New Smiles

Last week Emma lost her first tooth!  She had been begging me to pull it out for a while and even asked the dentist to pull it for her.  He refused saying she should pull it out herself.  Finally, I gave in to her pleas before tucking her in to bed and gave it a good yank that led to much giggling afterwords on Emma's part.  She was thrilled!  She was so excited about the tooth fairy coming that she was still awake past 10pm.  I beat her to sleep, but figured that since we had to wake her up at 5:45am the next morning to drive 2 hours south to get some cavities filled that I would have time to slip something under her pillow.  Well, she woke up at 5am and came out of her room with her tooth saying, "Mamma, the tooth fairy didn't come!"  I told her because it is still night time and she only comes when you are sleeping, so go back to sleep!  Luckily she did and the tooth fairy came before the morning's dawn.

Luca also has a new smile as you can see.  On the above mentioned trip to see the dentist (who provides free dental care to missionaries), Luca had a makeover.  With all of his broken and chipped teeth it was the perfect environment for cavities to develop.  He had 5 cavities that were filled in one sitting and the dentist did a great and unexpected fix on Luca's front teeth.  I was thrilled!!  And Luca is enjoying his new teeth too especially when eating corn on the cob!

As an interesting side note.  Dentistry has come a very long way since we were kids.  No longer do they give shots in the gum to numb the area for kids to get fillings.  Some "special" air, water and laser method provides a pain free experience for the little ones these days.  Our kids just love the dentist office!!  

Celebrating 10 Years

August 19, 2000 - 2010

We give all the praise and glory to God for the years of marriage he has blessed us with.  So many beautiful memories and growth that it just makes us all the more anxious for many more decades to come, or as long as the Lord gives us life together.  Until then, the chorus from a song that Jonathan wrote for our wedding still rings true in our hearts...

Lord, we come to lift your name on high.  

We come to give ourselves to you as a worship sacrifice

Guide us with your hand,

Lead us in your truth.

We need you at the center of our lives.

P.S. We were able to get away for an anniversary celebration to Mackinac Island, Michigan.  The time was much enjoyed, until Jonathan got struck with the flu less than 24 hours into our 3 days of time.  But hey, in sickness and in health, right?  Maybe we'll be able to getaway for one night again before we leave to make up for it.  

Fisher Family Reunion - Pt. 2

Just some more fun pictures from our family reunion in Mammoth Lakes, California...

Papa & Hudson at the park

Maddie & Luca looking for fish

Getting a closer look at the mammoth

Uncle Cody & Aunt Michelle

Papa & Nano

It was lots of fun before the fall

Gondola ride up to the top of Mammoth Mountain

Luca & Diego enjoying a picnic lunch together

Beautiful girls

Aunt Melissa, Aunt Michelle and Maddie on the Owens River

Boat ride and fishing on Lake Mary

Papa & Nano with their grandkids:

Luca, Emma, Samuel, Tasha, Hudson, Maddie and Diego

Fisher Family Reunion - Pt. 1

Here is a very small smattering of photos from our week spent in Mammoth, California.  The last time we were all together was for 1 day a year and half ago, and before that in 2005.  Therefore, you can imagine how special it was for everyone to be together for one entire week!  Our worlds finally merged with us returning from Italy for the summer, my sister and her family moving back from the Dominican Republic and my brother and his wife enjoying their final months here before moving to the Middle East.  It was such an incredible time for us and lots of craziness all living under one roof for a week.  So many memories!!  We thank God for this precious time together!

It's been a while...

...but I feel like I have a hundred and one good reasons not to be blogging this summer.  I won't go in to every justifiable reason, but I think you might be able to understand that our time has been SO filled with so much wonderful face to face time with family and friends that finding time to blog has been non existent.

July came and went at the speed of light.  We can hardly believe it is August already!  We arrived in California on the 7th of July and are now only days away from returning to Michigan on August 7th.  We have seen so many people and done so much I doubt I will ever be able to give you the full recap of our time here.  We did, however, have a Fisher Family Reunion in Mammoth Lakes for one week.  Seventeen of us, living in one house and having the time of our lives just being together for the first time in years!  So I know for sure there will be a slideshow post of that trip for you to see coming soon.

This is very short, but I wanted you to at least know that the Kleises are alive and doing well.  Your prayers would be much appreciated as we begin the dreaded and awful phase of saying good-byes.  Thanks so much!