Monday Morning

Monday is our laziest morning. 

We recover from the weekend and get organized for the week. 

We go on walks, play in the yard, and read lots of stories.  

We mostly just hang out. 

I love these two!

 

What My Time is For

I came across a quote shortly before the birth of Brooklyn, and it was beautiful to my heart. 

"Motherhood is not a hobby. It is a calling. It is not something to do if you can squeeze the time in. It is what God gave you time for" (Neil L. Anderson).

I was given the gift of time. Simply put. That time is the most valuable thing I possess. And my family gives me greater joy than any other fulfilling experience. Each time my kids rebel in the night :) or demand more of me than I think I have, I remember how hard I have worked so I could be here. I am grateful for the opportunity to strive to be worthy of the blessings of motherhood. 

Each one of my miracles is miracles upon miracles. 

Come on Bookin! Pay!

Photo Credit to Christine Olson

Peter has lately become very concerned with Brooklyn and all of her needs. He is always suggesting I put her in her chair, telling me when she needs "na-naits", trying to soothe her when she's sad ("Uh-oh, Bookin sad!"), finding her "gink" (binky), helping me hold her, and helping me feed her. He is a very good and loving big brother. If there's one thing he could work on, it would be not screaming in the car seat adjacent to his sister, "Papa house! Papa house!"  

I have to record this little moment from yesterday. It made me so happy and excited that each of my kids has a sibling. We went to the park where there are tons and tons of big monster trucks to use in the sand. Peter was so excited and wanted to start digging, but he gets a little shy around other kids he doesn't know very well. So he stood by me as I sat on the bench and fed Brooklyn. I kept encouraging him to go play with a truck and pointing out different kids he could go play with. But he didn't budge and just stared in the direction of the kids. After about ten minutes, he finally turned to Brooklyn and me and said, "Bookin! Come on Bookin! Pay!" 

It was the cutest thing! And I felt so sad telling him that Brooklyn was too little to play in the sand but that someday she would be able to play with him. It made me so happy that my kids will always have each other. Peter eventually made his way over to the other kids, and that's a good thing, but I love that his first thought was to ask his sister, a tiny baby, to come play. 

When Scott and I started the adoption process, we had a small handful of people suggest that our desire to adopt was in some way unfair to Peter. I don't know if these people would have felt the same way had I gotten pregnant with my second instead of filed for adoption, but either way, it didn't make a lot of sense to me. Why is it unfair to Peter to give him a sibling that he can love, protect, play with, and grow with? 

This sweet little moment at the park was a reassuring moment that our family is growing in just the way and timing that Heavenly Father intended. We have a beautiful life, we are filled to the brim with joy always, and we have so much ahead of us to look forward to. I'm liking His plan for our family. A lot. 

Quick Visits

My kids love their grandma. And we all love her quick visits. 

I love when she offers to feed Brooklyn, and then I make a mad dash around the house trying to clean/put away whatever I can in the time it takes Brooklyn to polish off a bottle. 

Come by anytime, Mom!

(And thank you for the cute surfing shirt you brought Peter! His dad is very proud.)

We love spontaneous visits from Grandma Great and Grandpa George too! I don't know a lot of kids who receive so much love and attention from their great-grandparents. We love seeing you often and having you so involved in our lives and in the lives of our kids! What a blessing!

More Father's Day

I love this life of ours. And this family. 

We are missing Uncle Doug, though.

Thankful for Both!

 Father's Day is even more special when you get to celebrate two amazing dads! 

We are so grateful for Brooklyn's amazing birth father and all of the the love and support he provides our baby girl. We cannot express how grateful we are to Charles for bringing us Brooklyn, and we are honored that we get to have him in our lives. It is wonderful to know that we have an open adoption, and that we can all celebrate Brooklyn together! Thank you for coming to visit on Father's Day, Charles! And thank you for getting Brooklyn to take a little power nap! :) We love you!

Happy Day Grandpa-Great!

We love you Grandpa George!

I am so grateful to have such a strong, loving, wise, and considerate grandpa. I treasure the uplifting quotes and articles he brings me to read. I value his advice and appreciate his encouragement. I look forward to his visits and love seeing him hang with my kids. He was an early favorite of Peter's, and I am just so grateful for the blessing of living so close. We are so excited for a summer of swimming and bike rides to Grandpa George and Grandma Joan's house! We love you!

Papa Day

If I ever need to get Peter out of the house and willingly into the car, all I need to say is, "Peter, want to go see Papa?" He get's so excited he practically bolts to the car! And then the entire drive he begs, "Papa house! Papa house! Papa house!" We are going to have to spend a lot of time swimming at Papa's house this summer because it is by far Peter's favorite place with one of his very favorite people.

"Papa" is Peter's name for his grandpa. I like to call them Middle Pete and Little Pete. Peter loves his Papa so much, and I can tell that Brooklyn is very quickly starting to form the same attachment. She loves to be held and snuggled by her Papa Pete, and usually just stares right at him. I can't wait for her to start smiling. I wouldn't be surprised if it happend while being held by her Papa. 

Yesterday was my dad's birthday and father's day. We had so much fun spending time as a family while my dad cooked, served, and gave gifts to everyone else (as usual). He is the most generous and loving person, and we are all so grateful to have him at the head of our family. My dad supports us in everything, from our education to our plans and the growth of our family... even juice and leftover drop-offs. He is eager to approve, compliment, and encourage. Scott and I both go to him often for advice of every kind. We both value his influence in our lives so much. Best of all, my dad is the most incredible grandpa to six very lucky kids (Peter has been obsessed with him since he was about four-months old). There's nothing cooler than a grandpa who insists on sitting at the kids table every single time. 

Love you, Dad. 

Gaga Day

I love Scotty. So much.

Every night, after we get the kids to bed, we sit back and gush about our lives. We can't believe how blessed we are. We are so happy all the time! We are so grateful to our wonderful friends and family who make our lives great. And we can never fully express our gratitude to the man and woman who brought beautiful Brooklyn into our lives. 

Scott is the most amazing dad! He is fun, creative, active, and sweet. I love him more and more every day, especially when I see him with our kids. He is my best friend and sacrifices so much for my happiness and for our family. I am so grateful to have him and to have our family for eternity!

We had a lot of fun this weekend celebrating Scott's birthday and Father's Day! From bike rides (to the park for the family... a 50-miler for Scott) to presents, a fun morning at the Farmer's Market, and time spent with friends and family, we had a busy weekend which left room for fun only. The yard work will commence again next weekend, right Scott?

Peter loves to "share" Gaga's cereal. 

Scott loves to make breakfast time a little more competitive (sticking cereal to Peter's face)

Reading the paper just got more chaotic.

A little "man time" watching Top Gear.

Morning snuggles with a tired dad!

Good morning Gaga!

Morning tub time

And morning gymnastics. 

Matching swim suits for Father's Day!

And mustaches, of course...

Not everyone loves mustaches.

So Much Love

 These two are pretty happy to be together again. 

They have been buddies for a long, long time. I can tell. 

Thank you for the priceless picture, Christine!