Breakfast with Santa

Saturday December 12, 2009

First let me say thank you to my sweetie. He bought me a new camera. Mine has fallen down or been dropped one too many times by my little budding photographer. After trying to tape it together it just wouldn't do...so A better camera with a zoom lens hooray it's picture time again. Thank you Bri!!!

Our annual tradition Breakfast with Santa. Years ago in my subscription to Victoria magazine I read articles about visiting a beautiful hotel, decorated with lights, beautiful trees with twinking lights, gingerbread houses, tea parties, little girls in holiday taffetta dresses, little boys with velvet jackets, and visiting Santa. That was my dream. I started to think that dream would only be literally in my dreams or when I escaped to my magazine. I feel humbled and blessed that my dream FINALLY came true. As our little family I have made it the tradition to go to Breakfast with Santa. I don't want presents under the tree for Christmas I want memories to be made and experiences with my family. BAJAs first Christmas I called so ridiculously early for the reservation I was asked to call back a bit later. Finally I was able to make the reservation and it's been our tradition. For yet another year it is my dream come true to get dressed up and take my little one to see Santa and enjoy time with my family.

This year BAJA is a little man 4 year old. He is such a little gentleman. He wants to open the door for me as well as feels like he needs his mama so he wants to be held and give a hug. He had a velvet coat, argyle sweater, tie and matching argyle socks. LOVE IT!! He was so good. He wanted special mac & cheese and pancake and chocolate milk. My parents joined us again this year with Tanner or as BAJA calls him "Tan Tan". My brother Michael and sister Stephanie joined us with baby Madison although she's getting to be such a big girl I can't really call her a baby for much longer.

Santa visits us at our table and then we can join him by the fireplace for a picture. When Santa visited our table BAJA became "star struck" he got very quiet and just starred in aw!!. BAJA told him he wanted a Polar Express train. He got one last year but he has consistently told me for the past 3 weeks that he would tell Santa he wants a Polar Express train. Hmmmwhat to do? I am not sure Santa has found one yet despite all the fun things we have for him.

After breakfast we wandered the corridors to see the gingerbread houses. So many beautiful creations. BAJA was very curious about the chimneys...he has been asking about chimneys after learning Santa comes down the chimney.

BAJA knows the true meaning of Christmas. He gathers the "baby Jesus' from the various nativity sets and wants to hold all "the sweet baby Jesus" in the house. He also uses the Nativity sets to perform a "play" about Jesus. I love his sweet testimony!

My heart is also very full. I am humbled to think of this time of year and the birth of our Savior and the true meaning of Christmas. I am humbled and anticipating the birth of our little boy in just 5 weeks. I am humbled that an angel birthmom is bringing him to our family. BAJA told me he didn't need to ask for a baby because he's already coming. Baby C is living with Heavenly Father for a little longer and will come after Christmas. My joy!!

Thanksgiving Eve

Wednesday November 25, 2009

BAJA woke up this morning and declared it was Thanksgiving Eve. He is excited to celebrate with a Thankful Feast. For school, they celebrated with a feast as well. I love that he made his Pilgrim hat at school. He was very proud of himself for cutting out the gray rectangle, yellow square, and small grey square to make his hat. Super cute!

We had a good family home evening this week too talking about prayer, our blessings, and for what we are thankful. He has really learned SO much. I can't believe how big he seems after a few months of school. He seemed taller to me on Sunday then...Monday helping him get ready for school, I noticed that his pants were loose and sagging. He grew again. I should have known he was eating a lot and then stopped wanting as many snacks. I am so pleased with the progress he is making at home and school.

Happy National Adoption Day

November 21, 2009

Happy National Adoption Day...November is also National Adoption Month. I am FOREVER grateful to amazing birthfamilies who are the angels to carry my children safely to our family. Motherhood is something I thought would NEVER happen for me...then slowly we were given the confirmation that this was the way for us to build our family. Oh how I love love love adoption!! It certainly is not an easy road but....there are still happy endings.

Nia Vardalos is speaking out about adoption. I knew I always liked her. After watching her film Brian would always joke with me that we had a big fat German wedding because he had to get used to our family. Of course now 15 years later he loves our family...Anyway...I LOVE the message she brings to adoption!

Thank you to birthfamilies!!

