Pillars of Strength

This past weekend I was invited to go to Time Out For Women. I laughed when I finally realized that it was indeed a time out for women.

I wish my two year old enjoyed his time outs as much as I enjoyed mine.

One speaker really stuck out to me. She talked about making a difference. As I have pondered on this the last few days, I wanted to share a little bit about the women that have made significant differences in my life.

These are they: (They are all related to me....I am one LUCKY girl)

Sherrie J is FAITH. “Faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true” (Alma 32:21).

If you asked me to sacrifice my eternal companion for three, four, or five months out of the year (or more) I can’t say I would be a cheerful giver. Sherrie, mother of four, has dedicated her life to being a wife and mother. From her own journal of sorts she has said, “How grateful I am for these sacrifices that are still being made to keep my family and this great nation safe. Sacrifices that are not unfamiliar to me. Sacrifices that affected my family directly. My husband has gone to fight in this war, on multiple occasions. I know what it is like to try and struggle as a single mom, trying to make things work while he was gone. Trying to comfort children while you feel like your own heart is breaking.”
And yet, without a perfect knowledge of the future, she continues to hold on to the faith that as long as she does her best, the Lord will bless her and her family. From her I have learned the importance of enduring with faith. I LOVE YOU Sherrie!

Becky Jo H is DIVINE NATURE. “Be partakers of the divine nature.... Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity” (2 Peter 1:4–7).

Becky Jo has so much passion. But the thing I love about her is that she has dedicated her life to being a wife and a mother. I have watched and learned so much from Becky. She and I are similar in so many ways, (which consequently has gotten us into trouble a few times…heehee) but today I feel strongly, the need to express my love for her. Through the brain surgeries and C-sections (at the same time), diagnosis of autism in one of her daughters, and the uncertainty of where her family would go next, Becky has shown an incredible amount of patience; a quality I wish I could have more of. She has researched every book, magazine, and web page that she can to learn about how to take the best care of her family. With everything she has been asked to endure, the things she talks about the most are face cuddles, snuggles, and what a spectacular family she has. She has written, “I love being a Mom! We are so proud of Brett. We are so blessed.” From her I have learned the importance of counting my many blessings. I LOVE YOU Becky Jo!

Tina B is INDIVIDUAL WORTH. “Remember the worth of souls is great in the
sight of God”(D&C 18:10).

Tiny is the perfect woman. She is faithful, righteous, pure, humble and beautiful. She is without guile and withholds judgment. She loves perfectly. I am certain that if the Savior came today, she would be invited to stand by his side because of her goodness. She carries with her a feeling of peace that stays with you when she leaves. Her profession as a nurse suits her because she is able to continually look outside of herself and see the needs of others. She knows who she is as a child of a loving Heavenly Father and she wants to share that with everyone. She and Dan love to laugh because they are happy. I love that they spend a whole car ride going back and forth about the things they are grateful for, or spending the whole car ride smiling until someone just breaks down and laughs. She can do that, because she knows who she is. From her I have learned the importance of enjoying to the end. I LOVE YOU Tiny!

Darci B is KNOWLEDGE. “Seek learning, even by study and also by faith”(D&C 88:118).

I am a firm believer that my mom is better than she thinks she is. She, like many women, is too hard on herself, and often forgets the impact she has had on so many. About my mom, I believe firmly the words of a sealer in the Manti Temple who said, “the purest form of revelation is a righteous woman’s intuition.” Today, I hope to add my love and adoration for a woman who has listened for the whisperings of the Spirit and heeded the promptings. This has allowed her to be a savior in the midst of thousands of children for the past 30 years. More specifically it allowed her to raise four children who all served honorable missions and married in the temple. I have felt the love of my mom in my loneliest hours and my happiest moments. It is from her that I gained a love of teaching. It is from her that I gained my orneriness, my passion, and my very good looks. It is from her that I have learned the importance of always being anxiously engaged in a good cause. I LOVE YOU Mookie!

Rebecca B is Choice and Accountability. “Choose you this day whom ye will serve….but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord”(Joshua 24:15).

When she joined the church, some of her family was not pleased with her decision. She wrote me a letter when I was serving a mission and said, “I had a choice to make between my earthly father and my Heavenly Father. Duh! Which one do you think I chose?” Rebecca has gone on to serve a mission, marry a very handsome boy (my baby brother) in the temple, graduate from BYU-Hawaii, and start a PhD in Texas right along side her sweetheart. It is from her that I have gained an understanding of how the choices we make now DO affect us for the rest of our lives. Thank you for making such eternally good choices. I LOVE YOU Beck the Heck!

Tammy J is GOOD WORKS. "Therefore let your light so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (3 Nephi 12:16).

