Top 5 Events I Didn't Get Around to Blogging in 2009

#5: Z's First Flight! May 3, 2009


My dad came down from Flag and picked us up to go visit his mom, my Grandma the week before Mother's Day. WE FLEW! It's an absolute luxury to get there in record time and be able to avoid all the hassles of security and crowds at a bigger airport.


If you look close you can see my dad readying the plane. It's a beauty, ain't it? I think so.
On a side note: A couple weeks ago my parents flew down in a friends plane that has a super pretty paint job. Normally when they fly down no one at the airport even blinks an eye at them but when they came in the borrowed plane....my, my, my did they get some special treatment! Help unloading their luggage, rather than walking across the tarmac they were picked up in a golf cart and were even offered to have the plane refueled before they returned! I prefer the incognito approach to flying.


Here is the Little Z Man all tucked in and ready for take off!


Gotta protect those ears. If you've never flown in a small plane...they are loud!


Someday....Steve will be on the left, he's working on it!


We had a great flight down and back that day and Z loved it! I worried he wouldn't like all the noise but he barely seemed to notice. He is such a calm boy.


My BIGGEST regret...I didn't get any pics of Z with my grandma!!!! What was I thinking? I have no idea. We were also there for my cousins baby blessing, no pics of that either. Where was my brain that day?


#4: Halloween!


Forgive me...I had to include a lot of these, but he is just so stinkin' cute! We did a Halloween photo shoot a couple weeks after Halloween. He'll never know right?

I made his costume, something I had dreamed about for years. The pants are an old pillowcase I had from my first year in college. The fabric I bought I sewed to small the first time and needed something I had on hand because I couldn't handle taking him to the store again, plus I didn't have enough time that day. I actually liked the pillowcase better, the original fabric had bigger, wider stripes.

The t-shirt we already had. The vest was easier than I thought it would be, just measured a jacket of his and omitted the sleeves. The cuffs were a last minute idea I had after I realized he would not tolerate wearing a had and could not carry a sword. Just cut them to fit, punched some holes in them and laced them up with some of his shoelaces. Finally the jagged cutting just helped me avoid making any hems on the pants and vest, plus added to the true pirate look!









For the story on the funniest Halloween party we've been to in years go here!




#3: Our Worst Day As Parents Yet! November 15, 2009


This was the very next day after our Halloween photo shoot....what a change of pace. Z was eating in his Bumbo on the kitchen counter just before we were ready to head out for church and thought he would try to be Superman. Lucky for him Steve was right there and caught him with his leg part way down, unfortunately his little sharp teeth still went right through his cheek.

Needless to say....we felt awful. We raced to the ER and by the time we got there he was done crying and kept looking at us trying to figure out why we were so upset.

I was shocked when they gave him the same amount of sedative I give 250lb. men just to knock him out for the stitches. They had to give him even more later because he was still so active after the first dose. And people look at him and comment on what a calm baby he is....


At the time I was so upset I could barely talk about it without crying, so hence why I didn't blog about it before.

His range of motion was pretty limited on the whole right side of his face for a couple weeks and we worried he would always have a crooked smile. He also had a constant string of drool coming down from his lip...but he made a full recovery.

He pulled out his own stitches and when we took him back into the plastic surgeon a week later he said, "Yep, he looks good. Come back in a month." He didn't even examine him for the $40 co-pay. Gee thanks doc but I think he looks good enough to not ever need to come back, thanks.


He actually started to look worse days after it happened, much to our horror. The saddest part was Steve's phone call to Norma from the ER. He just said, "I ruined our boy." It started the tears all over again.





#2: Thanksgiving


Z loved Thanksgiving so much because we let him eat all the pumpkin pie he wanted! We just put a piece in front of him and let him go at it! As you can see he loved it so much he licked his tray clean!



So he took a lot of baths in grandma's sink. His look here kills me...


He enjoyed his first snowfall up in Flag that weekend and we were able to stay all week and play in it while Steve was elk hunting. Darn, no elk this year.






