Here we are in Nova Scotia...

We've been in Nova Scotia from September 2nd- the 8th.  Wolf bought a property here many years ago and well, this is it.  It's basically a forest surrounding a mile long (private) lake.  The National Forest Service has a small section of land touching the lake, but it's basically private.  I still can't believe we own this, but land in Nova Scotia is very inexpensive.  Sebi, Nehemiah, and Anna are each on their own rock waiting for Wolf, Beth, and Maggie to return on the canoe.  Wolf is exploring the property and taking pictures as we would like to sell this property.  Now that we live in Kansas, the property is a bit too far away to enjoy.  Too bad.  The water was even fairly warm!

Wolf decided it was time to put some trails in...so, we hired a guy to do this.    It will take a bit more time, but it's getting there.  We'll put a long trail in and make a clearing for a future camp/house site.  Each year we may go here and fix it up until we sell it...  (or will Wolf end up wanting to keep it???)

A view from the trail.

And another picture.  We've owned this for a long time, but this was my first trip to see it.
It's very beautiful, but Kansas is my home!

Bear with me

Anna and Maggie adored these bears in the toy store in Ireland.  They wanted to take them home...but, besides costing about 80 Euro (about $100) each, they were a tad big for our suitcases!  So they enjoyed them in the store!

My posts will have a bit of 'randomness' to them until life gets sorted out a bit.  We had so many amazing experiences in Ireland, Germany, Spain, and Malta during the last 9 months.  However, since most of our travel happened in the last couple months, I hadn't had a chance to get caught up with posting until now.  I wish I could place the blog posts in their correct spots, but the computer automatically places them in the 'newest post' section.  So please 'bear' with me in all this.  :)

A Special Friend

We had great neighbors in Ireland...Leo and his granddaughter, Kayla.  We'd get to see her on weekends and have fun together.  Now that we are back in the States, our heart aches when we remember them and think how far we are away now.  When I think of Ireland, I think of this sweet, cherubic face!

Here is a picture of our neighbor friend.

That's a beautiful rainbow!  We miss you Kayla!!

Malta- Part 5

Family Times in Malta...

We had some special family times.  Here we are at Uncle Manuel's home.  From L to R:  Wolf,  Pops, Uncle Manuel, Uncle Willie

discussing life

Uncle Willie and our family

Cheers!

Lots of good times in Malta.  Here:  Resurrection Day 2014

Pops and Uncle Willie in our apartment

And at long last, our Miggiani relatives.  What a delight to finally see them all!  And what a friendly bunch!!

Malta- part 4

Here are some more random shots in Malta...

...actually, this was in Ireland, but it just seemed to look sweet here.

OK, now we're in Malta.

Coffee compliments of Aunt MaryAnn and Uncle Willie

An interesting fact:  St. Paul's Bay is in the background.  It's where Paul (in the Bible) supposedly landed on 'Melita.'  It's the patch of land to the left with a cross and a rock on it.

So Malta!

Blogging in general

Hi everyone!

Today I made the time to 'refigure out' how to download pictures from my camera and blog again.  Moving from Ireland to Kansas required a lot of adjustments, and I've been a bit 'behind the curve.'  

Since my blog was originally meant as a journal of our time in Ireland, I wasn't sure what direction it should take now that we have returned to the States.

Or should I even blog?

I think I'll continue to write here, but I guess I'll just write about our life in general.  I'll continue writing in a 'family newsletter' sort of way and report anything particulary interesting.  

God bless each of you for reading this and taking an interest in our lives!

Driving Test Day

Add caption

Anna and Beth spent a couple days studying hard for the driving test paper exam.  Although Anna appears skeptical, she and Beth both passed the test!  Now they need to do 50 hours of driving in order to take the road test.  This has been a huge milestone for them.  Hadassah wanted to take the exam, too, but I told her she had to wait.

