Happy 1st Birthday Buddy!!

Can it be?? My little buddy turned 1 year old???? How time flies...Im not one for newborn stage, but this time around it went so quickly and a little part of me actually misses it!! Shocker I know!!
Even though Liam's actual birthday is March 20th we celebrated his birthday this past saturday as this is when most all the family memebers could join in on the fun.
We love you Liam Nicholas and pray that you grow up to serve the Lord. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
Liam at the hospital March 20th, 2009!

Liam sporting one of his favorite toys March, 2010!

Here are some pictures of his birthday party on saturday! Not sure he liked the hat...it lasted a whole minute!! (note to self...do not buy party hats...noone wears them:))

We served Haystacks for dinner. Went over really well and everyone brought a topping so it was super easy for me:)

The "big" boys eating at the bar area. (ok, so the hats did get worn for a little while, but not worth buying them).

One of the tables full of guests. Austin and his girlfriend Karis, Joy, Jayla and Jason, Liam's great grandparents, AJ and Raquel, Grandpa and Grandma G. and not pictured was Joan. The other table had Grandpa and Grandma W., Kelli, Alivia, Great Grandpa W., nick and I.

Thanks mom waibel for making the AMAZING cakes!! The hat was liam's play cake:)

Let the fun begin!!! After many tears were shed while we sang happy birthday to him...poor boy...we scared him to death. (next time we need to sing prettier), he began to touch the cake. I soon picked up the cake and proceeded to put it in face reach...he just took a bite and I absolutely LOVE this picture....It almost looks like he is looking over at me and wondering if he is going to be in big trouble for getting so messy.

Yummy yummy....I had to hold the cake up to him in order for him to dig in.

Finger lick'in good:)

Time for presents...its was the paper he was most interested in...so once he got a piece off, Id have to quickly take it away so he would grab another piece.

The bags were the easiest....just dig right in:)

HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY LIAM NICHOLAS WAIBEL!!!! WE LOVE YOU!!!

Haiti Mission Trip 2010

*warning...long post ahead:)*
In the van on our way to Chicago Airport.

Arriving at Chicago Airport....lots of luggage!

We had to stay overnight in Ft. Lauderdale on Friday night before our flight to Haiti on Saturday. We stayed at this very very MODERN hotel. Here is our room.

Arrived at Haiti and we are trying to collect all our bags before going out to find Uncle Jan.

My sweet cousin Alisha(known as lish to me:)). Love you girl and so thankful we got to be together for a week.

We had a 4+ hour drive from Port au Prince where we landed(this is the earthquake area) to Les Cayes where we were staying for the week. Here are just a few of MANY pictures we took of the earthquake devestation.

This was a 3 or 4 story building...completely colapsed...it was so sad to see all this. Tears flowed from my face as I thought of all they are going thru.

On our drive we stopped at a few places...one being a tent city. This tent city imparticular had 12,000 families living in it. All these are homeless haitians who lost homes in the earthquake. This is one of many tent cities that have been started up since the earthquake.

This is the presidential palace in Port au Prince....also hit by earthquake.

More devestation....it was basically building after building of rubble.

Here is one of the major quakes in the earth....my uncle Jan got out to show us the depth of this split....he was NOT touching the bottom of this split. It was sure eye opening to see how the earth literally splits open.

A view on our way to Les Cayes...notice to the right...fallen rocks from the mountain due to earthquake.

Here is our team that went to Haiti. Including Lish:)

This was Nick and I's room at the Guest House in Les Cayes.

This is where we sat many times and also had a few morning devotions here.

One morning us girls did some mending on the orphanage kids clothing. The kids loved to play with our hair as we mended.

A few of us went with Aunt Val to the hardware store to pick out paint for one of the projects we were going to be doing that week.

Here I am painting...I was doing the trim work:)

Nick, Ryan K. and Christoph(jan and val's haitian help) put together this swing set. The orphan kids absolutely LOVED it!!

U. Jan out having a little fun on his bike. We had to have a little time of play in the day too:)

Sunday Morning 2 hour church....it was hot, it was a bit long...but let me tell you what. These Haitian people are on fire for the lord!! Their singing beats any song service Ive ever witnessed. They have such joy and enthusiasm for the lord. Put me to shame!!

This is at the orphanage...we had made some brownies and had punch for the kids...then they sang for us. It was really neat.

We also made 7 dozen snickerdoodles to take to the hosptial and give to the patients there.

We loaded this truck 3+ times with boxes and boxes of medical supplies. Then we unloaded them at the hospital and made one very large pile. Here is Annaliese H. and I hitching a ride.

One of the evening meals we had at the guest house and Jan, Val and kids joined us.

One of the meals we had. Fish (with eyes still there:)), rice, cabbage slaw and some other breaded thing:). It was for the most part always good food!!

One day we helped with cementing. The Haitians mix the cement by hand so we didn't get to mix any, but we sure did get to supply them with dlo(water) and cement bags. Here we are down at the creek filling up the two blue barrels in the truck with water. We made this trip three different times.

Mel and I pouring out the cement bags for the haitians.

Here is the finished product of the cement that was poured. Made it so nice!! (it was just large stones before the cement)

The last day we went to Rainbow beach...but first stopped for dinner. Here we had lobster and fries.

Here is Rainbow beach. Such a secluded, beautiful beach. The water was so clean and blue and so warm. Unfortunently we weren't there for long...got stormed out!!!

On the airplane ride home...the necklace is from the orphan kids...they made each of us girls one to take home. I was exhausted and ready for SLEEP by the end of the week. So thankful my parents and Nick's sister Kelli and family watched our kids so we could go to Haiti. It was such a blessing for nick and I and we are so glad we went.

I Need Help

Ok, so we are in NEED of a new car seat for our almost 1 year old Liam!! The car seat we had before with our other boys is 1. expired and 2. no longer being made. So what is your carseat for your children, and do you like it?? Also, what age do you turn your child faceforward in the car? Most carseats say no earlier than 1 year, but I have also ready its better to keep them rear facing for as long as possible.

Id love to know your thoughts and especially what carseat you would recommend or NOT recommend.

THANKS!!!

Happy 30th Birthday!

Usually when you document the past year of a child's life you see lots of changes...however Im going to document the last 12 months or so of my dear husbands life...thus not causing a great change in appearance:)

March..waiting for Liam to arrive.

April...Watching Elijah play Soccer in TN.

June....what a TAN HANDSOME STUD!!!! One of my favorite pictures:) Can you wear that go-tee all the time for me:)

July...showing off his skills on the wakeboard. You Rock Babe!!

August...we ate at Montgomery Inn in Cinci...this place was our first date night 9 years ago as an engaged couple.

September...I love how my sweet dear is involved with our boys.

October....a mini vacation to Chicago. Always a blast to vacation with you dear.

January...once again he is enjoying his time with Liam.

HAPPY 30th BIRTHDAY sweetie. I love you and thank God I have such a wonderful husband who loves me and our three boys. I know turning 30 isn't exactly what you would like to be doing....but just know....the older you get the more in love I am....cause the more time we have to spend together.