Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's Back to Work I Go

So....tomorrow is my first day back at work. I can hardly stand it, my head and heart are a mixture of emotions. I think back to the last day I worked and it seems as though an eternity has passed since then. Even though it has only been a little less than 3 months, my life feels completely different and more real and intense in a way.

I absolutely love my job, always have. Being a nurse has been the most rewarding, frustrating, exhausting, and wonderful way I could ever have spent my time. Many of my patients hold special places in my heart and I have learned things about the very nature of who I am by spending time with people in some of their most trying moments. After being a patient so many times throughout my life I feel a certain bond with them as though I am one of them. I just happen to be having one of my healthier days while taking care of them. I love them. Of course I am saying this now. After my 12+ hour day tomorrow, I will still love them and my job, I will probably just be exhausted and probably really frustrated with all the extras that go with any job.

However, as I held my precious baby while he fell asleep tonight, my heart felt torn. Of course I want to be with my patients, I have missed them but I think the whole of my heart now belongs to Steve and Zadok. Being a mother these past two and half months has meant more to me than I can put into words. Zadok has brought to life in me something that only he could have. And although I have my times of going a little crazy with such a major life change the thought of not being with him for just one day just makes me want to hold him all night.

I know everyone thinks that their baby is the most precious, lovable, sweet, happy, beautiful baby in the world...sorry to disappoint but Zadok wins the prize. He truly is all of that and being without him for even one day seems like too much. As tears came to my eyes again while holding him tonight my mind could not help but think of Norma. Have I mentioned lately how amazing, loving, unselfish, and wonderful she is?

So off I go...and as Steve says, get ready to run. You see my life has felt about as fast as 15 miles an hour. Back to 100 mph, bright and early!

WE HAVE A COURT DATE!!!!...and other fun news!

-JUNE 25, 2009-
THE DAY ZADOK WILL OFFICIALLY (and legally) BE OURS!!!!

Easter weekend was really fun, my parents came down from Flag and we got together with Jared and Jenny and their kids all weekend!


I love this pic of my niece Elizabeth with Zad, they are so cute together. She is great to have around, yesterday she carried Zad around in the baby carrier and fed him!


Blake loves Zad's toys. Most of Zad's toys (stuffed animals, rattles, etc.) Blake brings to him and puts them on top of him and then steps back waiting for Zadok to start playing with them. Sometimes Blake will even go back over, pick up the toy and then put it on him again waiting....waiting....waiting..... Sorry no toy playing yet!


Good thing Grandpa was around to play with.


The three of us all dressed up for Easter. I remember taking pics like this when I was growing up, all in pastel dresses and ties, sometimes they even matched, thanks to my mom's superb sewing skills. However, all of these lovely little outfits were sewn by strangers, probably in far off countries.






I had to take lots of pics of this cute outfit from one of my patients and his wife. I first met them about a year and a half ago and honestly never thought he would make it. Happily he did and is completely cancer free! YEAH! While I was praying for their miracle, they were praying for ours. You can't beat patients like those. Love you guys!


Finally....Zadok's Rico Suave' look. Look out baby girls, his eye brows will get ya!

Baby Books and Family Night

So...I've been thinking should I be keeping a baby book? It is one of those things that I thought I would have a lot of time to think about and plan for but that has obviously not been the case! Don't laugh! How many people do you know discover they are going to have a baby and then actually have the baby less than 48 hours later!? Ok then, back to the main point here!

So Zadok is doing all these amazing things, rolling over for the first time, cooing like crazy, smiling with not just his mouth but his eyes and eyebrows too and I never want to forget any of it. The problem is, that over the many years of waiting for his arrival I have NEVER seen a baby book I liked. I have looked at many of them wherever they have been offered. It all looks so cheesy and dumb to me, put their hand print [here], lock of hair [here], date of when they rolled over [here], and so on. I want something cute, imaginative, and fun!

I've thought of making my own but I need a starting place...and I am not feeling inspired by the boring white with blue writing and a teddy bear on the front kind. What is with all the baby sized little animals, pastel colored blocks, and ducks saying "quack quack" on everything anyway? Guess what he can't read yet! Why not put something on their that mothers like to look at....I can't think of anything right now I but not all that babyish stuff!

Anyway...I'm just looking for ideas, do you have any?

Also, here are some pics of Zad's "bio" cousins Levu and Liahona from the family night we attended with Norma this last Monday. Aren't they just adorable? They are the twins of Norma's sister Monica and are about 7 months old here! Doesn't that family make the cutest babies?




