... Of Good Report !!

I am happy to report a few things are happening with Lynn and I and in our family that will have a great impact on our lives, for the good mind you! :)

1) My sister, Linda, is coming for a visit the first week in June!!! I am so ExCiTeD to see her and to spend some time with her in Chicagoland. Linda and I, in our early, early years spent some time in the Evanston, IL area while our dad was attending Northwestern University. I think this may actually be the first time Linda has been back to the Chicago area since our family moved west to Utah.

I absolutely love living in Illinois! I never thought there was a better place to live other than Utah until I moved to Southern California. The warm winters, the Pacific Ocean, ski resorts if you wanted to really go skiing, the topography, and the people I met and grew to love helped me realize that living in California was the best place on earth to live, minus the earthquakes! ;)

After our time in California, Lynn and I moved back to Utah. Once again, I thought nothing could be so perfect for us as living in Utah. Family was close by, I met more friends that literally changed my life. I know nothing, nothing could be better than living in Utah. That is, until we moved to Illinois!

I was 3 or 3 1/2 years old when I left Illinois the first time, so the images and memories I have of Chicago/Evanston are pretty vague, with exception of a few family pictures. So, when Lynn and I moved to Aurora, IL, it was like a whole new world for me! I love the fact that we live close enough but far enough away from the big city life of Chicago. I love all the art, music, history, topography, forest preserves, the busy(ness), yet slow(ness) of life. The food around here is to die for! Chicago style pizza, hot dogs, whoopee pies, cheese cakes, popcorn, etc. I know I am now living in the most beautiful state in the nation, next to Utah, California, Arizona, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho, etc. I can't wait to show off my adopted state and city to Linda!

2) My niece, Cori, and her husband, Jeff, received word that their new adopted son, Evan, now ten months old and living in South Korea with his foster family, will be joining their small family soon. Evan will be coming home to his older brother, Seth, who was also born in South Korea and who joined the Mohr family in November of 2008. The Korean adoption agency Cori and Jeff use provide a foster family for the child until they are twelve months old, and then they are presented to their adoption parents. My heart goes out to those generous mothers in South Korea who lovingly and with the utmost care take a son or daughter into their home for twelve months knowing they will be giving them up to their future mother and father within a year. * The pictures of Evan, Seth, Cori & Jeff are part of the Mohr's family photo collection. Seth and now Evan are truly lucky and blessed to have Cori and Jeff as their parents. Evan will be joining the Mohr family and a whole host of grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles and cousins in just a few short months!!! Welcome to the family, Evan!!! We LOVE You Already!

3) I have another niece, Kristi, who in July will be having her second son. Kristi and Andrew's first son was born on the same day in November (2007) as Seth. Miracles of miracles ... two boys (Luke & Seth) ... separated by oceans and countries are now bound together as a family ** cousins ** in every way!! Luke had some health problems when he was born. There were times we didn't know if he would make it. But, Luke is a fighter!!! He has shown us all so much grace and patience. He is truly a miracle in every way. I do not live close enough to put my arms around Luke, nor his mom and dad, but Kristi and Andrew generously share with family and friends pictures of their family so we can stay up-to-date on their young but growing family. Luke and his baby brother are fortunate and blessed to have doting parents who love them. Luke and his brother will have tons of family members they can turn to and who will love them in every way possible. I am in awe of how wonderful Kristi and Cori are as mothers. They are amazing mothers raising their sons to be God fearing and loving individuals who will bless everyone's life they come in contact with.

4) Within the next few months, Lynn and I will have five nieces and nephews graduating from college. Three nieces will graduate from high school and head off into a world of endless possibilities and adventures. Carrie, our niece, received a mission call to Washington DC (South) and will leave for the training center on June 30th. We have another nephew who is serving a church mission in the South Africa region. Four nephews have returned from serving the Lord on missions.

5) Our brother-in-law will be returning home from Iraq, hopefully by Mother's Day, safe and sound!

Lynn and I are truly blessed to have such a wonderful and extraordinary siblings, parents, nephews and nieces!

March 6, 2010, Chicago!

Even though we are in the month of April, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that on March 6, 2010, Lynn and I found ourselves in downtown Chicago. I DO LOVE CHICAGO! To me, Chicago is a breathtakingly beautiful and vibrant city. I can and do see a picture taking moment everywhere much to Lynn's chagrin! ;o) I love Chicago's skyline, the architectural genus that went into the skyscrapers, every structural and colorful facade, and even the parks are picturesque. Chicago has never lost sight of its true gem, Lake Michigan's sea front.

Here are just a few pictures from our glorious day in March!

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Get your own

-Shelly

Our Pride and Joy! :)

Lynn and I have not been blessed with sons or daughter of our own; however, Lynn and I have been a mom and dad to three cats.

Patches, our black and white short hair cat, was the first to leave us. Patches died before we left Utah in 2007 of liver failure. We brought him (or Patches brought himself) into our lives as a feral cat, which means Patches had no or very little human contact for the first few months of his life. Many of his feline insecurities and shyness surfaced because of those early conditions. But, we loved Patches with all of our hearts and I am sure Patches in his own way loved us as well. Lynn and I cried for weeks after Patches died and still find ourselves reminiscing about many of his antics that made us laugh and find ourselves inadvertently calling one of our other cats, Patches. (In a multi sibling household, who has never been called the name of their brother or sister?)

Maxwell is the old wise cat of the bunch. Max is the elder of our little family unit. He continues to show us various sides of himself, which makes us laugh and which also makes us cry. Max has always been flexible to change and this characteristic has made our house happy and peaceful. Max loves the car and actually enjoys car rides. Poor Max was not happy when we moved to Illinois. He had 3 of his canine teeth removed and now resembles Snaggle Pus, the cartoon cat w/one lonely canine. - - Max has missed Utah and his private backyard. Max has settled quietly and patiently into his life in Illinois. We have a porch that is high off the ground which Max likes to stretch out on and relax. Max is nearing his 16th year. Lynn and I know we will not have Max with us much longer; so, we will enjoy the time we do have with him for as long as we can!!!!

Lynn and I knew before Patches died that we would be moving to another state. With Patches gone we didn't feel like we could move to a new state, a new house for Max that had no familiar surroundings, without getting another cat. Lynn and I went to the Humane Society and purchased a small black female kitten who we named Citty Cat (CC for short). Immediately CC brought spunk and a new surge of energy into our home. CC has gone to great length to groom us all. She wants to lick us clean much to Max's horror and loud piercing objections. CC amuses us every day. We are thrilled CC is part of our two and four-legged household.

Max and CC both have very unique characteristics and antics. Max all of a sudden has decided that he no longer wants to drink out of their water dish; Instead, Max wants to drink out of the bath tub faucet. Just a trickle of water and he is happy! CC loves romping in the snow on our deck. Here are small video clips of our dependents in action.

-Shelly