The "HYBRID" family!?!

This post goes out to ALL the HYBRID families out there!  Don't know what that means? Here's a Run down...

us last May 2015

 Definition of HYBRID

1

:  an offspring of two animals or plants of different races, breeds, varieties, species, or genera

2

:  a person whose background is a blend of two diverse cultures or traditions

 

Grandpa Max feeding Gavin on the
Orchard when he was 2

SO, In HYBRID families- you have this amazing vast diversity of gene pools in your children who come from two different sets of parents!  Def. #2 is my FAV-  because My children Do have two diverse cultures- their birth family cultures/ mannerisms/ nuances/ genes and ours! 

 

The funny way I like to tease people about how our family was created is by saying " I have 4 children by three different fathers........( long pause) and THREE different Mothers too! " It gets them every time! 

 

 

Then I get to talk about How Cool Open Adoption Is and how we have this amazing relationship with those involved. I talk about birth grandparents/ uncles etc. It is so complex but, So The Norm for us!

 

 

Uncle Josh with the boys giving him the Rings
for Dustin and Sarah's Wedding

The term I prefer to Best call my crazy Crew is just Good Ole' FAMILY!

 

 I tell people my Family is coming or I'm going to see my family b/c sometimes I just don't care to explain to them all the culture of my family or give them a lesson on adoption terms every single time. But, often I do share and at times I do not, as to protect and shield my kids away from rude or uneducated commentators.

 

So, yeah My family is a made up of different varieties of genes/ characteristic/ people and I LOVE IT! I love everything about our Big Crazy Open Adoption Family! We ROCK!

 

 

 

We CAN NOT WAIT to see what God Brings our Way in our next adoption and hopefully the amazing family that comes with her birth parents. We are seeking to find our missing piece to our family puzzle! Our life will not be complete without her! Till then, we carry on!

 

 

 

Gavin's 4th Birthday Party!

I can't believe its been 4 years already! I remember this day like it was yesterday!!!

Jessica, His gorgeous birth momma!
 

 

 

He is such a SPUNKY boy and his PIRATE PARTY Was Fantastic & fun!

Over 60 ppl and loads of kids!

Here's a whole bunch of pics to feast yer eyes on!

 

 

Lots of GAMES and Challenges!

 

We had a big potluck after snacks:)

 

The fish food was the pirate's booty and natural gummy fish:)

the play set made a GREAT Ship!

 

Loads of fun was had by all!

Aren't we the coolest pirates ever? Nah, we try though!

 

So Glad our special boy had a great day! We always have a BIG party for our kiddos. It's not about how many people come or how many presents they get- Its about the amount of FUN they have, no matter the cost/ time/ effort! I believe in Celebrating every moment and the kids are only young once, then its over! So Party On!

 

 

 

our love became a teenager!

YEP, after 13 years we are still SMITTEN with each other!

 

and how do we celebrate???

 

 

WE go WHitE waTeR RaftInG! Of COuRse!

 we went once before we had kids on our 3rd anniversary trip, so it was fitting we go 10 years later!

We are the two on the Right front! we had Fish for dinner and went to an antique store! It was wonderful just to have a few hours of thrills and feel like Kids again!

Be not AFRAID

Me being NUTS on the Leap of Faith!

I have just experienced an amazing weekend! These last couple of days I have been surrounded by 25 incredible birth mothers and a birth father too!                               Our Colorado chapter hosted the 1st Annual High Adventure Birth Parent Retreat at Wellington Lake! It's the first time I've tried putting a retreat of this magnitude on and It came together beautifully with the help and donations of many wonderful people, God and friends!  We all tried really HARD things like the Leap of Faith, the catwalk, zipline, and the HARDEST was the high ropes courses. We enjoyed yoga, hiking, canoeing and water play on the lake and the birth parents had open group sessions throughout. I know it helped them a lot but, I had no idea what this experience would do for me...

You see, we talked a lot about Fear and Trust/ Faith and Courage and Being our Best Self! It was uplifting and filled with Love and strength. I have been validated and reassured and with the support and NEW faith in myself and our family- I'm ready to Announce Exactly What We are Feeling/
Hoping and being Led to...

 Our Family is most certainly HOPING to ADOPT- and we are Now Seeking to find our missing child. I don't care what others may think or say about how many kids we already have, or that we should focus on our own kids and be grateful. That is not the point, and we do, and we are grateful! The Facts are We Know in our Hearts that we are Missing a Daughter!!! We may also be missing other children but, we do not know of them at this time.

This is Bold to say and I will probably get Heat from people but, I cannot deny that We feel led to Find her! We have had instances and experiences that confirm it. I've had glimpses and impressions that she is around the corner, pleading to us to Search her out! I see her in my dreams some nights and I've woken up crying a couple times. As I hold my little boy and Breathe in his sweet head, I feel my heart sink, thinking she may be out there and what if I never get to hold her, because I was fearful of what others might think of me, declaring that We Are Not Done Yet!?!

 God leads us and the Spirit guides and what will be , will be!  So, I will not stand down to fear or what others may think- I will try my BEST to find this sweet girl who is urging me to find her.

I have no idea how long this will take, if she is in the US or overseas, if she is born or in utero in her birth mommas tummy. I don't know the details of our road ahead or how it will all come about. I do Know that we cannot give up and that we need to start our home study papers now! We need to get ready, whether we wait a few months or a few years- we must do our part!

A few date nights ago, my husband commented on how Awesome the baby girls room is going to be- He said that out of the blue , before I told him, I felt like we were missing a daughter- He said he felt the same way.

Mind you, we are in no rush and we do not take this lightly either. Our hopes by getting the word out now is that Somehow, in God's crazy connections, Our Child and her birth parents/ agency workers

(or orphanage caretakers) will find us and we will find Her!

We hope for openness and a beautiful loving relationship, with both birth parents and their families, if possible, and we Cannot wait to see where the Journey takes us. I do know there are so very many deserving couples who would love to adopt a child- and I pray they do all they can to find and connect with the child that is meant for them and the incredible birth family that comes with that sweet little one!

SO, there you have it! No matter how long or how hard this road may be, I pray that God will give us the strength and direction to where we should go. I pray for her birth parents, whomever they are- that they will search the world over to find us, or that the orphanage caretakers will consider us when it comes to matching our family. God bless Everyone on their journey- where ever you are headed!