She has done an incredible job raising her children. I am so grateful that my husband has been raised by a faithful daughter of God, who understands her purpose here. It is from his mom that my husband learned to serve with his whole heart. I have seen her goodness every time I am with her. There has never been a time I have been to her home that she is not letting someone move in with her, cooking for someone, driving somebody to an appointment, babysitting, teaching seminary, talking for hours to the lonely, doing visiting teaching, or serving in ways that not all are willing to do. (She LOVES serving as Stake Camp Director and Nursery Leader. Seriously) I have often been the recipient of her goodness. I especially am grateful for the prayers she has offered for our family. If I could grow up and be half as good as she is, I think I might make it. It is from her that I hope to learn the joy of serving to the end. I LOVE YOU Mom J!

Amy B is INTEGRITY. "Till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me” (Job 27:5).

I recently read the following, “integrity is a matter of persons integrating various parts of their personality into a harmonious, intact whole.” Amy is my perfect example of integrity. When we visited her home, I remember the feeling of being in a house like the Doctrine and Covenants described when saying, “Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing, and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God; “
While most of our generation would live off of credit cards and debt, while trying to find happiness, Amy has established a house of God. I believe that Amy’s integrity is more than just being honest, true, and chaste. While she embraces all of these qualities, her integrity is such that she could stand before the Lord and answer honestly that she prepared her home as a place He could be a welcome visitor.
From her I have learned the importance of preparing a harmonious home so that I too can be ready. I LOVE YOU Amy!

Today, I feel extremely blessed.

To you faithful women: Thank you for being my pillars of strength; faith, divine nature, individual worth, knowledge, choice and accountability, good works, and integrity.

It is from you that I continue to gain a deeper understanding of who I am

and who I am becoming.

I love you.

Pumpkin Patch

For three years now, we have gone to Vala's Pumpkin Patch with David's family.

When October comes around,
I get REALLY excited about this event.

I plan as far in advance as I can .

This means:
I clear my schedule as soon as I find out the date we are going.
I get Lincoln really excited by telling him about the pumpkin eating dragon.
I get out our warm clothes. mmm...
I dream about the pig races
and
the caramel apples that David's dad shares with the grandbabies.
(subsequently, Henry was asleep, so the older grandkids helped grandpa share.)

It has become a fun tradition.

I don't remember any pumpkin patches anywhere else I have lived, and I will always remember the midwest for such wonderful adventures in the land of pumpkins, corn mazes, and beauitful leaves.

(actually now that I mention it, I will probably never be able to get away from the pumpkin patches here. I have come to grips that we might live in Nebraska forever...heehee)

Anyways: These are a few pictures of our trip.

This is just to show you how our family has grown since last year



Here is me with the love of my life.


Lincoln and Liberty


Hernandez Family (and you can't see in utero baby Jack)


Our Family!


What happens when you try and get the grandkids to stay still for one more picture!


Thanks Mom and Dad J for helping us build such fun memories.


We love you!

A Tribute of sorts....

I love Fall.

I love it.

It restores my Spirit.

It fills me with delicious food

and happy memories.

It reminds me of so many happy things.

Like:

carving pumpkins.

Putting our Chrismas tree up on Veterans Day.

Playing outside(c'mon it was still 80 degrees)

Visiting the snow.

Singing songs.

The cinnamon smell from the kitchen

Being together because the whole family was home.

.

Now some have tried to intrude on my love affair with the fall.

But to no avail:

When we moved to Nebraska

Ms. Pierce,(the associate dean),

sat the students down

and informed them that

if they were in a relationship,

Law School would ruin it.

In addition, that they would

be emotionally dead to their spouses.

They would still need the support they would be

incapable of offering.

Ahhhh, Ms. Pierce,

The FALL comes every year.
You will not succeed at ruining my

ETERNAL MARRIAGE

a bond so strong that
not even Law School
has a chance of ruining it.

David

has been my

eternal companion for

almost 5 years.

It all started in The Fall

falling in love.

An amazing first date

The perfect first kiss

receiving

"Yes,"

as an answer .

Fall

reminds me that my

lifelong prayers and faith

about getting married

in the temple

were answered

by a loving Father in Heaven.

I love THIS new song.

It offers me

the Fall

everyday.

I am certain that it was the

prayers and faith

of my parents

that helped me

make it through life to find

David

I am certain it was the

prayers and faith

of David's parents

that helped him

make it through life to find

Me

I am certain it was the

prayers and faith

of a little five year old girl

who worried that no one would

marry a diabetic

or

love someone if they couldn't have kids

(interesting I had that fear 23 years ago)

that helped her

make it through

and find

Eternity.

and be blessed with her lifelong dream

of being

a

Wife and a Mommy.

I am certain it is the

prayers and faith

of my Sweetheart that help me

through :

infertility

depression

adopting Henry

potty-training Lincoln (still working on that)

and Law School.

and those same prayers and faith

the make me:

laugh daily

pray often

AND

love forever.

