tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45497394457782327142024-03-12T23:28:36.561-04:00Our beautiful, crazy, wonderful lifeMark and Sarah +2http://www.blogger.com/profile/08527966159784854317noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549739445778232714.post-40901553665353086762013-02-19T14:26:00.001-05:002013-02-19T14:26:19.024-05:00I Feel My Savior's LoveSome of you may know what recently happened in our lives. It was an experience, like many others we have had, that has changed us. On Monday December 17th we got the email we had been hoping and waiting to get for 17 months. An expectant mother had written to us. She had been considering adoption for her unborn child for months. She had seen many profiles of couples hoping to adopt and we were the ones she kept coming back to. She and the expectant father wanted to have an open adoption. They wanted to be involved in their childs life, but they felt they could not provide the life she needed and deserved. This is why they had come to choose adoption. The next day we went to dinner with G, the expectant mother, T, the expectant father, and G's two-year-old daughter R. We ate and talked for almost two hours. Mark and I both felt a great connection to them. They lived about 15 minutes from our home. Their living situation was bad for several reasons, and they felt they could not care for the child G was carrying. None of their friends or family knew that she was pregnant. She had not received any prenatal care, and she had delivered R 5 weeks early by c-section, due to pre-eclamsia. Getting her in to see a doctor was one of our primary concerns. <br />
<br />
Over the next 5 weeks we spent a great deal of time with G and T getting to know them, helping them find a new place to live, and trying to get medical care. I won't go into all of the details; they aren't really important. I'll just say that I did much of what an adoption case worker would normally do. I was happy to do this. I wanted to have a close relationship with G and T, as did Mark. We had them in our home. We did everything we could to prepare, so the adoption plan that they had made for their child would be successful. <br />
<br />
On Wednesday January 23rd, we were finally able to get G in to see a doctor. Before they did an exam, they sent her up to have an ultrasound done. I was with her at the appointment including the ultrasound. G and T worked together, and because no one knew that she was pregnant, it was important that T go to work as normal. There wasn't anyone else to be with G, so she had asked me to be with her at the appointment and at the delivery if T was not able. As the ultrasound was being done they were able to see that it was a girl. I was so excited. They also found that there was not enough amniotic fluid around the baby and that she was measuring too small.<br />
<br />
We were sent over to the labor and delivery wing of the hospital and G was admitted. We were a little unclear as to what was going on, because a doctor didn't come in to talk to us for a couple hours. When the doctor finally came in, she explained what the problem was and that the baby needed to be born. G choose to have another c-section and we were each prepared. I was there as that precious, tiny baby girl was brought into this world. I stayed right with G, holding her hand and telling her what a great job she was doing. <br />
<br />
That night I came in and fed the baby every few hours. I sat with her and talked to her as G and T slept. Over the next few days I spent almost all of my time at the hospital. Mark would go home each night to take care of our two boys as well as R, G's daughter, who was staying with us while she was in the hospital. Our amazing friends and family took care of the three kids, while we spent time with G and T and the baby. Again, I won't go into all of the details, but over those three days it became increasingly difficult for G. By Saturday morning it was evident that she was doubting the plan she had made to place her baby with our family. T, up to that point had insisted that he was still sure that they should place. However, on Saturday, he called his mother, who had not been told and had not prepared her heart for adoption. She and his brother came from Kentucky to Columbus, and in the end they convinced G and T not to follow through on the adoption plan they had made.<br />
<br />
Needless to say, we were very saddened by this turn of events. We spent all day Saturday praying to our Father in Heaven that they would be able to remember why they had chosen adoption and that they would choose to follow through with that plan. We were joined by so many family and friends in prayer. Still, we knew that Heavenly Father will not take away a person's agency. They had the right to choose. We went home that night deeply saddened, but also anxious to see our two beautiful sons.<br />
<br />
Before our oldest was born, we experienced another failed adoption plan. That experience was devestating for us. We wanted so badly to be parents, and I'm ashamed to admit, our faith in our Heavenly Father was not very strong. I was so grateful this time to be able to go home to my wonderful children. They bring me so much joy and help me each day to be able to see Heavenly Father's love for me and his hand in my life. This experience has still been very difficult, and not just for us. Because everything took place so close to home, many of our family and friends were much more involved. They met G and T. They helped to care for R. My mother-in-law and sister-in-law even got to see the baby. They each had feelings of sadness and even anger of their own. <br />
<br />
I think many people look at what has happened and think, "I wouldn't blame them for being very angry". Thankfully, that is not what I have been able to focus on. We are sad. We wish that they had made the choice to place that amazing baby girl with our family. I think about her a lot. I wonder how she is, if she is growing, if she is safe, if she is warm. I wonder if she will ever know how many people have already loved her in her short life. I know, though, that we have a Father in Heaven who loves each one of us. He loves me, and will direct my life for good, if I let him. He loves that baby and he loves G and T. I feel my Savior's love for me each day. I have definately felt that Heavenly Father is happy with the way I have handled this disappointment. He is pleased with the service we provided for them, and he is happy that I have chosen to not be angry, because it is a choice I have conciously made. I have the benefit of having seen, first hand, how anger and frustration can turn to joy and love when the atonement is applied in my life. I have seen Heavenly Father work miracles and I know I will continue to see that in the future. They are not always the miracles I might hope for, but they are always what I need.<br />
<br />
I know many of our friends and family have wondered what they could do for us. They want to help, but they aren't sure what to say. They don't want to over step and make us feel worse. They want to let us grieve. I want to tell you that your prayers for us mean more than you will ever know. We have felt your love and we are so grateful. We need each of you in our lives. I, personally, feel better as I move forward. I feel better when my friends let me talk when I want to, and be silent when I can't. I have been so grateful to my friends who have treated me as they always have, and who have invited me even when they knew I might not want to go. I don't want to be avoided.<br />
<br />
There are definitly things we might do differently in the future. In so many ways, this was a new experience for us, despite having been through three adoptions prior. I won't go into all we will do differently, but I will say what we will do the same. We will still open our hearts. We will still invite the expectant parents into our lives. We will still work toward open adoption. We have seen the amazing blessings that come from having birth families in our lives, and we would not choose differently when it comes to this. We love our children's birth families and the possibility for pain is worth the joy when an open adoption plan succeeds.Mark and Sarah +2http://www.blogger.com/profile/08527966159784854317noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549739445778232714.post-26038572337474559962012-04-29T15:09:00.000-04:002012-04-29T15:09:15.491-04:00We are Hoping to Adopt<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ov2hs5JFzXE/TyBLoia5yWI/AAAAAAAAAbQ/AdGI7gUb9vk/s1600/blog+pic2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ov2hs5JFzXE/TyBLoia5yWI/AAAAAAAAAbQ/AdGI7gUb9vk/s1600/blog+pic2.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
It's been a few months since I posted the last time about our hopes to adopt. We are still on the journey to add our next child to our family; a child we are very excited to meet. We know that Heavenly Father has a plan for each of us and that he is directing the miraculous work of adoption. If you are interested in learning more about adoption, have any questions about us or adoption in general, or just need someone to connect with please, feel free to email us at <a href="mailto:markandsarah13@gmail.com">markandsarah13@gmail.com</a>. You can visit our profiles at <a href="https://www.itsaboutlove.org/ial/profiles/27073241/ourMessage.jsf">https://www.itsaboutlove.org/ial/profiles/27073241/ourMessage.jsf</a> or <a href="http://www.hopingtoadopt.org/index.php/family/letters/450">http://www.hopingtoadopt.org/index.php/family/letters/450</a>, and learn a little about us by reading the posts on this blog. You can also contact our Social Worker, Kimberly Toronto, through LDS Family Services at <a href="mailto:torontokw@ldsfamilyservice.org">torontokw@ldsfamilyservice.org</a> or 614-836-2466. She is amazing and incredibly helpful. One of the things we love about our agency is that they provide couseling and other services to expectant parents free of charge and without pressure to place the child for adoption. We recognize that a parenting or adoption plan is personal and there is not one right plan for all people or situations. That's why it's important to have someone to help find the right choice for you. Kimberly does an amazing job doing just that.<br />
<br />
Thank you for considering our family. Thank you for considering adoption. Thank you for giving us hope.Mark and Sarah +2http://www.blogger.com/profile/08527966159784854317noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549739445778232714.post-2081745921995791512012-04-28T22:47:00.001-04:002012-04-28T22:47:36.726-04:00Gone Fishing...again!Earlier this week, Mark decided that he wanted to go camping (something we love to do). The only weekend we have available for at least a month is this weekend, so he checked to see if he could get Friday off work and he could. Unfortunately, the weather in Ohio did not like those plans of ours (big shocker, it got down to 38 degrees and rained ), so we chose not to got camping. However, yesterday after we had gone swimming at a local indoor pool and the boys were taking naps, Mark decided that he wanted the four of us to go fishing that afternoon despite the fact that we did not have any fishing equipment. I will spare you most of the rediculous details, but it was a huge fiasko. We spent an exorbatant amount of time in Walmart and Gander Mountain trying to decide on which equipment to buy, forgot to get the fishing licenses and had to go back, went back home to retrieve water bottles and chairs, and went to the grocery store to buy chicken liver (yes, eww) for bait. By then it was time for dinner so we got some fast food and headed to Buckeye Lake. Once we were finally there we started to unpack and realized that the hooks and fishing line had been removed from the van when we stopped by home and had not been put back in, so we could not do any fishing. We let the boys spend a little time throwing rocks into the lake then went to my mom's house to roast marshmallows instead.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gS4BfRsvqB4/T5yqpPoVf1I/AAAAAAAAAhA/dVlJlz2oIW8/s1600/IMG_0581.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gS4BfRsvqB4/T5yqpPoVf1I/AAAAAAAAAhA/dVlJlz2oIW8/s400/IMG_0581.JPG" width="298" /></a></div>
<br />
Early this morning it rained and there was threat that it would rain off and on all day. However, Mark again decided that he wanted to try to go fishing. Being the agreable wife I am :) we packed up everything as quickly as we could, bundled up ourselves and the boys and headed back to the lake. My sister, Erin, and her husband, Rony, were also with us. It was cold and windy, but we had fun. We had bought Spiderman and Lightning McQueen fishing poles for the boys, and they had a great time carrying them around and "fishing".<br />
<br />
Rony and Erin each caught a small fish, but I was able to hook the largest fish of the day. When I say large I really mean little, probably about 12 or 13 inches, but it was big enough that we took it home and got two small fillets off of it. We looked it up when we got home and found that it was a Walleye. It was small enough that we probably would have released it, but without grossing people out, I'll just say that the hook would have caused it to die anyway. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9xtkuonMKJ0/T5yqvZdJ_TI/AAAAAAAAAhQ/m5syh-raSnA/s1600/DSC03456.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9xtkuonMKJ0/T5yqvZdJ_TI/AAAAAAAAAhQ/m5syh-raSnA/s320/DSC03456.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CUoUjjPujJA/T5yq1qEwouI/AAAAAAAAAhY/73g68dUiJDA/s1600/DSC03458.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CUoUjjPujJA/T5yq1qEwouI/AAAAAAAAAhY/73g68dUiJDA/s320/DSC03458.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fG_h4IqGcwE/T5yqsRPdAMI/AAAAAAAAAhI/Tap8n9txguo/s1600/DSC03455.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fG_h4IqGcwE/T5yqsRPdAMI/AAAAAAAAAhI/Tap8n9txguo/s320/DSC03455.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
One thing I realized about myself, and the kind of mother I am and will be as my children grow up, is I am someone who is not afraid to do things like catch a fish and cut it up for food. I am not afraid to hold a fish, touch a worm (or chicken liver as the case may be), bait a hook, or cut into the dead fish I caught. In fact, I enjoy most of these things. I was definately a tom boy when I was younger and those traits are still a big part of me. Granted, I am much more girly then I used to be. But, I love doing things like camping, hiking, fishing, and generally enjoying nature, and I love to see my children enjoying these things too. I not only don't mind it when they get dirty doing these things, I love it!<br />
<br />
Tonight after we had cut the fillets off of the fish, I witnessed a trait of my husband's that those who know him will not be surprised by. Once the meat was off of the fish, I was done, but not Mark. He wanted to see the other parts of the fish. He found the heart, a human organ he works with most days, and he watched facinated as it beat involuntarily when he put slight pressure on surrounding tissue. He speculated about why this happened and what the parts of the heart and around the heart might be ("That would be it's right ventricle and I wonder if this is the aorta"). I have to admit, it was kind of cool, but not something I would have gone looking for. I love that it is something that he goes looking for. That's just who he is and I love him.<br />
<br />
In the end, we all were glad we went and we hope to be able to do it again soon.Mark and Sarah +2http://www.blogger.com/profile/08527966159784854317noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549739445778232714.post-66438666846933860032012-04-08T15:15:00.000-04:002012-04-08T15:15:19.379-04:00Happy Easter!And it has been a happy one. We had candy, we had cinnamon rolls, we had hard boiled eggs, and we went to church. We have spent time as a family, which is the best part of all. Today when we came home from church I asked Gabriel, as I do every Sunday, "what did you do in primary today?". He ran off for a second and came back with the cutouts of a "cave", "rock", and "Jesus" and proceded to tell us the story of how "Jesus died and was put in the cave and the rock was put in front of the cave to keep him in, but after three days he came back alive and when they looked for him in the cave he was gone, but then he came back and there were angles and he was alive". The whole while he was moving the cut outs around to go with the story he was telling. We could tell that he had closely watched as his wonderful and patient primary teacher had taught him this lesson. We are so grateful to her for all she teaches him and how lovingly she gives of her time to be with these very young children of our Father in Heaven. And I am grateful for our son who came home and shared what he had learned about his Savior.<br />
