i heart mrs. r

(as well as this photo I swiped from her.)

Happy Day!

BAWLING.

Remember them?

They just became parents. Congratulations Andrew and Sarah.

Adoption is AMAZING.

My heart is full.

Thomas! (And his friends.)

True story:

Riding home from dinner tonight, I was sitting in the backseat with Jothan. Over the radio airwaves we hear this song of little kids singing about Gordon B. Hinckley.

Me: "Hey Joth, do you hear that song on the radio? They are singing about Gordon B. Hinckley."

Joth: Listening intently. "Oh ya Mom they are!"

Me: "You know that Gordon B. Hinckley died and went to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus, right?"

Joth: "Ya Mom, now there is another Gordon, named Thomas!"

Leave it to my little four year old to recognize that A: We have a new "Gordon" (prophet) and B: That in the show Thomas and His Friends (You know which Thomas I speak of...) There is an engine named Gordon, and an engine named Thomas. I would have never put those two together.

Little Man, you totally RAWK, I love you so much!

CONGRATULATIONS JAKE AND JULIE!!

(They just found out they are expecting their first baby/babies...Due in January.)

Love you Julz!

This kid has personality.

Sometimes...sometimes, I think that LJ is out to get me. Sometimes I think that he doesn't take a nap when the other kids are, just because he knows how much I need that hour to myself. Sometimes, I think he needs that time with me, with someone, and sometimes the things he does just make me LAUGH out LOUD. Things like this:

(Sorry about the creepy black box...I got creative because I am dying to post about this.)

When I went into his room for the tenth time yesterday to make sure he was lying in bed, not taking every last bit of clothing out of the drawers, he must have heard me coming, because I saw him running to his bed wearing this snazzy attire. How could I be upset? I let him up, took a few photos and put him back to bed. I made the mistake of putting the tie and hat away...and he had them on within two minutes of me putting him down again.

Little Dude...you bring sunshine. I hope you always know how much you are loved.

He gets to spend the weekend with Mom. I take him to her in the morning. I've been a little teary today. But thankful that he can be safe with his family again soon.

My Friend

She came over today. I just love her and her little Liv to absolute pieces. I miss seeing them often. Do you remember them?

Thanks for stopping by today Wend. It was a great excuse to sweep the floor. ;)

Just proof that when you come and visit me, and visit my blog, you just might be rewarded.

Today I was bored...

So I got out the camera and took photos of the only child that would cooperate. I love her uber much. She is such a ham.

"Take a pitcha' of my hands!" (I did...I just liked this one better!)

"Give me a BIG smile Memm!"

Good times.

I took some of the other kids...but that memory card is locked in the car...far away from here. Hopefully tomorrow!

Remember that Blast to the Past Night?!

That our ward had a few weeks ago? I just came across the photos...hilarious. I wish ours were better, but I had someone else take them and they are not in focus at all...anyway... Love these ladies that I serve with...it has been THE best calling for me!
I can't believe it, but Flavio used to dress like this. So thankful that was before I met him.
Look at my ghetto hair! I can't believe I couldn't get it any higher...good thing that I don't have to get it that big now!
Me and my cute husband. LOVE you to pieces Dude!
So fun to blast to the past and relive some of those old memories.

Birth Mother's Day!

I had the most incredible day. Today we had a luncheon for the birth mother's from our agency. I am always blown away by the spirit in the room on this special day. I love meeting new people, seeing friends and listening to the stories of adoption, and the miracles that are wrought through these strong, beautiful, and amazing women.

Amanda asked a sweet girl from her neighborhood to come and sing for us. I was BLOWN away and had to wipe tears from my eyes. An amazing experience.

My heart has been truly touched today. I just wanted to remember. I am so lucky to be a part of FSA, the people I have met, the lives that have been touched. WOW.

Oldie but goodie...

Because a post isn't a post without a photograph!

I have been thinking a lot today about the past two months. How much our lives have changed, how much we have learned, how much we have grown. I am really thankful for all of the trials, the heartache, for the blessings. My heart is deeply touched and sincerely humbled in ways that I am not even sure I can express right now.

One thing I have learned is to SLOW DOWN. I never realized how much time I was missing from myself, and my family until I had to STOP and TAKE time for us, for myself. I feel like a different person, I like the changes I have made. I feel like I have grown closer to my husband, to our children. I have learned to be a better mother through having LJ in our home. I have learned that I am not as patient as I would like to be, and through it all I have learned patience.

I have learned that Heavenly Father is AMAZING...I know there is a higher power in this Universe. I know that he is mindful of each one of us. I have seen it witnessed to myself over the past few months, and it is incredible.

I'm just really happy. I'm really thankful. I just wanted you to know that.

