A month to remember...

Dear Joanie Girl,

Last year in February, we met you for the first time. We loved you from the beginning. You were absolutely beautiful. You were searching for answers as you were carrying a sweet baby boy, right next to your heart. We prayed for you every single day. We prayed that God would give you the strength you needed to make a hard decision.

As we think about the month of February, our hearts are filled with so much love for you. We still love you. When we talk to you, we can feel of your goodness, and you are still a stunning young woman. You are incredibly beautiful. We still pray for you. We ask God to keep you strong and help you in your daily life. We pray that you will be eternally blessed because of your goodness.

I love to see Henry dance when I get out the yogurt (because it reminds me of how you ate yogurt every day during your pregnancy. ) After his bath, I love to see his hair hold onto a little curl, just like yours. I love that when he stands up, he curls his toes on the carpet--just like you. I love that he has so much of you.

I love February, because it reminds me of you. It reminds me of Henry. It reminds me of the forever part that you play in our family.

Even if they took away all the celebration of Valentine's Day-- February would still be the best month to remember, because it means that we met you and you joined our family forever.

We Love You Joanie Girl

Best Friends.

Happiness.

A Family is Forever...

Saturday was such a special day.

It will be forever etched in my heart.

My heart was overflowing with love.

I can pinpoint significant memories where this same love has overpowered me;
The day I married David .
The day Lincoln joined our family
The day Our Joanie Girl chose us to love Henry forever.
And Valentine's Day, where we knelt and had Henry sealed to us.

Henry was so happy all day.
He smiled and ga-ga-ga-ed the whole time.
Lincoln's strong and gentle spirit allowed him to sit quietly through the sealing.

The sealer said something that reminded me once a again of the tender mercies given to us from a loving, and all-knowing Heavenly Father.
He said, "Well, Henry may have been sent to the wrong address, but he ended up in the right house."
We are so happy, Henry, that you joined our eternal family.

I could not stop thinking about our Joanie Girl the entire day.
As David and I waited for our friend, President Giles, to seal us, I was overcome with emotion.
Tears rolled down my cheeks as we reverently spoke of the sacrifice made by a brave young woman, and our eternal love for her.

After the sealing, some of our family, and closest friends gathered as David gave Henry a name and blessing. Once again, my heart was flooded as Henry was promised that, like his birthmother who made the right decision against all odds, he too would be able to make the right decisions, even if they weren't popular.
Thank you Joanie Girl. We Love You.

This journey has been filled with a lot of emotion.
There were days that I cried more than I breathed.
There were days I thought the Lord was trying to give us a raincheck on this sweet baby.
There were days that I was furious with infertility.
There were days that I thought, that just this once, the Lord was trying to give me more than I could handle.
And Yet,
I would cry again.
I would welcome a raincheck, again.
I would embrace fury, again.
I would go to the outer limits of what I thought I couldn't handle, again.
Because, When we dressed in white and saw forever standing with open arms
I knew that
the joy of having a forever family was worth it.
every.

tear.
Thank you for all your prayers, your tears, your love, and your support.

Eternity never looked so good.

The blessing (with David's family)

My family

Best Friends


The priesthood members.

Outside the Winter Quarter's Temple.

(my eyes are red because of all the tears)

Saturday was such a special day.

I Love To See The Temple....

Tomorrow

at 2:00 p.m.

We are having this beautiful face

sealed to us

in this beautiful place.

We feel the tender mercies of our Heavenly Father.

Our hearts are filled with love and gratitude for His kindness.

Eternity just keeps getting better.

I couldn't stop the tears last night

...as I sang "I am a Child of God," to my almost three year old. (He turned three today). I never realized how quickly time would go, and how much my heart would ache that he's growing up so fast.

On the day Lincoln was born, we gathered as a family, with my parents, and David's parents, and we sang "I am a Child of God." Then we had a prayer all together. We felt an overwhleming spirit that this was a special little boy that we would get to love.

Lincoln has been sung this same song almost every day of his life, and he knows all the words. He says his own prayers now, and I marvel that this special child of God was entrusted to my care.

In three years, we have loved the miracle of Lincoln.

He is our Sweet Boy.

Happy Birthday Lincoln Daniel.

We Love You.



This is Lincoln at the hospital. They wanted him to be a baby model for the city buses in Utah.


This is Lincoln on his first birthday, right after his first hair cut.


This is Lincoln on his second birthday, and as a tradition, we took him to McDonalds for an ice cream cone. He did a lot better eating his ice cream at two, than he did at one.
(Since today is Sunday, we will take him for his ice cream cone tomorrow for FHE, after his haircut!)

Now, can you see why my heart was so full last night as I looked at this child of God who I get to call my son?

I Love being your Mama, Lincoln.

I love you soooooo much.

Tons Bit.

The most-ever-in-the-whole-world.
(which is how much you tell me you love me.)

Pay It Forward...

I love to

Pay

It

Forward.

"The Pay It Forward Exchange is based on the concept of the movie "Pay it forward". I will send a gift to the first three people who leave a comment to this post requesting to join the PIF exchange. All the gifts will be made and posted out sometime within the next month What you need to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.

So, to recap:

a) be one of the first three to comment

b) post this same promise (or your modified version) on your blog

c) make sure I have your address

d)wait at home all day and night for the awesomeness that will be your present!

Note to receivers: This promise use to say a handmade gift....but, let's be honest, I will not be making something, but you will get a gift!

Have Fun!