Our Missing Leaves

Our little blessing

2011-09-19T11:47:00.000-06:00

It has been quite some time from my last post, we have had many things happen so I will try to break them down without sounding like it is a list. First we have been real busy with different events like survival / emergency prep for the Stake. We had been chosen to adopt from a wonderful birth mom who was and is such an angel. She despite my questions and silly ways still picked us. On August 20, 2011 she delivered us a baby boy. We were so happy and he is so sweet. I am a sap for a dad he make a little sound and I jump to hold him. I almost wish I did not have to ever put him down. Miriam has stepped up and become the best little stay at home mom I could ever pray for. The new little man was given the name of Wyatt and we both love him so much we do not know what we did without him. Our lives have been changed for the better so much but we can even see how much the grandparents have been changed as well. In fact we have begun to see the grandmothers try to one up each other just to get to spend time with him. We will be posting pictures on our site at a future time (soon) so that everyone can see our little man.

Simple

2011-08-12T11:36:00.000-06:00

So this post is just a simple one, I just enjoyed my lunch today and it was one of the best ones I have had in a long time. I am sure your thinking what did he have, was it some new and exciting restaurant.....?.....NOT a chance it was a simple PB&J made by my loving wife. She got up early this morning and made me a PB&J with all my favorites. White bread, Jiff extra chunky peanut butter and strawberry preserves. She even gave me the extras that I love 2 kiwi fruits and Ruffles potato chips. I hope when I have children they will grow up knowing the joys of PB&J. My mother made me one for lunch just about everyday and even on my mission it was a major staple of my diet. Bad news peanut butter is a kidney stone in a jar so I cannot have many but one every so often will not kill me.

LET'S HEAR IT FOR PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY SANDWICHES!!!!!!!!

Long time no post

2011-08-08T09:06:00.000-06:00

It has been a long time between my last post and this one so please hang on it is going to be a bumpy ride. First things first....My co-worker that was thinking about adoption that showed up at my desk with his wife have filled out the paperwork and are back in doing foster care. They have both shown up at my desk again asking advice about how to make a blog, website and how to advertise their desire for adoption. So I will continue to work with them as time permits. Second, item of business the FSA conference is real soon so anyone who has the ability to go should. Previous years has proven to be such an experience and all who have attend it have come away with such a new outlook on adoption that is worth going of you can. Miriam and I were going and had request a day off from work but because of some stuff going on around the house we are not going to be able to attend. Local Colorado FSA members are going to be speaking so showing them support is both a reward and a blessing. Third we have a saga at our home have you ever had something that you set in a "safe place" because you know that your going to need it and well now that we need it we cannot remember what "safe place" we put the stuff in. That is going on in our home we have some missing parts to some furniture that has been in storage and we know that we put the hardware in a safe place and now we cannot recall the location of the hardware. I ordered the replacement parts from the manufacturer today and wow the 7 little screws cost me $30. In one though I say that is expensive on the other I see this as cheap way to make my wife happy at me. Forth continuing with the furniture topic we went to IKEA because our friend wanted to go on opening day. We went and had dinner then attempted to walk. SO MANY PEOPLE!!!! we could not even make our way around to see things people were in the way everywhere. So we did not stay long we figured we could always go back later to wonder around.

As with most of my posts I want to post a question.... The question is while we were at church on Sunday we had many people giving their testimonies and all were wonderful but we had two that seemed to stick out in everyone mind. First one was a man who is a truck driver and was only passing through town. He missed his wife and was on the road and wanted to express his love for her and his father in Heaven. Very true and simple testimony. Second was a young woman who is new to the ward, she got up and was telling about how she is 23 and finds herself pregnant with her first child abandon by the father and her family to deal with the child on her own. Oh what a blessing Miriam and I just happen to be adopting and have knowledge of the adoption process. This girl does not need to go this alone she needs to talk with Kelly at Family Services. So we gave her a copy of our pass-a-long cards and Family Services numbers. Giving her additional info like this could lead to someone who can not have children to her and may even open the door for an adoption. So was it wrong for us to pass on our information after sacrament meeting?? Should we have left her to find her own way? This was the delima with talking to anyone right after.

I never saw it that way...

2011-05-24T08:41:00.000-06:00

So the other day I had someone at work ask me if I was still trying to adopt, I explained that yes we are working on the adoption process and that it keeps going slow and steady. He then tells me a real sad story of how he and his wife have not been able to have children and that they looked into several options but never felt that any of then felt right. He went on to say that one day he stopped by the reception desk at my work and noticed one of our pass - a - long cards and picked it up and put it in his pocket (and forgot about it.) Later that week his wife was working on the laundry and found the card in his shirt and looked it over. After looking it over she decided to get on the computer and look up our website and blog then linked out to the it's about love site. She was shocked that anyone would put out cards and build web pages for adoption. But later told her husband (my coworker) that it felt right. So later that evening they logged in to the web again together and began to explore other couples blogs and profiles. At one point with tears running down both of their faces looked at each other and at the same time said "this is right" and "this is what we need to do". So the next Monday (yesterday) my coworker sent me an email asking if he could come and talk with me about this. I was so excited to see that the cards were doing what they could to get the word out. This morning my coworker and his wife (who does not work with us) showed up at my desk and we had about a hour and twenty minute discussion about adoption, and how it works, and what they need to do to get started. They made notes and said that they would need my help with a blog and webpage and contact information so that they could get started. We went over all that and made a plan to talk again next week after they have had time to get the ball rolling. Wow, again to feel like we helped someone else on the path to a family felt so great. This was an eye opener for me because I felt that when we started down the path we had help because of the FSA group but for many others they do not know how to even get started and if their is anyone else like them out in the world. Because of this I am going to try to get some detailed information together about how to get started and post on our blog/site and see if we may want to put it out on the FSA blog as well so that as couples explore the world of adoption they have more information at hand to help them be a success.

