52 Weeks of Blessings #10- New Life

This week my brother and his wife had their 3rd child. This sweet baby pictured above. We are sooo excited to welcome him into our family. What a blessing to experience the joy an new life brings to a family.

I am nosy. I have to know everything and be in on everything. If I don't know something it drives me crazy! Just ask anyone who knows me well. I didn't get to see this little guy until last night. It just about killed me!!! To not see him the day he was born! AAARRGGGGG! You mean I have to WAIT for something! (I truly don't know the meaning of "delayed gratification")

Anyway- There is just something about a new baby. The quote "It is no slight thing when those who are so fresh from God love us" comes to mind. I have often joked that the one redeeming quality of newborns is that they are so cute, otherwise no one would want one. But it's more than that they are cute. They are so pure. They are so in your care. They depend on you for everything. And while that can be exhausting, there is something about that fact that makes you cling to that little spirit even more.

So this week I am grateful for the blessing of a new little spirit that joined my family by way of my brother & sister-in-law. HOORAY for one more nephew to love!!!

52 Weeks of Blessings #9- Cara Steele

This may seem like a strange choice for my blessing this week. But let me explain WHY I chose Cara to be a part of this week's 52 Week Project.

I have been thinking about this ALL week. Ever since I got my first comment on my blessing post from last week. Cara has helped to expand my circle of friends, and I LOVE it! It is so fun reading other people's blogs and getting a glimpse into their lives for a moment! I have made a few new friends in the process, and found some old ones. And all thanks to Cara! So this week I am thankful for Cara Steele!!

I met Cara about 8 years ago. The first time I ever met her she came up to me in the hall at church and asked me if I wanted to join the book club she and some others were putting together. At that time I didn't know who she was. Didn't know her name or anything. But for some reason that stuck with me. I never did go to that book club. But it made me feel good that someone thought of me. I never did feel like I fit in in that ward. And Cara helped me feel like I had at least one friend. Later on I had the opportunity to serve in a Relief Society presidency with her and 2 other amazing women. I was grateful for that . I looked up to them. They taught me so much. But that is where I got to really know Cara and what a truly wonderful person she is. I learned of her health issues and thought she was one of the most positive people I have ever known and how amazing that she never once complained. We were both adopting children at the same time. She- her 2nd and I- my 1st. With my adoption, I had many people express how worried they were for me if it didn't work out....but all I got from Cara was positive support. That meant SO much to me!

Our Ward was split, Cara moved, and slowly we lost contact. I moved later as well. Then surprisingly, one evening, we were out to dinner at Joe's BBQ with some friends when I hear my name being yelled. There, in a car, at a stop light, across the street, was Cara! How fun for me to be reunited with a good friend! I am so glad she decided to say something. And that brings us to today.

Thank you Cara for being such a great example to me!!! I Love you and it has been an honor (and a lot of fun) to be a part of your life & have you as part of mine!

BTW- Cara I hope you don't mind that I stole some pics from your blog to use. I figured since you had them on your blog they were safe to use! And I didn't have any other pics, so I had no choice!

52 Weeks of Blessings #8- Arizona

If you didn't know, we just spent the weekend in Idaho. By the end of the trip I was SO glad to come home to Arizona. What I realized is, after 20, or so, years of living in this desert, I am DEFINITELY NOT cut out for the cold country!!! It was so pretty to go visit, and be in that cold weather for a minute. But, after all is said and done, I MUCH prefer the summers here to the winters anywhere it gets THAT cold! (or colder!)

It took me a long time to think that Arizona was beautiful. I used to think it was the ugliest place I had EVER seen! Eventually I realized it is just a different kind of beauty. It isn't the green grass and flowers. It is the cacti and desert plants. (but I still don't like stucco!)

One of my favorite views is the "mountain" pass that connects highway 87 to I-10 down here by where I live. I LOVE the saguaro cactus. Ammon's favorite place is the Joshua Tree Forest in northern AZ. I still don't love that as much as he does. But at least I don't think it's ugly anymore.

And the best part about Arizona is........ALL of my family is here! OK- except for 1 brother & his family in Kansas (but they are just gone temporarily) and 1 sister in Ohio (and who knows, she's still young, she may come back yet). We live within an hour of all of our family. And you couldn't ask for better than that! So we probably won't be going any further away than Coolidge any time soon! (And I think that bit of info makes our parents happy)

52 Weeks of Blessings #7- BIRTH MOTHERS

Of course I don't have a picture for this one. I would love to. But I don't. So the book cover above will have to do. The picture is a link so if you want you could go buy this book. It is about one birth mother's experience.....written to the child. We got this book for Addie when we were waiting for her. I got it before we got her and cried the first time I read it. Probably needless to say, I still cry every time I read it!

