MORE BABY BROOKS

A few more pics of Baby Brooks! 

INTRODUCING BABY BROOKS

Welcome to the world baby boy Brooks.  We couldn't love you more!

As many of you know, Justin and I had been matched with a Birthmother in Ohio due to have a baby girl in Jan.  She went into labor early and we caught the first plane we could to pick up baby girl.  Sadly, about thirty mins before we got to the hospital, fifteen year old Birthfather showed up claiming his rights. We were heartbroken.  While we wanted to give this situation a fair chance to play out, things did not go in our favor and we were aware this adoption would not take place with us.  

We got a call that a Birthmother had gone into labor early in Atlanta and had not been matched with a family.  There was a baby boy needing a home.  So we said a prayer and followed our hearts to Atlanta, Georgia.  

Baby Brooks with discharged with us today and is absolutely precious.  He is a small guy weighing a little more than 5 lbs.  We were meant to be together.  There are many personal details to this story that I won't share on here, but we know baby Brooks is ours and we are his!  

We are a happy family right now. Thanks to all our family and friends for all your love, support, and prayers.  

Yea for BABIES!!!!!!

The cutest African American face I've ever seen!!! And yes, I can say that because Connor is biracial and maintains to be the cutest biracial face I've ever seen! 

CONNOR'S FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIE

Connor loves watching, Yes, Virginia, on netflix.  He watches this twenty minute Christmas movie over and over.  Did you know it's a true story? 

Eight-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon wrote a letter to the editor of New York'sSun, and the quick response was printed as an unsigned editorial Sept. 21, 1897. The work of veteran newsman Francis Pharcellus Church has since become history's most reprinted newspaper editorial, appearing in part or whole in dozens of languages in books, movies, and other editorials, and on posters and stamps.

Dear Editor,
I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say that there is no Santa Claus. Papa says "If you see it in the Sun, it is so." Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?

Virginia,
Your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except what they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds.
All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to our life its highest beauty and joy.
Alas! How dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.
Not believe in Santa Claus? You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your Papa to hire men to watch all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove?
Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see.
Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders that are unseen and unseeable in the world.
You tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, or even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernatural beauty and glory beyond.
Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else as real and abiding.
No Santa Claus? Thank God he lives and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, maybe 10 times 10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad the hearts of children.
Written by Francis P. Church in 1897

BEAUTIFUL! 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING WITH A SIDE OF HOPE

Every Thanksgiving I stop and reflect on the blessings I am grateful for.

I have so much.  The most amazing husband and sweetest child.  A place to call home.  Friends, true friends, the best friends anyone could ever have.  Still with all this, at the end of the day I find myself on my knees pleading to heaven with a heart full of hope. 

This Thanksgiving the thing I am the most grateful for is hope.  After all, without hope, what would we have?  

Everything we celebrate at Thanksgiving is about hope.  Think about the Pilgrims, did they not hope for a better life, hope for freedom, hope to make a safe voyage, hope for crops to grow, hope for safety?  Indeed the Pilgrims relied on hope.

When I was six years old, my grandmother Elaine gave me a baby doll named Hope for Christmas.  She gave me Hope because I hoped for a baby, a sibling.  Praying for babies isn't anything new to me.  I've been praying for babies my whole life.  I have wonderful parents who endured much heartache with infertility.  They did everything right by me, but I think the lord left a small empty spot in my heart from beginning and this was part of a plan. 

On my seventh Birthday after I opened my gifts, my Dad handed me a card with a balloon stating they were having a baby.  I remember running up and down our street saying,"my mom is having a baby, my mom is having a baby."   If I had to mark the happiest moment of my life I think this would be it.  I was young, I didn't stress or worry, I was just happy.  

Christian was born in February and he was perfect.  It was shortly after that Matt came along and brought some much needed spunk to our quiet house, Christian is still perfect and Matt is still spunky, always laughing.  The empty spot in my heart was filled and life was good.                           

          I think the lord decided since I had to wait so long for siblings I could meet the love of my life early, and so came Justin.  As I sit here writing, I can't stop crying thinking about how much I love Justin.

I always told Justin, when we got married I wanted kids right away and a lot of them. So when babies didn't come and miscarriages did, once again the empty spot in my heart was back.  And once again this was part of a plan. 

 After three years of marriage we decided to adopt.  When others said to wait and let nature take it's course, we would end up with a full term pregnancy soon enough, we said, "no, it's not soon enough"  and we're glad we did.  And so came baby Connor.  

Somewhere right now is a birthmother named Cheri, hoping she did right by him.  She had hopes and dreams for him first.  Again, without hope for a better life where would Connor be? 

Still every night I prayed and prayed for more babies to come.  I didn't care how, biological, foster care, more adoptions, I just wanted Connor to have a sibling.  I didn't want to wait another seven years.  2011 proved to be a stressful year at our house and somehow through all of it we ended up sitting with a banker figuring out possibly everything and anything we could finance in order to put in our adoption papers.  Somehow things fell into place easily and once again we were signing our names on the doted line with Heart and Soul Adoptions.

It seemed unreal to me.  I surely thought Connor would be at least four before we could pull this off again.