Best Budds

I am constantly amazed by how well these two get along with one another. I snapped this a few weeks ago after Memms woke up from a nap, and I caught the two of them cuddling on the bean bag chair in front of Curious George. They are dynamite. Love them to bits and bits.

Little LJ is still with us. Foster Care is such a roller coaster, because the state has no idea what is really going on, so they tell me one thing and another thing happens...so I figure for the most part I am done with updates. ;) He's here, we're loving on him and that is that. The latest word is maybe next week? So, we'll see.

Our weekend was very busy. I felt like it was SUPER busy and that I let a few of my very close friends down. We missed a wedding and a baby blessing. We are usually so great about getting to the places we need to get...but didn't do so great this weekend.

Yesterday Hubbs was called to be our new Ward Clerk. I don't know why but this seems like such a HUGE calling to me. It means I have to be a better support to him than I have been in the past, and that I will be wrestling the little ones on my own during Sacrament Meeting. We are excited for this new adventure and I know that Hubbs will enjoy it as well. He loves working with his "paper"...so he'll do just fine.

Well...that is about it for us. Hope your week has started out wonderfully!

iTunes Shuffle Challenge

I've been challenged to an iTunes Shuffle Challenge. Bear yourself and tell the world the first 16 songs that appear when you shuffle your iPod. Here are mine:

Samson--Regina Spektor

Us--Regina Spektor

The Remedy--Jason Mraz

Me and You--Barry Louise Polisar

Up the Spout--Mateo Messina

1234--Feist

Ordinary Day--Vanessa Carlton

Umbrella--Rhianna

Merry Happy--Kate Nash

Never Too Late--Three Days Grace

First Time--Lifehouse

Hey There Delilah--Plain White T's

Waiting on the World to Change--John Mayer

Dreaming With a Broken Heart--John Mayer

Somewhere Over the Rainbow--Isreal Kamakawiwo'ole

Stop and Stare--One Republic

Enjoy!

Potty Training Day 1

Today was the official Day 1. Don't worry I won't update you everyday...as with past experience I'm sure I may have to take a break and start fresh again...I wasn't sure I was going to do it, until I realized that she's probably ready if I put forth the effort. She did really great on Monday afternoon, totally went in the potty all evening. Today, well she held it in a lot. We sat on the potty about a bajillion times.

True Story:

So, today I was home ALL day with LJ and Memm. I was on top of LIFE. I was a good little mum. Talked to the kids, folded laundry all day, took Memm to the potty the bajillion times we spoke of. LJ went on a visit with his Grandpa so I decided to run a few quick errands and left Hubbs with Memm. Hubbs was downstairs with STRICT instructions to ask Memm if she needed to potty and to TAKE her every once in a while.

I get home about 1.5 hours later to Memm walking up the stairs from the basement. She says to me:

"Mom, I poot in my calcinha." (Mom, I pooed in my panties.)

"Memm, why didn't you tell Daddy that you needed to poop on the potty?"

"Daddy watching TV."

Rolling on the floor laughing my butt off. You should have seen the look of guilt on Hubb's face. Needless to say he had to change the Pull Up.

Bringing me to my final thought for the evening. Pull Ups oddly enough did work for Jobby. I'm hoping they will for Memm too. Right before bed she tells me, "These are not diapers, they are panties." We'll see how tomorrow goes.

Potty Training. Gah.

Just Now:

In regard to "Pull Ups Training Pants".

Me: "Okay Memm, let's not get these underwear wet or dirty...we don't want to get the princesses yucky."

Memm: "It's not a underwear, it's a diaper."

She's smarter than I realized.

My heart melts...

...sometimes with this little boy. Tonight he says to me, "Mom, I'm LJ's big brother huh?"

Totally litte man...you are. One of THE best big brothers EVER.

For. Real.

I was going through some photographs tonight and came across this. Ron and Jessica sent it to me FOREVER ago...I guess they found it on one of their many trips 'cross country.

Love...

...shots like these.

T-minus 90 minutes and counting...

To say I'm obsessed, well...that would be putting it lightly.

Heart Sick.

Amy? Did you take this?

Do you guys ever feel heart sick? Like your heart feels like it is going to break into a million tiny pieces? I have three different people/families that my heart is just aching for. So much so that I feel SICK to my stomach when I think about all the trial they are going through, and all the trial that they may potentially be going through.

I long to take that ache away. I pray and hope that they don't have to go through so much heartache and sorrow, and yet, as I have gone through my own trials in life, I have seen how they have shaped me, moulded me, and brought me to the place I am in today. Do you think this is how Father feels?

He doesn't want to see us hurting, wishes and wants to take the pain away, but he just can't because he sees the whole picture?

Will you all pray for my friends? Pray for their families? Even though you don't know them? I'm so thankful for all of my blog friends, for all you are, for all you do. For me, and for those you have never met and will never meet! So very thankful for you.

