Russ and Kylee

Overcome!

2012-02-02T09:13:00.001-08:00

(the pic above was at the Denver Temple when Chase was about 1.5 months old)

It has been a REALLY long time since I have posted something. Sorry about that! We have been loving baby Chase and having fun with Caden. Today was a special day. I was able to call the Denver LDS Temple and schedule a time to be sealed to Chase (for more info on LDS temples or the sealing ordinance, see this link). This means that he will always be a part of our family, both in this life and after death. As I was talking thedule it, I was overcome with a flood of different emotions.

1. Gratitude - We feel eternally grateful for two very special people that were willing to place Chase for adoption with our family. Tears are welling up in my eyes when I think about them and what they have done. They were a huge answer to our prayers. We love them. We love having an open adoption where they can see Chase grow and he can know just how much they love him too. Caden continues to say thanks to God for A & J in every prayer. Words can't fully express the gratitude we feel for A & J!

2. Love - We love baby Chase so much!! He is a true angel in our home and he has already added so much to our family. It is fun to watch Caden grow and change into his role of big brother. He is learning how to put his needs aside to help his brother first. He LOVES to make him smile and laugh and I can tell they have a very special relationship. Russ's and my hearts swell with love and joy as we hold baby Chase, see him smile, hear him laugh, watch him sleep, etc. We truly do love him and Caden more than anything and would do ANYTHING and EVERYTHING we could to help them.

3. Joy - For 4 years, we struggled with infertility and miscarriages and the heart ache that comes with that. We loved Caden and gave thanks for him every day in our prayers, but we knew there was somebody else that needed to come to our family. After 6 miscarriages and 2 years of getting approved to adopt and searching for the right opportunity, we were able to be with A & J when Chase was born. The first time we heard him cry, we held each other as tears of joy came to our eyes. Chase is the special baby that was supposed to come to our family, in the time that he came, by those loving birth parents. It isn't a coincidence, it is a miracle. He adds so much joy, love and peace to our home. Our hearts are so happy.

4. Excitement - When we were getting approved to adopt, we talked with Caden about the whole process. We also shared with him that after we adopted, our whole family (including Caden) would be able to enter the LDS temple to have the baby sealed to us. We have been looking forward to it for a long time and now it is almost here (a little over two months)! It will be such a special, sacred event!

No post can be complete without a picture, so here are some recent pics of Caden and Chase (big brother and little brother).

Media Monday: Flora's Family

2012-01-30T08:46:00.000-08:00

Flora's Family by Annette Aubrey

We gave it 4.5 out of 5 stars

Here is a summary from Adoptive Families

Flora is a little girl, living happily with her family. One evening after bathtime, Flora notices that she doesn’t look much like her mom. Her long, flowing black hair doesn’t match her mother’s short, blonde bob. She doesn’t have her mom’s freckles either. Flora needs answers. So Mom and Dad tell her the story of how and why they adopted her.

Flora’s Family is a sweet and sensitively told, rhythmic tale. Author Annette Aubrey explores the common questions that young children have about their adoption. She goes one step further, reassuring Flora that her questions are welcome and will always be answered by her loving family. The book is illustrated by Patrice Barton, whose soft watercolors depict the contentment of Flora’s family life.

The final page of Flora’s Family offers suggestions that parents and teachers can use to answer questions and encourage meaningful discussion about adoption. For parents who want to begin a dialogue with their child, but are unsure of where to start, these talking points are a godsend.

Our Thoughts: We love how open they are in talking to their child about adoption. We especially like how both parents are involved in answering the questions the daughter has about being adopted. We love how it talks so positively about birth parents! We love that it is a family similar to ours, because they have biological children too. We love that it shows how the biological children love and adore their baby sister, because Caden is so excited to be a big brother. He ADORES Chase and they are such good buddies.

Media Monday: We Belong Together: A Book about Adoption and Families

2012-01-23T11:00:00.000-08:00

We Belong Together: A Book about Adoption and Families by Todd Parr

We give it 4 out of 5 stars.

You can read it here on Google Books.

Here is a summary from Good Reads:
In a kid-friendly, accessible way, this book explores the ways that people can choose to come together to make a family. It's about sharing your home and sharing your heart to make a family that belongs together.

Our Thoughts: This book is a very simple description of adoption. It would be easy to read, especially to a younger child. It has bright pictures and only a few words per page, so it would keep their interest well. The use of different colors for kids shows racial adoption well. This book includes mothers and fathers, which we love.

Media Monday: Rock Center with Brian Williams

2012-01-16T19:26:00.000-08:00

I love watching the news at night. Last Monday as I was watching Rock Center with Brian Williams, they did a story about a family that adopted two girls out of Haiti. I love how it shows the great love the family has for their girls, even before they had the girls living with them. . I love that the Mom says it was her goal to let her daughter (Naika) know that she was a member of the family forever. I love that it talks about how they felt it was the right place and right time to adopt their girls. They could tell the Lord was guiding them there. What a touching story:

http://rockcenter.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/12/10139203-on-assignment-visiting-haiti-two-years-after-earthquake

Also, they mentioned on the show that on their website they had a story about parents that placed their daughter in an orphanage to be adopted. I was very intrigued and had to check it out. Here is the link to the video:

http://video.msnbc.msn.com/rock-center/45936629#45933485

I love how it talks about how much they love their daughter and that they put her in the orphanage to place her for adoption because they wanted the best for her. They talked about how they made the decision with faith in God. It was obviously hard for them, but they did it so that their daughter wouldn't have to suffer like they currently are.

Media Monday (a day late): Mom reunites with biological child 77 years later

2012-01-10T19:01:00.000-08:00

I was all set to write this entry yesterday and then our internet was having problems! Bummer! Russ came to the rescue when he got home at night, and now I am able to post this!

My friend from the Colorado chapter of Families Supporting Adoption found an incredible article about adoption and posted it on the blog. It is about a reunion of an adoptee and her birth mom. It is a very touching article. You can read it here: http://www.ksl.com/?nid=157&sid=18711325

Our thoughts: We love how it shows the great love that birth moms have for the babies that they place for adoption. Sometimes there is a misconception that birth moms do not love their babies and are just placing them for adoption to get on with their lives. NOTHING could be farther from the truth!! It is because birth moms love their babies so much that they are willing to suffer themselves to be able to give their babies more. We also loved the joy that their relationship brought to them. Open adoption really is about having more love and joy for all those involved. Very amazing article!

Media Monday: God Found us You

2011-12-12T10:46:00.000-08:00

God Found us You by Lisa Tawn Bergren

We give it 4.5 out of 5 stars!

Here is a summary from Christianbook.com:
When a little fox cub climbs into bed, he asks his mom about how he came to live with her. As she tucks him in, she tells the miraculous story of his arrival---and assures him that he made her "the happiest mama in the world." A tenderly told tale that captures the blessings of adoption.

Our Thoughts: We love the tender, open, loving conversation they have about adoption. We also love that it talks about how they had to wait. We love that it is based on faith and the belief that "God found us you". It says "I trusted that God knew you, and knew me, and knew when we'd fit perfectly together". That is such a sweet and true statement! We love how Mama talks positively about the birth mom, saying how the birth mom must have prayed a lot. We love that it says that the adoptive parents prayed for the birth mom as well. In an adoption talk we watched from the Families Supporting Adoption International Conference, it said that adoptive families and birth families are swapping prayers. What a great blessing adoption is! We pray for the birth parents and they pray to find the right family for their child. God answers both the prayers and connects the two couples to each other. Once again, the only thing we would change is to add the father to the story.

Media Monday: Beautiful Heartbreak

2011-12-05T19:46:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine sent me a link to a youtube video of a new song by Hillary Weeks called "Beautiful Hearbreak". It brought me to tears and I loved how it applied to infertility and adoption. Apparently Birthmothers 4 adoption had the same thought, only applying it to placing a child for adoption. The lyrics to this song are amazing, and her story is even more moving.

Here are her words: Placing my birth daughter for adoption in 2008 was the hardest thing i have ever had to do. It was heartbreaking. But with this heartbreak I also felt love, peace, and comfort knowing I was doing the right thing for my baby girl. My life has changed because of her. To learn more of my story and read others like it go to birthmothers4adoption.blogspot.com

For more of her story about making this video, check out this post: http://birthmothers4adoption.blogspot.com/2011/11/my-beautiful-heartbreak.html

I am so grateful that she took the time to make this video to show just how much it hurts to place a baby for adoption, but that it turns out to be a blessing and that it takes them (and adoptive couples) to places they would never see if it weren't for this challenge. LOVE IT!!

Media Monday: Families Supporting Adoption fireside

2011-11-28T07:41:00.000-08:00

In honor of National Adoption Awareness month, Families Supporting Adoption (FSA) hosted a special fireside to celebrate adoption! We had three speakers, and a special musical number with a slide show. The whole night was great!!

(For a few highlights from last year's fireside, check out this post)

The first speaker was a friend of ours that was adopted when she was a baby. She shared a great quote that said something like "in the end, love was stronger than blood". She talked about how grateful she was to her birth mom (who she has never met and knows very little about) because she gave her a chance to be raised in the family she was supposed to be in. She also talked about when her parents adopted both of her younger sisters and how she "instantly" loved them so much. Love isn't limited to a blood relation, but for those that are willing to open their hearts, it can be shared with anyone. This is especially true for adoption.

The second speaker was a birth mom that placed her baby with our friends. She was so honest and open about the highs and lows of placing a baby for adoption. We loved that she was so full of love, not just for her baby, but also for the adoptive parents. She talked about how she knew when she saw the adoptive couple that they were the parents for her child. She was so selfless during labor, because she wanted to let the adoptive mom experience the birth of a child. She was an amazing, fun and loving woman!

The third speaker was our friend that adopted the baby placed by the second speaker. It was so awesome to hear both sides of the story. We were very touched by the love that the birth parents and adoptive couple had for each other, and we loved that they gave each other a huge hug after they spoke. She was so sincere about the struggles of infertility and coming to grips with adoption for their family. She was so emotional when she talked about her open relationship with the birth mom and her love for her boy.

The special musical number was "Something Perfect" by Michael McLean. Our friend did a great job singing! The lyrics are so awesome and very applicable to adoption. There was a slide show during the song with pics of adoptive couples in the area, birth parents, kids and activities from FSA.

The whole night was amazing! It was so great to celebrate adoption and the way that it blesses the lives of all those involved!

List of Thanks

2011-11-24T09:38:00.001-08:00

As we sit here watching the Macy's day parade, smelling the delicious apple crisp fresh out of the oven, w can't help but think of all the things that I we are thankful for. There is a huge long list, but we will just post the top few.

1. Always at the top of the list is our loving Heavenly Father. He always listens to every prayer we offer and loves us with an immense love that we can't even fathom. He blesses us daily!

2. We can't help but be thankful for the two amazing people that have changed our lives forever, by giving us the chance to raise baby Chase. J and A, we give thanks every day for your selfless love and our friendship. You are like angels to us!!!

3. Chase. We could go on and on. He woke up cooing this morning after sleeping all night. What a dream. It made us smile and our hearts overflow with love to hear him cooing and to see him smiling. There is no greater blessing!

4. Caden. He is so much fun, is learning so much and is so helpful. He is the best big brother ever!! He loves Chase and always wants to be with him. He always talks to him, makes him smile, tells others about him, etc.

5. Russ. I get to take over now! Russ is such a patient, loving, forgiving, understanding, fun husband. He is an awesome husband that loves both of his boys. He always comes home and immediately takes Chase into his arms. Then, he plays sports with Caden. I couldn't ask for more! I love him so much!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Media Monday: Adoption Story Time

2011-11-21T19:23:00.000-08:00

In honor of National Adoption Awareness month, Families Supporting Adoption (FSA) got a local library to host a special story time all about adoption. It was awesome!! The librarian read a few children's books about adoption, including A Mother for Choco (one of our faves, see our review here). A ton of friends from FSA were there and it was so fun to chat with all of them and to let the kids play together. I love the opportunity to let other people see just how amazing adoption is and to create some positive views of adoption!

FSA also hosted a fireside to celebrate adoption. More on that next Monday!

Media Monday: A Beautiful Disaster

2011-11-14T06:49:00.000-08:00

I came across this wonderful blog post, which is a letter from a birth mom written to her daughter. It is so sincere, honest and beautiful. I just loved it!

Here is the link: http://missmandapassarelli.blogspot.com/2011/11/dear-hannah-letter-from-your-birth.html

Here are a few of our favorite quotes:
"I gave you a better life then I could have given you at the time. I gave you two wonderful parents and a big sister to take care of you. I gave you happiness and the opportunity to excel and follow your dreams."

"But I am so glad we have this beautiful thing together. Its like our two families have become one. A very unique and special one. It is so wonderful that your parents let this be so open and honest."

"So again Hannah, I LOVE YOU. WE LOVE YOU. Please do not ever forget that. Placing you for adoption wasn't easy, it was the hardest thing I ever had to do, but it was the best thing I ever did for you. You mean the world to me, beautiful."

Our Thoughts: This letter is so sweet! We love so much about it. We love that Amanda (the birth mom) is so honest that placing her daughter for adoption was the hardest thing, but also the best thing. We love that she has an open relationship with the adoptive couple. We love how it says that their two families have become one. Chase's birth parents (J and A) will forever be a part of our family because we share something so unique, precious and beautiful. This letter from the birth parent is a must read!