 Conference weekend we were down at my cousin Rachel's house and she was helping us get some of our adoption papers in order.  As we were leaving she told us to try this small family owned burger joint called Shivers on our way home.  If you've been there you know there is a train stretched through it where the kids can eat.  We ordered our food and Connor loved the train.  The booths were filled with children, who were siblings eating together.  Connor sat at a booth by himself looking at the children sitting together and kept saying, "friends, friends" my heart broke that my little boy had to sit alone, I know this is silly but still it ached.  As fast as the ache came it went away and strong voice inside my heart said, "This is not Connor's trial to endure, he will be sitting with a sibling soon enough."  It was a loud clear voice and I knew that after years and years of praying and hoping, it was not in vein.  

Indeed Connor will be two and a half this Dec. and we've been matched with another adoption this week.  A baby girl who will come the first of Jan.

So again, we are filled with hope.  Hope for a successful adoption, hope for a healthy baby.  Hope for a Birthmother to find peace.

I've always loved thanksgiving and the more I reflect I realize it is the hopes of others we are grateful for.        It is my prayer we can stop and look at those around us this holiday season.  How can we help give hope to others?  It may be as simple as donating to charity, or calling a friend and wishing them love this Christmas season.  Being grateful for what we have, putting a smile on our face and enjoy the blessings we have from the sacrifices others have made.  Sacrifices they made because they had hope for something better.

Wishing you all a wonderful Thanksgiving and may God continue to bless you.

TRICK OR TREAT!

Our darling little clown!

Dick's Market trunk or treat with Jackson and Ashton

Neighborhood Trick or treating with Cade

I think this picture is so funny of all their little bums sticking out!

Enjoying his loot!

Happy Halloween!

CANDY APPLES

We've had loads of fresh apples off our apple tree in the backyard, 

and there is nothing quite as fun as candy apples around Halloween time.

My brother Christian helped Connor and I make them.

The only thing that isn't perfect about these apples is the fact that Connor couldn't resist licking each one of them like a lollipop after he put the stick in it.  I still think they taste delicious ;)

CONNOR'S FIRST HAIR CUT

This week Connor got his first hair cut ever!

Ah, SO CUTE!!!!

BEWITCHED

Loved this "Bewitched" party by Hostess With the Mostess.

What a fun blog site to look at!

Tomorrow Connor and I will be bewitching our home with Halloween.

Love this time of year!

DEAR LIZZY WITH THE GIRLS

A couple weeks ago my girlfriends and I decided we needed some girl time.

So we left the kiddos and husbands home and headed out.

I've been wanting to go to Dear Lizzy in Alpine for a couple years, so we headed up there.

Aren't my friends so fabulous?  I've seriously been wanting to go for two years! 

And can I say HEAVEN!  

Loved everything about this store, we grabbed a light lunch and headed into downtown Salt Lake. 

The damage...

All this shopping made us hungary so we grabbed some pizza.

And if you're feeling bad for the husbands at home with the kids, don't.  They had just as much fun having a football party eating guy food and hitting the sporting good stores.

Cute girls :) 

Thanks to my dear girlfriends for the great time!

FERTILITY GIFT

Meet our newest adoptee.

Huey

He was given to me as a good luck fertility gift.

He's sweet and loves to hide in the plants around the house.

Here is Connor holding his brother Buford who was adopted by my brother.

Connor is of course crazy about the bunny.  He can't stop kissing it.

K'NAAN - Wavin' Flag

I know this song has been out for a while, but we happen to LOVE it!  So if you haven't seen the music video, watch it! Remember to pause the music player. This song will make you happy :)

SUMMER FUN

 I've been terrible at taking photos this summer, but we've sure been having a lot of fun!!!

I'm so lucky to have my cute neighbor girls who are always up for park days, movies, the zoo.  Here are some photos I have taken.

My parents are remodeling their house this summer, so we've been seeing an extra lot of Christian and Matt and it's been so fun having them around!  Connor loves when his uncles sleep over! 

If you know Connor well you know he is head over hills in love with Riley!  The whole time at the zoo he was yelling Riley, Rhett, Riley, Rhett!!!!!  Some of our best friends in the whole world, what would we do without the Merrills?

I also couldn't ask for better neighbors!!!  Here is Connor with our next door neighbor Shannon at the movies.  Whenever we go outside he points to Shannon's house and asks me where the "pretty girl" is.  Shannon is known to laugh hysterically, like stop breathing she's laughing so hard, we love having her around! 

We headed up to Eden over the 24th of July.  My little brother Matt got his Eagle in scouts so my grandparents took the extended family to the Red Moose Lodge to celebrate.  We had about seventy people, it was a BLAST!!!!

Connor had so much fun, he loves nothing more than to be around kids! 

I really wish I would have taken more photos.  

We went on a pretty fun mountain bike trail.  My poor cousin Jenifer fell on her bike and got a pretty swollen eye.  When we asked if she was okay she had blood dripping from her eye put her hands in the air and told us it was the funnest bike ride she's ever been on!  

I can't thank my grandparents enough for the years and years of trips they've taken us on.  

Some of my best memories will always be with my Grandparents and cousins :)

Connor has also been upgraded from his crib to a twin bed.  The puppies sleep with him every night, Connor loves Elle and Bruiser, who needs stuffed animals when you have the real things?

Hope you're all having a wonderful Summer too!