This brings me to this posts question:
What types of things would be helpful for people who are new to the idea of adoption and might help then on their way down this long and sometimes painful process?

False Impressions

2011-05-12T10:06:00.000-06:00

So I have been under a false impression (only within my own head and trying to make myself believe it) that when we have adopted that our lives will slow down. Well I have given up on trying to make this happen, I know that even with as busy as we are now it will only be 5 times more crazy after having children. But I can say it will be worth every minute.

So a few updates and then some new stuff, we did go and do the blessing and just a few minutes before the meeting started I offered to my brother and father one last chance to let grandpa do it. Both declined in fact my brother even started with "your going to chicken out" talk and so I did it. I must say how special it was to both be picked and to do the blessing. It went off perfectly and we had no issues. Okay maybe a few first the young man that was asked to hold the Mic insisted on pushing it up under the baby's dress so everything was a little muffled and ruffled by that. And the grandpa and the Bishop both were bouncing her up and down I was worried that they were going to toss her out of the circle. The little one was a champ she just continued to make little noises and handled it with out problems.

This week has been a fast moving week we have had plenty of things going on but one of the highlights were that we went to see our nieces talent show. She did so good, her singing was great and she put her heart into it. (They grow up so fast) Several other students did very good, they had one girl who did a hula-hoop dance and it was crazy good, and a young man played the guitar and it was some of the best playing that I have experienced in a while.

Miriam also had the book fair going on this week at the school and that is always a crazy time but the late night (last night) went real good and it seemed that the weather only caused some slow times but it seemed to go over without a hitch.

We have a birthday party on Saturday, the Relief Society breakfast, 5K for Adoption and Ham Radio stuff going all on Saturday so at some point something will give...

This posts question is how do single parents do it, with school, work, and church activities I would not be able to handle it all by myself, so how do they do it?

Blessings?

2011-04-28T13:17:00.000-06:00

My brother and his wife finally were able to bring home their baby from the hospital after being born much to early. She is so very cute and we just love holding her. My mother is in grandma heaven and my father is still my father. This brings me to the question:

My brother and his wife have asked me to give this little angel a name and a blessing this Sunday. I am so excited, and worried. I know that he has asked me and I am always excited to do this but I almost want him to know that even with it being a great honer for me it would be even that much more to our father. Grandpa in many respects be the one doing this for them, showing them the power of the priesthood in the home and what benefits it can bring to faithful families in Zion. So I am very conflicted over this, without making him feel bad or putting pressure on them I feel that it may be even that much better for him to do this for him. So what do I do? How do I express my feeling of so much joy that they asked me and yet I think this is a job for grandpa? Feel free to share your thoughts on this....

Weekend of Fun

2011-04-11T08:59:00.000-06:00

This weekend was crazy fun! First on Friday I had to go get a root canal done on one of my teeth. (not much fun) But Saturday was recovered by the Colorado FSA conference. We went for the full day, they had many good seminars and classes to attend and learn from. They had several panel discussions that were from both the adoptive couple side and from the birth mothers sides, and they even had one of people who were adopted. Every single discussion seemed to pull at our hearts. We had such a great time seeing others who are a part of the FSA world, people who have adopted already, some like us that are waiting, and other that are just getting in to the adoption world. We had a personal visitor show up at the conference and it was great that she could come to the conference.

Updates for the week

2011-04-04T08:27:00.000-06:00

So the last post I had talked about us going to CPR training and I was hoping to post some great pictures of Miriam and the training dolls. Well she did not let me take pictures of her and the dolls so I have no pictures.

This week is the FSA Colorado Conference and Miriam and I are so excited to go. As always we hope that our families would be available to join us at the conference but as of now we have no family joining this time. We are going to go to the Friday evening get together and dinner for adoptive couples.

Last year we went and had so much fun (even with all the crying) that we could not pass up the chance to go again.

We both are so excited that we both almost want to skip the work week and just go to the conference.

Miriam and I had the chance to go to Michael's home on Saturday and hold the little girl and she is so cute and we both would love to take her home with us (and I am sure when she is crying that her parents would not mind us taking her) but I know that her mom and dad would be so board without her.

As for the week we only have to get past the week to the weekend to enjoy the conference.

Training this evening

2011-03-17T14:30:00.000-06:00

To improve ourselves Miriam and I have almost every year have done our CPR and First Aid training so that we can be available to help if needed. Miriam gets the opportunity to take all kinds of this stuff and training because I always want to be well rounded (not round well). So this evening we have to update our CPR certification. It is not our favorite to be that intimate with a plastic Annie or Baby Annie doll but we do it for safety. So I am going to try to get pictures of us "sucking face" this evening and post them out for everyone to laugh at.