Media Monday: The Red Blanket

2011-11-07T08:35:00.000-08:00

The Red Blanket by Eliza Thomas.

We gave it 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Here is a summary from Adoptive Families:
Children adopted anywhere will cuddle up to this story of a little girl, a loving single mom, and the cozy blanket that eased their transition from strangers to family.

The story of PanPan’s adoption is told from her mother’s perspective. As she explains her desire for a child, her sadness is palpable, but there’s no self-pity. Adoption can solve this problem, so Thomas gets down to work. When she receives her referral for PanPan, she buys all the usual baby gear plus a soft red blanket, perfect for cuddling. Into the suitcase it goes, and Thomas heads for China.

At the orphanage, deliriously happy with her new baby in her arms, Thomas notices that PanPan won’t meet her gaze. Building attachment will take time and effort, consistency, faith, and patience. In their hotel room, Thomas talks encouragingly about their new life together, but she recalls, “you weren’t listening. Instead, you looked around the room at the chair, the bed, the bureau….You looked everywhere but at me.”

After a day of rejection, Thomas remembers the red blanket tucked away in her suitcase and cuddles her daughter in it. At last, with PanPan snuggled in the warm folds of that soft blanket, the two begin to bond.

Our Thoughts: This book is about international adoption and does a good job of relating to what the mom and the child are feeling. There is no father present in the story, which is sad. We love the idea of having a special blanket for the child to hold and cherish.

Halloween Festivities

2011-11-06T09:39:00.001-08:00

We LOVE Halloween! It is such a fun time of year! We have many traditions, parties and fun costumes to look forward to.

We went to a local garden center pumpkin patch, that had a hay maze, corn to play in and lots of fun games (and bounce houses!)
I love how Caden totally tackled this thing in the bounce house! Makes me so proud!
Our good friends invited us to a Halloween party with tractor rides, games, trick-or-treating, great food and great company! This year, Caden was Luigi and Chase was Toad.We love carving and decorating pumpkins! I think this was Caden's last year to paint his pumpkin. He painted the names of all the family on there.
(including Chase! What a sweet brother!)Russ was beyond excited to do a Calvin and Hobbes themed pumpkin this year!
We went trick-or-treating at Russ' work. Caden was so excited! Chase was the star of the day, because everyone LOVED seeing him!
We have an annual Mystery Dinner, but that will get its own post. Stay tuned for fun pics!

Our church has a fall festival every year with a chili cook-off, festival games and then a trunk-or-treat for the kids. Russ dressed up as Mario and I was Princess Peach.
I took the kids to the park on Halloween to get pics in their costumes. Too cute!

Media Monday: Max and the Adoption Day Party

2011-10-31T08:26:00.000-07:00

Max and the Adoption Day Party by Adria F. Klein

We gave it 4 out of 5 stars.

You can read it on Google Books.

Here is a brief summary from Good Reads:
It is Maxs friend Josés adoption day party. There is cake and ice cream, games, and presents. What special present did Max bring?

Our Thoughts: This book also comes in Spanish! We have read it in both languages, since Caden is bi-lingual. We love that this is also an easy reader, that Caden can read all by himself! We LOVE the idea of an adoption day party! There is nothing better for a kid to celebrate with a party, and this helps his friends and family celebrate the miracle of adoption with him. We are definitely going to do this!

Tender feelings!

2011-10-30T19:46:00.000-07:00

We are LOVING having sweet Chase in our family. Caden almost always says this in his prayers: "We thank thee we have Chase, Mommy and Daddy in our family". He could not be more proud of his baby brother. He tells EVERYONE we pass in the store that we have a new baby. He is constantly checking on him, giving him a stuffed animal, making faces at Chase to get him to smile, etc. It is the sweetest thing I have ever seen. It makes my heart so happy and full of gratitude when I watch them together.

The other day when I was walking Caden to school and pushing Chase in the stroller, Caden said "I can't wait until we have another baby!" I was completely shocked (since Chase is just over a month) and asked him why. He said "I love babies". He is the best big brother EVER!!

Today, we took Chase to church for the first time. He looked so handsome in his white button up shirt and khakis! In choir practice, we were practicing "Silent Night". I barely got through the first lyrics before the power of those words hit me and made me want to cry. I was rocking Chase in the car seat with my foot and looking at him while I tried to sing:

Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin, mother and child
Holy infant, so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.

These are some special days always to be cherished. We always give thanks in our prayers to two very special people that made it all possible. We just had them over on Friday night and we were playing the Kinect. After awhile, Caden said "I know. This is family game night!". It warmed my heart to think that yes, this was family game night because J and A are (and always will be) a part of our family now. What a blessing!

Media Monday (or Wednesday): Conversations at the Park

2011-10-26T10:30:00.001-07:00

Sorry this post is late! We have been loving on Chase and not getting as many other things done as we used to.

Sometimes our interactions with others are the best media available. We had a great experience with the power of open adoption recently.

Last Saturday, we went to the park with Chase's birth parents to get pictures done with them. We had a great time seeing them (as always) and Caden loved playing at the park. One sweet older lady started talking to us, trying to guess who Chase's parents were. We told her that we adopted him and that A and J were the birth parents. She started talking about how neat that was that we were still in contact with each other. She said "I hope you know how special this is to me". "That makes me want to cry. That is just so special".

She meant every word of it. We reassured her it was even more special to us! We LOVE open adoption and the way that it allows more people to love, hold, kiss and be with a very special baby. We have already seen the blessings of open adoption and are excited to continue seeing those blessings for years to come with A and J.

Media Monday: My Adopted Child, There's No One Like You

2011-10-17T08:07:00.000-07:00

My Adopted Child, There's No One Like You by Kevin Leman & Kevin Leman II

We gave it 4 out of 5 stars

Here is a summary from Christianbook.com
This delightful story, filled with colorful illustrations, is designed to be read by parents and their adopted children with one goal in mind: to show them just how special and loved they are. Your child will realize that while your family is "different," it is a family built on love both from the birth mother who gave them up for adoption and the adoptive family who chose them. Perfect for children ages 3 and up.

Our Thoughts: It seems like this was the first discussion that they had about adoption, but we would rather have our child know about adoption as early as possible. We love that Mama Bear in this story welcomed any questions he had and was willing to give him information about who he was. We are going to create an environment for our child to feel willing to ask any questions they have and to celebrate who they are! Our favorite part is how it talks so positively about birth parents. She talks about how smart and loving the birth parents are. She then says, "That's adoption honeybear. It's the most loving thing someone can do." Such a sweet, simple and incredibly true statement!

Big news!

2011-10-11T15:23:00.000-07:00

Here are two (of many) of Caden's versions of our big news:
And here is our version of our big news:These are our dear friends that we have grown to know and love these past few months that made everything possible. They are so much fun to hang out with, play Kinect with, talk with, etc. We even played hackey sack and Phase 10 while J was in labor! We have loved getting to know them and we look forward to a long friendship and open adoption with them.
I love this pic of Caden meeting his new little brother, my Mom holding him and J looking on as proud as can be. Introducing....Chase Adam! He was born on September 26th at 7:36 AM. He weighed 6 lbs 12 ounces and was 20 inches long! We feel so blessed and we love the miracle of adoption! We love, and are so grateful, for J and A for trusting us with their sweet little boy.

Media Monday: You're Not My REAL Mother

2011-10-03T10:39:00.000-07:00

You're Not My REAL Mother by Molly Friedrich

We give this 4.5 out of 5 stars!

Here is a summary from Good Reads:
What are some of the qualities of a real mother? She's nurturing--she'll let you put twenty Band-Aids on a bruised knee when you only need one; she's dedicated--she'll drive miles out of her way to retrieve your beloved bear left behind; she's playful--she catches fireflies with you after bedtime . . . and much, much more. Drawn from the author's everyday life as an adoptive parent, this cheerful yet tender parent-child conversation offers a response to children who've ever asked an adoptive parent why they don't look like one another. Gentle, lighthearted watercolors by Christy Hale complete the picture of a very special relationship. Here is an invaluable companion for adopted children--and the adults who love them--as they explore the emotional realities of a different kind of family.

Our Thoughts: We love how it points out that looking alike isn't what families/mothers are all about. A true mother is there to care for, help, teach, love, raise a child and so much more! We love that the daughter realizes for herself what makes her mother her mother, even when she doesn't look like her. The only thing we would change is to add the father into the story and to have it be an open adoption, where the child can see/know their birth parents. It is a very cute and fun story to read.

Kylee's Family Reunion, days 6 and 7

2011-09-27T09:03:00.000-07:00

We woke up and went on hike through the lush forests to a beach in Oswald State Park. This was the most peaceful, heavenly part of the trip. I soaked up every minute of the beautiful greenery and I was happy to share it with Russ and Caden (and the rest of the fam)!!
There was a beautiful waterfall on the beach!
Caden finally was brave enough to touch the anemones.
Me and my Pops with Caden. My Pops is the most gentle, loving, patient father!
After the hike in Oswald State Park, we went to Hug Point to walk around the caves there and to walk to the other side of a huge rock (since it was low tide).
After that, Russ was kind enough to take Caden and I out to eat at Pizza 'A Fetta. He is the best husband ever! You have no idea how excited I was. Well, I guess the pic shows it.
Then, he even let me walk over to Bruce's Candy Kitchen one last time just to see if they were making taffy...and they were! At this point, I was already getting sad about leaving the next day.
We had to go back to the beach as a family and play in the waves and sand more. We had the traditional bonfire on the beach to roast smores and starburst.
There was a small freshwater creek leading to the ocean, so we went over there to throw rocks in the water. Then, the boys (old and young) and some girls started building a dam. It turned out really well!
After the kids were in bed, we had the traditional tie exchange. All the men bring ties to trade and then they take turns picking ties. It is a fun tradition.
The next morning, we packed up and drove back to Utah and then back to Colorado. We were so sad to leave because we had such a great time in a great place!

Media Monday: My Family is Forever

2011-09-26T10:34:00.000-07:00

My Family is Forever by Nancy Carlson

We give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Here is a summary from Good Reads:
Some families look alike, and some don't. Some families are formed by birth, and some families are formed by adoption. But being part of a family isn't about who you look like or even where you were born it s about the special love that binds you together forever.

Our Thoughts: We love the name of this book! The drawings are not our favorite, but the message is great. We love how confident this girl is about being adopted and how open her parents are in telling her about it. We love that it has a father and that it shows things that both the father and mother do with her. We love that she finds things that she does that are like her parents. She also wonders about her birth parents and if they look like her or read like her. We are hoping for an open adoption where the child would know their birth parents and know how they look like them. We love that families are forever!

Kylee's Family Reunion, day 5

2011-09-25T08:50:00.000-07:00

At my family reunions, we always have plenty of crafts for the kids to do. Here they are making shrinky-dinks. Caden made a school bus with his name on it to put on his back pack for school. My brother-in-law brought his rocket to launch on the grass. The kids LOVED it! However, we learned on the second launch that it isn't a good idea to launch them with trees around...
All the men in the family joined together to try for an extended amount of time to get the rocket out of the tree. They finally got it free one time and then got it stuck on another branch. All the women and kids loved watching it!
We ended the day with a dance party, complete with swing dancing, the macarena and YMCA.

Kylee's Family Reunion, day 4

2011-09-24T08:14:00.000-07:00

We took family pics! The last family pic we had of everyone was taken over 6 years ago! Needless to say, it was MUCH needed!After getting a good pic, we had to take a silly pic. We were all about it!
My brother-in-law was entertaining the kids while the photographer took pics. He is a great uncle!
That same uncle and I were helping Caden jump in the waves on the beach after the pics. As you can see, he got some serious air! Thanks, Jared!
Russ had fun boogey boarding. He even rolled over while riding a wave and he tried to ride one on his back. He's got some skills!
We loved jumping in the waves with all the cousins, aunts, uncles, grand parents, etc.
Russ wrote a little love note in the sand. So sweet!
Whenever Grandma is around, there are ice cream cones to be found! The grand kids love this tradition!

Kylee's Family Reunion, day 3

2011-09-23T08:45:00.000-07:00

On the third day, we woke up and then went for a walk around the neighborhood. We loved the beautiful plants, the fun company and the great berries we ate (salmon berries and huckleberries).Caden's cousins were picking flowers and instead of just picking the flower, he picked the whole plant! It was so funny!
Then, after all the kids insisting on going to Bruce's, we went to downtown Cannon Beach (a small main street with a variety of small shops). The fun thing is that most of the shops haven't changed much since we first went there almost 20 years ago. Our favorite shops were the Mariner's Market (we would stop there first to buy a Clearly Canadian soda), the shell shop, the kite stores, the infamous Pizza 'A Fetta (best pizza ever!!), and the much anticipated Bruce's Candy Kitchen. That is where we spent most of our money! :)

At Bruce's Candy Kitchen, you can watch them make salt water taffy. It is always a highlight of going there, and of course you have to buy some taffy to take home!
Then, we stopped at the infamous shell shop. I taught Caden and his class in preschool about how you can hear the ocean in some shells, so now he tries to hear the ocean in every shell he sees.
We stopped by the fun toy shop. Caden started making his Christmas wish list.
Caden had been asking all his cousins, ever since we got there, if they wanted to play Red Rover. We finally got a group together. After a few mistaken clothes-lining incidents, we all played a lot softer. Oops!
That afternoon, we made the normal trip to Tillamook Cheese Factory. You can watch them make cheese in the factory, sample all sorts of cheeses (especially squeaky cheese/cheese curd) and then enjoy some delicious ice cream!
On the drive back to Cannon Beach, there is a beautiful overlook. We got a picture there 3 years ago when we came and had to take another one this time!

