Big Brad's 1st Blog

Hello Everyone,
Well, lets see if I can get this to work right this time. When I tried posting a blog earlier this week I tried to see a preview of it and lost the whole thing! I guess that's what happens when you put an old ironworker in front of a computer!
We had a great Easter. As you all know I volunteer for quite a variety of ministries at Sts Peter & Paul. I had duties at each of the Tridiuum masses/services. Mitch also sang with our KC choir at the Easter Morning mass.
Work has slowed down quite a bit for the time being. bidding is very busy however. I am fairly optimistic about the outlook in the twin Cities area this year. The union hall is nearly empty because of all the work on the new Twins and Gophers Stadiums as well as the new 35W bridge. We picked up a couple more nice jobs this week so it's looking like a busy summer for us.
Well, I'll sign off for now. Glad to hear all the good news about new jobs, adoption progress and baby Gruber!
Big Brad

Baby Gruber

It's hard to believe we're already at the halfway point of this pregnancy. Last night, was our 20 week ultrasound. It was great seeing the baby. :) This morning, I talked with my doctor's nurse and she confirmed that everything looked normal. :) Before we know it...August 16th will be here! Please keep baby Gruber in your prayers. Thanks!

Home Study #2

Monday night, Jenny and I met again with Karine. We spent more time going through the questions and inquiries about our family, our history, and our ideas on raising kids.

We've got one more scheduled meeting on April 15, then we should be done with the home study. At that point, there are a few last details to take care of, and then we should be ready for a referral. We wouldn't accept any referrals until mid-summer at the earliest, but from then on, a child could be placed at any time.

Good Friday Holy week

We want to wish the Jacobs clan a Very blessed Easter! The church services this week always are so meaningful. I always think it really makes you realize how much God loves us!! The spring blossoms are out on the trees and flowers here in New Mexico. All is well!

Job change is coming

Hi all,

As Mom and Dad already know, I have decided to accept the job offer I received from the City of Farmington Electric Utility for the Compliance Engineer position. This new job will increase my salary from $58k/yr. to $71k/yr., a 23% increase....not too bad! Also, there is significant advancement opportunity due to retirements within the next 3-5 years. I will be starting on April 21st, but Molly and the kids will stay in Los Lunas until the end of May so Luke can finish the school year. We are all excited!
Molly and I are going to travel to Reno, NV from April 1-4 for a conference for my new job as well. The City is paying for all my expenses so we just had to pay Molly's airfare....very nice.
We can't wait to see how the adoption turns out! We were sad to hear that you wouldn't be making a trip out this year, but it sure sounds like you guys had fun at the Dells and I am sure you want to save you can.
Well, pray for us as we make this new transition over the next couple months. Talk to you soon!

Weekend at the Dells

In anticipation of the costs of our upcoming adoption, we decided that we could not afford a spring trip to either Florida or New Mexico this year. But after Jenny did a little research on train travel, we decided that a short weekend trip to Wisconsin Dells would be a good mini-trip for the family.

Jenny, Alex, and Nicky left Friday morning from the AmTrack station in St. Paul. I went to work and drove down Friday night. Alex really enjoyed the train, but Nicky was his typical busy self, so mama spent a large part of the trip chasing him around the coach.

I'd been to the Dells only in the summer before, when it is very busy. At this time of year, it is mostly quiet because all the outdoor attractions are closed until the weather warms up. But the Atlantis, where we stayed, had a nice kids pool for Alex and Nicky to play at. They had a lot of fun—Alex especially likes to play in the water.

We drove back Sunday afternoon. A short trip, but plenty long enough for everyone to have a lot of fun!

John Weidenbach

On a Web site with information about Hennepin County history, I found this interesting little paragraph.

WEIDENBACH, John — A German settlement began in Medina in 1855 and by 1856 it had spread into Independence in the area around Lake Sarah. John Weidenbach came from Germany in 1856. His father, Michael, and the rest of his family arrived two years later. Members of the family were: Adolph, who had just completed a term as a Hussar in the German army, Matthew, Michael, Lucy (Mrs. Mathias Jacobs), Bertrude (Mrs. Wagner), and Mary (Mrs. Jordon). Adolph had his farm in Section 3. He became a teacher and Justice of the Peace.

Now in my reading of this paragraph, Michael could be the grandfather of Lucy (Joe's great-grandmother) or the father of Lucy (this is more likely).

