Christmas 2009

We had a wonderful Christmas this year. Brandon is old enough to remember what it was like last year and was so excited. As soon as he got up Christmas Eve morning he was ready to go to Grandma's and Papa's house (my sister said the same thing about Jayden). This picture is from a week before Christmas.

We get together at my parents house on Christmas Eve, eat tons of food and then and have the grandkids reinact the nativity story. Brandon is a shepherd this year. He has 7 boy cousins so they have to take turns being Joseph (he was last Joseph last year). After that it's PRESENT time!!!!!
Well the computer wont let me post any more pictures. I will try later. Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and hope you all have a wonderful new year.

Halloween '09

This is our young caped crusader "Batman". He enjoyes "trunk or treating" and sliding on his knees at the ward "trunk or treat". I just love this picture.

Our Story...

I love the story that Jamie Lee Curtis wrote about her adoptive children. I decided to make one for Brandon complete with picures..

Tell me again about the day I was born...
Tell me again how you had just come home from church when you got the phone call that I was born.
Tell me again how excited you were that you were going to be my parents.
Tell me again how you couldn't get ahold of Daddy to let him know I was coming home (because he was in Iraq).
Tell me again how you called Grandma and Papa to let them know I was born.
Tell me again how excited they were to "help" you get me.
Tell me again how Daddy finally got a hold of you at the airport and then found out that I was born.
Tell me again how excited Daddy was to hear the news.
Tell me again how you couldn't grow a baby in your tummy, so another woman (who couldn't take care of a baby), would be my birth mom and you would be my mommy and daddy.
Tell me again about the first time you held me in your arms, of how you cried happy tears.
Tell me again about staying at the motel for a couple of days before we could go home.
Tell me again about my first bath and how I was not very impressed.
Tell me again how I got to fly home in an airplane at four days old and everyone thought I was such a handsome boy.
Tell me again how I met Daddy at the airport for the first time.
Tell me again about the day I was sealed to you and Daddy for ever and ever!
Tell me again how much you love me.

(We Love you Brandon!)

Our Joy - Brandon

Brandon is five years old and is our absolute joy! I received a phone call eleven days before he was born letting us know that we had been chosen to be the parents of this darling boy. My friends immediately took me shopping excited over the news of a little baby coming soon.

He was due March 6th but decided it was time to meet us a little earlier. I was living in Washington State and my husband was in Iraq with the US Army (he is now retired). After receiving the phone call that he had been born I called American Red Cross hoping that they would get a message to my husband that he was now a daddy. I then called my parents (who live in Utah) to see if they wanted to fly to CA and met their newest grandson. The reply was YES!!!! We had to get a flight out on a holiday weekend the very next day to get him. I was so scared, I was finally going to be a mommy. I will never forget holding my son for the very first time.

Rich called then next day as I was checking in at the airport, I told him (assuming he got my message that I didn't have time to talk as I was at the counter check in). He called again as I was going through security (no time to talk). After I had finally sat down waiting for the plane Rich called me again, he had no idea why I was at the airport so I was able to tell him in "person" that he was going to be a daddy (the people sitting close by starting smiling and telling me congratulations). He started crying we were so happy (he came home two weeks later).

Eight months later we were able to take Brandon to the Salt Lake Temple and be sealed together as a family. During the sealing Brandon held on to his daddy's finger as if he knew exactly what was going on.

Right now Brandon is in kindergarten and loves it. Brandon loves swimming and ice skating. We love going to hockey games, because Brandon fell in love with it. At our first game in DC during the intermission they had little kids come out and play hockey and he just thought that was the greatest thing ever. He also loves to swim, this kid loves water! He loves to do other things to like ride his bike or drive his car. He received several dump trucks and toys that he can play with out side and wants to go out and make "bug homes" for the worms. lol. He loves to go the the museums and see the dinosaurs, play with his cars, soccer with the dog and just do what little boys do.

Dinosaur museum

Swimming

Ice skating

Climbing rocks (Mt Vernon).



Driving his car.

Riding his "Spiderman" bike.

A little about MaryJo

Okay so I get to talk about MaryJo now. She has a new part time job (working in a library) while Brandon is at school. Her boss knows that we are trying to adopt another baby and that she will quit when we get a new little baby. Every morning they have breakfast together before she goes to work and him off to school. She is a wonderful mom! She’s one of a kind. She has more patience than I thought possible. Brandon absolutely loves his “momma”. I tell people all the time that Brandon is the way he is because of his mom. He’s five, but has said “please” and “thank you” since he could talk. He loves to say prayer whether it’s dinner or bedtime and blesses everyone (sometimes even the food). She likes our house neat and clean, but doesn’t fuss if it isn’t perfect. She’s a good teacher, a little shy, but a great mom!

MaryJo loves to draw, paint, cross stitch, work on the scrap book and garden. I went through all the pictures and I couldn't find one of any of her cross stiching. I think I may have to take a couple of pictures and add them later.



All three of us love to ride our bikes, swim, ice skate and roller skate together. This summer we are going to go camping together. Some of her favorite things are baking (lucky for me!), gardening, and amusement parks. She also likes to read-I mean really likes to read and Branodn is following in her foot steps. Our house is full of books; her books and his books (for someone who is only five, he has a lot of books too!).

MaryJo has an Associate of Science Degree in General Education and has worked for an Amusement Park, Community College Library (that’s where we met) and Distance Education. She has worked for several retail stores and even an animal vet hospital.

Holding Brandon for the first time.

Brandon is about 8 months old and just having fun with his mommy.

MaryJo took him to Mommy and Me classes so that he would not be afraid of water and now we can't get him out of the water when class is over.

Trying to rollerskate with Brandon....

Sitting on the desk that MaryJo's Grandpa made for her when she was a little girl.

Getting to know Rich

I thought I would talk a little bit about each of us so I thought I would start with Rich.

Rich had just finished serving, seven years in an elite military unit when we met at the college where I worked. I quickly learned he is outgoing, helpful and friendly. If anyone needed help getting a car started, if they slid off a slick road, or if my mom just needed someone to chop onions for clam chowder, he was right there to do the job. He shoveled snow from my grandmother’s driveway and sidewalks without letting her know he was the one keeping them clear for her. He comes from a large family and family is important to him. He notices when someone feels left out or needs a little help.

Rich likes to hike, bicycle, fish, swim (he even took a diving class), camp, repair cars, trucks and cook. He’s very much an outdoors person, though he does like movies and live theater.

Rich is going to school right now for his welding degree he plans on getting his degree in 2010. He always seems to be taking classes; sometimes just for fun classes, like photography, dog obedience (for our dog), welding or diving. Some of his classes are career advancement classes such as computer courses and leadership skills. He worked for the United States Government (Army) so he has had frequent opportunities to travel and learn.

Rich is a great dad. He and Brandon love to go to the park together, ride their bikes or just go to a movie. They love spending time together and just doing "guy" things.

Feeding Brandon his bottle

Rich making sure Brandon doesn't fall off the horse.

My two trouble makers with the original trouble makers - Chip and Dale.


Learning to roller skate in New Mexico while visiting Grandma.


Racing in Moab to look at the Arches.

Our Engagement

Rich and I met 16 years ago last December. It only took a couple of dates and I was hooked. By Valentines day everyone was expecting an engagement ring (I got one a couple of weeks later). We were married at the end of May on a beautiful spring day.