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Child All-Star... Addison Leigh Reusser Takes the Plate

Michael Wilbon: "Get the kid an agent!"

Tony Kornheiser: "She's the next big thing folks. Mark my word, Addie is M-O-N-E-Y in the bank!"

Fun At Nana & Grampy's...

Ice cream eatin', bubble blowin', evening strollin'...

what more could a spoiled kid ask for?!?

Baby Fix...

Preston (left) & Vivien (right)

Saturday afternoon, I visited Lisa in the hospital. Preston and Vivien were born on Thursday. Lisa looked great and was literally glowing in her state of motherhood. Preston is one cool kid with a head full of hair. Vivien has been tagged as the drama queen, but a precious princess. Both biddy babies are doing awesome and are headed home today!

Hadley Newton

At two weeks old the littlest Newton weighs in at just 5lbs. Hadley is a precious little buttercup of a baby girl. All of the ladies got together for a brunch a Jeanie's home in honor of Megan and Hadley.

CONGRATULATIONS DUZAN AND NEWTON FAMILIES ON YOUR BEAUTIFUL AND HEALTHY BABIES!

Adventures in Babysitting...

Swinging... super duper high!
Pink Popsicles for everyone!
You're not cool unless you have an ice pack!

Sometimes my mom wishes she were as cool as Elizabeth Shue was in the timeless 80's movie, Adventures in Babysitting. Wednesday she had a minor case of the "Babysittin' Blues." I busted my lip, climbing up the slide of my jungle gym and Emily busted her ear rolling over a ball. Claire figured she needed an ice pack on hand just in case she got injured too! Jee-whiz.

Arabian Nights...

My cousin Hillary, made every single one of these cupcakes and they were delicious!
I am contemplating my next naughty girl move... mother didn't get many pictures because she was dealing with a demon child during the festivities.

Mark, GiGi Tovey and Ian

Mark, Christy & Co. were in town from Kansas City. Sarah will be a freshman at ISU this year and they were moving her into the dorms this weekend. Ian if off to Texas A&M this week and Mitchell is in his first month at West Point.

Here I am running away from my parents... even Nana and Grampy told me I was being a bad girl, but it didn't faze me. We went home early and mom hit the wine!

Chris and April opened up their home for a beautiful garden reception for Elliott and Kristina on Saturday evening. Elliott and Kristina speak Arabic and will be moving to Jordan in the near future. The cuisine, music and decor were all Middle Eastern themed! The food was unbelievable and it was so nice to see family and friends that we haven't seen in a while.

Mr. & Mrs. Elliott Newton...

Friday evening the Newtons all gathered at mom & dad's for some family fun, welcoming Kristina, the newest member of the Newton Klan. Elliott and Kristina were married last weekend in Washington DC and were home this weekend for their reception.
Haley hosted the Newlywed Show... Elliott bombed!

Betty Crocker???

He looks soooo very excited!

Fancy Nancy Tea Party...

It was a tres, tres, tres birthday celebration!
The "Fancy Nancy" princesses pose with all of their fashion accessories.

Bennihana's Birthday Bash...

Friday evening we celebrated Amy, Gordie and my birthday at Bennihana's. It's good to be a Leo. We had a great time enjoying wonderful food and even better company... I am in love with the Crab Lover's Sushi there... YUM!!!

It's Fallyn's Party & I'll Cry If I Want To...

Pathetic!

She's upset because Fallyn didn't want any help opening her gifts.

Couldn't Wait to Share...

Is he not the most precious boy, you've ever seen!?! Stevens enjoying an ice cream at the mall
Rock Star!!!
Roxana & Elton with sons
Isaac (3) and Stevens (6)

One of the greatest experiences that happened in Nicaragua actually occurred on our last day there. Doug and I talked several times over the phone about sponsoring a child through NRN. Sponsorship includes providing them with tuition to attend school until they graduate from high school and on into their college years. We had visited 3 different schools sponsored by NRN during our trip. I couldn't help but feel a sense of obligation for our family to become a part of ensuring a child was provided with a good education. I kept going back to the same little photo and description, day after day in the booklet filled with children who were still in need of sponsorship for their education... I just knew this little boy in the photo was going to become part of our family.