Posting again

2011-03-15T11:20:00.000-06:00

I felt that today I again needed to post something on the our missing leaves blog. So this is today's topic: I have my ham radio licence and I have been listening to all the chatting about the events in Japan. First I need to say our prayers are with the people of Japan. Second I want to say why do people see things like this so differently from the rest of the group. So I am hearing one of the men on the radio talk about it and he says that he has been listening to a local talk radio host talking about this and he keeps bringing up the fact that we are not seeing people looting in Japan, and we just have the Denver Broncos win and we get riots and looting in the streets of Denver. So this makes me think that we need to examine our ways of thinking, we have had so many days of big snow in the mountains so this summer we are sure to see flooding and issues like that. So for traditional thinking in this way we would then have people running to the streets and causing all kinds of trouble. So my question is why must we be this way. We are all children of our Heavenly Father so why do some make it bad for others, and are we all pre-destine to be that way or can we use our free agency and change what or who we are? I feel that each of us can change who and what we are and that we can exercise our free agency and become more like our Father In Heaven. So why choose his path and become a better person over choosing to go the other way? That is the question that I am asking everyone following the blog let me know, I know what I feel but lets see what others think?

People's Children At Church

2011-03-14T12:27:00.000-06:00

So it has long been my short fall that I am nothing more that a big kid at best. This being said I love to play with toys, color on the program, and eat snacks like the other children at church. So like many Sunday's I wage a war to make sure that I get some families with kids around me during our sacrament meeting. This Sunday ended up being a little tough because we did not get to sit real close to toys, snacks, and crayons so I was a little on the outs with myself. I have tried for may years to get Miriam to bring those items for me but she tells me that I have to wait until I have a child of my own. (and no it does not count if I have someone at church loan me their child for the Sunday) So it is even more important to adopt a child soon so that we can bring the fun to church. Hahahaha

My current calling is in the High Priest Group (I am the first assistant) and this calling is wonderful but for many Sundays I need to be in the room to teach, conduct, and to participate. But it just so happened to work out this Sunday for the best. Miriam works as a Primary worker in the Nursery and she is part of a team teaching group for the children. Her co-teacher was out sick so they were looking to get someone to help Miriam and well you got it I ended up being the sub. So I went to Nursery, this again plays right in to my church plan. The children were playing with toys and I found some balls in the bottom of the toy bucket, I began to get all the children up and taking turns shooting from one side of the room to the other to try to make baskets in the bucket. This was great some of them were crying for their parents and others were fighting over other toys and when they began to take turns throwing the ball it all fell in line and everyone was smiling and taking turns. (Miriam was a little worried because the donated toy balls were a wiffle ball and a tennis ball both not very soft but we managed to do this without anyone getting hurt.) Now I have a good excuse to go to the dollar store and buy some soft sponge balls for the kids to play with.

The long and short of this story is I am a big KID and love to play and have fun with the best of them.

Movie

2011-03-11T10:20:00.000-07:00

I am looking forward to this evening with my wife, we have been running like two crazy people and this weekend it the only one we have for the next few that have nothing for us to do. (We always have something fun going on but this weekend is all my time.) So I am going to take my wonderful wife to the movies and to dinner for a date. I was looking over the movies that are available and Mars Needs Moms looks good, along with Rango, and for the non-cartoon Just Go With It. We most likely will end up at one of the cartoons because we both like the simple and they have good ratings (G, and PG) so they are more safe then the others. The best part of seeing a movie is watching Miriam's face during the movie. She has a face that tells her emotions so well that you know how or what she if feeling just by the look on her face. Plus when we go to the movies she gets her favorite snack a pretzel with cheese to dip it in. She has such little fingers and it is funny to watch her pull it apart and dip it in the cheese. I know that I am the only person in the world that would find that so cute but she is my love and I enjoy every little thing about her.

Today at work I am dealing with an issue with one of our outside vendors and it is funny to talk with the people on the other end of the phone and you can just hear the pain in their voices about dealing with us. We work with them and have called them about 20 times today and it is an issue on their side but they do not know how to fix it so they are just tired of us calling. I have been in that type of situation before so I feel for them. Good news is that it is FRIDAY!!!

It is hard to think that just a little while ago we were having snow and today about 60 degrees. You just have to love Colorado weather.

Last thing today is I want to express my feeling about the earth quake in Japan. I pray for the people of Japan and pray for them and to those that have lost loved ones please remember that in this time of hurt that your Father in Heaven love all of you and even when we do not understand why things happen he will always be mindful of our needs. My prayers are with all of them and hope that their needs will be taken care of in the days that come.

What a weekend

2011-03-07T12:18:00.000-07:00

This was one crazy weekend...
My one and only sister whom I love very much had been dating a young man who is in all respects a great man. The only problem is you can only date so long before you need to take that next step. So after much pushing and poking, and giving a hard time the two of them did it... They got married, it happened in one long but eventful weekend. My brother - in - law is one of a kind and I know that he has a pure heart. I see how he make my sister feel and how he takes care of her, and it make me very happy to see her so happy. Seeing them both so happy is what life is all about.
As part of the fun we had a family get together on Friday night so that all the members of the family could meet the soon to be in - law family. It was a little funny, when we all went to eat my family all crowded around the table to eat (you can thank my mother for training us that we are to eat at the table and no place else), and his family stood around the island in the kitchen and talked and ate. It was not like we wanted to keep each family separate from each other but it was how we have been raised.
This aside the families came together on Saturday and put on a great reception party, the location that the party was at was a great location and the weather held out well. We even had some surprise drop in's from our extended families from Utah.