<br />
I am so blessed to have such amazing, beautiful spirits placed in my care. How have I been so blessed? I know that my Savior and my Father in Heaven love me. I felt today, as I sat in Church, a need to make my relationship with them so much stronger. I begin the only place I can and that is the present. I want my children to learn every day about who they are, why they are here, and where they come from. I want them to FEEL of their Savior's love for them through me. I am so glad though that I'm not the only one teaching them. They have their Dad, who loves us all very much. They have their grandparents, who have paved the way by sticking to the gospel even when it was hard. They have Aunts and Uncles and Cousins, who we are blessed to be very close to. And they have amazing friends and teachers, who are always willing to love my children. <br />
<br />
Yes, it's been a good day. I know my Savior lives. I know that he suffered for me and that he died for me. I know that he lives again and that he is MY advocate to the Father. I know that he has done this for each one of us and in my small, insufficient way, I am grateful. I wish you a Happy Easter as well.Mark and Sarah +2http://www.blogger.com/profile/08527966159784854317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549739445778232714.post-47564165077388339662012-03-07T21:24:00.000-05:002012-03-07T21:24:25.043-05:00Mommy, it's snack time!Today Gabriel got it in his head that he wanted ice cream with sprinkles on it for snack time. This was around 4:30pm and obviously closer to dinner time than snack time, but he was determined. I suggested that maybe if he was well behaved that we could have ice cream after dinner. Immediately after this exchange I went to check my email. A couple of minutes later Gabriel says to me, "Mommy, I'm all ready for snack time. See, I got out three bowls and three spoons and the ice cream and the sprinkles" in his cutest little boy voice. And it was true. While I was zoned out checking emails he had gotten out all of the things neccesary for he and Eli and myself to have ice cream. He had even gotten a smaller spoon for Eli. I couldn't resist. He had thought this out and was so stinkin cute about it. So, we had ice cream for "snack". I actually love when things like this happen. Don't get me wrong, I would always love for the boys to listen to what I say and follow my instructions (I am a parent after all), but these are the types of moments when I really get to slow down and just enjoy being with my children. These are the special moments we will remember.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-obymDxf17Uk/T1gUyOOUCbI/AAAAAAAAAgg/ymw6OmwbLog/s320/DSC03313.JPG" width="320" yda="true" /></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RyYDAkLeRuU/T1gUevv4SHI/AAAAAAAAAf4/mnJdZSqPt3w/s1600/DSC03287.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RyYDAkLeRuU/T1gUevv4SHI/AAAAAAAAAf4/mnJdZSqPt3w/s320/DSC03287.JPG" width="320" yda="true" /></a> <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2JitOT9r2jU/T1gUu2ikIqI/AAAAAAAAAgY/TjeKDxCNzcQ/s1600/DSC03305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2JitOT9r2jU/T1gUu2ikIqI/AAAAAAAAAgY/TjeKDxCNzcQ/s320/DSC03305.JPG" width="320" yda="true" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bzXdk7LnHw8/T1gUq0tytgI/AAAAAAAAAgQ/pGZRUlpX984/s1600/DSC03303.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bzXdk7LnHw8/T1gUq0tytgI/AAAAAAAAAgQ/pGZRUlpX984/s320/DSC03303.JPG" width="320" yda="true" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JNH7WX_408A/T1gUnpDAWpI/AAAAAAAAAgI/DUPxck5mKQI/s1600/DSC03302.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JNH7WX_408A/T1gUnpDAWpI/AAAAAAAAAgI/DUPxck5mKQI/s320/DSC03302.JPG" width="320" yda="true" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OhA5QOejcjs/T1gUkNWcgMI/AAAAAAAAAgA/PTsj25X8C8Q/s1600/DSC03298.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OhA5QOejcjs/T1gUkNWcgMI/AAAAAAAAAgA/PTsj25X8C8Q/s320/DSC03298.JPG" width="320" yda="true" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-drSZ3jvJoCY/T1gUaOSuBmI/AAAAAAAAAfw/MGCCRru_HZ4/s1600/DSC03285.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-drSZ3jvJoCY/T1gUaOSuBmI/AAAAAAAAAfw/MGCCRru_HZ4/s320/DSC03285.JPG" width="320" yda="true" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8Rt24f7C9D8/T1gUU51cCHI/AAAAAAAAAfo/K12Bx_stmJg/s1600/DSC03283.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8Rt24f7C9D8/T1gUU51cCHI/AAAAAAAAAfo/K12Bx_stmJg/s320/DSC03283.JPG" width="320" yda="true" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UQ3r6gFVwxw/T1gU046fJXI/AAAAAAAAAgo/ASc9ggznCGA/s1600/DSC03318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UQ3r6gFVwxw/T1gU046fJXI/AAAAAAAAAgo/ASc9ggznCGA/s320/DSC03318.JPG" width="320" yda="true" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aiTkQS90AXQ/T1gU4AdLrmI/AAAAAAAAAgw/nQESXM8bhLk/s1600/DSC03320.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aiTkQS90AXQ/T1gU4AdLrmI/AAAAAAAAAgw/nQESXM8bhLk/s320/DSC03320.JPG" width="320" yda="true" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ByzLe2u8I88/T1gU7ZL3yCI/AAAAAAAAAg4/n2uiIpchndg/s1600/DSC03323.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ByzLe2u8I88/T1gU7ZL3yCI/AAAAAAAAAg4/n2uiIpchndg/s320/DSC03323.JPG" width="320" yda="true" /></a></div>Mark and Sarah +2http://www.blogger.com/profile/08527966159784854317noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549739445778232714.post-28235723515109573732012-03-06T17:46:00.000-05:002012-03-06T17:46:56.478-05:00My Little Little<div style="text-align: center;">This is our Eli:</div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kCqZ5gCW1kg/T1aSC6MeHII/AAAAAAAAAfg/_5dpucJrAqc/s1600/IMG_0308.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kCqZ5gCW1kg/T1aSC6MeHII/AAAAAAAAAfg/_5dpucJrAqc/s320/IMG_0308.JPG" uda="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Sarah's sister, Elaine</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8GkX-LmA93A/T1aR9VieW-I/AAAAAAAAAfY/gmNHyEEiFk4/s1600/IMG_0285.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8GkX-LmA93A/T1aR9VieW-I/AAAAAAAAAfY/gmNHyEEiFk4/s320/IMG_0285.JPG" uda="true" width="268" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fCloTFz4bwY/T1aNDu9b1pI/AAAAAAAAAew/oAjo1oJ-z7k/s1600/IMG_0105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fCloTFz4bwY/T1aNDu9b1pI/AAAAAAAAAew/oAjo1oJ-z7k/s320/IMG_0105.JPG" uda="true" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Every man needs a little light reading material while uses the facilities </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I feel like his older brother gets a lot of face time on our blog, because he is older, talks, and does more independently that I can report on. So, I wanted to write a post just about my little little, as I like to call him. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Eli is exactly what we needed to counter balance the very active, independent child who came before him. I am so grateful for who he is and what he adds to our family. He is not quite as mild as we thought he would be as a baby, but he is a little boy after all. He loves to <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">play with his big brother</span> and <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">try just about anything that Gabriel does</span>, which makes me very nervous sometimes, because despite how close he is in height to his big brother, he is not nearly as sturdy. He starts as many of the wrestling matches as Gabriel does.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1Fv8q626aek/T1aByYoQcbI/AAAAAAAAAd4/rWePpaNXVjM/s1600/IMG_0075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1Fv8q626aek/T1aByYoQcbI/AAAAAAAAAd4/rWePpaNXVjM/s320/IMG_0075.JPG" uda="true" width="238" /></a></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ssYy-cGdqIY/T1aB27VZVLI/AAAAAAAAAeA/KPe6BSz_u3U/s1600/IMG_0073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ssYy-cGdqIY/T1aB27VZVLI/AAAAAAAAAeA/KPe6BSz_u3U/s320/IMG_0073.JPG" uda="true" width="238" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">He loves to <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">jump</span> or <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">fall head first off of the couch</span>, he loves to <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">stand on things he shouldn't</span> (like his car/scooter he got for Christmas), he loves to <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">climb on things</span>, he loves to <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">reach his little hands up onto my counters and grab whatever he can just because he is able to reach them</span> (needless to say, I have to be very careful about where I leave knives even for a second to turn to get something). </div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Eli is also very <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">gentle</span> and <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">cuddly</span>. He has the most <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">joyous smile</span>; his whole face lights up. </div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jFZHi1Eg_eY/T1aQKRQXV-I/AAAAAAAAAfQ/NPvyCR-EXqE/s1600/IMG_0175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jFZHi1Eg_eY/T1aQKRQXV-I/AAAAAAAAAfQ/NPvyCR-EXqE/s400/IMG_0175.JPG" uda="true" width="298" /></a></div>He also has an <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">ornery smile</span> that I love to see, even if it means he's being well...ornery. He often gets a very <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">serious face</span> like he's saying, "Mom, don't embarrass me." He gives the most <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">perfect kisses</span> with the smacking noise and everything. There is no way to describe how perfect they are or how happy they make us.<br />
<br />
He is 19 months old, so, of course, he throws <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">temper tantrums</span>, but they are some of the most mild tantrums you will ever see, and he is easily talked out of them. He is <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">VERY tall</span> for his age and VERY skinny. Mark says that someday, when he is a teenager, he will be playing basketball and he'll have a conversation that will go:<br />
<br />
teammates: "Dude, who is that short, fat, white guy going crazy in the stands every time you score,"<br />
Eli: "that's my dad," <br />
Teammates: "No really, who is he," <br />
Eli: "No really, that's my dad"<br />
<br />
And Mark will be that crazy, super-proud-of-his-kids dad no matter what. But that's another post about another person I love.<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Eli <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">doesn't talk</span> very much at all. We have started telling him that "ung" is not a word and if he wants something then he needs to use words. He's not such a fan of this line. In fact he has taken to sighing at me. It's a sigh that would make any teenager proud. He also does this when he is trying to tell me something and I say I don't understand as though he were saying, "if you aren't going to understand then why do I even try". He thinks that we have known what he wanted up to this point without him talking, so why should that change now. Mostly we are tired of screaming being a large part of his vocabulary, so we are trying to help him communicate without it. One thing he did communicate very clearly to me recently was his discomfort with the Gorillas and Polar Bears at the zoo. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6U_MvcOMLkI/T1aNSZTN89I/AAAAAAAAAe4/GyYrF5YhCyA/s1600/IMG_0154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6U_MvcOMLkI/T1aNSZTN89I/AAAAAAAAAe4/GyYrF5YhCyA/s320/IMG_0154.JPG" uda="true" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I know this is super blurry, but it pretty accurately shows his opinion on being that close to the gorilla.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CebknsVyhxU/T1aNeGy03AI/AAAAAAAAAfA/ih8XlmLTMCw/s1600/IMG_0155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CebknsVyhxU/T1aNeGy03AI/AAAAAAAAAfA/ih8XlmLTMCw/s320/IMG_0155.JPG" uda="true" width="238" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4SYtf4MC0uw/T1aNjKkgqKI/AAAAAAAAAfI/ClfuO0z3OLc/s1600/IMG_0156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4SYtf4MC0uw/T1aNjKkgqKI/AAAAAAAAAfI/ClfuO0z3OLc/s320/IMG_0156.JPG" uda="true" width="238" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gabriel trying to get Eli to smile for the camera. He would not be persuaded.</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">He was not comforted by the thick glass separating him from these large creatures, and did not like it when I tried to get a picture of him in front of them. I'll admit, I got a little bit of a laugh out of his reaction while still trying to show him I wouldn't let those big animals get him.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9Wsn5PTzd58/T1aD_s5RhaI/AAAAAAAAAeQ/7Tz1vpEOYf0/s1600/020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9Wsn5PTzd58/T1aD_s5RhaI/AAAAAAAAAeQ/7Tz1vpEOYf0/s320/020.JPG" uda="true" width="320" /></a></div> His <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">mommy is still his favorite person</span> and he has just barely started calling daddy "dada" instead of "mama". I love this! I love that I'm the person he wants more than anyone or anything else. I love that I can soothe him and comfort him at any time. This is not to say that he doesn't love his daddy. He gets so excited when daddy comes home and I love to see that too. He also loves his big brother. We can already tell that his family is very important to him and this brings us a great deal of happiness. He brings us joy.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6oC8z_2fS1Y/T1aEDf0-mqI/AAAAAAAAAeY/8JxM-c6RFwY/s1600/021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6oC8z_2fS1Y/T1aEDf0-mqI/AAAAAAAAAeY/8JxM-c6RFwY/s320/021.JPG" uda="true" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Mark and Sarah +2http://www.blogger.com/profile/08527966159784854317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549739445778232714.post-20472630992561883162012-02-08T15:38:00.003-05:002012-02-08T15:43:01.755-05:00GO BLUE!! (or Red?)<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">In our home the most important color has been</span> <span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">BLUE. <span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">It is my favorite color as well as Mark's, but most importantly it is a way of declaring allegiance for my husband. For those who don't know, Mark was born in Michigan, and as far as sports go, he is true to his home state. It is true that he only lived there for the first couple years of his life, but a boy is taught sports by his Father and Mark has not strayed from that teaching. From a very young age he has tried to instill the importance of rooting for the "right team" in our sons.</span> <span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">GO BLUE</span></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">!!</span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Lc9vhGIQQlI/TzLWHUcE9GI/AAAAAAAAAdg/sWsoJeA0SIs/s1600/IMG_2266.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" sda="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Lc9vhGIQQlI/TzLWHUcE9GI/AAAAAAAAAdg/sWsoJeA0SIs/s320/IMG_2266.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Elijah is still too young to vocalize his preferences, but that has never been an issue for Gabriel. He was vocal very early and definitely knows his own mind. For a while now he has known that his favorite color is</span> </span><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Red</span>. <span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Everything should be</span> <span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">red</span> <span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">in Gabriel's eyes. When we go somewhere he wants the town, person's home, or store to be</span><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span style="color: red;">red</span></span>. <span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"> Not too long ago, when Mark was driving in circles waiting for me to come out of a store, Gabriel asked him if the circles they were driving in could be</span> <span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">red</span>. <span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">He wishes the whole world could be</span> <span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">red</span>. <span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">This is one of the colors of the "evil rival", so this fasination with all things</span> <span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">red</span><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"> has been a bit of a concern for Mark.