Kylee's Family Reunion, days 1 and 2

2011-09-22T07:53:00.000-07:00

My family hadn't all been together for 3 years until this past July. I was SO excited to see all of my siblings and their kids, be with my parents and see Cannon Beach, Oregon again. When I was a kid, we used to go to Cannon Beach every summer.

We drove all the way from Denver to the Oregon coast, making for a normal 8 hour car trip to Utah and then a 14 hour drive to Oregon. My amazing sister, Erika, made travel bags for all of the grandkids and filled them with fun activities. Caden especially liked the pipe cleaners!
It was like heaven to drive through all the thick foliage in the North West. I kept telling Russ that it was "medicine for my soul". We were SO excited to see all the family and so excited to finally get there! My awesome Pops and my nieces/nephews all helped to unload our stuff, and my siblings made sure we had some great dinner to eat. Then, we relaxed, played games, talked and took pics of the amazing sunset! (we had this view from our room!!)
The next morning, we woke up and ate some delicious bran muffins that my sister made! I took another pic of the view of the beach from our rental house.
Then, we all got ready and headed to the beach to play in the sand, jump in the waves and see the beautiful Haystack Rock.
Around Haystack rock, there are a bunch of tide pools where you can see all sorts of starfish, anemones, muscles, crabs, etc. Caden got to touch the starfish, but wasn't brave enough to attempt the anemones yet.
I am not sure who was more excited to play in the water: me or Caden! Being there brought back so many memories that I couldn't wait to jump the waves, run from them, etc. I loved seeing how much Caden loved it too!
My family loves water fights, and Caden has definitely inherited that talent of starting a water fight any time there is water near. He told Grandpa to come over close to him, and then he tried to splash him, while Grandpa tickled him.
Shortly thereafter, he splashed Grandma! I love the shock on her face and the joy on Caden's face! Priceless.
After getting back to the house and cleaning off the sand, Grandma and Grandpa were quick to forget who got them wet! :)
Many more pics and adventures to come!

Nitro RC Monster Truck

2011-09-21T19:32:00.000-07:00

Russ' brother Nate is a great trader. He trades things he isn't going to use until he gets something they need/want. When we were in Utah, we got to use one of the things that he had traded for: a nitro remote control monster truck. Caden had seen a pic of it before we got there and was hoping he could drive it. Uncle Nate was very generous to let him have a turn. That truck had some serious power! Good thing Daddy was helping Caden drive it! I am not sure who loved it the most: Nate, Russ or Caden!

While they were driving, I sat and enjoyed the beautiful weather with my sister-in-law (Li-Ann) and their adorable son, Benz. He is too cute for words!
Caden and I got to sit in the shifter car that Nate traded for. Russ and Nate took advantage of the opportunity to go and drive it. They had a great time!
Thanks Nate and Li-Ann for letting us come spend the day with you!

Bubbles!

2011-09-20T19:22:00.000-07:00

We recently found this great indoor bubbles that my sister gave me awhile ago. They will land on carpet, people, etc and not pop! So much fun! Caden LOVED them!
I love his face in this pic...he was so excited to blow a big bubble!Have I mentioned that I love being a Mom? :)

Media Monday: Adoption in Hollywood

2011-09-19T14:44:00.000-07:00

While reading adoption blogs, we came across this great post about how adoption is portrayed, for good or bad, in movies. It is on Birthmothers 4 Adoption, and she has done a great job writing it up. Go here to enjoy her post!

Media Monday: Families Supporting Adoption Conference

2011-09-12T14:31:00.000-07:00

We were not able to make it to the Families Supporting Adoption Conference this year, because we had a family reunion in Disney World (tons of pics to come). However, we heard from tons of people that it was amazing! We hope to be able to make it next year.

Our friend was reading a copy of the Church News (a small newspaper that comes out once a month from our church) and she read one article that summarized Julie B. Beck's (one of the key note speakers) talk from the conference. She was so excited and passed it on to us so that we could read it.

Here are our favorite quotes:
- "Adoption blesses both birth parents and the child in this life and the eternities."
-"It is through relying on the Savior as the advocate with the Father that individuals will find strength and comfort..."

She spoke about how infertility/childlesness can be such a hard struggle. She then talked about how adoption can bless all those involved. We love how she points out that it blesses the birth parents too. We love how it blesses everyone, not just the adoptive couple. We have found comfort through the Savior as we have tried to add to our family. Our Heavenly Father loves us and blesses us (and the birth parents) when the time is right.

Media Monday: Finding Joy

2011-09-05T10:26:00.000-07:00

Finding Joy by Marion Coste

We give it 2.5 out of 5 stars

You can read it here on Google Books.

Here is a summary from the book flap:
When Shu-Li is born, her mother and father wrap her in a blanket and take her to town. The government says that a family is allowed to only have one child. So they lay Shu-li on the ground beneath a bridge. On her blanket they pin a note that reads 'this is our Shu-li. Please take care of her. No room for girls.' Fortunately, Shu-li is found and taken to an orphanage. Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, a husband and wife in North America hope to adopt a baby from China. Marion Coste's moving story of a mother who makes the long journey to a faraway land to meet her new baby is tenderly illustrated by Yong Chen.

Our Thoughts: We love that her birth parents gave her a special red blanket that was passed along with her. However, the adoptive family put the red blanket away in a chest until "the time seems right" to tell her about it. We want an open adoption where we can keep in contact with the birth parents and where our child feels comfortable to ask us about adoption. It won't be a special conversation reserved for when the time is right, but rather he/she will know about their adoption story and can feel open to asking us questions anytime they come up. We do love that it shows how excited the brothers were to adopt.

Pioneer Trek

2011-08-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

We had the great privilege of going with the youth (ages 12-18) of our church to Wyoming to reenact a pioneer trek. We were able to research the life of a pioneer that we would walk for. I walked for one of my great-great-great-great grandmas that walked across the plains in a handcart company when she was 71. Her story took on much more personal meaning when I heard how a few of her children had passed away. I cried when I read that, because I have had many miscarriages and we have felt the pain of losing a child. It was a joy to learn about this remarkable woman, especially because I was able to spend time with my grandma that I love. She truly is an incredible example to me and I strive to be like her.
We were asked to be the "Ma" and "Pa" of a "family" of 10 teenage kids that were assigned to us. It was such a great joy to get to know each of them and to see their talents, strengths, etc. They are each so incredible and special. We had some really spiritual times with them on the trek, but we also had some really fun times with them as well. We will never forget them or the experiences we shared with them. We will especially never forget the spirit we felt as we walked across the plains, crossed the rivers and pulled our handcarts in the same places as those pioneers that went before us.

Here is our traditional family picture.

Here is our fun family picture! Russ and I got to play traditional pioneer games, like tug-a-war and stick pull. Russ flipped me in a matter of seconds, but it was still fun!Caden stayed with Russ' parents for the four days that we were gone. He was so excited about staying with them that he kept asking us often when we were going to leave for the trek (so that he could stay with them). They spoiled him rotten by taking him to the pool, the play ground, the store, etc. They also bought him new clothes, new toys, and new coloring books. They also did us a HUGE service and cleaned our house for us while we were gone. We were very humbled and grateful for their help, love and thoughtfulness. It is such a blessing to have such wonderful extended family!

Media Monday: I Wished for You

2011-08-29T10:18:00.000-07:00

I Wished for You: an Adoption Story by Marianne Richmond

We give it 4.5 out of 5 stars

Here is a summary from Good Reads:
I Wished for You: an adoption story follows a conversation between Barley Bear and his Mama as they curl up in their favorite cuddle spot and discuss how they became a family. Barley asks Mama the questions many adopted children have, and Mama lovingly answers them all.

Our Thoughts: We love how the mother tells how much she wished for and was excited for Barley Bear. It conveys the love and the special relationship that they have. We also love how open the conversation is about adoption. We love that it shows the birth parents made the decision to place their baby for adoption out of pure love and wanting what was best for the baby. We love how it points out that God picked Barley for Mama bear. She even points out that some families look alike and others don't, but 'what makes a family is their love for each other'. There is no father mentioned, which is the only thing we would change about this book.

Kindergarten Rocks!

2011-08-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, our sweet little boy started kindergarten! We can't believe it! We always heard that they grew up fast, but now we really know! He was SO excited for his big day to go to school. I thought for sure I was going to bawl the whole way home (since I got teary eyed just thinking of it before). I remained strong for him all morning and then two of my friends, that have older children, reassured me everything would be ok and even talked me into going to a boo-hoo/woo-hoo party they held for the parents of kindergarten kids. It was a nice distraction. Luckily for us, Caden's two boy friends from church are in his class as well. He loves seeing them everyday, and I love the carpool to bring the boys home.

This pic was taken the morning that we went to drop off school supplies, etc (the day before the first normal day of school)We had to celebrate with a donut. Caden's donut had to have a million SPRINKLES!!

Here is our big 5 year old boy, ready (and excited) for his first normal day of kindergarten! I am pretending to be strong as he lines up to go into his first day of school.

When I came to pick up Caden, he came out of the door and came running until he reached my arms in a huge hug. It made my heart so happy! He is such a great joy to us!

Media Monday: I Love You Like Crazy Cakes

2011-08-22T09:23:00.000-07:00

I Love You Like Crazy Cakes by Rose Lewis

We give it 4 out of 5 stars

(side note: This is the first kid's adoption book I ever read. My friend's daughter checked it out at the school library and she shared it with me because it was about adoption. The first time I read it, I teared up. Such a sweet story)

Here is a summary from Good Reads:
This story of a woman who travels to China to adopt a baby girl, based on the author's own experiences, is a celebration of the love and joy a baby brings into the home.

Our Thoughts: This was one of the first adoption kids books we read and we loved it. We loved that the mom was able to comfort the baby that she adopted and that the baby recognized her as mom. It says that she would cry when other people held her and calm down when her mother held her. This means a lot to us. We know that the baby we adopt will be able to recognize us as his/her parents and we will be able to comfort him/her when sad. We love how it says "How did someone make this perfect match a world away?" We love that God is in control and He knows how to match birth parents and adoptive couples together. We love that there were so many family members that were there to welcome her home and to give her more love. It also talks about honoring birth parents "I wanted her to know that we would always remember her". Every birth parent should be honored and remembered! The one thing we don't like is that there is never a father mentioned, which is sad because a father is a HUGE part of a family!

Media Monday: Every Year on Your Birthday

2011-08-08T09:15:00.000-07:00

Every Year on Your Birthday by Rose Lewis

We give this a 4 out of 5 stars

Here is a summary from ChildBook .com:
The heartfelt story of one woman's adoption of a baby girl from China.

These sentiments are brought to life again in this touching portrait of birthday celebrations and unforgettable moments between a mother and her little girl: from joyous hugs for a new puppy, to quiet nights gazing at the stars remembering a faraway family.

Our Thoughts: We love that the family embraces the Chinese culture of the daughter they adopted by going to dragon boat festivals, celebrating Chinese New Year, etc. We especially love how every year on her birthday, they remember and honor the birth parents. Here is a great quote: "Every year on your birthday, we look up at the stars and remember your Chinese family. They are a part of our family now, and I hope somehow they feel the magic of your love too." We are hoping to make the birth parents a part of our family too and really loving and honoring them, not only on every birthday of the child we adopt, but everyday for the miracle they bring to our lives.

Media Monday: Sweet Moon Baby: An Adoption Tale

2011-08-01T09:08:00.000-07:00

Sweet Moon Baby: An Adoption Tale by Karen Henry Clark

We give this a 4 out of 5 stars.

Here is a summary from Random House:
"This is the story of one baby’s journey from her birth parents in China, who dream of a better life for their daughter, to her adoptive parents on the other side of the world, who dream of the life they can give her.
A turtle, a peacock, a monkey, a panda, and some fish shepherd the baby as she floats in a basket on a moonlit, winding river into the loving arms of her new parents.
Perfect for bedtime reading, Karen Henry Clark’s poetic text, reminiscent of a lullaby, and Patrice Barton’s textured and gentle-hued illustrations capture the great love between parents and children and the miraculous journey of adoption."

Our thoughts: We love the pictures in this book! They are very well drawn, sweet and fun to look at it. That is always a plus in any kids book. We love how when the birth parents realized they were not able to care for their sweet baby, they were willing to trust that somebody else would be able to give their daughter the things she needs. Such a selfless decision. We also love how dedicated the adoptive parents were to prepare for and find their daughter.

Media Monday: Rebecca's Journey Home

2011-07-25T08:59:00.000-07:00

Rebecca's Journey Home by Brynn Olenberg Sugarman

We gave it a 4 out of 5 stars.

Here is a summary from Kiwi Magazine Online:
This book is a lovely story of the blending of a Jewish family and their traditions with a newly adopted daughter (and sister) from Vietnam. The family’s excitement and anticipation about their new member is told warmly and genuinely by the author who adopted her daughter Rachele from Vietnam.

