My Poems are being featured...

these will be featured at the National Families Supporting Adoption Art Display this coming weekend!

both are very special to our family and have to do with our own feelings and experiences and are resounding feelings among the adoption community! Click on them to make them larger and easier to read!

Happ Birthday Big Girl!

We Love you so much, Bitsy Girl! We can't believe you are already THREE. Let's have lots of fun today as we swim and have your fairy princess party with everyone! Our birthday wish for you is that you get to have another awesome year and hopefully become a big sister! You love to hold your doll and tell us how much you love your babies. You change your mind everyday hoping for a boy , then a girl, then a boy again:)

Thanks for making us better parents and being such a good lil' sis to Brielle. Keep being a cuddle bug and sweet and sassy girl!

Love, Mommy and Daddy

Fly Fishing

This is Brandon's newest Challenge and passion!!!



He is Lucky to have an awesome Friend named Jesse to show him the best spots to fly fish!

And it's scenic too:)

Putting Your Guts on the Table

I want to put some myths to rest about Adoptive Parents who already have a child, or two, adopted or biological. This is my opinion and maybe not everyone would agree but, I feel like i need to express these things- just to clear the air...

Just because we HAVE kids- Does Not Mean that we aren't aching just as terribly for a child as those without children. Because we already know what being a parent feels like and requires of us, we may ache even more b/c we know the difference. It stinks to have these gnawing feelings in your heart and in your mind that " Someone is Missing- your family is NOT complete yet!" The sense of urgency most of us have is undeniable! I feel this every single day! I see it in my husbands face. My kids ask us all the time when our baby will come. I explain that God has to prepare a place in someone's heart for US! (the right person.) And that when She knows, then we will have another miracle in our family. And we must be as patient as we can be, for now. And we must be willing to wait a bit!

And b/c we already have children or a child, we have been able to refine and polish our parenting skills and ability to love. Most semi-seasoned parents are more sensitive and have been through a myriad of trials and triumphs. Especially those of us who have had prior placements and have accepted our infertility. Because we already have an OPEN ADOPTION, we look forward to How Amazing and Special our future Birth Mother will be.

We Love Brielle's Tummy Mommy, Kara. We still keep in regular contact with her as often as possible. We hope to see her before school starts this year as well. Having moved 2 states away from her and her family, We are Totally BUMMED out b/c we LOVE and miss Her and all her incredible family! We are such great friends and we are truly FAMILY to them and them to US forever! Brielle's Birth Gma, even came to our Sealing and we cherish that memory!

We have been praying for All birth parents to find the families they are seeking, for all adoptive couples to find the birth parents, for each of those parties to do everything to spread the word so that by God's guiding Hands- Families can be United Through Love. That has been our prayer for the last 6 months.

NOW, we feel more of a Need to pray for Our BIRTH MOTHER and Her needs. We may not know her but, I feel she is searching for us, just as badly as we are seeking to find her. We are praying that She is Safe, surrounded by LOVING people who support her, for strength to put up with Stupid people who annoy her, and for all her needs to be met with Grace!

I know she is out there. I just can't express enough about HOW we care for this person we have never met. I can't wait to meet her someday! I'm sure she will be the most incredible person ever! Much like Brielle's Birth mom!

Please read the rest of the post under FYI and REAL ?'s

Awesome Art

I found this awesome artist on ETSY! She has such great and special messages in her artwork but keeps them so playful. Here's a few of my favorites...
This is an Adoption Piece which comes in Blue and Pink. I can't wait to have a reason to buy this for our next nursery!
This one is just so fun! DJ Birdies ROCK!
Brandon's parents and brother came into town today. We will have a fun filled week as we get ready for Aria's 3rd B-day and the Zoo and hiking etc...

Also, an AWESOME birth mother blog has been on my reading list lately! She is incredible and writes so well! Can't wait to post more pics and to write a bit more from our hearts. I have had some incredible feelings lately...
~C

the girls...

we're such troopers and little patriots on July 4th!
The morning started off Sunny and bright and church was wonderful! The girls couldn't wait for fireworks and kept asking us to see them all day long...


