Spring Break 2008...2009

I love spring breaks!! Last year during our spring break Rusty, Heather, Colt, and Cassie were spending the week with us. I remember they had gone out as a family to do something on Tuesday and I just "happened" to be home to receive the phone call!!! I love the way God works:) Here is the rest of that story...

On the previous Friday, before the Rusty clan had arrived, I spent the afternoon over at my friend Wendi's house crying, longing for a child! That was the first time that I had really let myself be that upset. I remember coming home yelling at God and telling him how unfair I thought it was. It was like He let me have it out with him and then gently held me and gave me a peace that only He could give. I felt it in my gut, I know that sounds weird:), that He was going to give us the child we were supposed to have! I just didn't know it was going to turn out this great:)

The following Sunday at church I was praying and I felt like God led me to read Philippians 4:6 which says..."Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the God of peace, whichs transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." What was cool was about 3 min. later the preacher had everyone turn to this passage during his message:)

Anyway, the key part of this verse that I focused on was, with thanksgiving! My prayer changed from that moment on. I gave my request to God, I want a child, but now added, but thank you for doing whatever you are doing that I don't even know, and can't even see. I know that you are in control and that you have a plan for our family. Thank you for who You are! It was amazing the peace and joy that I would have after saying that prayer! I repeated it all day Sunday, all day Monday, and then on Tuesday I was home alone and went to my room to read and pray. I had just began to say my prayer when the phone rang. It was our agency telling me that this was THE phone call. They wanted me to go to Beau's work so that they could do a conference call with us about a precious 6 week old little boy! Now when people find out that you are wanting to adopt you start hearing about babies all over the place. So up to this point we had already had 3 babies fall through our fingers, which is very difficult, so we went into this phone call guarded yet excited!! (This was the first baby that we had heard about through our agency)

After learning all about this precious baby boy on this Tuesday afternoon, we asked "Is there ANY way that this could fall apart and not go through??" and their reply was, "Only if you decide you don't want him. There is No other way!!" Then our next question was "When can we get him?" and to that they said, "He is on spring break vacation right now with his foster family, (who we love!!) and will be back Sunday evening, so you can come get him on Monday!" You should have seen Beau searching for his calendar! He began stumbling over his words, "You mean this Monday the 24th?" and to that they said "YES!" We couldn't believe it! We went from no baby to having a baby within 6 days!

That night Heather and I primed the nursery, and I painted it the next day. We went and got our crib from Wendi's on Thursday, our friend Jim came and picked up some furniture we wanted painted on Friday, and we left Saturday morning for Texas. I think we averaged about 4 hours of sleep each night. We would just lay there and talk and laugh, so full of excitement and joy! Everyone kept telling us to get our rest now, but we didn't care! And looking back we still don't! I loved having that time with Beau in the quiet hours of the night and early morning sharing in our joy and fears!

Anyway fast forward now to Spring Break 2009! Here is our awesome boy Grant and his cousin Kado, at my brother Todd's house.

Here is Sarah, Emma, and Steven in the perfect climbing tree!! I love this tree!!

Is their anything better then family?? Here is everyone outside playing a somewhat friendly game of football:)

While we were all lounging around, Grant decided to play a little something he put together for us:) I love watching his little fingers push one key at a time...brilliant child!!

Here we are finally back home. During the week Grant had busted both his top and bottom lip, then fell on the concrete scrapping his forehead and nose, and fell down about 6 steps, but all in all it was a great week:)

Grant would like to say..."Happy Birthday Doodaa and Kennedy"...& "Happy St. Patrick's Day"

First off
I would like to say
This is the first poem
I have ever written...ok!!

Today many of you
Will take the time to celebrate
St. Patrick's Day by wearing green
And other fun things that are great

But I'm here to tell you
This day is very special to me
Because its my Doodaa's birthday
That she shares with my cousin Kennedy

I always know I will have lots of fun
When Doodaa is around
And if I squeal or squeak at all
Kennedy will be right there to quiet me down

I do not get to see my Doodaa
As often as I would like
She sends me boxes of goodies
And when I get older maybe she will send me a bike

Anyway to Doodaa and Kennedy
Happy Birthday
And to everyone else
Have a Happy and safe St. Patrick's Day:)

Love,
Grant

First Date and First Sleep Over...???

I know that the title sounds a little misleading, but it is the truth. For Valentine's Day Grant asked his best friend Addison out for dinner and she and her parents agreed:) He thought it was only appropriate to buy her a chocolate rose and buy her supper since he is a gentleman!! Here is Addison, Grant, and Elmo outside of the restaurant...ps she loved the rose!!


