!!!!!!!!!!!! Working hard each day for the School District. What a great job for a young man. They work 10 hours 4 days a week. He is off on Friday and all weekend. Wow the perfect job for a 17 year old. No nights or weekends!!

Ben has been really enjoying his summer. Since he chooses not to play ball he has a lot of free time for the stuff he really enjoys! He is pretty great at some computer games that just blow my mind. Ben loves to read. Some of the "educational" reading he has been into this summer includes a couple of Calvin and Hobbs books......awesome fun reading!!

Of course Miss Hopie is still amazing us with her English skills. She is like a sponge. Soaking up every (and I do mean every) word she hears. She spent some time at Carmen's and came home saying. "Dang gone it". I think this was a combination of just "Dang" and "Dog Gone It." Just a little Texas slang combined with her Chinese accent and whatever she says is cute cute cute!!

I hope to post pictures of everyone and all their fun times soon when I get a little free time.

Becky

Check Out China Hope For A Big Announcement!!

2008-06-10T16:56:00.000-05:00

Eighth Grade Graduation

2008-06-04T08:55:00.000-05:00

Here is the crew.......class of 2012...Bradley of course has removed his hat...bad for the hair!!
Bradley sorry about only picture of you getting your diploma being blurred...surely it was the camera and not the photographer.

This is what happens when Mom says "Bradley put your arm around your sister and smile"
Bradley helping Ben get ready for next year..... and Miss Hopie wanting to get in on the fun.
John, Carmen, Bradley, Hope, Sunnie and Ben.
Finally Bradley smiles...really cute isn't he!

Small schools are the best in our opinion. They take the time to do a lot of things that larger schools are unable to do. Eighth Grade Graduation is one of those things. Our grandson Bradley recently graduated eighth grade and it was so much fun and a very beautiful time of reflection and of looking forward to High School for this group of kids. Most of these students have been together since kindergarten have a real history of friendships and fun. Bradley's Dad John is a graduate of the same school system. It is really great...we love the schools and plan to send our Hope there when she is old enough.

Congratulations Bradley...we are so very proud of you and thankful for you.

April on Wolfhill

2008-05-26T17:38:00.000-05:00

It seems that every day is so very busy. I hardly have time to think. I love it!! Our family had a lot of good times in April and rather than post a lot of words I'll just post several photos. We hope to be able to catch up...we've been rather occupied with a certain little girl.

Bradley avoids the camera whenever possible.... Cute Huh!!
Bethany with Hope in the carrier that we used in China and still use often, Hope loves it and sometimes asks us to use it...great for bonding. We can continue to hold her in this until she gets to 32 lbs... as of April she was up to 25!!

Grandma bought Hope a wagon...I call this the Cadillac of wagons...see those wheels they have air in them and it will carry 1500 lbs!! I guess on a farm you really need a good wagon right?
Grandmas flowers blooming in April and Hope loving it.

Carmen is the only sister that Hope actually calls by name. Misty is Sissy...and Bethany is Jie Jie (Chinese for Big Sister) she has trouble saying Bethany's name.
Two beautiful smiles! Hey Sunnie is that gum hanging out of your mouth?

Hope and Sunnie and some bluebonnet fun!
Hope a little crazy about frogs...she has three frog shirts all alike and its hard to keep even one clean for her to wear.
New baby calf born .... Hope's first experience!

Tyler and Hope chewing on straw in the barn and enjoying watching the new calf.
Another wagon picture.

Caleb and friend Jason were invited to be ushers at the prom (they are sophomores) and had more fun than a couple of monkeys......
Hope where is your smile?

Oh there it is? Beautiful Sunnie
Beautiful Hope.

Love that face...

Daddy helping Miss Hope conquer her fear of bugs...by swatting them!!

This little girl is quite the Texan now...she can say "Hi Ya'll"
Hopie's new ride.
Ring Pop heaven!

Learning to walk in flip flops...what every American girl MUST know how to do!
Pretty cool when your grandson is into washing your car for you!!! Thanks Caleb
Hope and Caleb
We really love this little girl....all of us!

Hope calls Misty " Sissy" and thinks that she is a ton of fun...

Hope's favorite item from the concession stand at the baseball field "Ring Pops"
honest...its not a pacificer!!
I think she may be upset about the umpire's last call.
Bored Ben's way of enjoying the baseball games...he would rather be home having fun or playing computer games!!

Stormy Outside but Sunnie Inside

2008-05-18T21:21:00.000-05:00

Laughter aplenty
Ty and Hope
Hope is almost too big for Sunnie to hold.
Dreaming of summer vacation
Wall clouds passing over Wolfhill

Wolfhill Cattle Company News

2008-05-12T13:39:00.000-05:00

She looks docile enough.
But she was "la vaca diablo", the devil cow.
Our new bull, Ranger.
He's not a devil bull, that's just redeye.
Tyler, our resident cowpoke on Dixie.

Last year Jeff and I bought two news cows and a calf. It turned out that my cow was... how should I say this?... CRAZY. Well, she was very skittish, and she had a tendancy to charge at me when I got her in close quarters. She also gave everyone the evil eye when they got too close. I gave her a chance to repent and mend her ways but when she chased Corey, my twelve year old nephew, that was too much. With help from Mike and John, and a beefed up gate on our crowd tub and chute we loaded her a few Sunday evenings ago and took her to the sale barn. It was a relief seeing her go snorting down the alley of the auction barn.

A week later we took Panama Red, our Red Angus bull to the sale also. He was getting a little too big by Wolfhill standards. He weighed 1745 pounds, not the biggest bull we've had, but it was time for him to go. With the proceeds from his sale we went last week and bought a young Gelbvieh bull that is gold color with a white face. We all took a vote and he was named Ranger. I told the son-in-laws that if the Texas Rangers win the pennant this year we will know that Ranger is a lucky name. John replied, "if he dies in July it will mean we shouldn't have named him after the Rangers."

Family

2008-04-16T22:04:00.001-05:00

A pre-Hope picture of our sweet daughters.

I love my family! Today was a very busy day and Misty and Carmen both did such sweet things for me today. I needed to work a little bit late and Misty volunteered to stop by and stay with Hope when Ronnie left for work today. Not only did she play with little sis she spent some time in my laundry room and unloading the dishwasher...wow what a daughter. Thanks Misty.

