Free Christmas Cards!

Now that Thanksgiving is over, it’s time to really start thinking about Christmas! I know I have to start looking for Christmas Cards. So I was excited when I found this deal. Shutterfly.com is having an awesome promotion through the end of December!! They are giving everyone 50 free christmas cards! Awesome, right? Go here if YOU want to get this sweet, and free deal too! Last year I never ended up getting any cards out so this year I’m definitely excited to be getting them out with the help of this promotion! Thank you Shutterfly! Shutterfly is such a great company too! I’ve always loved their designs and ideas. Since this promotion I have found even more things on their site I love. CLICK HERE to look at how many awesome Christmas card designs they have. I can't wait to see the final product of my cards and get them shipped out.

Here are a few I really like.
They also have a really cool calendar and Photo Book I want to make.

To find the calendars go here! I want to make one of these with all of our nieces and nephews on it.
For the Photo Books go here! I thought it would be good to have one yearly as an extra journal for our family.

A sew along bag

I have been looking at a lot of blogs lately to find cheap and fun Ideas for Christmas. While doing this I have found a lot of Blogs I love with sewing Ideas. This is one of my favorites. I won't be able to do it yet (because I do not know how to sew yet) but eventually. I thought I would share it with all of you.Isn't it the cutest! You can find it here.
They even separate the sewing into sections by weeks so you can do a little bit at a time.

Adoption and the Bible

I was looking at some blogs today about adoption and was totally moved by this woman's post. I found it on her blog at http://1pieceofme.blogspot.com/

Adoption and the Bible

I've never claimed to be a scripture scholar. Don't get me wrong, I read my scriptures and have a testimony of their truthfulness but I've never been like my grandpa or brother who could spout off scriptures without even thinking. But that doesn't mean that the stories don't touch me and stay in my mind.

I was thinking the other day about adoption and out of no where the story of Moses popped into my mind. I had to go to the Bible and re-read it to make sure that I was remembering it correctly. And right there in Exodus 2:9 is a beautiful phrase that just hit me.

Jochebed gave birth to Moses right after Phararoh ordered that all baby boys from the house of Isreal must be killed. Jochebed didn't want her son to die. She came up with a plan to save him. She put him in a basket and put him in the river.

Phararoh's daughter found him and rescued him from the river "and he became her son." Those 5 words stuck out to me. Through what we now know as adoption, Moses became her son.

I love this story for multiple reasons. I love that the scriptures have the ability to relate to everyone. I believe that this story was included to give comfort and a feeling of belonging and acceptance to those of us who will travel down the path of adoption. I love the simple testiment that it gives that children who are not born by us can still become our children. I also love the respect and love that is dedicated in those verses to Jochebed. It is obvious that she was a good mother. She loved her son and would do anything to provide him with what she couldn't at the time. She literally saved his life by giving him to someone else. What faith that must have taken, what courage, what strength. What a remarkable woman. Though the situations might be different, the amazing birthmothers that make people like me parents are truly just as remarkable as Jochebed.

I love the truthfulness of the miracle of adoption. I love that even Moses, a prophet of the Old Testiment can teach us about adoption and the amazing people that make it possible. I love adoption.

One Boy, One Girl

The school puts on concerts every once and awhile. We decided to go to Collin Raye this last weekend and it was fabulous. The tickets for students were only $10.00 a person and he was an amazing entertainer. I remember listening to his music when I was in high school. It was a really good concert and a super fun date.

He said that BYU-Idaho is one of his favorite places. He sang a few songs that no one has heard before that he is going to put on his new record. After his concert I wanted to go buy some of his CD's.

I like these two pictures of Jacob and I. I didn't realize until I looked at the pictures afterwards that we were matching.

My response to Danielle's wonderful post!

