Hungry Puppy

This afternoon Eliza went through my cupboard and pulled out a whole bunch of tupperware bowls and stuff. She found a pet food bowl and announced, "Mommy! This bowl is for doggies!"

Can you tell from this picture that Eliza got a haircut yesterday?

Pool Party

Yesterday we went to Toys R Us and bought a pool for the kids to swim in this summer. We had to try it out right away. The girls had a blast splashing Daddy! When Sadie started shaking and quivering we knew it was time to get out. She still didn't come out willingly. In the house she kept crying for the bath and pointing towards the front door. She fought David when he took her swimming suit off. She held onto her swimming suit until I took it away so she could take a real bath. During her bath she spotted her swimsuit hanging up to dry on the doorknob and she stood up and tried to get to it. I had to hide it from her.

This afternoon when we got home from Church, Sadie went straight to the front door and said, "I want to go bath." I pointed to the bathroom door and asked her if she wanted to take a bath. She shook her head no and declared, "no, bath outside," and pointed to the front door. I explained that we can not play in the pool on Sunday but tomorrow we would play in the pool. She then continued to repeat, "pool, Mommy." A few minutes later she saw Daddy's swim trunks. She pointed to them and said, "suit, suit." She then found some toy keys. She took then took them to the front door to use them to try to open it. She cried, "Sadie go swimaning in pool."

Happy 400th Anniversay Richmond, Virginia!!

Friday evening the City of Richmond had a free event to commemorate the city's 400 year anniversary. The city of Richmond was first settled in 1607 when 120 men from Jamestown set sail down the James River and decided to land in Richmond. David and I took the girls out to the event to see the historical replicas of the boats that these early American settlers traveled on. David has a nice slide show about it on his blog. It was stunning to see how small the ships were! They traveled clear across the Atlantic Ocean! Its a miracle they made it. Its obvious that God directed these boats because He wanted to begin building the great nation that would soon be the United States of America.

While standing on of these small boats, it was easy to see how someone could fall off. I was reminded on my own ancestor, John Howland, who fell off the Mayflower in 1620. Hold on to your chairs folks...Here is a short documentary depicting the traumatic event:

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I had four ancestors on the Mayflower, which I think is awesome. John Howland and his wife Elizabeth Tilly have many famous descendants, including the first president of The Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Joseph Smith. Also included are Presidents Bush and President Franklin Roosevelt. Both of Teddy Roosevelt's wives were also descendants.

My girls at play

Today when I went into Sadie's room after her nap, she was talking up a storm. It was really cute. I went and grabbed the camera. This is what we discussed when I returned to her room:

Earlier this week Eliza asked me to build her a castle. I made her a fort with the couch cushions and a blanket. She climbed into it and then started asking me if I wanted a "hammermer" (hamburger). I said, "yes," and she replied. "Coming right up." She turned around and cooked. I have NO IDEA where she learned to say, "Coming right up!" She just absorbs everything!

And then there was four...

I also wanted to mention our little Sadie too. I wondered often about whether or not we would ever have more kids. I hoped very much that Eliza wouldn't be an only child. Well, I didn't have to wonder long... When Eliza was six months old I found out that I was 6.5 weeks pregnant. When Eliza was 14 months old, our little Sadie was born. They adore each other. I am so happy these sisters have one another and David and I are delighted we have both of them!

I didn't particularly enjoy being sick but I am glad I had the chance to experience carrying a baby. The ultrasounds and feeling the baby move was fun. I had an amazing epidural and I didn't feel anything. So, post-epidural I really enjoyed having the baby. It was easy for me to push her out, I didn't even break a sweat, literally. I actually look forward to giving birth again, but I am not as anxious to feel 24 hour sickness.

The top photo is Newborn Sadie. The bottom photo is my sister, Molly's, son, Wyatt. Don't these cousins look similar as newborns?!

Miracle: Our Adopion Story

“If you get this baby it will be a miracle, but we believe in miracles.”