Our Thoughts: We loved how excited the boys were to adopt, and how the parents included them in the adoption process. We loved how much it showed their religion and the way their synagogue (church) helped them out. Religion is a central part of our family and it gives us strength, hope and joy. It is also a huge support system of friends that are excited for us to adopt. We love how the family embraced the culture and heritage of the daughter they adopted.

Mooo!

2011-07-21T10:25:00.000-07:00

Chick-fil-A had their annual cow appreciation day. We wanted to enjoy the free food, so we dressed up like cows and enjoyed a fun family dinner. We even had tails!

Caden was really excited and kept saying funny things. Our top 3 quotes from Caden were:
1. He said the prayer on the way there and said "we thank thee that we can dress up like cows"
2. When we asked him what he wanted to eat, he said "a hamburger and fries"
3. After giving the mascot cow a hug on the way out, he said "I love cows!"

We loved the good food and the play place. We even saw three other families from our ward (congregation) and many other LDS families from the area.

Cars 2!!!

2011-07-19T09:47:00.000-07:00

Caden is OBSESSED with the movie Cars. We have just about anything Cars you can imagine (toys, puzzles, towels, sunglasses, clothes, etc). We only have a birthday party with friends every other year, and this year he wasn't going to have one. We had a fun celebration with family instead and went to see Cars 2. We have been excited for about a year about this movie. We went on opening night in 3D with Russ' parents (aka Wapa and Mimi). We also sat by two of Caden's friends and their parents that were also there. Caden LOVED it! (the pic above shows just how excited he really was) He kept his glasses on the whole time and kept telling me in a loud voice that Lightning was in front! Priceless.

Media Monday: Star of the Week

2011-07-18T08:40:00.000-07:00

Star of the Week by Darlene Friedman

We give it 4 out of 5 stars.

You can read it here on Google Books.

Here is a summary from the book flap:
"It's Cassidy-Li's turn to be Star of the Week at school! So she's making brownies and collecting photos for her poster. She has pictures of all the important people in her life - with one big exception. Cassidy-Li, adopted from China when she was a baby, doesn't have a photo of her birthparents. But with a little help from her family, she comes up with the perfect way to include them!"

Our thoughts: We love that Cassidy-Li includes her birth family on her poster. That is a big part of who she is and it should be celebrated. In the book it states that she is a little worried about what questions her peers will ask, etc. We think that is a normal concern, but the class responded well to it. We were sad that it was a closed adoption and that she didn't have any pictures of her birth parents. She decided to draw a picture of them instead. We are hoping for an open adoption so that the child can have a relationship with their birth parents, and continue to celebrate and honor them forever!

FSA Play groups

2011-07-17T09:02:00.000-07:00

We love going to Families Supporting Adoption (FSA) play groups. It is great to talk to other people that are involved with adoption. In June, we went to a fun park in the area that has a petting zoo and mini train. It also has a stream that the kids love to play in. We also got to meet our friend's son that she recently adopted. So cute!

In July, we went to an awesome splash park. Caden LOVED using his squirter to get everyone wet, including me. We loved chasing each other to get wet.

Fun with Legos

2011-07-15T08:53:00.000-07:00

One day, Caden and I were having a great time with Legos. Then, I got an idea to spell words with them. Here is my attempt at writing love notes to Russ and Caden. It made both of them smile. Caden took the picture of me. He is a great photographer! Caden liked seeing his name built out of legos.

Media Monday: Porcupette Finds a Family

2011-07-11T08:31:00.000-07:00

Porcupette Finds a Family by Vanita Oelschlager

We give it 3.5 out of 5 stars

Here is a summary from Picture Book Depot:

"In Porcupette Finds a Family, Oeschlager tackles the tragedy of suddenly losing a parent and going straightway into a foster home. The story is told by little Porcupette (the proper name for a baby porcupine), who gives a first-person account of his early life with his loving porcupine mother. His mother dotes on him and teaches him many things, but one day she leaves their home of rocks to find food, and something goes terribly wrong. Poor Porcupette waits and waits but his mother never returns, so he wanders out into the snow and cold to search for her. He never discovers what happened to her, but he does stumble upon a mother bear sleeping peacefully beside her two bear cubs.

Scared, hungry and tired beyond words, Porcupette walks right into their cave, snuggles next to the cubs for warmth, and begins to drink milk from Mother Bear. To his surprise, Mother Bear and the babies accept him, and suddenly, Porcupette has a new family.

But like any child who has been uprooted from what he knows and thrust into a new environment, Porcupette has a new fear: How long will this new family last? Things seem fine on the surface, but what if Mother Bear suddenly remembers he’s not really her child? And what if the entire family suddenly disappears on him, like his own mother did?"

Our thoughts: This book did a great job of describing the feelings of a foster care situation or an adoption with an older child. It talks about how the porcupine sticks out his quills when they are afraid, as is common in these situations. They were very vivid and sad descriptions of how these children feel and react to things. In the end, the Mother Bear comes to find Porcupette and he realizes that she does love him. We are hoping for infant adoption, but this book was good to read so that we could understand more of the feelings/reactions of kids in that situation.

Media Monday: Kung Fu Panda 2

2011-07-04T14:48:00.000-07:00

We have not seen this movie yet, but we enjoyed reading this write up about the adoption aspect of this movie from a birth mom. Kelsey does a great job of writing her own commentary, so we will not add any more comments and just let you read hers! http://thebestforyoubook.blogspot.com/2011/06/kung-fu-panda-2-and-adoption-theme.html

Flowers!

2011-06-30T09:36:00.000-07:00

I LOVE flowers growing in gardens, yards, etc. It looks so nice! Tulips are probably my favorite, because after a cold winter, they start to poke through the ground and remind me that Spring is coming soon. They are LOVELY! I, however, have a hard time growing them in my yard! I need to work on that! I have dreams of having lovely flowers in front of my house, in my backyard, etc. I looked around at all the flowers and tried to notice which ones bloom all Summer, seem to last well, etc. Last year I bought this bag of lily bulbs and planted them in front of the aspen in the back yard...then I hoped for the best! They actually grew fairly well and I had maybe 1-2 flowers last year. I was so excited!

I was even more excited when this year I have had a lot more flowers!! Our first one bloomed the day that we went to the Rockies game. Caden and I ran out to take pics of it! Since then, we have had at least 5 other flowers bloom. Caden knows how much I love them and will get just as excited as I do! When he is playing outside, he will water our flowers with his squirt bottle. What a sweetheart! Maybe next year I will branch out and find another flower to add to our collection!

FSA Birth Parent Appreciation Day and Rockies Game!

2011-06-29T09:10:00.000-07:00

We had a great Families Supporting Adoption (FSA) activity where we got to honor and celebrate birth parents! We all went to the Rockies game and wore our matching shirts from the 5K in May. We were able to meet and talk with so many great birth parents, and spend time with our friends from FSA. There was a huge rain storm that came through, so during the 1+ hour rain delay, we talked to everyone from the group.

Caden got to play kickball on the field with Dingger! So awesome!! (Clearly from the video, he didn't really know the rules of kickball, but he still had fun!)
Caden was so excited to catch a ball and he wore his mitt for most of the game. He never caught a fly ball, but he had a blast. He loved splashing in the puddles during the rain delay. He was such a good sport, even though it was a REALLY late night!
We loved this activity and look forward to repeating it every year here in Colorado! This will be easy to do since our adoption supervisor, Kelly (on the left with his rally cap on) is a HUGE Rockies fan! Here he is doing the macarena! We love Kelly!

ESL Testing

2011-06-28T09:01:00.000-07:00

When I registered Caden for kindergarten, I had to fill out what languages Caden speaks, what languages we speak in the home, etc. Since he is bilingual, I wrote down English and Spanish. As a result, he had to get tested to see if he qualified for ESL assistance. I laughed so hard when I got the email! I told Caden that since he knew both languages, he got to have a special meeting.

A few weeks ago, I took him to get tested. I was hoping that I could see the test, but he took him to a different room. After wards, he came and talked to me about how Caden did. He said "it looks like he is at least familiar with the capital letters and he could write his name well...". I wanted to laugh and tell him that Caden is reading full books, but decided to just listen. He told me that Caden did great in all areas, but he missed a few questions in the "listening" portion. As a result, he told me that he did qualify for ESL assistance. I almost started laughing! He explained that Caden would have to go to another school, that they could work with him for 45 minutes a week, etc. He said I could decide to do it, decide to sign a waiver, or think about it for awhile. I immediately signed the waiver. However, he told me that since he qualified for the program, he has to be tested every year until he passes "proficient".

It was a very interesting experience. Russ and I just kept laughing about it. I don't think school systems can handle a child that is literally fluent in two languages. We are proud that our sweet son can talk in both English and Spanish, and is excelling at the things he does! Now I just need to get myself ready for him to start kindergarten....what am I going to do without my sweet sidekick by me all day!? He is SO excited, though so that makes it easier.

Media Monday: Bryan Kehl's Big Family and the Blessings of Adoption

2011-06-27T14:24:00.000-07:00

Russ found this article on adoption the other day. I was so proud of him! Really it is because he LOVES BYU sports (Bryan Kehl used to play football for BYU) and found it on a BYU sports website. :) Either way, I loved reading it. Here is a link to the whole article that was in the Mormon Times on June 16, 2011. http://www.mormontimes.com/article/21206/Bryan-Kehls-big-family-and-the-blessings-of-adoption#

Our Thoughts: First off, it drives me nuts when people say they "gave up their baby for adoption". Birth parents are not giving their babies up! They are placing them for adoption, because they want them to have things that they can't offer at that specific time in life. We love that his mom helped him find his biological father! It is natural to be curious about where you came from, and we love that they embraced his curiosity and helped him to find his biological father! We love how the biological grandfather gave him a kiss and a blessing before she placed him for adoption. What a touching experience and a great article!

Media Monday: Family Connections Magazine

2011-06-20T06:04:00.000-07:00

I graduated from BYU with a degree in Marriage, Family and Human Development. The department has changed since I went to school and is now called The School of Family Life. They are trying to reconnect all of their alumni and current students, so they put together a magazine called "Family Connections" that came in the mail a little while ago. I was excited to read it, and loved the story of adoption that I came across.

It was an alumni profile about the Lundell Family. They adopted three children of Asian, African American and Samoan descent and then they were able to have two biological children. The husband entered the military and ended up getting deployed for Iraq, leaving the wife with a 6 week old baby and 3 kids that were having separation issues from adoption. She writes that she has been able to use her training as a family therapist to help their family. I love this paragraph, "Catherine feels a sacred obligation as a parent to an adopted child. 'How would their birth mother feel about my interactions with this child if she were watching?' is a question she often asks herself. Catherine feels a deep responsibility for the trust that was placed in her as a mother to someone else's child."

Our Thoughts: We love that she used what she learned in school to help their family grow. I have definitely remembered different things I learned from my major to help our family, and love that I have that knowledge to draw upon. We especially loved how they feel such a sacred responsibility to care for her adopted children the best they can because of the trust that the birth parents had in them. We, likely, will feel the same way!

Wo-Mimi!

2011-06-18T07:24:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, Russ' grandma came into town from Canada with his aunt and his cousin. We LOVE Russ' grandma. She is an incredible woman and so talented. Russ' mom goes by "Mimi" instead of Grandma, so Caden's oldest cousin decided to call great grandma "Wo-Mimi". The name completely stuck!

We had to run a lot of errands on Saturday before we could go see Wo-Mimi. While in the car, Caden kept saying "Wo-Mimi! Wo-Mimi!" and then smiling a huge smile! He was very happy when we finally got to see her and insisted on sitting by her at Costa Vida for dinner. We went over on Sunday after church for dinner to see her one last time.

All the boys ate outside. Russ and Caden are in the front. Russ' Dad is behind Russ, with his cousin to the side.
It was a little breezy outside for the girls, so we ate inside. I am sitting by Russ' mom and his Aunt Di and Wo-Mimi are on the other side.When we were leaving, Caden started crying. He didn't want to say goodbye. We tried to comfort him by saying that he will see Wo-Mimi in a few months when we go to Disney World! It didn't help much, but it got us excited!

Preschool Graduation

2011-06-17T06:49:00.000-07:00

Caden graduated from preschool!! With a few friends, we bought a preschool curriculum and each took turns teaching. I have done this for the past two years and loved it. We had a little graduation party at the park for the boys. I put together a DVD with all the pics from the year, showing all the boys had done. They loved seeing their pictures come up. Each child was spotlighted by a teacher and then given a diploma. Then, my friend brought treats that went along with the letters A, B and C and she used the letter crafts that her son had done to display them. It was so creative and fun! The kids then played while all the parents talked. Caden is BEYOND excited for kindergarten, and I am trying to prepare myself to let him grow up.

Russ turns 29!!

2011-06-16T06:59:00.000-07:00

My sweet husband turned 29! He is just 16 days older than me, so I always tease him that he is so much older! Caden has picked up on this and when Russ got an eye infection a few days ago, he said "maybe it is because Daddy is so old". I laughed so hard!

Caden and I made cards for him and decorated the house.
We opened his presents and yes, I made him wear the funny hat! :) He got a dutch oven to cook with when we go camping. We have wanted one for a long time and finally got it!

