Christmas has arrived!

Christmas has arrived both INSIDE....

and OUT!!!

The TREE is up (okay so there are no ornaments yet. I ran out of time. But I will get them up soon, I promise!)

The NATIVITIES are everywhere. I am running out of space quickly but I love them all so much and they help us to remember the true meaning of Christmas.

Now all we have to do is wait, and COUNT the days until Christmas.

December SPT : Part 1 - LOVE

I really enjoy participating in the SPT challenges. I don't always follow the rules and I don't always including myself in the pictures, but I still love to do them.

This month is no exception and I love the theme this month for sure. This month Lelly has given us a theme of Christmas Chi.

" I don't want SPT to add to the chaos. quite the opposite - i hope to continue to enjoy it throughout the holidays. to be able to find those moments throughout the season where i choose to be still. the challenge for us this month will hopefully give us an excuse to remember to care for ourselves while we are busy creating amazing holiday memories for all. take deep breaths. channel your chi. don't sacrifice the small, still moments. enjoy them! and photograph them!"

tuesday, december 2 love
tuesday, december 9 joy
tuesday, december 16 comfort
tuesday, december 23 joy
tuesday, december 30 hope

So... here we are with Tuesday, December 2nd and the topic of LOVE.... This was an easy one and I took the easy way out.

Dan and I in Utah this past summer when we attended the National Adoption Convention. He is truly the Love of my life. I can't express how much I Love him and all that he does for me. He is wonderful and I can't picture myself anywhere but with him.

The end of the month...but not the road!

Well.. here we are at the end of the month. November 30th! I can't believe the month is over. I had been waiting for the month to get here. I was so excited for it. I was so anxious for it too. I was working so hard this month. I made 16 posters that said either National Adoption Month with a description of what that is... or Families Supporting Adoption or a combination of the two. Then we called the local libraries and re-called the local libraries. I wrote a letter to the libraries. I mailed the letter to the libraries. I called other adoption agencies and asked them to donate some of their pamphlets to us. I help to organize with our local FSA chapter a book drive for the local libraries, to collect additional adoption books to add to their collection. We held a pancake breakfast and book drive for our FSA chapter. We took the posters I made, and the pamphlets we collected to the local libraries for them to display during the month.

We now have to return to the libraries and collect our posters again. I have to distribute the books that we collected at the book drive.

IT HAS BEEN A BUSY MONTH!!! It has also been a successful month. I wish we could be doing things like this to promote adoption to the community all the time. I feel like there is such a negative connotation about adoption out there about adoption and I wish we could change that. I wish people didn't only hear about adoption one month out of twelve. I love adoption and what it has already done for me.

I wish I could have shared more of my real thoughts and emotions that go along with adoption but I didn't. I WILL! Adoption is not just something that I think about once a year... It is daily for me and I love it that way.

Thanksgiving Wrap-up

Thanksgiving was great! We went to some friends' house and were able to spend Thanksgiving with them. We had turkey and stuffing and the whole spread. It was a wonderful day filled with friends, food and football (of course!)..... We did not spend the day with family because my dad had to work but were able to spend Friday with them.

The rest of the weekend was spent putting Christmas decorations up on the outside of the house and we have to just work on getting the inside decorated now! There was a little bit of partaking in the black Friday non-sense but not too much. We did not do the 4am shopping madness or anything like that. I love this time of year and hope that we are able to hang on to the wonderful feelings that are shared during this time.

It has been a great weekend and I look forward to a month of outings and parties and being with family and friends!!!

Gratitude Countdown #7: Family

I wanted to save my last post for Thanksgiving... The thing that I am most thankful for I think is my family... all of them.

My mom and dad... What great people they are. They have done so much for me and continue to do so much for me. They support me in all of my decisions and help out in any way that they can. They love me know matter what!!!

Dan's family, who has now become my family. It is so great to have a big family and I love it. They are all so much fun and I love to be able to spend time with them. It is great that we all get along so well. Since this picture we have added one more little boy and just last night another healthy little boy as well... Congrats Amy and Steve on a new addition to the family. We can't wait to see Preston Steven Wilker!!!!