Thanks Fall

for reminding me to

say a prayer

and have some faith.

Something Borrowed:

I wish I could say I came up with the following blogging format, but I didn't. It came off of a blog that I frequently read. Thanks PMB for the format. I really enjoyed doing this.

I Verb:

I search: daily, for happiness
I wonder: how my two year old son can always hear the "choo choo."
I regret: not holding my bouquet longer on the day I got married.
I love: instantly, and it often makes me vulnerable.
I care: about adoption.
I always: make a list so that I don't forget anything.
I worry: that I won't ever be able to accept the fact that I'm human
I am not: a procrastinator.
I remember: praying that my future spouse and children would be protected.
I believe: that my husband's faith will be what gets me into Heaven someday.
I sing: because I love the Lord.
I dance: before dinner with my husband and sons.
I don't always: eat healthy food because the gas station keeps nachos as an option.
I argue: with pharmacies and insurance companies about the cost of diabetic supplies.
I write: music about the Savior, journals for my children, and love notes for my Sweetheart.
I win: Texas Holdem and SkipBo.
I lose: my debit card in my wallet.
I wish: depression would take a few weeks off.
I listen: to Carrie Underwood sing, "So Small," to remind me of miracles in my life.
I don't understand: the national deficit.
I can usually be found: changingdiaperswashingbottlesmakingdinnerfoldinglaundry.
I am scared: of the "perfect woman" who lives in my head and reminds me of my imperfections.
I need: life, liberty, and happiness.
I forget: to always show gratitude for the Lord's hand in my life.
I am happy: to have an eternal marriage to the man I love more than life.
I tag: anyone else who desires to have an amazing way to express themselves. (Mookie this means you fill this out and put it on your page),

Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha

Let it be known:

Halloween is my least favorite holiday.

My sweet mother,
who loves me,
knows that I don't like it,

but she also LOVES her grandchildren. (that is the understatement of the year, but for lack of a better word...she LOVES them. REALLY LOVES them.)

So, it was a wonderful surprise to get a package in the mail, FULL OF HALLOWEEN GOODIES!

This forced me to decorate the door and put cute pumpkins--or "punkins" as Lincoln calls them all over the house.

We are all set for Halloween.

Yes, I even bought an orange table cloth so I could be festive.

We especially have had fun with the little Frankenstein who says "ha ha ha ha ha,"

all through the day and night.

It was exciting during Family Home Evening to hear all the ha-ha-ing.

But perhaps our favorite is when:
Lincoln walks around,
squints his eyes,
puts his head back,
and says "ha ha ha ha."

OR

When, Henry loved his Halloween bag so much
he started drooling.
(Oh, if he only knew that mom and dad would help him collect his candy, and then eat all the good stuff....)










Anyways, Thanks Mookie for the treats. Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha.

We LOVE you TONS BIT!

---scouraged

Thanks to the nursery at our church, Lincoln has learned how to make happy, sad, mad, and scared faces. In addition, we have taught him --mystified, excited, and grumpy--and this kid makes some pretty great faces.

You should see him during "IF YOU CHANCE TO MEET A FROWN."

Yesterday in the car we had the following conversation:

LINCOLN: "Mama, tell Henry that Lincoln is mad."
Me: "Henry, Lincoln is mad."
LINCOLN: "Mama tell Henry, Lincoln is sad"
Me: "Are you sad, Lincoln?"
LINCOLN: "Yeah.:
Me: "Are you discouraged? That is another word for sad."
LINCOLN: "Yeah. I'm discouraged. nahhh. I'm sad-scouraged. No, I'm scared-scouraged. No! I'm MAD-scouraged. MAMA, I'm MAD-scouraged!!!"

And just in case you were wondering how cute Mad-scouraged is:

IN other news:
How can you not love this face:

Typical

I was starting to feel overwhelmed tonight, so I thought I would write it all down to remind myself that it can all get done--one thing at a time:

DAILY:
Read Scriptures and Read to my kids.
Read ongoing list of blogs
Dishes
One of the following: Park, museum, zoo, library
Compose basic so thousands in Brazil can learn English.
Brush teeth,
Eat--but cook first so we can eat
Dancing at dinner--yes we do this and we love it!
Mother's guilt
Choose to be happy

Weekly:
Clorox the bathrooms
Laundry
Grocery shop
FHE
Date my husband
Play group
Church-lead the music in Sacrament
Pick up Laurie's kids from school.
(If I put dusting/sweeping the floors here I would be lying, but thinking about it definitely goes here!)
Blog: this is sometimes daily, but...