Finally.......drum roll please....




#1: Z's Blessing and Sealing September 5&6, 2009


It was a beautiful overcast day in Mesa the day we took Z to the temple and had him sealed to us. I guess you have to be from Arizona to appreciate this kind of weather, we were so happy to have some relief from the heat.



We had such a special morning in the temple especially because Norma was there with us. Having her there and kneeling around the altar with us and Z was a blessing we never anticipated being so grateful for when we first started down the road of adoption. I will always count it was one of my greatest joys in life.

To learn more about temple sealings go here.


Outside, the twins (Z's bio cousins) were waiting for us with their faithful babysitter, Soleil, who also watched two more of Norma's nephews! She is very brave to watch 4 babies 2 and under...


My Grandma Frost was there along with my Uncle Rick and Aunt Cathy. My parents helped us sooo much that weekend with all the company we had.



These two pics of Norma's brother-in-law and his toddler are just so cute. Maybe its the red umbrella and red tie, I just love these guys!



This is Norma's other brother-in-law, Kali. I think he has a special connection to Z, can't you just see it in their eyes? In my opinion Kali played a key roll in bringing Z to Steve and I, I will always be thankful for the support and priesthood blessings he gave to Norma.


After the temple we all went to Buca Di Beppo for lunch. All I remember of that was the horrible almost migraine-like headache I could feel coming on. Maybe it was the weather or just the incredible and overwhelming feelings of gratitude I was having all week leading up to this weekend. I came home afterwards and took a long hot bath and a nap while Z slept for hours. We were all so overcome with emotion we were just exhausted. I came out from laying down and found Steve passed out on the couch and my parents asleep in their room!

Steve's Granny, his mom Diane, dad Larry, and brother Sam all came down from Colorado. His sister Becky came from Texas and Z loved all the extra attention; it was the first time most of them had met him.












The next day, after we were all fully rested; Z was blessed in church and we had a huge dinner for all three families at our house. We were packed to the max with people all congratulating us and celebrating the end of a long road to our little Z man.

My mom made Z this beautiful (and yes I just said beautiful referring to my son but it really was) blessing and sealing outfit. Most babies have cute little white outfits to be blessed in with blue or pink accents. But not him. Because he needed something completely white to wear in the temple as well as something to be blessed him she sewed this. Chaz (Steve's brother) made a pattern modeled after a Baby Gap outfit Z had in brown. It was beautiful, yes I said it again, but it really was.

Z's blessing was beautiful too (just said it again). We had several great men who stood in the circle with Steve including my dad, my brothers Jared and Mac, Steve's brother Chaz, Kali, and our good friends Ryan, Curtis, and Dan. Steve blessed him and said that his name had been chosen to strengthen him and set him apart that he may always live to honor it. But what I really loved was that he said Z had chosen to come to Earth through Norma to bless both her life and ours.

Great weekend that was...



Here's to a new year, bring on 2010!

Petroglyphs Hike

This was us the last time we hiked up to the petroglyphs in the Superstition Mountains almost one year ago. It just happened to be exactly one week before Norma and Z would be at our house for the first time. I had my brother take this picture to post on our adoption profile hoping it may help us get a bite.

At the time we had no idea that Z had already been born and that we would be meeting him and Norma just six days later. At the time we were desperately hoping a baby would be coming to us soon. I think our prayers were answered!

This was us yesterday, the day after Christmas.





Z loved the hike, from the moment he was in the pack and on the trail he laughed and talked all the way up.

Dreams do come true!

My 1st Christmas...

My name is Z and yesterday I had my first Christmas. This is what we did...

A few weeks before Christmas, Mommy and Daddy took me took buy our family Christmas tree. It was raining and cold. We looked through lots of trees before finding this really big one. Mom and Dad put colored lights on this year instead of just plain white because they thought I would like all the different colors; I really did!

Then, we decorated with lots of colorful ornaments, some from way back when Mom and Day were little. Mom and Dad laughed when they hung this one up...


but they smiled really big when they hung this new one up.