</span> </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--HtCV3Y2G8k/TzLaORxqUqI/AAAAAAAAAdw/pxoToT_2qAs/s1600/DSC03251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" sda="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--HtCV3Y2G8k/TzLaORxqUqI/AAAAAAAAAdw/pxoToT_2qAs/s200/DSC03251.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> <img border="0" height="150" sda="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ub-YhXAVCaM/TzLZmh_cBSI/AAAAAAAAAdo/SB2wj0amzvU/s200/DSC03253%255B1%255D.JPG" width="200" /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">(His facination with the color might have something to do with a certain red race car. Cachow!)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Recently, Gabriel said to Mark, "Daddy, when I grow up and play football on tv, I will wear</span> <span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">red</span> <span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">and you can wear</span> <span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">red</span> <span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">too and cheer for me in</span> <span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">red</span>." <span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">At first, Mark's face fell and I could see he was a little sad because of this declaration. But, my wonderful husband just looked at each of his sons and said, "I will always cheer for you and Eli, no matter what. Even if you choose to wear</span> <span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">red</span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">." Now that's love!</span></div>Mark and Sarah +2http://www.blogger.com/profile/08527966159784854317noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549739445778232714.post-62523633435108098762012-02-06T18:10:00.000-05:002012-02-06T18:10:14.444-05:00Visiting (Birth) Family<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-59_Whm-FaRs/TzBMVaSLnoI/AAAAAAAAAb4/ISP3kUDvOYE/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" sda="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-59_Whm-FaRs/TzBMVaSLnoI/AAAAAAAAAb4/ISP3kUDvOYE/s640/002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>About two months ago we were talking to Andrea, Gabriel’s birth mom, and we mentioned that we would really like to come see her again. We were able to see her and her mother, Tammy for the first time since Gabriel was born last August. We had talked on the phone, on the internet, and sent her pictures, but it was so wonderful to actually see her and spend time with her. Since that first visit, Mark and I had talked about how we didn’t want to go so long between visits again. So, when I broached the subject with her in November we were hoping she would interested in another visit as well. She definitely was, and told us that her grandmother and grandfather, who we also met when Gabriel was born, were upset that they hadn’t been able to see us (well, mostly Gabriel) during our last visit. Andrea said we could probably meet at her grandparents’ home this time, so we started making plans. We all agreed it would be easier to plan a time after the first of the year, so that is what we did. <br />
<br />
<br />
One week before we were supposed to travel the two hours for our visit we all got sick. It was just a cold, but a fairly serious one, and I was very worried that we would end up having to reschedule. We prayed that we would recover in time to go and we were blessed. The day before we went we were all in good health, finally! We gathered everything we were taking with us and were on our way. The trip up and back went very well, which is no small feat with a three-year-old and one-year-old. When we got there Andrea, Nana Tammy (Andrea’s mother), Grandma Donna and Grandpa Ken (Andrea’s grandparents) were all waiting for us. They welcomed us in quickly and we immediately exchanged gifts. We had bought a single picture frame to put a picture of Andrea and me together in, and a collage in which I had already put pictures of her three children (including Gabriel). We hadn’t expected it, but they had gifts for both Gabriel and Elijah. The boys were thrilled to say the least! We spent the next four and a half hours talking and playing with the boys. They were wonderful! It was so obvious that they loved seeing Gabriel, but they also loved on Eli as though he were their grandson too. How could anyone think that having more love in a child’s life could possibly be a bad thing? It felt so natural to talk to them and be in their home. At the end of the visit we all agreed that we would like to do this more often. We told them that we would like for them to come to Gabriel’s birthday party in August, and we are planning a trip up to see them again in a few months. Mark and I are both very happy with the way our relationship with Gabriel’s birth family is evolving. We love them. We are family.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UKpvH6M_AC0/TzBMYvqeptI/AAAAAAAAAcA/d5H-Ht61EMQ/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" sda="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UKpvH6M_AC0/TzBMYvqeptI/AAAAAAAAAcA/d5H-Ht61EMQ/s320/010.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AuE3N6sQH3E/TzBZGz6wEyI/AAAAAAAAAcQ/uVEmry6KbcQ/s1600/405612_334117289955828_100000726799155_1063115_1260788308_n%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" sda="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AuE3N6sQH3E/TzBZGz6wEyI/AAAAAAAAAcQ/uVEmry6KbcQ/s320/405612_334117289955828_100000726799155_1063115_1260788308_n%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ROqi35d2TdI/TzBZIAJm2OI/AAAAAAAAAcY/12hKO4EWalA/s1600/409032_334115229956034_100000726799155_1063050_1242545201_a%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" sda="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ROqi35d2TdI/TzBZIAJm2OI/AAAAAAAAAcY/12hKO4EWalA/s320/409032_334115229956034_100000726799155_1063050_1242545201_a%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y9xVxId6Tys/TzBZJCbfCYI/AAAAAAAAAcg/eq1Dch1RmFM/s1600/417310_334116049955952_100000726799155_1063076_1308329615_n%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" sda="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y9xVxId6Tys/TzBZJCbfCYI/AAAAAAAAAcg/eq1Dch1RmFM/s320/417310_334116049955952_100000726799155_1063076_1308329615_n%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bAxPt7Beyt0/TzBZKRItbUI/AAAAAAAAAco/qF51NdL-AsE/s1600/418250_334119549955602_100000726799155_1063164_1500458321_n%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" sda="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bAxPt7Beyt0/TzBZKRItbUI/AAAAAAAAAco/qF51NdL-AsE/s320/418250_334119549955602_100000726799155_1063164_1500458321_n%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M9BPNEUWVbg/TzBZMUPzkBI/AAAAAAAAAcw/BbgQEnw6xZw/s1600/419978_334115993289291_100000726799155_1063074_298749683_n%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" sda="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M9BPNEUWVbg/TzBZMUPzkBI/AAAAAAAAAcw/BbgQEnw6xZw/s320/419978_334115993289291_100000726799155_1063074_298749683_n%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j7Ao10ERO1Y/TzBZNltkoxI/AAAAAAAAAc4/hjJbvsxxTVQ/s1600/420333_334116126622611_100000726799155_1063080_1247358404_n%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" sda="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j7Ao10ERO1Y/TzBZNltkoxI/AAAAAAAAAc4/hjJbvsxxTVQ/s320/420333_334116126622611_100000726799155_1063080_1247358404_n%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zn1yTSZXsiE/TzBZOzMXX-I/AAAAAAAAAdA/WPUtqA4BVCk/s1600/423272_334118113289079_100000726799155_1063137_1864833697_n%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" sda="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zn1yTSZXsiE/TzBZOzMXX-I/AAAAAAAAAdA/WPUtqA4BVCk/s320/423272_334118113289079_100000726799155_1063137_1864833697_n%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fspzq4j5aM8/TzBZEXrsufI/AAAAAAAAAcI/YK86uzeNNOg/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" sda="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fspzq4j5aM8/TzBZEXrsufI/AAAAAAAAAcI/YK86uzeNNOg/s320/006.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NP777LNpeoo/TzBZP-OzxtI/AAAAAAAAAdI/0-ahjuU2y2I/s1600/427246_334120656622158_100000726799155_1063186_904690177_n%5B2%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" sda="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NP777LNpeoo/TzBZP-OzxtI/AAAAAAAAAdI/0-ahjuU2y2I/s320/427246_334120656622158_100000726799155_1063186_904690177_n%5B2%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J83Rz9ih5PM/TzBZRGqpa5I/AAAAAAAAAdQ/s8JKpkKkasc/s1600/428645_334120836622140_100000726799155_1063190_1929599037_n%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="215" sda="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-J83Rz9ih5PM/TzBZRGqpa5I/AAAAAAAAAdQ/s8JKpkKkasc/s320/428645_334120836622140_100000726799155_1063190_1929599037_n%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Mark and Sarah +2http://www.blogger.com/profile/08527966159784854317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549739445778232714.post-27617354804813088842012-02-01T19:58:00.000-05:002012-02-01T19:58:39.118-05:00Sunshine!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ecu8PJ_GT1g/TyndWDBsosI/AAAAAAAAAbY/JCpVFOUYE8g/s1600/011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" sda="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ecu8PJ_GT1g/TyndWDBsosI/AAAAAAAAAbY/JCpVFOUYE8g/s640/011.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">I've been working on a post about how</div><div style="text-align: center;"> I don't like winter,</div><div style="text-align: center;">I miss the sunshine during these months, </div><div style="text-align: center;">I long for warmth. </div><div style="text-align: center;">Then the crazy Ohio weather gave us today. </div><div style="text-align: center;">The high today was 62 degrees!!! </div><div style="text-align: center;">It was <strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">sunny</span></strong> and <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>beautiful</strong> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;">and we took advantage by going <strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">outside</span></strong> and<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <strong>playing</strong></span>. </div><div style="text-align: center;">So, I'll save that winter pick-me-up post for another time </div><div style="text-align: center;">and just be <strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">thankful</span></strong> for the great day we've been given.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XqfJOnM7vVU/Tynd2b1sJSI/AAAAAAAAAbo/6bVFQbr1g9Q/s1600/015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" sda="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XqfJOnM7vVU/Tynd2b1sJSI/AAAAAAAAAbo/6bVFQbr1g9Q/s320/015.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KvZA_YBNTI4/Tyndxgmhs5I/AAAAAAAAAbg/FnkJffuT05k/s1600/013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" sda="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KvZA_YBNTI4/Tyndxgmhs5I/AAAAAAAAAbg/FnkJffuT05k/s320/013.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KU4PI0G_RsA/Tynd69x-whI/AAAAAAAAAbw/4e1pK5_0_lU/s1600/020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" sda="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KU4PI0G_RsA/Tynd69x-whI/AAAAAAAAAbw/4e1pK5_0_lU/s320/020.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Mark and Sarah +2http://www.blogger.com/profile/08527966159784854317noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549739445778232714.post-3900921006850359032012-01-21T11:26:00.001-05:002012-01-25T13:43:40.049-05:00Hoping to Adopt<div style="text-align: center;"><span xmlns=""></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-63rIw-CuIuk/TxrnBUjW83I/AAAAAAAAAaU/z6qvxt5IVZw/s1600/family+dinner+cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="504" nfa="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-63rIw-CuIuk/TxrnBUjW83I/AAAAAAAAAaU/z6qvxt5IVZw/s640/family+dinner+cropped.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">We are hoping to adopt! We are so excited to be working toward adding another child (and their first family) to our family. We are approved through LDS Family Services. You can see our profile at <a href="https://www.itsaboutlove.org/ial/profiles/27073241/ourMessage.jsf">https://www.itsaboutlove.org/ial/profiles/27073241/ourMessage.jsf</a> and <a href="http://www.hopingtoadopt.org/index.php/family/letters/450">http://www.hopingtoadopt.org/index.php/family/letters/450</a>. One of the best ways to share this dream of ours is through our family and friends, so if you know of anyone who might be interested in finding out more about our family or adoption in general, please share these links with them! You can also email us at <a href="mailto:markandsarah13@gmail.com">markandsarah13@gmail.com</a>. One of the great things about our agency is that they offer free counseling services to expectant parents to help them figure out what their options are, and whether to place their child for adoption or choose to parent. Our Social Worker's name is Kimberly Toronto and she is very easy to talk to. If you would like to reach her directly you can call the Ohio LDS Family Services office at 614-836-2466 or email at <a href="mailto:torontokw@ldsfamilyservices.org">torontokw@ldsfamilyservices.org</a>. We know that Heavenly Father is directing the work of adoption. We have seen the way in which adoption can join the hearts and lives of those involved, and we are so grateful that we have been able to have this amazing blessing in our lives.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Mark and Sarah +2http://www.blogger.com/profile/08527966159784854317noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549739445778232714.post-63906034486514448812012-01-19T13:06:00.002-05:002012-01-19T13:19:05.781-05:00Back to Basic, Back to Blogging<span xmlns=""> In 2010 I decided that one of the things I wanted to include as a New Year's resolution was to blog more, and I did. However, after Eli was born I felt a need to get back to basics on many levels...hmm, I wonder why. Having a new baby, I imagine, can do that for you. Another thing that has been on my mind is our relationships with each of the boys' birth moms. This blog was started, in part, for them, but I was feeling the need to reach out to them more, so we have made that effort. We haven't been successful on all fronts, but I am definitely pleased with where our relationship with Andrea, Gabriel's birth mom, has progressed to. On August 6<sup>th</sup>, two days before Gabe's 3<sup>rd</sup> birthday, we saw Andrea and her mother Tammy for the first time since Gabriel was born. It was an awesome experience. I feel like we have grown much closer. We have called, we have messaged through Facebook, we talked through Skype on Christmas, and I am so excited to say that we have another trip planned in the next couple weeks to go see her and more of her extended family. Gabriel is so excited! He keeps telling people "we have 16 more days (or however many it may be) til we go see my tummy mommy!". I love seeing how excited he is and feeling that excitement myself. I love that he knows her, that he tells people about her, and that he knows that she loves him. She will always be a part of us because she is a part of him, and she means so much to us. I hope to develop a closer relationship with Eli's birth mom in the future. Even though we are not in contact with her now, she is always in our thoughts and prayers, and we love her.<br />
<br />