First sleep over...
Beau and Chris were out of town last Friday so Tammy and Addison came and spent the night at our house. We ALL had the best time!! Addi and Grant played together so sweetly and then relaxed in front of the TV before bed:) Precious!!!

Thursday we gave my friend Rachel a baby shower at school. I called the same awesome lady that made Grant's birthday cake to make one for the party. I think she did another amazing job. I loved this cake...it made me wish for a girl in the future:) Oh and she teaches cake decorating classes, so I am signing up for the summer. Go ahead and place orders with me now ladies!!! I will soon be making awesome cakes as well!!:)

Grant loves to play outside! He gets just a little frustrated when we make him come inside! In this first pic you can see him leaning against the deck. Usually what he does it sits on that little ledge by his knees. He looks so sweet!!

My friend Wendi got this shirt for Grant for his birthday and we LOVE it!!

Doodaa and Kennedy, this new background is for you!!

Happy Birthday Steven

Today is Steven's Birthday

He is now 7 years old

He is my oldest brother's youngest

Now here is his story retold

He was born, I don't know

I'd say around a normal 7 pounds

He reminded me of my older brother Trent

Which meant he would grow with leaps and bounds

He was the cutest baby

When he'd smile his eyes automatically closed

But growing to 26 pounds at 6 months

I guess that's just how it goes

As you can see he is a very handsome boy

And is now of a normal size

The bad thing about my stupid camera

Is that it gave him red eyes:)

Anyway we are so thankful for Steven

Our family wouldn't be complete without him

He truly makes a room light up

When it was originally very dim

He has such a fun loving spirit

And always something funny to say

But today I just wanted to take the time

To wish Steven a Happy Birthday!!:)

We love you Steven

I can't wait to see your new bike that you took for a test drive in Target today:)

Happy Valentine's Day

Grammy was gone all last week, and will be gone all this week, and we miss her so much. Thankfully this wonderful, AWESOME, lady from our church who has a daycare in the basement of her house was willing to take Grant in. Because of that he got to experience his first Valentine's party:)

Hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day!!

Happy Birthday Beau

I know, I know, I know Monica! I am two days late on getting Beau's birthday poem posted, but I have it now so here it goes!!

It's amazing how time flies

It seems like forever ago when we met

You were 21, I was 19

Together we made a set

You would throw rocks at my dorm window

Sweet poems you would disperse

You even sent me a dozen roses

With a card that read "Congrats you are the first"

You love to tell everyone where we met

You tell them it was in a bar

You will do anything to get a reaction

Even if from the truth it is far

You make me laugh harder then anyone

I know that doesn't shock you

When you read this you will say

"Oh that is definitely true!"

I love your sense of humor,

Your sweet spirit and your smarts

I love that you are my best friend,

Grant's daddy, and a man after God's own heart

So Happy Birthday Beau Baby

You are officially thirty-one

I love you I love you I love you

And now my poem is done!!

Happy Birthday

Happy 1st Birthday

I took a picture of Grant as we walked into his room this morning. He is looking at Beau while he is singing Happy Birthday to him:)His cake...

We had Grant's party at our church activity building. Here are my precious friends that helped me so much. Kim, Lisa, Mom, and Tori

Ok this is a sad looking pic of the three of us but there were about 15 cameras on us and we didn't know where to look and when to smile, but I had to put a family photo...

Grant was not to interested in his cake. This is about as messy as he got. He did love playing with the cookie topper.

He did however love the balloons...

These are a few of our youth boys that Grant adores, and we don't know why:)jk We love these guys!!

Ignore my facial expression and look at Grant. For the first part of opening gifts he walked around with his balloons. For the second half he sat in one of his gift bags. Thankfully sweet Addison was there to help open!

My precious mother!!!!! She helped, helps, and is helping us all the time. She does so much and we are sooooo very thankful for her:)

Ok as you all know I write poems for birthdays now, so here is Grant's...

I got the call at 2:30

One Tuesday afternoon.

I immediately called your daddy

Telling him a baby we may have soon!

By 4 o'clock on that same day

We learned from Kelly and Bob all about you.

You were 6 weeks old, 13 pounds

And already slept the whole night through!!(Yippee)

We were told we could come get you

That following Monday

We could and would have come sooner

But you were on a vaca!

That Monday took forever

But did finally come

We can't even express in words

How our hearts with joy and love were overcome

We loved hearing your every breath

And noises you would make

Every night we would listen

And lay there wide awake

All these memories

Feel like just yesterday

But today is February 1st

So Happy FIRST Birthday!!!




We love you so much Grant and enjoy you more and more everyday!! We hope you had a great day, as we had a great time planning and spending it with you:)