Caitlin's marimba solo at the North Iowa solo and small ensemble competition. She scored a rating of "1" this year! This is one of the two pieces she played in the competition.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Spring Photo Gallery, Part 1: "Snow Days"
A snow bunny
Juliana ready for a head-first slide
Jeremy likes the slide
Nathan is ALWAYS playing with sticks!
Basketball in the snow
Is it spring yet mommy? I like playing outside!
Jeremy helping to shovel the snow away
Nathan and Jeremy make a good team
Our snowy backyard
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Spring!
Spring has sprung, sort of, in North Iowa. We've had a couple of 50 degree days which melted much of the ice/snow cover, then had a 3-4 inch snowfall again a few nights ago. The lake is still mostly frozen. The open water areas around the aerators are expanding, but I went ice-fishing Thursday evening and we had to auger thru 18 inches of ice before we hit water. I didn't have much luck fishing.... a large walleye on the hook slipped off as I was pulling it thru the hole. My friends Dan and Aaron each landed two keepers (there's a 14 inch minimum for walleye on Clear Lake).
My NCAA bracket was busted pretty early, although I still have North Carolina winning it all. The end of the college basketball season means one thing.....BASEBALL SEASON! I've always been a baseball fan above all other sports. I have DirecTV for one reason.... I can get the MLB Extra Innings package and watch the Orioles from here in Iowa. I'm not too optimistic about this season, but I just can't help being a fan and watching.
Things are progressing on the wedding planning front. Mary and I are responsible for setting up the rehearsal dinner and we are exploring options. I think we have settled on the Latin King, an italian restaurant in Des Moines, but nothing is final yet.
We have a spring trip to the Kalahari resort in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin planned for April 21-23. We've been there 3 times in the past. They have a HUGE indoor waterpark that the kids really love. We try to go in January or February as a winter break kind of thing, but this year my work schedule wouldn't allow it until April. We'll be meeting up with the Chapman family from Chicago, who adopted a girl recently from the same orphanage as Jeremy. Jeremy and Charis will have an opportunity to renew a lifelong friendship, as they spent most of the past 7 years together in Yueyang.
Haven't been taking many pictures...... I'm gonna have to work on that and get some posted for your viewing pleasure!
John
My NCAA bracket was busted pretty early, although I still have North Carolina winning it all. The end of the college basketball season means one thing.....BASEBALL SEASON! I've always been a baseball fan above all other sports. I have DirecTV for one reason.... I can get the MLB Extra Innings package and watch the Orioles from here in Iowa. I'm not too optimistic about this season, but I just can't help being a fan and watching.
Things are progressing on the wedding planning front. Mary and I are responsible for setting up the rehearsal dinner and we are exploring options. I think we have settled on the Latin King, an italian restaurant in Des Moines, but nothing is final yet.
We have a spring trip to the Kalahari resort in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin planned for April 21-23. We've been there 3 times in the past. They have a HUGE indoor waterpark that the kids really love. We try to go in January or February as a winter break kind of thing, but this year my work schedule wouldn't allow it until April. We'll be meeting up with the Chapman family from Chicago, who adopted a girl recently from the same orphanage as Jeremy. Jeremy and Charis will have an opportunity to renew a lifelong friendship, as they spent most of the past 7 years together in Yueyang.
Haven't been taking many pictures...... I'm gonna have to work on that and get some posted for your viewing pleasure!
John
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Home from China
We are back in the U.S.A, and so glad to be so! China is a wonderful place to visit, but 15 days of spending many hours sitting in hotel rooms waiting for paperwork to be completed is very hard. We did have some excellent times, especially getting our wonderful son Jeremy. We spent a day at an orphanage in Langfang and very much enjoyed spending time with the many children there.
There are SO MANY children in China, and all over the world in fact that need loving families. Adoption is an expensive process but it is so worth it. To have an impact on a child for a lifetime, and to have that child impact YOU for a lifetime is such a blessing. I would encourage each of you to prayerfully consider how you might make an impact on the life of an orphan.
If you have any questions about international adoption, give us a ring or drop a note. We will gladly try to help you think through the process.
jkamberger@netins.net
mkamberger@netins.net
There are SO MANY children in China, and all over the world in fact that need loving families. Adoption is an expensive process but it is so worth it. To have an impact on a child for a lifetime, and to have that child impact YOU for a lifetime is such a blessing. I would encourage each of you to prayerfully consider how you might make an impact on the life of an orphan.