-Caseworker Kevin Broderick

I love adoptions stories. I always have, even before I adopted a baby. My husband, David, and I were blessed to have our daughter, Eliza Marie, come to our family through adoption. Since I love to hear how other families adopted, I thought I’d write our adoption story. I apologize that it is so long! Believe it or not, this is actually the concise version. The first short version that I wrote for this blog was a 7 page long Microsoft Word document. My journal entry about it is 16 typed pages.

David and I had been trying to have a baby for a little over a year. I never expected this would be something we’d struggle with. David and I prayed and fasted often for a child. We talked about how we would like to adopt if we continue to be unsuccessful with trying to conceive

In January of 2004, we were living in Merced, California. One evening after a Church program I began talking to Sister Black. She told me about a couple that she knows who adopted four kids. She told me that they got all four of their babies because someone they knew recommended them to birthmothers they knew. This really impressed me.

On my drive home from Church that night I thought about what Sis. Black told me. I committed then that I would get the word out that we would like to adopt. As soon as I returned home I told David about it. He thought it sounded great so he got started right away by calling his mom, Linda.

Unbeknownst to us, at this very same time, many miles away in Alaska, there was a young woman, Amanda, who had recently become pregnant. Her baby’s father had broken up their relationship and encouraged her to place the baby for adoption. She did not believe that was something she could do.

Six months later…

Its July 2004. David and I moved to Virginia. We lived with my parents for about one month while we waited to close on our new home. While there, we received a call one day from Linda. She told us that her sister, Donna has a friend who has a daughter who is pregnant and planning to place her baby for adoption. Donna told her about us and she is considering us. She had heard about how my sister placed a baby for adoption a year and a half before and she liked that we could relate to her side of it

I called LDS Family Services and made an appointment for David and I to meet with a case worker. Our caseworker was Kevin, which was neat because he had helped my sister, Melody, place her son for adoption. At our meeting with Kevin, we told him all about this birthmother that we heard about from David’s mom, who heard it from her sister, who heard it from the birthmother’s mother in Alaska. We told Kevin that she is considering placing the baby with us and that she wants to use LDS Family Services and we need to get signed up. Kevin warned us that he has heard stories like this Many times and it usually doesn’t evolve into anything.

Kevin instructed us to write Amanda a letter and send her some pictures of us. The baby was due the next month, so Kevin gave us a big stack of papers to fill out and we scheduled our next appointment. There is something Kevin said, that stood out to me enough that I remember his exact words:

“If you get this baby, it will be a miracle…. But we believe in miracles.”

Within a day or two we wrote Amanda a letter and sent some pictures to Donna to give to her. Writing that letter was SO HARD I felt like we were trying to sell ourselves. I wanted to be sensitive and compassionate and I was worried of saying the wrong thing that would eliminate us from consideration.

I constantly thought about this little baby. I had heard it was a girl and David and I would sit up in bed at night and talk about it almost every night. We stayed up late trying to pick a name. We knew it was a long shot that we would actually get her, but we couldn’t help daydreaming about it. One morning, David showed me a list he had made. He said that after I fell asleep he stayed up and listed all the girls names he could think of. Then he went through the list and crossed out all the names he didn’t like. He kept eliminating names until he was down to only ONE name, Eliza.

Well a couple of weeks went by since we sent Amanda our letter. We got a call one night from Linda saying that Amanda had narrowed it down to two couples and we were one of them. It was really great news that she had even considered us this much!

Then one afternoon we get a call from Linda…Amanda chose us! It was so hard to believe! I was elated! David was elated! Linda told us that Amanda wanted to know if we would let her choose the middle name. She wanted the baby to have the same middle name as her, Marie. We said, “SURE!!!” I wouldn’t have cared if she picked Helga for a middle name! I was so happy to be getting a baby! Marie worked out great anyway because we were going to name her Eliza Mary. Marie is French for Mary and it sounds better with Eliza anyway.

Amanda’s doctor scheduled an inducement. This baby was coming in 10 days and we were in the middle of moving into our new home. Kevin was coming in a couple of days to do our home study. David and I worked non-stop trying to get moved in and get our home presentable for Kevin. Kevin was great! The process of getting approved for adoption usually takes four to six months. Under the circumstances, Kevin made every effort to complete our home study and paper work ASAP.