Over the last 4 1/2 years I have grown so much love & respect for these amazing BIRTH MOTHERS. I have struggled to come to this place. My feelings have ranged between anger, disgust, sadness, etc... all the way to the love I feel now.

I guess if you knew and understood the backgrounds of the birth mothers of my children it would be easier to understand WHY I have had such a large range of feelings. But I guess the realization that the Lord has helped me see, and what it has come down to is that they loved the baby long enough to make one good decision for them.

In today's world it is too common for these girls to first think of what is best for them self- we all do. Its the natural man to be selfish. The sad thing is that the choice being made more often now is they either 1-decide to keep the baby or 2- the have an abortion.

How thankful I am that these two women chose not to do either of those things! I have very personal and very deep feelings for both of them. How grateful I will forever be that they made at least one good choice in all of the experience that they went through. I know that our relationship existed before this life and will continue on after as well. I never met Addie's birth mother. And only met Ephriam's very briefly. But, thanks to a loving Heavenly Father, I know the relationship was in place. And that knowledge has helped me come to the point I am at today where I can say, without any hesitation, that I LOVE these two women with all my heart and I am grateful for the HUGE sacrifice they made on behalf of the children passed from the Lord's arms, to their arms, to mine.....

52 Weeks of Blessings #6- Adoption

This is a two part blessing.
But this week I am thankful for.........
Adelaide Brynne
&
Ephriam Daniel
My 2 sweet angels- miracle babies!

I didn't go through hours of excruciating labor in a hospital bed. I didn't have a near death experience giving birth. I didn't even have to go through a VERY difficult pregnancy.

But I did have my own kind of labor to go through. Both of my children are adopted. Both of my children came to me on a very thin thread. Both of my children have their own unique story to tell. Both of my children are blessings to me & my husband. And both of my children are proof that I have a loving Father in Heaven who knows me and is aware of my struggles, desires, & heart aches.

My children are miracles because of how they found their way to our home. Their stories are long and involved. I would break down and cry if I tried to tell them. I do it every time. Their stories are sooo close to my heart. My experiences as I waited for them are close to my heart.

Little Miss Addie came to our family through a friend of ours. Through her sister-in-law's sister. How's that for confusing!!?! She was in a different state. We had to go through many months of stuff to get her. With other people expressing their "concern" for our well-being if it didn't work out. Long story short- our sweet baby girl finally came home. Then it took a further 2 years to finalize her adoption. What a sweet day for us when we were finally sealed together as a family!

Imagine our surprise as we found out, 2 days after the sealing, of a baby boy that was to be part of our family as well! He also came to us through a friend of a friend........ our friend's, friend's daughter. We were not expecting this one.....Well maybe Ammon had in inkling. But it was a surprise to me! But I didn't turn it down! We brought him home 3 days later. He was local...it went quicker.

And now we have 2 sweet children. Do you think they look like us? :) Yes or No, it doesn't matter. Because they are ours for time & all eternity. And they were meant to be ours even before this life began.

Ammon & I have now been married for 9 years. We know we aren't done having children. We know there are more to come. How or when we don't know. But we are grateful for the blessing of adoption that brought us our first two!

(now you have to wait a whole nother week to find out what the other part of this blessing is!)

52 Weeks of Blessings #5- Priesthood Blessings

The first half of my week was spent feeling down-in-the-dumps. AND I DON'T KNOW WHY!!!!!! On Tuesday night I went over to Jennifer's house, just to get out of mine. I felt great while I was there. But as soon as I walked back in my door, I wanted to start crying again. (Thanks Jennifer for being a great friend!!!!!) On Wednesday morning I realized that leaving my house was only like trying to hide from the problem. Like putting a band-aide on a cut. It only hides it, but the cut is still there....and usually still hurts. But you are able to forget about it for a sec because you aren't looking at it anymore.

I asked Ammon to give me a blessing. I came away from that feeling just as bad. I was being very ungrateful because Heavenly Father didn't tell me what I was telling him to tell me. Nice HUH!!?! I think He probably looks down at me and thinks, "You are the MOST ungrateful child I have EVER had! (little brat!)" I feel better now though.

After I took a shower, I was able to sit and think about what I was told. I was told some really great stuff! Even though I was frustrated because I wasn't told EXACT details about things, Heavenly Father's blessings are always what I need to hear at that time. Sometimes I have to sit and figure out WHAT I am being told. But it ALWAYS works out to my advantage.

So even though I got there in a round about way............I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who sends me blessing even when I am ungrateful for them. And probably, usually, undeserving of them. And I am grateful for a righteous husband who is worthy to give me a priesthood blessing whenever I need, or ask for, one.