Monthly:
YES. that's all I'm going to write about that
Visiting teaching
Bills: garbage, water, cable/internet, electricity, gas,
Book Club
Record those basic songs so thousands in Brazil can learn English
paint a room in the house

Yearly/Twice a year/Every other year:
A1C tested
Visit ObGyn
Renew Temple Recommend
Pay Geico
Phone Bill
HHS application- I have to write it here bcause it is 17 pages long
Family pictures: it's about that time!

LIFELY:
inventor of new words like lifely
Wife
Mommy
Daugher
Sister

Tomorrow when I wake up, I will probably have twenty things to add to this list...so if you can think of anything--let me know!

Friends and Enemies....

Talking about politics in a multi-party group of people is not my idea of fun.

You make friends.

and consequently, you make enemies.

That being said, it is wonderful that we live in a country where we can agree, disagree, and agree to disagree.

That's the beauty of being an American.

Since politics is a touchy subject in most circles to which I belong namely family, church, and community, I will state how I feel on my blog. Then I can laugh at my sarcasm, and delight in my ability to express my opinion to myself with no badgering from anyone else around.

I welcome any comments--even those who are in complete opposition to everything I believe.

THAT BEING SAID:

I am registered as a Republican. I do however, reserve the right, to vote on issues any way I choose. I believe it would be ignorant to say I am a republican therefore, I must vote every thing republican.

HERE WE GO:

I am not a fan of McCain, but I really feel like his saving grace is his running mate, Sarah Palin.

I will preface all of my thoughts on her with this: when I listened to her give her opening speech, I was impressed by more than just a good vibe. The Bible would explain my experience as filled with love, joy, and peace. If this still doesn't help you understand my experience, email me your name and I'll send two representatives from my church over to your house. I knew that this woman was a good leader, an honest leader, and that she would be an outstanding choice for this country.

As a member of the LDS church, I have heard this statement too many times--
"I can't support her because she should be home with her kids."
I agree that a mother's priority is to her family, but I also think the Lord foreordained a lot of good women to be strong leaders.

I love that she is Pro-Life. (she is even more-so than I am)

Palin On war:
Sarah Palin told ministry students at her former church that the United States sent troops to fight in the Iraq war on a "task that is from God."

Did you hear that? The mention of God! Finally, a strong leader who is not afraid to acknowledge the Author of our country.

Palin on Universal Health Care:
"I support flexibility in government regulations that allow competition in health care that is needed, and is proven to be good for the consumer, which will drive down health care costs and reduce the need for government subsidies. I also support patients in their rightful demands to have access to full medical billing information.

So, allow competition in a free-market economy? Lower health care costs? give rights to the American people...can't complain with that.


Continuing on:

I am not a fan of Obama, and was a little dumbfounded that he picked Joe Biden to be his running mate. (Do they really even like each other???) It's hard for me to get past his refusal to cover his heart while the national anthem is being played. I don't care if he wears a pin on his lapel, but let's show respect for this land that has been good to us...

I am opposed to abortion as a cop-out to an irresponsible decision. I do, however, believe that if the mother's life is in danger, or she was raped, that she still has a right to do what's best for her.
I get sickened when I hear Obama talk about abortion:
“I am going to teach them first of all about values and morals. But if they make a mistake, I don’t want them punished with a baby."
Sorry Sir, all I hear you saying is that you don't feel that people should have to be accountable for their decisions. So go ahead and punish that future grandchild by um....killing them.

Obama on universal health care:
Every American should have health care coverage within six years, Democratic Sen. Barack Obama said Thursday as he set an ambitious goal soon after jumping into the 2008 presidential race."I am absolutely determined that by the end of the first term of the next president, we should have universal health care in this country,"

Senator, I would like to give a shout out here for the feel good message of everyone being taken care of. Seriously. Consequently, In England,this hasn't worked so well. My brother-in-law lived there at the Air Force Base. A woman in the same area had a lump in her breast. Thankfully she had "socialized medicine." The doctor could get her in, in ....11 months. Yikes, when it turned out to be cancerous, she was certainly glad she flew home to the USA to get help.

I am a diabetic. Supplies for my disease cost $1000.00/ month. I have no insurance.

But, I don't want to wait a year to go to a doctor who is thinking about quitting his job because he isn't making the money he went to school to make in a free-market economy.

I would rather have good health care that is accessible to all rather than crappy health care that is free for all...you get what you pay for.

Obama on the war:
“Here is the truth: fighting a war without end will not force the Iraqis to take responsibility for their own future. And fighting in a war without end will not make the American people safer.
So when I am Commander-in-Chief, I will set a new goal on day one: I will end this war. . ."

(hmm....interesting that responsiblity enters the pictures here seeming as how he wouldn't want his daughters to be responsible for their actions...)

I believe that this war is bringing about great results.

