ParentProfiles.com

Everyone is feeling better. Josh is going to a conference in Dallas next week so we will go and spent the night with my sister for some fun.

It snowed about 5 inches here and the girls had fun outside making snow angels and trying to make snowmen. Fun!

It is hard to wait for something you want badly. We are so anxious to meet you.

I read this excellent adoption quote:

"There is something called prayer trading and we're going to trade prayers with somebody."

It is snowing today. So nice to be in our beautiful warm home, all together. We are praying for you.

"Mamma, I don't want to be sick anymore" cough, cough

I think that about sums up our weekend. Lots of coughing. Lots of snuggling. Lots of juice. LOTS of cartoons. Poor little monkeys. Josh was great at taking care of us (even mommy with her afternoon yuckies). Today we are looking forward to lots of the same. Yah for juice and TV!!

I am grateful for the good times and the bad! Email us, we'd love to chat with you

After much debate and a costume change, we had two princesses for Halloween! It was cute - they twirled around and of course bopped each other on the head with their wands! Cute! And yummy candy!

Also this week, the clothes dryer just stopped working. So smartie Josh took the WHOLE THING APART and tested wires and moved stuff around (and I vaccummed up all the dust as his assistant) and when he put it all back together - it WORKED! I tried to upload a pic, but our new camera takes too 'big' a pic and it won't upload here. But it was VERY awesome!

One of our 'date' goals (we like to go on dates - just the two of us) this year was to go shooting. Josh's boss is VERY into guns and stuff and he took us out to a old gravel pit and we shot a bunch of his handguns.

Josh is a GREAT shot. He even shot this smiley face in a pumpkin! We love spending time together. We'd love to offer our strong and happy marriage to your child.

Happy birthday Ashley! We are so happy to celebrate you turning 3! Our lives have certainly changed, for the better, in the past year. You were surrounded by uncles, aunties and a grandma and they all love you so much.

The big family reunion in Vegas went great, except for that last day when some of us got sick! No fun at all. But everyone has recovered and we certainly had fun.

Everyone can't wait for a new child to love, adore and spoil1

Viva Las Vegas! We are here for a family reunion with my (Ann's) five brothers and sisters and mom. (Our dad is ill and unable to travel). It really is a blessing to have a fun, loving family. They are SO dedicated to our girls! My two brothers have been looking for a toy store so they can take the girls and buy them TONS of toys - crazy! Another child would definately be spoiled and loved.

Here we are cooking dinner together (well I'm taking the photo). We love cooking together and teaching our girls good life skills.

We want to give our children all the opportunities of life: good education, good knowledge about life, good social skills. What can we do for your child?

OK, I think everyone has finished their paperwork and we might be 'live' tomorrow! Yah! Maybe you will see us and be interested in getting to know more about us. We want to offer your beloved child a wonderful life - and you will be involved in it. Contact us and let's talk!

Been working on paperwork and getting some new (and cuter) photos of our bigger family. As part of my braces (which I've had for about 16 months now) I had to have jaw surgery, so my teeth would line up. The surgeon moved my lower jaw out 11 mm (about an inch), so now I think my face looks different. You can check it out in our upcoming updated pictures!

Ellie and Ashley are VERY excited to become big sisters. Ashley prays for a 'baby' all the time.

We did adopt Ashley and finalized and it was all good. She was 26 months old when we got her. Ellie was 30 months old. They are 4.5 months apart - so like twins! But due to birth dates they will be in different years in school (I think that is good, so they can have their own friends, etc).

We have been enjoying our two little girls SO much! Just so you know what has happened since then. When we started our paperwork for our next adoption, parentprofiles had saved all our old stuff! So you can read more about us (but when we only had one kiddo). But I will be updating regularly so you can see all the 'new' news. We are praying for our next adoption!

Well it has been a while since we posted. Here is the update. We did adopt Ashley. It was wonderful. But so hard for her great birthmom. I think she just wanted Ashley to have so much more in life and found us to give it all to her.

