He is just THAT wonderful

 

He's not your typical husband.

at least that's what I've derived after hearing people talk about their less-than-davidesque-husbands.


Nope.

My husband is amazing. He is wonderful. He is smart. He is gentle. He is kind. He is just THAT wonderful.

I have only heard my husband yell once--at the bad call the ref made during the football game. He never brings work home with him, unless it's to share something exciting that has happened. He understands the balance of family and school/work.

I sincerely believe that my husband will be the one who gets me into heaven. My husband has kept every promise he has ever made to me. He has been the pillar of strength in my life. He has been the shoulder on which to cry, and the open arms ready to hold me. He makes me laugh, and he is full of wonderful surprises.

He believes that my decision to be a mother is the most honored calling in the existence of the planet.

He has an incredibly hard time frowning.
He loves the Lord
He loves me.
He loves Lincoln.
He loves my family and his family.

He honors his priesthood.

In all the creations in the world, I can't imagine something more wonderful and choice as my husband; my best friend; my lover; Lincoln's dad; my everything.

Thank you davidearl for being you; You really are just THAT wonderful!

I'm so blessed to be spending eternity with you.

David Archuleta - Imagine

I'll Share My Ice Cream....

 

Dear Birthmother,

It's me;Lincoln Daniel. I know my mom and dad have written to you often. Every night they pray that you will find a family to place your baby. We all hope you choose us. I am two, and I like to think things are mine. However, I have considered the opportunity cost, and if you decide to let your baby come live with us, I am willing to share my ice cream. I want a girl named "puppy," or a boy named "henry gordon james. (Those are my favorite trains)." I am willing to share my mom, my dad, and all my toys. For a limited time, I am willing to give up all rights to my vegetables and my nap time.
I have a big heart, and I will help mom and dad take care of your baby. I will hug them every day. I will teach them about Jesus, and we will be the best of friends. I love you already. Thanks for listening

Waiting patiently as two year olds do,

Lincoln Daniel

Let The Wild Rumpus Start

One of my favorite books is, "Where the Wild Things are." Lincoln thinks this is a brilliant book, and he loves to have it read over and over. He loves the part where Max, King of All the Wild Things, says "Let the wild rumpus start." Then, when the Wild things have rumpused he says, "NOW STOP," and he sends them to bed without eating.

WHAT GIVES: they are doing everything they were told to do--I can only imagine the WILD RUMPUS made them really hungry-- I would even surmise that all they wanted was something to eat.

and yet: they don't get to eat. Hmmm...

ADOPTION; Let the wild Rumpus start....now stop.....Hooray! A baby! Oh bummer, no baby...now start....now stop...

Dear Birthmother,

Could you use your wild rumpus power kindly; gently. We are along for the ride, but don't kick us out in the middle of the rumpus! Don't take away what we desire the most.

Waiting,

The Johnsons

My Boys

So, my baby brother mentioned to me last night, "Sis, your blog is interesting." Then he described that that meant that, he realized how hard the infertility/adoption process has been. He followed up with the fact that if he and the Bec had triplets, I could choose one. Thanks Boss. I love you!

WITH THAT BEING SAID:

I will attempt to bring happiness back to the blog by setting Infertility and Adoption aside for a brief moment,

I will spend the rest of this post on my boys;

the boys I love the most in the entire world.

David and Lincoln, I love you guys more than all the stars in the sky.

The following video reminds me of what my husband gives to me every day. (it's country....so if you don't like country--don't listen to it!Also, I wanted to find just the words, but this was the only video that had the song.)David has been faithful to every promise he made to me when we got married. He has been a pillar of strength in our marriage and as we raise our son. I cannot ever join in a conversation where girls say, "you know how boys are." Nope, I just know how David is. He has been gentle, compassionate, and wonderful in every way. I am the luckiest girl in the world.
David, I love you. You were the best decision I ever made.



Lincoln, you are amazing. Your hugs and kisses melt my heart, and I love looking back at all the things you have learned. I remember the day you were born. What a marvelous day. You are a good boy, Son. I love you.

Thanks Mrs. R.

A friend shared this on her page, and I wanted to share it with all of my friends who don't know Mrs. R.

Judge Not....

When my husband and I moved to Nebraska, we became friends with a wonderful couple. I tease my husband that I've seen Mandy more than I've seen him the last year and a half. Well, these friends, have two beautiful sons that they adopted from Russia. I'm sure that this is the couple the Lord needed us to find, so they could be a support through the ugly face of infertility.

We have been blessed to celebrate the boys adoption days for two years, their birthdays, Halloween, and just simple trips to the zoo. Our son Lincoln thinks they are the greatest friends!

 

I have often been amazed at the wonderful blessing of a good life they have been given by being brought to America, in an LDS home, sealed with their great parents.
When we met them, they showed us their adoptive profile, and I remember seeing other people's profiles; all sorts of people.

CONFESSION:

it really bothered me that so many people who had biological children were trying to adopt while there were obviously so many people who had been married for years who were waiting. wondering. praying for a child.

Never mind that for my entire life I ALWAYS knew I would want to adopt. I knew I would want more kids than my physical body would allow. Nope, I just felt bothered.
It wasn't long after our beautiful Lincoln was born, we decided to try for number two. Months and months of disappointing pregnancy tests. Months of sisters-in-law having children. Months of waiting. wondering. praying for another child.

Then, when we faced the devastating friend; infertility...we started talking adoption and it HIT ME. HARD.
Many of those bothersome people probably were in our same boat. They had one or more biological children, and they weren't done with their families.

Well, I repented swiftly, and now I am learning to appreciate the struggle they--we--are facing together.

The Waiting

The Wondering.

The Praying for a child.

I wanted to share a quote that was recently shared with me.

"Patience... helps us to realize that while we may be ready to move on, having had enough of a particular learning experience, our continuing presence is often a needed part of learning environment of others."
- Elder Neal A. Maxwell

Thanks to those of you who are helping me learn.

Dear Husband, Future Children, and Birthmother:

When I was in high school, buying a yearbook was a big deal. I loved writing in all my friends yearbooks. I was not the typical writer. I always wrote to people's future children, so that someday they would know a little more about their mom or dad than just the fact that everyone wanted them to have a good summer.
When I was in Young Women's and continuing on through my mission, I wrote letters to my future husband and my future children. When David and I got engaged, I made him a collection of all of these letters, and we have had fun looking back and laughing.
Sometimes when I am mad, I write letters to the people with whom I am mad. I never send them, but I write them.

I love to write.

I write songs to express my testimony.
I write recipes so I can think of my mom.
I write in a journal for Lincoln so he can remember major milestones in his life.
I write in my scriptures so I can remember poignant feelings I have had.

WRITING IS MY CONNECTION TO MY PAST, THE PRESENT, AND THE FUTURE; AS WELL AS THE UNKNOWN.

So, it should come as no surprise that I write to birth mothers.

It's the way I express my hope . It's my way of saying thank you for the good decision you have made to better the life of your child.

Dear Birthmother, I know someday you will find us. It won't be difficult to see us. We are the ones that have written the story thus far; just to the part where you enter; that part we can write together. Soon. Well, sooner than later.
Don't worry,
This story will have no ending.
It will only have a beginning.

Praying, waiting, and writing
The Johnsons