Erickson Expeditions

This weekend Matthew and I had the opportunity to get away for a quick trip to Tulsa, Oklahoma for a Thomas Rhett concert. Although it’s just a short drive up the interstate, this was the first time Matthew and I visited Oklahoma together, so we were excited to check it off our list of states to visit. We have a long way to go, but hope one day to see all 50 states. Thomas Rhett put on one amazing show and his openers Conner Smith and Parker McCollum did not disappoint! Matt is not much for concerts, but I was so excited to finally get him to a concert with me. I’m already working on getting him to another one…lol! Traveling and “adventuring” is our favorite and this weekend was definitely one for the books. I should also say thanks to my parents for caring for our dogs while we were away. It is so much easier to relax when I know they are well taken care of. Here are a few pictures Matthew took. Until next time, LeAnne

It's often difficult to make one-on-one time special, when you always have one-on-one time. Recently, Matthew and I decided to be intentional with date night, wanting to make them more than just a regular night eating out. Last night we were able to do something we haven't done in awhile, play mini golf! We started the night with a nice dinner down town and then went to our local mini golf for some good laughs. I am by no means good at golf or mini golf for that matter, but getting to be silly and change up our normal routine made the night extra special. We won't discuss how badly Matt beat me. During the ups and downs of our adoption journey it has been important that we lean on each other for support. Allowing the challenges to bring us closer and not further apart. We look forward to many more date nights and maybe another round or two of mini golf. Who knows, maybe next time I'll win! Love, LeAnne  

 Arkansas is known as the Natural State and for a good reason. There is so much natural beauty all around. Today Matthew and I were able to get away and explore Falling Water Creek located in the Ozark Mountains. We even brought our goldendoodle Dolly along for some fun in the water. It is about a two hour drive, so we enjoyed getting to spend some quality time together after a very busy week and enjoy the scenic views. Dolly did get sick a few times so we had to make a few pit stops. Any advice on how to help with car sickness for puppies would be greatly appreciated! Once we reach the creek we had a quick picnic lunch and started playing in the water and exploring the area. The weather was rainy when we arrived, but the sun soon came out and it was perfect for exploring. I was so excited to find a little hidden away creek bed we hiked around. That was until we found a baby snake. The fun was over for me at that point! Matthew and I always enjoy vising this area in Arkansas and can

 It's September in the South and that means football and this weekend was full of friends, family and football! Friday night Matthew and I enjoyed going back to my high school alma mater to watch our nephew in his first official home game of the season. They may not have pulled out a win, but they played a tough game. Not only was it the first home game of the season, it was also a rival game. It was fun for me to see how the rivalry between the two schools has continued all these years. Cheering on the home team and catching up with friends was a great way to wrap up the work week. We ended the night at the local Sonic eating ice cream with our other nephew and niece.  As big as high school football is in the South, college football is even bigger. In Arkansas, SEC is king and come game day you better be calling those hogs! Woo Pig!! Today was the start of Razorback football and we enjoyed getting together with friends and watching the game. We look for any excuse to party and the

                                                                         (LeAnne's Family-Christmas 2021)  Family is a large part of our lives and a huge reason we continue on our adoption journey. Our biggest desire in adopting and growing our family is giving a child the love of family we were both blessed to experience. Growing up in a large family definitely had its challenges, but I would not change it for the world. Even though we all have busy lives, we make getting together a priority. I have especially enjoyed watching our nieces and nephews grow over the years and how close they have all become. My youngest sister has even started a tradition of hosting "cousins camp" each Summer. The past couple Summers all 17 kids, ages 18 to 4, spend a few days at her home in Northeast Arkansas. She even has individual shirts made with their birth order. The kids enjoy swimming, playing games and just getting away spending time with one another. My parents even go up, helping

 Last Fall Matthew and I embarked on a journey through part of the Appalachian Trail. To say I had no idea what we were in for would be a gross understatement. We definitely had some funny stores to tell when we returned from our eight mile hike. Let's just say my new motto is "There is no such thing as too much water.". I know there are avid hikers out there where this would be absolutely nothing, and we met some of them! For these novices, this hike was a test of our physical abilities, mental strength, and at times our marriage, LOL! This hike was, for me, an adventure of a life time.  Thinking back on this hike is a great metaphor for our adoption journey. As mentioned previously, I was diagnosed with Turner's Syndrome which is a chromosomal disorder in which a female is born with only one X chromosome leading to infertility, among other symptoms. Due to my diagnosis of infertility, Matthew and I knew as soon as we were married we wanted to work toward adoption on