Since then we have been working on making our family strong. Ashley had a few delays when we adopted her and we have been working with some professionals to get her all caught up. She has made AMAZING progress and we are pretty sure she won't 'qualify for services' when her birthday rolls around.

Both Ash and Ellie are ESTATIC to be big sisters. When we went to talk to the caseworker about our homestudy, we told them we were going to see someone about a baby. When we were getting ready to leave, Ellie started crying and asked 'but where is our baby?' It was pretty cute.

We are sitting in a hotel room in Arkansas, waiting for our 10 day waiting period to end before we complete our adoption of our precious new daughter - Ashley! We LOVE Gwynn and her braveness to give her daughter a better life. She really wants her daughter to have a forever family, and never have to leave them. We are so glad we can be her family and take care of her forever and ever!

Arkansas is nice, once we finalize here, we are done, no hiring another attorney, no inter-state compact, etc. We LOVE adoption!

Here is our Christmas tree 2008. We were SUPER excited to find a 9 foot tree on clearance last year for only like $35! We were unsure how it would look in the living room - but it fit in there just fine. We got new blue and silver ornaments and it turned out pretty good! We enjoyed a nice Thanksgiving at home, eating stuff we liked. Did you have a nice turkey day?

Still here. Tired - I have not been sleeping very good lately. Are you sleeping OK? I am excited for turkey day - we are not going anywhere and no one is coming to see us - so we have to decide what we want to eat -turkey? Pizza? hum - so many choces. But I AM excited for the after turkey day sales - ehehe. Maybe we will just buy some toys, there is nothing special we want this year except more kids to love !

Sorry we haven't written in a while - things have been a bit crazy. Here is a CUTE picture of Josh and Ellie making cinnamon rolls for us last Sunday morning. Josh is a GREAT cook and Ellie loves to help. We love spending time together as a family and especially eating and cooking together!

We have a new president - I am glad we live in a country where we have such a peaceful election and transition of power- no matter who wins. We got some new pictures taken today, since it has been a year. Ellie has grown a lot, I have more metal in my mouth, and I actually think that Josh has gotten cuter!

Yep, here is our family Halloween costuming! We were from M.onster's Inc. Josh was Mike (the big eye-ball), I was his girlfriend Ceclia (snake-hair girl) and Ellie was Boo. It was quite cute. Ellie totally got Halloween this year and would run down from each house yelling "I go get MORE candy!" It was way cute. Daddy and I are also enjoying her good trick o'treating! (ehehe).

We are looking into some different agencies in order to find our missing kids. As a friend said "You need to make it easier for God to direct the right people to you, by being involved in a lots of different places." So we will see. We are praying for you!

Dearest birthmom - are you out there? I am getting so sad about waiting. The other day Ellie had a little cry at night, so I went in to check on her and she was sitting next to her bed whimpering. So I pick her up and hold her for a bit - and it hit me - I am lonesome for the rest of our children! So I had a bit of a cry and tucked Ellie back in bed. But it was a good realization, I think, for me. I AM lonesome for the rest of our kiddos, and it is OK to feel that way.

I hope someone is being nice to you, if you are prego and thinking about your options. I would love to rub your feet, make you cookies or just about anything else. Come join our family!

Here is Austin and Braxton (Ellie's cousins) with the Wii cake I made him (Josh wrote: Real men Wii standing up in black there in the middle). I LOVE making fun (cheap!) birthday cakes and so this one is what Austin (8th birthday) wanted a Wii controller cake - so I made one!

Emma (another cousin) and Ellie got matchie jammies - yah for cousins! This is my sister Heather holding them. We would LOVE some more babies. I realized the other day I was actually lonesome for the rest of our kids. Some quick little ones!

This is Josh and Ellie 'playing numbers' together. Josh is working on numbers and math stuff with Ellie in a fun way - she loves to stack up the little tiles and knock them over. She is pretty good at identifying the number 1. It got cold here over the weekend - there was even snow on the ground for a few hours! Our home is nice, warm and snug - we can't wait to invite some new family members to join us!

