Retreat

A few weekends ago Michael and I were able to get away for four wonderful days on our own. He won a trip through his job, and we enjoyed four days at a resort in Cancun. The weather was pretty much terrible...we never saw the sun, even for just a few minutes. And, the last two days the first tropical storm of the season caused torrential downpours and lots of wind.

But, it was wonderful to get away and enjoy uninterrupted conversation, delicious meals and lots of relaxation. We also enjoyed an excursion where we had our own speedboat and went through some type of wildlife protected area and went snorkeling.




I am so thankful for my husband...he is so much fun to be with and has really been a rock for me during this past year as many things have fallen apart. It was so good to spend time together and be refreshed!

This and That

We close on our new house in a little over a month! We are so excited! (Although we'd be even more excited if someone would go ahead and buy our current house!!)

One of the things that we're going to do in our new house is make our living room a playroom for the kids. I would LOVE to hear your ideas on decorating. I would especially love some input on storage units to put toy bins, books, etc... I want it to look nice but I do not want to spend a fortune. So, any tips????

The other thing that I'm trying to find are coordinating twin comforter/quilts for Riley and Mary Kenzie. We're going to get bunk beds (any suggestions on where to find these???) and put them in the same room. I am having a hard time finding bedding that coordinates without spending a ton of money. Anyone have any tips for this area?

I love to read your comments, so please don't be shy to leave your suggestions and/or links!!

Thankful

Thank you so much for sharing in our joy and excitement! It means so much to us to have so many friends, near and far, who are celebrating with us.

The BEST feeling is knowing that for most of you adoption isn't second best and that if my news had been that we had been matched with another baby to adopt I know that so many of you would have been fully celebrating that, too! That means so much!

I have had a few people on the outside...people I casually know or who are friends of friends...make comments about how exciting this must be to be having a child of my own. I know that type of comment is made out of ignorance, not malice, but I have to respond that this is not true. I already have two children of my own. No, they weren't birthed from my body but they could not be my babies any more if they had. They are my CHILDREN!

This experience is exciting for many fairly obvious reasons including the fact that I have always wondered what it would be like to carry a child in my body for nine months and feel it grow and move. This is an experience I honestly thought I might never have. So, for those reasons and a few more it is thrilling and exciting.

But, more than anything, children are children are children. And, however my children join our family it is nothing short of a miracle and a blessing!

A New Chapter

I really didn't think this post would ever be mine to write. It wasn't that I had "given up." It was more that the Lord had taken my plans and my dreams and made them even better than I could have through adoption. And, in Him I have truly been satisfied.

I have never felt like adoption was "second best" or a "last chance" at being a mom. Instead it has truly been a gift for me and now I would not trade one second of my infertility struggles or our miscarriage because without those circumstances we would not have Riley and Mary Kenzie in our family today.

If "my story" had ended with Riley and Mary Kenzie I think my closest friends would tell you that I was happy and at peace with how things have turned out. I hope they would affirm that "God has been SO faithful and has given me more than I could have ever asked for in the adoptions of my kids."

But, it became obvious a little over a month ago that that wasn't meant to be the end of the story for me and Michael.

I realized about a month ago that I was a week late and went to the store, bought a home pregnancy test, and took it one night while Michael was putting the kids to bed. I could NOT believe it when both lines showed up almost instantly. As soon as he finished putting the kids to bed I told him I needed to talk to him and he came in our room and I showed him the positive test. He was shocked and excited along with me!

Two days later we were in the doctor's office and got to see our baby on the ultrasound screen for the first time. It was amazing! Everything looked perfect, but we had caught it just a little too early because the heart hadn't quite started beating yet. We went in the following week for a follow-up ultrasound and that was when we saw the heart beating for the first time!

This morning I went in for a check-up and was able to hear the heartbeat through the doppler! It was a huge relief to hear the heart still beating and to know that things are going so well. I am 10 weeks along now and our baby is due December 31st! We are thrilled to be able to experience this side of parenting and would appreciate your prayers for a healthy baby and for peace.

Beach Bums

We have had a wonderful week at the beach! Can't believe that it's almost over. There are 5 families (including ours) that we have been going to the beach with for 3 years now. It is a lot of fun to be together for a whole week in a big beach house. This year there were eleven kids five years old and younger. It sounds like chaos but it really is so much fun!

This week we rented some bikes with child seats on the back and last night our family enjoyed a family bike ride. The kids absolutely loved it! It has been fun to see Riley getting increasingly braver in the ocean, too. He really loves the water and his boogie board. Mary Kenzie loves the water, too, but is not quite sure about all of the sand...especially when it's on her hands. She is all girl for sure! I painted Mary Kenzie's nails for the first time the night before we left for our trip and she was so excited. I think she walked around the house showing off her nails and saying "pretty, pretty" for at least an hour after they were painted.