*That morning, Caden and I went to a garage sale and found the Cars life jacket. He was SO excited to wear it swimming that he wore it around the house for about an hour.
We went swimming as a family in our neighborhood pool. It is a tradition from both of our sides that when it is your birthday, you get to choose your favorite meal for dinner and you don't have to do any work. So, I made him a dinner of chicken broccoli crepes and raspberry jell-o (both are his favorites). Then, we went to the driving range to play some golf!
Caden played with his plastic clubs that are all falling apart, but he had a blast!Golf is not my talent, but I can do a decent job at mini golf! :) I totally wiffed it a few times and laughed so hard! Then, I resorted back to taking pictures!
We also went to Krispy Kreme to get a free donut before heading home for angel food cake with raspberries and whipped cream. Happy birthday, Love!!

Media Monday: Ancestors

2011-06-13T07:12:00.000-07:00

Russ and I were asked to serve as "Ma and Pa" for the Stake Trek with the youth. Trek is an incredible experience where we go and reenact the pioneers walking across the plains with handcarts. We wear traditional pioneer clothing, cook over a fire, etc. We are really excited for the opportunity! One part of the trek is that you have to choose a pioneer that walked across the plains that you want to walk for and learn about. Russ and I both turned to our genealogy books that our amazing grand parents have put together. In sorting through mine, I found an adoption story! Here it is:

My Grandma's, Glendon, married a woman named Bobette. They had 2 sons, but after 5 or 6 attempts to have another child resulted in miscarriages, they turned to adoption. After a little bit (not sure how long), an attorney friend of theirs from church told them that he had a 2 year old girl who needed a home. She got there as fast as she could. She writes "With a pounding and anxious heart, Bobette arrived at the office. She opened the door, and Gibbons picked up a beautiful, sweet faced, brown haired child withe dark eyes of beauty, depth and alertness that Bobette was instantly captivated. For Bobette, the search of years, the longing of her heart were over. Her child had arrived". Bobette writes that there had been spaces in her heart reserved for Tawny, the child they adopted. That night, she waited for her husband to come home and she kept checking every 15 minutes or so on her sleeping child. "It was after midnight when he came, and not wanting to disturb her sleep, the two of us looked at this perfect and beautiful little girl who miraculously had become ours." She writes that "the boys were as crazy about her as we were". I love that the older boys just adored their new baby sister.

Tawny came down with leukemia and after battling it for 3 years, she passed away. She often reminded her parents (even before the sickness) that she was sealed to them (in an LDS temple). They will be able to live together forever, even though she passed away when she was only 12 years old.

Our Thoughts: We loved reading about the feelings and excitement from an ancestor in Kylee's family that was able to adopt. We love that there were spaces in their hearts reserved for this girl. We definitely feel that our family is not complete, and that there is a special someone that is supposed to come to our family. We love how much they were all immediately taken with her, especially the boys. Caden is SUCH a caring, loving boy and we know he is going to be a great big brother! We are excited for the day when we can write our own adoption story.

Memorial Day fun!

2011-06-10T19:13:00.000-07:00

Russ and I love backpacking, but it isn't feasible with a baby/toddler. At the end of last year, a friend told us about this place that you only have to hike in 1 mile and there are bathrooms and firewood provided. We were so excited to go, but couldn't fit it in last year. Every memorial Day we have a traidion of going camping. Since Caden is a good hiker, we took advantage of the chance to go on our first backpacking trip as a family! We were SO excited! It was a beautiful place and it even overlooked Denver. It was so peaceful to sit in the wilderness with our family under the stars and see the lights of Denver in the distance. So great!

We started off for the trail SO excited! Caden's adorable face tells it all! He picked two dandelions for me which I wore behind my ear almost the whole day. So sweet!
We followed his map. :)
We found a geocache with a beautiful view. Caden traded a toy for a silly band.
We pumped water...or tried! I love his legs dangling in the air!
We climbed on rocks. Caden was in heaven!
We savored the beautiful views!
Much to Caden's delight, Russ helped Caden search for grasshoppers in the HUGE open area.
and searched....
and by some miracle, they found one!
We loved seeing all the pretty flowers.Caden drew in the dirt.
We are not big s'mores people, so instead we roast starburst! Most divine thing ever!!
the Denver city lights
In the morning, we ate breakfast and then hiked back to the car so we could see Ryan and Rose (Russ' brother and his family) that came into town. It made it so perfect to hear Caden sing "pioneer children sang as they walked....and walked....and walked...and walked...". He was such a champ! We were proud of him!

Mr. Talkative

2011-06-09T18:33:00.000-07:00

Caden is quite the talkative kid! He is ALWAYS talking to someone, and he loves it when people will listen to him. He will always talk to the cashiers at stores, the librarians, people walking on the street, other shoppers in the store, etc. It keeps our life fun, because you never know what he will say. In our home study to get approved to adopt, our case worker wrote in there twice that Caden is a very talkative kid. It made us laugh when we read it, because it is so true!

Since it is Summer and we have a neighborhood pool, we enrolled Caden in swimming classes. He was SO excited for the first day! The first day ended up being rough, because we put him in a harder class that he wasn't ready for. We switched down to the lower class for the rest of the time, and he is LOVING it! He is always trying to show his teacher everything he does. She is very patient and kind to him, which I appreciate. Today, while his teacher was helping another boy in the class, he noticed the life guard was a captive audience and started talking to her to show her what he could do. I was laughing so hard! He is such a fun kid to have around.

Here he is showing off how he can get a ring from the bottom of the pool. He was really scared about this before his lesson, but he totally did it right off the bat! I was so proud of him! (in case you couldn't tell!)

Media Monday: The White Swan Express

2011-06-06T08:23:00.000-07:00

The White Swan Express by Jean Davies Okimoto

We gave this book 2.5 out of 5 stars.

You can read it here on Google Books.

Here is a summary from the book flap: In China, the moon shines on four baby girls fast asleep in an orphanage. Far away in North America, the sun rises over four homes as the people inside get ready to start a long, exciting journey. With tenderness and humor, this lyrical story tells how they are all brought together, and how they become four happy families on one very special day.

First of all, there were way too many words on the page to keep a child's interest. We liked that the author did a good job describing all the emotions and feelings that these four different couples had. This wasn't a very interesting book, even for us to read. We aren't doing international adoption for now, so I think many of the experiences don't necessarily apply directly to us.

In the family

2011-06-02T20:09:00.000-07:00

My sister and her husband were recently approved to adopt through LDS Family Services as well! It is fun to experience the adoption process and the wonderful world of adoption with my sister! It is fun to think that when we adopt, he/she will have cousins that are also adopted. What a blessing!

My sister spoiled me rotten when I was younger and we have always had a special relationship. She married an incredible husband that LOVES kids! He will be a great father sometime soon. They love to travel and love to spend time together hiking near their house, skiing, etc. They have a dog, Nutmeg, that all my nieces/nephews adore. They are a very talented, fun-loving couple and we think the world of them.

Check out their awesome profile here: https://itsaboutlove.org/ial/profiles/25589617/ourMessage.jsf

The pic below is from a cruise that we went on with Russ' family. Last minute, Erika and Jared decided to join us! Russ' parents were so excited to have them there and we loved hanging out with them. They even joined us for a fun stop in Puerto Rico, where we drove past the last area I served in as a missionary!

Media Monday: Over the Moon: An Adoption Tale

2011-05-30T15:08:00.000-07:00

Over the Moon: An Adoption Tale by Karen Katz

We give this a 3 out of 5 stars.

You can read it here on Google Books.

Here is a summary from The Reading Tub:
"Two parents dream about a baby, and the next night, they receive a call that their baby had been born. They flew to a faraway place to meet their baby girl and bring her home. Together, that first day, they celebrated being a family. For families who have traveled to beyond their home to adopt a child, this story puts it all together nicely."

We like that the husband and the wife dreamed of the child they were going to adopt. Both Russ and I are equally invested in adopting our child and we think/dream of it often. We like that so many of their neighbors and friends knew they were going to adopt and were asking about it often. We frequently are asked about our adoption from many family and friends. They are a great support system and are excited for us to adopt.

Media Monday: Forever Fingerprints: An Amazing Discovery for Adopted Children

2011-05-23T15:00:00.000-07:00

Forever Fingerprints: An Amazing Discovery for Adopted Children by Sherrie Eldridge

We give this book 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Here is a summary from EMK Press:
"For adopted children, learning about their beginnings and how they understand what that means to them is a process. It doesn’t happen at one point in time, but rather throughout the experiences of life. In this heartwarming children’s book, Forever Fingerprints uses a common occurrence–a relative’s pregnancy–as a springboard for discussions on birthparents, where adopted children are before they are born, and how that makes one little girl feel about it. Lucie is excited to feel a baby moving in her Aunt Grace’s tummy but it makes her think of how she understands her adoption story in a different way. The tools offered in this book help her to create a unique connection to her birthparents, allow how she is feeling to surface and to be discussed, and give Lucie’s parents the chance to reinforce their love for her, to empathize with her feelings and to honor her past."

We liked that this book talked about the feelings an adopted child might experience (that they did something wrong that made their birth parents not want to keep them). We didn't like that this adopted girl didn't know anything about her birth parents. The adoptive parents did a good job of trying to explain that her fingerprints were a connection to her birth parents. We liked how open they were to her feelings and to talking about her adoption. However, we are looking for an open adoption so that the child knows their birth parents and knows that the decision to place their child for adoption was made out of love. We plan on being very open with them and allowing them to discuss any feelings they have, as well as reinforcing how much we love them as well.

Media Monday: Sisters

2011-05-16T14:53:00.000-07:00

Sisters by Judith Caseley

We gave this 2.5 out of 5 stars

You can read it here on Google Book.

Here is a summary from Abe Books:
"Kika has just been adopted -- and she's worried. There's so much that's new to her: a different language, new friends to make, and something she's never had before -- a family. Melissa has a new sister -- and she's excited. There's so much to share with Kika: trips to the playground, afternoons at the library, and birthday parties. Through each new experience, Kika and Melissa discover that sisterhood can be fun, challenging, and sometimes unpredictable, but always rewarding. Best of all, a sister is a friend for life."

This book was hard to follow, because it kept changing perspectives between the two sisters. We liked how it showed the two sisters getting used to each other and that at the end of the book, they realized that they were sisters because they loved each other.

Families Supporting Adoption 5K!

2011-05-14T18:59:00.000-07:00

We ran our first 5K together in the first annual Families Supporting Adoption 5k here in Denver! It turned out to be a cold day, but that didn't get us down. Russ pushed Caden in the jogging stroller and coached me up some hills. He can run way faster than me, but he was kind enough to run slow with me and give me more encouragement! We ran the whole way!

Since we woke up early to drive to the race, we had our usual "cereal in a cup" to eat in the car. On the rare days this does happen, Caden LOVES it! Here he was happy to be squished in the back seat with the boxes of shirts for the race....so excited! Caden was excited for weeks about the kid's run they were going to have. He got all ready in the "running stance" (as he learned it from Kinect Sports) and he BOOKED IT! He ran the whole half mile and was greeted with a big hug and a medal at the end. He was so excited that he kept telling everyone he saw the rest of the day that he won "2nd place". We were so proud of him!
Here is Caden right after he left the starting line! He was running so fast! I love Russ' encouraging words. He is a very proud dad!

I was handing out the medals to all the kids as they finished and Russ snapped this shot of me greeting Caden. We LOVE that boy!Our friends shared their adoption story and talked about how adoption has blessed their lives. It added a sweet touch to the race.
Russ (even though he ran slow with me) won 2nd place in his age group! He got the extra special treatment when I gave him his award. This was either right before or right after a kiss. :)
On the way home, we stopped at Bass Pro Shops. After just a few minutes, Russ' Dad called saying they were going to do some jumps, etc at the local dirt bike store. We quickly hopped back in the car to check it out. Caden loved sitting on the different dirt bikes and seeing the street bikes do their tricks. (Although he reassured me that he wasn't going to try anything that he was seeing....much to my relief!)

Media Monday: The Red Thread: An Adoption Fairy Tale

2011-05-09T14:35:00.000-07:00

The Red Thread: An Adoption Fairy Tale by Grace Lin

We give it a 4.5 out of 5 stars

(We just found this on Google Books. You can read it here)

Here is a summary from the book flap:
There is an ancient Chinese belief that an invisible, unbreakable red thread connects all those who are destined to be together. A king and a queen rule a beautiful and peaceful land. They should be full of joy and contentment, but they both feel a strange pain that worsens each day. Then a peddler's magic spectacles reveal a red thread pulling at each of their hearts. The king and queen know they must follow the thread, wherever it may lead. Grace Lin's adoption fairy tale is for all children - and the parents who would search the world to find them.

We loved that this book talks about the longing (for a child) that can't be cured with anything else. We also love the idea of the invisible red thread that connects those people that are destined to be together. Everything is in the Lord's hands and He has a way of helping birth parents and adoptive parents find each other.

Happy Birth Mother's Day!

2011-05-08T10:49:00.001-07:00

Sorry this post is a day late. We overbooked ourselves yesterday and weren't able to do everything we wanted to. This was one of those things that fell by the wayside, unfortunately.