Dearest Danielle,

I want you to know how much I love you. I know that our Father in Heaven will bless us with children (whether they be adopted or by you getting pregnant or both). I also know that you are going to be an AMAZING MOTHER SOME DAY (I hope that day is very, very soon)! I love you so much, and I will NEVER, EVER FORGET THE MOMENT THAT WE HAD IN THE SAN DIEGO TEMPLE IN Sep 2008. It is a very sacred experience for us, so I will not go into depth here. But I know that you know what I am referring too.

Above all the most important thing that we can do, no matter how difficult it has been (and will be) is to keep our faith in the Lord very strong!!

We have been through so many difficult trials during the past almost five years now. However, I could not imagine having to go through them with anyone else. I know that w/o you in my life my personal struggles would have been 10 Billion times more difficult!

I know that Heavenly Father has a plan for us to have a family. I know that soon it will become a reality. I know that if we stay strong and grow closer to each other and the Lord through these experiences, that we will be together forever in eternity with many children and loved ones!

I Love you so much and am so grateful that I have had you in my life these past 7 months. As I don't even want to imagine how much more difficult times would've been without your beautiful smiling face in my life everyday!!

Thank you for being such an amazing and strong Daughter of God!

Though I wish I could do something so that you would never have to feel this way again. Just remember when times get tough like this again and your having another difficult night, that your loving Savior knows exactly what you're going through. He knows your pain and heartache. He knows how you feel when you hear that someone else is having another baby (though you are happy for them, it also may make you sad for us). Above all else he wants you to allow him to take that pain from you, he wants to either lighten your burdens (whether they be physical or emotional ones) or he wants you to allow him to strengthen you (which is what he normally does) so that you can bare that particular burden. I promise you that the next time you are having a difficult night like this one, if you drop to your knees and pour out your heart & soul to your Heavenly Father that he will be there for you. He loves you and it hurts him so to see you in pain.

I just want to say again, that I KNOW that we will have children some day soon. I do not know if it will be from you becoming pregnant or from the Miracle of Adoption. However, I do know that we will become parents together in this life! I know it just as sure as I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that he restored the Church of Jesus Christ to the earth again.

I LOVE YOU SO MUCH! I AM SO GRATEFUL THAT I WENT TO INSTITUTE IN EUGENE, OR ON 3 JULY 2005! I HAD NO IDEA WHEN I WOKE UP THAT MORNING, THE LIFE CHANGING IMPACT THAT ATTENDING SACRAMENT MEETING WAS GOING TO HAVE! I am so thankful to my Heavenly Father for bringing us together!

333 4 E MY LOVE!!

Can't sleep, so I might as well post!

So I have had a lot on my mind lately. At least once a month I pull an all nighter because I get looking at blogs of families who have adopted and blogs of birth mothers. I have a few that I blog stock because I love to see what is new in their adventure.

It is no secret to any of my blog readers that we have been married for five years and have no children. However, when you live in Mormonville you are an outsider if you do not have children. I know it should not be that way and that people are really ignorant and have no idea what they are talking about. It does not make it any easier though. It brings up a bag of mixed feelings. I don't like to sound negative or like a complainer but sometimes it is just good to get your feelings out. I am not looking for a pity party either. If you don't want to read on then don't.

To outsiders:
1. Do not ask people why they don't have children
2. Don't tell a woman that they are breaking commandments by not having children.
3. If someone you know does not have children it does not mean you have nothing in common.

I honestly am excited when someone I know finds out they are pregnant or has just had a baby. I cannot say I have always felt that way. I can remember the exact moment I was told by one of my friends she was pregnant and I was really honestly excited for them and not putting on a happy face. However, it drives me nuts when people who are pregnant can do nothing but complain. I would take all of the ailments in the world just to be able to be carrying a child of my own. Enjoy the time you are pregnant and don't complain about it every other minute on your facebook! (side note: Just so everyone who reads my blog I am not talking about any of you). Also, when a parents always talks about how they would love to get rid of their children it drives me crazy. I have had many friends constantly say that on facebook and they finally stopped when I told them I would take their children off their hands for free. ok, so now that I got that out I can talk about new things.

