Got this photo in my email today. Guess they let the cat out of the bag and told these two that they are being adopted and are soon to be brother and sister.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
:)
Got this photo in my email today. Guess they let the cat out of the bag and told these two that they are being adopted and are soon to be brother and sister.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
A special girl
I have the opportunity to work with the Young Women in our ward. I really enjoy it. I love all of my girls so much. I am so excited for one of them because she's on the cover of the new Jenny Phillips CD that's coming out! She's the girl in the center. This girl is really special. I've never met a girl that is so good through and through. She is such a good example to me and I have been incredibly impressed with her since the moment I met her. I really appreciate her example for me.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Things I've heard my kids say recently that I don't want to forget
Driving home from school the other day Becca yells out "I love Jesus SO much!" ...pause... "So much you can't even believe it!"
About a week ago Steve and I were sitting on the couch together and Jonah walks in the room. Just out of the blue he says, "Dad, I can tell that you really love Mom." I thought that was a pretty sweet observation. I hope the reverse is apparent to him too.
Finally, today Becca decided she wanted to write a letter to God. I was really surprised to read what she wrote to Him. Here it is:
"Dear god i love you what is it like to be in Heven what do you do in Heven i dont rille (really) like you(r) berd (beard) and Hair but i still like you do you Have food in Heven? love Becca."
Personally I think His beard and hair are just fine, but some girls just don't have a taste for it.
About a week ago Steve and I were sitting on the couch together and Jonah walks in the room. Just out of the blue he says, "Dad, I can tell that you really love Mom." I thought that was a pretty sweet observation. I hope the reverse is apparent to him too.
Finally, today Becca decided she wanted to write a letter to God. I was really surprised to read what she wrote to Him. Here it is:
"Dear god i love you what is it like to be in Heven what do you do in Heven i dont rille (really) like you(r) berd (beard) and Hair but i still like you do you Have food in Heven? love Becca."
Personally I think His beard and hair are just fine, but some girls just don't have a taste for it.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
On a more happy and exciting note...
We've told a lot of people, but not everyone. You ready for this???
We are going to adopt TWO children from Ethiopia. At the same time. You've all heard about Andualem, who we call Andy, but you haven't heard about Hana. (I think we'll keep her real name.)
She is a 5 year old cutie who seems like a sweet and happy little girl. She's very healthy and lives in the same orphanage as Andy. Both of her parents died of AIDS as well. :(
The most frequently asked question we get is "When will you get them?" I'd like to know that myself. It's been almost a year now since we started this whole adoption process. Right now we have been told it looks like we will be going over there some time in December for the first court date. Then we should go back 3-6 weeks after that to have the Embassy date and take them home. So I guess that looks like January'ish. But it could be sooner or later. Who knows.
So yeah, pretty exciting stuff going on here!
We are going to adopt TWO children from Ethiopia. At the same time. You've all heard about Andualem, who we call Andy, but you haven't heard about Hana. (I think we'll keep her real name.)
She is a 5 year old cutie who seems like a sweet and happy little girl. She's very healthy and lives in the same orphanage as Andy. Both of her parents died of AIDS as well. :(
The most frequently asked question we get is "When will you get them?" I'd like to know that myself. It's been almost a year now since we started this whole adoption process. Right now we have been told it looks like we will be going over there some time in December for the first court date. Then we should go back 3-6 weeks after that to have the Embassy date and take them home. So I guess that looks like January'ish. But it could be sooner or later. Who knows.
So yeah, pretty exciting stuff going on here!
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Isaac
I'm not quite sure how to write about this, especially as I've tried to avoid getting too personal on our blog. I even thought of going private so that I wouldn't need to worry about what I should and shouldn't say here. So please forgive me if I say too much. I just want to make sure that our family blog does discuss something that is a big deal to us.
So a couple of weeks ago we were anxiously awaiting our appointment to go in for our ultrasound to find out if our baby was a boy or girl. I actually was so excited I could hardly sleep even days ahead of time!
For a couple of weeks before this appointment I was having a lot of pain and contractions and my nausea was getting worse. I was sent to a high risk doctor to check things out when I was 14 weeks pregnant. That doctor ran an ultrasound and said the baby looked fantastic, so she was not concerned and sent me on my happy way.
But when we went in to the next ultrasound later, paranoid me immediately searched for that lovely little heartbeat flutter. But I didn't see it. The technician kept looking and looking and just didn't say anything. She said to turn on my other side and wait a minute while she went to the other room. When she left, I was upset. I told Steve "I am really scared! I didn't see the heartbeat!" He tried to calm me down until she came back in. She looked some more and said nothing until I finally said to her, "I don't see the heartbeat" at which point she admitted the same. She suggested we go ahead and get with my doctor. We immediately rushed over there. I wont go into detail as to how I was feeling or what was going through my mind during this time. But it was difficult.