If you have any questions about international adoption, give us a ring or drop a note. We will gladly try to help you think through the process.
jkamberger@netins.net
mkamberger@netins.net
Huckabee withdraws
Mike Huckabee has conceded the Republican nomination to John McCain. Unfortunately, as things stand there will be no conservative candidate to support in the 2008 general election.
Friday, February 22, 2008
In China
Mary and I are currently in China, adopting Jeremy into his forever family. It has been an amazing trip thus far. You may want to follow our journey at Journey to Jeremy, where we are posting daily notes and pictures.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Caitlin's Piano Competition
Caitlin participated today in the North Iowa Music Teacher's piano auditions at the NIACC Auditorium in Mason City. She played three pieces that she has been memorizing and practicing for many months.
In the Level D category, she placed in an Honorable Mention category! Congratulations Cait.
Video of Caitlin's first piece:
Here's the second selection:
And the third, nicknamed the "Storm""
In the Level D category, she placed in an Honorable Mention category! Congratulations Cait.
Video of Caitlin's first piece:
Here's the second selection:
And the third, nicknamed the "Storm""
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Happy Birthday Sarabeth
Today we celebrated Sarabeth's 8th birthday. She ANXIOUSLY waited all day to open her presents. In our family, the birthday person selects the menu for supper. Sarabeth made excellent choices as we enjoyed baked chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy and lima beans (can you believe an 8 yr old chose lima beans?). For dessert we had a chocolate birthday cake with chocolate icing- she's truly her mama's girl!
Sarabeth also received an e-mail from China, with a Happy Birthday wish from her foster sister in Nanchang.
Here's a few pics of Sarabeth's big day.
Opening her first present
Reading a birthday card with her mama
Sarabeth LOVES to read!
Our lovely children!
Nathan sure enjoyed the birthday cake!
Sarabeth also received an e-mail from China, with a Happy Birthday wish from her foster sister in Nanchang.
Here's a few pics of Sarabeth's big day.
Opening her first present
Reading a birthday card with her mama
Sarabeth LOVES to read!
Our lovely children!
Nathan sure enjoyed the birthday cake!
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Travel Plans!
We have finalized our travel plans to China. We had to wait for our appointment date at the US Consulate in Guangzhou before we could book our flights, and today we received that info. Our appointment is set for Feb. 27, which means our Oath Taking at the Consulate will be Feb 28 and our flight home is Feb 29.
We will be leaving Minneapolis on Feb 14 at 1:10pm, arriving in Tokyo on Feb 15 at 4:40pm- a 12.5 hr flight. After a short layover, we depart Tokyo at 6:05pm and arrive in Beijing at 9:15pm. We will be staying at the Jinglun Hotel in Beijing and on Feb 16 we intend to travel out to Langfang, which is about 40 miles outside Beijing. There, we will visit the Langfang Children's Village/Shepherd's Field where Nathan was cared for before we adopted him. The Shepherd's Field is all new since our last visit in August 2005 and we want to see the changes and visit with the folks who provided such loving care to Nate in his first two years.
On Feb 17, we will travel on to Changsha, the capital of Hunan province. In Changsha, we will meet our new son Jeremy on Feb 18. Over the next several days, we will complete the Chinese portion of the adoption in Changsha and will also travel to Jeremy's home town of Yueyang to visit the orphanage there. On or about Feb 22, we will have completed the adoption and will procede onto Guangzhou. There, we will complete the US immigration portion of the adoption.
On Feb 29 we will depart Guangzhou at 8:3oam and arrive in Tokyo at 1:35pm. We will then leave Tokyo at 3:05pm and arrive in Portland, OR at 7am THE SAME DAY, 8 hours BEFORE we left Tokyo. That always blows my mind! At 8:50am we leave Portland enroute to Minneapolis, where we will arrive at 2:05pm (exactly 1 hour before we left Tokyo!).
As I mentioned before, you can follow our journey and see lots of pics at Journeytojeremy.blogspot.com
John
We will be leaving Minneapolis on Feb 14 at 1:10pm, arriving in Tokyo on Feb 15 at 4:40pm- a 12.5 hr flight. After a short layover, we depart Tokyo at 6:05pm and arrive in Beijing at 9:15pm. We will be staying at the Jinglun Hotel in Beijing and on Feb 16 we intend to travel out to Langfang, which is about 40 miles outside Beijing. There, we will visit the Langfang Children's Village/Shepherd's Field where Nathan was cared for before we adopted him. The Shepherd's Field is all new since our last visit in August 2005 and we want to see the changes and visit with the folks who provided such loving care to Nate in his first two years.