Home Study #1

Last night Jenny and I met with Karine, our assigned social worker, for the first of three home study meetings. She drove to our house at 6:45. She showed us some sample books that couples who are adopting domestically have to assemble. Jenny and I have discussed some things we will try to do with our books that will show our family in an interesting and unique way.

After looking at the books, filling out some paperwork, and talking gernally about adoption, Karine asked us specific questions about our families and how we were raised. I thought she would spend more time looking around the house, but she took just a quick tour.

Our second home study is in two weeks, and the third is April 15. At that point, Jenny and I will try to have our family books completed, then we should be basically ready. Our timeline is that we would prefer not to adopt before July, but we hope to have a child placed before the end of the year. Although no family is guaranteed a placement, most families who are open to a child of any race would be able to adopt six to nine months after finishing the home study.

Minnesota 11th Infantry Regiment

In setting up this blog, it was my hope that family history would be something people could blog about if they learned something interesting or new. In reading part of Lawrence Jacobs's book, I learned that Jenny's great-great grandfather served in the Minnesota 11th Infantry Regiment from August 1964-July 1965. Although Lawrence calls the Jacobs who served, Michael, I'm pretty sure that it must have been Mathias (Michael's father) who served. Here's a short synopsis of that regiment's activities during the Civil War. It matches the report in Lawrence's book.

11th Regiment Infantry
Organized at Fort Snelling, Minn., August and September, 1864. Moved to Chicago, St. Louis, Mo., and Nashville, Tenn., Attached to railroad guard Louisville & Nashville Railroad, Dept. of the Cumberland, 4th Sub-District, District of Middle Tennessee, Dept. of the Cumberland, to June, 1865.

SERVICE.--Assigned to duty guarding line of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad from Nashville to the Kentucky line. Companies "E," "G" and "I" at Gallatin, Tenn.; Company "A" at Buck Lodge; Company "B" at Edgefield Junction; Company "C" at Richland; Company "D" at Sandersville; Companies "F" and "K" at--------, and Company "H" at Mitchellsville; moved to St. Paul; Mustered out June 26, 1865, and discharged at St. Paul July 11, 1865.

Regiment lost during service 3 Enlisted men killed and 1 Officer and 21 Enlisted men by disease. Total 25.

A Civil War regiment numbered about 1,000 men. It would be fun if any of us were to travel to Nashville and visit one of the aforementioned towns and imagine how Mathias Jacobs served his new country almost 150 ago.

UPDATE: I searched a Civil War database and discovered that it was definitely Mathias Jacobs who served, and he was assigned to Company F, which unfortunately, according to the information above (and in Lawrence Jacobs's book), it isn't recorded which town exactly along the railway line that he was stationed. It was probably a very small town.

New Mexico report

Hi to the Jacobs! We received some rather sad news from our good neighbors across the street from us in maple plain. They are the folks who are keeping an eye on our house while we are away. Last Wed. they were on a rriving home from a trip to Las Vegas when David complained of a headache and was throwing up. When they got into MSP they were walking to get to luggage claim when he found himself unable to keep walking! Kirsten had been sick in Las Vegas so she thought he might have what she had,so she sat him down and went for help. When she returned David was unable to talk! She called 911 and he is at Fairview Southdale. It was a stroke. He had brain surgery on sat. and they did find some dead tissue as well as the clot. Kirsten called this morning and said he was able to talk to her on the phone this mornig. They say many people die from a stroke like his. They hold out high hope for him though. Keep them in your prayers

Our Trip to Blue Earth

New Horizons adoption agency is licensed in South Dakota, Iowa, and Minnesota, therefore, Jenny, Alex, Nicky, and I found ourselves on the road to Blue Earth, in southern Minnesota for an all-day seminar on Friday night. Without Joe, Sheila, Herb, and Florence in town, we planned to stop in Northfield to pick up Emily Schmitz, who would watch the boys while Jenny and I were in the meeting. Unfortunately, the drive to Northfield was very long because of slow traffic. The wind was blowing snow over the wet roads and making them a little icy. We finally did pick up Emily, but didn't arrive at our hotel until 10:00. On the positive side, we were welcomed by the Jolly Green Giant.
Saturday was busy, and we heard from several couples who had adopted recently through New Horizons. Jenny and I would like to adopt domestically, but we are still holding out hope that Guatemala opens up soon, because that would also be an option. Emily did great with the boys--they went swimming, played in the McDonald's playland, and even did some shopping at WalMart.

Our home study begins this month, and if everything goes as planned, we should be "paper-ready" by the end of spring. At that point, we just wait for a referral.