You are Loved

All I can say is that this boy is sooo special to soo many people! I feel privileged to be able to raise such an amazing spirit who has already touched so many lives! Lucas you are loved!

Thank You Fawsons!!!

We had the greatest time staying with my cousin Keri and her amazing family while we were in Utah. They were the best hosts and they put up with us for over THREE WEEKS! Here is sweet Selina holding Lucas. She was in love with him and probably held him more than all of us combined!

Being silly!

Drake and Selina carried Jaycie (The Queen of Narnia) around in a laundry basket.

Lucas, Keri and Drake. Just a couple of Ma's boys!

Keri singing Itsy Bitsy Spider while tickling the kids. They had to keep their hands up - sounds like torture to me, but the kids loved it! Sorry, no pictures of James - I'll get some next time because there will definitely be a next time! Thanks again guys!!!

One Week Old!

Lucas is one week old today and it was definitely time for some new pics and an update. He has continued to make progress but is still in NICU learning how to eat like a big boy. He is off of all fluids and got his UVC (belly tube) taken out earlier today. Here he is with his feeding tube - sorry, can't get away from all the wires and tubes!

If I had one word to describe him I would say - SLEEPY! Actually I would say perfect, but you get the point.

My mom givin' some lovin! He always turns his head in to reciprocate.

When he is awake, he just stares at us. I think he has a wise soul!

Here he is with the middle finger - OOPS! Reminded me of sweet little Emersyn and I just know that they are kindred spirits. Friends in heaven who can't wait to be reunited!

This is the special outfit that our wonderful birth mom gave him. She put it on him when I wasn't there and I just cried when I saw it! There are no better words for this little guy. He truly is a miracle!

Our new family (well, minus Lucas)!

Proud Daddy!

This was the very first time that I was able to hold him and he actually smiled! It was like he had been anticipating it as much as I was.

I love love LOVE this boy and his serious little face! Hopefully he can join the real world very soon! Love and miss you all!!!

He's a Big Boy!

Lucas has been improving by the hour! Yesterday he was moved to a less critical unit of the NICU. He is maintaining his body temperature and had his arterial catheter that was in his belly button removed. Since he no longer needs the heating lamp he was a big boy all wrapped up in his blankie. He even had a little shirt and a hat! This morning we found out that he has been taken off all oxygen and will be ready to take a bottle sometime today!

Lucas Ryan

We wanted this special boy to have a very meaningful name... My favorite brother Zach (don't tell Kyle or Ashton) has the middle name Lucas. We asked our birth mom to give him a middle name and she chose Ryan because it is her Mother's maiden name. We LOVE it because it's two families coming together in the most miraculous way.

Lucas was delivered by emergency C-section on Wednesday January 7th at 12:14pm. Weighing in at 7lbs 12oz and 20 1'2 in. We were lucky enough to be able to watch the surgery. He has some respiratory issues right now, but is expected to be fine after a few more days in the NICU. Here is a pic of him after he graduated from his oxygen space hat to a nasal cannula.

He loves his binkie and I thought it was too cute that he was holding it in with his finger!

This is what he did when I took the binkie away:) Sorry the pics aren't too original, but we have not been able to hold him, feed him, or change his diaper - So... more pics to come as Lucas gets better!

We are exhausted emotionally and physically, but soooooo grateful! It has been an amazing experience that we will never forget. We loved him from the instant we saw him and can't wait to bring him back home to Phoenix to meet all of you!

Tagged by Jaymie - 7 Random Things About Myself!

One - I have not been home since December 21st! We have been travelers, first to Colorado and now awaiting the arrival of our special baby boy in Utah! Our birth mom is being induced in the morning so expect updates - I'm gonna be a mama!

Two - I'm learning to crochet. My first project is a blessing blankie for Jaymie's little Emersyn. Hope she doesn't mind a few crooked edges - oops!

Three - I LOVE popcorn and have a horrible habit of eating it often. This wouldn't be so bad if I didn't pile on the butter, salt and oh yeah the Whoppers!

Four - Once we get back to the Valley of the Sun I am without a car (my husband totaled it while I was gone). Don't feel bad for me, it was only a matter of time before she passed from old age anyway. Oh and Elliot's okay too!

Five - I take baths way more than showers.

Six - My sister Brielle loves this about me, but when I am alone in the car and a great song comes on the radio I just belt it out as loud as I can. That's not the weird part, though - this almost always makes me cry. I can't explain it, it's just me having a moment!

Seven - This is the number of years that I have kissed my husband on New Year's. 2009 was an exception however. He was back in Phoenix while I watched Shaggy Dog (the 1st one) and ate popcorn with my mom and Jaycie. I'll have to make it up to him when I pick him up from the airport tonight :) !

How many pairs of shoes does one baby need??

Thanks to gracious donations this baby will not be lacking in the shoe department!