Whether or not birth mothers want to celebrate on birth mother's day, on mother's day or on another day, they need a day to be honored and celebrated! (or every day, as it should be) Due to amazing birth mothers, many of our friends now have the opportunity to care for and raise children.

Here are some words that come to mind when we think of birth mothers:

Loving
Selfless
Brave
Angels
Amazing
Mature
Courageous
And many more

During a Young Womens lesson on adoption, I was asked to share some thoughts. I instantly started talking about how amazing birth mothers are and the way that they truly become angels by providing something for a family that they can't do for themselves. I got emotional as I talked about how incredible, selfless and loving all birth moms are. We truly have a special place in our heart for the amazing birth moms that we have met, as well as all others! Thanks for your great sacrifice and love! We honor you today and always!

One Year

2011-05-04T18:41:00.000-07:00

A year ago today, we celebrated that we were officially approved to adopt. Today, we celebrated again. We went to Red Robin as a family and enjoyed dinner and a Rookie Magic. As we ate, we reflected on the past year of being approved for adoption and things we have accomplished.

Here is a list of things related to adoption that we have done:
-Held an adoption kick-off open house
-Realized just how incredible open adoption is, and how we wouldn't want it any other way
-Play group coordinators for the CO chapter of Families Supporting Adoption (FSA)
-Accepted the opportunity to serve as the co-chairs for the CO chapter of FSA
-Accepted the opportunity to serve as the chairs for the CO chapter of FSA
-Participated in the Wheatridge Parade as FSA
-Carried our adoption pass along cards to our local high school counselors
-Organized the 2nd annual all day FSA Area Conference
-Updated our adoption blog regularly
-Helped to carry out an adoption fireside (and attended another one)
-Helped with an FSA Christmas party
-Communicated with two adoption scammers from "Cameroon"

Here is a list of fun things we did as a family:
-Explored the Black Canyon of the Gunnison while camping
-Went to Elitch Gardens as a family with Kylee's sister and her husband
-Enjoyed having almost all of Russ' family together in Denver for about a week
-Planned a birthday party to celebrate Caden turning 4
-Went camping with friends at our annual Labor Day campout
-Celebrated our 5 year anniversary
-Russ went to Wood Badge training while Caden and Kylee camped in the family room
-Kylee went to Girl's Camp with the youth of our area
-We held our 6th annual Halloween Mystery Dinner
-For Christmas, Russ' parents surprised us with a trip to Disneyworld
-We drove to UT to surprise Kylee's parents when they got off their mission to South Africa
-We entertained Kylee's parents that came to stay with us for a week
-Attended the BYU v. Air Force Football game
-Kylee donated 10 inches of her hair to Locks of Love
-Russ' brother started his 2 year mission for our church to Roseville, CA
-Had a very fun April Fool's Day

In the coming year, we are looking forward to:
-Running our first 5K as a family (in the FSA 5K)
-Going on our first family backpacking trip
-More contact with birth parents
-Open adoption and forming long-term relationships with birth parents and their families
-Going to Disney World with (almost) all of Russ' family
-Welcoming Russ' brother Mike back home from a 2 year mission for the church in the Dominican Republic
-Having a family reunion on the Oregon coast with all of Kylee's family
-Caden starting Kindergarten! We can't believe it!

Media Monday: We Wanted You

2011-05-02T10:16:00.000-07:00

We Wanted You by Liz Rosenberg

We give it 3 out of 5 stars

Here is a brief summary from Macmillan:
The loving voices of a child's parents tell the story of an adoption, from waiting to meet the baby for the first time through the growth of a family.

Our Thoughts: This book is short and to the point, that the parents wanted this child even before he was born. Now that he is older, they still do want him. We like that it shows the parents getting ready for the baby before they had him and that it talks about how excited they were to go get him. This wasn't our favorite adoption book, but it wasn't bad either.

Easter Pics

2011-05-01T20:01:00.000-07:00

Here are our fun Easter activities that we got pictures of. Enjoy!

Caden dyed Easter eggs with Wapa and Mimi (Russ's parents) who watched him so Russ and I could go on a date to chaperon the stake dance. Thanks Wapa and Mimi!
Our neighborhood Easter egg hunt. We saw many friends (not all are in this picture) there and had a blast!
Russ was helping our friend's son. We ADORE their kids!!After the Easter egg hunt, we played at the park with our friends for awhile. It was a beautiful Spring day and we loved being outside!
Dyeing Easter Eggs as a family on Friday night
It is hard to read, but it says We heart adoption!
Our local farmer's market had an Easter egg hunt at 7 AM. Caden woke up particularly early that day, so we went! We had our own Easter egg hunt in the house. This was the egg that was hardest for Caden to get (hanging from the fan). It took him awhile to find his basket, but he was sure happy when he did!Russ found his basket in the dryer! Caden helped me find mine.Caden in his handsome Easter outfit! He loved it so much he wanted to wear it to church again today!
Father and son, both in vests. These boys mean the world to me!
The food! We ate the traditional ham, potatoes, homemade rolls, etc. In the morning, we ate bran muffins and monkey bread (see below). Caden helped me to make it. He is an awesome helper in the kitchen! He especially likes to lick his fingers! :)
We had molten lava cakes for dessert...they were SO good!

National Infertility Week

2011-04-29T12:10:00.000-07:00

This week is national infertility week. I have been thinking about what I needed to write about it. We have been dealing with infertility for almost 4 years. It has been a long road filled with heart breaks, devastation, long conversations, tears, etc. However, it has made our relationship so much stronger. We have had really special experiences in the midst of the hard times. Russ means the world to me and he has been such a huge support and strength to me, as well as trying his best to understand all the emotional side of infertility (especially for a woman).

Other than our relationship getting stronger and us growing closer together, the greatest blessing of our infertility is that it has led us to another amazing world - adoption! We really are so happy to be able to adopt and to swap prayers with birth parents. I recently read this blog post about a birth mom and her thoughts about adoption. I was so touched by her tender feelings about placement and about their open relationship. We LOVE open adoption and are excited for the way that it will help all those involved with the adoption: the birth parents, the child and the adoptive couple (us). I LOVE the song "Everything to Me" by Mark Schultz and it brings me to tears almost every time I watch it. I am amazed at the love and selflessness that birth parents have!

Although we are infertile, we are beyond excited for this next phase of growing our family!

Here is a great post on what to say (and what not to say) to someone that is infertile: http://www.latimes.com/health/la-he-my-turn-infertility-20110425,0,470341.story
We have heard our fair share of what not to say, but we are so grateful for amazing friends and family that are there to listen and just say "I'm sorry". They have helped so much!

Here's more info on National Infertility Week: http://www.resolve.org/national-infertility-awareness-week/home-page.html

Media Monday: Just the Same

2011-04-25T15:46:00.000-07:00

We came across this great poem on our friend's blog that adopted almost a year ago. It was in the April 2011 Ensign (a magazine put out by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with uplifting articles about the gospel). We loved it and read it again last night in our copy of the Ensign.

Here it is -

Just the Same
By: Diana Lynn Lacey

Sometimes—
God sends rain
Straight from the sky
To nourish the young flower
and it grows.

Sometimes—
God sends rain from the sky
To the mountaintops,
Then over hills and through valleys
Until it reaches the flower
and it grows, just the same.

Sometimes—
God sends a child
Straight from His realm
Into a mother’s arms
and love grows.

Sometimes—
God sends a child
From heaven to another’s arms,
Then over hills and through valleys
Until he reaches the arms of his mother
and love grows, just the same.

Our thoughts: We love how simple and tender this poem is. Just as water sometimes winds around the mountains in order to nourish the flower, sometimes children go through different arms to get where they need to be. The end result is the same, love grows and happiness abounds...for all parties involved. We are excited for the day when we are able to meet the birth parents that will be an answer to our prayers for Caden to be a big brother and for us to be able to raise another child in our family.

Media Monday: Waiting for May

2011-04-25T09:57:00.000-07:00

Waiting for May by Janet Morgan Stoeke

We give it a 4 out of 5 stars.

Here is a summary from Tapestry Books:
"During the months before she is finally here, a young boy anticipates the arrival of his new baby sister. She is coming from China, to be adopted into his American family. He tells the story of his family's year of waiting while they complete the adoption process. As the months pass by, the boy describes his mounting joy and excitement. The family receives her picture and gives her a name-May. Then they finally all go to China to bring May home. This book is perfect for the family with biological children waiting for an adopted sibling."

Our thoughts: We love that it talks about how excited the young boy is to become a big brother, and that it is written from his perspective. Caden is equally excited to become a big brother and often asks, "Mom, when are we going to have a baby?". He also talks about how he is going to share his stuffed animals with the baby and help me to get diapers, etc. It seems like a long time for a boy to wait, but it also allows us to talk about it a lot.

This book is very true to form. It talks about all the things needed to adopt: home study, fingerprints, paper work, waiting, etc. It is GREAT to help kids understand the process of adoption and how much of a blessing it will be.

Happy Easter

2011-04-24T16:57:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter! We love all the fun of Easter egg hunts, Easter baskets, dyeing Easter eggs, etc. However, it is the hope and the joy that our Savior was resurrected that makes this holiday so special. We love the reassurance that we will be able to see our friends and family again after they have passed away. We have a great love for our Savior and for His eternal sacrifice for us. We loved teaching Caden about the real meaning of Easter in our Family Home Evening with an Easter egg hunt that had items resembling the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Today (Sunday) we did an Easter Tomb Craft . It was really neat to read through the story with Caden and to hear how much he understood. What great peace and joy this Easter season brings!

Media Monday: Horace

2011-04-18T14:29:00.000-07:00

Horace

This kid's book is by Holly Keller. I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Here is a summary from The Reading Tub:
"Horace is a leopard who was adopted by tigers when he was a baby. He wants to be with cats that looks just like him, and he sets off to discover just such a family. In the end, Horace learns that being loved has nothing to do with looking like anyone else."

We love that Horace wanted to seek out people that were like him. He wanted to know more about who he was (who doesn't?). At the end, he realized that it didn't matter if he had spots and his parents had stripes, but it did matter that his parents loved him and he loved them. Our favorite part of this book was at the end when Horace asks his mom "if you choose me, can I choose you too?"

Media Monday: The Best for You Book

2011-04-11T19:59:00.000-07:00

The Best for You Book by Kelsey Stewart
We give it a 5 out of 5 stars!!

Last weekend, we had our Families Supporting Adoption area conference. The theme of the conference was Hearts Knit Together. Since Russ and I are the chairs for the Colorado chapter of FSA, we were able to help out with a bunch of the planning and coordinating for this conference. We had some great helpers, and we couldn't have done it without them!

Our keynote speaker was Kelsey Stewart. She placed her first baby for adoption 20 years ago, and then later placed twin boys for adoption. She is now married and has two sons that she is raising. She shared a lot about how to have open communication and to be aware of what the other side is thinking/feeling regarding adoption. She wrote an AMAZING kids book about adoption, from a birth mom's stand point. She had a giveaway before she came out here, and we entered and actually won! We are now the proud owners of The Best for You. When we adopt, we are going to read this book often to the child so that he/she can know just how much their birth parents love them. This book does an incredible job of explaining what we imagine are the thoughts and feelings of birth parents. For more information about the book, check here: http://thebestforyoubook.blogspot.com/

Here is an excerpt from the last page: "Always know that I love you. Adoption does not mean that I gave up. Adoption does not mean you were not loved or not wanted. Adoption means you have more than one family who loves you. Adoption means you will always be in my heart, whatever I may do. Adoption means I wanted the best for you."

April Fool's Day!

2011-04-07T11:40:00.000-07:00

I am the most gullible person ever, so I am always taken for the fool on April Fool's Day. Ever since I was introduced to Family Fun magazine, I have a new love for this holiday.

This year, I rearranged the drawers in the dresser to trick Russ. It was so funny to watch his reaction in the morning hours!

I also made the milk in the cereal change colors. Caden loved watching his milk turn red. Last year, he didn't like that his milk was a different color. However, he LOVED it this year. He even put his hexbug (toy bug) in Russ' shoe, for him to find. It was cute watching him get so excited to trick Daddy this year.

I had an AWESOME trick that I wanted to do, but plans changed. So, that is on the back burner for now...until next year!

Russ got me with a trick that I was going to do to him. He put tape around the water sprayer in the kitchen sink, so that when I turned it on (to fill Caden's water bottle so we could all go to the park), I got drenched! It was so funny! It even got the wall behind me!

For dinner, I made "grilled cheese". I got the idea here but I changed it a bit. I made angel food cake (Russ's favorite cake) in a bread pan, and it looked just like bread. Then I used whipped cream that I tried to make orange to resemble cheese. I forgot to toast the bread, but it was still fun to watch them eat it!