Then Carmen called and invited Hope and me to go out to dinner with them. I said yes and away we went. It was a lot of fun and a good mid-week time with John, Carmen, Bradley, Ben, and Sunnie.

Bethany was out of town for a couple of days but she called earlier and invited Hope to a birthday party on Saturday for a friend's little girl. What fun for both of them!!

We have been so busy since little Hope Marie came into our lives that we have neglected to share a lot great family fun and will be trying to play catch-up on that.

Becky

Easter 2008

2008-04-07T08:37:00.000-05:00

Hope soaking up the love.

Gwen and her big basket.

Matt and Little Rickey

Austin only wanted real eggs, no candy.

The motley crew of Wolfhill

Hope has a big family, this is just a fraction of it.

Trey, Jeff and Bethany's nephew

Kaylie, Trey's little sis.

Easter on Wolfhill

2008-03-24T17:19:00.000-05:00

We are missing a camera card, will post more later. Bradley, Ben, and Sunnie demonstrate how difficult it is to get everyone posed, Carmen, Sunnie, and Hope do tricks, and Hope doesn't have to waste any effort walking when Tristan and Donia are around.

Who Wants to Live Forever?

2008-03-22T14:00:00.000-05:00

I was thinking of an interesting hypothetical proposition a few days ago. If someone had the power to guarantee that you would live to be exactly eighty years old and die on your birthday, would you take the deal or would you rather take your chances on living longer and not knowing exactly how long? Or the possibility that by not taking the deal you might die tomorrow? "Deal or no deal?" OK, what would it take, eighty two years, ninety years? "Deal or no deal?"

Now I know some are asking what kind of idiot sits around and thinks up stuff like this? Well, I suppose I can blame it on the fact that at the age of fifty five, I have just become the father of a beautiful little three year old daughter, who I would like to see grow up, graduate college, and become a mature, wise, happy wife and mother.

OK, back to the deal. There are no guarantees of good health in the deal, just that you will live as long as agreed upon. I am the substitute teacher of the Living Word Sunday School class in our church. The average age in the class is maybe around sixty five, and one thing that we all agree on is that we all want to live forever, but not in these tired ,old, worn out bodies. We don't want to keep trying to fix them up, prop them up, and patch them up, we need new bodies. When you're in your twenties you don't know this, our class does.

When Adam and Eve sinned, God had to put an angel guarding the way to the Tree of Life so that they were not able to continue to eat of the tree and live forever in their sad, sinful condition. Genesis 3:22-24. In the book of Revelation 22:14 in the end of time we see that God allows the redeemed to once again partake of the Tree of Life. In 1 Corinthians the fifteenth chapter, Paul summarizes the entire message of the Gospel, what Jesus Christ accomplished in His death and resurrection. I encourage you to read through the chapter a couple or three times this Easter Sunday.

In 1 Cor. 15: 50-54 Paul assures us of the answer to our dilemma. Yes we can live forever, but not in these old, sinful, painful bodies. "I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed_in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption. and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

We have this hope, only in Christ. What a wonderful faith we have been given by God's grace.

Happy Easter everbody!

Awesome Beijing

2008-03-19T10:52:00.000-05:00

An ancient cyprus tree in the grounds of the Forbidden Palace, the Great Hall of the People, a fire fighting reservoir from three thosand years ago, a McDonalds in Beijing, a government operated jade factory, a young lady working on cloisionne, and a fine meal in the cloisionne factory restaurant. The food in Beijing was delicious, not sure of what it all was and didn't ask, just made sure we prayed over it.

Beijing Scenes

2008-03-17T09:04:00.000-05:00

Here are some views of Beijing. There are two views of the Olympic facilities. Notice the presence of soldiers almost everywhere. They make you feel secure in one way and apprehensive in another. The lady with the baby is an example of how friendly the average Chinese people are. We really enjoyed Beijing despite the cold temps. It would be great to visit during milder weather, however you do feel the effect of the air pollution stinging the eyes and causing a slight choking up.

Happy Birthday Ben

2008-03-10T09:25:00.000-05:00

Almost can't believe that Ben was thirteen this last Friday. Seems like only yesterday he was just toddling around. Well, actually he still does toddle a bit, but he IS thirteen. He had snow for his birthday that came a day early. It was the second snow we had last week, about five inches and we often go for two or three winters without a single snowflake in our area. He now has an aunt eleven years younger than him to help him celebrate. Hope enjoyed Ben's candles and cake along with the rest of the crew.

Sunnie and Carmen made a snowman and he lasted through the night and half of Friday. The only reprieve the kids got from school was to start two hours late on Friday. We all had supper at Pizza Hut on Friday night also to honor Ben. We love you Ben!

Pictures

2008-01-21T07:57:00.000-06:00

There are alot of pictures from world travlers on the China Hope Blog at the following link:

http://chinahopejournal.blogspot.com

Trying Again More Pictures

2008-01-17T17:03:00.000-06:00

She is a tiny little girl. These jeans are size 3T. Bethany bought this cute little outfit. Hope loves the red jacket. I've been using this for a coat since the size 24 months coat will not go over all the layers the Chinese people believe are necessary. Seems that tops size 2T fit really good but even the 2T bottoms we bought are a little large. Hmmmm did not take after mom there...
On our way to visit one of the three orphanages here in Hefei. Hope came from an orphanage in Huainan about two hours away...we could not visit there because of the weather. The visit was very eye opening and heartbreaking. They do the very best they can to care for these little ones and we saw many precious little children.
Love those eyes. Please just look at Hope's eyes ...mine are a bit wrinkled in this shot.
These pictures are from different days...this is her first nap with us...sleeping snug and warm under her Grandma quilt...

Jewell and Hope...she has been a wonderful help on this trip...Thank you so much for being here.

Here she is in only 2 layers and her new boots. We have to keep her really layered up here because of the temperature and also trying to not change what her body is used to. At the orphanage they keep several sets of clothes on them for warmth.

These are a few more pictures from the day we first met Hope some may be duplicates of pictures already posted...forgive me I will delete the dups when I have more time and get home where internet access is a bit easier. I can either look at the blog or be signed into it here, it is difficult to do both. After her first bath.