17 pairs came from my sister. (Ab - you may have an addiction:)

Keep reading... I saved the best for last!

Craft Night

Last week Annette and I had our weekly craft night. I use the term weekly very loosely - this is the goal but sometimes life gets in the way. We had the best time ever and it was just what we both needed. Annette spent most of the time at the sewing machine, while I was up to my elbows in apples. I whipped up homemade applesauce (yum) and apple crisp (aka apples brown betty:).

Annette made a Charlie Brown quilt top start to finish - too cute!  She also made an ottoman cover for her friend's glider - it fit like a glove!

We ate this hot out of the oven with vanilla bean ice cream.

A couple of weeks ago while filling out endless adoption paperwork I was putting Annette down as a reference and the document asked how long we knew each other. I thought about it and realized - 16 YEARS!! I called her and said... "Do you realize we've known each other for 16 YEARS?" I love love love this girl and she is an amazing friend to me. I don't tell her enough. I love her kids and her wonderful husband (not in a weird way). I just hung up the phone with her and her last words were "Happy Thanksgiving! Be thankful."
Annette - I am thankful for you!
 

Look What I Can Do!

Annette got Jaycie this cute little shoe to practice on. After a quick lesson, she got it!

WE ARE HAVING A BABY!

Well not technically. Elliot and I have had the most incredible experience over the last month of getting to know a wonderful birth mom in Utah. It doesn't do the story justice to tell it over a blog post, but I can't help myself (feel free to call me to get the full scoop)! It has been a series of small miracles that led us to this AMAZING woman and we have no doubt in our minds that it was meant to be. Elliot and I got the chance to fly to Utah this last weekend to meet her. She is due the beginning of January with a precious baby BOY! Here is me trying to document every second of this momentous trip and Elliot wondering "Why?"

We made the flight on one of those little planes!

Here is a pic of us after dinner, after her telling us that she chose us to place her baby with, and after lots and lots of happy tears! She gave us a beautiful DVD of the baby's last ultrasound set to music. There are no words to describe that moment!

The next day we got to spend more time with her before getting back on the plane. We even got to meet her Mom. We had an amazing time getting to know them better and talking about our lives coming together in such an exciting way! We are blessed!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!
Jaycie won a plate of cookies at the Turkey Trot at her school. Gotta love that hat!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Haircut's really wear me out!

The before shot...

As soon as we got home she laid her backpack on the couch and crashed within seconds! This was a record falling asleep time. No time to take shoes off. Limbs dangling and all!

Once she woke up I snapped a quick "after" shot. I love the new do!

Halloween's over, I know..

At the pumpkin patch. We got a Dad, a Mom, and a Jaycie sized pumpkin

Top right – my creation. This picture really doesn’t do it justice! The bottom two were a team effort by Elliot and J, hence the similar round bug-eyes. I wish we could say that the top left was real, but it’s just our plug-in.

Seven years & counting!

Today is our anniverary. Jaycie was invited to spend the night at my parents last night so we could enjoy an evening out. Elliot bought flowers (which I always appreciate) and we went out to eat at the fabulous "North" for a delicious three course meal. Every year we like to reminisce about favorite memories, hard times, best vacations, different phases of our daughter's life and much more. It always reminds us of where we started, how far we've come and what we want for our future. I feel lucky to be in love with my best friend - here's to seven more!

This is a big one!

Meet Whitney Kathleen! My sister Abby had a beautiful baby girl on September 10th. I got to be there for the entire birth and it was incredible. When she is older I'm going to embarrass her in front of her boyfriends with things like "Hey, I remember when you were covered in vermix!" She is such a sweet little girl and I loved her the second I heard the word pregnant! This is her typical facial expression - it resembles a look of paranoia, but I love it. Thanks Ab and Adan (bowling nickname) for letting me be a part of your miraculous day.

My Grandpa passed away on the 16th of last month. It was a difficult time for me and for all of my family. He was an amazing man and I will miss him! His 84th birthday would have been on the 29th of September. He called it the good month and said that all the greats were born in September - i.e. ME and HIM! For his birthday my entire family went on a riverboat around Saguaro Lake. Here is a shot of my Dad with Jaycie.

We got him a cake and even sang Happy Birthday. He would have loved it!

McKay, Steph and Brekin lookin' wind blown!

Abby and Mya with a little bit of Adam (eye) and Zach (teeth).

My Mom, Dad and Papa

Zach, Shayne and Shayne's bow! So cute.

We went bowling while family was in town.

Another day we went to Pump It Up - always guaranteed fun! Here are Kennedi and Jaxson ready for a stand-off!

On Tuesday night me and Steph fulfilled a dream by attending the So You Think You Can Dance Tour at the jobing.com arena. They performed favorite dances from throughout the season and some really great new ones too! AMAZING!!!!! Steph and I plan to recreate some of the performances in our spare time... stay tuned! According to her - I'm Joshua (left) and she'll be Katee (right)!