I love this picture of Josh rocking our niece Emma to sleep. Josh is such a great dad - really and truly. He loves to play with Ellie when he comes home and always has time to make her giggle. This weekend with Emma visiting us - he was so cute, I think he is really looking forward to having another little one in our home. We hope you are well.

I did it! I did a WHOLE crafty project by MYSELF! And it turned out GREAT! I have been thinking about re-arranging our bedroom for a while, and when I walked into our room this week, I was shocked to see it had NOT been re-arranged -so I decided to do it!

Josh had to work 10 hours on Friday AND Saturday (and today he is home with a cold!) so I had time and excitement to do it. I might just be crafty some more (let's see, shelves in the shed, re-paint the guest bedroom, hehehhe). The CUTE quilt is coming is 3 to 5 shipping days. And we need new (matching) nightstands. But is AWESOME! We are ready for a new baby to love and cherish!

I have been going crazy canning a lot - peaches, tomatoes, pears, etc. I even made grape juice for the first time! And today I am going to try and make some chokecherry syrup. Josh has been working a lot at night - so we see him for lunch! Overtime is nice! Ellie loves playing in the backyard and playing with all the neighborhood kids. Email us - we'd love to chat with you! I hope things are going well for you - and you have lots of cookies to eat and someone to rub your feet.

Yes, we sold our sexy Mercury Cougar yesterday. Here is a good-bye pic of our 'date night' car.

It is going to a teenage boy (ehehe - we think he will enjoy it a lot) related to Josh's bro-in-law.

Friday we went to Logan and had lots of fun with the plunkos and their parents. And I got to go shopping by myself!! I went to the kitchen store and they had candy molds on sale (ok, they were pretty stupid molds, but please - they will be filled with CANDY soon!) at the amazing price of 10 for $1!! So of course I got a few - and they had sucker molds - so of course I had to get sucker sticks so we can make suckers!

We'd love to have another baby (or two) to love, hold, adore and, eventually, feed candy to!

We went to Montana for the long weekend to see Josh's folks. It was very nice - cold and so green! Thursday we drove up. The DVD player in the car is GREAT!


Friday we did a bit of shopping (remember, no sales tax in Montana!) and I got some new jeans and a sweater (did I mention it was cold there and 95 degrees when I was packing?).

Saturday Marcil and I went to pick chokecherries - it was pretty easy. Then we went to the duck park. Grandma bought LOTS of bread and Ellie thought it was great fun to feed some to the geese, and then have a bite for herself of the bread.

We fed the ducks at the park where Josh proposed to me. We were sitting on this bench when I realized he had a ring box in his pocket and he was going to propose.

Here is the rose garden where he proposed the first time (I ran away when he did). Josh didn't want to re-enact the second proposal and acceptance, so you can just imagine. (I ran away because I was nervous and couldn't believe someone so wonderful was asking me to marry him!)

On the way home it rained and snowed. But our van was nice and toasty. Tuesday I canned a bushel of peaches and some pears. Yummy!!

The proposal park...I was SOSOS happy that day. Josh is a great husband and an excellent father.

You may ask yourself - why is there a picture of a 55-gallon water drum here? It's because I have always wanted one to add to our emergency prep stuff. Water is a vital thing to have and (after we move it downstairs and fill it up) we will have plenty of water, should something bad happen.

Just as we will always provide love and caring to your beautiful baby, we will also be able to provide the physical basics also. Josh and I can promise you that your child will not want in our home.

We can't wait to meet the new members of our family (you and your baby and your family, if you want). Waiting is hard, but good things DEFINATELY come to those who wait. Drop us an email!

Here is Josh setting up the swing set in the backyard. We also added a sand box and so we are READY for kids! Ellie has a GREAT time playing with all the stuff. She's ready for a brother, sister or both!

Also this week, I was in a local triathlon and survived. It was just a little one, but the swim was in a lake and I didn't like it too much - seaweed and I couldn't really swim or catch my breath. Well, it was an interesting experience!