Captain Moroni (in the Book of Mormon) shares my feelings on war. He says:

"And it came to pass that he sent a petition, with the voice of the people, unto the governor of the land, desiring that he should read it, and give him (Moroni) power to compel those dissenters to defend their country or to put them to death.
And it came to pass that Moroni commanded that his army should go against those king-men, to pull down their pride and their nobility and level them with the earth, or they should take up arms and support the cause of liberty.
And it came to pass that the armies did march forth against them; and they did pull down their pride and their nobility, insomuch that as they did lift their weapons of war to fight against the men of Moroni they were hewn down and leveled to the earth."

war is not:
Teaching our children to kill other people's children...
Subsequently, this is not a war without a purpose.

war is:
taking responsiblity for our land, our American family, and our freedom.

I guess we could stop the war, and let the terrorists come in, and try and welcome them. And not try and stop them from harming this promised land. We could do that if we end the war.

Come Friends. Come Enemies.

Let's hear it.

No you Don't!

I always thought I would be devastated

when my child said something along the lines of,

"I hate you."

Or even worse, "

You don't love me."

So it was rather hilarious today

when I had the following conversation

with this handsome two year old.

(while driving)

Lincoln: Mom, I would like some juice.

Me: You have to wait until we get home

Lincoln: Please

Me: son, you have to wait until we get...

Lincoln: I WANT JUICE

Me: I love you Son.

Lincoln: "No You Don't!"

Me: Yes I do.

Lincoln: "No You Don't!"

a few minutes later:

Lincoln: "Mom, I love you the most.

I love you Tons Bit."

Me: I love you Tons Bit too Lincoln.

The Atlantic Ocean....

Today, I am feeling so humbled by the Lord's hand in my life.

In 2007, we found out that we were infertile.
There were no explanations....
Our insurance wouldn't allow us to have any further tests....

We were shocked. I was broken. I hurt every day.

The depression hit hard

My mom called often to check on me.
I smiled
But, she knew better.

I bawled.
every day.

It was hard to be so angry and so devastated all the time.

how did I even begin to explain that it was possible to feel two deeply rooted feelings at the same time: elated for people who were having babies. and completely empty because I couldn't.

If you think the Atlantic ocean is big.

it didn't really compare to the tears I cried.

So:

time passed.

a lot of it.

August 2006
September
October
November

December
January 2007 ( we finally went to the doctor...)
February
March
April
May.
June.
July. (we started the adoption paperwork)
August
September
October
November
December
January 2008 (finally we can be chosen through LDS family services)
February
March

20 LONG months
I felt like I had done everything I could do.
There were no more tears. (okay, there were still some...)

And then
APRIL 2008
Sweet Joanie allowed us to take Henry home.
Each day we thank Heavenly Father for her sacrifice.
We talked to Joanie a few weeks ago and she feels that she needs to move on with her life, and let this part of her life stay in her past.

But, we want everyone who reads this to know how much we love her.

The tears that filled the months and months of infertility have taken a back seat to the joy we have felt through the miracle of adoption.

Joanie, we love you. We want you to know that we will continue to give Henry two hugs and two kisses. We will love him. WE will teach him about Jesus Christ. We will nurture him. We will play with him. And, we will love you forever.

Thank you for this sacrifice.

I believe in magic....

I have put pine-sol in my bath tub.

I have mixed it with
CLR
The Works
and
Clorox.
I let all of those chemicals sit together for hours in my tub to try and get rid of the ring in the tub that was here when we moved in.
TWO YEARS AGO.

then my girl friend here in Nebraska
(whose name I won't mention because she doesn't believe in blogs..heehee...)

bore her solemn testimony of Magic Erasers.

I would like to be a second witness that Magic Erasers are truly magic.

No more ring in my tub. NO MORE RING IN MY TUB!

MY last year in this college city in Nebraska (hopefully) will be full of relaxing baths, thanks to Magic Eraser.

Here's to clean tubs!

with no rings.

Can I get an Amen?

Dear Joe

DEAR JOE,

I have seen many examples in my life

where one person has made

a significant difference in the world.

When I emailed all of the

health teachers in our city

(there were a lot of you)

THANK YOU

for being the

ONE

who welcomed this adoption presentation.

YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW IT YET

BUT THIS WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE....

even if only one student is affected....

it will be worth it.

thanks Joe!

My name is Brandi, and I am an adoption advocate in the state of Nebraska. Recently, I have learned of the high school health curriculum, and I am especially interested in the section regarding “Abstinence parameters, and the importance of family, etc…”

As an adoption advocate, I find it essential to share the option of adoption with students who are in the position of having to choose between being a single parent, or aborting. In addition, this presentation offers a healthy solution through a 25-30 minute power point presentation to all students. It discusses the importance of abstinence, and it lays out the cost of having a baby. This is not a presentation aimed at asking students if we can adopt their babies, but rather offering the resources for them to be educated on the subject of adoption.

