The Thanksgiving LIST

so. i noticed a ton of my FB friends posting something they were thankful for all till Thanksgiving. They all had something different each day. So, i decided instead of posting it on FB and it being lost in oblivion, i would post what i'm grateful rounding it out to about 25 items or so... Here it goes...( in somewhat of a random order)

25. seasons and nature- all the beauty that comes along with them
24. technology- well, at least all the GOOD it does in our lives keeping us connected
23. architecture- some of the most creative and useful things are sculpted and built.
22. artwork- from the scribbles of my girls to Van Gogh
21. blogging- i love getting my POV across and knowing others as well
20. our dog , MYLA, even when you pee on our stuff- i still love ya ( just watch out for few hours)
19. culinary masterpieces- and all great foods
18. the ability to be healthy
17. Herbs and essential Oils- for both cooking and healing
16. Clinix wellness centers- for approaching health issues as whole
15. My senses
14. music - in all forms that uplift and edify
13. education and learning- it's a gift and a blessing that not enough take advantage of
12. my sewing machine and all things sewn- we are wearing them now
11. my parents and in laws
10. my camera and ability to capture life in action
9. My church and God
8. Brielle's Birth mom, Kara
7. Brielle's birth family and all the extended Birth family';
6. Brandon's Birth Parents
5. Adoption and Gods Hand's in it!
4. My extended family
3. My testimony of God AND Christ love for ME and everyone
2. my children and husband'
1. Jesus Christ and his Restored Gospel and Atonement

I could really keep going but most of you would want to stop reading anyways.
i love an appreciate all the small and simple stuff like the way Aria laughs and the way Brielle sings throughout the house everyday. I love being a mother and can't wait to do it again. Hopefully I'll get to give more thanks to someone who chooses to place their child with us. Open Adoption is wonderful and we are having a great time visiting our family and birth family while we are here in the LV area. Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!!

Garden of The Gods

We had way too much fun this day! Garden of the Gods is situated near Colorado Springs and it's a pretty cool park. Though it's not a huge place- it is so interesting to see how the layers of sediment have eroded over time- leaving these formations of sandstone and limestone.

Us with Gpa Danny!


some horses pulled up and we just had to pet them!
The girls were just doing a "shake your booty" cheer and asked dad to give them a hug! It was funny and cute. And YES- one of our most important goals in life is to keep our daughters "off the Pole". Kind of a Vegas joke since we used to live there:)

This is Jessica, our friend and a birth mother, watching and protecting Aria, who has her moments with her. They cuddle some days and sometimes Aria wants nothing to do with her. I chalk it up to terrible threes. And the fact that she's been a baby too long.

Here these two crazies are obviously trying to hold up the rock:) So silly!

My dad!!!

Balance Rock ( well, i think that's what they called it)

Two sweet peas. Man, they LOVED climbing and bouldering. They weren't scared a bit. Though Brandon freaked a bit when they'd get too close or too high. Father's instincts for sure. They were doing just fine by me.

how long did his shoulders hurt after that? Can you guess?

Our big Sugar Girl!

we went to this cool park in Monticello afterward and i found this cool carved tree. It was dedicated to a deceased loved one of someone. It now stands for all to see. I found beauty in it!

And they had this whole mosaic sand area- such work and vivid colors.

We saw about 9 of these things eating peoples lawns- well, at least they don't have to mow much!
And I just love this candid of Brielle. She's adorable!

And we loved having Jessica with us the whole time. I'm so lucky to be her friend.
It was a GREAT trip.

Every Kind of Adoption...

Makes me Cry with JOY!!! I don't Care how, who, or where my future children come from. I don't care if my kids "match" my skin color. I don't even think twice about ME anymore b/c it's NOT about ME!!! It's about the children. I cry for different reasons all the time but, today, i cried watching a movie about a couple who adopted 2 babies from Ethiopia. It tugged at my heart strings and I remember meeting my friend Shay's newest Addition from Ethiopia. Her one and only Son, in house full of girls! He was gorgeous and so sweet and when i got to meet him, he was so friendly but, you could tell He knew who his mommy was. I asked Shay about why she chose Ethiopia- she said something like" it just felt like where we were being led to find him".

