Finally an UPDATE!!!!

I know that it has been awhile since we have updated our blog, but sometimes there are times that you just need to take a break.

About a year ago, Joe and I decided to put our LDS Family Services adoption stuff on hold and try our hand at foster care. Well to be completly honest, our stuff was not actually put on hold until April when we got our first placement.

Anyway, we got three amazing kids. Two girls and a boy. We are hoping that we will be able to adopt them, but we know that if we can't there must be something else in store for us...

So here is the story...

Right now we are dealing with the whole kinship vs us issue. It is not easy and I have been an emotional wreck this week and  we know and understand that it is a gamble that we take. My husband and I have dealt with infertility for 12 years and about 7 yrs ago decided that adoption was the only option for us and our family. We started off with LDS Family Services and have been waiting for 6 years. About a year ago we decided that we would give it ago with foster care and see where it might lead us. So here we are with these three amzing kids hoping that we will get the chance and opportunity to be their forever family.

Moab, Utah 2011 Day 1: 08/19/2011

We left early Friday morning and headed to Moab. It took us about 3 hours to get to our camp spot (Kings Bottom).

While setting up our tent, we realized that the Colorado River was right behind our campsite. It's so cool, except I wish it were a creek. You see, I love to hear the water rushing down the creek over the rocks. The river has been so quiet except when a  tour boat goes rushing down it, then the water sounds like the ocean beating against the shore from the wake of the boat.

Now the crickets on the other hand, they are supper loud and remind me of our trip back east last year. Its not just a chirp chirp sound, it's a constant whistle of sorts, but I love it. It is one of the things I grew to love on our 15 day road trip. I have missed that sound.

1st Tourist Stop:

Pizza Hut for lunch after we got our camp set up.

2nd Stop:

Monitor and Merrimac Viewpoint

Not much here except a lookout point you can walk to, to look at the rock formations and cliffs.

Stop 3:

Dead Horse Point

We could not figure out how they came up with that name and we still are not sure except that the main attraction is where the Colorado River forms a horse shoe shape. So cool and a breath taking view. Also at this destination you could see rock formations and cliffs for miles, but another cool thing you could see was some awesome blue water. From what we were told, its some sort of settling pond that they collect some sort of chemical to use as fertilizer. Not sure if this is true or not, but whatever it is meant for, it is still a cool view from a top a cliff.

4th and Final Destination: (Most entertaining part of the story)

Back to camp to cook dinner and relax.

Before going on this trip, we went grocery shopping for the food we would be taking. I even made out a menu...

Well this morning, I went out to water our garden before leaving and left Joe to putting food in the cooler and grabbing other odds and ends we needed...

1st Mistake:

I left Joe to pack

2nd Mistake:

I didn't double check. I was just so excited that I did not have to pack it all this time.

We knew we had forgotten the milk so while in town, we were able to get that.

Fast forward to us getting ready to cook dinner...on the menu: Tinfoil Dinners!

Joe looks at me and asks "Did you bring the potatoes?" I said, "No, I thought you grabbed them". So since we didn't have the potatoes and we did not want to run back into town, we decided to have hot dogs.

We would have to grab the potatoes the next day.

Well, there is more to this story...

Joe decides that he wants corn for dinner as well, so he BBQ's it and when he went looking for the butter, there was no butter either...no harm done on this one, except that for breakfast the next morning, we were planning on bacon, eggs and potatoes.

So again, we switched our menu around and we had sausage gravy instead.

So much for the menu planning right!?! Oh well! I am just grateful that for once I didn't have to pack everything and the car by myself this time, so my reaction was to laugh at the situation instead of getting mad. Lesson learned...I will double check the coolers next time...LOL

On day two's agenda... Arches national park and shopping.

Our niece Jazmine's 9th birthday and the Splash Pad

We can't believe that you are 9 already Jaz, but we are so proud of you and love you.

Because Joe and I were not going to be in town for Jaz' birthday, we let her have a sleepover at our house for a couple of nights. I took her shopping for her birthday present, took her to her swimming lessons and then the next day we went to the splash pad with some of my family. There was Jaz and I, my sister and three of her kids, Liz, Nate and Aiden, my mom, my aunt and 3 of her kids, Kash, Autumn and Bailee and also her 3 grandsons, Jimmy (my mini-me), Cole and Byron. All in all, we had a great time.

11 Year Anniversary

I can't believe that it has been a year since we went on our road trip. This year, we went to dinner at Texas Roadhouse and then we mixed our anniversary and Joe's birthday together by going to Moab this past weekend....and boy is there a story to tell....stay tuned for the story and pictures.

Aiden turns 7

Our nephew Aiden turned 7 at the end of July. He wanted a pool party at papa's work, so that is what he got. I can't believe that he is 7 already. It seems just like yesterday that he was born. I love this little man. He is so smart and so funny, just like his mom. I can't imagine life without this kid. He is my little NASCAR Buddy. Yes!!! That's right, I brain-washed the poor thing into liking Dale Jr and yes, I am the one who taught him most of the drivers names and their car #. I have been drilling him since the day he born, much to my sister's dislike...j/k...LOL

Happy Birthday Little Buddy. We love you.

Timp. Cave Hike July 2011

Sibbling Hike

 We went hiking to the cave with Breanna's sister Britteny and her husband Troy and Breanna's brother Bronson. We decided to do it really early in the morning and am I glad we did. It was getting hot by the time we got to the top. In some ways, I am glad that we didn't take Brea's sisters kids with us cause we were having a hard enough time getting ourselves up the mountain, but sad that they didn't come with us cause they would have loved the cave. Maybe when they get a bit older we will be able to take them with us.