Now to have fun, when we were at the party it was interesting to see who did and did not get up and dance. Because I played DJ I picked the music and it was fun to see what songs got people on the dance floor and what songs drove them off.

Songs that had them dancing:
YMCA
She Thinks My Tractor is Sexy
Anything from Lady GAGA

Songs requested but did not get then up on the dance floor:
Elvis - Any
Big Green Tractor
Cotton Eye Joe

I am interested in any suggestions for the next wedding what songs would you like to hear at a wedding?

My Happy - Sad Week (WE NEED A CHILD)

2011-02-09T11:24:00.000-07:00

This week is both happy and sad for me in many ways. First I am so happy to say that on Friday February 11^th Miriam and I will be celebrating our 16^th wedding anniversary. Time sure does fly when you’re having fun. It seem as it was just yesterday that we were at the temple waiting for the wedding to happen. But even better for me she has put up with all my silly silly ways for all these years. Many people have had us tell the story of our wedding day and some of the crazy stuff but with the cold snap in the weather I felt so much like the day 16 years ago I wanted to share with anyone who is up for a long story.

We were getting ready for our wedding in February and this says to most of the people who live in Colorado that February = SNOW well it sure did and it snowed good. That week of our wedding it seemed to snow every day. Best yet the day before our wedding it came down hard and left many people stranded in their cars and on busses around the city. At the time I was driving a wonderful 1978 Ford Pinto (had a hard time getting traction in the snow even with great tires) and ended up getting stuck in a snow bank. I was picked up by my father and we went home leaving the Pinto at the parking lot that it was stuck in. As days go it was not much fun but the feeling of excitement was flowing in my heart knowing that in a few hours I would be marred to Miriam. I called her and told her about how I was stuck and that my father was able to get me, she continued to get ready for the next day’s events. Later that evening I was getting all my stuff together so that the next morning would be smooth at the wedding. When I remembered that I had forgotten the wedding license in the Pinto. So after having a conversation (one sided on his side and loud) with my father about going to get the license we headed out to get it in the blizzard. During our trek my father’s two way radio was going off about busses that were stuck and other fun caused by the weather making him remember that he had forgot to bring home the slide projector so that at the reception we could project slides from his work. So we made our way over to his work to pick it up good thing we were already out for my forgetfulness (hahah looks like it runs in the family.) Our small adventure ended up taking several hours and by the time we managed to get home it was very late so we went right to bed. The next morning was early and because of all the snow we needed to get an early start over to the temple. When we arrived we were about the first ones in the parking lot but that was good so that we had plenty of time to get ready. I went in and changed my clothing and was ready for the wedding to start (this is when it gets good do not give up on my story yet) but a small problem I was without a bride. After several minutes one of the brothers helping with the wedding stepped over to me and said “Brother Staples, the wedding is to start did you bring the bride?” Well at that minute my already throbbing chest dropped to my knees. I responded with “My Bride, we live in different areas and she was going to come up with her family…..I, I, I, do not know where she is”… At this point I was sure that I was being stood up at the alter because when I call her house I was not getting an answer and they were very late. Remember this is before cell phones were around for everyone so I had no way of just calling her on her phone. At that point they could see that I was beginning to get real worried so they had me sit down and wait a little longer. About the time I was about to get real panicked in to the front doors my bride walks with her mother in tow behind talking a mile a minute about not being ready. I went over and asked what was going on (I am sure that at that minute I must have not had any color in my face because Miriam gave me the look like she was seeing the dead) and Miriam rolled her eyes and said that “Mom was not ready so we had to wait” now to a man that was sure that he was being left behind by the woman he loved this was a minute that I felt many feelings that we will not discuss today. I said that I was grateful that she was ready now and that she should take her mother back and get ready because we were already late. At the time I did not quite understand the situation but now after being in the family this many years I understand how it is that my then future and now only Mother-in-law was not ready. I have grown to love my Mother-in-law and now see her need to make sure that everything is perfect, this is who she is and who she raised my wife to be so I am blessed for her methods. The wedding was amazing and the fun was only beginning, I have had 16 years of fun so far and I cannot wait to see what happens in the future.

To my bride, wife, and only:

I would be nothing without you, I take every breath in amazement that you with your wonderful spirit picked me to be your husband. Every day you have the chance to choose me or not to choose me and yet every day you pick me. THANK YOU! To you and all your special ways from taking care of our home, to being the best wife anyone could ever have or want you are truly special. When you work on your crafts my heart is happy, when you play a game, my heart is happy, when you are even just in the same room my heart is happy, you make my heart happy. You are a chosen daughter of your heavenly father and carry within your little body an enormous spirit that has the tenderness of a saint built in to it. That spirit is what keeps me in love with you and know that you will be the most wonderful wife for time and all eternity. I want you to know that every day when it is time to come home from work to be with you I get so excited that it is as if I am on my way to pick you up for our very first date, you make my heart flutter in excitement and joy and I am as a love sick puppy when I see you. (I need to stop all the mushy stuff or everyone reading will be sick)

Last thing for this post is WE NEED A CHILD… My wife the woman of my dreams will be the best mother but in order to be a mother we need a child. So this year is our year we are going to do everything we can to make this happen so if you are reading this we need your help please spread the word, tell everyone do not let Miriam’s mothering skills go another minute without a child to be a mother to. Pass it on.

