Trip to Washigton-June 2010

Daniel and Benjamin sitting by Uncle Jess
Pake and Beppe with all their grandsons

Daniel and Breya playing on Pake and Beppe's deck

Benjamin giving Pake a kiss Daddy and his boys :)

Was this Pake's idea or Ross's???

Daniel having fun with Pake

Daniel sitting by Ross sitting by Pake

Aunt Carla and Daniel

Pake and Beppe and the boys

Mommy and Daddy and the boys

Breya and Benjamin

Daniel "admiring" his baby brother

Summer 2010

Spending some quality time as a family at the Great Plains Zoo

Daniel preparing to drive off and explore the Jungle.

Those are giraffes. Can you say "giraffe?"
I will have to get back to you about what I see after completing my time in Dental school.
I'm all about blowing kisses. MWAHHHHHHHHHHH

Mommy and Benjamin having a rest break.

Am I watching you or are you watching me?

Mommy and Daniel riding the carousel

"Hey you on the outside of this cage!!! Are we related?"

Can you spot something "hidden" in this picture?

Check out the long tail. The tip was cut off by the camera.

What a life, the aligators didn't move the whole time we were watching.

the ducks

Daniel watching the bears.

A closer view of the bears

Introducing Benjamin John

Big smile!!

Benjamin's baptism day- One big happy family!

MMM...cakes

This is the saying we found and had put on the cakes.

Brotherly love :)

Benjamin on the blanket Beppe made for him. Thank you Beppe!! We can't wait to see you!!!

My sweet, sweet boys. This was taken on the morning of 2/19. We were in Chesterfield Missouri (I think). It was about 6am and Jim and I were getting stuff ready to go in the van. I had fed Benjamin around 5am and laid him next to Daniel.

We came back to our hotel one night and saw this out our window. It was a promo car and the driver (Kurt Busch) wasn't with the truck and trailer. Just thought it was really neat since we are NASCAR fans!!

From our hotel window, too bad it was too late to take the boys down and take a picture of them with this.

Our awesome social worker in MS, we love you Renae!!

A picture of our lawyer and the judge (holding Benjamin) who signed over temporary custody. She eventually signed the final adoption decree on March 30, 2010.

Hanging out in the hotel room. Waiting for permission to go home.

The boys! :) This was taken at the foster parents home, when we first met Benjamin. We are so thankful for the wonderful care he received from them!!

Meeting Benjamin for the first time! What a moment!

After his first bath at the foster parents house. The pacifier looks so huge in his little mouth.

Wow, where does the time go? I apologize for not updating sooner, but adjusting to life with 2 babies has been a bit tricky. Its almost like having twins- kudos to all of you who are organized enough to do that. I wish I had your skills. Most days are filled with feeding, changing and trying to keep up with the laundry. I'm not complaining, not by any means, but there's not much time for anything else. Once they are a bit older I know the pace will change and I can get back to a routine and get my house the way I want it and maybe even do some things I'm not able to do now.

Benjamin is doing very well. At his 4 month check up recently he was 14 lbs and 23 inches long. He is quite the chubber, lol. His birth weight was 3lbs 13 oz and 17 1/2 inches long, so he has done very well. We will be changing his formula in the very near future. He has been on a special preemie formula, but the way he is gaining weight, he doesn't need it anymore. Which is just as well- he is a huge spitter and somewhat fussy so we are hoping that changing the formula will help that.

I know this is a short post, just wanted to get some pictures up. I've got so much more I want to write, but for now I'll leave you with the lyrics to a song that has meant so much to me. It really tells the story of our journey to have a family, we fall and we ache and we give up, but we've seen miracles just happen - silent prayers get answered~~ that's what faith can do! Put your trust in God!!

If you would like to hear the song, you can go to YouTube and type in the song title and listen to it as well.