I flew out to Alaska arriving on a Thursday morning. I met Amanda and her almost four year old daughter, Katie, her parents and her sister, Debbie that evening. They were all so great. I was so nervous to meet them. I am usually very friendly by nature and normally would have been very comfortable spending time with this nice family. But- under these circumstances, I was nervous and quiet. I worried that everything I said and did was going to be judged. I could do the wrong thing and Amanda wouldn’t want me to raise her child. I felt insecure and I knew I wasn’t being myself. I wanted them to see the happy, friendly, nice person that I am most of the time. They were great, however. Amanda invited me to go shopping with her and her sisters later that evening. Amanda picked out an outfit for Eliza to wear home from the hospital.

Amanda was gracious enough to invite me to see Eliza’s birth. It was hard to watch Amanda go through both the physical and emotional pain. I have always wanted to be a mother but I never pictured becoming one at the price of another woman’s suffering. Eliza was born just after noon on Friday, Aug. 13, 2004. I remember seeing her purpleish looking face for the first time and thinking that she was so beautiful. I actually didn’t expect to think that about a baby who had barely arrived. I genuinely thought Eliza was so beautiful the moment I saw her and not in a fake romantic, artsy way.

Amanda let myself and her family hang around for a little while but then she requested some time alone with the baby. I went out in the hall and went straight to the phone to call David and tell him the Great News, our daughter had arrived. I also called both Grandmas to tell them.

Shortly after that, Debbie and David, Amanda’s father came out into the hallway. They invited me to have lunch with them. During our meal at the Subway, Debbie told me about how Amanda got to this point and how we got picked. A few weeks later, Amanda also told me the story.

Amanda had been married and had Katie. She and her husband divorced and she moved in with her parents. She dated Art, and became pregnant with Eliza. Amanda’s parents encouraged her to place the baby for adoption. Amanda said there is no way she could do that. So she got an apartment of her own and moved out. It was pretty hard to make it completely on her own so she moved back in with her parents a few weeks later. Amanda REALLY wanted to keep Eliza but she just couldn’t. Art didn’t want to be responsible either. Amanda told me the main thing that changed her mind was thinking about the father situation. Katie’s father loves her, pays his child support and he takes her to his home for two weeks annually. Amanda was afraid that Art would not be a father at all. Then Eliza would see that Katie has a dad but she doesn’t. Amanda wanted to give Eliza a father, so she started to consider adoption.

Amanda grew up with a girl named Christy. Christy and her husband live in Utah and they were trying to adopt a baby. Amanda decided for sure to place her baby. She called Christy. Christy said that just the day before they had accepted a baby.

Then Amanda chose another couple from the files she had received from her case worker. She soon learned that they were no longer available. Amanda began to wonder if it was some kind-of sign that she should keep the baby because the first two couples she chose couldn’t take the baby.

She then picked another couple from the 200 internet profiles she viewed, Ben and Holly. Amanda liked that both Holly and I had a sister who placed for adoption. She said that Art came over and looked at the letter we emailed and the many online profiles as well. Both Art and Amanda had independently narrowed it down to David and I and Ben and Holly. Art said he liked us as his first choice and Ben and Holly as his second but Amanda could pick.

Amanda had a hard time choosing. Amanda wanted to be sure before telling the couple. In the car on the way to visit her case worker, Amanda told her mom that she had chosen Ben and Holly. If they were unavailable, then David and I would be second choice.

The case worker asked Amanda who she picked. Amanda told me:

“David and Terry just came out of my mouth. As soon as I said it, I knew that you were supposed to get this baby. My mom asked me if I was sure because I had told her Ben and Holly in the car. I was sure. I knew it was meant to be.”

We so much regret that David didn’t come with me to Alaska at that time. He had just started a new job with Petersburg City Schools and the week Eliza was born, he was required to be at an orientation. We felt stuck. He HAD to have this job to support our little family so he would have to miss this amazing event. We know now that David’s new boss was really nice and she may have helped him get out of the mandatory orientation under these unique circumstances. We wish he could have been there for the birth too.

