The Christian Crew

Oh My Word - this has to be one of the hardest things for most of us to do. Like how often do you meet someone you want to impress and just unload all things private and sacred in your life on them? Practically Never! The same goes for Being In the Adoption community/world. It's a HARD space full of judgement on all sides. And most of those things we all judge each other on, are irrelevant in nature! Who Cares if you are a stay at home or work at home mom or if you cook dinner ever single night for your kids with 3 different tastes. Who even cares if the expectant mom is living on a diet of kool-aid and Cheetos.  The THING I've learned through adopting 3 times is that YOU have to LET things GO that don't matter and you have to LOVE someone where they are at! You can't wish someone better or change the fact that the Adoptive parents let the kid read Goosebumps at age 9 when you think they are too young. Just Stop it. Let's focus on Building each other UP and se...

What an Honor to be featured on the UFA main Site! "I was just an average baby in all ways but, the day I was placed in my adoptive mother's arms, by my birth mother, I was the world's most amazing boy! At three days old, my life changed directions in a way I could not comprehend in my infancy. My adoptive parents raised me in a modest home, with good, upright core values and a firm belief in God. They were of humble means but, always gave me opportunities to play sports, attend social events, boy scouts and clubs and gave me all the love in the world.  I never really asked much about my birth parents as a kid"... ( READ THE REST HERE)

We had a fun trip a bit ago to Anderson Farms, in Erie! We tried our hand as a family, at the big Corn Maze  and it was a challenge. I think we only made it through half the maze too! Coming here brought back Memories of my older childhood and playing in the Maze at Lattin Farms, In Fallon NV! And the History I have with the Wonderful Family that ran this great place.... ( flashback to 1998 or so...) I played Soccer on the Fallon HS team and enjoyed being active. Although, I wasn't the best, I had some great plays and awesome memories with my team mates and coaches. And our team had some pretty cool coaches- Nate Waite and Lance Lattin.  I played a bit on the club team as well so, I can't remember what game it was but, I remember seeing Laura Lee( lances sister) a lot. Her little sister, Leann played on the team as well. Leann was a small girl but, a spirited fighter and a great player and person! One day, while sitting on the side lines during half time, I asked Laur...

We had the honor of not just attending the wedding but, of being part of it! In open adoption, we have become each others' family in the most beautiful way! I really believe this is divine- us all meeting and becoming a pretty awesome family through adoptions. The boys were the Ring bearers and the girls the flower girls! They all did wonderful and it was fun to watch the boys start off with a good slow walk, then see Josh pull out the candy sticks, watch Slade start running and Gavin trying to hold him back! Both girls were a bit nervous but did fantastic and the ceremony was fun and beautiful. All of Sarah's family were so great to meet and I was able to even meet a few cousins who flew in from the east. I didn't realize that she only has a couple cousins b/c you just figure we have like 30 + cousins, right? Dustin looked dapper and Sarah looked like an angel/ fairy/ bride. Her hair was whimsical with the baby's breath in it and the gorgeous curls! She is ...

Not that I think I'm super mature or anything ( really, I dance around my house and still do ballet with the teenagers in my class;) BUT, I can say that having adopted TWICE already, having very open relationships, a genuine sense of Who I am and Who God is still Making me to be- brings a sense of maturity to Us as a family and this NEW process we find ourselves in. Hoping to adopt but not seeking! You see, most hopeful adoptive couples are on pins and needles WAITING for the call/ email/ text from a prospective expectant parent or case worker. I've been in their shoes. I felt this way MOSTLY with Gavin's adoption. Here we were- a family with 2 girls and I had been told that having 2 or more will MAKE YOU WAIT FOREVER for another! I'm not gonna lie- we did everything to get our profile and blog looking awesome and SUPERB. I don't know if I really wanted it to OUTSHINE anyone though- I just wanted it to be the BEST representation of ourselves- Kind of like when...

I remember when Brielle had her 3rd birthday and the party we threw at our home with a bunch of her little friends, her birth family and all her grandparents from every side that could be there. We make a fun cake and large bounce house was inflated in our living room! There was FUN in the air but, also a lingering feeling of " OH CRAP- it's about to get REAL!" In our original placement agreement- we would terminate contact in person with Brielle's birth parents except for pictures and letters/emails/ blog at 3 years so, She could have a NORMAL life! Our heads and our hearts couldn't wrap around the idea of never seeing our NEW family ever again- or Keeping Brielle from knowing her birth family, in person. What kind of selfish people were we? Well, I think when we made that agreement- everything was just so unknown and new (and Yet Kara and Kyle agreed that this would be okay with them.:/) After our tiny girl dug into her presents and the last pieces of...

bad mom if I can't help but laugh about HOW CUTE and silly my Kids are??? Sometimes, when my girls make cute, little errors or do things that are funny ( maybe not to them) It's hard not to laugh with delight . But, once I start, it's hard to stop laughing sometimes. You know the feeling when you are noise-less b/c your laughing so hard. Or your eyes fill up with tears or you think you are going to wet yourself b/c you abs cannot stop contracting from laughing so stinkin' long!?!?! Yeah, And it's always at terrible times too. I will pin point times in upcoming posts but, for now... Here's what i was laughing about lately... Brielle LOVES making Snowmen and as the snow has been melting it actually is working better to make them so, B went to town and did a great job all by herself. I'm so proud of her too. What a hard worker. What cracks me up is what she called it... Look Mom, I made a One -Eyed, Elephant, Alien Snowman for Aria! Such a creative...

This should be a blast:) We get to have Kara, Brielle's birthmom, there and we are dressing the dining room up as a royal tea party room with REAL china! This will be so cool!