Birth Announcement

So I was dinkin' around with photo shop and this is where I am... Now where to print 'em?

Family Pictures!

I read r house.

I read it because mrs. r totally gets it.

A r house quote to live by:

Everywhere in nature we are taught the lessons of patience and waiting. We want things a long time before we get them, and the fact that we want them a long time makes them all the more precious when they come.

Addilynn Ann's Adoption Story {part I}

So as some of you may have heard... We started our trip to go adopt our daughter on Saturday, January 9th.

The pictures should tell the story. My words just kinda fill in the blanks.

Enjoy! We certainly are!

{Us on the first leg from Idaho Falls to Salt Lake. Then from Salt Lake to Seattle, and then on to Fairbanks, Alaska!}

We got the weirdest looks from people in the airport. We nearly gave one lady a heart attack because she thought we were suffocating our baby... No, just trying to keep it clean folks.

Brittani met us at the airport and helped us find our host family's home. She came over the next day and went through all her baby clothes with me. Too fun!

This baby is going to be too cute! {just like her Brittani.}

Monday Morning: January 11th, 2010

We got a text saying that Britt had been in pain most of the night and was going in to get checked out. She may or may not be in labor...

It turns out she is! But not enough to be admitted. Time to walk the halls and hope we get to stay!

And we do. And we wait. They say maybe 12-24 hours.

At this point she had been in early labor for about 14 hours. {12pm}

We waited and waited but Brittani dilated pretty quickly, almost a whole centimeter per hour. But no water break!

No pictures during labor and delivery... Can you blame us???

Brittani's water finally broke after she hit 9 cm.

Soon after the pushing began and the lowered down the baby table.

Brittani pushed for about 45 minutes. Each time getting closer. The whole time I was worried about Brittani but she was so strong! She went the whole 21 hours without an Epidural. Sure it hurt, but she is so strong. {My job during all this was fanning her and keeping her cool, what can I say, I am a huge FAN of our Birth mom}

Finally...

Addilynn Ann

was born.

Addilynn Ann

1.11.10

8:31 pm

6 lbs. 10 oz.

21 1/2 inches long

I couldn't believe that the Lord had finally granted me this most prayed for blessing. There she was right in front of me and I still felt like I was dreaming.

Holding my little Addi in my arms though was exactly the "eventually" I had been waiting for all of these years. She is perfect.

After getting to hold that sweet little miracle, I took her over to our Brittani. She did such an amazing job.

Then I took her to her daddy.

He couldn't have been more happy.

Daddy loves his Addi

We got to follow Addilynn to the nursery to watch her get cleaned up and we even got to give her very first bath.

Addi's temperature getting stabilized

Lots of dark pretty hair!

Getting checked out by the doc. I love how sweet and new she is.

After being checked out we went back to Brittani's room and visited, but then returned Addi for the night. She was breathing a little fast and they wanted to keep close eye on her for the night.

The Fairbanks Memorial Hospital was SOOO Adoption Friendly. The put us in an spare room and let us stay for free. They also had the most awesome nurses to take care of Brittani and Addi.

I woke up at around 2:30 so I could go feed her. It was neat to have my first little one on one time with her. I sang her "you are my sunshine". That was the song my mommy use to sang to me.

Addi had some stomach issues and had to get her tummy pumped out. She has a bit of a sensitive stomach and has to have the sensitive formula, but she is doing good now!

January 12, 2010

We hung out in the hospital the next day and visited

We are staying with the Hull's while we are here in AK.

Sister Hull came to visit and say hello to Brittani & Addi, along Amanda, Deanne, Melanie, and other family.

Addi makes the cutest faces. And she loves her binky.

Long and skinny!

I feel like Addi knows what's going on sometimes... Very smart little girl. She's a thinker that one.

Addi with Granny Teresa

Addi with Pappa Dennis

Our little family: Daren, Addi, Brittani, Shannon

Addi's 2nd night. I loved being able to sleep beside her.

January 13th, 2010: Placement Day

We woke up and got little miss Addilynn all ready. After getting checked out and everything we took her to hang out with her birth family and let them have some time to themselves.

Placement day is kind of a beautiful, scary, tragic, miracle.

{way to many emotions in one day to describe}

While Addi went to hang out we went to work on placement papers.

It was a little baffling at all of the papers we had to sign.

This was the beginning of all of the legal aspects of bringing Addi into our family. Hopefully it is fast and pain free!

Addi with her most wonderful Birth Family

Addi with her way exhausted but incredibly happy parents

Miracles Happen. Need I say more?

Adoption:

a-dop-tion/ (uh-dop-shuhn)/noun.

Adored and loved by both of my families.

Brittani signed, placed, and forever entrusted us with this little {huge} piece of her heart.

She is so awesome and we love her so much!

We took our little Addilynn home to the Hull's house. She really likes her car seat.

We came home, we all had supper and we are still kind of just in awe in all of the miracles that occurred over the past few days. Everything went perfectly. Heavenly Father is definitely in the details.

We are so in love with our little Addilynn Ann!

We're here!

We are here! Everything went perfectly travel wise. We met our Brittani at the airport! As soon as I saw her I just had to run and give her a huge hug! She is just so cute and has this adorable little basketball tummy. We were so excited to meet her it was almost a whole moment later that under our hug there was our little girl! Daren and I both said, "holy cow! That's the baby!" There were lots of giggles and smiles. It was kind of weird because it went exactly how I had hoped and imagined it. We got our rental car (and a super sweet upgrade) and followed Brittani to our host family's house. The Hull's are absolutely the nicest people! They have a really nice house and have been nothing but wonderful! We are going to bed with sore cheeks tonight because we are smiling so much!!!

The clock is ticking...

The clock is ticking...

It is late...

And I am awake.

Everyone says:

"Get sleep while you can!"

What if I can't?

What if I can't stop thinking about this profound little miracle that is about to change our lives forever?

What if I can't stop thinking about our sweet baby's amazing mother?

What if I can't stop thinking about the struggles and the trials and the bitter-sweet blessings adoption brings from all angles?

What if I can't stop thinking about all the little things I have to do this week?

{grades, laundry, lesson plans, parent teacher conferences, putting away christmas, packing for the baby, packing for the husband, packing for me, cleaning, finding a house sitter, meeting with my long term sub, finding our housing in alaska, finishing some shopping, and going on the last date we will ever go on with out having to pay a babysitter while still in our twenties...}

What if I can't stop thinking about what to pack?

Did I pack to much?

Did I pack enough?

What does she need the most?

What can I live without?

What if I can't stop thinking about the airplane ride?

Will they loose our luggage? {We change planes twice.}

What if I can't stop thinking about meeting them.

Our baby's birthmom.

Her parents.

Her siblings.

Our miracle(s).

{Yes there is an (s) because I feel their love for the mother of our child and I am oh so grateful for that.}

The clock is ticking and I feel like it is running fast.

Everything happens eventually.

And eventuallies are coming faster and faster all of the time.

Eventually I will have to have parent teacher conferences ( 2 days)

Eventually I will say good-bye to my students for a few months ( 3 days)

Eventually we will get on that plane to Alaska (4 days)

Eventually we will meet that Angel of ours (4, maybe 5 days)

Eventually that baby of ours will be due (9 days)

Eventually we will hold that baby in our arms ( less than 10 days for sure!)

Have I told you lately that Eventually is my favorite word?