HAPPY 3rd BIRTHDAY!

I CANNOT believe it has been three years since our adoption miracle was born! I know it is so cliche and every parent says that, but it's just remarkable to have experienced such a miracle and then to watch him grow every day!

excerpt from our annual birthday letter we write to T-Man:

"T-Man, we've been so enamored watching you learn and experience the world, that we haven't even seen the calendar pages turn. You have brought more joy into our lives than words could ever describe. We are so blessed in every way possible. Your fun personality makes us laugh and your spirit is larger than life."

It is also on this day that our thoughts go to T-Man's birth mother "V". We have such gratitude and love for her and her family. We give thanks to them for what they had to go through to bring us all of this happiness. It was on this day three years ago that two parents were born (clueless ones, that's for sure!) and again, it was because of "V" that this was even made possible. Parenthood has changed us so much. Thank you "V" for giving T-Man life and for giving us the life that we have dreamed of.

You're such an incredible woman!

This will have to do ...

I have tried and tried to upload videos to our blog, but to no avail. They are too large. No matter how tiny the video, uploads will time-out and will never complete. T-Man LOVES this song; he has it memorized. We sing it daily and multiple times. After a church meeting last Tuesday, we even created a numbers song together that uses the same melody. We have now played this video at least 12 times. The videos of T-Man in my humble opinion are soooo much cuter, but this will have to do until I can become less technology-ignorant.

For those who are unfamiliar with these men: The First Presidency & The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

THANKS!

Thanks to M. at Plaid with Polka Dots for my first ever blog award!

So here are the rules: Accept the award; post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his/her blog link. Pass the award on to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

*I'm new to blogging, but I'm excited to select the 15 bloggers that keep me up way too late reading each night! Names and links to follow tomorrow when Ray is up (T-man's name for the sun) and Luna (his name for the moon) has gone to bed :)

We Play with Our Food

We encourage playing with your food at our house.

T-Man's Word in Cheez-it Scrabble Crackers:
Pronounced: "wuh-ove" and yes, he spelled it and put it together himself. He's AMAZING! Other words he can spell: Mississippi, stop, bump (these construction signs are all over our town!), his first, middle, and last name, tree, water, go, on, off, yes, no, mom, dad, hat (and all words that rhyme with it). I feel we're going to be in big trouble when this little boy gets into school. He's going to be the trouble maker because he'll be so bored. Daddy is teaching him how to add and all about quantum-mechanics. Did I even spell that right? I'll have to go ask T-Man :)

Mommy's word:
Trying to stay positive as we continue to hope for a second adoption miracle! Sometimes the waiting can just eat away at you. We are so looking forward to our 10-year anniversary trip to Sundance, Utah WITH T-Man (his first airplane ride) at the end of September. Life is good! Pictures will certainly be shared early October.

Definition of Self Portrait

Apparently in "Mommy School" we need to cover the definition of Self-Portrait again. One of us thinks the definition is not "to paint a picture of oneself", but rather "to paint oneself."

Our Thoughts on Open Adoption

According to T-Man, this is known as an "upper-case" chair (his own design, by the way). One chair is a "lower-case chair", a second on top makes it bigger which equals an "upper-case" chair. It's amazing to observe how his almost 3 year old mind thinks!

If you would have asked us in the beginning of our adoption journey if we wanted an open adoption, you most likely would have heard something like, "Ummm, no thank-you". We didn't know much about adoption or openness in adoption and have learned the majority of what we know "along the way".

When we met our son's birth mother and later discussed how open we wanted our adoption relationship to be, our hearts changed and softened. She was giving us a part of her heart -- her child -- her son -- and she deserves so, so much. We agreed to letters, pictures, email, and to the exchanging of gifts. That has since expanded into quarterly visits, phone calls, holiday gifts, quick cell-phone calls just to say "Hi", you name it. Not all open adoptions are like this or can be like this. We understand each others "boundaries" -- We are very blessed.

Last week, T-Man said, "I need to say 'Hi' to V." So we picked up the phone and he did just that. During a prayer the other night I asked to please bless V. At the end T-Man corrected me and added that we needed to bless her parents and sister! (Once again, I stand corrected) Ask us now if we want an open adoption. You will hear something like, "We wouldn't want it any other way!"

Thank you V!

TOO HOT!

Yesterday: 92 degrees and too much humidity

Outside temp. + humidity =
a feels like temperature of 101 degrees.

Lovin' the sprinkler!

"If a mother and father can love more than one child,
then certainly a child
can love more than one mother or father."
~Author Unknown

We are so grateful for our open adoption.
T-Man has so many people that love him, I lose count.
I hope as he grows and learns about adoption
that he will draw strength from this.

Happy Father's Day, Dear!

I love and have loved every minute of being a mother.
Yes, even the dirty diapers and the food spills for the "umpteenth" time.
But hands down, my most favorite part of motherhood is watching Eric move into his role as
a DAD.
I guess I never really saw much of that side of him while we dated.
I have to say, being a father has turned him into the cutest and biggest "mush-melon".
Every night, after T-Man has fallen asleep, we sneak back into his room and watch him sleep for awhile.
EVERY NIGHT
Eric whispers something into T-man's ear, kisses his cheek and then coos, "he's so cute" or "he's getting so big" or "I just love this kid" or "We have a son!" or "Love you, T-Man"
He LOVES being a father!

Water fight in the backyard 05/25/09
Happy Father's Day - "DADDY"!

Happy Birthday Grandpa!

Happy Birthday Grandpa!

Thanks for being the best example to T-Man

Thanks for all you do for all of us!

We love you!