The Christian Crew

So today i had the privieledge of doing a Photo shoot for the Larson Family with their 2 kids and 2 BIRTHMOMS!!! It was unforgettable and I am so happy for them and a bit envious ( in all the best ways) too! I can't wait to have another amazing birth parent and child as part of our family when It's the right time:) Here's to waiting and hoping and praying!!! * This is the shirt B and A wore and IT'S almost an understatement!!! They really do have him wrapped around their little pinkies! Hope to learn more about our adoption family? Click on the words underneath our picture!

Hoping you will have a fun-filled weekend and remember to be SAFE! Love to you all from us and the girls!

...are MANY right now, as we prepare for Halloween! Here's Brielle's Dorothy outfit ( minus tights and possible a COAT the way this week is going ( freakin' freezing people!!!)! I'm halfway through Aria's Glinda Costume and we found a sweet Green blazer for Brandon so he could be THE Wizard of Oz. I , of course, will be the only other female character... The wicked witch of the West. I HAVE NEVER BEEN a witch before( so i can recall) so, this will be a new experience for me. We have 4 parties coming up and tons of things to do before then too! My dad, Danny is in town and the girls are having so much fun with Grandpa! He read them stories tonight and i was finishing the outfit downstairs and could here them giggle and getting tickled and it made me think back to my childhood a bit! Man, i wish i would have enjoyed my youth even more than i had! It's so fleeting but so very powerful. What you do and hear in your youth effects you forever. I'm glad i get to ...

Just so you know... I am very aware that everyone is going through something different in their journey of adopting a child. Some people are like eggs and crack under the slightest pressure. When People do Fall apart- they often show their weakest, worst character dimensions. Pay attention to that- searching expectant parents- friends- fellow beings of the world ( okay everyone) Here's some fabulous quotes on adversity ( or trials) If you click on that link and read on... You will understand exactly what I'm getting at... Trials can make you stronger- if you view them as part of natural life and not an event that happened to you... I've had my share- hence i have thickened up my Elephant Skin and very rarely am i offended by anything or anyone!!! Thank goodness for that!

Here's the link to the Sunday Placement Family ! Congrats to Mike, Maryanne, Chelly and Little Baby Gabriel or Jacob ( what ever they decided:) PS... Open Adoption Is the BEST! ( in my opinion)

Last week was so AMAZING and long . With 2 placements within 5 days and all the other day to day stuff i do with my girls and husband- it got a bit crazy BUT... I LOVED IT and i wouldn't trade it for the world! I Put up some Placement pics and hospital pics of Jessica on my photo site - so check those out. The 2nd placement will be on there shortly!!! PS. Birth Parents ROCK!!! Brielle's Birth mom turned 22 last week. Brielle made her some art and sent her a bag of candy corns b/c she said she wanted Kara to have treats on her Birthday! I sent her a SPA Day package for her to get pampered at a local spa( where she lives)! WE LOVE her and her whole family and miss them a ton but, GOOD NEWS... Looks like we will get to see them around Thanksgiving!!! We also hosted a B-day Party for our little friend , Cora, who turned 7! She has been so fun to get to know and a bunch of us moms and teachers are rallying around her to let her know of our love for Her! Her bio- mom is an addict ...

little Madison!!! This is Jessica's Baby Girl! She is a birthmom placing with Jeff and Ciara! And has been so good to her mommies!!! Can't wait to see her again. Jessica had her today! She had a pretty fast labor and delivery and many visitors:) This family will be LOVED by all!!! I LOVE OPEN ADOPTIONS! Congrats Jessica, Ciara & Jeff! You are all so blessed. God has sent an angel to us today!!!

.. .my friends and i made hair clips for our girls ( mine have a ton already but, it is fun teaching others) and for upcoming holidays! I also got the chance to speak at the LDSFS Adoption Core training today. There are some awesome couples going through the process and I hope they all go where they are led in their search for a child to adopt! My advice to them was: Be HONEST with birth parent commitments Be Yourself - flaws and All- BP want to see who you are- not some plastic Ken and Barbie Have fun while you wait Advocate for the Cause- everywhere- not just their adoption but Adoption in general! Get involved with FSA- you will be so glad you did! It's for everyone and we NEED your energy! Don't get discouraged and do not fear- both of those are tools from the adversary! Know that God knows what you need when you need it- trust in him and DO all you can do to facilitate: faith without works is dead! Tomorrow we will go to the FSA activity at a historic farm with pumpkins ...

Aria is just getting over bronchitis and I'm not too happy about that. It all started when she caught a cold from some kids i sat a few days back. All 3 were hacking up. Then A gets a cold and B but, only Aria's turned into nasty bronchitis. Such is life- she is on the mend now! And is mostly happy lil' girl! We've pulled out the Halloween Decorations and i must admit... I'm a total Scaredy Cat! I can't do the cob webs, skulls and ghosts. I prefer fall leaves, pumpkins and other gourds, stalks of wheat, hay and just a few jack-o-lanterns. I know it's because of childhood bad dreams and i just don't like putting a BAD-ish or scary things around me or giving off a Yucky image of fright! So not me! I never dressed up as a dead something or other. I think i was only a witch once and that was the scariest thing i ever was. I was a gypsy, a grandma, Jazmin, cheerleader, princess, etc... Nothing really spooky ever! Sorry to disappoint anyone but that's how ...

Although we have not met you yet, we already feel a closeness to you! We want you to know that we are people who KEEP our promises! We prefer openness in every situation (if possible) and we won't HOLD back from letting you know how we feel. We hope you choose to do the same. Brandon has more of grasp on adoption that i do (being that he is adopted) but, we both equally have a hold on birth parent ?'s and overall adoption culture. We LOVE celebrating everything about adoption and birth parents! Brielle is currently working on a Birthday package for her Birth mother, Kara. She has been making Art and I'm including a few surprises too! She and her Family are part of our family now and forever! You can even call them, if you don't believe us. (I'll email you their numbers:) We know placement will be so hard and i remember the feelings we had at the hospital and in the placement room over 4.5 years ago. It was terrifying and so Heavenly all at the same time. I felt so...

I just can't get enough! here's another stellar birth mother poem! I believe this with all my heart!

a fabulous poem is on this site. What an awesome Birth mother and individual!

Today, during a broadcast conference from leaders of our church, a phrase was repeated or paraphrased a few times over. This same theme was said in the conference for the 18+ female crowd at our RS conference, a week previous. This quote is one of my favorites and i have heard it for years and years. I first read it in a book by Stephen R. Covey - Spiritual Roots of Human Relations and I'm reading a book of his called the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families- and he quoted this again. I finally found out where it originated from and here it is: David O' McKay, a prominent religious leader in our church,in 1954 stated that, " No success can compensate for failure in the home ." This is one of the wisest things i have ever heard- ever! Because- if you FAIL at being a GOOD and loving parent to your children- You will have God to deal with in the end. If you fail at work or making money but are a good parent- you just have creditors to deal with till you die. You may no...