Just after arriving back at the hotel
First eye contact with mom. My heart melted...do not think she felt the same way!!

Yesterdays attempt at getting more pictures loaded was interrupted by a certain little girl who has decided that for now she only likes mom...

Becky

Why We Went Half Way Around the World

2008-01-16T06:40:00.000-06:00

Halfway Around the World

2008-01-16T01:55:00.000-06:00

We miss Wolfhill. China is amazing and interesting, but we miss home and all of the family. We still have nearly two weeks to go before we see home again. It is cold here in Hefei, about 31 degrees fahrenheit for the high with about an inch of snow on the ground. The streets have cleared of snow so traffic is moving at its usual chaotic pace. We had heard people tell about how they drive over here but you have to see it to believe it. In Beijing our van driver tailgated other cars with about a foot of space. Everyone uses their horns frequently. Amazingly during three days of touring in traffic bedlam we saw only one accident. It was a bicycle rider that collided with a bus. We didn't see the rider, only the bike laying in front of the bus, we hope the rider wasn't hurt badly.

For all of the crowded conditions here, the people get along well by American standards. Sometimes there are what appear to be heated exchanges between people, but no hard feelings. One or the other of the parties will convince the other and it's over. What we have seen makes us very thankful to be Americans. Also some of what we have seen makes us realize that in many cases Americans are not thankful enough, and are maybe way too selfish. If Americans were forced to live in the crowded deprived conditons that millions of Chinese are, I shudder to think how we would cope.

I will try to post some street scenes to give you an idea of how things are over here.

Counting Down the hours!!!!!!

2008-01-13T11:55:00.000-06:00

As Mom and Dad stated in an earlier post "drum roll please........................"
HOPE'S GOTCHA TIME IS:
CHINA TIME 9:00AM (January 14, 2008)
TEXAS TIME 7:00pm (January 13, 2008)

More details on the China Hope Blog:

http://www.chinahopejournal.blogspot.com/

Anixously waiting on Wolfhill,
Hope's sisters and family

The Count Down is On!!!

2008-01-12T13:40:00.001-06:00

On our Sunday evening approximately 7:00pm it will be 9:00am on Monday in China which is when Hope will meet her Mommy and Daddy and Jewel. We will have a more exact time later today or early tomorrow. Please pray that God will prepare them and Hope for this new life in which he has given them.

Please follow their journey at http://www.chinahopejournal.blogspot.com/

Patiently waiting on Wolfhill,
Misty, Wade, Caleb and Tyler
Carmen, John, Bradley, Ben and Sunnie
Bethany and Jeff
Grandma
And the whole extended family

SAFE AND SOUND IN CHINA

2008-01-10T21:21:00.000-06:00

Dad & Mom are safely in China. Please follow their journey thru China Hope at the following link.
http://www.chinahopejournal.blogspot.com/

Also, continue to keep them in your prayers for a safe journey and that God will prepare Hope for her new family.

Misty, Carmen and Bethany

ON THEIR WAY

2008-01-09T20:24:00.000-06:00

Dad, Mom and Jewell called around 12:00 today to say they had arrived in San Francisco and would be leaving there in about 1 hour for their flight to Beijing. The flight will take about 13 hrs. they should be there about 1:30am our time. They will tour Beijing on Friday and Saturday then on Sunday they will fly to Hefei and on Monday they will receive Hope. In Texas time they will receive Hope around 8:00pm Sunday night our time. Please keep them in your prayers.

Patiently waiting big sisters
Misty, Carmen and Bethany

China Bound

2008-01-08T18:19:00.000-06:00

It's hard to believe, but the time is finally here. After two years and seven months of waiting we are ready to go to China and bring home our daughter. You would think that with all that time to prepare we would have been packed several months ago. Actually, there are a lot of items that can't be dealt with until after the people in China go into motion, so it has been a little hectic these last three weeks. We encourage everyone to be checking http://www.chinahopejournal.blogspot.com/ for updates. We will be travelling for the next thirty six hours or so, therefore we may be a day or two before news from China.

If you are one who prays, please join us in our most fervent prayer, that the Lord would prepare Hope Marie's (AKA Huai Dong Tan) heart to meet us. We pray that God's peace would witness to her inner being, helping her to relax during this great transition in her life. Also, please pray for Becky, Jewell, and myself, for health, strength, and wisdom.

Thanks to everyone that has helped in this process so far, with prayers, gifts, and assistance, in our Church, family, and friends.

Happy New Year and God Bless,
Ronnie

Merry Christmas From Wolfhill

2007-12-29T20:45:00.000-06:00

Wow, this has been a very very busy Christmas Season around here!! In addition to all the wonderful family traditions we have also been so excited and busy getting ready for our trip to China to bring home are sweet daughter Hope. She is waiting for us in Anhui Province, Peoples Republic of China at the Huainan Social Welfare Childrens Institute. We can hardly wait to officially make her part of our family.

Now for a quick rundown of the Holiday activities. On the Sunday before Christmas we all went to Harvest Time, it was a very beautiful Christmas service. We attended the Choir's Christmas program a couple of weeks ago and it was exceptional. We had a good sized Orchestra and Choir. Our new Pastor, Jonathan and his wife Janet were able to be here with us for Christmas and both participated in the service. Janet has a beautiful voice and sang a solo part on Oh Holy Night...I got chills...really beautiful. We are so thankful for our church.

We also attended Sunnie's Christmas Program at school. Now that will really get you into the Christmas Spirit!! Caleb plays JV Basketball as well as filling in on the varsity team from time to time, Bradley and Ben are playing Junior High Basketball so we seem to spend a lot of time in the gym! Tyler is still in elementary school and their games are later in the year.

My Step-Dad was able to spend Christmas with us this year and that was so nice. His power went off during the ice storm in Oklahoma and it was quite a while before power was restored and he just decided to stay for Christmas...that would have really pleased my Mom.

We traditionally have our Christmas together on Christmas Eve...I love Christmas Eve. We are all looking forward to next Christmas when Hope Marie will be with us. It was a little sad knowing she had to spend another Christmas in the orphanage but we were so thankful that we at least had her picture this year. She will be overwhelmed I am sure. Sunnie Kay and Hope received a Chinese Baby Doll for Christmas that is really really cute!! I'll post a picture.