The boys are wonderful. I love being at home with them! I love my husband, who works hard, so that I can be at home, and who wants me there as much as I want to be there. Gabriel learns so quickly. He is learning to identify his numbers and letters, and even writing a little. He loves to color with markers, paint, and read books. He likes playing with cars, trains, and pretty much any toy with wheels or wings. He also likes to build things. We have recently had a friend come do some repairs around our house and he has let Gabriel watch as he works on things. Gabriel has been in heaven. He is such a smart kid and he loves to see how things work. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-exfbPRHKxEY/TxhcDrDWhfI/AAAAAAAAAXU/P6yHAutRlK0/s1600/wipe+out.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nfa="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-exfbPRHKxEY/TxhcDrDWhfI/AAAAAAAAAXU/P6yHAutRlK0/s320/wipe+out.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">My Gabriel is so full of adventure</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SnApX9CNHHk/TxhcGexGNjI/AAAAAAAAAXc/OMPrXYFtJ5w/s1600/happy+gabe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nfa="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SnApX9CNHHk/TxhcGexGNjI/AAAAAAAAAXc/OMPrXYFtJ5w/s320/happy+gabe.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I love to see him happy</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Elijah will be 18 months old and he is every bit as ornery. Whoever said the terrible twos start at 2 years old was lying. Still, he is also such a sweet heart. Even at this young an age you can tell that he loves his family. He wants to do everything his big brother does and he is almost as tall as Gabriel, so he tries a lot of what Gabriel does, which makes for a very nervous mommy sometimes. He still loves to cuddle. He also loves all things vehicular. He got a car that he can sit on for Christmas and he plays on it most of the day. He doesn't use words very much, I think because he has a big brother who does a lot of talking for him, and he seems to get his point across without talking. We have been working on getting him to talk to us lately and he is making a good deal of progress. He is so tall, and we expect by the time he is ready to be baptized that Eli will be as tall as Mark.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ws-Ersk4mdI/TxhcIGOTeTI/AAAAAAAAAXk/Vlbltc8E8k8/s1600/beautiful+eli.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nfa="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ws-Ersk4mdI/TxhcIGOTeTI/AAAAAAAAAXk/Vlbltc8E8k8/s320/beautiful+eli.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">My beautiful Eli</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fx4xQNGJsR4/TxhcLvQ6raI/AAAAAAAAAXs/4fwKWpIRMe4/s1600/reading+time+with+brothers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" nfa="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fx4xQNGJsR4/TxhcLvQ6raI/AAAAAAAAAXs/4fwKWpIRMe4/s320/reading+time+with+brothers.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">I love this picture of my boys. They love each other so much and it makes us so happy!</div><br />
<br />
It is amazing the amount of joy a happy family brings. Believe me, things are not perfect, but perfect is not really the point. It is definitely true that it is the little things that bring the greatest happiness.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Mark and Sarah +2http://www.blogger.com/profile/08527966159784854317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549739445778232714.post-19622389727874228482010-08-03T13:43:00.013-04:002010-08-26T15:09:15.968-04:00Baby Brother!<div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/THa1is4HZ6I/AAAAAAAAAV0/ddDCkQmuJ9o/s1600/DSC01640.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509790801901086626" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/THa1is4HZ6I/AAAAAAAAAV0/ddDCkQmuJ9o/s320/DSC01640.JPG" /></a><br />It's a boy! He is beautiful and healthy and we are so grateful to have another baby. Everything has happened so fast that I think I am still a bit in shock. We had 17 days from when we found out we had been chosen by a birth mother to when our son was born. Elijah Daniel Leland entered the world on July 19th and it seems our world has changed yet again. </div><br /><div><div><div align="center"><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/THa1j13HSjI/AAAAAAAAAWM/-zVhWhjc_ZA/s1600/DSC01669.JPG"></a></div><div>Mark and I traveled down to Huntington, West Virginia on Sunday evening, the 18th, as we had been told that Eli's birth mother would be induced Monday morning. We left Gabriel in the capable hands of our friends, Cortney and Greg. It was really hard being away from him for four days, and we couldn't have done it without them and the many family members who have helped in caring for him or driving back and forth to see us. On Monday we sat in the waiting room for many hours without almost any information. Because of some of the details of our birth mother's situation, the hospital staff were VERY uneasy about sharing any information even when they had signed releases. We finally were told around 3pm by the hospital Social Worker, who was amazing, that it was still going to be a while before the baby was born. She advised that we take a break from sitting in the waiting room, go back to our hotel, and do something to relax. We went back to the hotel and took a nap, which was just what we both needed as we hadn't gotten much sleep the night before. </div><div><br />A little after 5pm our case worker, Spencer, came to our hotel to let us know what was going on. While we were napping he had arrived at the hospital and had talked to our birth mom. That morning she had asked the hospital Social Worker what her rights were for keeping the baby. This is a totally normal reaction for a birth mom. Who wouldn't hesitate to give their baby to someone else to raise? Spencer, who is fabulous at working with birth moms without pressuring them to place, came to the hospital to talk to her, see how she was feeling, and help her to understand her options. Once she had the chance to talk with him she was able to better understand her options and come back to the conclusion that she was making the right choice for this baby to give him to us. She still wasn't sure if she wanted to meet us, and whether or not she wanted to share her last name with us. This would determine whether or not we would be able to spend any time with the baby before the relinquishment papers were signed. So, Monday was a very stressful day for all involved. Still, we knew that Heavenly Father would help Eli's birth mom to know what she needed to do and if we were meant to be the parents of this baby, he would help that to happen. </div><div><br />Some how we were able to sleep on Monday night. We got up the next morning, got ready to go, and sat and waited for some word as to what was going on. Finally, at about 10:15am, Spencer texted Mark and said that we should come to the hospital and that we would be able to see the baby. We quickly grabbed our wallets, phones, camera, and a few other things and drove the 5 minutes to the hospital. I think that was the moment I realized how grateful I was that Mark had insisted we spend more money to stay closer to the hospital in a nicer hotel. After extensive identity checking, we were put in an empty patient room while a nurse went to get the baby. It was only about a half hour from the time we got the text to when we finally got to meet Elijah, but it felt like forever. He was worth the wait. He was so tiny, but long. He has a ton of soft black hair and beautiful dark brown, almost black, eyes. He is beautiful. Unlike his brother, who was born C-section, Eli was a little beat up from delivery. He has a stork bite on his face, which was very bright, and he was very puffy. Still, we thought he was amazing. We were able to be with him for many hours that day in the privacy of that patient room. It was perfect.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/THasNWQyH3I/AAAAAAAAAVU/rOLis9Sto8w/s1600/DSC01480.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509780539448631154" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/THasNWQyH3I/AAAAAAAAAVU/rOLis9Sto8w/s400/DSC01480.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/THasMvB3cwI/AAAAAAAAAVM/qlderhLlkUE/s1600/DSC01489.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509780528917082882" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/THasMvB3cwI/AAAAAAAAAVM/qlderhLlkUE/s400/DSC01489.JPG" /></a><br /></div><br /><div>Spencer also told us that Elijah's birth mom had decided that she did want to meet us. I met with her by myself first, then later that day, Mark also met her. Over the next few days I spent several hours with her, getting to know her and talking about Eli. She felt that it was very important that we, as mothers, get to know each other and bond. One of the many ways we knew that this baby is meant to be a part of our family was how he was named. As many of you know, Gabriel has two middle names. One was given to him from his birth mom and one from us. Eli's birth mom asked if we would be willing to give him the middle name of Leland, but she didn't think it went well with Elijah, so she suggested that we could give him another middle name as well. It was perfect. This solution went perfectly with what we had already done with Gabriel. I think it is a wonderful tradition that our birth moms have been able to give our sons a middle name and it just shows how Heavenly Father helps us see how right certain situations are. The second and third day we spent with Elijah in the hospital they stuck us in the overflow nursery area. It was far from ideal or comfortable, but we were with Eli and it was a little amusing.</div><div> </div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509796909691238082" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/THa7GOKw9sI/AAAAAAAAAWc/uzh5-CjVlXs/s320/DSC01494.JPG" /><br /><div></div><br /><div>I will forever be grateful for the experience of spending time with Eli's birth mom. She told me toward the end of our time there that she was very grateful that she chose to meet us and that this is what finally helped her to know that she was doing the right thing. She told us that she came to understand that because she loves Eli, that giving him to us is the most selfless and loving thing she could do for him. We are so thankful for her. She is amazing, as is Gabriel's birth mom. We have great respect for them. While being able to take our babies home from the hospital is one of the most exciting and happy times of our lives, knowing that their birth moms are feeling so sad is very sad for us. It is truely a bitter sweet experience. </div><br /><div><br />We were reunited with Gabriel that night, thanks to Mark's wonderful sister, Sarah, and it was so fun to see Gabriel meet his baby brother for the first time. He was excited and gentle and it was great! Sarah also brought my nephew, Collin, who stayed with me for several days after Mark and Sarah had to go back to Ohio. All together, I was in West Virginia for 18 days. By the end I was going a little crazy, but it was definately worth it. We now have our beautiful Elijah. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/THasOXSLXqI/AAAAAAAAAVk/cY1Jrt_wNIo/s1600/DSC01539.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509780556902784674" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/THasOXSLXqI/AAAAAAAAAVk/cY1Jrt_wNIo/s400/DSC01539.JPG" /></a><br /></div><br /><div><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/THasOpJaNbI/AAAAAAAAAVs/LH2xT_AGPQI/s1600/DSC01603.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509780561697846706" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/THasOpJaNbI/AAAAAAAAAVs/LH2xT_AGPQI/s400/DSC01603.JPG" /></a> </div><br /><div><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/THasNx6tWpI/AAAAAAAAAVc/ybsSslgq7AA/s1600/DSC01532.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 400px; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509780546872236690" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/THasNx6tWpI/AAAAAAAAAVc/ybsSslgq7AA/s400/DSC01532.JPG" /></a><br /></div><br /><div>He is so completely different from Gabriel, except in his very fast growth. He was 6 pounds 13 ounces, and 20 inches (really 21, but he wouldn't cooperate) when he was born. At his 3 week check up he was already 9 pounds. He loves to cuddle especially with his mommy. He is definately a momma's boy. Gabriel was and is still very social. Even as a new born baby, he wanted to be able to see what was going on, so we had to hold him facing out. Gabriel was standing a lot of the time, by about 3 weeks old. He was a big daddy's boy. He loved his momma, but he still adores his daddy. They are best buds. Eli on the other hand is all about momma. He has attached to me so quickly and completely that it has surprised me a bit. I love being the person who can sooth him at all times. He is content to stare into someones eyes for a long time, and he is more interested in cuddling then in seeing what there is to see. We love both of our boys so much! They have each brought such unique and amazing things into our lives. </div><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/THa1jpHAxBI/AAAAAAAAAWE/EyrYGOWbTNQ/s1600/DSC01668.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509790818069693458" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/THa1jpHAxBI/AAAAAAAAAWE/EyrYGOWbTNQ/s320/DSC01668.JPG" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/THa1jGPZ2CI/AAAAAAAAAV8/8Nuo9Komavw/s1600/DSC01665.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509790808709650466" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/THa1jGPZ2CI/AAAAAAAAAV8/8Nuo9Komavw/s320/DSC01665.JPG" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/THa1kusxr-I/AAAAAAAAAWU/6W2nAckAmG4/s1600/DSC01670.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509790836750135266" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/THa1kusxr-I/AAAAAAAAAWU/6W2nAckAmG4/s320/DSC01670.JPG" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/THa1j13HSjI/AAAAAAAAAWM/-zVhWhjc_ZA/s1600/DSC01669.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509790821492673074" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/THa1j13HSjI/AAAAAAAAAWM/-zVhWhjc_ZA/s320/DSC01669.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>Elijah's statistics:<br />born July 19th at 7:43pm</div><div>6lbs, 13oz</div><div>20 inches</div></div></div></div></div>Mark and Sarah +2http://www.blogger.com/profile/08527966159784854317noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549739445778232714.post-23405605160538207602010-05-09T09:32:00.007-04:002010-05-09T19:31:32.676-04:00Happy Mother's Day to our Birth Mother<div style="text-align: center;">Happy Mother's day! I love being a mom. There is no doubt about it, this is what I was waiting and hoping for since I was a little girl. I have always wanted to be a mother. Almost two years ago, Mark and I found out about Gabriel's birth mother, Andrea. She was searching for the right family for the baby she was carrying, and she chose us. We have been beyond grateful for that choice ever since. Gabriel is a beautiful, unique, and amazing light in our lives. While Mark and I were happy in our marriage before he came to our family, he has brought a completely new and wonderful part to our lives that we could not have had otherwise. He has made our marriage stronger. He has helped us learn and grow and love even more. He is beauty in our lives.</div><div> </div><div><br /><br />As I was saying a prayer with Gabriel this morning, I thought of Andrea. Without her, I could not have been his mom. Andrea, you will forever be in our lives. We think of you everyday. We pray for you every night before Gabriel goes to bed. We have started to tell him about you and your family, who loved (and I'm sure still do love) him so much. I know you loved him and I try every day to give him what you wanted for him. </div><br /><div> </div><br /><div>So, today I wanted to say to you, Gabriel's first mother-Happy Mother's Day! I am proud to share this day with you.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S-dE-E4-S1I/AAAAAAAAAU0/vGJTynaiH9w/s1600/new1.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S-dE-E4-S1I/AAAAAAAAAU0/vGJTynaiH9w/s200/new1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469416105720040274" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S-dE-3SY8fI/AAAAAAAAAVE/ZVTkn097ngc/s1600/new3.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S-dE-3SY8fI/AAAAAAAAAVE/ZVTkn097ngc/s200/new3.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469416119248417266" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S-dE-nUj23I/AAAAAAAAAU8/GLAz-aEd02Q/s1600/new2.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S-dE-nUj23I/AAAAAAAAAU8/GLAz-aEd02Q/s200/new2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469416114962553714" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div>Mark and Sarah +2http://www.blogger.com/profile/08527966159784854317noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549739445778232714.post-17713529171544443572010-04-27T21:21:00.005-04:002010-04-30T09:23:41.655-04:00I love youTuesday evening we went out for dinner, because Mark hadn't eaten all day, and he decided he really wanted a steak. While we were at the restaurant I realized that I hadn't brought my cell phone with me and I had to go strait from there to the church for youth activity night. Mark offered to let me take his phone with me and I did. When I came home he told me that he and Gabriel had made me a gift on my phone. Here it is:<br /><p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy9BIH7oeEE76hJvxkB5FJOCeClat1Lbndq8HQ8GnLdfYLfBtg4PTZfeFnzgS47-FOTG_5kNC36W-zxVLdxjw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p> </p><p>The "Ah Lala lu" or "I love you" at the end is my favorite. Mostly he says it when prompted, but every once in a while he just says it out of the blue. It makes my heart melt every time.