Dad had to work for a few hours on Christmas Eve and I cried and crawled all the way to the front door when he left.


Usually I don't notice when he leaves and I was so happy when Mom told me that he gets to be home with us all next week!


Dad came home and put this crazy red and green outfit on me for Christmas Eve maybe that's why I didn't feel so good.


Auntie Norma gave me this great toy and made me some hats to wear when it's cold. Even when I don't feel well I like to play with my toys. Mom and Dad really like all the songs this toy plays.

I also got some clothes and toys from Grandma Sue, Aunt Monica, Uncle Kali and my cousins!



Santa came! I don't really understand who that is yet but he brought some fun toys too!



On Christmas morning I got to have egg nog and blueberry muffins for breakfast! I knew it was a special day and ate everything!


I took kindof a laid back approach to opening my presents and really just wanted to eat all the paper.


When I finally got one opened I wanted to eat it too.


Grandma and Grandpa came all the way from Flagstaff with Uncle Mac and Aunt Laurie. I got to open presents again!





Mom and Dad said this was the best Christmas they have ever had because they had me here. They laughed about not even knowing I was only a month away from coming to them last year and they didn't even know it! They didn't even want any gifts at all they were so happy and so was I!

Mr. Grinch or Mr. Incredible?

For years this has been Steve when it came to Christmas. Well at least anything having to do with Christmas even a few hours before Thanksgiving Day ended. Thanksgiving is his favorite holiday after all and feels that it is often just squished between two holidays that get a lot more attention. He wants to completely enjoy all that Thanksgiving has to offer. The feast.

He's patient with my excitement over all that I enjoy about Christmas and over the years has become a lot more understanding. I love just about anything to do with Christmas and for all of you who say it is just too commercialized I say to you, "I just want to enjoy Christmas and the kindness it brings out in people for as long as I can. If that happens to start in September or even August, so be it."

This Christmas Mr. Grinch turned into Mr. Incredible. In my opinion we enjoyed the best Christmas EVER today. I loved every bit of it. Thank you to my family, Norma and her family but most of all my Mr. Incredible for a wonderful day.


On a side note, there are a group of little girls we go to church with that call Steve Mr. Incredible because they think he looks just like him. When I first heard this I couldn't believe I hadn't noticed it before! Last week at church Steve picked up a little boy with one arm and they said, "LOOK! He really is Mr. Incredible!" He makes me swoon too, I love you Mr. Incredible!

P.S. Can you just learn to smile like him now instead of like Mr. Grinch?

Christmas with Norma

So we celebrated Christmas with Norma on Monday, since she is far away in a cold place now...
Here's a quick recap of our night.

1. We went to see the Christmas lights at the temple and supposedly hear a Tongan choir.

Christmas lights with 3 babies and a huge crowd=miserable+no Tongan choir. Boooo!

2. We all came back to our house for a yummy dinner of tamales (which Norma generously provided) and chicken tortilla soup!

3. We opened presents and watched the babies play=so fun, fun, fun! Z loves his cousins just his size....well he does out weight both of them even though they are 5 months older!


Judging by this pic, Norma liked the apron I made her.



Norma made Z the cutest beanie hats, I'll have to take some pics of him in them if he'll let me.


All the babies know how to kiss now and since they have all been sick recently and are on antibiotics we thought, "Go for it!"


It was cute until Z pulled his curly locks...maybe he's jealous because we cut all of his off.


Don't you love his little innocent look? "What did I do and why is he crying?"


But they made up soon enough when the twins helped Z open his gifts. I think they get the whole opening a little more than Z does...maybe by his birthday he'll have it down.



Merry Christmas Norma, Sue, Monica, Kali, and twins! We love you!

New Stockings

So I tend to usually get in a little over my head. I have visions of grandeur for anything I plan to make, especially when it comes to something having to do with Christmas.

I am happy to say they were finished about two weeks ago and I even learned to embroider on my machine!