I stayed in Alaska at Aunt Donna’s house for seven weeks waiting for the background checks and inter-state baby moving permissions. During that time, David did come visit us over Labor Day Weekend. He found that even though his time was so limited, I still hogged the baby. I couldn’t help it. From the time she was born, everyone told me I held her too much. I have never regretted that I did. I waited so long for her. I feared I may never have another baby so I wanted to hold her all the time.

During David’s visit, he was able to meet Amanda, Katie, and Debbie.

Amanda invited me to stay the night with her in her hospital room with the baby. It was great because I had the opportunity to talk to her for a few hours and get to know her. I was able to get up with Eliza during the night and take care of her.

The next day, when Eliza was 30 hours old, we prepared to leave the hospital. Amanda dressed Eliza and then strapped her into the car seat. Toni and Aunt Donna parked their cars on the hospital curb. Amanda kissed Eliza good-bye. She had tears running down her cheeks and she couldn’t really talk. I was crying, everyone was crying. It was so sad and intense. Debbie put her arm around Amanda and walked her to their van. I was so thrilled to be taking Eliza home but I felt guilty about it at the same time because it hurt Amanda so much. I clicked the car seat into the base. I wanted to sit in the back seat next to Eliza. I held onto the car seat and looked at her the whole way home.

The next day Amanda brought Art by the house to see Eliza. He was a little nervous and quiet, but kind and polite. Amanda told me later that Art remarked to her as they left that he thought I would be a good mom. It was nice to hear that.

The day after that, Amanda and her family went to Utah for a couple of weeks. When Amanda got back to town, she called me and invited me out to dinner. From there, we started to see each other almost everyday. I am so happy I had that time in Alaska with Amanda. I had five weeks to get to know her and her family. I found that Amanda’s family and the family I grew up in actually share a lot of things in common. Amanda and her family are part of my family now. We are very much connected.

It is so amazing to look back on these events and see how evident God's hand was in all of this. I know that God planned for Eliza to come to our family. It is awesome how He directed our actions and the actions of many others along the way to bless us so much.

Take a look at this adoption slide show too, please!!!

Papa's Obituary

My grandfather (Papa) died last week on Friday, May 18th. He is a terrific man. Most of his life he was really strong, a college football player and a really hard worker. It sad to think that at the end of his life he could no longer do much for himself at all. He couldn't even talk much. He was alert so he must have been so frustrated that his body wouldn't work well enough for him to communicate. I am thankful for the gospel of Jesus Christ that gives me the knowledge that Papa still lives. I am sure he is having a great time talking with loved ones past and getting back to work! Here is his obituary printed in the Deseret News.

Cecil Grant Ash
Cecil Grant Ash 1922 ~ 2007 Cecil Grant Ash died in Provo, Utah on May 18, 2007. He was born November 27, 1922, the eldest child of Cecil L. Ash and Alta May Bateman of Lehi, Utah. His sister Yvonne (Russell) Webb lives in Mesa, Arizona and his brother Donald B. (Elaine) Ash resides in Pleasant Grove, Utah. He was raised in Lehi where he graduated from Lehi High School. He first went to college in Logan on a football scholarship. He volunteered for the U.S. Army Air Force in 1942 and became a bombardier and gunnery officer in the crew of a B-24 bomber and flew combat missions for the 15th Air Force from Southern Italy. His airplane was shot down near Vienna, Austria in May 1944. He was taken prisoner by the Germans and was in their control until being liberated by General Patton in May 1945. He obtained a BS degree from BYU and an MS and PhD from the University of Wisconsin. Grant married Zola Rae Law in the Salt Lake Temple on Dec. 19, 1946. They were the parents of four children, Terry Kay (Billy) Moore, Spotsylvania, VA; Allyn (Rand) Smart, Hurricane, UT; Dayle G. (Karen) Ash, Colorado Springs, CO; and Cozanne (Raymond) Layton, Ankeny, IA. They have 18 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. Dr. Ash had an active career as a research scientist for the U.S. Army where his specialties were as an expert in chemical, biological and radiological warfare and in the analysis of environmental effects from engineering construction. He received numerous awards, honors and promotions. He started at Dugway Proving Grounds where he eventually became the Director of Research. He moved to Washington D.C. where he became the Director of Research for the Army Research and Development Command. Later he came back to Utah as the Chief Scientist for the Desert Test Center at Fort Douglas in Salt Lake City. Then he went back to Washington D.C. as Head of Environmental Research and Analysis for the Army Corps of Engineers. He was very active in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served as a teacher, Scout Master, Bishop, High Councilman, High Priest Group Leader, Temple Ordinance Worker in Washington D.C. and Provo Temples. He was also an active genealogist. Funeral Services will be held Sat., May 26, 2007 at 9:30 a.m. in the Stadium Chapel at 650 East Stadium Avenue in Provo, Utah. Viewing will be held at the same address on Fri., May 25, 2007 from 6 to 8 p.m. and Saturday morning from 8:30 to 9:15 a.m. Interment, Provo City Cemetery with Military Honors.

