New beginnings

Stephen came to live with us on Friday, January 20, 2012.  It was what we have waited a long time for.  However, he had to start school in the middle of the quarter.  He started school today at Harrisburg, Freedom Elementary School.  When I picked him up from school, he said his day was "Marvelous"  He said that he had an interception while playing football at Recess and even made some new friends.  He said that he likes it so far and "can not wait to go back tomorrow".  He asked if he could go early to see if the other kids will be playing outside before school.  So we will be going back to school in the morning, early, to make new life long friends.  After school we spend several hours doing homework.  He is a little behind with the switch so we are trying to get him back up to where his class is at.  Went to the gym for a bit and then back to finish his math homework.  Kennedy is just so in love with him and excited that she gets to see him every day.  Her face just lights up in the morning when she sees him.
Steve and I are excited to have this time with him, for him to be here almost every day, to do homework with him, study with him for tests, play games with him, meet his friends, and watch him grow and learn.  I think that Steve is still so shocked that he is here and excited for our future as a family.  I think Steve feels like it is finally complete to have his boy home.  I know that Steve wants to have a close relationship with him far into the future and everyday it will get stronger.
Thank you to all of our family and friends who have helped us along this path to get Stephen home.  We know you truly love and care about us and him.  We hope you can be here with us along this new journey in our lives.  We are now a full time family of 4, + grandma, + 3 dogs= one happy home.

Stephen's "bathday"

Stephen's baptism. Here is a picture from Stephen's baptism that was on Sunday, March 27, 2011. It was held at the Ramkota Exhibit hall at 6:30. It was a very exciting day from him and our family. Stephen's mom, Jen, was also there to support him. Grandma Jo and Grandpa Sheldon were actually involved in the baptism. I will never forget when we were meeting with Julie from Celebrate and she asked Stephen what does Jesus do? He replied, "He takes the dirty stuff from your heart and makes it clean." HOW CUTE IS THAT. What a great answer. I am so proud of him and can not wait to watch him grow in his walk with the Lord. I will try to upload the other pictures as well.

BUSY, BUSY, BUSY

Every Sunday I think that I should just take some time and stay at home one weekend, but yet the next weekend I have just as filled as the one before.  This week has been super busy.  We moved offices at work, which has been nice but it also is stressful.  On Thursday, Steve's truck died on the side of the interstate.  Thank God for AAA they towed it to Herman's shop and they are going to look at it on Monday.  By the sounds of it, the truck may need a new engine.  Not good:(  Friday we started the weekend getting Stephen in Brookings this time because the roads from Huron to Mitchell were flooded, ahhh spring time.  Anyways, Saturday afternoon was filled with watching Blake and Kiley for Steve and I worked for a few hours then picked up the cake for Stephen's baptism.  We took Stephen to Brandon to Garrets house for his birthday party.  They went to Rango which they said was funny but it has swear words in it.  After the movie they came to sleep here for the night.  While Stephen was at the movie we went to Mikey's house for Dale and Marcia's 50 wedding anniversery.  WOW 50 years, I can not believe it.  That is a long time and I hope that someday Steve and I will hit that mark.  Granted they got married at 18, we were 27 and 34, that would make us 77 and 84, I guess it is doable.  Steve had his hands full when we left and put his phone on the hood of the car, where it stayed until we left and then it ended up on Cliff.  Not good again.  Insurance:)  When we got home, I managed to start making the Sloppy Grandmas as Stephen called them (Sloppy Joes) and while I was doing that I managed to burn not one but two ham and cheese sandwiches, Kennedy was crying.  The boys finished eating and then they argued who would take Kennedy to calm her down for a few minutes while I finished making the food for tomorrow.  Kennedy went straight to bed and the boys played games for a bit before a movie and BED.  Oh i can not wait.  Tomorrow is another fun filled busy day.  Family Pictures!  It is crazy to think that Kennedy is almost 7 months.  I can not believe that how much she has changed then I look back at pictures of Stephen and Brayden from when Steve and I first got together, they were sooooo little.  It was them that stole my heart and allowed me to see a different side of Steve.  Now to watch him with Kennedy----amazing father to all three of them.  Well to Stephen and Kennedy.  If he had the chance to be to Brayden, he would in a minute.  The love is still there for B-B Boy.  In fact, I have always told Steve it was the bath tub toy holder that he had in his shower that made me see him as a father.