I am so thankful for Jesus. The reason we celebrate this wonderful season. On Christmas Eve when we all sit quietly together and Ronnie reads the story of His birth from the Bible I look around at our precious family and just thank Him for His blessings to us. This year we all thank Him for Hope...

Merry Christmas

Becky

Winter Night

2007-12-14T23:21:00.000-06:00

As you have surely heard by now, we have finally received our adoption referral. It’s a girl! She is just what we asked for in a process that started nearly three years ago. She was three years old on December 12 and she is beautiful. I’m sure that I am a little prejudiced, but she really is the cutest little girl I’ve ever seen since my other three daughters were that age.

We had hoped to use part of her Chinese name, and had waited until we learned it to finalize the decision. We had already decided on the first name of “Hope” about a month ago, and waited for the referral to see what she was named in China. Well, it looks like that may be difficult. Her Chinese name is Huai Dong Tan. We have decided on calling her Hope Marie, and are still thinking about the Chinese part.

It is the meaning of her Chinese name that brings a tear to my eye. “Huai” is the name of the orphanage that she is in, and the words “Dong Tan” mean “winter night”. Apparently, she was found on Dec. 14, 2007 and was judged to be two days old, so we can assume the she was discovered on a winter night. It breaks my heart to think about what her China mother felt like she had to do. I don’t judge her because I don’t know what it is like to live in a country that has been haunted by famine, war, and poverty. In truth we have decided to keep that unknown Chinese mother in our prayers in the future.

There is probably no season and time that can seem so bleak as a winter night. Those of us blessed to have a home, and family and loved ones waiting for us around a warm hearth should be very thankful. Can we even imagine the anguish of a mother who felt that her life and future were so bleak that she would give up a precious daughter? I believe however, that the Chinese mother had some degree, however slight, of hope. Hope that her daughter would be cared for, and hope that some loving family would take her child into a good home. We consider it an honor and a privilege to be part of the answer to that mother’s hopes and perhaps prayers for her child.

As we approach the celebration of Christmas this year the whole world seems to be in a dark, bleak, winter night of war, turmoil, suffering, fear, and anxiety. The one whose birth we celebrate came to bring light and hope to the world, yet multitudes choose darkness, and multitudes still wait to be told of the Gospel, the “good news” of Jesus Christ. We pray that in this holiday season all who read this would renew their hope in the promises of Christ, and especially that any who have not yet responded to Christ’s Gospel would do so.

Also, please pray for us to be able to complete our journey, and bring home our little girl whose name will be changed from “ Winter Night” to “Hope Marie”.

Ronnie

Population On Wolfill To Increase By One Beauty!!!

2007-12-10T16:01:00.000-06:00

I am sure most of you already know about our daughter but we wanted to post her beautiful little face here too!!!! We are so blessed. We should be going to bring her home in 5 to 7 weeks depending on how fast things like travel approval from China and Visas and American Consulate appointments get here. You know we waited 2 years but it was well worth it. When we first saw her face we forgot all about the wait.

Becky

Adoption Update!!!!!!!!

2007-12-05T17:17:00.000-06:00

It's getting close. The referrals from the China Center of Adoption Affairs in Beijing have arrived in the USA. This months referrals are especially exciting since.......WE WILL GET OURS THIS TIME!!!!!!!!

On Friday our Agency CCAI will call with the wonderful news. We will be waiting by the phone as calm as a cucumber. ( now who believes that??? ) When the call comes they will tell us her Chinese name, what Province in China she is in, a little about her health like weight and such, oh yeah and the most important thing HOW OLD SHE IS!!! Her age is a real mystery. According to the rules in China they try to match older parents with older children ages 3 to 6 years, but you never know sometimes they will not have an older child and will match you with one much younger. One thing is for sure....we do not care!!! She will be our daughter if she is 6 months old or 6 years old and we will love her with all of our hearts...we already do. While we are on the phone with them they will scan her picture to an email and in a few minutes we will see her precious face for the first time.

By the way for those of you who do not know we have chosen half of her American name!! Click on this link *Our Little Secret* and see!!! And then this link to read the other posts on China Hope

We are so thankful to the Lord who led us to this wonderful place in our lives, who we trust to go with us through every step of our journey to our little girl and give us the grace and wisdom to raise another daughter for Him.

We are also so thankful for our daughters Misty, Carmen, and Bethany who totally support their crazy parents..... crazy parents who love them more than they will ever know.....

Ronnie and Becky

Happy Birthday TYLER!!

2007-12-03T01:00:00.000-06:00

We love you Tyler. Happy Birthday!!

Caleb, Bradley and Sunnie where in the world did you leave your smiles??

Aunt Bethany, Tyler, and the newest part time Wolfhill resident Buddy "Romo". Buddy is showing off one of Tyler's favorite Birthday gifts a John Deere toboggan.

Tyler and Buddy worn out after such a wild and crazy party!!

Happy Birthday Tyler! Today is Tyler's birthday. He is 11 years old and just a "tad" taller than most guys his age. We love you Ty and are soooooooo proud of you. We had the usual type of Wolfhill birthday party, hamburgers, hotdogs and lots of cake and pie. Early in the afternoon Caleb suggested to Ronnie that Tyler needed some chocolate pecan pie for his birthday. (Ty does not like chocolate pecan pie but Caleb loves it ). Needless to say...Ronnie cooked some pies!! Misty made Tylers favorite cake so he was a happy and just ignored the pie business.

Happy Birthday Tyler

We love you

Ronnie and Becky

My New Camera & Adoption Update

2007-12-01T10:15:00.000-06:00

Hopefully we will have more pictures and video to post soon. Ronnie bought me a new camera last week and I love it. I am still learning to use it. It is a Cannon A570. Several months ago I dropped my other camera and the screen broke which meant that I could not change any settings on it. Even though I could still take pictures for a while it eventually stopped working all together. I'm going to be very careful with this new camera and try to make it last longer than a year!!