MIRIAM I LOVE YOU FOREVER

It's the little things that make us happy

2011-01-12T09:38:00.000-07:00

Miriam and I had the opportunity to spend some time with friends this last weekend playing a new game. Is I write that it sounds a little odd to me spend time with friends like this is something that is different. Well it is in many ways we are so busy with things to occupies ourselves while we wait for the blessing of a child that we forget the simple things. So for us to just hang out and play games, talk and laugh it was great. So to our friends who know who they are thank you so much for the fun! ;-)

We were watching TV last night and Miriam picked to watch the show Doogie Howser M.D., and it hit me that he would spend time on the computer to write in his journal. I have long felt that when I write in a journal it had to be some long multiple page entry that caused permanent hand paralysis from gripping the pen so tight. But for me last nights show was an eye opener. I had set out to make a journal entry everyday but knowing that it does not need to be some Dan Brown novel to be a good entry. I am going to use this as a type of therapy to deal with the adoption process.

Always Something Going On That Makes A Person Think

2011-01-07T09:42:00.000-07:00

I was at work this week and had a real interesting talk with a co-worker. This co-worker is someone that I have not had much contact with we have passed in the halls, and I have worked on their equipment a time or two but not much conversation other than work related stuff. While I was in the process of fixing his computer this week he said to me that he went out and checked out my website a few months ago. Because I have more than one I asked what site was he talking about? He said the one about adoption, he saw it on my signature at the bottom of my email and wanted to see what I was advertising. At first he wanted to know if we were discussing adoption for other people to get the word out. But then he read more and figured out that it was both to get the word out for others but for us as well. He went on saying that after he checked out the site he then went to the other links to our blog and to the profiles page for adoption. He was real positive about it, and wanted to show his family our site thinking that this was a good way to get the word out. When he was at home he and his wife were looking and discussing the site and adoption when their daughter came in the room and started talking about how she has a friend at school that is pregnant and not sure what to do with the child when it is born. Well as they say God works miracles everyday so the father said that he had something to show her and pulled up our website on the computer and they discussed the stuff that he had seen. The girl then wrote down our website URL and brought it to school with her. She told her father that she did not want to make her friend feel bad or uncomfortable so she went to the student councilor and gave the information to her. She then turned around and checked out the site for herself. From my co-workers information the councilor went on to pass this on to the pregnant girl and others so that they could have a way to contact someone for adoption if that was the way that the wanted to go. My c-worker when on to tell me that the girl with the baby had placed it up for adoption and was happy with her decision, and that his child was happy that this girl did this and not anything else. This made my day I was real happy to hear about this (I was a little sad that I was not the chosen father to be for this girls child but it must not have been ours in the first place) getting the word out is what we need to do for ourselves and for others and this is just one way to do this.

This got me thinking about other ways that I can get the word out, how can I make sure that I have everything out so that people know this is happening. Miriam had an idea the other evening when we went to dinner at a Mexican food restaurant who is getting ready to print new menus and is selling advertising space on them. Could you really put an adoption advertisement on a menu of a Mexican Food restaurant? I at this point do not see why not. I have also wanted to find out that when my work does a health and welfare check and information fair if we could put a booth up and get the word out that way.

Last shocking thing for this entry we were at my families home over the holiday to celebrate and my father out of the blue says "what do we need to do to get you a kid?" Not that my father is not a great man but I almost fell on the floor, I did not know he was even interested in this process let alone for him to ask what they could do to make this happen. My first thought was that he is beginning to get tired of my mother bugging him about us and this adoption thing. Then my thoughts turned to may be it was us talking about it to much. But for real at that moment I felt that it was our Heavenly Father touching his heart and letting him know that this was what needed to happen. So I am now on the hunt to find more ways that he can help get the word out. How I do not know but I will keep looking for new and different ways for him to help.

Happy (Family, Crafting) Thanksgiving Day!

2010-11-25T08:26:00.000-07:00

Today is a great day to be thankful. I am thankful for the time Marty and I get to spend with family. Of course there will be good food but also plenty of storytelling and laughter. We love getting together with family. Now family does not always mean blood relatives only. In both of our families, friends have become family.

Traditions (Changes and Additions):

Marty's family has gone to the movie theater on Thanksgiving day for many years. This year we are going to see the latest Harry Potter movie.

My family always has a large dinner with plenty of discussion and fun. Mom and Dad made all the good food when the kids were growing up. The kids helped with some dishes (I can put together a killer relish plate) and setting the table with Mom's china and silver. Now the adult children each contribute to the meal.

A new tradition that I have brought to both families is crafting. Each year I bring down craft supplies and we make something fun (usually Christmas themed). Last year we made wreaths. It was so much fun seeing each persons own creation.

The best tradition of all is family. We both look forward to the time spent with family. I have heard of people being upset that they 'have' to spend time with family at the holidays. I am very grateful that both Marty and I have awesome families that are fun to be around.

Happy Family Day!
Happy Crafting Day!
Happy Thanksgiving Day!