My brother, his wife Lisa, and their two crazy kids, Morgan and McKenna. We have not always gotten along but we have always loved each other. We are family and we know that. I love them all and would do anything for them. I love to spend time with them and can't wait to spend Christmas with them as a family this year.

and of course my wonderful husband Dan.... There are not enough words to express how thankful I am for Dan being not only in my life but being my husband. He is the greatest. He is so patient and understand. He is so caring and gracious. I love him more and more.

My life is truly blessed because of each of these people. I love them all and appreciate them as well.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone and may we all be able to remember the things that we are thankful for today and everyday, because we really do have A LOT!

A Poem for Adoption

It is still November which means it is still National Adoption Month. I was suppose to be sharing my thoughts on the subject and feel like I haven't really done a very good job with that. I wanted to take the time to share a poem that we have on our adoption blog. I found this poem somewhere and then made a few changes (which I am sure you will see!) It really tells the story exactly and shares our thoughts on the experience of adoption and how much we appreciate what we are going through, the birthmother and the joy that we will have when that day comes when we are able to be blessed with a child to call our own.

There once was a boy who came down to the earth,

his parents were happy the day of his birth
their second child, he was a little man
a cute, chubby boy, they named him Dan.

There once was a girl who was sent to the earth,
her parents were joyous the day of her birth
their very first girl, she had them starrin’,
big brown eyes, her name was Aranne.

Well these two grew up never knowing each other,
but one day they met and liked one another
Their friendship grew strong and what did they do?
Yep, they got hitched in Feb of '02!

First thing was first and they felt they should be,
adding some kids to their family tree.
They prayed and prayed and did all they should,
they were patient and willing to be extra good.
But their children weren't coming
and they weren't sure why,
so they went to the experts for options to try.

When none of the options were going their way,
the next thing to do was to kneel down and pray.
They weren't quite sure at this point what to do,
so Father in Heaven showed a new path to view.

He helped them to know there are different ways,
to add to your family in these latter days.
Out there somewhere there's a baby to love,
sent to a mother from heaven above.
That mother realizes her baby needs more,
taking care of a child by herself is a chore.

How great the birth mom to give up so much,
she'll know that the path you have taken is tough.
She'll know that you've wanted a child for so long,
she'll feel you're the right ones when you come along.

Although it is different to have a family this way,
when our child comes along, it will be the best day.
We'll look at our child and we will see,
this baby was meant for our family.

Couples are chosen, hand-picked by Him,
that can handle these trials that are given to them.
We never expected that we'd take this path,
but we're be glad we did and we'll never look back.

How excited and grateful that we will be,
to be able to add to our family.
The blessing of having a baby to love,
comes straight from heaven way up above.

Nothing else will matter, you will see,
except that there's love in our family.
And all those who know us will surely agree,
we'll give nothing but love to our new baby!

Thanksgiving Blessings

There is a recipe swap going around the blogosphere and a fellow blog friend of mine, Janeal, is involved and sharing some really great recipes. Anyone that knows me knows that I don't cook very much AT ALL... but I do love a cute, fun treat. I got this fun Thanksgiving Blessings Mix from my Visiting Teaching companion and thought I would share this.

Blessings Mix

Bugles: Shaped like a cornucopia or Horn of Plenty, a symbol of our nation's abundance.

Pretzels: Arms folded in prayer, a freedom sought by those who founded our country.

Candy Corn: The sacrifices of the Pilgrims' first winter. Food was so scarce that settlers survived on just a few kernals of corn a day.

Nuts or Seeds: Promise of a future harvest, one we will reap only if seeds are planted and tended with diligence.

Dried Fruit: Harvest gifts from our bountiful land.

M&Ms: Memories of those who came before us to lead us into a blessed future.

Hershey's Kiss: The love of family and friends that sweetens our lives.

Gratitude Countdown #6: Health

#5: I am thankful for my HEALTH

Right now this is very apparent to me. I am very thankful for the health that I am able to maintain. I complain sometimes about the headaches I have or the aches or pains that I feel but I know that these are all just temporary and I know that I could be much worse. I remember back to when I had to deal with horrible headaches daily and I am thankful for having them under control so much better now.