I think we may need a good camera very soon....since we will be traveling to China in JANUARY to adopt our long awaited little girl. Late next week we should be getting a call from our Adoption Agency CCAI. We will know about 24 hours ahead that they will be calling with our referral information, they take the time to translate and verify all information received from the China Center Of Adoption Affairs before notifying families. I appreciate that extra step that they take, even though we have to wait an additional day. Our agency Chinese Children Adoption International is wonderful. The wait has been hard and they have been compassionate and have kept us informed throughout the last 2 years. When we first began the adoption process the wait time from getting your paperwork logged in with China until your match with your child was made was about 6 months and about the time we got logged in the wait started to increase. Our date is December 9, 2005 and we will have waited almost 2 full years from that date to be matched with our little girl. We are so excited and ready to see her precious face and to learn her history. We are especially curious about how old she will be. We are finishing her room this weekend and will post pictures ( taken with my new camera!! ) soon!

Becky

To Tell the Truth

2007-11-27T22:24:00.000-06:00

It's amazing how children are so honest and forthright before they mature enough to learn how to tell white lies to keep from offending or hurting someone's feelings. Every one of my grandkids has at one time or another, looked at me and said,"Hey, did you know you have a crooked tooth?" On that basis, I would rather ask one of the grandkids if I have bad breath than an adult. The adult will lie, or evade. The child will, if they are young enough, tell it like it is. I made the mistake of asking Sunnie that one day. I bent over and puffed in her face. She rolled her eyes, and made choking, gagging noises and acted like she was fainting. A simple yes would have sufficed.

Recently, I mentioned to Becky that I wondered if our little Hope would accept me better if my hair was darker. Everyone in China has black hair and I wasn't sure how she would take to a gray haired Baba. We decided that I would try some of that stuff that you comb into your hair and it restores the color gradually. When I read the directions, I began to have misgivings. The instructions said to comb the liquid into clean, dry hair and to not wash your hair again for a week. I can't stand to go more than a day without shampooing, so I decided to go ahead and try it, and still shampoo daily.

A couple of days after I started using it, I was down on my knees working on the lawnmower, when Sunnie walked up beside me. "What stinks", she asked? " I already had complained to Becky that I didn't like the smell of the stuff, and could almost swear that it seemed to attract flies. "Is it my hair", I asked Sunnie. She bent closer and sniffed, "Yuck!" she replied, "that's it". A while later Sunnie, Tyler and I were walking out to the barn to feed. "Something stinks",Tyler announced. This while were walking through a barnyard, but I bent over and said, "smell my hair, is that what it is"? Tyler sniffed and nodded his head matter of factly.

Now I lodged a more fervent complaint to Becky. "This stuff stinks, it draws flies, and it only makes my hair darker until I wash it out. It occurs to me that it works along the same lines that wet cow patties would work. Wet cow manure would accomplish the same thing, and would be much cheaper." The other day I saw the latest video of Osama Bin Laden. I couldn't help noticing that his beard looked much darker than in previous videos. I wonder if he is using something like I am, or is he using the cheap stuff?

Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. A week or so after I quit the stuff we were going somewhere in the car with Sunnie in the back seat."Hey, Ronnie, are still using that stuff in your hair", she asked? "No, not in several days", I replied. "Why do you ask"? " I just thought I would tell you that it's fading", she said.

"Thanks for noticing, Sunnie".

"You're welcome".

Ronnie

Happy Thanksgiving

2007-11-22T14:12:00.000-06:00

Once again we celebrate another Thanksgiving Day. We are thankful for the love of family, to live free in the USA, Texas no less, for our health, for jobs to work and the ability to work. We are thankful for our military, many who are still in combat zones. We are thankful that our cousin Zack has ended his deployment in Iraq and is back in the states for a while. A special thanksgiving wish to Gary and his family in Japan. Above all, we are thankful for the hope that we have in Jesus Christ.

Ronnie

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity.... It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.
Melodie Beattie

Looks like my banana pudding was a HIT!!!

Happy Thanksgiving...next year the crowd around here will be increased by one precious little girl....

Becky

Thankful to be Here

2007-11-18T21:28:00.000-06:00

In the early part of the twentieth century, Luther became a Christian. He was a poor man that had made a living sharecropping, barbering, and selling home brewed liqour. He had a wife, five sons, and two daughters. After his conversion, he gave up the making of the home brew. His conversion was dramatic, joyous, and wholehearted. From that point on, his greatest desire was to please the Lord Jesus. He found new joy in living, even in grueling hard work and privation. He loved his family with a newfound and selfless fervency.

In about 1937, his fourth son, about twelve years old, became sick with a painful stomach ache. Luther laid hands on the boy and prayed for him according to the scriptures and the custom of his church. When the boy didn't improve within a few hours, Luther sent word and asked for the Pastor to come and pray for the boy which he did. The boy still complained of the pain, but the Pastor encouraged Luther to stand fast in faith. Several hours later, the pain suddenly subsided, the boy felt better, and Luther and the family thanked the Lord for His healing power as they had done dozens of times before.

The next day, the boy developed a fever and began to have some pain in the stomach again. Luther knew that his faith was usually tested, and he stood on the scriptures, and comforted his son. Some of Luther's family suggested that they should take the boy to the doctor, but Luther felt that would be acting in unbelief. Luther had some from the church who admonished him that Christians should never need a doctor if their faith was sufficient.

By the next day, Luther's agony at seeing his son still suffering, and the persuasion of his brother-in-law and others in the family caused him to seek a ride twenty miles into town to the doctor. When the doctor checked out the boy, he had very bad news. The child had suffered from appendicitis, and the appendix had ruptured. When the appendix burst, that was what brought about the temporary relief of pain. Now, infection had set in, and was well advanced.

Luther was stunned. The old doctor was very frank, if Luther had brought the boy in on the first day, if would have been a simple matter to remove the appendix with a good prognosis. Now, the situation was grave. In the next few days, the boy steadily worsened. Luther spent hours praying in an old buggy shed behind the hospital, but the child's condition deteriorated. The doctor told Luther that he had done all that he could do. When he tried to stitch up the opening, the flesh was gangrenous and rotten. It was so bad that bowel movements came out of the gaping hole in the boy's lower side.