Fireside last night

2010-11-08T10:48:00.002-07:00

Well it happened again the Colorado chapter of FSA held a fireside last night for people who are adopting, have adopted or have placed for adoption a child. We had some great speakers talk to us about their experiences. First up was a young woman, who was adopted, she had many good things to say about how it was good for her to be adopted by a loving family and how the relationships went with her family. She related many story how she had two brothers who were not adopted but they managed to get along like all other siblings. Beyond the stories one thing that she said that I loved was that she knew that she was part of the family and that she was where she needed to be. Next we had a recently placed birth mother talk about her placement. She placed a little boy with a couple who had a little girl from before, helping to complete their hopes of a well-rounded family. She talked about how it was a hard decision but the right decision to place her child up for adoption. She also discussed how it has changed her life to have three more people in her family because she feels that they did not just adopt her child but they adopted her as well. It is always great to hear about the birth mothers views of adoption, so that we know what is going on in her head during the process. We then had a musical number that was very beautiful and caused many to tear up, it was about a birth mother giving up her child and telling the child that she did not give up on it but that she was giving it more. Very nice! Last speaker was a local LDS stake president who had adopted his two boys. He discussed how times have changed and how they did not have the open adoption like they are now and how he wished that he could have had that type of adoption. He told about each of his boys and their personalities, how they differ but are all meant to be together as a family and that is how it has always been. Nice stories and great spirits were had during the fireside I find that I cannot sit through one of those without tearing up myself. I noticed that both Miriam and I were happy to hear about the successful adoptions and how the stories changed their lives but it still hurts quite a bit when you think about how long we have been waiting and have wanted children of our own. I know that it is Gods will and not my will when it will happen but it sure seems like a long wait for this to happen.

I also wanted to talk about Miriam and how wonderful she is. She is working so hard to get ready for the adoption; she has begun to put things together that she can sell on her etsy store. I feel so proud of her when she shows me the finished projects and I want to show everyone. The problem is with everything Miriam makes I love them and do not want to let them go. She makes things and they are so nice and look so good that I do not want to let them go. I know that it is for the better and that is why she makes them but she has so much talent that I almost want to put them in a museum or a place for people to walk through to see her work.

Marty..My Love

2010-10-30T08:19:00.000-06:00

Have I ever mentioned how much I love my husband? He is the perfect match for me. I know without a shadow of a doubt that I knew him and loved him before this lifetime. Here are some of the ways he is perfect for me:

1. He loves me completely.

He constantly tells me he loves me and how beautiful I am. He laughs when I am silly. He loves my flaws. He loves my family. He is always accepting of me, no matter what.

2. He supports my crafting ways.

The bedroom that is going to be our children's room has been my craft room. I love to create with my hands. Crafting is in my blood. I grew up with a mother who always is making something (sewing, knitting, etc.). Marty understands how much I love to craft. He understands how exciting it is for me to learn something new and perfect it. He has been understanding when I couldn't go to sleep until I finish a task. He has never complained when I choose to switch projects on a whim.
Marty has even requested that I knit at time when he is experiencing stress. He loves the sound of the quiet and rhythmic click of the needles.

3. He loves me when I wiggle.

I constantly have a need to move my body. I am just wiggily. I wiggle when I am awake and especially when I am asleep. Despite the fact that my wiggling sometimes wakes him up at night he still loves me.

4. He will be the perfect father for our children.

I can not begin to imagine not have a family with Marty. He loves children (just like I do). He loves them when their little and when their big. Kids are precious gifts from a loving Heavenly Father and Marty treats them this way.

I am so grateful that Marty loves me. I am so grateful that we found each other. I know that my life has been made perfect because of his influence. He makes me laugh. He holds me when I cry. He is My Love.

Miriam

Look UP!

2010-09-17T14:00:00.000-06:00

I now work closer to the foot hills. During my long ride to work this week I was in the process of listening to the radio (in my own world of thoughts), When I spotted them, two hot air balloons just above the horizon. This was even more cool when you understand that when I go to work it is dark and every time they would hit the gas to get more hot air the balloon would light up. Wow I enjoyed it so much that I pulled my car over to the side of the road and stopped to watch for several minutes. As I was watching the two of them float higher and higher it made me think of several things. First would I ever want to go up in a hot air balloon? To answer this I need to express my dislike and distrust for wicker. This includes but is not limited to baskets, furniture and other products made of flimsy and unstable sticks. Second in my head I think what happens if their is a problem and the balloon begins to come down. What could someone do? We seen pilots bring in big 747's by gliding it to the ground but in my 38 years of life have never been told by anyone about a balloon pilot bringing in a deflated hot air balloon to the ground safely. So would I ever go up in one....? NO, NOT NOW, NOT EVER!!
Now the part that I wanted to post about. As the two balloons were floating up I started thinking about the adoption process, not everyone's but my experiences with adoption. We started this process and I was so sure that we would adopt so quick that I was worried about not being ready. This was a joke we have not been waiting long but after spending more than 15 years with my wife wanting children of our own to hurry up to get paper work in and then just wait is hard to do. So like someone that wants to be a hot air balloon pilot I need to assemble my balloon and all of its parts. I am going to relate this to me I am like a hot air balloon (no we are not discussing size, or the fact that I am full of hot air) I need things to do what I was designed to do. So the pilot need to assemble part, he would need a balloon, ropes, a basket, sand bags, support staff, fuel, a flame, communication tools and best yet tools. So lets say that I am the balloon, I will need ropes, who or what would that be? The ropes would be my family the people in my life that can help keep me grounded and safe when strong winds are blowing. Next I would need a basket to hold the pilot, tools, passengers and anything else that might be needed for the fight. For me the basket is my wife, she seems to always be able to hold everything together like keeping the balloon, ropes, fuel, people, and everything else working together for one common cause. Next sand bags to keep the basket level and going in the correct direction, I think that the sand bags are Kelly our adoption case worker, the FSA group that we are a part of and everyone else that is working in the back ground to keep everything moving. Next the fuel, this is very important and that is the birth parents, they will make a hard decision but a very important one to get me in the air. They are going to share a major part of their lives with me and get me up and going to get to my potential. Last for me the flame that lights the fuel that makes this all happen. The flame for me is the knowledge that my Heavenly Father loves me and has made a plan that will allow me to reach for the sky and be who he knows me to be. He loves me and wants me to have all that I can. So he inspired the plan of adoption, a way for people like me to have a family. So I have the balloon, the basket, ropes, a flame, sand bags, but I am missing the fuel.
As I put this all down I know that it is a little on the silly side but when I was thinking about this it seemed to relate to my feelings at the moment. So I feel very open to put down that I am grateful for all that I have and want to thank everyone for all that they do for me. Please keep up the good work and help us find the fuel (the birth parents).