 You see, Beth is 16, Anna and Hadassah are 15, Ezra will be 15 soon, and Nehemiah is 14- basically ALL the right age to start this driving adventure.  However, to preserve my sanity, I decided I'd let them test according to age and go as a pair- oldest first, thus Beth and Anna.  From here out, they will go 2 by 2.  I figure,  if it worked for Noah, it'll work for me.

Our latest adventure...

Chicks!

Maggie peering in at the newly hatched Bantam chicks.  Beth in the background doing laundry. 

We ordered 15 from Murray McMurry's hatchery, and yet there were 3 bonus chicks in the box.

With much loving attention (see first picture), they are surviving and thriving in their first week.  They will eventually move out of my kitchen and live outside where they will freely roam.

Home sweet home!

We are back home!

Good ole' Paws nearly did a backflip when she saw us pull in the driveway!  I was wondering if she would still remember us after 9 months, and she sure did!

Yes, we safely arrived back in the States on June 17, 2014.  Our return flights were fairly uneventful, except that 7 suitcases were 'lost' en-route.  Thankfully, the airline found them and delivered them to our door a few days later.  We have been home almost a month now and are doing well.  My brain still has to think what side of the road I should be driving on, but other than that, it's going ok.  I walked around our property and decided to take some pictures of our place, when lo and behold.....Nehemiah goes by!   Hi Neh!

It was a beautiful evening in Kansas.  Here is a glimpse of our raspberry patch (right) and vineyard (left).

There's an amazing abundance of grapes this year.

Our 2 year old fruit orchard is doing well, thanks to God's blessing.

Now we'll walk towards the second pond.

Wolf's workshop and pool-to-be in foreground.

Anyway,  a few pics....it felt good to finally be 'home.'

                                   

Seth's birthday

Today is May 26th- Seth Timothy Miggiani's 16th birthday.  However, there is no boy here by that name, anymore.  Tears well up thinking about this.  Just when you think you've been through the hardest, darkest days...along comes another one.  And here it is.  Today.

I think of my happy, glowing, exuberant son...and that makes this day even sadder.

We are in Ireland, so I can't even put a simple little flower at his grave.

Three months after we lost Seth (Sept. 5, 2010), I sat in church and asked the congregation, during sharetime,  if we could all just send Seth a 'group' hug up to Heaven.  Because, here I am as his mom, not able to give him anything or do anything for him anymore....but I could do that.  Unfortunately, nobody heard what I said, since I sobbed too hard as I said it, and so I couldn't even give him that.

Please pray that we all have strength to live through this day.  Thank you and God bless you.

Seth with his rabbit.  He thought Rabeetsio, was a funny way to say rabbit, so he named it that.

Seth loved go-karts, gardening, and talking/teaching those younger than himself (his cousin Jordan here).

The first day of school.  Seth is the 2nd from right.  He was going into 6th grade.  This was only 1 or 2 weeks before the accident!  It was the last picture of the children as a group.  I didn't have the emotional strength to take any more family pictures for a 'long' time after that!  I used to love lining them up by age, and now the obvious hole in the lineup makes it too hard.

Seth (3rd from right) and Anna making silly faces.

Malta- part 3

I really liked this little lovebird.  I wish I could have taken him home!

very typical Malta scene

Look what happens to go by- a cruise boat!

Pops with pastizzi and coffee.  Two things he really enjoys!

Pops and Nehemiah 

At our apartment- dining room.

Lots of fun hats to see.

And buy.

While walking, the President's car goes by.  Guess he's heading home for the day.

Wolf and Ezra

Malta- Part 2: Valetta

Valetta, here we come!

Outside cafes were common.

We saw beautiful limestone buildings everywhere.  The architecture was incredible.  History was alive everywhere.

Maggie found a special someone.  

Nehemiah

Maggie

We were completely exhausted trying to keep up with Pops and his energy.    So, we found a place to rest.

Underground tunnel leading to the Malta Experience- an imax type show explaining the history of Malta.

Lots to take in.