The Christian Crew

So, i made up our flier for the Nov. Fireside( later evening meeting) and I'm inviting all people in the area to come to it! This will feature everyone involved in the adoption triad: Birth mother, adoptive couple, adoptee and special musical number and refreshments. Many ?'s will be answered for those of you who know little about what ADOPTION really is all about- in this era! I'm a rookie flier designer but, I was what they had to work with! Hopefully, it gets the message across!

I swear... I wish i knew all the answers but, I honestly DON'T! I'm not a liar or pretender and i don't say things that i don't mean. The reason i bring this up is b/c Kids these days feel this NEED to be accepted and SAY YES to everything- even if it means putting themselves in harms way just to feel some sort of belonging to something or someone. I have to hand it to some parents who have done all they can do but, what is comes down to is... I'm NOT going to BE that kind of parent ! I'm not going to overlook BAD friends or questionable visitors in my kids lives! I don't think you take a backseat approach to teens either... YOU stay involved. YOU love them even if They haven't figured out who they want to BE yet! Unconditional love (not enabling) is truly what kids and teens need. I 'm not ready to parent teens right now but, I am ready to HELP those around me get through stuff they aren't ready for- that has been inflicted on them by their pa...

check this post out! This couple say great things about adoption but the cover is totally misleading!

Our profile is on itsaboutlove.org officially now. Just look our names up or click on the sidebar link to our profile:) We are getting a new family pic soon. This one is from last Nov. and Brandon HATES how he looks. He says he looks plump. whatever! My man looks great now!!!

So last Saturday, i finally got to SING in CO! You see the first time i was supposed to sing a solo- i ended up in the hospital 1.5 days before. That's the day we found the cyst. The next time i was supposed to sing for my ward (4 weeks later) but... I got laryngitis (lost my voice). I kept thinking " God must be saving my voice for a more opportune moment, i guess. SO, last Saturday after i took Jessica's pictures at 8am, coached v-ball at 9 am, I SANG at A baptism of a new friend! It went well enough and i am no longer afraid to perform again. Heavenly Father knew what he was doing when i couldn't sing those other times. Though some people may think singing at a Baptism is just so-so, I think It's one of the most important times in someones life! And i Hope to use my voice more often to bring joy and the spirit into many upcoming meetings and gatherings! This Saturday... Our girls team won their 3rd V-ball game! Only 5 girls made it today but It was so fun and ...

so little time! I have been trying to finish up all the projects in the next 5 weeks (before holiday season starts and before the Nov. Fireside) and here's how I'm doing.... The Paci and bracelet set will be for auction on my FB page and i made 7 bracelets today (no more for a while) I finished the apron by adding a satin hand ruffled trim and handmade flower too! This blanket was made for a special baby who will be placed with her adoptive family in the upcoming months- made by me and her birth mother and friend. and I finally finished Aria's 3rd B-day Piggy Bank- now BOTH my girls have one!! I only have a few projects left: Making the girls 4 dresses- 2 costumes for Halloween (nothing was cute enough that i saw or worth the crappy material it was made of) and 2 throw blankets, and 4 more bracelets and 1 binky clip. I have to distress the kids furniture and clear out our office- move it downstairs and start getting that room ready for a baby or child (that may be a LONG ...

WOW! I feel like we are constantly on a roller coaster in our lives right now. I love to think that one of these weeks i will be less busy with things BUT, i find that to be totally a DREAM. IN FACT... I DON'T want to be less busy. I just want to be busy with different things like busy with a new child or baby, busy with MORE adoption work and helping others. Busy with doing FUN things with my girls or more dates with my husband! I feel like everything that's occupying our time is leading us up to something. You know like when you reach the top of a ladder or the top of a roller coaster and you here the clack, clack, clack right befo re the coaster throws you over the hump and you whiz down the chutes and through a tunnel then it throws you upside down and finally- you get to the part where it's starting to slow down to let you off the ride. Except we are still at the clack, clack part right before we are tossed in the air and down the side-winding turns of the life. Let...

There are days i am so frustrated with our dog, Myla. She keeps peeing where ever she please and I'VE HAD IT! GRRR. Here's a funny Skit from SNL - Enjoy! I'm so glad this LONG day is over! I need a break tonight. So tired and ready to relax. Hope you enjoyed this video and i wish it was streaming better. Night all!