What Faith Can Do

Everybody falls sometimes

You gotta find the strength to rise

from the ashes and make a new beginning

Anyone can feel the ache

you think its more than you can take

but you're stronger, stronger than you know

And don't you give up now

the sun will soon be shining

you gotta face the clouds

to find the silver lining

(Chorus)

I've seen dreams that move the mountains

hope that doesn't ever end

even when the sky is falling

I've seen miracles just happen

silent prayers get answered

broken hearts become brand new

That's what faith can do

It doesn't matter what you've heard

impossible is not a word

it's just a reason for someone not to try

everybody's scared to death

you may decide to take that step

out of the water

but it'll be all right

Life is so much more

than what your eyes are seeing

you will find your way

if you keep believing

(Chorus)

I've seen dreams that move the mountains

hope that doesn't ever end

even when the sky is falling

I've seen miracles just happen

silent prayers get answered

broken hearts become brand new

That's what faith can do

Overcome the odds

when you don't have a chance

(that's what faith can do)

when the world says you can't

it will tell you that you can

New Year- New Beginnings-New Sibling :)

My new church outfit.

I love playing the piano!!

I love Elmo!!!

Time for a nap.

I think this says it all :)

So Big!!

Wow, its been a long time since I updated the blog. Life seems to move so fast, you blink and a year has gone by. Daniel is doing very well, he is 18lbs 10 oz and 28 inches long. He's come a long way since that little guy of 3lbs 6oz and 16 inches long. He is starting table foods and real milk- that is going ok- a little more spiting up than I care for though. So I backed off the milk a little bit, he still gets it mixed with the bottle, but no as much. He is crawling all over, walking around things and has started to let go of things when he is standing up. He is a very independent little bugger, lol, he knows what he wants and goes after it. He is just a lovable little boy who loves to give mommy and daddy kisses and hugs. He is starting to say a few words- the normal things- mama, dada, he waves bye bye, and puts his pointer finger up and says he's "1". He loves just playing on the floor, making a mess of all the toys, lol. But I think the biggest thing for him this year is that he is now a big brother!!

On Dec.31,2009 we got a phone call from the adoption agency in Mississippi and they informed us that Daniel's birth mother had another baby boy ands wondered if we were interested in having a brother for Daniel. Of course we had planned to do another adoption in the next year or so, but the fact that this little boy is a sibling- well we couldn't say no. We have named him Benjamin John. He was born on Dec. 29 at 32 weeks. He weighed 3lbs 13oz and was 17 1/2 inches long. Being 2 months early he had a stay in the NICU. But as of last Friday he is now out of the hospital and staying with a wonderful foster family. He is eating well, sleeping good (YIPPEE!!!) and sounds to be a very happy baby. We call or e-mail the foster family everyday and they are very good at keeping us informed of all the different things going on. Needless to say this has been a whirlwind of things to do. We had to get our home study updated and do new background checks and of course more paperwork. Now we just wait for the agency to call us and let us know that we can go get our little boy.

I just sit and marvel sometimes at how God works. This truly shows who is in charge of our lives. we ask you at this time to lift us up ion prayer again! Please pray first and foremost for Daniel and Benjamin's birth mother. Her life is in chaos right now and I don't think any of us can truly understand what she is going through, or the sadness she must be feeling. Pray for the family that is taking care of Benjamin, we are so thankful there are such selfless people out there who do this for total strangers. I hope and pray that we can become friends over time and keep them up to date with Benjamin. Pray for safe travels for us. Last year wasn't so nice when we went to get Daniel- we got through it, but it was very scary at times. Pray for Daniel- he is so used to having my undivided attention and now there will be someone who will take that time away from him for a while. Pray for Benjamin- that he continue to improve on his eating and sleeping and that he will attach to us in a timely manner. Lastly, Please pray that all the financial pieces fall together. I really don't like to talk about the money issues, but it is a factor in all of this. We do have some friends who are setting up a basketball tournament fundraiser for us that will take place ion Feb. As soon as I get more info I will post it on here and on my Facebook page.

Here are some pictures of Daniel. As soon as I get permission to post some of Benjamin I will get those on ASAP. Thank you all so much!!

9 months old~where has the time gone?

I am so big!! I can stand up all by myself!!

Mommy was trying to get a picture of the tooth that is almost through, but I had other plans. ;)

Mommy and Daddy got me this cool outfit. The lettermans jacket is perfect for the cool fall days we have had.