Camping July 2011

Camping with Brea's family at Scofield.



I love going camping out there. We are close to two lakes and there is so much space to ride 4 wheelers.



Our nephew Aiden was being way silly. He thought he was being a monster and all he kept saying was "Aunt Nana, take a picture of me now".

4th of July Weekend

For the 4th of July weekend, we went to Beaver, UT to visit Breanna's grandparents. We love going down there. It is peacefull and so far away from the hussle and bussle of life. If we could move down there we probably would.



Catching up

Seethaler Family Reunion

This reunion was held at Joe's Uncle Mark's house. There was tons of food, swimming and family.

I love taking pictures of flowers.

When I went to give my cousin Bailee her dress I made her, I got to do the girls hair. I enjoyed that. Anyway after I finished their hair they decided that they would do their mom's hair and my mom's (their aunt) hair.

We went to McDonalds for my cousin Autumn's 5th birthday party. I still can't believe that it has been a year since their adoption was finalized, but then again, it also seems like they have always been a part of the family. I can't picture what life would be like without them.

This is the day before Brea's sister's step kids left to go to their moms for the summer.

We went to dinner with the Seethaler side of the family. There was Uncle Kirk, Aunt Vicky, Nancy (Joe's mom), Brandie and her kids, Danika, Dakota, and Riley and of course Joe and I.

A dress I made for my dad's bosses daughter and for my cousin Bailee.

I am so far behind that I am still trying to catch up clear back to easter...

Blessings/Understanding/Feelings

As I sit and think about our life we have, it is hard not to feel thankful and blessed, but at the same time, we feel we have a void in our life.

It's no big secret that we struggle with infirtility and are trying to adopt, but the feelings that come with dealing with the situation are much more private. There are so many emotions and sometimes, we feel them all at the same time.

Some people just don't understand. They think they do, but unless you have gone thru it, you don't fully understand.

There are times that I feel fine and happy.

There are times when I am sad and angry.

There are times when I am so emotionally out of control and don't know why.

There are times when it is a mixture of everything.

It is easy to feel down and depressed and not knowing what to do to get out of the deep dark hole.

Don't get me wrong, I love my life. I have the best husband ever, who loves me, who is there for me thru the good and the bad, who works hard to support us, who holds and honors the priesthood, and whom I am so in love with and am thankful to call him my best friend. Yet there is still that void that our family just is not complete.



Catching Up & Turning 30

I know I have not been all that great at getting caught up or staying caught up for that matter....So...here is what we have been up to for April....

I turned 30... (April 17, 2011)

Nephew Trevor turns 7....(April 15, 2011)

Joe's brother Matt's Birthday... (April 3, 2011)

Crocheting

I find that crocheting is a great stress reliever...and because of that, our niece Ryleigh and my cousin Autumn are the proud owners of a new dress....

I hope you both like them.

Sleepovers and Birthdays

Sleepover

At the beginning of March, Breanna's sister went to the Vegas Nascar Race so her kids got to come to our house for a weekend sleepover. We had a ton of fun.

The kids snuggled up in their beds watching a movie.

What kid doesn't like to slide down the stairs?

True Dale Earnhardt Jr. Fans.

For church on Sunday, I braided Ryleigh's hair in the # 88 to support our driver.

Dancing

Ryleigh at her dance program. The girls were so cute dancing.

Birthday's

Our nephew Nate's 10th Birthday. For his birthday, I took him shopping for his present. We also went to the Myan. The kids loved watching the divers.

Happy birthday Nate, we love you.

Our niece Desserae's birthday party....chucky cheese. I cannot believe that she is 10. They grow up way too fast. Happy birthday Des, we love you.

Tithing

I think it was last week in Sacrament that the topic was on Tithing. I had a few thoughts and feelings on this subject that I have not been able to get out of my mind all week.

I can honestly say that for the past 3-4 years we have been really good about and on top of our tithing, but it has not always been that way. I am not sure why we were so bad at it, but the important thing is that we are much better now. I have had to put a seperate checkbook in my scripture bag just so I don't have an excuse to not pay it.
Anyway, one of the talks in sacrament was given by Sister Bird on our attitudes about tithing. She is so comical, but she got the point across. She said that if we have the wrong attitude about it, then we are not getting the full blessings that come with paying your tithing. I can honestly say that this is so true. It is easy to think this bill or that bill needs to be paid or I want to go to the movies, etc...but for us, we have finally figured out that we need to treat our tithing like a bill and pay it as well in a timely manner. There has been times when we would look at our bank account and wonder "where in the world are we going to come up with our tithing". But I can tell you that when we paid our tithing first, the rest seemed to fall into place and we always had the money to cover our other bills as well. I think we just had to step back and have faith and the right attitude about it.

I have a testimony about tithing and that when we have the right attitude and have faith that everything else will fall into place.

Feb. Happenings

Just a random picture taken of us.

For our niece Ryleigh's 6th birthday, I took her to McDonalds and then shopping for her present. Then we went to her birthday party. I still can't believe she is 6. When her dad married my sister, she was only 3!!! Crazy how time has flown right on by. We sure do love her and her sister and brothers.

More of Ryliegh's birthday

This past weekend, Joe and I went down south to Beaver. My grandparents live there and we love going to down there to the peace and quiet. There is not that much traffic or construction for that matter.