As of late... I've been helping the Denver Metro Are get ready for a Fireside on Adoption in early Nov.. If you are saying "what the heck is a fireside? " here's your answer- It's a meeting normally later in the evening where testimony is shared (back in the old days- it was done around a fire) on basic gospel truths with detailed personal experiences and stories- It's a more intimate setting than that of Full fledged Church service! This one happens to be on Adoption! The speakers will be an adoptive couple,a birth mother, an adoptee and special music about adoption will be performed! So far most everything is falling into place for it too. If you are just checking out my blog and interested in adoption in any respect- shoot me an email and I'll shoot you over the details. These are open to those not of our faith and in our church too! I've also been contacting HS's to do presentations in their family and consumer sciences classes or child devel...

I love the saying from CS Lewis : " You have not chosen one another, but I have chosen you for one another." This couldn't ring more true with the friendship We have with Jessica L. Here's our Story... We had just moved to CO 2 days prior. We attended the Adoption Training in CO before we even moved into our new house. It was wonderful and we were overjoyed that we were here finally and getting the process underway all at the same time. The 1st Sunday at church was Fast and Testimony Meeting. I bore my testimony and thanked those who watched my kids while we attended the adoption trainings. After the meeting a sweet lady in the hall asked me if we had been selected alr eady for   placement. I told her no, not yet and she began to tell me that she Knew someone looking into placing their unborn child for adoption . Her eyes welled up and she told me it was her daughter. I hugged her and she let it out and i told her "Well, God sure knew that i needed t...

Please take a second and donate if you can! Here's the details.... We are holding a contest! The person to donate the 100th dollar will win a prize! If you support adoption help us out! Take what you would spend on a one time manicure, fast food, soda pop, etc and put it towards a good cause! If you need a receipt let me know! Hey guys! Our goal is 100 in 100 so in 100 hours starting at 4 o clock our goal is to get 100 dollars for scholarships 4 birthmothers! Remember it is tax deductible! If you own a business you will go on the website! Even 1 dollar helps!! Spread the work we want to meet our goal! www.scholarships4birthmothers. blogspot.com -- Jessalynn Bills Speight www.birthmothers4adoption.blogspot.com We support you awesome Birth parents!

I love that my friend, Danielle, swaps me cool binks for my boutique products. The last order had some new ones all about adoption that were inspired from the adoption community and I had been desirous to have cool pacifiers that expressed OUR LOVE for ADOPTION ! Today was a Super busy day with lots of cool and crazy things... I biked 3 miles+ uphill pulling 80lbs in the trailer (kids and stuff) to scripture class and back. The downhill was a breeze, Took Aria to preschool, cleaned my car, then myself, picked up Aria, made dinner for the missionaries, Brandon locked his keys in our car- in front of our house. Had dinner, went to YW Volleyball practice and had my new friend Rachel help coach the girls- She's AWESOME (and and adoptee who will be speaking at the upcoming fireside in November. Then came home, put girls down, made clips and finished a few other projects- I AM BEAT! Time to sleep now. I deserve the break BUT,... before i doze off I'm sure I'll read over some ad...

The Girls had their first day of Preschool last week and are NOW busy with School 2-3 days a week. Brielle goes to a Montessori Preschool with her friend Elizabeth! They had a pretty good first day and week. Today Brielle liked playing the House GAME (as she calls it) We love her smile and laugh. She is such a blessing and so full of life and excitement and sometimes little girl drama!!! Here's one of her teachers leading an opening circle time thing. This is B's 2nd year of preschool b/c she is a Jan. B-day. We are thinking of a half year of preschool and then doing an evaluation for Kindergarten in Jan. She's a smarty pants and gets bored if she isn't challenged. We are also looking into a School of Gifted Children. We shall see:) Aria was very shocked at first. To be in a very new place (my friend's home)! She goes tues/thurs. and always comes out smiling when it's time to pick her up! She loves kisses as both our girls do! Her very first backpack. I got cra...

shooting babies lately. Jacob was my first this fall. I'm sure I'll be photographing a bit here and there this fall and winter. I can't decide where and when to have our next family pictures taken! Probably when the leaves change! Here's where you can see more of jacob's and other pictures i have taken

I'm closing down my baby boutique store for these reasons: I don't have TIME that i want to dedicate to this anymore b/c we are actively involved in spreading the word about the option of adoption with FSA and as a family. We don't need the money- our adoption account is almost full b/c my hubby is a great provider There is a time and a season for everything and the season of my ETSY store is coming into it's hibernation period. If in fact i do have some ample time in the next years to come- i may re-open it but... I'd rather be dedicating my time to adoption and raising my kiddos and future children! So, jump on the FB closeout sale and snag some sweet baby/kid swag for great prices! It was fun while it lasted and you can bet all my friends will get cute gifts from me in the future as well!