Basically we saw the Midwife who did an ultrasound. No heartbeat. She then sent in the high risk doctor who did an ultrasound. No heartbeat. They advised me on what we should do next and sent me home to wait to hear when I am scheduled to come in to the hospital. That evening I got the call and more discussion with the midwife who arranged it all. I had an induction scheduled for the morning, with the anticipation that I will likely have a D&E right after I deliver the baby since placenta's often don't deliver well at this point in a pregnancy that has ended in such a way.
Everyone knows I've been through this before. Last time from start of induction to delivery I think took a couple of days. I did deliver the baby, I hemorrhaged, then I went in for a D&E. The whole process was pretty traumatic. So I was worried about the same type of experience repeating itself. It didn't however. We were so blessed. From start of induction to delivery was only about 14 hours. Blood loss was very minimal. When I delivered our baby, the placenta also delivered all in tact without much struggle. No surgery was needed and I didn't feel too terrible. (Delivery was 12:45 am on Friday September 10th.) Right after the delivery the doctor looked over the baby who she announced was a boy. Then she handed him to me. He looked much like Benjamin did, but probably an inch or two shorter? He had all ten fingers and all ten toes, as tiny as could be. We looked him over and held him for quite a while. They brought us in a very nice crochet blanket for us to wrap him in. We did so with such tenderness, expressed our love and goodbyes, and gave him to the nurses to take away. In the morning I was very anxious to go home because our kids at home were sick with the stomach flu. We stopped on our way home at the mortuary where we picked out a little box for him to be buried in. The burial was scheduled for Monday September 13.
He was buried in the beautiful Angel Garden section of the cemetery. The place set aside for babies and small children.
The burial was so nice! The cemetery was beautiful. The weather was perfect.
It was just our little family there along with the people from the mortuary. We did a quick little service where we prayed, I spoke a bit to the kids, we sang a song, and Steve dedicated the grave. The kids each put a little heart by/on his box for him.
This picture turned out poorly because it was on my phone from a distance, but I never want to forget as we were walking back to the car, all the kids were with us except for Celeste who was touching his box and looking like she was praying for him. It was pretty sweet.
In the hospital while I waited those hours in labor, I thought about our baby and what we should name him or her. Surely our child can't be an "it". Our original plan was to name him Samuel if it was a boy and Mariah if it was a girl. That was when the baby was alive. But as I labored I thought of the story of Abraham and Isaac. Abraham was asked to sacrifice his son. He didn't want to and it probably brought him anguish, but he chose to obey. As I thought of this, I felt that we should name our son Isaac because like Abraham, we would be willing to let our son go even though we didn't really want to and it brought us such sorrow to do so. When I asked Steve what he thought of it, he immediately agreed and we felt good about that. So we named him Isaac. I don't pretend or think that we are anything like Abraham who was a great prophet! I only felt like I could in a very very very small way relate. We gave him the middle name of Swenson because Benjamin was given my mother's maiden name and we thought it would be fitting to give Isaac Steve's mother's maiden name.
Elder Bruce R. McConkie said "Nothing is more universal than the resurrection."
and Joseph Smith said "All your losses will be made up to you in the resurrection, provided you continue faithful. By the vision of the Almighty I have seen it."
We believe these statements and take great comfort in our faith and sure belief that we will one day be reunited with Benjamin and Isaac.
So a couple of weeks ago we were anxiously awaiting our appointment to go in for our ultrasound to find out if our baby was a boy or girl. I actually was so excited I could hardly sleep even days ahead of time!
For a couple of weeks before this appointment I was having a lot of pain and contractions and my nausea was getting worse. I was sent to a high risk doctor to check things out when I was 14 weeks pregnant. That doctor ran an ultrasound and said the baby looked fantastic, so she was not concerned and sent me on my happy way.
But when we went in to the next ultrasound later, paranoid me immediately searched for that lovely little heartbeat flutter. But I didn't see it. The technician kept looking and looking and just didn't say anything. She said to turn on my other side and wait a minute while she went to the other room. When she left, I was upset. I told Steve "I am really scared! I didn't see the heartbeat!" He tried to calm me down until she came back in. She looked some more and said nothing until I finally said to her, "I don't see the heartbeat" at which point she admitted the same. She suggested we go ahead and get with my doctor. We immediately rushed over there. I wont go into detail as to how I was feeling or what was going through my mind during this time. But it was difficult.
