Thoughtful Weekend coming

A day usually does not go by that I do not think, at least briefly, about Boo's wonderful birth mother and family. Some days are more often than others. This weekend is going to be one of the latter.
Come Tues Boo turns 3...wow has it been that long?
3 Years ago our weekend went like this: Thursday night we attended the adoption class we were in charge of. (We had been teaching the class for couples newly into the process of adoption, trying to get their paperwork done and approved to be considered for placement.) for the past 2 1/2 years.
The head of the agency was acting a bit odd toward us but we didn't think much of it since I was in a bit of a bad mood since it had taken so long to have anything happen with us. We had been actively waiting for over 3 years and nothing was on the horizon (or so I thought, she knew differently so could not look at me or would spill everything.)
Friday I picked Nat up from work, we headed home.
Saturday afternoon I was a bit bored so decided to go to the library. While looking at one of the shelves my cell phone rang. It was Randal (who was living with us at the time) saying hysterically that Nat was on the phone crying and I needed to get home quick. i thought someone had died. I asked what was the problem, he said I don't know. I then heard Nat yell. 'Tell him to get his butt home our baby has been born!" I do not even remember if I put the item I was looking at back on the shelve.
I raced home, Nat was still one the phone crying and then laughing then crying. She was talking to the head of the agency who had asked our case worker if it would be OK for her to call us with this news instead of the usually process of the case worker calling. I tired to read the notes she was writing but could make sense of it. baby girl, Washington, Ogden, black hair, to mention just a few.
I told Randy that I could not tell we may be going on a trip.
Turns out a wonderful Birth mother had decided that her baby was to have Nat as her mom. She had been born on Friday and we were to go up to the hospital, 45minutes away and meet her and our daughter.
As we were driving up to the hospital I turned to Nat and said 'I wonder if work has any idea that Friday was your last day?"
Well life has been a wonderful change since that weekend. We left the hospital not knowing for sure what was coming next. The plan was for the birth mother to take Boo home for a few days and to meet for placement at the agency on Monday night. We had such peace come over us for the rest of the weekend and Monday. Time was spent in shopping. Even though it could still not happen that peace seemed to guide us.We placed on that Monday night and have never looked back.
We have an open relationship with our birth mother and her family. Even though we do not email as often as we used to do during the first 2 years, and have not seen them for awhile, I still think of them.The Internet helps greatly with that. They have access to our blogs, and the main reason I am on face book is so they can have a window into our lives whenever they want.

Every prayer mentions her, both our family prayers and Boo's personal ones. Boo knows her name and says it when she looks at pictures of her.

I am forever grateful to this wonderful lady that gave Nat something I never could, no matter how hard I tired.
Nats main goal and dream was to be a mother. Through the 10+ years of dealing with infertility and trying different things it came down to the unselfish love of a mother to her child and wanting to give that child the best life possible. It came down to having a special mother to listen to the still small whispers that her daughter was hers but also belonged to a different mother.

I better stop typing now and get a tissue to wipe up the tears that are hitting the keyboard before they cause damage.
My family is what it is today in part to the wonderful love that only adoption brings out in people.

Reading

Have you ever thought what it would be like if you didn't have easy access to books?

Think back when libraries were not around etc.

I am so grateful for books. Someone once said "Good books are like old friends. You need to drop in once in awhile just to see how they are doing!"

This is so true. I decided that I wanted to try to keep track of my reading, so I started a new blog. "Books I've Read" (The link is over on the side panel)
Here I will track what I have read this year and post a short review of each.
My reading lately has leaned mostly toward Church books. But I do others. I always have a book playing on my ipod and am looking forward to see how this year pans out.
One confession, I am also doing this to help me with my goal to read more.

Early Morning Hours

I am happy to report that for the past few weeks I have been able to make myself roll out of bed at 5:30-6 each morning as I wake up. No alarm I just wake up. I said at the start of the year that I wanted to get some personal study time in and with a very active, almost 3 year old, early morning seems the best time.
Boo is like her mother and is a night owl so my evenings are spent in getting her to bed then once that is done I go to bed.
I have been able to spend some time with a few good books.
I have also started to try to make my reading mean something. So often I have read a good Church book and learned something only to forget where I heard it etc.
So each Sunday afternoon I take the books I have been reading from and update a word document I have called. "Thoughts I've Read"
These are sorted by subject and I add what I have underlined in the book or written in my notes from talks I have herd to the correct subject.
It is my hope that has this grows I can have a ready resource of sayings for talks, lessons etc.
I am grateful for the night time rituals of getting Boo to bed, but I am also grateful for the still quiet of the morning where it is me and a good book.

Daddys Helper

Boo loves to help. Even if she is more in the way than actually helping. (Notice the two hand method)

One of her jobs is to feed the dog. Guess she forgot how many 4 scoops is...I am so grateful for her in my life!!!!!!!!!!

Lazy Sunday Afternoon

With the start of the new year a few changes happen. One of the most important is change in Church time. After 16 months on the "late shift" 1-4pm we went to 9-12. The Ward I am assigned to as High Council was at 9-12 but went to 11-2. So my Sunday used to start at 7am most days go till 10:15 then start up again at 12 and end at 4pm. Now it starts at 7 am 2 weeks a month and ends at 12:15. I do miss Sunday School and Priesthood most weeks but that's OK.
I am grateful for lazy Sunday afternoon's. Today Nat and Boo both took a well needed nap. I got about 10 minutes but that's enough for me. I then was able to spend a quiet couple of hours in my favorite chair reading, while Boo slept on the couch.
Tonight Nat made our new favorite meal. Asian lettuce wraps! So good and so good for you!

Some Days

I went back to work this morning after having a 3 day weekend. I didn't really want to go but we must work to provide.
The day was not the best but work is work. I am so grateful to have a job.
Then I came home to an empty house. Nat and Boo had gone shopping...usually i don't mind coming home to an empty house but today it just hit me hard. I am so grateful I have them in my life!!!
So i put away the dishes, and started a fresh install of Windows on my net book and typed this...wait i just heard them drive up...later

PaPa is the best

A great man once said "grandchildren are the reward you get for letting your kids live."

How true is that, well the reward part at least.

I love being a grandpa, or Papa as I have become. I love the name Pa but my kids call my dad that so he is Pa.

I love being a dad. Each of my kids has a special place in my heart and part of my soul. I have teased the 3 oldest that i love Boo more cause shes the cutest but they know that is not true.

I love and adore each of my kids and each differently. I am so proud of each of them and what they are doing.

I love spending time with J my first grandson. He is now 19 months and a blast to hang out and play with. His little brother, all of not even a week old is fun as well but all he does is sit there and look a lot like his mom. Time will be here soon enough for J and I and me to be rolling on the floor and making their mom worry.

Life is good and I am so grateful to be part of it!

Do Over

The start of each New Year brings with it the inner yearning for mankind o try and change or improve ourselves. This also happens with birthdays (especially after you get above 40)
I don't know if this was originally part of our DNA or something we have groomed throughout the generations.
I too have some items on my new "to do List".
I am grateful for this chance to improve myself and for the support of a great wife.
I mentioned one goal to her this morning and she busted up laughing. Don't think I will share any more just yet.
Of course the goal was to not go to bed with dirty dishes in the sink. I have said this before but here I see dishes first thing this morning so we see how well that worked.
But that doesn't matter!!!! Jan 1 is the official "DO OVER DAY" so I get to try to reinvent myself and become what I want to be....wish me luck