Mr. Assistant

Brian decided we needed some night light down the stairs so he installed some tube light. BAJA was so intereseted in helping Daddy. So he was named "MR. Assistant". He was a great helper and I loved seeing him work with Brian on a project. My curious amazing little boy!!

 
 

JrK Devotional at School

Friday November 20, 2009

Every Friday BAJAs school holds devotional. An opening song, prayer. meditation and scripture. Each class is given an opportunity to present in devotional. Today was junior K's turn. BAJA lined up SO nicely. We've been working with him on folowing directions, listening to his teachers. We were SO pleased today.

He recited the poem and with actions!! (that has not been a pattern previously with him). Then he sang the song and smiled! What a cutie! HE also noticed that we were watching in the back. Then as parents we were given an opportunity to come closer and take a picture. He smiled. He knew we expected a lot from him and the cutie that he is...he delivered! Bri told me after that is was a "Happy Meal Day" BAJA will be SO excited!!

So grateful that he has an opportunity to attend a school that is consistent with our values and desires for him to learn respect, manners, and an appreciation for literature and the arts.
Truly Thankful!!

Sorry I only have a point and shoot camera. It's been dropped a few times and then BAJA played with it this week and unfortunately it is now BROKEN so I taped it up this morning trying to make it work...that's the story of the horrible lighting. Alas....Sigh!
 

Adoption Walk 2009

November 7, 2009

Today we celebrated adoption with the 4th Annual Adoption Walk with Me at Liberty Park sponsored by Families Supporting Adoption Salt Lake Chapter. Much of the work by Ali FSA member and national member extraordinaire. What a beautiful fall day to celebrate adoption. I was even interviewed by Channel 2 news :) We've dubbed orange as the adoption color as orange for "Orange You Glad for Adoption" hee hee. So that's why every year I find an orange shirt for BAJA and we dig out the big orange shirts. Who knew a 10 year old find at the Ralph Lauren outlet would help us with adoption?? (but seriously I need to find a new orange shirt this is HUGE)

It was fun to celebrate adoption with so many of our friends who have been blessed by adoption. We were so privileged to celebrate with Ashlee BAJA's birthmom and her husband Joe. We think it's so great that Joe supports Ashlee. We made it around the park once. At the start of the walk BAJA wanted to hold our hands then he said, "I want to hold Ashlee's" I think it's beautiful that he knows Ashlee helped bring him to our family. he holds our hands forever and Ashlee's for a time. Gives me chills!! I will forever be grateful to Ashlee for her sacrifice. It is amazing and a true miracle that she chose us!!!

Good Morning Mr. Washington

November 6, 2009
Today was a very important day at BAJAs school. Mr. Washington (the actor Karl Kloss) visited the school to help the children with their history lessons on the importance of the American Revolution. I attended the morning devotional my first so super cute. BAJA sang and sat so quietly. Wow now how can I get that to happen at home? Just kidding we play at home that's why.

I couldn't help but sing the childhood song when I called Brian to tell him..."Wheeeeen Washington was President a long long time ago!!" (join in please if you know it hee hee)

Then the children lined up outside in the parking lot and waited for Mr. Washington to arrive on HORSEBACK!! He arrived in full costume. Seriously! I was so excited. What a great school. I love our country, I am patriotic! Sweet. BAJA didn't notice me he was worried about staying in line staying with his class. I watched him sigh!

After I took pictures of Mr. Washington he noticed me. I asked if I could take another picture sure only if you are with me. Sweet!! So here I am. I showed Mr. Washington his autobiography a la children's book I purchased years ago when Brian and I visited Washington DC. It's a serious of children's board books. Mr. Washington appreciated how I am teaching BAJA his history.
Then I went inside to peek through BAJAs classroom windows. Oh dear! Yes I am a hovering mother but really he's my only child. My one and only BAJA!

With the difficult week I've had regarding our infertility I was struck by a letter the school sent home about George Washington. The scholar Dr. Lillback paints a picture of a man, George Wahington who faced with unprecedented challenges and circumstsances, ultimately drew upon his persistent qualitites of character-honesty, justices, equity, PERSEVERANCE, piety, FORGIVENESS, humility and servant leadership....Without Washington's leadeship and unrelenting perseverance the revolution almost certainly would have failed"
I think about how I hope to become who God would have me to be. If that means that he wants me to exercise my faith in Him, my perseverance then certainly I can rise to my challenges and patiently bear my afflictions so that I can stand before the Lord and feel that I have fought a good fight in this mortality.