</p>Mark and Sarah +2http://www.blogger.com/profile/08527966159784854317noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549739445778232714.post-22189111441806197972010-04-18T17:27:00.005-04:002010-04-18T18:04:39.855-04:00From the sicky sickosI am so sick of being sick! I know I promised to post about Mark's time off awhile ago, but it seems I have been dealing with some type of infirmity or another for the past month. We had a wonderful time while he was off. We went to the Newport Aquarium with my mom and step-dad and had a wonderful time. We went at a leisurely pace the whole time and we all enjoyed the beautiful, scary, and strange that they had to offer. I think Gabriel's favorite area was the jelly fish, which he kept calling bubbles. We took some pictures, which I will publish as their own post. <br /><br />For 24 hours of Mark's time off Gabriel went to him Mawmar's house (Sarah's mom) and Mommy and Daddy got to spend some much needed couple time. We firmly believe that it is important to keep our relationship strong now so when our children leave home (which eventually we hope they do) we will still love and like each other. While I love my son, the most important relationship in my life is my marriage. Mark continues to be my bestfriend. I love seeing him as a father. Seeing him in this role only strengthens my love for him. I couldn't ask for a better, more kind father for my children. <br /><br />Mostly, we just spent time together, which was the point of Mark taking time off. It was exactly what I had hoped for. <br /><br />Since then, I threw my back out and have had other sicknesses. Gabriel had an ear infection a couple of weeks ago, and then this week I took him back to the pediatrician due to an infection in his eyes. Getting a 20 month old to hold still while putting eye drops in their eyes is no easy task. He got this eye infection from a nasty cold, which he has now passed on to me. Within about 24 hours it went from a soar throat to a fever and loosing my voice. I have now passed it on to Mark in about 24 hours time. Thankfully, Mark doesn't seem to be as bad as I am and he has taken good care of us while we have been sick. I am grateful my husband is so willing to pick up the slack whenever I can't do my share, and without complaint too. <br /><br />Our summer is already filling up with fun adventures. Mark's brother is getting married June 12th. We are going camping hopefully later in June, and I am planning on going to Palmyra, NY for youth conference in July. My best friend from college, Debbie, was planning on coming here from Utah in July with her family, but that trip has sadly been canceled. Still, it is going to be a fun summer with lots of family time. We are all excited and for now we are enjoying the beauty of spring. We hope you are all enjoying it where ever you may be as well.Mark and Sarah +2http://www.blogger.com/profile/08527966159784854317noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549739445778232714.post-29316931846037012162010-03-16T15:26:00.003-04:002010-03-16T16:09:37.300-04:00Ohhh, I'm so excited!Mark is taking time off! Back in January I suggested that Mark schedule some time off in March because there are not any holidays that he has off between New Year's Day and Memorial Day. So, starting this Friday we will have 6 days of relaxation and fun as a family. We are going to the <a href="http://www.newportaquarium.com/index.cfm">Newport Aquarium </a>and we might go to the Columbus Zoo. Mostly, we are just going to hang out at home and relax. We are all so excited! I think even Gabriel knows that something is coming. I'll post more about what we did with some pictures next week.<br /><br />Other than that things are pretty much the same. Gabriel says a new word every day (which is not an exaggeration). He remains the most adorable, ornery little boy. When Mark is here they are pretty much <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">inseparable</span>, but no one;s kiss can heal like mommy's. I love being his mommy. So, until next week I hope you are all doing well and that you get to spend some quality time with those you love.Mark and Sarah +2http://www.blogger.com/profile/08527966159784854317noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549739445778232714.post-58615920009501115292010-03-08T22:03:00.002-05:002010-03-08T22:04:46.328-05:00Best FriendsThis is Gabriel's best friend E.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S5V6uc8cUDI/AAAAAAAAATk/P1apWfkByd0/s1600-h/e.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 320px; HEIGHT: 227px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446394262836760626" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S5V6uc8cUDI/AAAAAAAAATk/P1apWfkByd0/s320/e.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />I babysit E and his older brother a few days a week. They live next door. Sometimes when I put Gabriel to bed and he is getting fussy, I say, "it's an E day tomorrow. You have to go to bed so he can come over in the morning" and he lays down and goes to sleep. When he saw them coming over the other day he got so excited. He was jumping up and down and squealing with delight. When I go get E up from a nap they see each other and they both start laughing and run over to each other. They love each other. E is almost exactly 6 months older then Gabe. They follow each other around playing together all day. When I come into the room where they are playing they look at me and run away, like they don't want me to interupt their conspiratorial behavior.<br /><br /> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S5V9RlkQBeI/AAAAAAAAAT0/CK0hEGGmWks/s1600-h/DSC00954.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446397065469887970" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S5V9RlkQBeI/AAAAAAAAAT0/CK0hEGGmWks/s200/DSC00954.JPG" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S5V9RO8mIfI/AAAAAAAAATs/aJmQFKeqCHA/s1600-h/DSC00951.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446397059397984754" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S5V9RO8mIfI/AAAAAAAAATs/aJmQFKeqCHA/s200/DSC00951.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S5V9StBsFZI/AAAAAAAAAUM/FyNquXVn6B4/s1600-h/DSC01090.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446397084652279186" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S5V9StBsFZI/AAAAAAAAAUM/FyNquXVn6B4/s200/DSC01090.jpg" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S5V9R54O1OI/AAAAAAAAAT8/KXoiDL-liQ0/s1600-h/DSC00946.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446397070922405090" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S5V9R54O1OI/AAAAAAAAAT8/KXoiDL-liQ0/s200/DSC00946.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /> Yes, Gabriel is sitting on E's lap in that second picture.<br /><br /> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S5V9SPsXOGI/AAAAAAAAAUE/9mcfyeUhTYM/s1600-h/DSC01142.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446397076778203234" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S5V9SPsXOGI/AAAAAAAAAUE/9mcfyeUhTYM/s200/DSC01142.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br />Sometimes, when it is a non-babysitting day I think Gabriel thinks to himself, "I wish E was here". Don't get me wrong, Gabriel loves his mommy, but I think he gets a little bored when it is just the two of us and I am trying to get some house work done. Hopefully we will get to have some fun out of doors soon and he won't be quite so bored without his bestfriend.Mark and Sarah +2http://www.blogger.com/profile/08527966159784854317noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549739445778232714.post-82738105094545268522010-02-01T11:32:00.009-05:002010-02-01T12:55:34.885-05:00Our little man<div><div>Last Friday Gabriel got his hair cut for the first time. I have been saying that he needed it cut for a while, but Mark kept saying no. He just wasn't ready to leave behind the baby look of Gabriel's hair. However, he was developing a bit of a mullet, so when I said we should go get his hair cut (for the hundredth time) and Mark said yes, we were on our way 35 minutes later. Mark had taken the day off, so it was a perfect time. We had talked about Mark cutting Gabriel's hair, but he said that for the first time he thought we should go somewhere and have it done. I quickly agreed. We went to a local place called Cookie Cutters that specializes in children's hair cuts. Here are a few pictures of what it looks like.</div><div><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S2cKrw6g3oI/AAAAAAAAASE/DkM736tCreY/s1600-h/DSC01209.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 319px; HEIGHT: 239px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433323222426771074" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S2cKrw6g3oI/AAAAAAAAASE/DkM736tCreY/s320/DSC01209.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S2cK_oeP1wI/AAAAAAAAASc/NuieiIGDfFk/s1600-h/DSC01205.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 319px; HEIGHT: 239px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433323563758114562" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S2cK_oeP1wI/AAAAAAAAASc/NuieiIGDfFk/s320/DSC01205.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S2cKsKFivGI/AAAAAAAAASU/ytmOrLc1V-s/s1600-h/DSC01206.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 319px; HEIGHT: 239px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433323229183917154" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S2cKsKFivGI/AAAAAAAAASU/ytmOrLc1V-s/s320/DSC01206.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S2cKsLVXw4I/AAAAAAAAASM/uW0HtYK4j2s/s1600-h/DSC01208.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 319px; HEIGHT: 239px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433323229518742402" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S2cKsLVXw4I/AAAAAAAAASM/uW0HtYK4j2s/s320/DSC01208.jpg" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div><br /></div><div align="center">It was a really fun looking place. As you can see, each of the chairs was something fun like a dinosaur, a rocket ship, a race car, or (what Gabriel sat it) a tractor. They were arranged in a circle and in the middle was a television for each chair. Here are some of the before shots. They don't fully give a good picture of how long and scragly his hair was getting, but let's just say it's bad when daddy is tucking it into his collar on Sunday in order to hide how long it's become.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S2cLOImx4iI/AAAAAAAAATM/cXDyVPtc3YM/s1600-h/DSC01155.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 319px; HEIGHT: 239px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433323812902003234" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S2cLOImx4iI/AAAAAAAAATM/cXDyVPtc3YM/s320/DSC01155.jpg" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S2cLOe6c9aI/AAAAAAAAATU/qCSlc0HjFWE/s1600-h/DSC01154.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 319px; HEIGHT: 239px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433323818890098082" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S2cLOe6c9aI/AAAAAAAAATU/qCSlc0HjFWE/s320/DSC01154.jpg" /></a></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">He did a fantastic job of sitting still. He thought the tractor was great fun and Daddy did a great job of keeping him entertained while I snapped away with the camera. The lady who cut his hair kept saying, "I can't believe how great he is doing."</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S2cLA8K9aSI/AAAAAAAAAS8/jsEKUfI7loc/s1600-h/DSC01179.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 319px; HEIGHT: 239px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433323586225793314" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S2cLA8K9aSI/AAAAAAAAAS8/jsEKUfI7loc/s320/DSC01179.jpg" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S2cLN8EnioI/AAAAAAAAATE/BMHQB9z9Kpc/s1600-h/DSC01172.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 319px; HEIGHT: 239px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433323809537493634" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S2cLN8EnioI/AAAAAAAAATE/BMHQB9z9Kpc/s320/DSC01172.jpg" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S2cLAvViRiI/AAAAAAAAAS0/Euh_lx1sciM/s1600-h/DSC01184.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 319px; HEIGHT: 239px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433323582780491298" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S2cLAvViRiI/AAAAAAAAAS0/Euh_lx1sciM/s320/DSC01184.jpg" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S2cLAH9CkiI/AAAAAAAAASs/D9Nd6SKcmwY/s1600-h/DSC01192.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 319px; HEIGHT: 239px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433323572208767522" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S2cLAH9CkiI/AAAAAAAAASs/D9Nd6SKcmwY/s320/DSC01192.jpg" /></a></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">Even when she brought out the little shears to do the edges he was very good. He didn't throw a fit when Daddy had to hold his head still or because Mommy kept telling him to smile.</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S2cK_9xOQrI/AAAAAAAAASk/2RKdFvgrsiU/s1600-h/DSC01203.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 319px; HEIGHT: 239px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433323569474847410" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S2cK_9xOQrI/AAAAAAAAASk/2RKdFvgrsiU/s320/DSC01203.jpg" /></a></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S2cKrRP3VAI/AAAAAAAAAR8/aBbFpcx8rQc/s1600-h/DSC01219.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 319px; HEIGHT: 239px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433323213926388738" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S2cKrRP3VAI/AAAAAAAAAR8/aBbFpcx8rQc/s320/DSC01219.jpg" /></a></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S2cKrB9nWSI/AAAAAAAAAR0/HkXPuNQTPoE/s1600-h/DSC01220.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 319px; HEIGHT: 239px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433323209823312162" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S2cKrB9nWSI/AAAAAAAAAR0/HkXPuNQTPoE/s320/DSC01220.jpg" /></a></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center">He looks like such a little man. Although, we decided that without the wispy hair his cheeks look even chubbier than before. His beautiful eyes also stand out now more than ever. People already were constantly commenting on his beautiful eyes. How can you not fall in love with that face? It's impossible. And for a treat, here's a pic of his fishy face :). Love it!</div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S2cU1HcYlSI/AAAAAAAAATc/ynJuqY8TYGQ/s1600-h/DSC01212.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 319px; HEIGHT: 239px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433334378209514786" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S2cU1HcYlSI/AAAAAAAAATc/ynJuqY8TYGQ/s320/DSC01212.jpg" /></a></div><div align="center"></div></div>Mark and Sarah +2http://www.blogger.com/profile/08527966159784854317noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549739445778232714.post-17036791278037796372010-01-18T09:42:00.007-05:002010-01-18T11:43:25.011-05:00Hoping for another little miracle<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S1SPYnDTwoI/AAAAAAAAARs/hwmXopO5uUM/s1600-h/Us+resized.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428121103850783362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 266px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S1SPYnDTwoI/AAAAAAAAARs/hwmXopO5uUM/s400/Us+resized.jpg" border="0" /></a>Actually, we don't think adopting another child would be a little miracle at all- adoption is always a huge miracle. Last Friday, we were officially opproved for a second adoption! We are so excited about this. We know, Gabriel will only be eighteen months old in a few weeks, but we're ready. When we adopted Gabriel it was 18 months from when we applied to when we took him home. This is pretty much average. We started our application for a second adoption the beginning of September, so if the average holds it will still be a while until we have another baby placed with us. However, it could also be tomorrow. We would love for it to be sooner rather than later.<br /><br /><div></div><div>Gabriel has been the most beautiful gift in our lives. Even as he becomes an obstinate toddler, I still look at him and think "You are so precious. I love you so much." We don't have any concern about loving another child as much as we love him. He has shown us how love simply grows rather than dividing. We are so excited to share the love we have in our little family with another child.