Josh got to take an extra day off work after a long week at a convention and so we had fun playing with him and just relaxing around the house. This afternoon he made us real corn chowder- it was yummy!

OK, we are completely doting parents. Ellie's new favorite outdoor activity is playing, digging in and moving around dirt. So we got her a sandbox today. We have it all set up on the patio - come and play! (no cats invited). We also moved a big wooden beam that the construction guys left here out and now Ellie can use it as a balance beam - it's like 2 inches off the ground. We are getting a GREAT backyard for your baby!

And then, on our way home from someplace, we found a great swing set store. We have been on the lookout metal pole swing sets. So we went in and found the PERFECT set!!! It will be ready for pick up on Wednesday and Josh will put it together on Thursday morning - I am SOSOOS excited! It has two swings (one for a baby) and and one of those glider things that two kids can ride on AND a slide.

So I have the best neighbor. I am trying to put Ellie to bed Bugs (that's just her nickname)calls and asks if I'm lonely. After the monkey goes to bed, I call her back and, since her hubby is 'studying for his class,' I invite her over for an ice cream bar! (This was at 9:09 p.m.) I have my puzzle-of-the-week out. Bugs LOVES puzzles too! So we talk, and eat, and then have some chips, and some Reeses cups. And at 1:01 a.m. the puzzle was done! Josh is at a conference and I like to do puzzles at night when he is gone.

This is my FABULOUS anniversary present from my sweetie. It makes NINE dozen cookies at one time! And SIX loaves of bread. I will be baking this week - come on over.
I am so happy to be married to Josh, he is a wonderful husband. He is kind, thoughtful, smart, funny and plays Tetris with me for hours!

We love "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" and when we got a lamb leg to grill we thought of this great quote = "Is OK, I make lamb." So here is Josh after his successful lamb rotisserie adventure. The lamb was quite yummy and we all enjoyed it.

This weekend my sister Heather, Jason and Emma came to play. We went to the Drive-In movie and saw "Hancock." Then Heather and I took the sleeping babies home and the boys enjoyed the second movie.

Today as part of the family reunion we went canoeing! Ellie liked it, liked sticking her hand in the water, etc. - until she got tired and fell asleep.

Josh and I think our arms will be sore in the morning! We would love to take your baby on fun adventures.

We have a wonderful relationship with Ellie's birthmom (Jules.) We have even been to see them twice.

We all love Ellie so why not celebrate that? Jules even said she would write you a letter and tell you how wonderful we are (isn't she awesome?) We would like to have an open adoption - email us and let's talk!

On Monday morning we went blueberry picking. We are here in Michigan for my family (Ann) reunion and they are famous for blueberries here.

If you have not yet had the pleasure, blueberries are the EASIEST thing to pick! Trees are about waist to person tall and you tie a bucket around your middle and roll the berries into the bucket. So nice.

Mom, Josh, Ellie and I went. Ellie LOVES blueberries - so I showed her how to pick them off the trees. She went around for the next 20 minutes, picking berries and taking them out of our buckets saying, 'yummmmm, yummmmm, yummmm' the whole time - it was super cute.

And Josh and I went on a date to see Mamma Mia last night - yah! It was pretty cute and being on a date was great.

Here are four generations of my family - my grandma, dad, me and Ellie. Everyone is SO excited that we might get to adopt again. They are praying for you!

Sorry we haven't updated in a while. Last week a birthmom emailed us, went to see a caseworker and then picked another couple. Then last week, yep, we went to SEE a birthmom and she also picked the other couple. So it has been a bit sad. We know the right situation will eventually come for us. We hope you are doing well.

Josh went back to Florida to work for this week so it is me and Ellie at home (sometimes we have ice cream for dinner when he is gone!) This was a cute picture I liked of us when we were at the lake. We are planning our trip, next week, to Michigan for MY family reunion (we really like our families) -we are going to drive so this week I am working on collecting DVD's, music, books on CD, etc. It takes 25 hours. I have driven that (Utah to Indiana or Michigan) quite a few times -but never with a 2-year-old! We are going to get her a big box of 'new' toys from the dollar store.