Malachi 3:10
"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."

52 Weeks of Blessings #4- Rain!!!

I ABSOLUTELY love the rain!

Some days I wish it would never STOP! I love cloudy days! I love standing outside and feeling the drops land on me. I have no idea where my love of rain came from. I remember being a little girl in Colorado (& Texas). The rain there was like ice hitting you. I remember being a little girl in Arizona too. The rain there is warm! That was such a surprise to me the first time I felt the rain there.

Maybe the reason I love rain so much is because it is a break from the sun. Maybe it's because I live in a desert and I know how much the earth needs the moisture, and that we don't get enough of it here. Maybe it's because it reminds me of Ammon's favorite primary song. It could be that rainy days induce laziness, and make me feel like I have a real legitimate reason to be frump-girl. Maybe it's because I like looking for rainbows after the rain has ended....even more now that I have a daughter. And to see the joy in her face when she sees one is something I can't describe. Whenever it rains it reminds me of weeks in the summer, spent in Durango, at grandma's cabin. Every afternoon there would be a little shower and one of my favorite sounds (to this day) is hearing rain hit the roof....any roof. At the cabin it was a tin roof. And I would sit out on the gross (I didn't think it was so gross then) couch on the balcony and listen to the rain and felt at peace. We don't have seasons in good ol' AZ. So I am thankful for a variation when it rains. That is one of my favorite blessings that Heavenly Father sends..... especially after your whole stake has a special fast because it has been an EXTREMELY dry summer and the crops need it. To see that much faith exhibited by that many people at the same time....and to see it start to rain and know that our loving Father in Heaven is mindful of us. That is a humbling thing!!!

Whatever the reason-- I love the rain!

52 Weeks of Blessings #3- Uplifting Music

I just love uplifting music!!!!!

I love that I can go to church and hear music that fills my soul with joy and peace. I love that we sing hymns all day at church. I love that I started my day with a hymn today at my too early meeting(Today While the Sun Shines). I love that I get to go to Primary and hear those sweet little voices sing, and learn new songs! I love that even as I was leaving the building I could, faintly, hear the choir singing from the RS room. I love to know that not all music is just NOISE. (Most other music is just noise to me.) I love that I have the ability to put a CD in and listen to uplifting music anytime I want. I love that I can listen to this kind of music on my computer as well, while I blog & stuff, if I go to BYU Radio. And that I can download it too.

52 Weeks of blessings- #2

Technology

I am thankful for my computer, email, cell phones, microwave ovens (is that really considered technology?) All of those everyday things that make life so much easier. The things that you don't give a second thought to......UNTIL... buh buh buh they are broken, or gone, or whatever, but you are no longer able to use them!

I love my computer! OK, not actually MY computer, but computers in gereral. Mine I would LOVE to replace! I love that Ammon knows so much about them and that all I have to do is ask and he can tell me pretty much whatever I need to know. And I can understand the explanation (mostly). I also love that I know a lot about them. Especially for a girl. Sounds sexist, I know, but in my family it's an accomplishment. (sorry all my sisters!) I love that I know stuff and that my OLDER sisters call me to ask for help. It's not often that I get to tell THEM something THEY don't know! It makes me feel good to contribute. :) It makes me feel needed and helpful and I like that feeling.

I like cell phones. I like that I can just reach into my bag and call my husband whenever I want to talk to him. No matter where either of us are! I like that if I need help when I'm out somewhere I don't feel stranded and out of luck.

I guess the list could go on for days. Heck, I could have made each of these things individual blessings and then I would be done for the whole year. But I guess that would be cheating!

I guess mostly the thing I like most about technology is CONVENIENCE. Let's face it I'M LAZY and technology makes things sooooooooo much nicer!

Kip’s Wedding Song
Why do you love me? Why do you need me? Always and forever. We met in a chatroom, now our love can fully bloom. Sure the world wide web is great but you, you make my salivate. Yes, I love technology but not as much as you, you see. But I STILL love technology. Always and forever.

52 weeks of blessings- #1 Ammon

I am blessed to have an AMAZING husband who is:
*a GREAT daddy to our children
*Willing to help me ALL the time
*My best friend
*Learning how to have fun
*Trustworthy
*As understanding as he knows how
*FULL of faith
*A righteous priesthood holder & leader
*Always thinking of others first
*A great example
*The best slow dancer I have ever met
*Not afraid to try new things
*Willing to eat vegetables he doesn't like so our children will too
*A hard worker
*Gentle
*Patient
*Considerate
*Full of Integrity
*Always willing to do what the Lord wants without question
*Slow to anger
*All of this and more!!!!!