Luther had to prepare himself and his family for the boy's death. Once again Luther retreated to the buggy barn and spent an agonizing night in prayer. We don't know exactly how he prayed, but he knew that without a miracle, his son would probably be dead before the next day was over. He may have prayed for forgiveness for not acting in time to save his boy's life. He probably wrestled with thoughts that his faith must have been defective, or that his son was being punished for the failures of his father.

That morning, a little after sunrise Luther walked over to the hospital, drained and exhausted. The doctor met him in the hall, and said that he didn't understand it, but they had a little good news. The boy had experienced a normal bowel movement, something was changing for the better. In the days ahead the progress increased, healthy skin began to appear and the gangrene lessened. The fever subsided and the child gained some strength.

There was a young nurse who took extra time to carry the boy around the hospital to visit others or to get fresh air. He was still too weak to walk for many days. In time, the boy was able to be sent home. His younger brother and sister had to teach him to walk again, but he kept improving and getting stronger. I have been told that the doctor that treated the boy acknowledged that a miracle of some sort had occured, although he still resented that the boy wasn't brought in early enough to not need a miracle.

I am really thankful for the miraculous healing of the young boy. I can forgive Luther for waiting so long. I am sure that his heart was in the right place and that he did what he thought was best for his boy at the time. I know that he truly loved his son. I am sure of this because Luther was my grandfather, and his fourth son was my dad. I don't suppose that I would be here if God had not answered Luther's prayer and healed his son.

The young boy grew up to be one of the strongest men for his size that I have ever known. He had more energy and love of life than anyone I ever knew. Sometimes when I was tending to Dad in the nursing home before he died I would see the scar, as big as my fist in his lower right side. It always reminded me of how precarious the path is to our very existance.

I never did get to meet the old doctor who treated my dad, he had died before I was old enough to hear the story. I did have the pleasure of knowing the nurse that carried my dad around the hospital. She worked in the local hospital until retirement, and we saw her often around town, until her death about ten or fifteen years ago. She told me about carrying dad through the hospital, and I could tell that she had special fondess for him.

As Thanksgiving approaches I am taking inventory of the many things that I am thankful for. I suppose the first thing to be thankful for is just to be here, especially when I realize that it probably took a few miracles to make it possible. I'm also thankful for doctors and nurses, pastors and church members, even though none of them have perfect judgement at all times, and above all I am thankful for a loving Creator and Redeemer that loves us unconditionally, and can bring a miracle when we have to have one.

Ronnie

Hopes, Dreams, and Prayers

2007-11-16T22:13:00.000-06:00

A family in China adopting a special needs toddler experienced a tragedy this last week. After the adoption had been completed and the family was in Guangzhou for the child’s visa, the father unexpectedly died. The mom is desperate to finish the adoption process and bring their new daughter home to America. At last report, after the intervention of congressmen and senators, they have obtained a visa for the child, and are headed for home. Our hearts go out to the mom, and all of the family. We have been praying for them, that this sorrowful loss would not mean the end of the new beginning hoped for by the adoptive dad for his new daughter.

From a dad’s perspective, I can testify that a father’s hopes and dreams for his children do not end when he dies. On the contrary, I believe that they continue on into the future, through space and time, and into eternity, like the light from a star that may have burned out long ago. When Becky and I were approved for adoption, the very first order of business for me was to take out more life insurance. There was an inner urging within me that I had another child on the way, and that I might not live to see her into adulthood.

When I am sitting on a church pew beside my grandkids, or feeding the catfish with them down at the pool, or enjoying a vacation outing with my daughters and their families, or when I have found a person in need that I can bless in some way, I know that I am living out the hopes and dreams that my Dad had for me. I feel his influence in everything that I do.

We pray for comfort and healing for this mom and loved ones. We pray for the daughter, that she will grow up knowing that a special dad invested all of his being to make her his daughter, and that he had hopes and dreams of a wonderful life for her. We pray that those hopes and dreams will be fulfilled for her in a joyful, abundant life.

Ronnie

To China In January....

2007-11-03T22:39:00.000-05:00

ADOPTION UPDATE:

We missed the cut off on the matches from the China Center Of Adoption Affairs by one day. Although it will not be actually official until the matches arrive on Monday or until the CCAA updates their website with the cut off date we are sure that we did not get matched this month. We were really hoping for a November match so that we could use some of our 2007 vacation time in making the trip and having more time at home with the little girl after getting back before having to go back to work.

Now to the positive side of this little bump in the road. We know that we will be included in the next batch because they will be starting with December 9, 2005 and that is our "Log In Date"
YEAH!!! No longer will we have to wonder if we are included in the next group of families that will be waiting on "THE CALL" from their agency. Probably sometime within the first 10 days in December we will be called by our agency and they will tell us the age of the little girl that the CCAA matched us with, what her Chinese name is, a little about her history, and then while we are on the phone with them they will send us an email with her picture attached. When we open up that email it will be our first glimpse of the little girl, that is destined to become our daughter. Wow!! Two years and seven months after being approved to adopt by Chinese Children Adoption International in Colorado we will see her precious face. It has been a very long wait and one thing that has remained constant and sure during this time is that we are so committed to loving, and raising another daughter. What a blessing!! Praise God, He is so faithful to us and to our family.

Our trip to China will be sometime in January, most likely in mid-month. It is awesome to finally have some sort of timeline. Thank you for all your prayers for us and for our little girl. We do hope that you will continue to pray for her and for us over the next couple of months. Our prayer for her is that she will be warm, fed, and lovingly held by someone who loves Jesus while she waits for us to bring her home.

As always continue to check our adoption site CHINA HOPE for more updates and soon PICTURES.

Becky

They Have Her!!!!!!

2007-10-28T20:41:00.000-05:00

Ben, Carla, Marley, and Luke welcomed Lillian Cen Mei Sims into their family today. (Even though Luke is waiting here at home he still became a big brother today). Please go check out the sweet post that Ben sent. Just click on the title of this post and you will go straight there.

No pictures yet there was a problem with the attachments. Check back tomorrow.

Becky

TODAY Mei Joins Her Forever Family

2007-10-27T23:55:00.000-05:00

My cousin Ben, Carla and daughter Marley are in China and since right now in China it is Sunday, October 28th about 1:00 PM they will later this evening be united with Lillian Mei and she will forever be their precious daughter. They left DFW on Thursday morning and arrived in Hong Kong about 23 hours later. Today they are going into China to the province where Mei was abandoned and has lived in an orphanage for the last 11 months. She will be home with them before her first birthday which will be November 18 th.

