Massachusetts Fall...

This Fall seemed to be shorter than last year. The colors didn't stick around as long and then we had the terrible storm on Halloween. For our family though, we had two straight weeks of visitors and it was delightful!

Grandma came for a visit to spend some time with us. I didn't take any pictures but we had a great time! One day we went to Salem-it was so fun around Halloween. We loved visiting The House of Seven Gables. We spent time in Boston and visited the Boston Children's Museum-which Bella adores-and then we visited the northern part of the Freedom Trail.

We visited the Emily Dickinson museum and enjoyed the opportunity to be together.

The following week, my sisters, Emily and Kristina, and my niece, Leah, came to visit for a few days. We mostly hung out in the Pioneer Valley, but we did take a quick trip to Plymouth.

The Rock...
Governor Bradford's grave marker. We are his 10th great-grandchildren.

The Mayflower-which I thought was very well done by the Plimouth Plantation people. We also ate the most divine clam chowder I think I've ever had.

Emily and Kristina also helped me with a few sewing projects. I needed their help with a couple of blankets I had pieced together, as well as my first attempt at sewing something besides a blanket...Bella's Tinkerbell costume.

I'm so dang proud of myself for having the ability to sew the costume, but I cursed it everyday. Will I do it again? Probably-it was so satisfying when I finally finished it. It was all for naught; however, the "Halloween Storm" started on Saturday and knocked tons of trees down. We went to the ward party for an hour or so and then hurried home in the terrible storm. By 9 pm we were out of power and it didn't come back until Thursday around 7 pm (we were one family of 300-500,000 homes/businesses). Halloween was cancelled and, in the end, I spent weeks on that silly costume so that she could wear it for a couple of hours.

I think I have been traumatized by the event. Thanks to a very kind family in our ward and the Smith College Athletic Department, we had warm places to sleep and take showers after Monday, but it was terrible!

The view out of our front door.

Playing Saturday afternoon-while we still had heat/power/water etc.

Bella was given this cute dress and the cowgirl boots from a family in the ward. She calls them her "doots" and she loves them!

Lovey, Love, Love!!

Summertime cont.

What else did we do this summer???

We drank milk in the playhouse!

Rode our bike that is a teeny bit frustrating because she desperately wants to touch the pedals!

We ALWAYS wore our sunglasses. They were integral to every outing.

Mom made her first pieced quilt that she put together all by herself...um, with a lot of help from Aunt Emily and Aunt Krissy.

We played and played!

Beach Vacay and Birthday

For Bella's Birthday/ Shawn's family get together we went to New Jersey! We stayed in a beautiful beach house with very fun people-and of course-our family. We swam and swam.

We went to Seaside and were treated to some great boardwalk rides and food!

Bella had her first experience on a carousel and yelled "Yehaw! Yehaw!" as loud as she could. She screamed and laughed and as it slowed down she yelled, "No!" "No!" "No!"

I attempted a monkey cake for a little girl who loves monkeys! Especially books about monkeys jumping on the bed! She was spoiled rotten with very fun gifts and we had a fantastic trip!

Utah

We spent a little time in Utah this summer and tried to drink in family time. We were so happy to be there for a little while!


Could Bella be a cowgirl?



Loving Grandpa Ron and Grandma Kris.

Salem Pond with all of the cousins. It was somewhat inpromptu and so much fun!

We love and miss them soooo much!

I'm Just So Grateful... (This was written on Mother's Day-but didn't post)

Today I am just so grateful I get to be a mother. I know what it is like to really have a hard time on Mother's Day-I have been in the trenches-but today I am going to soak up the joy and the gift of it all. This particular part of my life is evidence of God's miracles-I don't deserve her, but I'll take her and love her!





Bella's schedule has been altered for the past four days and she is "a donkey on the edge" in a lot of ways. We made it through the first hour and some of church but there was a great meltdown in nursery. To save everyone from emotional trauma (Bella and her nursery leaders) I picked her up and she came with me to Relief Society. Within minutes, she was snuggled in to me, wrapped in her favorite blanky, and snoring loudly. She never falls asleep in my arms and so, today, that was the greatest gift I could have ever received. I drank in the opportunity to have her in my arms.





Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Easter!!

A Breath of Fresh Air

Tonight I was taking the trash out when I cautiously took a breath. I realized that it didn't bite or sting my lungs, so I tried it again, taking a deeper breath. The air was not cold at all and I smelled dirt. I thought, Yes! We've made it! We have made it to Spring! As I returned to the house, I realized that thought not only expressed my feelings about nature, but also my feelings about this journey we are experiencing in beautiful Massachusetts.

This adventure has been driven by faith that the Lord would provide. We have lived in constant cyclical unknowns since we have been here-when one thing gets figured out, another goes uncertain. But through it all, we have indeed been provided for. We have made it! Today we know how we are going to pay for next year's tuition, our summer's rent, where Shawn will coach next year, and, most importantly, how we are going to pay for another adoption. This stress ball that has been tightly wound around our little home is beginning to loosen as unknowns become knowns. We feel so very blessed.

I cannot begin to recap the last few months, but I will share some pictures and a promise that I won't let it go this long again!

Bella and I were blessed to go home to Utah for a week in December and then we came home to Grandma and G-daddy staying at our house through Christmas.

The end of December began a several week long slam by mother nature who buried us in snow and ice. I have not fallen on the ice as many times in my whole life as I have this winter. I have not pushed stuck cars as many times in my whole life as I have this winter-including ours-several times. I have never felt defeated by snow, but this year, I respect its presence and can't wait for it to all just go away!

Hello Spring. We are ready for you!