I FOUND IT!!!

MY RING!!

THANKS YOU GUYS...I know it was because so many of you prayed that I would. And it was, in THE most random place EVER! In a pocket, of the cutest jacket I own, that I would have NEVER put my ring in. I'm so happy to have it back!

Going to miss...

These moments... The moments when I would catch all three of them like this. Playing, laughing, loving one another. These moments have been becoming more and more frequent. We find ourselves getting very teary at the thought of next week. Next week this little man could be gone.
And my heart that was so fearful of his arrival, is weeping at his departure. We love you little LJ. Thank you for touching our lives and our hearts with your presence.

It is amazing to me...the power of LOVE. The power of Adoption. The power of Foster Care. Heavenly Father designed the heart so perfectly. Something that is so easily broken, is so easily repaired by another's love, so easily grown and sewn back together to only burst to overflowing with more LOVE.

Love is a pretty cool thing.

:(

About a week ago I lost my wedding ring. I can't find it. ANYWHERE. I have CLEANED, like DEEP cleaned my ENTIRE house. GONE. NADA. NOTHING. Sick. I am just sick.

Spring is Here...

...I saw proof of it in the blossoms on the trees. FINALLY trees. Thank you!

We've had a busy day. Tomorrow is no exception. It is a good busy. A happy busy.

Tonight we had a really fun ward adult activity. It was themed, "Blast to the Past". We got to dress up from any era. It rawked. We took a few photographs but I am too lazy and tired to go get the card right now.

Off to bed, have a bright, early, and full day ahead of me.

Hope your day is full of sunshine.

Easter. I know you were a month ago.

Is anyone else like, really mad at Blogger? I hate the new photo upload system. Bah.

Anyway. Easter. These were the day before LJ came. (Can I just tell you how FRUSTRATING it is not to post photos of him? I took a few today of his feet. So at least you can see he is a real little guy. Back on track: I loved coloring eggs with my kiddos. I love that they are getting old enough now where everything is magical to them. I love how patiently they waited for the eggs to color. I love how much they devoured the fruits of their labor. I love their expressions, especially J-Man on that last shot. He kills me. Ooo I love him.

So, like, FOUR months ago, I bought Adobe Lightroom. I used it FOR THE FIRST TIME tonight. Guess what? I think I LOVE IT. I saved AND edited 50 RAW files and saved them to JPEGS in 4 minutes. FOUR. 4. QUATRO. Dude, I am sold. Now I just need to figure it out. I may say I edited them, I didn't say they looked good. ;)

It snowed today.

Oh flip flops. How I miss you.

Foster Care

I guess I should have waited to update y'all about little LJ. Got a call today. Change is coming it seems.

Visits have been extended to four times a week, and for longer periods of time. I can handle that. After seeing how happy and excited he was to see mom today, I was happy they would have more time together.

I've really come to love LJ's family. I love his grandfather specifically and especially. I am concerned for them, for his mom. They are SO full of love, it is just sad that some things in life create a barrier to the things that are most important. It is my prayer that LJ's mom can find the strength to push forth, and that little LJ will always know how much he is loved, wanted and needed in this life, especially when he leaves us.

He wasn't feeling the greatest today, he had a fever today and since he had seen his mom, was fighting his nap. I went in and just talked to him, caressed his little face until his eyes closed. My mind kept wandering to his mom. I keep thinking about if I were in her position, I would hope that if my kids were in someone else's care, there would be someone there to give them lots of hugs, lots of kisses, and extra time and care if they were sick. My heart has grown SO much through this experience, and each day is getting easier. It is very much worth it.

Guilty pleasures. Got any?

I love how reflective of my mood these photographs were today. Right down to the colors. Kind of crazy. I've really been indulging myself with some of my guilty pleasures lately. Here are a few of them: Magazines, but GOOD photography magazines particularly. I found this one and I am IN LOVE with it. The images, the layout, the design, it kicks.
Shoes. For some reason I am loving open toe heels. I hated when my mom wore them when I was little. I guess I love them because it gives me a reason to indulge in my other guilty pleasure: Pedicures.
Joico Firm Hairspray. I'm addicted thanks to my cousin Jill. She may remember back in jr. high and high school I detested the almighty hair spray. Now, I bow to it.
Again, something I thought was SO gross when I would see anyone eating it. With a hubby with it as his favorite candy, it was only a matter of time and somehow I tried one, and now we can't stop. (We can, we just don't want to.) There is something about the little package and the triangular shape that is totally awesome too.
And finally the red pear. Pretty much love them to pieces. Love the flavor, love the color, love to hold them in my hand and smell them. A bowl of these to look at, is way better than any bouquet of flowers.

What are your guilty pleasures?