</div><div></div><br /><div>We are working with LDS Family Services, which is the agency we worked with when we adopted Gabriel. One of the great things that our agency does is provide counseling and support services for birth parents without pressure or judgement. If you or someone you know would like to know more about adoption, please go to itsaboutlove.org. This is a no pressure way to learn more and you can be directed as to how to speak with an adoption counselor in your area who can help you to decide if adoption is the right option for you. You can also see our profile at <a href="http://www.itsaboutlove.org/ial/profiles/23704159/ourMessage.jsf">www.itsaboutlove.org/ial/profiles/23704159/ourMessage.jsf</a> . </div><div></div><br /><div>To our future child: We can't wait to meet you...we love you.</div>Mark and Sarah +2http://www.blogger.com/profile/08527966159784854317noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549739445778232714.post-17254672290923820422010-01-16T22:09:00.013-05:002010-01-16T23:08:00.285-05:00He sure is thoroughIt's 10:10pm on Saturday night. Mark and I have to speak in sacrament meeting tomorrow. I've been done writing my talk for about an hour now. Mark will not be done for hours yet. I'm a little nervous about how things will be when he is in school and he has to write papers. I am afraid we will see him even less then we see him now and that's not very much. At least he's thorough. So, while I am sitting here I thought I would take the chance to write another post. <div><div><div><div><div><div> </div><div>Last Thursday evening I went out to dinner with six of my friends from high school. We get together occasionally and catch up on one another's lives. I personally think that it is pretty great that we all still get along and care about each other. We had a good time. </div><div> </div><div>My friend Audra asked me if Gabriel has hit the terrible 18 months yet. She said whoever said it starts at two lied. I absolutely agree! While generally Gabriel is a pleasant child, he is definitely becoming more moody. A week ago Friday was especially difficult. He woke up and said to me "who is it, Daddy?" (he calls Mark "who is it" because I use to ask him this question every time Mark came home. He has recently tacked on Daddy to the end.) He continued to ask for Daddy all day and he grew increasingly irritated with me when I couldn't produce him. He would not eat lunch at all. For those of you who have seen my son's belly (which he loves to show off) you know that skipping a meal is not normal behavior for Gabriel. He was just plain contrary. After his nap I still had not eaten lunch so I made myself a grilled cheese. I decided to make an extra one and formulated a plan. I told Gabriel "this is Mommy's and you can't have any". Of course, he ate an entire sandwich himself because of this statement. By the time Mark got home, I was exhausted emotionally and physically. It is amazing how a 17-month-old can wear you out so much. </div><div> </div><div>One day this last week I was trying to get Gabriel to do something and he just wouldn't listen. Finally I said to him "am I just talking for my own entertainment?". He turned around, looked at me, and shook his head yes. I'll admit, I couldn't help but laugh. I guess better that than screaming, right? He is better about doing things for Mark, but the truth is he throws a huge fit when I leave. To be honest, I love that just a little. I just hope he does okay when we start leaving him in nursery in a few weeks. Wish us luck. </div><div> </div><div>Here's some pictures of the last few months. I'll try to limit how many I post.</div><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S1KLEbAjn1I/AAAAAAAAARk/RDtv9Jc-OVY/s1600-h/102909-104.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427553409020698450" style="WIDTH: 133px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S1KLEbAjn1I/AAAAAAAAARk/RDtv9Jc-OVY/s200/102909-104.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S1KLEHKfnWI/AAAAAAAAARc/9jbURG4G4dA/s1600-h/102909-052.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427553403693669730" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 133px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S1KLEHKfnWI/AAAAAAAAARc/9jbURG4G4dA/s200/102909-052.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S1KHEP5NFDI/AAAAAAAAAQM/XUdPeFdx1mk/s1600-h/DSC00910.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427549007990559794" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S1KHEP5NFDI/AAAAAAAAAQM/XUdPeFdx1mk/s200/DSC00910.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">Halloween was fun. Isn't our little lion adorable? He won cutest boy costume at the church kids fashion show. This costume has been through all six boys on Sarah's side of the family.</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S1KI1NaQ9GI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/MkjzHEwUVd8/s1600-h/DSC00986.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427550948649137250" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S1KI1NaQ9GI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/MkjzHEwUVd8/s200/DSC00986.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S1KJBtiKynI/AAAAAAAAARU/6PW3UD7DI1U/s1600-h/DSC01053.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427551163430652530" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S1KJBtiKynI/AAAAAAAAARU/6PW3UD7DI1U/s200/DSC01053.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S1KJBM9Qs2I/AAAAAAAAARE/9DBqlSGLw8M/s1600-h/DSC01029.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427551154685916002" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S1KJBM9Qs2I/AAAAAAAAARE/9DBqlSGLw8M/s200/DSC01029.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S1KJBSoID2I/AAAAAAAAARM/q2hr54x5XKw/s1600-h/DSC01037.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427551156207882082" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S1KJBSoID2I/AAAAAAAAARM/q2hr54x5XKw/s200/DSC01037.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">Bringing home the Christmas tree, opening presents, and Sarah's siblings. Aren't they a handsome group?</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S1KJA-Y8qrI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/uLrAmJeeRUc/s1600-h/DSC00993.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427551150775511730" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S1KJA-Y8qrI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/uLrAmJeeRUc/s200/DSC00993.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S1KI0_sAHBI/AAAAAAAAAQs/5l1aF8IDkP4/s1600-h/DSC00974.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427550944965434386" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S1KI0_sAHBI/AAAAAAAAAQs/5l1aF8IDkP4/s200/DSC00974.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">I know how to handle food.</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S1KI0jyXC4I/AAAAAAAAAQk/UFER9svsF8k/s1600-h/DSC00941.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427550937475910530" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S1KI0jyXC4I/AAAAAAAAAQk/UFER9svsF8k/s200/DSC00941.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S1KI0eDSygI/AAAAAAAAAQc/InREgyTm5_Y/s1600-h/DSC00930.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427550935936322050" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S1KI0eDSygI/AAAAAAAAAQc/InREgyTm5_Y/s200/DSC00930.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">Walking around in Mommy's shoes. So cute!</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">And now I'm going to bed. Good night!</div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S1KI0EDF_bI/AAAAAAAAAQU/Xhm8pL4RKFs/s1600-h/DSC00907.jpg"></a></div></div></div></div></div>Mark and Sarah +2http://www.blogger.com/profile/08527966159784854317noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549739445778232714.post-31652181065536221762010-01-13T11:53:00.005-05:002010-01-13T14:25:27.195-05:00<div>Last year I didn't make any New Year's resolutions. This year I unofficially have three. One is to blog more often, two is to take my <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">LISW</span> exam, and three is to loose weight. I suppose writing about them makes them official. Anyway, it is now the...what day is it?...it's the 13<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">th</span> of January and I am just now writing a post. I've been wondering why I feel so much more overwhelmed with accomplishing anything lately. It seems any task takes me twice as long as it use to and unless something is really important, it is not likely to get done in a timely fashion if at all. I've especially been thinking about how much more I had on my plate last year with an internship and classes, but how I seemed to be able to get everything done. Well, today I randomly saw this article and it gave me some insight as to why I'm feeling this way. It also helped me realize that I'm not defective and I'm not the only one.</div><div> </div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S038WzP0DBI/AAAAAAAAAP8/U1i7l7m__yw/s1600-h/tell+me+about+it.jpg"></a><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S038uwrEZLI/AAAAAAAAAQE/Hd2zCk1iTKQ/s1600-h/tell+me+about+it.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 370px; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426271006321042610" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/S038uwrEZLI/AAAAAAAAAQE/Hd2zCk1iTKQ/s400/tell+me+about+it.jpg" /></a><br /><br />I thankfully don't have any friends who have expressed this kind of attitude. I also feel like I was considerate to my friends with children before I became a mom. However, I think I have inflicted some unrealistic expectations on myself (I know, big surprise). I feel like I can never get enough done. No matter how hard I try, I cannot keep my house clean. There is constantly laundry or dishes to be done, or toys to pick up. I rarely get to shower before noon. I just took down our Christmas decorations yesterday. It's all I can do to get dinner on the table some days. Little things like going to the grocery store, the doctors office, or the dry cleaners take a lot of planning. </div><div> </div><div>I told myself that it was due to the fact that my husband is working 50-60 hours a week and I'm babysitting a few days a week. While I'm sure these things contribute to my lack of productivity, this article helped me realize that it's because I'm a mom of a 17 month old little boy. I am constantly having to keep an eye on him. It is no exaggeration to say that if I turn my back for more than a few minutes that he will be in to something he shouldn't be. While writing this I have already had to get up and intervene/instruct about something seven times. I especially liked the part about constant use of your voice and teaching virtually everything. It's a lot to be responsible for. I'm exhausted at the end of the day and when I try to explain to Mark why I'm so tired, I feel like I have so little to actually tell about. </div><div> </div><div>Yet, she is right. It is a choice that I have made to stay home with my son. Thankfully, Mark is very supportive and constantly tells me how grateful he is that I am at home. I would not choose to be anywhere else. This coming Sunday Mark and I are giving talks in Sacrament meeting and in one of the conference talks we are speaking on <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Dallin</span> H. Oaks said, "There is no area of parental action that is more needful of heavenly guidance or more likely to receive it than the decisions of parents in raising their children and governing their families. This is the work of Eternity." This made me realize that even though my days are filled with an endless amount of unfinished work, dirty diapers, dirty laundry, and dirty dishes, they are also filled by the irreplaceable influence that I have on my child and that he has on me. </div><div> </div><div>So, I may not be the perfect housekeeper, the most available friend, or the most <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">influential</span> woman on earth, but I am the most influential person in my son's life. After all the years of struggle to become a mother I need to remember how important and valuable I know the job of being a mom is. I guess sometimes I just need a little reminder and I need to give myself a little slack. I'll keep trying to work on my goals, but maybe somethings are not as important as I make them seem. We'll see how it goes.<br /></div><div></div>Mark and Sarah +2http://www.blogger.com/profile/08527966159784854317noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549739445778232714.post-5835562430276764982009-10-08T09:27:00.018-04:002009-10-15T17:31:51.704-04:00Days in the sun<div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div>Warning! This post will be long and dedicated to our trip to Florida in June, but first I want to rant a little about technology and how it has slowed me down. I have had every intention of posting again quickly, but my camera had other ideas. I'm not sure how this happened, but my camera has been taking pictures so that they would be brilliant if printed as a 13x19" picture. This makes the digital size huge and impossible to download or even view in some programs without being edited. So, I have been editing all 600 of the pictures on my camera in order to make them usable. Needless to say, this has taken quite a bit of time, especially with my little one plus two others running around my house. Most of the time technology does wonderful things to make our lives easier, but other times they make things much more complicated. Some days I just want to turn off the phone, the computer, and the tv and just enjoy my life. Some days I do just that.<br /></div><div> </div><div>Now, back to my original reason for this post. From June 13th through the 20th we went on vacation to Tarpon Springs, Florida. After being told in Atlanta that we didn't have tickets for our next flight to Tampa and much stressful arguing and then waiting, we were able to get on the plane at the last minute and we arrived in Tampa. Our friends, Val and Jason, who we spent the week with, picked us up at the airport and we went strait to Orlando. That night Mark and Jason wonderfully agreed to watch Gabriel while Val and I went to a dueling piano bar at Disney World named: <a href="http://www.jellyrolls.us/jellyRolls2.jpg/jellyRolls2-full;init:.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 180px" alt="" src="http://www.jellyrolls.us/jellyRolls2.jpg/jellyRolls2-full;init:.jpg" border="0" /></a>. It was so much fun. After going I wish that Mark could have gone with me, because I think he would have really liked it. There are basically two two-man teams and they switch places with the other team every hour. They were amazing. People would take up requests written on napkins and they would just bust them out. If they don't know a song, they go back stage during their hour off and learn the song. Then they come out and perform it with amazing skill. It was a great time. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss3wmiCo_SI/AAAAAAAAAMM/UeO5zK9u0R0/s1600-h/DSC00084.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390228873795927330" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss3wmiCo_SI/AAAAAAAAAMM/UeO5zK9u0R0/s200/DSC00084.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.jellyrolls.us/jk1.jpg/jk1-full.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 570px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 351px" alt="" src="http://www.jellyrolls.us/jk1.jpg/jk1-full.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The next day the five of us went to a restaurant at Disney. And walked around through some of their stores (we didn't actually go into Disney World). We got a few cute pictures of us trying on hats and the cool Lego creations outside the Lego store.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss3wos9BHII/AAAAAAAAAMk/bPi5mWMMQU8/s1600-h/june09+103.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390228911084870786" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss3wos9BHII/AAAAAAAAAMk/bPi5mWMMQU8/s200/june09+103.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss3wn3-9vcI/AAAAAAAAAMc/VnHCrmjLZN4/s1600-h/june09+102.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390228896865959362" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss3wn3-9vcI/AAAAAAAAAMc/VnHCrmjLZN4/s200/june09+102.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss3wm0BDUUI/AAAAAAAAAMU/MhHkCiVQ-bI/s1600-h/DSC00086.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390228878621102402" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss3wm0BDUUI/AAAAAAAAAMU/MhHkCiVQ-bI/s200/DSC00086.