Baking Tip of the Day

This afternoon Eliza wanted to "cook cookies for Peepa (aka Grandpa) and Meema (aka Grammy and Grandma) and Papi (aka other Grandpa). She also suggested we make cookies for Daddy "cause Daddy likes cookies."

Because I want to encourage her sharing nature, we got started. I get very tired of the whole process by the end of a batch of cookies so I have learned to only make a half batch at a time. I was too far into the baking process to stop when I realized that I was out of vanilla extract. So I thought, "Maybe it won't be that noticeable that there is a little 1/2 tsp of vanilla missing." When the dough was mixed, I tasted it to be sure. I was optimistic before. That little half teaspoon of vanilla goes a long way for flavor and it was obviously missing. So, I turned to the internet for substitution ideas. It turns out that all I needed was to shave a vanilla bean and add that. Well, for all the bad luck, I am out of vanilla beans too. I finally found a site where someone said that in a pinch you can substitute maple syrup for vanilla extract. Well, I am in a pinch so the Hungry Jack went in.

The results: Yummy. I can tell the flavor of the cookies is better with vanilla than maple syrup but I am glad I added it. The syrup was better than none at all. So here is my baking tip of the day... try maple syrup in your cookies. You may be pleasantly surprised. I am glad I could help.

Ahhhh, Sundays

David and I have been trying hard to keep the girls behaved well enough to sit through Sacrament Meeting without too many visits to the hall. Today was actually better than most because we managed to stay in the meeting until the last speaker. But there is room for improvement, so this afternoon we focused Family Home Evening time on how we behave in Sacrament Meeting. We began the lesson by discussing how we are and how we are not to sit and talk, etc. in Sacrament Meeting. Then we "played" church so we could practice our skills.

In the picture where Eliza is wearing the red dress, she is waving her arm to lead the music in our "play church", which was completely her idea. She must have really enjoyed it because she kept asking to "play church again!"

Different Creatures

Yesterday David and I took the kids to the zoo. We had a fun day. I was so amazed at how different my girls are. Well, I could tell when Sadie was a brand newborn that she had a different personality than Eliza but it still surprised me a little at the zoo.

Sadie loved seeing all the animals. She would talk about them. For example, "Look, duckies, bath." She called the zebras, and the deer, "horsey." She got excited and enjoyed stopping to look at each animal. Eliza enjoyed looking at a the animals in the beginning. Then she got tired of it and would call out, "Mommy, push me faster, faster." She enjoyed running along the paths. Eliza's favorite part was the carousel that she got to ride at the end. She rode the monkey and Sadie sat next to her on an elephant. Sadie didn't like the ride at all and eventually I had to take her off and hold her as we went around. Eliza cried, "Weeeeee", and "Mommy, its fun", over and over. David had to drag her off the ride crying but as soon as we got back to our stroller she announced that she wants a "hammermer (aka hamburger).
















Eliza loved the carousel ride... Sadie, not so much.
























Eliza thought the giraffes didn't smell so good.

Fun Day With Cousins

Every Wednesday throughout the summer I am watching my sister, Molly's, kids. Yesterday we all had a fun day. Eliza and Sadie love to play with their cousins, Wyatt and Elliot.

DaDa

This little scene is from when Eliza was about a year and a half old. She is such a teaser! I used to ask her to say "Mommy." EVERY time she responded, "DaDa!" She cracked me up then and I still think its hilarious that she teased me!