Hard Day

2010-08-18T15:15:00.000-06:00

Today has been a hard day I have been thinking about us adopting and it is real hard at times. Miriam has felt down lately and I have tried to keep up a positive attitude for her. But today was it I have been working but more than not I find myself thinking about adoption. My boss was out to give me my review (and it was the best one yet) and it felt good to get it out of the way but yet my mind keeps going back to the adoption think. I have in my heart and mind the love that Miriam and I have for each other and know that we will be great parents. But waiting is very hard, and keeping up a positive attitude is what I know that I should do but today is not that type of day.
I am so thankful to our future birth mother and her willingness to help us complete our family. But I must say "who, are you and when are you going to pick us?" We are good people and have more then enough love to give to children, birth parents, extended family and so on. But the wait is killing me!!!

Just as a side thought I saw an article on the local news that was talking about a man who was going to attempt to build the biggest tower of legos ever so that he can be in the Genies Book of World Records. So when I saw this person on the news I first thought was that person needs a life, and then I remembered how I need a life as well, that is why I run out to do things like get my ham radio license and CERT classes and so on to try to fill up my life with more while I wait for a child to share our adventures with.

My loving wife and all that she puts up with...

2010-08-10T14:06:00.002-06:00

I wanted to post a little note about all the stuff that I have put my very loving wife through in the last little while. First I sucked my wife in to going to the ham radio classes (even though she would be able to look over the book one time and ace the test.) Second I made her come with me to take the exam to get the ham radio license. Next I signed us up for CERT (Community Emergency Response Teams) disaster / emergency preparedness. Not only was this a full day of in class training on Friday but then we returned on Saturday for most of the day to do a drill, so that we could get some experience before the problems arise. I also have a change up at work that is going to have me traveling to our Littleton location so the valuable time spent with Miriam in the morning car pooling with her is gone now. The ward camp out is this weekend and I am not sure we are going to go to that. So I have had her on a run for the last few months, and her birthday is in a few days so I have a plan to take her out for her birthday on a ride to the mountains and just spend some time with her without any obligations to anyone or any thing.

A busy summer

2010-08-07T18:22:00.000-06:00

Wow! It's been almost a month since Marty or I have had time to add anything to this blog. This has been a busy summer so far. We have working and playing hard. I've been enjoying sewing and Marty has really been getting into HAM radio.

Work has been tough for both of us. Marty now has a new schedule and location where he is working. The new schedule and location should work well for him. The beginning of a school year is always busy and I feel that I have been treading water since the beginning of July. I think things will calm down in the next few weeks.

One of the highlights of the summer has been a relaxing drive through Cherry Creek state park. We were on our way back home from running errands around 8:00 PM on a Saturday night. The sun was setting and the weather had cooled down. While driving home we decided to continue enjoying the cooler temperatures by driving through the park. We were able to drive as slowly as we wanted and stop and view wildlife (including a group of deer). IT WAS GREAT!

New Facebook Group

2010-07-12T11:57:00.001-06:00

I am still so new to Facebook. Please forgive me if you were not included.

Last night I started a new Facebook group, Miriam and Marty Hope To Adopt. I invited several family members and friends to join. If I haven't added you yet and you want to join; just request and I will add you right away. Also, tell your friends; we would really appreciate any help getting the word out that we are looking for the right birth family.

Miriam

Spotlight Wednesday: Colorado FSA

2010-07-07T21:00:00.000-06:00

Each Wednesday on the Colorado Families Supporting Adoption (FSA) blog an adoptive couple is featured. This week Marty wrote an article about us. Check it out...http://coloradofsa.blogspot.com/.

We love our FSA group. This journey would feel hopeless without their positive support.

I love lazy Saturdays...