What a joy. Please pray for them and for her as this transition can sometimes be a little difficult, and remember Luke who is at home waiting for them to return with his new little sister. As of today Luke will be a big brother.

It has been a long wait. The first time we talked with Ben and Carla about the little girls in China it was Christmas almost 3 years ago. They had already been thinking and Carla being a court reporter had worked on a case with a family who had adopted a little girl from China...so the Lord was getting them ready. It is amazing how many Christian families are choosing to make little abandoned Chinese girls and boys a part of their families.

Ben and Carla are a very special couple with the anointing of the Lord on their lives to love, cherish and make this little girl their very own.

Blessings and safe travels, we love you all.

Becky

Scrapbook Pages

2007-10-20T23:29:00.000-05:00

These scrapbook elements are from Bette Duganitz "Gingham Girls"designs on Digitals website.
I will be using these elements to give China Hope a new and updated look as soon as I find the time!!!!!!!

In case you are wondering....I noticed my error on the date and changed it to the correct year. Just par for the course showing off my handiwork and it has the incorrect date!!

I have been playing around with some digital scrapbook designs and thought I would never learn. Last Christmas Ronnie bought me Adobe Photoshop to use for editing pictures and I have really struggled learning how to use it. I really have not taken the time I need in order to properly train myself...I just jumped in and started trying to use the program. Anyway I am finally getting to a point where I can use it and wanted to post one of my first pages I created.

The photo's are from Bethany's wedding. Sunnie was her flower girl. I think it is pretty sweet.

The Wolfhill Family Vacation

2007-09-24T12:05:00.000-05:00

Just after arriving at Roaring River State Park and looking a little tired.

Roaring River and Our Grandchildren way up there!

Ronnie and Becky and the kids at Devils Kitchen rock formation.

Lunch and one of the only 2 pictures with Wade in it. He spent a lot of time trout fishing.

Well, it’s hard to believe that the summer of 2007 is over. At this time last year we believed that we would have a certain new member of the family home from China by now. In August of 2006 Becky and I went to Missouri for a short trip with Wade and Misty, Carmen and John, and all five grandkids. We had so much fun that we reserved two cabins for August of 2007. When it came time to confirm the reservations and pay in February, we decided to cancel because we thought it was too close to when we might get our referral. Maybe next year we can take everyone including that “Little China Girl”.

Let me tell you about last year’s trip. Like a lot of other vacations I’ve been on, the planning was almost as much fun as the “doing”. It is the “going” part of the vacation that usually wears me out, and this trip was no exception. As usual we had a foolproof plan to leave at 06:30. Finally at about 09:00 we were on the road. In our Crew Cab pickup was me, John and Carmen, Bradley, and Caleb. In their Durango were Wade and Misty, Ben, Tyler, Sunnie, and Becky. I led the way and we took a short cut just across the river that worked well, as the road which a few years ago was graveled was now asphalt. I felt good, we were an hour and a half behind schedule, but it looked like smooth sailing ahead.

The first stop occurred a little closer to home than I had hoped. It was actually the first convenience store that we came to in Oklahoma. A cell phone call from the Durango advised of the need for a bathroom stop. That’s good, I thought, we will get everybody relieved then get back on the road for a long haul. We parked and sat in the truck for a few minutes, while the Durango riders got out and wandered around the store. It was an old combination general store/gas station/grocery store. Since it seemed to be taking a while for people to start getting back into the Durango, I went in the old store and looked at dusty hats and saddles with Tyler. I wondered what was taking everyone so long. I went outside and around the corner to the bathroom. There was half of my family standing in line. There was only one bathroom and it was a one-holer.

Finally, everyone was through with the bathroom, and we started loading up. I was amazed that it takes ten minutes to load eleven people into two vehicles. Another ominous sign was that several of the kids and a couple of the grownups had opened up new cans of Dr Pepper. I realized that miles per gallon of gas was probably the least of my worries. What was important was how many miles could we get per ounce of Dr Pepper. I started imagining a new kind of math problem; a car is traveling at sixty miles per hour, inside the car a ten year old boy drinks a twelve ounce can of caffeinated, sugary soda in ten minutes. How many miles will the car travel before the boy announces that he is about to wet his pants? How many miles can the car travel before the boy actually does wet his pants? It was very complicated.

Back on the road again. New sights to see, the pleasant drone of wheels on asphalt, the boys in the back seat engrossed in a video game, and John and I can talk while Carmen reads. We’re making good time now. About forty miles up the road and we are in the Kiamichi mountains, just hills by most standards, but pretty with thick hardwoods and pines to the horizon, and very little traffic or houses. Suddenly I see headlights flashing behind me. The Durango riders are signaling me to pull over, the cell phones are not working. I pull over and walk back the Dodge, noticing that the temperature feels like it’s about ninety five. “What’s wrong” I asked, as Becky opened the back door and Ben got out? “Ben’s car sick”, Becky replied. I looked at Ben, but he wasn’t throwing up, just standing on the roadside kicking rocks. “ When did he start getting sick” I asked. Becky started to say something, but Sunnie chimed in and said, “it was just a few minutes ago, it was right after Becky said that she hoped these hills didn’t make anyone car sick.” I gave Becky my withering death ray glare. She saw it, but it bounced right off. She had already activated her “I’m a grandmother and I will baby my grandkids all I want” shield.

At this point I asked if any of the kids need to relieve themselves again, and Tyler and Ben took advantage of the thick foliage beside the highway. Everyone else passed. I wondered how far to the next bathroom, could we make it? We got back on the road again and rolled steady for about another hour, passing through three or four little communities. We got the cell phone message that we needed another bathroom stop, and luckily we were just a few minutes away from a little town that had a decent convenience store. By now the temperature was around a hundred degrees and I knew that our plan for a roadside picnic was out of the question. The kids all had snacks and drinks, even though we planned to stop for lunch at Fort Smith, about seventy more miles up the road.