I Often wonder if adoptive couples let themselves be LED in their adoption journeys anymore. I wonder the same thing for Birth Parents. I wonder if people are just going with the easiest, cheapest, or most beneficial to them route. Like it's ALL about them anyways. I know most of you are NOT that person. But, once and a while an uneducated adoptive person shows thier Knarley face and says things like : " I'd never choose inter-racial adoption. Adoption is hard enough as it is on a child" - to that i say: Bull Crap! And at the same time- Good- you shouldn't choose inter-racial- maybe you weren't cut out for it anyways. Only the Strong couples open the flood gates and let it all break loose in the chance that GOD will see thier hearts and GIVE them what they can handle- in respects to adoption! And in Life for that matter.

I guess my point is... Why have so many adoptive parents( out side of a faith) decided that God Has no part in such a Heavenly Process? How come Some don't think much of those who do? Like Faith based people are Nuts or something. That's Bull too! What happened that we stopped respecting each other's choices and freedoms and now feel the need to attack those who stand up for our founding values? It's Sad but, i DON'T cry for that- no. I cry b/c I KNOW WHAT'S TRUE- regardless of what others May think and Adoption is God's Sacred Trust in both the birth parents and the adoptive couples. Adoption brings people together in ways nothing else on this earth can do! And For that I'm most grateful and My gratitude sometimes comes out in the form of tears! I'm super blessed by my husband's birth mother, Jane, and by his Mother, Betty. I am over blessed by Brielle's Birth Mother, Kara, and her entire family- which is now our family too!
Every Kind of Adoption Makes me Cry b/c I know how much Love it Takes and am blessed by it daily! One day , we will be blessed by it again, hopefully!

the REST of the Halloween Photos

Here's some pics of the girls and my father ( the dark haired man) Danny, and Brandon making the jack-o-lanterns. And some of the girls in their costumes! We had such a wonderful Halloween and are excited for Thanksgiving and Christmas and all the birthdays that surround them!
aria didn't want to touch the GUTS!
Grandpa Danny Helping out!

Grandpa's Pumpkin!
The cute Glinda and Dorothy!

more dorothy and daddy and Brielle cleaning out the Gourds!

Just booked

a flight for Brielle's awesome birthmom, KARA, to come see us for the week of her birthday! I'm so excited to see them at Thanksgiving and have her and her little boy come up for a visit. They better get ready for some good times and snow!!! This will be the first Birthday that Brielle's whole Birth family won't be at b/c we live 12 hours away now. But... Having Kara there will be so Special. We are very close and can't wait!!! Plus, January birthdays can be tough. So, i go ALL OUT when it comes to them b/c i know how it feels ( mines the 4th of Jan.). I always wished mine was in the summer but, i can't change that and I'm so glad i was born when i was. Even if it was only for the purpose of making Brielle's Birthdays even better!!! She's hitting the big half decade mark too:) Man, has it really been that long? It feels like only a few blinks ago, we were standing in a hospital room gazing at this perfect tiny baby and amazing young woman. Now, Kara is in her early 20's and Brielle is almost 5! Makes me want to cry. Please stop growing up so fast:)!

We are...

Going to Henderson and Las Vegas for Thanksgiving week and MAN, I'm excited to see my friends and family!!! I'm excited for shopping and watching UNLV basketball with my man, getting some more PHOTO sessions in and hanging out with my F&F!!! So, far i have 12 sessions booked over 2.5 days . I can't believe it! I'm so stoked b/c i LOVE photography and i LOVE that I'm shooting again. I've been doing only a few shoots here but, i LOVE what I'm shooting ( mostly adoption photography)!!!
PLUS ( major BONUS) we get to visit with Brielle's Birth mom and her Family!!!
I mean all of them- great, great grandma too!!! They are our family too! We love them heeps!
So, get ready people in those areas- here we come!!!

Fireside is TODAY!!!

Birth Parents= Life Givers

Please take a second and read this awesome article on this blog!!! Birth Parents are AMAZING!!!


this is a picture i took of 2 birth moms who placed with the same couple ( in the background)
It's all about LOVE. ADOPTION is so amazing!!!

Halloween

Need i state who we are? Okay then- Brandon is the Wizard of OZ, I'm the wicked witch, and Brielle is Dorothy and Aria is Glinda the Good witch. More detailed pictures to come soon! We have WAY too much fun! Hope all your Halloween celebrations were great too!