As I was sitting in Sacrament meeting last August I was totally moved by the testimony of one of the woman in our ward. She talked about how they tried to have children of their own for many years. She talked about the miracle of adoption. I was moved to tears and knew right then and there that we were one day going to build our family through adoption. I just didn't know how we were going to get there. Especially with going to school we are not financially ready for it. I have talked to birth mothers, adoptive mother (thanks to my amazing and strong friend Heather). The thought of adoption sends many thoughts through my head. I have hope, faith, excitement, fear, worries, etc. I AM COMPLETELY TERRIFIED!!!!

I know that I am meant to be a mother, that is all I have every wanted. I remember praying when I was a little girl telling my father in heaven that the only thing I ever wanted in my life was to be a mother. I would say that if I was made a mother I would be ok dying whenever Heavenly Father wanted to take me from the earth (I know that is weird but that is how much I ached to be a mother someday). We have been trying since we got married and our going on our 5th year of marriage. I remember at the beginning I would buy pregnancy test every month and every month I would cry when it was false. It was heart breaking. Every time I felt sick or under the weather everyone would say "Are you pregnant?" I wanted to be but I was so tired hearing it. I am blessed to have a wonderful family and wonderful friends. I love every one of my nieces and nephews with all of my heart. It is hard to think that I have had 5 nieces soon to be six, 2 nephews and soon to be three second nephews born since the time we have been trying. I am not jealous, it at sometimes is just heartbreaking to be the only one in the family to have no children at holiday's. Especially mother's day. My family is amazing and I don't feel left out but I have stopped going to church on mother's day, it is just too hard. I don't want to get the mother's day gift they have for everyone because I am a "Future Mom". It didn't do me any good because my home teacher brought me the gift anyway, I can't run far enough. I try to stay positive but it is harder than anyone could ever imagine. I have thought of getting rid of my facebook because everyday someone new is going to be a mother and it tears that my heartstrings. I know these are all normal feeling it is just really frustrating at times.

So Jacob and I are going to be going to talk to LDS family services next week to get things started. Please pray for us. It is going to be an emotional roller coaster. It is not a short process and we can use all of the prayers we can get. I am going to try to update our progress on this blog, but you can always look at our adoption thoughts blog that has a link on this blog under "our blogs", I will be updating that frequently. I love you all and know I can turn to you for support. Hopefully someday soon I will have a baby to wear the many baby clothes we have in our spare bedroom closet.

A sad occasion into a fun vacation!

We decided to rent a car and drive to California because it was cheaper than driving and Jacob and I love road trips, but I don't think we have ever been on a road trip this long before.

My handsome hubby right after we left Rexburg, we wanted to leave by 1pm and didn't leave until 3pm. At least we got out though.

Of course he had to have his supportive wife with him.

We were in the right spirits when we were just leaving. It was a long ride to Las Vegas. As we pulled into the gas station right before our exit to our hotel in Vegas Jacob turned off the car and I could feel the heat rushing into the car. It was mad hot. Ya, like over 100 degrees at midnight. That's Crazy!

I played off that I was happy but really I was Hot, Tired and Cranky.
It was Jacob's birthday and so he wanted to go to one of the restaurants at the strip. We didn't get there until 1am and so it was hard finding somewhere to eat. After walking down to outback and it being closed I remembered a restaurant we went to a few years ago in New York New York, and it was open and they had a late night steak dinner on special. Jacob got excited.

I told you he was excited. It may not look good but I would have to say it was one of the best steaks I have ever had.

Jacob on his way out of the hotel. I loves the little bag they gave us for our food. The casino looks empty behind Jacob, but it was hoppin' and I was happy to get out of the smokey hotel and back to ours to sleep.

This is our room in Vegas. We had a studio and I thought it was pretty big. We have been able to stay in a lot of World mark resorts (Thanks to my parents) and they are nice and a pretty good deal.