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div align="center">(Mark wasn't very happy about the hat experiment)</div><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss3wpKEZc_I/AAAAAAAAAMs/O2oqAbNWOlY/s1600-h/DSC00088.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390228918900454386" style="WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss3wpKEZc_I/AAAAAAAAAMs/O2oqAbNWOlY/s200/DSC00088.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div align="center">(The boys thought this one was really cool- I mean the two big boys:))</div><div align="left"></div><div><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div>We then went to a mall where they had a store called Adrenalina where you could pay to surf in their wave pool. We watched some of their employees and a cutie 11 or 12 year old boy surf for a little while. If you go <a href="http://www.adrenalinastore.com/">here</a> you can see a great picture of their store. I wish I could have talked Mark into doing it, but he declined. After a little shopping we headed back to Tarpon Springs, where Val and Jason live. They have two girls ages 9 and 2 and two boys ages 7 and 4 who are super cuties. They were generous enough to give us the boys bedroom for the week.<br /></div><div>They have a pool in their backyard (or I should say it is their backyard) and we spent a good amount of time there. Gabriel LOVED the pool. He had a great time playing with the kids and getting tossed back and forth between the adults. He was also the only one of the three of us who did not get a sunburn. We were very careful about reapplying sunscreen for him. I guess we should have been more careful ourselves, because Mark and I were both really burned after one day in the pool. Thus the tee-shirt. </div><div><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss34CuIEpEI/AAAAAAAAANk/8Ep_HiJVNPo/s1600-h/DSC00150.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390237054657668162" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss34CuIEpEI/AAAAAAAAANk/8Ep_HiJVNPo/s200/DSC00150.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss34COB6hhI/AAAAAAAAANc/KubtuGQi2_o/s1600-h/DSC00176.JPG+cropped.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390237046041904658" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 188px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss34COB6hhI/AAAAAAAAANc/KubtuGQi2_o/s200/DSC00176.JPG+cropped.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss34DyZkwgI/AAAAAAAAAN0/lcmQwXeh9Ow/s1600-h/DSC00178.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390237072984687106" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss34DyZkwgI/AAAAAAAAAN0/lcmQwXeh9Ow/s200/DSC00178.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss34DAuOquI/AAAAAAAAANs/1lME3z2_2J4/s1600-h/DSC00225.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390237059649546978" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss34DAuOquI/AAAAAAAAANs/1lME3z2_2J4/s200/DSC00225.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="left">We also spent a good amount of time in the living room playing on their new Wii. Mark and Jason would spend hours every day playing games with the kids and then another couple hours after the kids went to bed of uninterrupted gaming. The night before we left Valarie and I went in the family room and watched Twilight and the guys came in toward the end and told us that they had finally beat the tank game on Wii Play. I'm not sure we showed the desired amount of excitement, but I think they showed enough for all of us. Gabriel also started walking in earnest while we were there and he got his first tooth. He was a champ about the tooth, only being grumpy for one day. </div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss34EsdhKbI/AAAAAAAAAN8/znoLJTjU3NI/s1600-h/DSC00229.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390237088570485170" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss34EsdhKbI/AAAAAAAAAN8/znoLJTjU3NI/s200/DSC00229.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss35R9MSQnI/AAAAAAAAAOE/kuQtOTf6Vsg/s1600-h/DSC00231.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390238415911535218" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss35R9MSQnI/AAAAAAAAAOE/kuQtOTf6Vsg/s200/DSC00231.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div align="left">On Tuesday we all went to the beach in Tampa. Since we were on the gulf side the waves were not very big, but it was perfect for taking little kids to the beach. We all had a great time. I think Gabriel didn't like the ocean as much as the pool due to the salt irritating his eyes, but he did like the sand. We forgot our camera, so Val took some pictures for us. I thought these two were really cute.<br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss379-MVjBI/AAAAAAAAAPU/V_9urSo9Un4/s1600-h/june09+124.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390241371117685778" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss379-MVjBI/AAAAAAAAAPU/V_9urSo9Un4/s200/june09+124.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss37-lB8B7I/AAAAAAAAAPc/x7p7H5fuOUo/s1600-h/june09+155.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390241381543053234" style="WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss37-lB8B7I/AAAAAAAAAPc/x7p7H5fuOUo/s200/june09+155.jpg" border="0" /></a> That evening Valarie's wonderful sister, Tracy, came over and babysat so the four of us could go out. We decided to go to an indoor mini golf place. None of us were very good, but it was a lot of fun. It was a haunted/scary theme and there were black lights, so everything glowed (as you can see from the pictures). Then we went to Coldstone for ice cream afterwards. Yummy!<br /><br /></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss38AOXgeeI/AAAAAAAAAP0/SAEawkyXg24/s1600-h/DSC00090.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390241409819245026" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss38AOXgeeI/AAAAAAAAAP0/SAEawkyXg24/s200/DSC00090.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss37_g3Bo1I/AAAAAAAAAPs/n4AYbMWhfQo/s1600-h/DSC00096.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390241397603410770" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss37_g3Bo1I/AAAAAAAAAPs/n4AYbMWhfQo/s200/DSC00096.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss37_H-uiQI/AAAAAAAAAPk/3pqYLXJd_lo/s1600-h/DSC00095.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390241390924826882" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss37_H-uiQI/AAAAAAAAAPk/3pqYLXJd_lo/s200/DSC00095.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>On Thursday we packed all of the kids in the car and went to the Tarpon Springs aquarium. A few years ago we went to the Newport Aquarium, in Cincinnati, Ohio, with Mark's family. That place is amazing. It takes a couple hours to walk through and the exhibits are really cool. The <span style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #ffff00">Tarpon Springs</span> Aquarium was nowhere near as big, but we had some opportunities that I'm not sure we could have at the larger aquarium. They had a touch tank at the entrance where we were able to "pet" several small shark, some horse shoe crab, and a turtle. </div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss35SbJevhI/AAAAAAAAAOM/hFr-nLYtCOw/s1600-h/DSC00269.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390238423952834066" style="WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss35SbJevhI/AAAAAAAAAOM/hFr-nLYtCOw/s200/DSC00269.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss35S0R25zI/AAAAAAAAAOU/1lCugwx27vE/s1600-h/DSC00263.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390238430698858290" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss35S0R25zI/AAAAAAAAAOU/1lCugwx27vE/s200/DSC00263.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div>In the middle of the building was a 120,000 gallon aquarium where we watched a diving show. This consisted of a diver going into the tank to feed it's occupants, including several large sharks.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss36Upt0jxI/AAAAAAAAAPM/xTazrz8JE8E/s1600-h/DSC00336.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390239561734721298" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss36Upt0jxI/AAAAAAAAAPM/xTazrz8JE8E/s200/DSC00336.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss36UPRdFZI/AAAAAAAAAPE/tWfvEkqP8QE/s1600-h/DSC00341.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390239554636420498" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss36UPRdFZI/AAAAAAAAAPE/tWfvEkqP8QE/s200/DSC00341.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss36TpIgY-I/AAAAAAAAAO8/m9pxCK3QvA8/s1600-h/DSC00347.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390239544398341090" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss36TpIgY-I/AAAAAAAAAO8/m9pxCK3QvA8/s200/DSC00347.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div><br /></div><div align="left">On the other side of the building were two large oval shaped tanks. One had stingrays that you could pet and feed by hand. You can see in the pictures we let Gabriel pet them- he loved it! Both Mark and I fed them. It felt really weird. You put the food on the palm of your hand and they come along and suck it off your hand. There was a lot of splashing as they vied for the food, which made me jump even more, but overall it was cool. </div><div><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss35TaVXuZI/AAAAAAAAAOc/lfK08J-JHW4/s1600-h/DSC00274.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390238440914139538" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss35TaVXuZI/AAAAAAAAAOc/lfK08J-JHW4/s200/DSC00274.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss35TyYMyuI/AAAAAAAAAOk/JnUF-ockOaI/s1600-h/DSC00276.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390238447368456930" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss35TyYMyuI/AAAAAAAAAOk/JnUF-ockOaI/s200/DSC00276.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div><br /></div><div align="left">In the other tank there were sharks that we fed. As you can see in the picture, there was a wire grate over these sharks, but it didn't look incredibly sturdy. We used the same food for the stingrays to feed the sharks. This time we put it on blue sticks then put it down in the water where the sharks would bite it off of the stick. Mark lost his stick to the sharks as he fed them the last bit of food. It was pretty funny. The guy working there said it happens all the time, which made Mark feel a little better. Gabriel thought all of this was fantastic. I don't know if you can see from the picture, but I held on to him very tightly as we did this. </div><div><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div><br /></div><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss36THG_pqI/AAAAAAAAAO0/onRAXedz8Js/s1600-h/DSC00290.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390239535265195682" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss36THG_pqI/AAAAAAAAAO0/onRAXedz8Js/s200/DSC00290.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss36SsbGuCI/AAAAAAAAAOs/-kBGlKaSBKk/s1600-h/DSC00324.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390239528101787682" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/Ss36SsbGuCI/AAAAAAAAAOs/-kBGlKaSBKk/s200/DSC00324.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div><br /></div><div align="left">On Thursday evening Valarie and Jason were wonderful and allowed Mark and me to venture back into Tarpon Springs on our own to have a seafood dinner together. We went to a local seafood restaurant called Rusty Bellies. Sounds tasty, doesn't it? Well, it was amazing. I don't remember what Mark ordered, but I got the crab legs and they were so good. We sat outside and looked out on the water that the restaurant sat right next to. It was beautiful and very romantic.</div><div><br /></div><div align="left"></div><div><br /></div><div align="left">The next day was our last full day. We were planning on just hanging out in the pool most of the day, but we went outside and found the pool infested with bugs. When we looked them up online we discovered that they were water lice. </div><div align="left"><a href="http://www.naturegrid.org.uk/biodiversity/invert/graphics/wlouse3.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 228px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 213px" alt="" src="http://www.naturegrid.org.uk/biodiversity/invert/graphics/wlouse3.jpg" border="0" /></a>Yeah, I was pretty creeped out too. Sorry that this is the last picture of this post, but I just had to share the creepiness with everyone. Needless to say, we didn't swim that day. We just played Wii and lounged around. That evening Tracy came over and watched the kids again while the four of us went out. We went to a mall close by, had dinner, and saw the movie The Proposal (which I thought was pretty funny). The next day we flew back home exhausted from our week of vacationing. I always say you need a few days of recuperation after your vacation before going back to work. Still, we had a great time! I just wish we could do that sort of thing more often. Ah well, on we go.</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Mark and Sarah +2http://www.blogger.com/profile/08527966159784854317noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549739445778232714.post-15208815871814761032009-09-10T14:24:00.017-04:002009-09-18T16:34:15.288-04:00Bad, Bad Mommy<div align="center">I know, I've been very bad. We have had a crazy summer and I kept feeling like I should blog about everything we've been doing, but I didn't. The longer I went without blogging, the more I had to blog about and the more daunting the task became. So, I'm going to do a series of posts about the things we have been up to this summer. They may be a bit picture heavy, but I'll do my best. I have to say, it has been one of the best summers I have had in years. I have been at home full time with Gabriel since I graduated and it has been wonderful. My house is the cleanest it has been in years and I love seeing Gabriel grow and learn every day. He is such a smart and inquisitive little boy (he's definitely not a baby any more). I know, every parent thinks these things about their child. I am no different. I know my child is the smartest ever! </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">On the down side, Mark has been working a ton. He has been putting in 55-60 hours a week and there are a days when we barely get to see him. We are really grateful that he has his job and that he is able to provide for our family. We just wish we could see him more. I'm sure there are lots of married women out there who understand when I say I feel like a single mother sometimes. I'm just really glad that that's not really the case. Thankfully, he has been able to join us for a few of our adventures this summer.</div><div align="center"><br />The first two events that I am going to mention (even though they weren't first to occur) are the birthdays we celebrated in August. On the 8th of last month our son turned ONE! Over the past few months we noticed the way he was looking less and less like a baby and more and more like a toddler.</div><div align="center"> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPqfrD4OLI/AAAAAAAAALM/6VqIa1-E1Fw/s1600-h/IMG_1977.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382903809493711026" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPqfrD4OLI/AAAAAAAAALM/6VqIa1-E1Fw/s320/IMG_1977.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div align="center">One day old</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPr4HXcraI/AAAAAAAAAL8/OU_91C4yjj4/s1600-h/IMG_2036+(2).JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382905328920472994" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPr4HXcraI/AAAAAAAAAL8/OU_91C4yjj4/s320/IMG_2036+(2).JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div align="center">Five days old</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPr4htPMjI/AAAAAAAAAME/04MDs31WBVs/s1600-h/IMG_2321.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382905335991185970" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPr4htPMjI/AAAAAAAAAME/04MDs31WBVs/s320/IMG_2321.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div align="center">Three months old</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPqykBriDI/AAAAAAAAAL0/465hdEJKWAk/s1600-h/IMG_3190.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382904134022957106" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPqykBriDI/AAAAAAAAAL0/465hdEJKWAk/s320/IMG_3190.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div align="center">Six months old</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPqiPKA0CI/AAAAAAAAALs/k9L5F8_Y9tM/s1600-h/IMG_3298.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382903853542854690" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPqiPKA0CI/AAAAAAAAALs/k9L5F8_Y9tM/s320/IMG_3298.