Media Monday: BYU TV

2011-04-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

In between sessions of General Conference (when the leaders of our church speak to the world), we were watching BYUtv. To see the show, click here. It showed clips of different ages and races of kids all talking about their mothers and fathers. I thought it would be a show about how important parents are. Then they all started saying the names of their parents and they were all the same mom and dad. I was instantly glued to the TV. These loving parents adopted 21 kids, all from different places and in different circumstances. The parents said: "It was a decision we made with our hearts, not with our minds" They mentioned that they adopted kids that other people didn't want. They said that one was an abandoned abortion on a garbage can. My heart BROKE! That is so devastating. On the other hand, you look at all their kids now that are happy, healthy, educated, loved, etc and you know they are in a better position due to the selflessness of the birth families and the adoptive parents. "We do it because we love them." Really, love is what encompasses ALL sides of adoption. The birth parents place their babies for adoption, because they love them more than they love themselves. The adoptive couple loves the birth parents and the baby and want to help both of them. The baby just has extra love from many sides! Caden's comment: "I was adopted, wasn't I?" - Although Caden was biological, he has heard us talk so often about adoption that he figured that is how he came to the family. We feel so blessed that we were able to have one biolgical child, but we haven't been able to have more children. We could not be more excited to adopt! We made the decision to adopt both with our hearts and with our minds. We know that our family is supposed to grow through the miracle of adoption. However, we also feel a great desire to help birth parents that want more for their children.

Media Monday: Top 20 adoption blogs

2011-03-28T21:59:00.000-07:00

For Media Monday, I am posting this list of the top 20 adoption blogs from the Adoptive Families website.

Here is what they say about it:

"We scoured the blogosphere for the most funny, heartwarming, honest online reads. Our congratulations to these 20 outstanding picks."

http://www.adoptivefamilies.com/articles.php?aid=2160

Enjoy!

Our Trip to Utah

2011-03-26T14:42:00.000-07:00

We had a great time in Utah. There is always so much to do there in such a short amount of time! We squeezed in as much as we could! We got there Friday night and left Monday at 5 PM. Here is what we did each day:

Saturday

Russ was able to help his company do some recruiting and interviews. He went in the morning to Aspen Grove to do some activities with the students. Then, they had all the spouses (including me) come up for a delicious lunch. It was fun to talk to all the students and remember what it was like when we were trying to decide where to work/live/etc. We were able to see a little snow up there too! My parents (that just moved to UT) were able to have quality time with Caden while Russ and I were at Aspen Grove. He was SO excited for it!That night, we were able to watch the BYU basketball game with my parents. It was such a great game! Go Cougs! The BYU flag was proudly waving up at Aspen Grove.

Sunday

We went to Stake Conference with my parents. Caden especially enjoyed eating the gummy bears that Grandma brought with her. We had a family dinner with two of my sisters and their families that live there. It was so good to see them again! We also had my aunt and my grandma and her husband (she remarried after my grandpa passed away) over. It had been awhile since I had seen them and it was so fun. My grandma is truly a role model in my life! Caden had a great time with his 4 girl cousins that were there.

Sunday night, we went to see Russ' brother and his family that live out there. It was so fun to see them and Caden had a blast playing with his two cousins (and their toys).

Monday

Russ went to do interviews all day at BYU, so I seized the opportunity to go to Tai Pan (a home decor store) with my sisters and my mom. We had a great time and I got these adorable picture frames for our half bathroom (beach theme). Caden stayed with Grandpa to play Kinect Sports. We came back home and had lunch. We then packed up the car and said goodbye. I was able to meet up with Russ' sister that flew into town to help our sister-in-law. She is finishing up school with a baby, and her husband (who served his mission in Sendai) was in Japan helping the people there. It was awesome to see not only Russ' sister, but also three of her four girls and my sister-in-law's baby. I also had a brief 10 minutes to walk through the Carl Bloch exhibit on the BYU campus. I really wish I would have had more time to study each painting, but at least we went. It was awesome to feel the peace and serenity that was there. Caden said "Mom, that was the best part of the day".

Then, we met up with Russ and drove back home. It was great to reminisce on all the fun memories from when we went to school there and to see so much family.

Media Monday (Tuesday): Les Miserables!!

2011-03-22T19:35:00.000-07:00

Media Monday changed to Tuesday this week because yesterday we were driving home from a quick trip to Utah. Russ helped his company do some recruiting and interviews, and Kylee got to see her parents, her two sisters and their families and also Russ' two siblings and their families. More on the trip later.

As we were driving home, we were listening to all sorts of fun music. Kylee put in the Les Miserables cd, and was reminded that it talks about adoption! Kylee grew up listening to Les Mis with her Dad when they drove in the car. She would ask what each song was about and instantly LOVED it! She read the book when she was in middle school and FINALLY got to see it when she was a senior in high school. Lucky for us, it is coming to Denver and we are (hopefully) going to see it again! We can't wait!!

Here is the adoption part (and a link to the storyline): Jean Valjean adopts Cosette and takes her as his own daughter when her mom passes away. The whole story of how much he loves and cares for her is very touching. She was a huge blessing in his life, and he was a huge blessing in hers. We love this quote from Wikipedia - "In his final moments, he realizes happiness with his adopted daughter and son-in-law by his side."

This video shows the song when Fantine (Cosette's mom) is dying and Jean Valjean is promising to take care of her. So moving!

Also, for your listening pleasure we have one of our favorite Les Mis songs (Bring Him Home) in our playlist on the side of the blog. Enjoy! :)

Media Monday (or Tuesday): Oregon Law

2011-03-15T08:29:00.000-07:00

Oregon was trying to pass a law (hb 2904) that was going to reform adoption. Every birth mother and advocate of adoption was against this law for numerous reasons. As of now, the bill is dead for this and (most likely) for the next legislative session! It is awesome when the people can voice their concerns and they are considered in passing laws, especially about adoption.

You can read more about the law and the current status here.

Media Monday: Emily Procter

2011-03-07T18:58:00.001-08:00

We are not big TV people. We have our occasional shows that we like, and CSI: Miami is not one of them. I happened across this article in the "Parade" from the Denver Post (as I was looking for coupons).

Here is a summary (and a link):

Emily was "adopted as an infant" and "has never met her biological parents". I really wish they had open adoptions years before they started becoming more common. Nevertheless, I am glad they have them now.
"I've always known that I was adopted" She then relates a story her mom often tells about how she (as a 3 or 4 year old) told a lady that wanted a kid just like her, "well, you can get one from the children's home". I love the fact that as a little kid, she always knew that she was adopted. She apparently understood it well enough to tell other people too. It isn't anything to be ashamed of, or a secret to hide. It is a miraculous journey of love and faith that makes that child who they are.
"I have always thought about my birth mother and what she went through...I cannot imagine how brave and painful that would be, to make the choice to let someone else raise your baby if you couldn't do it." Birth parents are the bravest, most courageous, mature and selfless people ever! We couldn't say enough how much we admire and look up to them for the choices they make!
"I adore my parents, but I always wondered if I would feel a different kind of love - not more or less, just different - for someone who was biologically related.....the birth of my daughter has helped me see that the love I feel for her is the same love I feel for my mother or father or Paul. For me, family love is family love, no matter what." What a remarkable and true statement. That is the exact same way we feel, and that is why we are so excited to adopt!

Happy brithday Dr. Seuss

2011-03-02T20:05:00.001-08:00

Thank you for all your amazing books, especially this one! We discovered it last year and we love it! Caden especially likes it when we read "Oh say can you say". Thanks for making childhood so fun with all your creativity!

This is why....

2011-03-02T19:42:00.000-08:00

...we LOVE being parents! Making cookies and eating the dough on a snow day. And getting it all over your face. Nothing is better than that!

All about the love!

2011-02-28T20:05:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day is such a fun time to celebrate love! Here are a few traditions we have:

Cupid Coupons
For many years (maybe since we got married...I will have to check) I have been giving Russ "cupid coupons". I got the idea from Family Fun (a website and magazine that I LOVE). They are just cute little cards that I give him each day of February with a coupon for 1 candlelit dinner, 2 backrubs, etc. I hide them in different places for him to find. It is a fun tradition and helps to spread out the magic and joy of the holiday.
I also hide a valentine for Caden each day with a treat. I write something that I love about him on each card. He is learning to read, so I wrote them in a way that he could read them himself. He loved finding them! After Valentine's Day, he told me that I should give him more valentines. :) I think that means he liked it!
HUGE heart sugar cookie/See's chocolate
This tradition came from my family. There are 5 girls and 1 boy in my family. Every year, all the girls would make one huge sugar cookie for my Dad and one for my brother. They, in turn, would give us a carnation flower and See's chocolate. If you haven't ever tried See's...it is heaven in chocolate form. I LOVE it! As we grew, so did the amount of See's we got! My dad will still send a gift certificate for a pound of See's chocolate to all the girls in the family (including my talented sister-in-law) with a note telling us what he appreciates about us. It is always a highlight.

Ever since we got married, I have been making a big sugar cookie for Russ (and Caden too when he came into the family). This year, I decorated it with sprinkles...because both my boys LOVE sprinkles!

Printable Valentine games
Last year, I had made a Heart bingo game. Caden was excited to play it again this year. I also made my own version of "Don't eat Pete" that we called "Don't eat Val". Caden and his friends LOVED it and are still playing it. So cute!

This year we celebrated Valentine's Day with a candlelit dinner of a heart shaped pizza. Caden had seen a commercial for one and wanted to do it. He loved watching me make the pizza into a heart and putting on the pepperoni.

I made Russ a nicer dinner of chicken broccoli crepes another night. We also went on our date another night to go see the movie Tangled. We loved it!

Media Monday: Brandon Davies

2011-02-28T19:48:00.000-08:00

We LOVE BYU! So clearly with all the Jimmermania going on with BYU basketball, we watched the game on Saturday against SDSU. Before the game came on, Russ mentioned to me that he had read an article that Charles Abuou was adopted. All game long, I was cheering Abuou on (and he played great, by the way!). After the game, Russ looked up the article to show me. After looking for awhile, he realized he had remembered the wrong person. So, no...Charles Abuou was not adopted. However, Brandon Davies was!

Here is his story.

Here is what I like/dislike about it:
- I LOVE that it says his family is what got him to this point in life. That is so true for all of us, isn't it!
- It says that "adopting a baby, to Kathy (adoptive mom) was every bit the same as giving birth to one...Ethnic makeup was never a factor in his home.". We are going to treat the child we adopt the exact same as we do with Caden. They will be loved equally!
- I love that even though the adoptive mom wanted her son to succeed in school more than sports, she was still willing to let him explore what he liked. We can't mold our kids into who they are going to be, but we can teach them and then let them explore their interests.

Russ's brosephs

2011-02-23T20:32:00.000-08:00

One of Russ's younger brothers, Brad, entered the Missionary Training Center today to serve a 2 year mission for The Church or Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Roseville, CA! He is SO excited and will do a great job teaching people about Jesus Christ. Russ has another brother that is currently serving a mission in the Dominican Republic, but will be finishing his 2 years soon. We look forward to seeing him in a few months. Caden is especially excited that his uncle will be able to speak Spanish with him when he comes home.

Caden is proud of his uncles that are serving (and have served) missions. He asked us "when can I be a missionary?"

Side note: Russ's youngest brother, Matt, (on the right) was just diagnosed with type I (juvenile) diabetes. He has had an amazing outlook, and has really learned a lot already. He is such a positive, happy young man. We are proud of his example and happy that we get to learn more about diabetes and help out when we can. Russ's other brother (there are 6 boys and 1 girl in his family) has had diabetes for about 18 years, so he was a huge help to Matt. He even drove his family out to Denver for a few days to help Matt with everything. What a great family!

Media Monday: Glenn Beck

2011-02-21T21:21:00.001-08:00

Russ' brother and his family were in town last weekend, and it was fun to spend time with them. While we were over at his parents house, Mom mentioned that she and Dad heard Glenn Beck talking about how he adopted his son. I am steering clear of talking about politics on this blog. However, I did like that Glenn pointed out that a 14 year old girl was able to be selfless enough to deliver a child and then to place that baby in the care of two parents (Glenn and his wife) that could care for him.

I love that both sides of our family are very supportive of adoption and are willing to help out with anything, even by sharing things that they hear about adoption from friends, tv, etc.

I couldn't find a good clip/story of the tv show they watched. But here is a link for Glenn and Tania's adoption story (from the 2007 National FSA conference).

I love how open they were about their desire to adopt. Everyone we talk to knows that we are trying to adopt, because either Russ or I will mention it...or my favorite is when Caden says it!

Here is a quote from their adoption story that just warms my heart: "[The birth mom] was a hero. She was a remarkable superhero. Raphe doesn’t need Spiderman or Superman; he’s got his natural mother as an example of what real superheroes do. Real superheroes don’t think about themselves. Real superheroes don’t make their life all about them."

Media Monday

2011-02-14T19:37:00.000-08:00

This Media Monday is going to be a little different. We just checked out a book at the library today called "I love you, stinky face" by Lisa McCourt. I wasn't sure what to think about it, but as soon as I started to read it....I loved it!

Here is a brief summary from goodreads.com: The imaginative boy turns himself into a meat-eating dinosaur, a swamp creature, and much more before being satisfied with the fact that no matter how stinky or slimy of a creature he could be, he is loved and nothing will change that.

Since today is Valentine's Day and we are all thinking about love, this book shows exactly what love is. Love doesn't change. It is a constant, always there. It doesn't come by looking exactly like someone, or by having the same genetics. Anyone that has experienced a marriage of their siblings, or their own marriage, knows that love comes out of a commitment to serve and help each other, and a deep concern for ones well-being. That is exactly the case in adoption as well. We will love the child we adopt as much as the our adorable son and that is one constant they can count on. It will never change, no matter what.

We loved this book and hope you will too!

Media Monday!

