Hello All! I know two posts in one day, so impressive : ) I wanted to include these cute pictures of our kids. Last weekend we spent at Great Wolf Lodge in Traverse City, Michigan. It was a great time as this hotel has a huge indoor water park and many fun child friendly activities. Last weekend the Lodge even had some "trick or treating". The kids were able to dress up and go to different locations in the hotel to trick or treat. Our kids were thrilled as they got to wear their costumes indoors where it isn't so cold : )

Grace is dressed as a Veteranarian as she is now obsessed with becoming one. She loves animals, especially cats. So her costume when found half off was perfect for Gracie. faith is Belle from the Disney movie, Beauty and the Beast. She is equally obsessed with being a princess so her costume again is so appropriately her. Luke is dressed up as a dragon. He is not obsessed with becoming a dragon, but her sure likes to growl at his sisters. This costume is the perfect excuse to growl and act like a boy. Luke loves to dress up as well as his sisters, but it is nice to see him not told by his mother hens what to wear.

This morning we carved pumpkins and roasted pumpkins seeds. Faith did not want to get her hands dirty, Grace went at it quite enthusiastically and Luke did it but wasn't quite sure this was really a fun activity. So this is a picture of the gang and Mommy getting started.

The finished products, Grace choose a cat, Faith the three blind mice and Luke a silly Jack- O-Lantern face.

Daddy and Luke, all ready to get messy. You will notice there aren't many pictures once people got messy because you can't take a picture with goop on your hands : )

The three kids and their creations. Have a great week and enjoy the pictures : ) Love, Crystal

Hello All! I am sorry I have been silent for some time. I am 34 weeks pregnant now. Life is slowing down for me in many respects and speeding up in others. I am slower moving now and it takes longer to accomplish tasks that are normally quite quick. The " to do" list I had at 20 weeks is not all getting done, in that respect time is flying by. I have been here before, I must let it go. The world doesn't end because all the closets aren't perfectly organized : )



I am half excited to meet Hope soon and the my other half is wanting her to stay safe where she is. This world is unfair, ugly, and often times so painful that I want to protect her from it all. I know it is also beautiful, always whispering of it's creator, and full of joy. I know that both these aspects of our world are part of it. I also have accepted only God can protect Hope. My motherly protection can only go so far. It is in the experience of the joy and pain of this life that choices are made about the truth of this world and eternity. It is with both excitement and trepidation that I welcome Hope. I wish I could shield her always from the bad of this world, the pain. It is in God's hands now. Her first breaths, first smiles, first laughs, first steps, and first hurts are all in his hands now. All have been written down in his book before one has been played out in time. God please be with Hope and me as you prepare her to cross over from life pre-birth to her first breath. Please protect us both and God please give us your grace to face the outcome. The outcome that you have known since before time began.



Psalm 139:13-16 "For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you,when I was being made in secret,intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, everyone of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them."




Love you all- Crystal

Hello All! Sunday was a beautiful crisp fall day. My sweet hubby took the kiddos for a bike ride.
They ride to our local "slurpee" store usually which is a good mile bike ride. Our local seven/eleven closed this past spring and that was our"slurpee" store. So we were very bummed when it closed. Well it just reopened under a new name and has new owners. So the kids got to ride for their slurpees. Kelly is always so good with them and getting them outside. He is truly a champ, he has to help them up and down hills, and carry Luke on the back of his bike. So thank you Daddy for the fun fall slurpee run, You are the BEST!!! We Love you!!

Daddy with the crew of Slurpee fanatics.

Luke in his special seat on the back of Dady's bike.

The gang with slurpees and jelly beans. Yum, Yum!! Love you all- Crystal

Hello All! Fall has arrived upon our doorstep. The leaves are changing into brilliant hues and falling. The air is a sharp contrast from last week. Currently it is 47 degrees here, but with sun shining through the clouds. I have been thinking lately when am I going to see "my deer" again. Our backyard is quite shielded all summer with full green leaves and pine needles. But for the fall, winter and part of spring we enjoy watching deer crossing our backyard beyond our fence. It is most commonly does and fawns in groups as big as 12-14. I only remember one or two bucks the whole time we have lived here. But today as I sat on the couch talking to Kelly at lunchtime I felt eyes on me through the sliding glass door in our family room. I looked down the hill to see a huge eight point buck looking at me curiously. He was just up to our fence peeking over. He even cocked his head as if to say, "Oh, Hi". I said "Oh, My" and started counting his "points", this is the number of points on his antlers. I told Kelly, "we have an eight point buck in our backyard!" His reply was "Go get your shotgun." I had to laugh at this for two reasons. Number one, any good Michigander knows when firearm deer season starts in our state and we are over a month away from November 15th. Most boys were out of school on this date while I grew up. Secondly, couldn't you just see the 32 week pregnant mama out there shooting a buck as the kids are napping. I think my neighbors would fall over from shock. I love my 12 gauge shotgun, but I have only ever killed a clay pigeon with it. : ) The shotgun was a gift from my dad awhile after we moved into our farmhouse in Missouri. I miss shooting it sometimes. Maybe some day when the kids are older I will shoot clay pigeons again. Until then I will just observe the lovely fauna in my big backyard. Besides "old bessy" (that is my name for my trusty 12 gauge) has a strong recoil, I wouldn't want to go into labor and explain the why. Enjoy your fall!! Blessings and Love to all- Crystal

Hello All! Fall has arrived here even though it is supposed to be in the high 80's today. Fall for us is always bittersweet or at least it has been for the past two years. Kelly's parents, Grandma and Granddad Briden, come to Michigan to live close to us for the delightful summer. we love having them so close to us. The kids love being around them and getting to know them better over each summer. Thank you Grandma and Granddad for giving of your time, energy, love and hospitality to our family for another great summer. We are all missing you already. Faith asked this morning " Are we going to Grandma and Granddad's this morning?" I said " No honey, they are in St. Louis with our Missouri family now." She looked at me slightly perplexed and said, "Oh." I don't think it quite sank in, but it will over time. I personally can't wait for them to come back to visit after the birth of Hope. I am already dreaming of the comfort foods my mother-in-law cooks : ) So thanks again Grandma and Granddad, we LOVE you SO much!!!! XXXXXOOOOO Love, The Bunch

Hello All! Well I wanted to post quickly this morning and pass on our happy anniversary that took place this weekend. On September 29th, 2005 Kelly and I went to Chicago O'Hare Airport to pick up our tiny baby boy. So it has been two years since God added Luke to our family. He is a joy and developing quite a cute and quick sense of Humor. When we picked him up we had just moved back to Michigan from Missouri. We had many things we were trying to get settled. It was a stressful, yet fun time as we learned who our new son was. We are so thankful for Luke he is always very forgiving, generous and loving. We are amazed after a failed adoption in Sierra Leone how God choose Luke to become a Briden. Thank God for Luke!! Through this God has taught us so much patience and given us a glimpse of how he loves each one of us. May you all know you are loved today by the God that brings families together, even across the globe!! Love, Crystal