We went to Josh's family reunion up at Bear Lake this weekend. It was pretty fun. And we didn't even get THAT sunburned! Here is a four-generation picture with Ellie, Josh, Josh's mom (Marcil) and her mom (Pat). Yah for family! They are all THRILLED that we get might to adopt again.

Happy birthday to me! Today I was working in our yard and went round front to get something - and there was a guy there - WITH FLOWERS! FOR ME!! From my sweetie!!! It was AWESOME! They are SO beautiful! Josh wrote "Next year we can have our own flower garden." He is such a cutie!!!

Happy first day of summer! I got my bottom braces on this week - ouch! My cheeks are mainly sore now, but I will be SO cute in two years!

Also - Josh installed a DVD/GPS thing in our car - it can tell us where to go now AND play a movie for Ellie - AWESOME. He is SO smart!

Here is the picture. Also this week, we put wood chips around the flower beds, so our house is looking really good. The grass is getting more and more 'fuzzy' green all over - one day soon it will be thick!

This is our beautiful house. You and your baby will be welcomed here with opened arms and hearts full of love.

Ellie had her birthday this weekend - flip flops and a purse (her favorite things to wear right now). She's now TWO! Here is the cake I made for her. Here are some reasons why we would be great parents for your baby:
1) I can crafty cute birthday cakes
2) Josh is a GREAT story reader
3) We now have a mini-van (red) with lots of space for car seats!
4) Ellie LOVES helping out when there is a baby involved
5) We want to treasure, teach and adore your little one
6) Your baby will always know you love them
We will email you right back if you want to know more about us! Love Ann and Josh

Last night was our first rehearsal. We did a read-through and it was awesome. The cast is so talented. Carol (the dirctor) and I talked about the mouth thing.

Last night, after talking with Josh, I decided to decline the role of Winnifred. My mouth is still full of this green stuff and will be for about four more months. I can't talk very clearly and that is a big problem. So I called the director and asked her to offer the role to my understudy. I am SO happy to have been offered the role - WOWOW!!!

This is just not the time for me do to this. It is ok. I am a little sad, but I really feel this part was not mine, not this time. Something else nice will come up. My life is so full of wonderful things, people and my most loved family. I am so blessed.

I don't want to freak you out, if you are a birthmom, but sometimes I catch myself wondering where the babies are. Like I'll be thinking "and then we can take them.." or just feeling like I need to check on someone. It is weird, but good. We are excited to add to our little family!

So, in hope of expanding our family one day and full of excitment for our Summer Voyage 2008 - Josh and I went and......
BOUGHT A NEW CAR!!

OK, it is not new, but it is new to us and the newest car either of us has ever owned!

AND......yes....it is a minivan!!!

When I find the cable, I will post a picture of my new red minivan.

Yes, my darling and fabulous husband heard (a long time ago I think), that if we had to get a minivan, I wanted a red one. AND HE GOT ME ONE!!!

I am the luckiest girl in the world. Well, we want to see you all - and now we can drive someplace together!!

Oh yah, it is a 2007 Toyota Sienna. Bring on the twins (triplets?!) It will hold EIGHT people! (and a total of FIVE car seats- wowowo!)

On Wednesday, our foster care class got out early, so I had Josh drop me off at audition for the community theater production of "Once Upon a Mattress." I sang "Little Girls" from "Annie" and read a half-memorized monologue. They ask questions about the mouth thing (because now there is a very noticable 1/2 inch gap between my front teeth. And that green stuff on the teeth, etc.) There were not a lot of people there.

Thursday - they have more auditions.

Friday - Call backs are suppose to be at 7 p.m. No one calls me (on any of the phones), or emails me. So Josh and I (and Ellie) go on a date and cruise the mall, have dinner and go to the bookstore, where I get some yoga cards - just want I have been wanting! I am blowing off the theater people in my head (Stupid people! I have NEVER not made call backs at a community theater!! I have been in TONS of shows! You guys don't know anything!! Etc.)