Miraculously we made it all the way to Fort Smith without any incidents. We found a McDonalds and a Taco Bell adjacent to each other and some ate tacos, and others had burgers. I started the kids going to the bathroom as soon as they were finished eating, and we managed to be back on the road in a somewhat timely fashion. Just a few miles east on I-40, and we turned onto the new interstate going to Springdale. This is a long scenic stretch with no rest stops on the interstate. I expected to be in Springdale within an hour. Before we got out of Fort Smith completely the phone rang. “Ben needs to find a bathroom” Misty said. “He just went in McDonalds didn’t he”, I asked in exasperation? “Yes, he did, but now he needs to do something different”, was the reply. We found a likely store and Ben went in escorted by an impatient dad. A few minutes later we took off again.

If I want this story to not take longer than our trip, I am going to have to summarize, so here goes:

1:30 PM, 20 miles from Ft. Smith- Becky needs a bathroom ASAP.

1:45 PM, 37 miles from Ft. Smith- We exit and drive down into a small town and find a grocery store where Becky and I use their facilities.

2:05 PM, back on the Interstate.

3:15 PM, we take the wrong exit in Springdale, Ark.

3:35 PM, stuck in traffic in Springdale

3:50 PM, stop at gas station in Springdale. Wade is feeling sick, Misty says he ate two boxes of Hot Tamales candy and a Big Grab bag of Fritos. I start feeling sick just thinking about it.

4:30 PM, trying to get everyone back in the vehicles. I tell Becky that if she will take over driving, that I will just start walking on ahead. If the family catches up with me to stop and pick me up, if not I will go ahead and check us into the lodge, it’s only another thirty miles or so. Becky gives me a death ray glare, she is no mood for sarcasm

4: 50 PM, we manage to get back on the freeway and head north.

5:15 PM we take the correct exit off the Interstate.

5:50 PM, we stop at the last convenience store before we get to the lodge. I don’t remember why, it just seems like that we can’t pass a store now without stopping.

6:10PM, we get back on the road

6:30 PM, we roll triumphantly into the lodge parking lot.

We enjoyed the weekend immensely. We hiked all of the trails, and the kids played in the river to their hearts’ content. The trip home on Sunday was just like the trip up there, except we were tired and cranky. Now that I think about it, maybe it was a good thing that we didn’t go back this year. I’m not sure that I’m rested up enough yet.

Ronnie

We have so many great pictures Becky is creating a slide show. We should have it posted in a couple of days.

More Pictures of Mei on China Hope

2007-09-06T20:03:00.000-05:00

Ben and Carla's Little Baby Girl

2007-09-05T21:06:00.000-05:00

Miss Lillian Mei

Here she is!!!!!!!!!! More info on China Hope !!!!!!!!!!!

Adoption Update

2007-09-03T09:30:00.000-05:00

Check out our China Hope site for the latest information on this month's matches. My cousin Ben and his family will be matched this month!!!!!!! I know they are so excited and we are very happy for them. Congratulations Ben, Carla, Marley and Luke.

Becky

We've Only Just Begun

2007-08-31T23:32:00.000-05:00

Thirty four years ago today Becky and I were married. I had no idea of what I was getting into. Whatever expectations I may have had about marriage, love, and family have been exceeded beyond anything I could have ever dreamed. If I could go back in time, the only thing I would do differently is to propose sooner.

We were married on a Friday, before Labor Day, so that I could have some time off for a short wedding trip. (I just wish Becky could have gone with me. Just kidding!) I remember it being very hot that day, well I think it was, I sure was perspiring profusely all day. My Uncle Jake was best man, and friend Danny Joe was groomsman. Danny and I went to a nearby “wet town” for champagne and almost got busted due to bad tail light on my Firebird.

When we were getting dressed in our rented Tuxes, we ran into a couple of problems. Jake’s shirt was a little too small in the neck, so Danny held him down, and after quite a struggle I finally got the top button fastened, but Jake couldn’t breathe very well for a while. The other problem was that after we were dressed, we had spare Tuxedo parts. We found out later that one of the things left over was called a “cumberbun”. It didn’t matter though, because we were dressed sharper than we had ever been.

Misty, about nineteen months old at the time, slept through the last part of the wedding. She stayed with my parents for the weekend. Becky and I both started missing Misty badly before we came home on Sunday afternoon, but she was fine. If a prophet had been there that weekend and told us all of the things that would happen in our future, the children, the grandchildren, the places we would live and work, etc. we would have said, “no way”! Imagine if they had told us that after thirty four years of marriage we would adopt a fourth daughter, and from China to boot.

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have it entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. 1 Cor. 2:9 KJV.

Ronnie

Kaila and Chad What a Beautiful Wedding !!

2007-08-19T18:09:00.000-05:00

We recently went to Oklahoma City to my neice Kaila's Wedding. It was really beautiful. She asked Ronnie to help out with the ceremony and he was so honored to be a part of that. Sunnie Kay was the flower girl. We took a lot of great pictures and then left the camera at my Step-Dad's so I'm just now getting these pictures posted. My nephew Garrett successfully avoided my camera all day so no pictures of the brother of bride.

Kaila was a beautiful bride and her husband Chad is so sweet. The wedding took place at The Rock Assembly of God Church. We had a wonderful weekend and we were really happy to be able to share in this wonderful day with my brother Billy and his family.

The Wedding

The Reception

This Cake was so Beautiful and soooooooooo GOOD!!

All the layers were different flavors.

My favorite the Strawberry !!

Our daughter Carmen and my neice Ashley

Kaila and her Grandpa

My other neice Raina and Grandpa
My sweet sister in law Janet and Grandpa
Billy, Father of the Bride and my fun loving brother and his Dad.

The Flower Girl unwinding!!!!

Aren't they Cute !

What a wonderful day,

Becky

We are closer by 7 days!!!!!!

2007-08-03T06:09:00.000-05:00

The CCAA has sent out the matches for this month. We are 7 days closer. They sent out referrals for November 14, 2005 through November 21, 2005. YEAH. We were really hoping for them to get past November 22 which has a huge number of families logged in. Regardless we are so excited to think that we will probably get matched with our little girl within the next 3 months. My cousin Ben and his family have a November 24 LID are NEXT (probably)!!!!! We are so excited for them.

If you check out China Hope tomorrow I will add some links to several beautiful little children that were matched to forever families this week.

Becky