9 months old today! I'm telling Mommy something here.

If I want something, I go get it. Mommy says I'm "determined"

Cool hat, huh?

I am starting to walk around things, and I'm only 9 months old!!! :)

It looks like I am mad in this picture, but I am just happy and excited to see Mommy.

I crawled into the basket of books and was trying to get out, Daddy had to save me.

I love to play and explore!!

Peek~a~boo. I see you!

This was the day after Mommy first caught me standing up in my crib. I'm so strong!!

I love playing in the exersaucer, as well as under it. Its so much fun to crawl under it!!!



Wow, where has the time gone? It seems like yesterday we were on the road to Mississippi to bring Daniel home. Life sure changes, but it is so worth it. I don't always have the cleanest house, but our son knows how much he is loved and wanted, and time with him is the most important thing. So many things go through my mind about these last 9 months, some good some bad. I'm not going to dwell on the bad, but I will share the good.

Last week at Daniel's 9 month check up he weighed in at 15lbs 12oz and was 26 3/4 inches long. That's a long way from the tiny 3lb 6oz, 16 in baby we loved at first sight. He is actually on the charts for his height- barely- but he's on it, lol. He is pulling himself up and starting to maneuver around things, he is so fearless, it scares me so much sometimes. It seems like almost weekly I am going through his clothes and putting away what doesn't fit anymore- which is a good thing, lol. But I see all these cute little outfits that he only wore once or twice and feel bad. But, I just wash them up and put them away for next time. And if we don't need them with this next one, I'll pass them on.

We have started giving him more food, less dependant on formula. We have even tried some table food- potatoes, jello, little bits of bread etc. Its still kind of tricky since he doesn't have any teeth, lol. They're coming, they're just taking their sweet old time, lol. Its fun to watch his facial expressions when trying these new things.

We have decided that we are going to try and bring home a brother or sister for Daniel. We can get the paperwork filled out and done, but the agency won't show our profile books until Daniel is a year old. We don't know where the money will come from, but we have faith that if this is God's plan, He will provide. But its still kind of scary. I do not look forward to doing all the paperwork again, especially with a very busy little boy around. Its a little overwhelming thinking about it all again. But, it is so worth it!! We won't be specifying gender, we will leave that up to God, its His plan :) I do feel led to go the Mississippi agency again, but I don't know if that's my own need, or God leading me that way- I just think its important for Daniel to have some commonalities with his sibling. It was just such a wonderful experience for us that its easy to want to go that route again. How can I be sure its God led, and not my own wants and needs? Somethings are just so obvious, and other things aren't. A lot of praying going on right now!!

Jim and I are excited about attending the Weekend to Remember Marriage Conference the first weekend in Nov. We have been working with Family Life for almost a year. This will be the first time we will be away from Daniel. I am not looking forward to that at all. I know he will be well taken care of, I have no doubt about that, but its just an anxiety being away from him. I think deep down, I am afraid he will forget me. I know psychologically that this won't happen, but the insecure person in me can't help but think the worst sometimes. Bad habit, putting myself down. Any ideas on how I can go through the conference and not want to call every hour and see how he is doing? I had the same problem recently with putting him in the nursery at Coffee Break. I have to admit, the first week or two I thought more about how he was doing that the topic we are studying. Is this normal? Do all parents feel this way when leaving their children for a short amount of time? Share your thoughts with me please!! Even knowing that there are others out there who have felt the same way would help me.

Prayer requests:

1. Please pray for good health for us, (for everyone really) we all had flu shots and I tend to be over protective, but you just don't know what could happen.

2. Please pray for a young family in Sioux Falls whose husband/ father has been diagnosed with leukemia. We don't know them personally but know some of their family. I can't imagine having to tell my children that daddy is sick and might not get better. Pray for a miracle for them, and give your kids an extra hug and kiss and thank God for all that you have in your life.

3. Please pray for better weather so the farmers can get their crops out.

4. Please pray for us as we again start this journey of adoption.

5. Please pray for all the couples who will be attending the Weekend to Remember conference and for those who will be speaking. May the Spirit dwell deep within us all.