Unfortunately, it RAINED and the POURED!!! But, we still were able to watch our friends set off a few before the torrents of water came pouring down! So, glad i got these pictures BEFORE all that craziness!

The girls had a great day even despite not seeing that many fireworks. So, we will just have to have fun setting them off at a later date! Maybe for Aria's Birthday?

Date Night!

So, this may sound silly to some people but, On our anniversary day we went on a double date with our friends and played Mini Golf! I hadn't played for a year or so since we lived in Henderson at King Putts. I enjoyed getting cool shots with my camera (of course) and being just slightly sharp on the side of Cheesy!
I love the effects of keeping your shutter open longer than normal. It makes this small waterfall look like something more spectacular!

And of course , B has to get some Credit for his Talladega Nights Shirt. (sorry if it offends some people) But that's how we roll! (and i bought it for him so, I'm to blame or thank!)

I was leading the pack of us four peeps the whole game except for the last 2 holes!


Then Brandon BEAT me. It didn't help that him and our friends were all making coughing/choking noises while i was trying to putt! Stinkers!


B only beat me by 2 so, i will win next time and it's all in fun. We are really not that competitive!

Then we went out to dinner at a biker bar and grill down by the Platte River! It was a fun atmosphere and reminded me of all the people in my family who ride Harley's- Mom, Carl(step dad) and Uncle Glen and Aunt Di! You guys are awesome and far from your typical bikers! The food was just okay but, we were having a blast and in great company!

Then we went for a walk in an outdoor mall and then to the movies to see Grown-Ups. It was very silly as all Adam Sandler movies are and it had a ton of realistic type parent settings and scenarios. I don't want my kids to grow up too fast and i LOVE parenting, even with all the trials that come with it!

All in all, it was fun date night and i can't wait to have some more dates with my hubby! He is the best! we plan on doing a bit of outdoor fun next week while the grandparents are in town. It will be nice to get away for a day doing whatever (possibly water park or white water rafting:)


Today was a super productive day too. I could go on nut in a nutshell we worked, shopped, ran errands,went to the gym, did some sewing, and were told that we have about 6 things we need to turn in before our adoption profile for LDSFS will be approved. They are all little things and i got 2 of them done today. Hopefully, we can hammer out these next few items so our ITSABOUTLOVE.ORG profile will go live sooner than later!

Kara, Brielle's Birthmom, says she thinks our next birth mother will choose us sooner than later. She is so optimistic about it but, i am really not concerned with how long it will take. I just want our baby and our birth mother to be the RIGHT one for our family! And God is really the only one who knows when that is and I'm okay with not knowing His every move for us! I have Faith that it will happen when it's meant to be!
~C

Our type of Communication

Hey Readers and Everyone,

I just thought i should Lay It ALL out for everyone on how Brandon and I communicate.

We are a very outgoing couple and our parenting style is the same. We do not hesitate to say what we feel unless it would be hurtful. So, we are very Open, Outspoken and always Expressive. We are sometimes intimidating to others who are not as Open as ourselves. We say we LOVE our kids and tell them that more than 3 times a day. We talk openly about our friendships, relationships, desires, interests, wishes, goals, flaws and spirituality. We are both TYPE A personalities(with different strengths-thank heavens:). We Love to joke and play and wrestle and tickle or tackle with each other. Communication can also be called LOVE LANGUAGES.. We all have different LOVE languages (or ways we feel/communicate love)
Here they are: Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Receiving Gifts, Acts of Service and Physical Touch.

To be totally honest here's my top 2 languages (or ways i communicate and show love)
Quality Time and Acts of Service then Physical Touch, Words, then Gifts...