I have had pains in my knees for many years and no one has been able to figure out what the deal was. Well... that has all changed. As of this week we know what the problem is and we are going to take care of it. I am going in for surgery on Dec. 24th. So, I am going to have a pretty rough Christmas but at least I will be able to get my knee fixed. For this I am thankful.

I realize that there are so many people that have so many problems and can't do anything about them. I am thankful for the good health I have been blessed with and I can only hope that it continues. I try to do what I can to make healthy choices but I know I struggle sometimes.

Gratitude Countdown #5: In-Laws

Mike and Holly Urbancic

#5: I am thankful for my

IN-LAWS!

I know that a lot of people don't have a great relationship with their in-laws. I know that a lot of people grow up fearing the day that they will have in-laws. I also know that there are a lot of horror stories out there about in-laws... well, none of this applies to me and my in-laws. I love my in-laws and I am so thankful for them.

I am not only thankful for them and the wonderful son that they raised and then blessed me with, but I am also thankful for them as individuals. I am so lucky to have another set of wonderful parents to call my own. They are such loving and caring people and I get to have them as additional parents. They have always welcomed me into their family and for that I am thankful. They are so warm and inviting and you can't help but fall in love with them.

I am thankful for their example to us and for their support in all of our decisions. They lend a helping hand when needed and that is also wonderful. We wish they lived a little closer so we had a chance to spend more time together, but it just makes our trips that much more exciting. I really am a lucky girl to be able to say how much I love my in-laws and how thankful I am to have them in my life.

Gratitude Countdown #4: Time

* I am thankful for TIME.

This one might seem strange to some people but to me it makes perfect sense. I am thankful for TIME in a lot of ways. I am thankful for the TIME that I have been given with certain people in my life. Some of those people are no longer here and I look back and cherish that TIME. I am thankful for the TIME I have each day with my husband. We are both so busy with work, and church callings and just doing day to day things that we take advantage of the TIME we are able to spend with each other. I am thankful for the TIME I had a child to play and to just be a kid because it seems like kids "these days" (man I feel old) don't always have that chance. I did, and I am thankful for that. I am thankful for the TIME I have had to be with just my husband. I know that we are desperately seeking to become parents and want that as well, but I will never forget or regret the TIME that we have been able to be just "US". This TIME has been wonderful as well. We have been able to travel, go on countless dates, and just get to know each other 100%. It has been priceless. I am also thankful for the TIME we are able to spend with our families. That is TIME that we love.

While there never seems to be enough TIME in each day if you sit back and remember all of the good TIMES I am thankful that they add up and outnumber the bad. I really am blessed and for that I am thankful for the TIME that I have!

Gratitude Countdown #3: Adoption

#3: I am thankful for Adoption!

Dan and our caseworker from LDS Family Services Brad at our 80's dinner!

I know I have said it a thousand times before, but it is true. I am so thankful for adoption and the opportunity it gives Dan and I to build our eternal family. I am thankful for the loving birthmother and her love that she has her her child and for us to place her baby for adoption and then to chose us to parent that baby. I am thankful that Adoption can take place and that we can give that baby a loving home and a chance and all the love in the world (because that is what we will do!) I am thankful for all that I have learned going through the waiting process. I am thankful for all I have learned about adoption. I am also thankful for the people I have meet because of adoption and the activities and projects that I have been able to be a part of because of adoption. The entire process has truly changed my life and me forever.

Gratitude Countdown #2: Friends

#2: I am thankful for FRIENDS!!!

I have many friends. Some of my friends are close and know everything about me. Some of my friends I only speak to once a year. Some friends I have known my whole life, while others are relatively new. Some friends I see frequently and others I have never met but I still consider them friends.

Friends are very important to me. They have helped me out throughout my life and helped me through a lot of difficult situations. I have a relatively small family and consider my friends an extension of my family. I am thankful for the friends that I have and cherish them more than they know. I am thankful for the things they have taught me and the time we have been able to spend together. I am thankful for the friends I have had, the friends I have been able to re-connect with and the friends who have stuck by me for years.