Jacob in the club area on the way to the pool. We woke up at 8 so we could go swimming before we went down to the strip and then we had to get back on the road to get to LAX to pick up Jacob's sister Charlissa.

I thought it was funny there was a ghetto trailer park right behind the resort. It made me laugh.

There were 4 pools, this is the lazy river. They also had a cabana where you checked out towels and lifeguards. I have never been to a world mark where there were lifeguards.

This was the main pool. The hot tub had a water fall in it. I didn't stay in the hot tub because at 8am it was already 92 degrees, we actually got a little burnt. I thought that was crazy.

This is the other side of the main pool. Jacob and I played a but of volleyball but it was so sunny the one facing the sun couldn't see so we just swam.

We went to the strip because I wanted to go to the M&M store and I also wanted to see Planet Hollywood since the last time we went it was the Aladdin. As we were walking to the M&M store we saw the new hotel the cosmopolitan. They are building a Prada, Louis Vuitton, and Tiffany's. They weren't open yet or I would have just gone to see them.

Jacob wanted to play video games in the game works, he really liked it. This game he was a cop and if he ducked then the cop would duck, it was pretty cool.

Football game

Here we are at LAX waiting for Jacob's sister Charlissa to fly in.

Jacob and his Grandma Joyce. We sure do love her. I was worried about her but she was doing really good. She misses Papa but she was holding up well.

Jacob's sister Whitney and little E. E is Jacob's 2nd cousins baby.

Charlissa, Robert (Whitney's husband) and Jacob before we were going to play games.

My nephew Jayden and me. He is so fun and he has gotten so big since we last saw him in January. He is such a funny little boy.

My mother in law and I before the memorial for her Dad. It was a stressful weekend but I think Papa would have loved it.

My handsome Hubby

Sometimes we are silly

Sometimes we aren't

Grandma and Me

Grandma and two of her sisters and one of her brother. She has 6 sisters and two brothers. It was fun getting to know a lot of Jacob's family.

Whitney and her little man Jayden. He is saying cheese but you can't see it because of his water bottle.

Jacob with Papa;s brother Norman and his wife and Charlissa.

Grandma taking a break after the party. It was a lit of work but there were over 100 people and so we had a really good turnout.

Charlissa and I

When we had to leave they decided to play hand and foot. They waited until we left because they knew we would kick their trash. Pretty much we are the best ever. Denise would tell you different but she is lying.

On the way home happy to be on the road and one mile closer to our own bed.

Thugs

This is the world mark in St. George that we stayed in. It was really nice and big.

Long time gone

It has been a long long time since my real post. I have been super busy with school. Our life is also pretty boring. I think I would post more if we had a little one to post about. So I am going to try to be better at posting on the things we do.

So this semester I started the first of my many practicums in the school's preschool. This picture is of my very first day, I was so nervous. It has gotten much easier since then. I am actually really sad because we only have 3 more days of school left. I will really miss my preschool kids they are so fun.

We did the Teton Dam 5k again this year. However, unlike last year this year we had people to walk it with. Weight watchers is doing a 5K walk it challenge and so a bunch of weight watchers friends did it. Both Jacob and I got a better time than last year and Jacob even got sick during the last part.

This is Jacob and I with one of our leaders, she is so sweet. I will be sad when I graduate and we move and we have to go to a different weight watchers. We have a pretty amazing group.

Here is another picture of the group, our other leader Janan is next to Sandra. She is now our leader since I have school on Tuesday nights.

Here we are on the downhill, it was nice because we were almost to the end.

Jacob and I at the finish. I have a pretty amazing husband.


The next weekend David Archuletta had a concert at the school. It was only $20 and he was amazing. He even sang songs that he has been recording for his new cd and they were really good. I was bummed though because to be able to see him you had to buy either his cd (which I already have) or his new book, which we had no money for., So I wasn't able to meet him but his concert got over late so I was happy to just go home and get some sleep. I have had a lack of sleep since the beginning of the semester.
I couldn't get a very good picture of David, but here is one I got.