I planned them to look like the stockings my Grandma Frost made years ago for her kids but ended up not too much like them. They are made of red felt though which I love at Christmas and Z seems to like them.

What Sweeter Gift

When I look over most of the posts I've written this last year, they seem to mostly take on such a serious and spiritual tone. I think people who only know me through my blog may think I have no sense of humor or lighter side at all.

It just seems to be that I often end up writing in the wee hours of the morning when my house and mind are quiet. Usually by then all that's left in me are my inner most thoughts and so here we are again...

Christmas is so different this year, well in some ways. I am still making more plans to create things and go places and do things than we have time for but Christmas just feels so much more real this year.

For years, in fact every year we have been married, Christmas has been spent in Flagtown with my parents and siblings. This is...yes I can hardly type it, our 15th Christmas married! How old am I, are we?! I was 14 when my parents were having their 15th Christmas together...and they had 5 kids!!! But I'm getting off subject.

This year we are staying home.

This year we have what we have wanted for every Christmas since 1997 (in '96 we were only married for 4 months). In '96 we just wanted to be pregnant and were still completely hopeful that we would be...someday.

This year we received the greatest gift and it's not even Christmas yet!


Every song I hear sung about the Christ child seems almost as if they were singing about my little Z. Not that I am thinking he is as holy as the Christ child was, anyone who has been around him knows that. But the gift of a son, to us, at Christmas.

What sweeter gift?


Thinking of the wait we endured for our little boy has caused me to think of the wait the world endured until the Christ child was born. For centuries before his birth the world waited. Prophets since the time of Adam prophesied of Him who would come to redeem us all, of Him who loved us enough to come experience life on this Earth and eventually die for us. We all awaited His birth and I believe we were all very aware of when it occurred. I believe we lived before we were born and even then were aware of Jesus, who He was and what He would come to do for us.

The part that has really gotten me this year is of the incredible wait time we all experienced until that day and how we must have rejoiced when it finally came. How we must have desired to sing with the angels just to announce that He had come.

I think of the wise men and shepards who believed He would come. What must they have felt when they saw that star and were visited by angels telling them He had come. Did they go and excitedly tell all their family and friends the joyous news? Did they gather what they needed and travel as quickly as they could just to see Him? I think they must have because that is what we did when we were told of a son coming to us.

In the days that must have followed before they arrived at the stable did they tell everyone they passed where they were going and who they would see? Did strangers look at them with wonder trying to understand what they were so happy about?

I think of Joseph.

What an amazing man. What must he have felt like?

And Mary.

Did they feel almost unworthy to be part of such a miracle? Did Joseph worry about being in a strange city and feel completely unprepared to take care of his wife and new helpless baby?

Maybe Mary had pictured herself giving birth in a clean, comfortable place with her mother or sisters present. Did she have plans to make this babe's entrance into the world the best she knew only in the end to be away from home, away from family, in a stall with animals. I wonder if she felt she had disappointed the Lord thinking it just wasn't good enough?

Surely, they did not think they would be there in a home made for livestock to even stay a night much less give birth to the Son of God. How hard it must have been for Joseph to be unable to offer anything better.

Maybe only later did they realize it was all just as it was meant to be. The Christ child born in a stable; quiet and kept away from the crowds, warm and safe. Surely that journey and stay was a trial of their faith and probably took them to the depths of humility.

What a gift to be blessed to be His mother. To be able to sacrifice a part of yourself for Jesus. What a gift it has been to be chosen to be Z's mother. How grateful I am to be a recipient of the two greatest gifts I know. Each such miracles in my life.

I rejoice this Christmas to have a deeper feeling of gratitude for all who had part in Jesus' birth into this world. Words I cannot type to express the feelings of my heart this Christmas. I thank my Father in Heaven for the tremendous gifts He has blessed me with. I will always remember the joy I felt over the news that I would be a mother. It gives me a glimpse of the joy I must have felt to know that Christ was born of Mary in a stable under a new star.

Merry Christmas, may it be as joyous!