Friday - 11:23 p.m. - I check the phone messages. The theater called! Some emails didn't go out. Could I come to dance auditions? If not, come Saturday morning for reading call backs (when you read from the script, etc.)

Saturday 9:30 a.m. - On my bike, I head over to the high school. I read, and then sing a song with the other 'older' women for the part of the queen (the mean momma). That was the part I was thinking of. There are six of us.

Saturday 12:05p.m. - they send all the other 'queens' home. I don't hear my name. So I go over and make sure I wasn't suppose to leave. The director says "I would really, really like you to audition for Winnifred. (Winnifred is THE female lead). We had you up there with the other queens, but then we saw your audition and we all were like "hum!" Would you stay?"

Saturday 12:08 p.m. - So I say yes. I call Josh, freaking out. We had decided last night that I WOULD NOT be in the show - we have to finish the foster care classes, I need to plan a family reunion, have five callings, do two jobs, take care of one husband and one daughter, etc. Hello! All the other girls are like 16 (or younger!) My sweetie says "If you get the lead, I will bring you roses on opening night." (He is so awesome!!!)

Saturday 1:03 p.m. They finish up hearing the couple-singing-audition people. Five girls (including me) are sent to the music room to learn a 'belting (singing really loud and powerfully) song.' We learn the song. Two of the other girls are REALLY good. (and like 12 years old).

Saturday 1:45 p.m. - We all sing the song. And then read. One of the girls (Lindsay) had a hot date and has to leave. And then they ask us to sing again. (Which was good, because I was WAY better the second time around).

Saturday 2:14 p.m. - The director asked me to come down to the table in the audience (We have been on the stage all day). They offer me the part of Winnifred. Lindsay will be my understudy, so I can have a few extra days off to be with my family. I say "why don't we let her perform once or twice, if she does all that work?" They think that is a great idea.

I am FREAKING out in my head. (This is the best part). Me - "I'm OLD!" They say "Seriously, you look 20 years old on stage." The prince - he's 18. EHEHHEHEHEHEHHEHE. AHAHAHAAHAHHAAHA. We talk about my mouth stuff - I will email them after I talk to the orthodontist on Wednesday.

OK, here are some of my recent blogg postings:

Today we had the best day! Heather (my sister), Jason and Emma, AND Monte, Danell (Josh's sister), Cassidy, Braxton and Austin AND my brother David came to play! We got all the sprinkler pipes in the ground (apparently there is another process after this - something about getting the water actually on the lawn!?!). Anyway, it was awesome. We hung out and all got sunburnt.

David will be here to play for a few days - it will be great! Being a stay-near-home mommy is AWESOME!! You can be way flexible and have chances to do fun stuff, hang out with cool people, etc.

Me again- I hope you can imagine how anxious our families are for another baby to come to our family. LOTS and LOTS of people are praying for birthmoms and their babies. Seriously, we love you for even thinking about adoption!

We planted a garden, sort of a community garden, at a friend from our church's huge yard and my dearest friend Kellie. We planted 6 rows (like 50 feet long!!) of just peas - it willbe HUGE!! Your baby will always have enough - we have a big food storage in our basement, will have a huge garden and lots and lots of love. Thanks for reading and feel free to write us! Love Ann, Josh and Ellie

Here are our new matchie-matchie dresses. Ellie had just gotten up from a nap, in this picture, so what is why she looks grumpy. I am off to re-arrange the basement (the food storage got moved around when we had the plumber come and get the sprinkler system ready - something about a whole in the wall, blah blah!) but I wanted to post this cute picture. It is getting warm here. Nice. This weekend we invited Josh's sister, hubby and their kids down to help us get the sprinkler system in, so we can have a lawn.