We had a great time meeting more of Norma's family and playing Scottish games. We met her cousin Monte who is home on leave from Iraq, we had heard a lot about him. Everyone dressed up like him from different times in his life. It was pretty funny to see grown men wearing little clip on ties and little girls in fatigues. Zadok won one of the prizes as looking most like Monte as a baby in an outfit Norma prepared for him and I can't believe I didn't get any pics of it! Norma, what was I doing? I did get some pics of a few people playing the caber toss, sheaf throw and light hammer toss, they didn't turn out two well but here they are anyway. But isn't it all about the babies right now?

Happy Birthday Tami!

So my friend Tami is having a BIG birthday today. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

She used to live near me in Mesa but moved to Chicago a few years ago. What's the best thing about having a friend in a big, exciting city? A free place to stay of course! Here's some pictures of my visit out to the midwest from September of 2007. I went with a few of my favorite girls, Dyan, Marie, and Laurie!

You can check out more of Tami and her family at: Lake In the Hills Latest


This is Laurie, Tami, and Marie in their confused state at a public park in downtown Chicago. Good thing Dyan and I were there to help them find their way!


Here we are at Lake Geneva in Wisconsin on a Sunday afternoon. It was beautiful. There were so many houses with a backyard that backed right to the lake. Most of them even had their own dock for their boat so they could just walk right out and be on the lake! I found myself dreaming of a house that backed to Lake Powell but somehow I don't think it would be as beautiful.


This is us actually sitting on the steps of one of those houses, in front of us are the steps to their own dock. The houses along the lake were amazing!


And this, my dear friend Tami is a special birthday gift just for you, your very own picture of Marie sleeping on the plane! Everyone needs a pic like this for their very own, so here you go! Hope you have a wonderfully happy birthday!

If I didn't have a sleeping baby in the house...

If I didn't have a sleeping baby in the house I would be screaming! I know several of my friends and family have read this book and several of you have not. So out of respect for those who have not read it I will not spoil it (please do not tell me what happens if you have read it).

But I am on page 127 of These Is My Words by Nancy Turner and I am dying! WHAT IN THE WORLD!?!?!? And that is all I am saying for now!

Shake Your Money Maker....he's not a fan.

So I never realized that the song Shake Your Money Maker is a "stripper song" (I was informed by several people). I think it is a funny song and when you are alone in your kitchen with your new babe it is a fun song to dance too. As you can see, Zad is not a fan.


But here's proof that he has huge alligator tears, poor little guy.


This picture just makes me sad...I had no idea he was so frightened until after I had taken the pics and was reviewing them. So I have officially become a great mother, singing stripper songs to my baby and making him cry.


Good thing Steve is around to be Super Dad and make everything all better.

Zad at 2 Months!!!

I've been a little slow at posting but here's Zad's latest stats:

12lbs. 14oz. weight (75%)
23.5 inches long (75%)
16.5 inches head circumference (90%) AKA: Big Head

He got shots on this day and did pretty well but was not quite as social as he normally is for a few days afterward. He is rarely a fussy baby as long as he is fed, warm, and around people. He hates to be left alone in a room. He just likes to be around people, he is already socializing.

He started smiling a lot this last month and one day even lifted one eyebrow and gave me a big grin at the same time. All I could think was that we are in BIG trouble if he can do that as a baby and look that cute!

He also rolled over for the first time. I know you will all think I am awful...but I let him sleep on his tummy. He loves it and that means I love it too. But one day I heard him awake from his nap and there he was on his back! I couldn't believe it!

He has started talking more making cute little cooing noises and right before he sneezes he lets out a big, "AAAAHHHH!" It's hilarious.

Lauren's Coming Home!!!!

So my friend from work, Mardi and her husband Dan have been anxiously awaiting THE CALL for over 3 years. THE CALL to inform that their daughter Lauren who has also been waiting for them in a Chinese orphanage finally came this last Friday!

Mardi was one of my first friends in adoption. I knew of her at work but when we each discovered the other was also seeking to adopt we became fast friends. One of my first thoughts after Norma chose us was, "I hope Mardi gets her call soon." Not only because I have looked forward to hearing of her success but because she had been waiting nearly 3 times as long and I really wanted her to have her baby when I received mine.

I just looked at her blog and saw her beautiful pictures of her new little one, Lauren. She and Dan will be heading to China soon to pick her up, I can hardly wait to see her and hear all about their journey. To see more of her story and upcoming adoption, check out her blog Laurens Journey Home on the right sidebar.

Congratulations Mardi! I am sooo happy for you!

Another Great Adoption Story

I don't think I will ever get tired of hearing an adoption story, especially from the side of a birthmom. I want and feel an obligation to put as many positive ideas about adoption out into the world...so here's another great birthmom and her story.

Natasha's Story

However....I am still quite partial to Norma's! Who could blame me, look at the little guy! :)