I Love to spend good amounts of time with my kids, family, friends and serve them by offering up my talents or abilities. I LOVE hugs and rarely need someone to tell me they are my friends. I know they are my friends by the first 2!!! That's how i feel loved and communicate. I honestly do not like people giving me gifts and am uncomfortable most often, unless it's truly heartfelt or something i really would like.
I do however love to GIVE gifts that are handmade or heartfelt or desired by the receiver!

Brandon:

Words Of Affirmation and Physical Touch switch first and second, then Quality Time, Acts of Service and Gifts are last. Though i love to give gifts to my girls!
I like hearing that Corrine thinks I'm doing well with our family, my career and income and i love her hugs and kisses and enjoy snuggling with my girls reading to them or watching a show. Right now Brielle and Aria love Chitty, Chitty Bang, Bang! (Man, those old movies are a throwback to my childhood.)
Well, I hope this helps you, who is reading this, on how Corrine and i Communicate. I am so glad she is a Rockin' Blogger, Mom, wife and we can't wait to adopt again, when it's Right!
_____
Thanks Babe, You are the Best too!
A Tad More...

We are the type of parents who are reasonable and sensible about letting our children experience age appropriate lessons and consequences. Love And Logic Principles are what we use in our home with our girls.

Being Outspoken and Outgoing has pros and cons but, overall
Outspoken people strive to have harmonious relationships and do not try and make others feel awkward if they are not the same. (Peoples own insecurities make them feel awkward or offended easily. Bummer for them)
We love being this way and having loads of fun and enthusiasm for life in all it's richness. We don't dwell on problems for too long or let bad habits stick around for long! We are both proactive and driven and have a Zest for life, every single day!

Thanks for reading about our adoption family, and have fun figuring out what Love Languages you speak!

sharing and multitasking!

Yesterday, we had a nice day and enjoyed the sprinkling rain and bursts of sunlight! Aria and Brielle LOVE playing outside and sharing everything! During our ice cream break, Aria decided to help me pull the tree shoots out of the back yard lawn...

apparently, she is fantastic at multi-tasking!!!

they even share treats:)

and then laugh about how funny it was to lick the cone at the same time!

There's nothing cuter than a messy face on a little girl who is almost 3! (in 2 weeks)

And Brielle is such a big girl and hardly makes much of a mess anymore. She's 4.5 going on 16!!!
So she thinks anyways!

Well, We have lots of prep work to do for Aria's B-day and the family coming into town here pretty quickly! Hopefully, i will be able to post as we go but, if not, don't fret, just find me on FB!

*keep reading about us and check out our sidebar for all our other adoption friends who are all waiting for a miracle through adoption!

8 is great!

Today we were married- 8 years ago!

I am the luckiest woman ever!
Man, We look sooo young! I still chase him and he chases me.


He still sweeps me off my feet and i always feel like I picked a GREAT MAN! I love you , Babe. And i know you love me b/c you tell me and show me by the way to take care of me, our girls, our home and your attitude of service towards us. You pick up the slack for me and you still flirt with me all the time. I couldn't ask for more. You are the best husband and there's no way i could tell you enough!!! Thanks for all you do for me! Happy Anniversary!

*keep reading about us by going to the sidebar and clicking on any topic!

keeping busy

with the girls, etsy and loads of outdoor fun. We Have been swimming about 3 times a week lately!
And going to the park as much as possible! While we have quiet time, i work on cleaning or crafting. Here's a few of my recent creations...


for more look here

tons more pictures to come of the girls and us!!!
We are so excited to have Brandon's Family and my mom come for a bit of vacation!
Aria turns 3 on pioneer day (July 24th) and we plan on having all kinds of fun! She's just growing way too fast and it's very bittersweet. She can't wait to be a big sister herself one day!

***Keep reading about our little family, hoping for another miracle through adoption***

Adoption ART by Brielle

Brielle painted this for the 2010 National Families Supporting Adoption Art Exhibit! She wanted her birthmom to have flowers all around her! "Flowers make her happy", she said!



To learn more about us, please keep reading or click on the sidebar labels to see who we really are, an adoption family, hoping to adopt again!