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div align="center">Nine months old</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPjhYt4CVI/AAAAAAAAAJM/usT8kbm8KYw/s1600-h/DSC00559.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382896142347929938" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPjhYt4CVI/AAAAAAAAAJM/usT8kbm8KYw/s320/DSC00559.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div align="center">1st Birth Day!</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">By his birthday we had to admit (mostly, I had to admit) that he is not a baby anymore. Can you believe it's been a year since we brought that beautiful newborn home? I can't. This has been the best year of my life because I have been able to share the experience of being a parent with Mark. I love being Gabriel's mommy. We didn't have a birthday party (more on this later) until the 29th, but we went to a wedding reception that evening, so Gabriel did have cake on his birthday.<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPjUYllEOI/AAAAAAAAAIs/FtJ0Qx349Rw/s1600-h/DSC00562.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382895918974832866" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPjUYllEOI/AAAAAAAAAIs/FtJ0Qx349Rw/s200/DSC00562.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPjU0kJBRI/AAAAAAAAAI0/hZqEKcbbQFM/s1600-h/DSC00567.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382895926484993298" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPjU0kJBRI/AAAAAAAAAI0/hZqEKcbbQFM/s200/DSC00567.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div align="center">It wasn't the strip-the-baby-down-and-let-him-go-at-it event that would come a few weeks later, but he still loved it. </div><div align="center"><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">On the 30th of August my wonderful husband turned the big 3-0! He frequently reminds me that I am only 9 months younger than he is, so I won't make a huge deal about how OLD he is. At his request, we decided to have a joint birthday party for the two birthday boys. Little did I know quite how much work it would be to put together such an event. The theme was rockets/space which was inspired by the quilt my mom was making Gabriel for his birthday. I made the invitations. Here are a few examples of what they looked like:</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPjVbgJZPI/AAAAAAAAAI8/Nt2TKp_KIFE/s1600-h/DSC00639.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382895936937223410" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPjVbgJZPI/AAAAAAAAAI8/Nt2TKp_KIFE/s200/DSC00639.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPjT3aWs_I/AAAAAAAAAIk/44WeOPXbTwg/s1600-h/DSC00647.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382895910069384178" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPjT3aWs_I/AAAAAAAAAIk/44WeOPXbTwg/s200/DSC00647.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPpcYvi5JI/AAAAAAAAALE/7v0XhYmyCr0/s1600-h/DSC00642.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382902653525353618" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPpcYvi5JI/AAAAAAAAALE/7v0XhYmyCr0/s200/DSC00642.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">We invited some close friends and our immediate family members which made up a group of 82 people! We rented a shelter at a local park, decorated the tables, and provided a dinner of hamburgers, hot dogs, chips, pop, and other sides. </div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">The biggest amount of work, however, went into the four cakes that I made. Two were just cakes in 9x13 pans, but the other two were masterpieces of love. Okay, really they were rocket ships, but I worked on those rocket ships all day. There was a large one for Mark and a smaller one for Gabriel. Thank goodness I had Mark there to keep me sane. We almost lost both cakes several times and I started hyper-ventilating, but he calmed down and helped me brainstorm until we came up with a solution. In the end I was very proud of my work. </div><div align="center"><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPjxQTuZPI/AAAAAAAAAJc/j5niZCbJyQo/s1600-h/DSC00654.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382896414968669426" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPjxQTuZPI/AAAAAAAAAJc/j5niZCbJyQo/s200/DSC00654.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPjw9AswQI/AAAAAAAAAJU/8P_RBdGndLE/s1600-h/DSC00651.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382896409788596482" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPjw9AswQI/AAAAAAAAAJU/8P_RBdGndLE/s200/DSC00651.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPjxxnttEI/AAAAAAAAAJk/8rNLDWj_0i0/s1600-h/DSC00675.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382896423910880322" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPjxxnttEI/AAAAAAAAAJk/8rNLDWj_0i0/s200/DSC00675.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPjySRmJbI/AAAAAAAAAJs/IyqjD9q5RVc/s1600-h/DSC00678.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382896432676480434" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 149px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPjySRmJbI/AAAAAAAAAJs/IyqjD9q5RVc/s200/DSC00678.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPkEiQTgBI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/piHgxn0KEhY/s1600-h/DSC00684.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382896746203676690" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPkEiQTgBI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/piHgxn0KEhY/s320/DSC00684.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPkEwGzkhI/AAAAAAAAAKE/HCG54FPSghg/s1600-h/DSC00697.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382896749921931794" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPkEwGzkhI/AAAAAAAAAKE/HCG54FPSghg/s320/DSC00697.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div align="center">The party as a whole was deemed a success. Everyone seemed to have fun and Gabriel had a grand time destroying/devouring his cake.</div><p align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPke9As5cI/AAAAAAAAAKs/iJoU3OJ-cp8/s1600-h/DSC00719.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382897200062588354" style="WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPke9As5cI/AAAAAAAAAKs/iJoU3OJ-cp8/s200/DSC00719.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPjy16RGgI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/pl4tgBleJVc/s1600-h/DSC00700.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382896442242308610" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPjy16RGgI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/pl4tgBleJVc/s200/DSC00700.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPkeHuS68I/AAAAAAAAAKk/1ZRhxSnOJLY/s1600-h/DSC00703.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382897185758309314" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPkeHuS68I/AAAAAAAAAKk/1ZRhxSnOJLY/s200/DSC00703.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPkfSwjx6I/AAAAAAAAAK0/bdekQSGs8yQ/s1600-h/DSC00733.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382897205900461986" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPkfSwjx6I/AAAAAAAAAK0/bdekQSGs8yQ/s200/DSC00733.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPkfnDav2I/AAAAAAAAAK8/M6ibBnHDEG8/s1600-h/DSC00737.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382897211348270946" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPkfnDav2I/AAAAAAAAAK8/M6ibBnHDEG8/s200/DSC00737.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center">One of the best parts was that I didn't have to clean my house before or after the party (except for the cake bits all over my kitchen). I am slowly becoming resigned to the fact that my baby is no longer a baby. He has two teeth, says lots of words and phrases (his favorite being "get it!"), walks like a pro, and is starting to try to climb the stairs (baby gate will be installed shortly). We love him so much and we are so grateful for the year we have had and the many to come. </p><p align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPkFshDNSI/AAAAAAAAAKM/3dvtCpAnwOk/s1600-h/DSC00750.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382896766138135842" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPkFshDNSI/AAAAAAAAAKM/3dvtCpAnwOk/s320/DSC00750.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPkGPfNg_I/AAAAAAAAAKU/CSope_2yqcE/s1600-h/DSC00745.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5382896775525663730" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SrPkGPfNg_I/AAAAAAAAAKU/CSope_2yqcE/s320/DSC00745.jpg" border="0" /></a></p>Mark and Sarah +2http://www.blogger.com/profile/08527966159784854317noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549739445778232714.post-48451423015044654972009-06-06T21:42:00.003-04:002009-06-06T21:55:02.900-04:00A big sigh of relief...I'M DONE!!!! Woo-woo, yeah, that's right, uh-huh, uh-huh (chanted as I dance around). As of yesterday at 12:44pm I had officially completed all of the requirements for my masters degree in Social Work. So what am I going to do now? I can't believe I'm actually saying this, but I'm going to Disney World. Okay, not really Disney World, but we're going to Florida for a week. We leave next Saturday, the day after graduation. We are all VERY excited! Mark needs a vacation as much, if not more, than I do. <br /><br />Along those lines, I want to publicly thank my husband for the love and support that he has given me. A lot of people were supportive of me throughout completing this degree. My dad gave me hand-me-down text books and his notes from taking the comprehensive exam three years earlier. My mom constantly pushed me to keep going even though certain things were really hard to deal with. But I literally could not have done this without Mark. He was supportive the entire time. He did not complain when I had to work all evening on a paper. He strongly encouraged me not to procrastinate. He didn't bat an eye when we paid his sister extra for watching Gabriel on a day off so I could do school work (which thankfully only happened twice). He was wonderful. I love you, Mark. I feel like this is OUR success. Thank you.Mark and Sarah +2http://www.blogger.com/profile/08527966159784854317noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4549739445778232714.post-10253079516290072912009-05-01T19:05:00.014-04:002009-05-01T20:02:21.079-04:00Three beasts and a boyWe have three animals. One cat who knows he is a house cat, one cat who thinks he is a wild bobcat, and a slobbering beast, other wise know as our dog. Euan is our wild cat. He reminds me of the bobcat who tried to pee on Mark at the zoo(<span style="font-size:78%;">maybe I'll tell this story another time for my own entertainment</span>), full of puff and attitude. He is not afraid of our beast of a dog, he refuses to be pet by a person's hands (only feet for this cat), and he tries to attack things through our windows (yes he has done this repeatedly). He also has a fetish for small children. We discovered this last year when our friends, Val and Jason, brought their one year old to visit. He followed her around and tried to get on her lap. This has continued with Gabriel. Our other cat, Midnight, has the good sense to run away when ever Gabriel comes near. Euan seeks Gabriel out. Here is one of the times he has decided he needed Gabriel's attention (I'll narrate for Gabriel):<br /><br /><div align="center">"Do you realize where you are?"<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SfuDgKk-j7I/AAAAAAAAAHU/UkL9Yd5wSyQ/s1600-h/IMG_3260.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330999172541616050" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SfuDgKk-j7I/AAAAAAAAAHU/UkL9Yd5wSyQ/s200/IMG_3260.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div align="center">"Let's sneak in there slowly. </div><div align="center">Maybe he won't notice I'm touching him"</div><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SfuDgd4mssI/AAAAAAAAAHc/ViY9t2lZkI4/s1600-h/IMG_3259.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330999177724211906" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SfuDgd4mssI/AAAAAAAAAHc/ViY9t2lZkI4/s200/IMG_3259.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">"Hey, maybe we could be pals" </div><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SfuDgwdr1dI/AAAAAAAAAHs/UQGuAv6BXuM/s1600-h/IMG_3253.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330999182711576018" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SfuDgwdr1dI/AAAAAAAAAHs/UQGuAv6BXuM/s200/IMG_3253.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div align="center"><br />"Okay dude, I think your invading my space now"</div><div align="center"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SfuDgWOKJlI/AAAAAAAAAHk/cBiDNW1pnT4/s1600-h/IMG_3252.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330999175667131986" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SfuDgWOKJlI/AAAAAAAAAHk/cBiDNW1pnT4/s200/IMG_3252.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />"Did you see that mom?"<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SfuDg6H2bYI/AAAAAAAAAH0/1q-xgGrmcfU/s1600-h/IMG_3262.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330999185304350082" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SfuDg6H2bYI/AAAAAAAAAH0/1q-xgGrmcfU/s200/IMG_3262.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></div>This:<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SfuA5YwGjWI/AAAAAAAAAHM/dqatGPwF0DQ/s1600-h/IMG_0051.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330996307308219746" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SfuA5YwGjWI/AAAAAAAAAHM/dqatGPwF0DQ/s320/IMG_0051.JPG" border="0" /></a> is our 100lb bloodhound. She terrorizes our normal cat and any animal that comes into our yard. She has even been known to make a few grown men nervous. However, we have recently discovered that she is easily terrorized by the very small resident of our home.<br /><br />The other day Gabriel snuck up on Savannah and tried to touch her. It was crazy. That huge dog ran away from my little baby. I couldn't really catch it the other day, but the scene repeated itself today.<br /><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">Here he is sneaking up on her:</div><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SfuKRzUBnPI/AAAAAAAAAH8/VdhWSxE3LWk/s1600-h/Gabe+sneaking+on+Savannah.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331006622359723250" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 154px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SfuKRzUBnPI/AAAAAAAAAH8/VdhWSxE3LWk/s200/Gabe+sneaking+on+Savannah.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">She realizes what's going on and tries to run away</div><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SfuKSHqaxxI/AAAAAAAAAIE/QUwH6xJICuw/s1600-h/IMG_3337.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331006627822356242" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SfuKSHqaxxI/AAAAAAAAAIE/QUwH6xJICuw/s200/IMG_3337.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">Mark made her lay there while Gabriel touched her.</div><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SfuKSUzHewI/AAAAAAAAAIM/HByXrLGgG7s/s1600-h/IMG_3346.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331006631348501250" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SfuKSUzHewI/AAAAAAAAAIM/HByXrLGgG7s/s200/IMG_3346.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">She says "dad, don't make me do that again" </div><div align="center">while the terrorizer is having an idea in the background.</div><div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SfuKSpHe2NI/AAAAAAAAAIU/cgBS9IcMGIo/s1600-h/IMG_3349.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331006636802627794" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SfuKSpHe2NI/AAAAAAAAAIU/cgBS9IcMGIo/s200/IMG_3349.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />I swear, he came up with this all on his own. It was like he was saying, </div><div align="center">"ha,ha, I know how to make you hold still.<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SfuKS_lmTtI/AAAAAAAAAIc/9M5ghqnbJaU/s1600-h/IMG_3351.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331006642834525906" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fs2aduTJ0vk/SfuKS_lmTtI/AAAAAAAAAIc/9M5ghqnbJaU/s200/IMG_3351.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div align="center"></div><div align="left">It is so fun to watch these stories unfold. I love that it seems I can see what he thinking and the ideas that come to him. It seems he is his fathers son: mischievous and full of adventure. I'm in for some serious trouble. And some serious fun.</div>Mark and Sarah +2http://www.blogger.com/profile/08527966159784854317noreply@blogger.com2