I started listening to a CD today in my car on parenting styles.  Helicopters, Drill Sargent's, and Consulter.  I am excited to learn more.  I have a few other CDs that I plan to listen to also.  Hopefully I will learn a thing or two.


I hope to write more tomorrow after Stephens baptism.  Have a good night


Stacy

Weekends with Stephen

Weekends with Stephen are always so packed with fun.  This past weekend we had the privilege to get him early because he did not have school.  We were so grateful for our two extra days.  These days were spent enjoying his company, his laughter and his charm.  Man, that 9 year old has charm:)

Steve drove to Huron to get him on Wednesday, they drove back together, just the two of them.   A little Daddy and Son time.  I am sure that this conversation was filled with talk about video games, movies, and a little school.  Steve and Stephen arrived back in SF and got their hair cut. (which was much needed) Thursday, Steve and Stephen spend the morning with Kennedy Jo, cleaning the house; looking forward to their first tubing experience at Great Bear.  They spent hours there.  (I will upload pictures later.)  On the way home, they stopped to pick up Blake to spend the night.  Blake and Stephen spent most of Friday outside in the beautiful SD weather that we have been blessed with.  We also took advantage of the gym and did a little swimming.

Friday evening we met some friends at Xcite Family Fun Center http://www.xcitefamilyfun.com/.  Stephen managed to give a boy by the name of Jacob a bloody nose.  (The kid said he got them all the time, so I did not feel as bad.)  OOPS.  But Stephen and Jacob seemed to have a lot of fun together.  We got some Ice Cream, at B&G; a great way to finish off a family night.  Saturday was spent at work for a few hours, running errands and back to they gym we went.  Stephen is such a great big brother, he wants to hold Kennedy, feed her,  and he even reads to her.  Stephen and Kennedy spent a couple of hours with   Herman and Tonya, while we both worked.  Stephen met a new friend, McKenzie at their house.  They all wanted to have a sleep over, but it was getting to late.  I had to work at the 24/7 desk the next morning.  UGG! I had forgot it was daylight savings so it was really early when 5:00 came around.

As most Sundays we went to Church at Celebrate, http://www.celebratesf.org/.  What a great service on work.  I think I needed that.  As most of you know, I tend to work a lot.  I need to leave work at work and spend more time with my family.  Days go past and I miss out on the things Kennedy does; Stephen too, but we are not able to be with him all the time.  We took advantage of our last day with Stephen, well at least for the next 12 days.  We had lunch at my parents.  Thank you so much Mom and Sheldon for inviting us over, the food and company was great.  We were supposed to have pictures for 6 month pictures for Kennedy, but Karen from Sunflower Photography,  www.sunflower-photo.com canceled because her studio flooded from the upstairs toilet.  NOT FUN. So we will have to reschedule for the next time we have him.

The drive back is always quiet as I am sure he is tuckered out.  I believe that all wish that we lived closer and could see each other more often.  So until March 25, we will spend our days thinking of him, praying for him and may even get to talk to him a time or two.  Next time we will have pictures and he has made the decision to get baptized.  I am so proud of him and his walk with Jesus.  A few weeks ago we had to meet with Julie from the church about his baptisim, she asked him what Jesus does, he responded " He takes the dark stuff out of our hearts and makes them clean."  AWE, makes a parents heart just melt.  As Steve would say in his goofy voice, What a good boy!

Beginnings

So today is March 14, 2011; Day ONE of the new Krall Blog.  I am not exactly sure what I am going to write about on here, but I think it will be a good chance for me/us to document our life. I feel like it is kind of the journal I have never kept but always thought of having.  Now that we have kids I really want them to be able to recall their childhood; a verbal scrapbook.  I feel like this is the answer; so we will see how it goes.  Part of me wants to go back to the beginning of Steve and I, and tell all the fun we have had and how we fell in love, but I am not sure I have the energy or time right now to put the past four and a half years in paper.  So we will just go from here.  ENJOY.  We love you all and are thankful that you are part of our lives.
The Kralls

(Stephen, Stacy, Stephen John, and Kennedy Jo)