Why is it that i HAVE a gift complex? I have been analyzing this as i have been doing some self exploration on the matter. B/c REALLY? who HATES getting gifts? That's just weird and not normal. Here's where i think it comes from: Back when i was a child (and still) my b-day is Jan. 4th , right after the BIG holidays are over. Often times my b-day presents were combined into Christmas ones too. Or when i had parties- i got other peoples RE-GIFTS that they didn't want b/c most people forgot about it until the day of. My parents made efforts, sort of. My mom always wanted me to have BIG party and a few times i did but, most of the times- it was kind of just over looked a bit. So, i started to resent people giving me things. I didn't want peoples left overs or something that meant NOTHING to them so, why not give it to the girl whose b-day was overlooked? BUT, one year, my dad was super sneaky in planning my sweet 16 surprise party- he even had it 1.5 weeks after my b-day ...

this last week, was spent FLY FISHING! It's still new to him and it's a great stress reliever and time to gather his thoughts! HE digs it! and i am sad for him when winter comes. He will miss this new, found sport! But we are excited for a REAL winter and a REAL fall! Something the weather in Henderson , NV never allowed us! Colorado ROCKS!

Aria could care less that we were taking a family pic! Here' s a HUGE splash bucket at the top L corner of this pic! So much fun! My girls Laying one on me:) Daddy and Aria Splashing:) Aria was such a great swimmer here. It's like she had no fear about it with a HUGE crowd around! And Brielle has always been a fish. She is getting so independent with her swimming Skills. She went off a slide that had an almost 4 foot drop off into the pool and SHE DID IT! You could tell the Lifeguards were about to freak b/c She is so tiny but then she swims to the edge like a pro and they are thoroughly impressed:) Good job, Big Girl! Daddy Took these next 2 of me. He is the greatest! We had such a fun time and enjoyed the slides and such. Next year Brandon and i will hve a date together at a BIGGER water park with CRAZY slides and such. BUT Pirates Cove was PERFECT for kids 6 and under and families! Good memories!

miracle happened today. It was like i was on this emo rollercoaster. I woke up- went for a jog , came home and my cousin called me about a situation. It sounded exciting and we have talked about this many times before- adopting 2 kids under the age of 3 ! Things sounded promising and we have been down that road before. I felt peaceful yet excited of course! I made a few calls and painted with girls- then read them a story tale about Hansel and Gretel (kinda crazy ). We had lunch and played and i decided i needed to do some detective work. In a matter of a few hours i called the kids case worker and found out that it was a NO GO! It wasn't in SD's best interest to place them out-of-state when there are so many qualified wonderful people in-state. So, i understood. It was still sad but, I get it. I feel like every ALMOST is getting us one step closer to our next MIRACLE! I know those 2 will be loved and taken care of and I'm glad i have the attitude i do about these things...

Splash Parks are sooo much fun! Here's the girls and some other kids from our last FSA playgroup. We totally think it's grand to have our kids around other children who are adopted well. As they grow in life they will have something to relate to with these friends that no other friends can understand! Having a birth mother and birth parents/family, a gotcha day, the day they were sealed to us etc... Such special wonderful things! WE LOVE FSA! I have no idea why Brielle played camera shy during splash time! Aria had way too much fun and my fav. part was being chased around by the girls with cups of water that they could barely throw on me. Most of the water would splash out as they were running! It was a HOOT!

down at the park is our fav. place to catch Crawdads! One of the last times we caught these 5!!! The girls LOVE to show them to the other kids and try and touch the backs of them. then we release them back into their watery homes! Some of these tiny lobster looking things are fast and furious. Others are NOT and we like to catch those ones! Now it's tradition when we go to dekoevend park- play, swing, and catch crawdads!