Basically we saw the Midwife who did an ultrasound. No heartbeat. She then sent in the high risk doctor who did an ultrasound. No heartbeat. They advised me on what we should do next and sent me home to wait to hear when I am scheduled to come in to the hospital. That evening I got the call and more discussion with the midwife who arranged it all. I had an induction scheduled for the morning, with the anticipation that I will likely have a D&E right after I deliver the baby since placenta's often don't deliver well at this point in a pregnancy that has ended in such a way.
Everyone knows I've been through this before. Last time from start of induction to delivery I think took a couple of days. I did deliver the baby, I hemorrhaged, then I went in for a D&E. The whole process was pretty traumatic. So I was worried about the same type of experience repeating itself. It didn't however. We were so blessed. From start of induction to delivery was only about 14 hours. Blood loss was very minimal. When I delivered our baby, the placenta also delivered all in tact without much struggle. No surgery was needed and I didn't feel too terrible. (Delivery was 12:45 am on Friday September 10th.) Right after the delivery the doctor looked over the baby who she announced was a boy. Then she handed him to me. He looked much like Benjamin did, but probably an inch or two shorter? He had all ten fingers and all ten toes, as tiny as could be. We looked him over and held him for quite a while. They brought us in a very nice crochet blanket for us to wrap him in. We did so with such tenderness, expressed our love and goodbyes, and gave him to the nurses to take away. In the morning I was very anxious to go home because our kids at home were sick with the stomach flu. We stopped on our way home at the mortuary where we picked out a little box for him to be buried in. The burial was scheduled for Monday September 13.
He was buried in the beautiful Angel Garden section of the cemetery. The place set aside for babies and small children.
The burial was so nice! The cemetery was beautiful. The weather was perfect. 
It was just our little family there along with the people from the mortuary. We did a quick little service where we prayed, I spoke a bit to the kids, we sang a song, and Steve dedicated the grave. The kids each put a little heart by/on his box for him.
This picture turned out poorly because it was on my phone from a distance, but I never want to forget as we were walking back to the car, all the kids were with us except for Celeste who was touching his box and looking like she was praying for him. It was pretty sweet. 
In the hospital while I waited those hours in labor, I thought about our baby and what we should name him or her. Surely our child can't be an "it". Our original plan was to name him Samuel if it was a boy and Mariah if it was a girl. That was when the baby was alive. But as I labored I thought of the story of Abraham and Isaac. Abraham was asked to sacrifice his son. He didn't want to and it probably brought him anguish, but he chose to obey. As I thought of this, I felt that we should name our son Isaac because like Abraham, we would be willing to let our son go even though we didn't really want to and it brought us such sorrow to do so. When I asked Steve what he thought of it, he immediately agreed and we felt good about that. So we named him Isaac. I don't pretend or think that we are anything like Abraham who was a great prophet! I only felt like I could in a very very very small way relate. We gave him the middle name of Swenson because Benjamin was given my mother's maiden name and we thought it would be fitting to give Isaac Steve's mother's maiden name. Elder Bruce R. McConkie said "Nothing is more universal than the resurrection."
and Joseph Smith said "All your losses will be made up to you in the resurrection, provided you continue faithful. By the vision of the Almighty I have seen it."
We believe these statements and take great comfort in our faith and sure belief that we will one day be reunited with Benjamin and Isaac.
Augtember happenings
A few weeks ago Steve and I had the best date! We went to a local ski resort and rode the ski lift up the mountain. The weather was perfect and the views too. We really enjoyed ourselves and decided this would be a tradition that we must do at least once a year. 
Charity as I waited to go into my ultrasound. Such a cutie.
We lost our baby. I'll post a bit about that next. But as a result, I decided to take on a couple of little jobs to help bring in a bit more cash and keep me busy. I'm a housekeeper for Anna and for a friend! It's been great.
We went to the park and had a picnic for our Family Fun Day last week. It was Charity's first time actually playing in a park. She doesn't look like she's having much fun here, but she was just wanting a bit of freedom.
Her very first experience swinging in swings!
I started volunteering at the school. It was great to get a glimpse of Becca's crush, Aiden. He sits right next to her. She says she wants to marry him and imagines she is kissing him... As long as it stays at just imagining, we're ok!
Eden at our Serving With Smiles project this morning. It went well. We enjoy it.
Things are going good. We are so very blessed.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Blog Flood
Well, I just posted 10 blog posts. Yep 10!!!