I am SO ready for a lawn -where Ellie can play and I can sit in the shade and read! Ehehe, that's my summer dream anyway. On Wednesday I go to the orthodontist to get the top of my mouth-stretchy-thing. If it can grow my mouth a bit more, than I only 'get' to have two teeth pulled (on the bottom), not four. AHHAHA!! But apparently my teeth are way wacked out, so we are going to do it - braces for Ann!! I'm a little nervous, but all the experts say I will look GREAT after (two years!?!?!).

Josh is as cute as ever. He rubbed my feet last night - so nice! And Friday he cooked dinner and watched Ellie while I worked on a crafty. So awesome!

If you are reading this - Hi! I love being a stay-at-home mommy. Really it's awesome. I am so grateful Josh has a great job and we can do this for Ellie (and future kiddos). My mom stayed home with us, and the older I get, the more I appreciate that sacrifice. Sometimes I wonder if it's really doing any good. But then Ellie and I have a nice cuddle and our evening is relaxed because all the 'errand' stuff is done, and we can just hang out. It's fabuous and I love it.

My heck! Our email got messed up somehow and I have been moving our old emails from when we first met our birthmom Jules. I'm sitting here crying - thinking how wonderful and fabulous she was. We flew to Penn. to meet her and it was really nervous. But then, suddenly, it was completely alright. It was Jules - we loved her from the moment we saw her. I remember at the airport (she came to our state to deliver) I was so nervous I wouldn't remember what she looked like and I was looking around and I just FELT her there - seriously like I'd known her forever. I used to say that stuff was stupid, but it is not. There is a bond there.

I am glad you are looking at our profile. Thanks! If you are a birthmom thinking about us - thanks too! I want you to know that miracles to happen. We are so grateful that you are considering adoption and thinking about all the options for your baby. If we catch your attention, I am glad - we want and long for another miracle in our family. I don't know how our next adoption will turn out - but if we all follow our hearts, it will be right, and we will know it and I PROMISE you, we will love you and your baby forever.

Sorry if this seems really sappy. We went to some adoption classes this weekend and I forgot how emotional everything can be. Wow - what love birth moms have. How can we help you? Love Ann

I finished like FIVE crafties today! Ellie found some fabric like her blankie and was pulling it around the store yelling 'BLANKIE' so I got some and made a back-up blankie!) The skirts still need hems but the TEAPOTS are DONE and on the wall!


Also note that Ellie expressed interest in getting dressed today (see the picture). She's SOSOS cute! Then she had a rare diaper-blow out (no pictures, sorry) so we changed outfits again.

Here is Ellie's hand-picked outfit.I sure love staying home with her. We would LOVE to have another baby to cuddle, play with and love.

OK, here is the exciting wrap up of the last few days:
1) Ellie has discovered ice cream on a stick. She ate two in a row yesterday (see photo) and would NOT share (but did let mom help with some licks).
2) My friend Sara and I ran 3.1 miles in 32 minutes! We did a run on Saturday and we are both still alive (but we did not win any of the raffle prizes, even though we stayed an extra 1.5 hours, which is slightly pissy).
3) The first daffodil is up! Spring is here! It is awesome!
4) Josh is so cute!
5) Allergy meds are really nice
6) Apparently I am really really really allergic to sagebrush (which does not grow in mass quantities in any place I have lived before - nice to know!)
7) Kellie, my new best friend in my new town, and I are making matchie-matchie dresses for me and Ellie (and we are planning a matchie-tie for Josh - but he doesn't want to wear it!). We finished Ellie's dress and are working on mine - pictures will be forthcoming!

Hi! I just realized that you can add your own date on these things - you don't have to do it all at once! So I am going to take some entries from our blogg and add them in here, so you have more of an idea what our lives are like. I am thinking of birthmoms and all the wonderful love they give their children a lot these days.