On Feb 17, we will travel on to Changsha, the capital of Hunan province. In Changsha, we will meet our new son Jeremy on Feb 18. Over the next several days, we will complete the Chinese portion of the adoption in Changsha and will also travel to Jeremy's home town of Yueyang to visit the orphanage there. On or about Feb 22, we will have completed the adoption and will procede onto Guangzhou. There, we will complete the US immigration portion of the adoption.
On Feb 29 we will depart Guangzhou at 8:3oam and arrive in Tokyo at 1:35pm. We will then leave Tokyo at 3:05pm and arrive in Portland, OR at 7am THE SAME DAY, 8 hours BEFORE we left Tokyo. That always blows my mind! At 8:50am we leave Portland enroute to Minneapolis, where we will arrive at 2:05pm (exactly 1 hour before we left Tokyo!).
As I mentioned before, you can follow our journey and see lots of pics at Journeytojeremy.blogspot.com
John
Monday, January 21, 2008
January Update
TA HAS FINALLY ARRIVED! We have received word from our adoption agency that the Chinese have issued our travel authorization. We expect to depart for China on February 14 and meet our new son on Monday, Feb. 18. If all goes as expected, we should return to the USA on Feb 27 or 28. During our travel, we will be posting daily on the Journey to Jeremy site.
WINTER IS IN FULL NORTH IOWA BLOOM: It's been a great week for the winter lovers here. Temps in the single digits as the daily highs, in the negative numbers for lows (as low as -17F on Friday night!) Today, we got about 5 inches of loose, fluffy snow. Caitlin and Grace are going to the North Iowa Winter Retreat at the Baptist Camp this coming weekend and are very thankful for the snow, as many outside activities depend on the white stuff being there (i.e. sledding, snowmobiling etc).
ICE FISHING: John and several friends from church have been working on building an icehouse to use for ice fishing. Clear Lake is frozen solid with up to 15 inches of ice on it. There are numerous portable and semi-portable ice houses out on the lake. If you've ever seen the movie "Grumpy Old Men", you'll know what I'm talking about. The house is 8' x 12', built on a frame of 2x6's and plywood. It will be fully insulated and we'll put a portable heater in it when it's done. It will be equipped with ski's for pulling it out on the lake with either a truck or a 4-wheeler. Hopefully the fish will be biting!
HOW 'BOUT THEM TERPS! Knocking off the #1 team in the country on Saturday. It's always fun for a Terp fan to see the Tar Heels go down. Next up for Maryland is a game vs. Duke. Two big wins in a row? We'll see.
WEDDING PLANS: Jeriah and Shawna have set the date for June 21. The wedding will be held in Colfax, IA which is about 25 miles east of Des Moines. We can't wait for the big day.
WINTER IS IN FULL NORTH IOWA BLOOM: It's been a great week for the winter lovers here. Temps in the single digits as the daily highs, in the negative numbers for lows (as low as -17F on Friday night!) Today, we got about 5 inches of loose, fluffy snow. Caitlin and Grace are going to the North Iowa Winter Retreat at the Baptist Camp this coming weekend and are very thankful for the snow, as many outside activities depend on the white stuff being there (i.e. sledding, snowmobiling etc).
ICE FISHING: John and several friends from church have been working on building an icehouse to use for ice fishing. Clear Lake is frozen solid with up to 15 inches of ice on it. There are numerous portable and semi-portable ice houses out on the lake. If you've ever seen the movie "Grumpy Old Men", you'll know what I'm talking about. The house is 8' x 12', built on a frame of 2x6's and plywood. It will be fully insulated and we'll put a portable heater in it when it's done. It will be equipped with ski's for pulling it out on the lake with either a truck or a 4-wheeler. Hopefully the fish will be biting!
HOW 'BOUT THEM TERPS! Knocking off the #1 team in the country on Saturday. It's always fun for a Terp fan to see the Tar Heels go down. Next up for Maryland is a game vs. Duke. Two big wins in a row? We'll see.
WEDDING PLANS: Jeriah and Shawna have set the date for June 21. The wedding will be held in Colfax, IA which is about 25 miles east of Des Moines. We can't wait for the big day.
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