The Christian Crew

Setting up the Room has been an adventure... One of the crib screws got stuck ( it was the wrong screw) we had a friend pry it out and then we put in the right one! I've moved the furniture about 6 times so far. I used Aria's old Crib, our old Lay-Z-Boy and a few pillows i had in storage. I got the bedding from a sweet lady off CL. The Crib skirt, quilt, 5 wall decor pieces, night light, lamp( not pictured, bumper, 2 valances, breathable bumper( not pictured), musical things that hangs over the crib and a diaper stacker for 20.! Yeah, score, i know! I bought the toddler bed off CL a year or so ago for 45. ( retails for 175.) And i just ordered some cute wall vinyl for the room off ETSY... The giraffe will go on the crib wall and this saying will go over the window in chocolate brown! I think it's fitting b/c no matter where or what we are born into- we can go any which way we choose to go in life! Dr. Seuss in a Genius! Now... to get a rad rug and to tackle this closet. ...

I've been thinking about this as I've been moving boxes around, unpacking and decluttering! It takes a while to really feel AT HOME in your new space. Its nothing you can rush, or it just ends up frustrating you to no end! The same goes with your birth parent relationships... Remember when (if you've had this already) you first started communications with your child's birth parents? You'd respond in a timely manner, thinking things through before you said or wrote them. You'd spend hours thinking about them and how they were doing. Sometimes when AC's ( adoptive couples) RUSH to UNLOAD on a EP ( expectant parent) it scares them away. NO one likes every bit of info thrust onto them about anyone. TAKE IT SLOW. Don't avoid topics, just don't feel the need to pour it all out at once. Communication is also like planting new seeds. If you give it the right soil( timing) and the right amount of nourishment (trust) something good is bound to spring forth! I...

Yep, that's what unpacking is. I'm totally surround by boxes in a much larger house with an incredibly busy husband who cant seem to find anytime to help. So, I'm conquering it all little by little. Today is the girls room tomorrow its half the boxes in the living room downstairs...and so on! My hopes are to plant a few seeds here and get the garden ready and to enjoy this change of pace in life. After our annual conference last weekend, i really felt many of the speakers reaching out to all of us and giving us needed direction and focus to work on being better parents and responsible citizens in our communities.... President Monson urged members to avoid the distractions of life and remember the things that are of greatest importance: family, service, and living the gospel. Dallin H. Oaks said: “Perhaps the most familiar and most important examples of unselfish service and sacrifice are performed in our families,” said Elder Oaks. Many also demonstrate unselfishnes...

Recently, there has been a mixed bag of emotions being thrown around FB and blogs and such ( what's new, right?) about Couples who have bio children and choose to pursue or even look into adoption. I fully understand that we all grieve in different ways and in different times in our process. I'm not asking anyone to speed through their emotions or telling you that what your thinking/ feeling is wrong. I just want you to take a moment to stop before you criticize, or throw out harmful words b/c you are so full of emotion and the desire to have a child. People have that same desire to serve and love and raise a child, regardless if they have children or not. Who are you to say things that make no sense at all like... " if you adopt a child and you already have kids, then that's one less baby for a couple without kids to have!" " why can't you just be grateful for what you have been given?" " Why don't you adopt an older kid from foster care- ...

WE'RE MOVING!!! only about 28 miles away! But, we are moving in one month to a great home with 3,600 sq. feet of living space, 7 rooms, 2 living rooms, walkout basement and deck, ranch style and space enough for us to have a dedicated foster kids room! So very blessed that the Lord has let this happen and things have fallen in place. I really feel this will be so wonderful for us. Yes, we will miss the new friends we have made ( but we will come to this area often for doctors appointments, temple trips, shopping etc) but, we are excited to see who the Lord has put in our path this time! For right now, we are moving over slowly stuff each weekend and in between we are getting stuff ready for FC. Can't wait to share more exciting news soon! Happy Leap Day! *Our family at the ice castles in Silverthorne!

Just a couple of quick pics from our Valentine's Shoot. Much more to come! Man, I'm so blessed by these 3 crazy monkeys!

Russ , is a fantastic writer, great musician and all around funny man! He is also an adoptive father who BLOGS/WRITES about it. It easy to see his humor and candor and openness. Just check out his blog and sit a spell and read some of his funny stories too. I have tons of childhood memories of him and his siblings and parents. I will have to share a few sometime soon. All are fun or funny or taught me something pretty awesome! Rock on Russ, You truly are a SUPER DAD!