Recently my husband and I adopted a beautiful baby boy. We are eternally grateful for our young birthmother who decided to make the decision to place her sweet baby boy for adoption. She has graduated high school, and since the placement, she has started college. As she was making her decision to place her baby, she said, “My mom was a single mom, and she had to work so hard just to try and make ends meet. I don’t want to place my baby in day care and work fast food for the rest of my life to try and do the same. Someday I want to get married and have kids, but I can’t do that right now.”

Adoption is a selfless decision that gives babies the hope of the best life in a family with two parents.

Please allow me and my team to share this presentation in your health class. If needed, I can come before and share the power point with anyone who is interested in the presentation.

Thank you for your time,

P.S.

Joe, if you know

any other teachers

that are willing to listen--

let them know!

Thanks!

My Boys.....

Boys are God's way of letting moms know their houses are too clean...

But, in addition to

the fun in the dirt

and the excitement of

roly poly bugs,

these boys are

my.

greatest.

blessings.

This is my only life...my best friend...my Sweetheart.

(I love you more than all the kisses in the world...

and you look seriously amazing here after the 14 hours in the car)

This is our sweet Lincoln.

He actually picked these flowers for GrandMookie,

but as soon as he saw Tiny, his first love,

this was the sheepish face we got

when we asked him to smile instead of staring at Tiny.

(TRUE STORY: he fell in love with Tiny when he was 6 months old...

he saw her yawn and it made him laugh.

After repeated yawns he has been completely in love. )

This is our Sweet Baby Henry.

We won't be offended if you tell us he's beautiful....

Lincoln-- what a fun day with you in your fishing gear.
I love your dirty face.

that smile still melts my heart ...

(...and all the peach colored sunsets...)

Henry...you are our angel baby.

(You were worth the wait, Sweet Boy)

These are my boys.

They are good boys.

Really.

Good.

Boys.

David, Lincoln, and Henry, I love you.

Tons Bit.

Brewer Family Fun...

In mid-July, the Brewer family had a wonderful reunion! Growing up, we went to Yellowstone, many times, and this summer we were able to share a lifetime of memories with our spouses. We had such a wonderful time, and we look forward to many more years of family gatherings.

Our adventures included white water rafting, "See How They Run," at the Playmill Theatre, Old Faithful, Fishing, steak dinner, the rodeo, moose in our backyard, waiting in our cars for the buffalo to move, and.....


SO. Much. More.

It is important to note here that when we were growing up, and we were on vacation in Yellowstone, all four of us kids got pink eye. We had to find a doctor and get some medicine. So, it was ironic that Lincoln had to go have emergency surgery at the nearest hospital (80 miles away) which resulted in MRSA, and 20 days of antibiotics....

Here are a few of the photos from the trip. We ended up with about 1600 photos, so these next few are just a few of the good times we had!



I think this is how little boys are supposed to look after a long,hard day!




Mom and Sis at the Rodeo!





Lincoln and Cannon played for the first time together.


They became good buddies, and we are sad that they are so far away!




The night of the musical. Now, that is a good looking group!





Henry Louis "Little Louie" meets his Grandpa Louis "Big Louie."


Henry would not stop crying, so Papa explained the blessings that our family will receive as we have Henry sealed to us.

He calmed down.



A very helpful woman, who said she didn't mean to bother us, informed us that the wolf zone at the museum was a quiet zone.


Ummm......4 kids --2 and under?.....nothing is ever a quiet zone!




Papa Taught Lincoln how to fish. Lincoln still walks around the house saying "Click, Click, now Turn, turn, turn."







As you can see, Lincoln and Henry REALLY enjoyed having their pictures taken.


I will love the memories of how life really was during picture time.



We had fun.
We laughed.
We ate.
We shared our testimonies.
WE missed our baby brother and wife.

Can't wait to do it again!

Let's give 'em something to smile about

I'd like to thank Joe J. Christensen for this reminder:

How many times in the scriptures does the Lord command us to “be of good cheer” or “lift up your heart and rejoice” and “be exceedingly glad”?

We should remember

that happiness is a commandment

and not merely a suggestion.

This has to be the most marvelous time

in the history of the world to be alive.

It is true—there are many problems.

But there are so many blessings for which we should be grateful.

Of course there are times in our lives when things are so
overwhelming that it is challenging to feel gratitude.
We all face difficulties at some time or another,
and occasionally they are tough.

But in every case,

you probably find out later
that there was something the Lord was teaching you,
something that is or will be of
immense importance in your life.

If right now, or at any time in your life,

you are feeling down, discouraged, depressed,

for whatever reasons,

here is a very practical suggestion.