2010-07-03T15:15:00.000-06:00

or what I should say is I love spending time with my husband. Today has been great. I went to the ward 4th of July pancake breakfast, did a little shopping at Costco and then have been enjoying being home with Marty. Marty had to work at home today but I love being in our home with him even if he is working. Marty calms my soul. I know he will be an awesome dad.

Approved to Adopt and Communicate

2010-06-25T21:51:00.000-06:00

Today has been exciting! We attended our final adoption approval meeting and now our profile is active for birth parents to view. We are excited to meet the birth parents who are interested in us.

After our approval meeting, we found our new amatuer radio call signs online. Now we can communicate with other hams. Our call signs came just in time for Field Day tomorrow.

Yay Us!

HAM Anyone?

2010-06-20T15:41:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was the big day. Marty and I took the test to become Amateur Radio Operators. Marty has had an interest in becoming a Ham since he was in Boy Scouts. We have been to Ham Radio Outlet (HRO) more than once since we've been married. Marty has studied the materials several times but life was often times too busy. Well, a few months ago I received an e-mail from a guy at work about an upcoming event where he would be at a booth sharing information about amateur radio. I did not know this guy (he works at a different facility). He sent out this e-mail to every employee across all facilities. I immediately forwarded his e-mail to Marty.

The Ham spark was reignited. Marty picked up the manual a few days later. A few weeks later, a representative from our stake came to church to find out if there was any interest in Ham classes. We raised our hands. We studied at home. Ham classes were offered and we went. Marty studied. Marty studied. Marty studied. Marty studied. Marty studied. Marty studied. Marty studied. Did I say Marty studied? (Marty still thought he wasn't going to pass.)

Testing day came. Of course, Marty was scared. But we were prepared. There were two test times offered at two different locations: 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM. We decided to take the test at 9:00 AM (Just in case Marty's test anxiety won and he needed to retest). We arrived, took the test and waited for scores. It is a 35 question test; you need to answer 26 questions correctly to pass (you can miss 9).

While Marty's test was being scored, he told me he was pretty sure he missed at least 7. NOT TRUE. We both passed our test with identical scores of 33. In fact, the test examiners asked if we wanted to take the exam for the next level. We chose to study and then take the next level another day.

Now, we just have to wait for our call sign and then I think it will be difficult to get Marty to stop talking.

Oh, what a tangled web we weave...Mommy training 101

2010-06-17T21:34:00.000-06:00

Miriam here. Over the weekend, we went to the Estes Park Wool Festival. It was so much fun. Yes, it was muddy but the llamas, alpacas, goats and sheep were cute and fun to talk to. While we were there I bought some wonderful hand spun and dyed yarns from a seller from Texas. She had some of the most beautiful color combinations. I'm a sucker for variegated yarn. Marty insisted that I buy at least two hanks of yarn. I suggested that he pick out one color he liked and I would pick one color I like. Then, he changed the rules, he picked out one hank and I picked out two. I chose my yarn quickly before Marty added more yarn to buy. Marty asked me if the hank he picked out would make a hat and I said it would.

So on Tuesday night I decided I am going to start on a new knit hat for Marty. I was looking for a hat pattern on Knitting Pattern Central. As I'm looking at patterns, I think to myself that I can not choose a pattern if I don't know the gauge(# of stitches/ inch) for the yarn. Handspun yarns don't come with gauge suggestions.

It's about 9:30 PM and I decide I need to wind the hank into skeins so that I can gauge the yarn. This should be a simple process. It should only take about 5 - 10 minutes. I grab the hank and unwind it so that it looks like a large circle of yarn. While holding the yarn open in both hands, I announce to Marty I could really use a yarn swift to hold the yarn open while I wind the yarn on my yarn ball winder. BUT, I think I can wind the yarn without tangling it. I'll just lay it neatly on the floor and it will be OK.

Well....It wasn't so OK. I believe it took about 2 seconds into the winding to have the largest knot I have ever seen. I now find the other end of the yarn and start to untangle it. At about 10:30, Marty says let's go to bed. I suggest he go without me. I tell him I'll be back shortly. I really did think there would be one magic knot I would undo and the whole thing would be fixed.

Apparently, it took me until 1:45 AM to undo the knot. In that time period Marty went to bed and got up to check on me, kindly suggested I finish the next day and returned to bed. He was very supportive; despite the fact that I was driving him crazy by starting a new project so close to bedtime and not letting it go.

While I was untangling and winding I had many random thoughts (as I normally do) but one thought stood out in my mind: 'It's been a long time since I've been up this late. Although I'm tired, I'm still awake enough to concentrate on the task at hand. Hey, maybe I'll call this Mommy Training. I will be able to get up and take care of our children.'

I made the announcement on the old blog

2010-06-15T10:07:00.000-06:00

I have made it official on the old blog/website that we are updating the site to be a full all - in - one site with links, pictures, blogs, and other great options. Miriam has worked for many hours to get this up and going and is in the final steps of pre-production. I have seen the site and I cannot wait for it to go live the new site looks so cool.

New website

2010-06-10T10:41:00.000-06:00

Good news the ourmissingleaves.com site is soon to be different. It is in the process of being re-designed to make it more informative and interesting. In doing the change we will be moving the blog part of the site to blogger.com and use their interface. This will open up many good changes, like others being able to read, post, and comment on our blog. Please keep checking back for the changes and our first real big announcement about our adoption.