Our blog is all caught up now on our entire Summer and it feels like a monkey off my back as I was debating for weeks on whether or not I should just give up on blogging, or let my posterity believe we did nothing the Summer of 2010; or if I should try and spend a couple of hours and get it all caught up. The guilt got the better of me, and there it is.
Poor quality it is. Lacking in creativity too. I am sure there are a million grammatical errors as well. But making those posts great would have been too much to expect.
Well, I am officially in my 2nd Trimester of this pregnancy. It's been hard. But I have to say it's been by far my easiest pregnancy ever. Which I am so thankful for. I still throw up daily. But not too many times. I still feel nauseated ALL the waking hours of the day, which is the most difficult part I think. But I keep hoping that it will ease off really soon as it did with Charity's pregnancy when I was feeling 100 times better in my 2nd trimester. I feel pretty tired all the time. I need naps every day or I totally crash at some point in the evening. I have occasional cramping/false contractions but so far things seem fine.
I've been able to do a lot this Summer despite all that in regards to the kids, trips, and working in Young Womens. But my job as "Homemaker" has gone totally to the dogs. I rarely make meals and my house has been a perpetual pig-sty for weeks on end. I've come to hate it when people drop in on me. I don't even answer the door most the time now. But yesterday we got the house cleaned and somewhat orderly and I hope I can keep it that way better now.
Well, now that I got all that done, I'm gonna go to sleep!
Our blog is all caught up now on our entire Summer and it feels like a monkey off my back as I was debating for weeks on whether or not I should just give up on blogging, or let my posterity believe we did nothing the Summer of 2010; or if I should try and spend a couple of hours and get it all caught up. The guilt got the better of me, and there it is.
Poor quality it is. Lacking in creativity too. I am sure there are a million grammatical errors as well. But making those posts great would have been too much to expect.
Well, I am officially in my 2nd Trimester of this pregnancy. It's been hard. But I have to say it's been by far my easiest pregnancy ever. Which I am so thankful for. I still throw up daily. But not too many times. I still feel nauseated ALL the waking hours of the day, which is the most difficult part I think. But I keep hoping that it will ease off really soon as it did with Charity's pregnancy when I was feeling 100 times better in my 2nd trimester. I feel pretty tired all the time. I need naps every day or I totally crash at some point in the evening. I have occasional cramping/false contractions but so far things seem fine.
I've been able to do a lot this Summer despite all that in regards to the kids, trips, and working in Young Womens. But my job as "Homemaker" has gone totally to the dogs. I rarely make meals and my house has been a perpetual pig-sty for weeks on end. I've come to hate it when people drop in on me. I don't even answer the door most the time now. But yesterday we got the house cleaned and somewhat orderly and I hope I can keep it that way better now.
Well, now that I got all that done, I'm gonna go to sleep!
My 32nd Bday
It was a really great day. Actually 3 days. Saturday before my bday my sweet friend Jen took me out to breakfast. Then Anna took me out to lunch, then Steve took me out to dinner and to buy my present. Anna and Emily pitched in for this too. I love it! Steve stayed up late putting it all together. All the baskets carefully hold all of our "junk" piles people were leaving (including me) around our kitchen and living room. 
Sunday which was my actual birthday, was a normal Sunday with a few meetings and church. But Anna had us all over for dinner which was nice. And Monday Steve actually took the day off. That was a huge deal! We went out to lunch together and he spent the day with me trying to get our house back in order too. It was awesome. I got some other nice gifts and attention and it made me feel thankful to all the kind people around me who took the time to make my day good.
Sunday which was my actual birthday, was a normal Sunday with a few meetings and church. But Anna had us all over for dinner which was nice. And Monday Steve actually took the day off. That was a huge deal! We went out to lunch together and he spent the day with me trying to get our house back in order too. It was awesome. I got some other nice gifts and attention and it made me feel thankful to all the kind people around me who took the time to make my day good.
School Starts
Well, it happened. The Summer flew by like crazy! We had a great time. I was excited for school to start though. The kids were having mixed feelings about it. Their first day went off without any issues or major excitements. I went home and took at least an hour nap while Charity napped. It was heavenly. They go to a Charter school now. The decision on what to do with them and their education this school year was a tough one. But on the first day of school, I was feeling pretty darn good about it. On the second day, a bit of a sadness hit me. Enough to make me feel a bit guilty, question my decision, but then ultimately say after my hour nap again, "This is totally what I needed to do!"So far they are doing well and happy with their teachers and situations. I have been impressed with the school so far too.
Becca is joining the cheerleading club which has got to be the cutest thing ever. Jonah is joining the robotics club and Celeste is joining the Spanish club. Eden has no desire to do any.
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