NuNu

This is hilarious and so kooky...My kids have an odd relationship with our vacuum cleaner. It dates back to about a year and a half ago. At about 12 months old Eliza suddenly developed a fear of the vacuum cleaner. She began to call the vacuum, NuNu, which is the name of the vacuum/pet on the PBS show, Teletubbies. She'd sit up high on the couch when the vacuum was turned on but as soon as it was turned off, she'd want to sit next to it. Her relationship with NuNu became even stranger over time. She would want me to park NuNu next to her so they could watch tv together. She began to cry every time I put the vacuum away in the closet. As long as "he" is quiet, they are great friends. This inspired Santa to bring Eliza her very own NuNu for Christmas last year.

So I guess I started this...I wanted to put the vacuum away in the closet without Eliza crying. So, we would go through this dramatic routine of saying good-bye to the vacuum. We would thank "him" for helping us clean our floors. Eliza decided to go the extra mile and kiss and hug him good-bye. While Sadie has never shown fear of the vacuum, she does exhibit the same affection for it.

Sweet, Sweet Eliza

A couple of weeks ago Sadie ripped a page in my Book of Mormon. David tells a story about it here.

Well this morning I was sitting on the couch and was reading in the said book. Eliza comes up beside me to look at what I am doing. She tells me that Sadie ripped Mommy's book. I nodded my head and solemnly noted, "Yeah." Eliza then with concern puts her little hand on my shoulder and says, "Mommy sad... Its okay, Mommy, Daddy fix it." I said, "Yeah, Daddy fixed my book." Eliza goes on, "Daddy tape it. Eliza helped Daddy tape... Mommy Happy!" I was smiling through her darling comments and I agreed, "Yes! Mommy's Happy!" She smiles and repeats, "Mommy happy!" Then Eliza put her little arm around my neck and said, "Mommy, I love you," and then she ran off. I think that was the first time Eliza said I love you to me when I didn't say it to her first. Eliza has shown compassion and concern for others since she was an infant. She's a caring person by nature. Add that to her wild side and she is really quite charming.

Making up for lost time...

I have only been blogging now for about a month. I wish I started sooner but I am making up for lost time. I just spent many hours on my computer uploading pictures of my girls that span their whole lives. David made this possible by watching the girls all afternoon. Thanks. I know its a little long, but its sort-of like family history. I hope you enjoy it.

Eliza's Adoption Video

In honor of Mothers Day I created a special slide show presentation for your viewing pleasure. I became a mother because another mother selflessly and lovingly gave me the opportunity. David and I adopted our first born, Eliza. Because her birth mother chose to place her with us, I was given the gift of motherhood and David and I were blessed to have a family. We will always be grateful for her sacrifice. So on this Mothers Day I wanted to remember Amanda so I created a little slide show. The pictures are from the first few weeks of Eliza's life. Eliza was born on August 13, 2004 in Anchorage, Alaska.

My Little Trickster

Silly Eliza. She likes to play funny games. Its so much fun to watch kids develop a sense of humor.

My Super Cute Nephews

Here is a link to a video of my very cute nephews that my sister, Molly, created. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEZJ_jgvq4g

Family Prayer Time

When we say our family prayers at night, the girls like to help. Eliza will repeat the last few words of every statement. And she can finish the prayer by herself. When we announce that it is prayer time, Sadie says, "Knees, Knees, " and then gets down on her knees. As David or I pray Sadie will quietly mumble gibberish until the end and then she will clearly state, "Amen." She's such a doll. We are actually working on reverence with Eliza. She likes to repeat the prayer from anywhere. For instance, she will get up half way through a prayer and go play with something, all the while she will continue to repeat the prayer.

Sadie Sings

Okay, so Sadie sort-of sings. Sadie likes to do everything Eliza does. So she has tried to learn to sing "Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam." She only sings four words from the song, "at chool, at play." Its still beautiful.... Everyone knows thats the best part anyway.

Eliza Masters Literacy

As one can clearly see from this clip, Eliza has mastered reading and writing skills!

Looking In

I had to make a movie to this song! I have a little carrot top who LOVES her milk and my little blue eyed blond loves to do everything by herself.