2011-02-07T19:22:00.001-08:00

Monday is my laundry, grocery shopping, errand day. I know I should divide it out better among the days, and on a good week I do! However, Monday is ALWAYS laundry day. I have been wanting more focus on this blog, so I came up with.....Media Monday! Each Monday (hopefully) I am going to post some recent media (TV, newspaper, magazine, etc) or books that talk about adoption and what I like or dislike about them. I have a few to share today, so hang on... :)

1. This coverage about Oprah's half sister finding her family (and Oprah)

I love that Patricia was really seeking to find her birth mom (and family). Everyone has that desire to know who their parents are, where their traits come from, who they look like, etc. We are hoping for an open adoption so that the child we adopt never has to wonder about what their birth mother and birth father are like, or where their green/blue/brown eyes come from, etc. They will hopefully be able to interact and continue the special relationship they have with each other.
I love that Oprah was willing to talk about adoption, and about how her mother (or any birth mother) should not feel ashamed for placing a baby for adoption. It isn't something to be ashamed of, but rather it should be thought of as a selfless act, done with GREAT love.
I do NOT like that Oprah said that her mom "gave up a baby" for adoption. No birth mother gives a baby up, she gives the baby more by PLACING him/her for adoption.

2. This article in The Friend (a church magazine for the kids)

I loved how excited the little girl was to hear about her adoption, and how the parents talked about the birth mom.
I love that they kept a "treasure box" that had all pictures of the birth mom, pictures of the family with the baby at the temple, etc. I am definitely going to find a way to keep everything all together (maybe through a photo book, scrapbook, etc.) so that the child we adopt will be able to access all the info he/she wants when he/she wants it.
I LOVE this quote from the story “When your birth mother handed you to me, it was the most special moment of my life. I could see her love for you in her eyes, and I immediately loved you too."
“We have wanted to welcome another child into our family for a long time,” Malia said. “Today we got a special phone call from the social worker. I’m going to have a sister! It’s more exciting than Christmas Eve." That is exactly how Caden feels. He frequently tells me that he doesn't have "anyone" to play with (meaning a sibling). He is excited to adopt a baby and asks about it often.
At the end, it talks about how the big sister was going to soon make a treasure box for her sister too. Caden has already talked about how he is going to share his stuffed animals with the child we adopt. We have read many kids books abut adoption, and we talk about it often. He is ready to celebrate the process of adoption and also give gifts to the baby that we adopt. (He has even already drawn a picture of our family with the baby we adopt!)

3. A Mother for Choco, by Keiko Kasza

I have read this kids book many times, and it always warms my heart. I love that the baby bird (Choco) that is looking for a mom has an idea of what his mom would look like and what she would do. He finds many different animals that don't look like him, and he keeps looking. Finally, he sees Mrs. Bear and KNOWS she can't be his mother. However, Mother Bear sees his sadness and wants to help. She asks "if you had a mommy, what would she do?" Choco points out a few things such as a mother would: hold him, kiss him, sing and dance with him to cheer him up, etc. Mother Bear does all of those things with Choco and then invites him home for apple pie.
At the end, Choco realizes it doesn't matter if we look like our parents or not, because that isn't what makes a family. A family is made out of love, service and having fun together. Whether or not the child that we adopt looks like us, we will still love and kiss and play with them just the same! (side note: we LOVE celebrating cultures and we look forward to celebrating any culture that is brought into our family through the miracle of adoption).

New Year, New goals

2011-02-02T19:11:00.000-08:00

What do you do on New Year's Eve? Have a fondue party with all the fun family that was still in town! Russ's Mom and Dad put on this AMAZING fondue party...my first one ever. It was delicious! Russ's favorite part was the meat (of course). It was so tender! My favorite part was the chocolate! I think I ate half the bowl of rice krispy treats and a ton of strawberries, dipped in chocolate goodness.
After the fondue party, Russ and I left Caden sleeping in the care of Mom and Dad and we went to chaperone the youth new year's eve dance. We had a blast dancing (or chaperoning) with the youth from our ward (congregation) and with Russ's younger brothers that were there. What a blast!

Also, it is a time to think about goals for the next year. I am a planner. I LOVE planning. One of my goals is to run a 5k this year. I have never run a race and really want to build up to a lot more, but you got to start somewhere. Lucky for me, we had our yearly planning meeting with Families Supporting Adoption and we are going to put on a 5k race for adoption! It is perfect! So, stay tuned for pictures and stories of how our family does in our adoption race! They are even going to have a kid's race after the 5k, and Caden is already practicing for it now. So fun!

We are excited for the other adventures that 2011 has in store for us!

A dream is a wish your heart makes...

2011-01-25T20:21:00.001-08:00

and your husband's parents make it come true! :)

Russ's Mom is all about the details, and that is very true especially with fun surprises. Here are a few of the details we saw on Christmas morning. Each grand kid had their own character for all of their things. Caden's character is Pooh.

Notice all the red and black polka dotted wrapping paper, and the Cars bag.Then all the grand kids had to go look all over the house to find these letters (with the cans covered in polka dots...of course)

Then we had to arrange all the letters to spell the surprise...We all got matching shirts that say "Mousin' around"Polka dotted napkins

Here are some details that I didn't get a picture of:
-Mickey soap holder
-Mickey waffles
-Disney survival tin that Mom made full of sunscreen, bandaids, aloe, etc
-Disney scrapbook that Mom did for each family (and is ADORABLE)
-Dancing Mickey Mouse that each family got for Christmas
-Tons of presents from the Disney Store for the grandkids
-Red and Black polka dotted cooler bags to carry drinks and food in the park
-Probably some more that I can't think of now

Here is the big picture!!!

We are SO excited to go on all the rides!! Caden LOVED going to Elitch Garden last Summer and we are trying to prepare him for the plethora of rides that are to come! Thank you SO much Mom and Dad for this dream that is going to come true!

This is a tradition in Russ's family for his parents to surprise the kids with a vacation. It has been happening ever since Russ was younger and it is something that we want to continue in our family.

Before and After...

2011-01-19T07:52:00.000-08:00

Before...During....

After!

Thank you locks of love for taking my donation of hair and using it for a good cause. I am LOVING having short hair again, and I hope that some cute little kid can enjoy having hair again.

Caden and I got to go sledding when it snowed here last week. We went with our close friends and we all had a blast! Caden even went down the hill by himself...and went on the bump. Then, we came back in and had hot chocolate! :)

Countdown to Christmas: Day 24

2011-01-09T20:49:00.000-08:00

Christmas eve!! This is always such a fun, exciting day with a lot of traditions.

First, we had a little Family Home Evening lesson on the gifts that were given to the baby Jesus and their significance in predicting things he would do in His life. Then, we each wrote down a 'gift' we wanted to give to Jesus. It is a nice time to think what we need to improve, change or work on to have the Savior more pleased with us. Then, we wrap them up and put them by the window for Jesus.

Second, we eat a delicious meal prepared by all these lovely ladies.
Third, we act out the nativity. It is especially fun when you can have the "Nephites" use a marshmallow gun to shoot marshmallows and throw tin foil balls at Samuel the Lamanite.
Fourth, we give our Christmas presents to the sibling's name that we drew. Kylee was in charge of the gift from all of the grankids for Russ's grandma. She made a scrapbook with pictures of all of our families. Also, each family wrote a special memory, admired attributes or nice notes about grandma. There were other great gifts given, but the gift that touched me most was when Russ's sister and her family that drew our name gave us money to put towards our adoption fund. I was moved to tears because of the thoughtfulness of the gift. That is truly the thing we want most now and we were very touched by the gift.
Fourth, we have a family testimony meeting where we can share our feelings about what the Savior does for us and what he means to us. I always love the peace that comes to our hearts when we share our feelings about Jesus in the soft glow of the Christmas lights. It definitely brings in the true Spirit of Christmas.

Countdown to Christmas: Day 23

2011-01-09T20:44:00.001-08:00

This morning, Russ and I had the opportunity to go to the temple together. This was the first time we had gone to the temple that close to Christmas, and we loved it! We loved the peace it brought amidst the last minute chaos of Christmas, and gave us a chance to refocus and prepare for the talks we were asked to give in our church the day after Christmas.

That afternoon, we were able to go over and see a lot of Russ's family that had already arrived for Christmas, including his grandma. Also, Russ's sister taught all the girls how to make caramel apples!! So good!! Kylee loved learning how to make them and she can't wait to use it for anyone that comes to visit, or for baby showers, etc.

Countdown to Christmas: Day 22

2011-01-09T20:39:00.000-08:00

Today we were blessed with the opportunity to help out a single dad in our ward (congregation) by watching their son so he could work. Caden had a blast playing with his son and we loved the sincerity and gratitude this boy brought to our home. It was a great reminder that the Savior spent all of his days in service to others, and we get to do the same if we are going to follow Him.

That night, we met up with all of Russ's family that was already here to go see beautiful Christmas lights, watch "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" in an I-Max theater and see reindeer! The lights were beautiful and it was fun to see the kids all excited about the reindeer and writing letters to Santa.

Countdown to Christmas: Day 21

2011-01-09T20:38:00.001-08:00

Today, we cuddled up with a blanket to read "The Christmas Sweater" and other Christmas books. We love how Christmas stories just make you feel all warm and kind inside. That is exactly what the Spirit of Christ does to a person, and it is our privilege to feel it and share it with others (especially at Christmas).

Countdown to Christmas: Day 20

2011-01-09T20:35:00.000-08:00

Today we talked about the symbols of Christmas and what they mean. It was a great opportunity to refocus on the true meaning of Christmas and to see how all the things we use to decorate the house for the holidays really all point to our Savior. We had a scavenger hunt to find each symbol and then we learned about it. We love Christmas!

Countdown to Christmas: Day 19

2011-01-09T20:33:00.000-08:00

Today we had to say goodbye to my parents and drive back home with Russ's family. It was a snowy day, but we said a prayer and were able to make it home safe and sound. We got home and Caden was able to put together the 300 piece puzzle he had picked out when my parents took all the grandkids that were there to the dollar store. I said, "Caden is it nice to be back at our house again?" to which Caden replied "No, I want to be with Grandma and Grandpa again". We are excited they are coming to our house in January to spend some time with us (soon!!).

Countdown to Christmas: Day 18

2011-01-09T20:28:00.000-08:00

We enjoyed time with my parents and my two sisters (and their families) that were out in UT. We watched the BYU football game, Russ wrestled with all the kids, we ate homemade Costa Vida/Cafe Rio food and loved being together!! I even got to hold my little niece (2 months old) again. It felt so good to be with family again! We can't wait for our reunion this summer with all of my family!

Countdown to Christmas: Day 17

2011-01-09T19:36:00.000-08:00

Today was the big surprise. Here is a very excited Caden by the clue...

Here we are waiting....and waiting...and waiting....And here is the big reveal...

We got to surprise my parents by driving out to Utah to see them shortly after getting off their mission! It was a quick weekend trip, but SO worth it!! We had a blast with them, and they were so happy to see us. Caden especially loved seeing his Grandma and Grandpa. He had been telling everyone we saw (literally) about for a week before we went. It was the best Christmas present ever! Russ is such an awesome husband and went along with the idea and the ride! :)

Thoughts on Open Adoption

2011-01-01T10:37:00.000-08:00

We know we still have a lot of catching up to do about our surprise, our Christmas, etc. However, we wanted to take a minute to write our thoughts on open adoption. Most of Russ's family is still in town for the holidays. Over Thanksgiving, Russ's younger brother opened his mission call and he is going to the California, Roseville mission. We are SO excited for him! As part of his preparation to serve a mission, he was able to receive his endowments at the temple yesterday. Many family members were able to go in the temple with him and they had a great time. Kylee wasn't feeling well, so she helped to watch all the grandkids in the visitor's center. While there, she saw one of the birthmoms that placed her baby with our friends. They talked a little bit, but Kylee never asked her what she was doing there. About a half hour later, Kylee noticed one of Caden's friends from FSA (Families Supporting Adoption). She looked up and saw her friends with their baby, all dressed in white. Then she realized that the baby was sealed to the adoptive parents just then! What a huge blessing! It was so sweet to think of how their daughter was able to go in the temple and witness the sealing of her baby brother to her parents.

However, there was something more poignant that stuck out to Kylee. She noticed that the birth mom was there to be a part of the sealing. She was able to see them as soon as they came out of the temple, and her parents were able to witness the sealing. Kylee LOVED watching the birth mom hold and play with the baby she placed for adoption. Ideally, we would love to have an open adoption and continue a relationship with not only the birth parents, but their families as well. Every baby can use a little extra love, and that is made possible through open adoption. As this new year starts, we are hoping to be able to grow our family through the miracle of adoption and form a close friendship with the people that decide to place their baby with our family.

Countdown to Christmas: Day 16

2010-12-17T07:44:00.000-08:00

We had a preschool Christmas party today with almost all the class. We were missing two boys. The kids got to decorate sugar cookies, make an ornament, sing Jingle Bells, play Christmas bingo, listen to the Christmas story and place the nativity pieces where they go, and exchange gifts. It was fun to watch the kids so excited! Caden loved the super heroes games he got: go heroes (like go fish), bingo and a puzzle. We have already played all 3 of them. His friend was jumping up and down because he loved what Caden gave to him. It was very fun!