Hi! We just had dinner with our neighbors/friends/bishop and wife. It was fun - yummy food and we played a train game. Tomorrow Ellie is going to have her favorite sitter, Camille, while I go swimming. Very nice. Then Kellie and her three girls might come over and we are going to start sewing matching dresses for Ellie and me! If we had another girl, we'd all have matchie-matchie dresses! Or a tie/vest for a little boy? EHHee, maybe I'll make a tie for Josh! Tuesday we might go to the zoo with my cousin Beth and their kids. Also on Tuesday is the 'cooking' club at my house - we will be eating desserts - what kinds should I make? I was thinking cookies, a easy pie, and easy cake or maybe those way easy mini cheese cakes? Hum, will ponder on that tonight. We hope and pray you are doing well.

I have been thinking about taking our next child to the temple to be sealed to them. It makes me want to cry. I can see people there, in the temple, and they are so happy. Josh and I cried when Ellie was sealed to us. It is my second most happy memory ever. Love Ann and Josh

I don't write here very often - but I do update our blog! I would give you the address, but it had our last name in it and I'm 'not' suppose to. How is life? We are having a 'pi' party at our house on 3.14 (March 14) with, what else, pies! We invited a bunch of friends from our church and our new neighbors (who are suppose to move in that night ...coincidence? I think they want help! (Which of course we will offer!))
What else, it has been spring-y lately. We measured the yard (for our new house...with lots of dirt outside) for a fence today and a sprinkler system. Here you need a sprinkler system, apparently. I grew up in southern Indiana, and you only watered things if you had nothing else to do! (It's wet there, and rains). But it will be WAY nice to have a fence so Ellie can go and play outside. Rigth now she likes to go out to the shed, find a paintbrush and 'paint' the dirt. It's cute.
Have a nice day! Love Ann and Josh

Wow, I can't believe that 2,546 people have looked at our profile -weird! Feel free to email us! I haven't written in a while. Let's see. We got back from Florida fine. Josh went to New Mexico to check out some laser. It has been warm these past few days and my new little bulbs are starting to stick their heads out! (Stay in there, I want to say. it will get cold again!)

Tomorrow my sister Heather is coming to play with me and Ellie -we are going to paint letters of the alphabet in black paint on the walls of her room (really cool looking, Heather used to be an interior designer). Should we fix up a nursery? AHAHAHA - waiting is horrible! (on every end of waiting, I think, it is the suspense. I hate suspense in a movie - and it doesn't even bother Josh!)

OK, we are official and hope to be online this week. How are you doing? Feel swelling? Cravings? I would send you a quart of your favorite ice cream if I could! We are really glad to be back in our lovely home after 16 days in Florida (where, granted, it was really nice). I love our house! Josh has to travel two days next week and he is sad, he likes being at home with us too. Have a nice day!

We are in Florida and it is WONDERFUL! Josh came here for business and Ellie and I are loving it! We spent the whole day outside (first a playground, then a walk, then the beach (the sand was a huge hit) and after Daddy's nap, we will go swimming! I want you to know that we love being together as a family, and can't wait for a new little one (or two?) to join us. We aren't totally rich, we offer adventures, lots of time together and our eternal love. Ann

We had our homestudy visit on Friday - maybe we will get finished with the paperwork this month! It would be great to get done and be officially 'waiting.' Although really, I, Ann, HATE waiting for stuff.

We are going to Florida on Tuesday for two and a half weeks. Josh is going for work and Ellie and I get to tag along! I am going to read Harry Potter #7 and play with Ellie in the heated pools (I think she will LOVE it). Maybe eat some stone crabs - they are suppose to be excellent.

I have the urge these past few days to feed all the pregnant women that I know! Milkshakes, cookies, treats. Can I get you a treat? Is someone being extra nice to you? I don't know what it is like to be prego, but I hope someone is being kind to you. I would love take you out for treats!

We are just starting this process again - I forgot how much stupid paperwork is invovled. But I know the end result will be worth it a million times over. I can't wait to hold a little baby, love it, cuddle all day long and just spent time staring into its eyes.

If we were chosen to be the parents of your child - I promise you they will KNOW you LOVED them and wanted them to have the best life possible. And I can assure you that Josh and I will work our hardest to give them a wonderful life, full of books, adventures and all our love.