Take a sheet of blank paper and write on it at random

those things for which you are most grateful.

Write whatever your most important blessings are

in whatever order they come to your mind.

Then after writing the list,

on another sheet of paper

put those blessings in order or priority.

What is your most important blessing?

The second most and so on.

On my list, I had to go down a long way

before I came to any blessing

that could be bought for money.

Our most important blessings are without price.

Also, blessings such as faith, testimony, family, and freedom

were the kind of blessings in defense of which,

if necessary, we would be willing to give our mortal life.

Father gave.

Jesus gave.

And we must give.

There is no other blessing for which we should be more grateful than that of being recipients of the blessings that come through the power of the atonement of Jesus Christ.
Add all of these blessings to your list. Then, on those days when you may not feel like smiling, take out your list and read it and recognize how blessed you are. You will find it easy to smile and to be of good cheer. You will also find it easier to be grateful.

LIFE...

So, for some time I have been wanting to post some more about our adoption journey.

A couple months ago, David and I took Lincoln to Nauvoo. We had the opportunity to walk the Trail of Hope, which was originally called the Trail of Tears. It was an incredibly emotional experience, and I the Spirit pierced my heart and testified to me that their was indeed a multitude of sacrifices made by those who had chosen to follow the Lord.

I obviously didn't cross the Mississippi with the saints, BUT I can imagine what it would have been like to be following the Lord and yet to still have to struggle:


The people did all they could do, and yet, still their boat sank! Some saints were tossed and sported on the water.

Infertility feels like that.

Yet, they continued on. They did what they could. And, even through the fourthwatch, they were diligent and obedient.

They were blessed for their sacrifice.

She traveled a long way before she had her son.
BUT,
She didn't mind the hardship of her situation because, her life had been preserved;

Motherhood feels like that.

And her son(s)


were so worth the wait:



And so beautiful.

LIFE: The Trail of Tears; The Trail of Hope.

That's All...

Dear Good Morning America,

When you invite one of the 17 girls who has become pregnant, either because of or not because of a pregnancy pact, don't tell her Congratulations, ask her and her high school boyfriend the name they have chosen for their baby girl, and then tell them that it's too bad the media got involved because this should be a time in their life full of happy memories.

INSTEAD:
TELL them about how much their life is about to change!
TELL them about the early mornings, the late nights, the doctor's visits, the money, the stress, the lack of their childhood, and then...

TELL THEM ABOUT ADOPTION.
and then...

THEN tell them CONGRATULATIONS for making a selfless decision; a decision in the best interest of the child.

That's all!

Brandi

WHAT THE H-E-double hockey sticks!

---BOSTON - An investigation has been launched into an apparent teenage "pregnancy pact" that has at least 17 high-school girls expecting babies, four times more than last year, including many aged 16 or younger.
A high school health clinic in the city of Gloucester, Mass., became suspicious after seeing a surge in girls seeking pregnancy tests. Local officials said Thursday nearly half of those who became pregnant appear to have entered into a pact to have their babies together over the year.
"Some girls seemed more upset when they weren't pregnant than when they were," Gloucester High School principal Joseph Sullivan told Time magazine, which broke news of the pact on its Web site. Some of the girls reacted to the news they were pregnant with high fives and plans for baby showers, Sullivan said. One of the fathers "is a 24-year-old homeless guy," Sullivan told the magazine. Others were boys in the school.
Statutory rape charges?Superintendent Christopher Farmer confirmed the deal to WBZ-TV, saying the girls had "an agreement to get pregnant." He said the mothers-to-be are generally "girls who lack self-esteem and have a lack of love in their life." Carolyn Kirk, mayor of the port city 30 miles northeast of Boston, said that many factors could be involved in the recent surge in teen pregnancies in the community, but she doubts a dozen girls would conspire to get pregnant. Gloucester is a fishing town and has been going through an economic decline in recent years. That’s led to cuts in teachers, services and some health classes at local schools.
Still, Kirk told Reuters that authorities are looking at whether to pursue statutory rape charges. "We're at the very early stages of wrestling with the complexities of this problem," she said.
"But we also have to think about the boys. Some of these boys could have their lives changed. They could be in serious, serious trouble even if it was consensual because of their age — not from what the city could do but from what the girls' families could do," she told Reuters.
Under Massachusetts law, it is a crime to have sex with anyone under the age of 16.
The ‘Juno’-Jamie Lynn effect?"At the very least these men should be held responsible for financial support, if not put in jail for statutory rape as the mayor has suggested," Greg Verga, chairman of the Gloucester School Committee, told Reuters in a telephone interview.
Nationwide, teen pregnancies are showing signs of rising after steadily declining from 1991 to 2005. This trend was highlighted Thursday when Britney Spears' 17-year-old sister Jamie Lynn, star of Nickelodeon's popular TV show "Zoey 101," gave birth to a baby girl, according to People magazine.
"The data seem to be indicating that the declines that we had seen through the 1990s are coming to a close," said David Landry, a researcher at the Guttmacher Institute, a New York-based nonprofit group focusing on reproductive issues.
Birth rates for teenagers aged 15 to 17 rose by 3 percent in 2006, the first increase since 1991, according to preliminary data released in December by the National Center for Health Statistics. Landry cautioned against attributing the trend to Hollywood following the recent hit movie "Juno," in which a teenager gets pregnant and decides to have the baby, and "Knocked Up," a comedy about a one-night stand.
"The trend emerged before those movies," he said.
In Gloucester, the 1,200-student school administered 150 pregnancy tests to students in the past academic year. The school forbids the distribution of condoms and other contraception without parental consent — a rule that prompted the school's doctor and nurse to resign in protest in May.
"But even if we had contraceptives, that pact shows that if they wanted to get pregnant, they will get pregnant. Whether we distribute contraceptives is irrelevant," said Verga.


