Happy (Family, Crafting) Thanksgiving Day!

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

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

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!

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

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...

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

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

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

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...

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

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?

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

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

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

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.