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Valentine's Day

On Valentine's Day 2012 we took Tyler and Angel to Red Robin for dinner. This is a slideshow of him opening his present and finding out a birthmom had chosen him to be a BIG BROTHER.

 

 

I never would have guessed the journey that was before us.
Here's a peek at this year's Valentine's Day.

We made a hug for Sheldon's Tummy Mommy and Tummy Sister from his hand prints and a piece of ribbon the length of  his arms.

Of course we added some chocolate kisses on the bottom.

Hi, from Sheldon :) I love his sweet little voice! 

This little man is on the move in his dinosaur pjs.

 

Chris had the day off so I got to be Tyler's Guest Teacher at school. He was so excited it melted my heart. When we got home from school Tyler found this on his door...

and hearts sprinkled all over his bed. Later he took the hearts and sprinkled them in Sheldon's crib and on our pillows. He also made us some rodeo themed cards.

 

In the evening the door bell rang and the only thing there was a bag of chocolate. The teenage girls from church had heart attacked our yard. This is a photo of another yard from the internet. Tyler picked ours up so soon I didn't get to see them. He was so excited that he ran straight up stairs and brought me the hearts with a slimy little slug attached all :P

 

Maiden Voyage

After a long afternoon of snowboarding, it was time to warm up with a relaxing game of GO FISH.

While Sheldon took a warm bath.

Red Solo Cup, I fill you up, proceed to party!!

 Time to bundle up and hit the slopes again for some night skiing.

 Sheldon and I snuggled up with some board books.

 Chris woke up the next day covered from head to toe with hives. This is not like him at ALL. I loaded him up with Benadryl, put him back to bed, packed lunch for the boys and I, and headed 30 miles east to the Oak Creek Wildlife Area.

Tyler started to build our family out of snow. This photo is of Sheldon, Tyler, Brek the dog, and a headless mom. He was bummed he didn't get to finsh making Mom, Dad, and the new baby.

 

 

She came out of nowhere and into our life...

It took 18 months to do all that was required to be approved as an adoptive family. This photo was taken at Thanksgiving 2011. We had only been "waiting" for 7 months. But the emotional roller coaster had started years before with countless miscarriages and failed infertility treatments. I had grown tired and was feeling guilty for spending countless hours on adoption networking when I already had an amazing husband and son. So I prayed and asked the Lord if I could be done. Could I just enjoy and cherish the precious little family I had already been given? The answer was a clear no, you are not done yet. So I made a compromise and asked if I could do absolutely NOTHING related to adoption during winter break and enjoy my little family. I'd say from looking back at the photos I did a fabulous job.

 

After Winter Break it was back to teaching Kindergarten and adoption networking. I made a new profile photo for our adoption agency's website with Michael Buble's lyrnics:

 

"Wherever you are..whenever it is right...you will come out of nowhere and into our life."

 

I had no idea how soon that would be. Our birthmom came out of nowhere and into our life exactly a year ago TODAY. That was just a few weeks after adding the photo.

 

We are so grateful for the incredible blessings that have followed. Our family was not only blessed with a precious baby but with the love of his birthfamily. We are eternally grateful for all of them and how they have become our extended family. The lyrics and song below describe my journey perfectly and how I wouldn't trade the heartaches over the past several years for all the blessings I have now. Heaven has definitely shown me miracles I wouldn't have seen otherwise.  

 

 

 

I had it all mapped out in front of me,
Knew just where I wanted to go;
But life decided to change my plans,
And I found a mountain in the middle of my road.

I knew there was no way over it,
So I searched for a way around;
Brokenhearted I started climbin',
And at the top I found...

Every fear, every doubt,
All the pain I went through;
Was the price that I paid to see this view;
And now that I'm here I would never trade...

The grace that I feel,
And the faith that I find;
Through the bitter-sweet tears,
 And the sleepless nights;

I used to pray he'd take it all away,
But instead it became a beautiful heartbreak.

I never dreamed my heart would make it,
I thought about turning around;
But heaven has shown me miracles,
I never would have seen from the ground.

 

Now I take the rain with the sunshine,
Cause there's one thing that I know;
He picks up the pieces,
Along each broken road.

Every fear, every doubt,
All the pain I went through;
Was the price that I paid to see this view;
And now that I'm here I would never trade...

The grace that I feel,
And the faith that I find;
Through the bitter-sweet tears,
And the sleepless nights.

I used to pray he'd take it all away,
But instead it became a beautiful heartbreak.

Talent Show

Tyler rocked it at the church talent show tonight. He sang "Get Off of My Back" from his favorite movie Spirit Stallion of the Cimmarron.

 

Then the missionaries entertained us with their "interpretive dance." They are the BEST!!!

For Sheldon's 10 Month Birthday we got him a baby...?

Sheldon turned ten months old on January 7th. The entire family headed to the doctor's office to find out whether we are going to have a boy or a girl. Chris and I guessed a girl and Tyler guessed a boy.

 

 

At first they did all the important measurements. Tyler started asking how they would know the difference. I told him the doctor would hopefully be able to look between the baby's legs. "If she sees something that looks like a "turtle" we're having a boy. If she doesn't see anything we're having a girl." Just then she said, "I think I just saw something."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tyler jumped for joy. She asked if we had a name picked out yet. Tyler said, "No, but now we can call him Turtle Man until we decide!" Absolutely NOT!  Can I just say Turtle Man is the most obnoxious television show on the planet. Here's a photo if you don't know who he is. I think it just about says it all.

 

I guess there won't be a shortage of camo at this house :) But we're not completely redneck. We have all our teeth. I'm very excited we will soon have three loud, sometimes stinky, fun boys running around here. Hopefully that means I'll be treated like a princess.

Abe the Babe

Happy Birthday to the best baby brother a girl could ask for.

This photo was taken just days before he was deployed.

 Makenzy is so grown up and as adorable as ever.

Sending Birthday messages to Daddy in heaven.

 Love you Abe!!!!!