Dear 17 Young Girls,

I am sick to my stomach.

I am furious. WHAT the hell were you thinking?

I am praying that you will become wonderful birthmothers instead of young girls under the age of 16 who think raising a baby is all about dressing up a doll baby.

BUT.

I have a great power point presentation just in case any of you want to know the price of a baby. That's including the physical, mental, and emotional price.

AND

I know some great people looking to adopt!

Please! Make the right decision!

Brandi

Come Home

It has been awhile since I have written.
Even my Sweet husband told me that I hadn't blogged in a long time, so I guess it is time!
In the last month, many things have happened; most of them are not memorable, but for the few that are noteworthy, here we go:

FIRST:
I got cast as Mary Lewis in the production of "Come Home To Kanesville." This show is "the sing-'n-dance musical , a story of love and faith set against the heart-rending saga of the pioneer experience." Yes, I play a woman who has two young children. (One of their names happens to be Henry Lewis.) Yes, I fall in love, and have to be kissed by character Jonathan Briggs (played by 61 year old Brother Bell) My character is intense, faithful, and historically a real woman! I have been strengthened and hope that I can portray such a faithful woman on stage, and in my life.

SECOND:
Our social worker called us and told us that Anthony, bless him, has hired an attorney and has decided to sign his rights away.

DEAR ANTHONY,
Thank you for giving Henry the opportunity to come to our home. Because of your decision he will be able to learn and grow in the gospel and have a forever family. We love him more than we can express in words, and if you were here we'd probably hug you! As he grows, I hope he gains the quality of selflessness from you; the ability to put the needs of someone else above his own wants. Thank you Anthony. We love you.

THIRD:
We had a wonderful Father's Day. None of the talks in church were about fathers, no one mentioned it at the pulpit, but I think that when David came home and found his present, it made up for it. We love you Sweetheart!

Soon to come...more on our adoption journey!

I'm Lovin It....

Yesterday, we packed up the car, the kids, and Mookie, and we headed off to Grand Island.

We were going to meet our Joanie Girl at the park, but when we pulled into town and stepped out of the car we realized that it was REALLY windy, and probably not the best park weather.

We did a quick re-planning and decided that if our sweet two year old wasn't going to get to go to a park, we would have to find a very close second.

Thank you Grand Island for having a McDonalds.

Joanie had shown up 40 minutes early, and when we got there she was standing outside her car.

She looked
stunning.

Radiant.

Beautiful.

The excitement was evident in her eyes.

But, there was something more.

It was easy to see how much Joanie loved Henry.

I had to hold back tears as the Spirit testified to me again of the eternal sacrifice made by our Joanie Girl.
Henry is a miracle to us because of her choice.

We love you so much Joanie.

Joanie brought gifts for Henry. She brought beautiful receiving blankets. and a soft plush puppy for him to snuggle.

Then.

It Happened.

Tears started forming in my eyes. As she watched me unwrap the last gift (Johnson-n-Johnson baby powder), she said, "I have one more gift for you. I got it for you because it reminded me of how he smelled every time I saw him in the hospital."

I'll tell you friends. I cried over baby powder.

What an amazing woman.

I don't know what that would have been like: to have been so close for 9 months, to have touched his perfect little face, to have smelled that perfect baby powdered skin, to have loved with a perfect love, and then to have sacrificed so willingly.

Not a day goes by that we don't talk about our Joanie Girl and thank a loving Father in Heaven for helping one of his daughters make that choice.



Don't worry Joanie Girl; we will always give him two hugs and two kisses.

We love you.

In Other News:

Dear Brave and Adventurous Lincoln,

Even if you run into the door at McDonalds


You will still always be our Superman.


(Thanks Mookie for our new capes!!! We love you Tons Bit.)