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Sunday we were hosting our last Women's Ministry event at a church in the Red-Zone of the Oriental Market. I delivered my talk and during our small group discussion I was informed that Pastor Oscar Cruz and Cecil Campbell, along with Steve and Glen from the construction team had gone to find where the family lived so that I could meet our sponsor child, Stevens Jarquin Rocha. I felt a sense of being overwhelmed with this unbelievably kind gesture... what a surprise!

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Stevens family is unbelievable! His mother Roxana went with us to the mall for ice cream. She informed us that she is a lawyer, 1 year out of law school. Her mother had worked in the home of lawyer, who is now a judge. She always looked up to him and he has helped her with her education and finding a job within the legal system. His father, Elton has an evangelical heart of gold. He understands that they live within the most crime-ridden part of Managua (capital of Nicaragua). He sets up tents with chairs and plays music and preaches of hope to people who have none. He is very involved with their church ministries. Stevens' younger brother, Isaac, is a typical 3 year old and a little stinker.

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Stevens is in first grade and just turned 6 in June. He loves math and is good at reading. He performs in the children's choir at church and at school (And yes, he sang for me and it was sooo sweet... no clue what he was singing, but sooo sweet.) He is very proud of his mother and father. He is so good with his younger brother and very well mannered. We had the chance to visit at their home and play outside together. His mother showed me baby pictures and preschool graduation pictures... complete with cap and gown! I also got to meet his aunt, uncle, baby cousin and grandmother.

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Stevens is very lucky to come from a 2 parent household. It is obvious that he is loved and valued by his family and that they take good care of him and his brother. His father walks him to and from school each day. This is not the norm in Nicaragua for the majority of children living within the Oriental Market District.

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Stevens attends Oscar Cruz's school, Rey Salomon (King Solomon). We had the chance to visit the school earlier that week and had a blast playing soccer and volleyball with the kids for about 2 hours before taking some of them on an outing to Pizza Hut and a local peer/beach. The pictures below are from Stevens' school.

Pastor Oscar with some of the girls
The courtyard

Gabriella and Aaron
Jasmine, Katie and I with some of the kiddos
2nd Grade Classroom

So I am officially in love with this little angel! I feel that we have a son to love and care for as if he were our own. Addie is aware of Stevens and Isaac from Nicaragua. We look at their pictures and include them and their family in our prayers at bedtime. She and I have already gone shopping and are sending the boys a care package later this week! Doug and I have also decided that we are going to learn to speak Spanish so I don't have to rely so heavily on a translator next time we visit.

Happy 3rd Birthday Addison Leigh...

Celebrating the BIG #3
Addie turning 2

Addie's 1st Birthday Celebration

Our bitty baby at 1 week old

I honestly can't believe that we are celebrating Addie's 3rd birthday. She has been such a blessing in our lives, filling it with love, laughter and the occasional temper tantrum! We are amazed by her wonderment of the world and that she is always learning and accomplishing new things. She is our princess in every aspect that the word encompasses. We love you baby girl!!!

XOXO - Mommy & Daddy

Home Sweet Home...

We arrived back safely to Indiana last night. Our trip to Nicaragua was nothing short of amazing... I already miss the people, the country and the culture. I have so much to share, but there is definitely a process to dealing with everything we witnessed and experienced during our trip. This trip was one of the greatest trips, I have ever taken, but it was also physically and emotionally exhausting... all in a very good way. The team that I traveled with was composed with the most unbelievable individuals of all ages and backgrounds. I really enjoyed getting to know and to love each of them over the 10 days we spent together. I will post pictures and stories over the next several weeks. Stay tuned!