Our 10th Wedding Anniversary

Yesterday Brad and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary! Are we really old enough to have been married 10 years?! WOW. When I look back at 10 years ago and think about the fact that at the VERY young age of 21 I left my whole world (which also happened to be on the other side of the world), my friends, family, school and work to take a leap of faith and marry Brad it is still mind blowing to me even now. We have been through more in 10 years together than some people go through in a life time, but every time a stumbling block got thrown in our path, we'd cry, hold each other and pick ourselves back up and keep on moving. I can't imagine my world without Brad in it. I know that the Lord was preparing me even as a youth to meet and marry this incredible man and to make a life here in the U.S.

I am thankful every day for him and for the amazing husband and father that he is. He is my partner in life and in crime, he knows me better than anyone else. He knows my strengths, my weakness, my hopes, dreams, fears and all my secrets (that sounds way more interesting than it really is...lol). We are two peas in a pod. There is no one else I'd rather get old and wrinkly with. He is my other and better half, my best friend and best of all he is my eternal companion and that is something I hold sacred and cherish most.

10 years and still going strong. I love you Babe!

We started out the day in the best way cuddling with our little man, listening to him gibber jabber and telling us stories in bed and just enjoying the fact that Daddy was home and Mummy didn't have to get up and hurry to get to work. Thursday was my last day at work (OH YYEEAAHH!) and yesterday was also Brad's Friday off. Brad had bought me some gorgeous flowers (tulips...he knows are my fave) and my favorite drink Vitamin water and he made me the fluffiest pancakes he could work up. After 10 years, I still love that Brad can make and loves to make me awesome (from scratch) pancakes. Then it was time to get Gabe ready for school. We both dropped him off and used the time alone to run some errands.

Look at those bad boys....mmmmmm =)

 

My flowers

 

Once we picked Gabe  up from school we all went to Subway for lunch (Gabe's request) and then we took advantage of the nice weather and drove down to the new outlets in Lehi for a gander. We wanted Gabe to have an opportunity to pick out some outfits for his little brother on his own. It was so fun to have him walk around the store and pick out things for the baby. Of course ever outfit he picked had animals on them =).

Once home, Brad and I sat on the porch in the sun while we visited with neighbor friends and watched Gabe and the little neighbor boy play. The weather was just too nice, being inside wasn't an option.

Gabe had been begging to do some science experiments at home, so we all went and bought the supplies for  him to make his own "GOO". He had a blast making it and playing in it for a while before he went over to Nana and Papa's for a play date so Mum and Dad could go out to McGraths for an anniversary dinner.

 

Here we go....he was SO excited!

 

 

 Goo-ey!

 

 

For this kid who LOVES Spiderman, this was probably the closest thing we could get to Spiderman's ultra cool webs

 

 

Mixing all the colors together to get rainbow goo!

 

 

All in all I'd say it was a perfect day. It wasn't our planned 10 year anniversary trip to Europe, but I wouldn't change anything about the changes coming our way right now and think this anniversary will still be one we will NEVER forget. Besides...Europe will be way more fun in about 5 years when we can take the boys with us =)

New Family Pics

We were in need of some new family pics and so a couple of Sunday's ago, my dear friend Holly snapped some of us at home. I was thrilled with how our little last minute partly sunny, partly cloudy, snow showers at times photo shoot turned out.

This is hands down one of my faves =)

 

Look at my cute boys! What isn't to love about these faces?

 

Who really likes to be tickled? This little guy! He BEGS to be tickled. Honestly....I almost can't think of anything worse, but I am always happy to oblige =)

 

 

 

Ahhhh....Look at that face. I am such a lucky Mummy!



Daddy's little helper

This kid kills me. I was looking through old videos we had saved on the computer and I came across this one.  This video is from last summer.

http://youtu.be/Q6PoZNmgq34

100%

He was so proud that he was mowing (or thought he was) the lawn all by himself. When he came inside I made a huge deal out of what a fantastic job he had done and he was just beaming. I love this little boy so much!

Mormon Messages

My brother in law recently told me about these "Mormon Messages" on lds.org. I have spent quite a bit of time once Gabe is in bed watching these videos. They are inspiring, uplifting and some days help give me that little spiritual boost I find myself needing.

http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/topics/adversity?lang=eng#2012-01-002-comfort-in-trials

Chicks!!!

We already have a few fully grown chickens, BUT this past week Brad bought Gabe some new chicks. They are tiny and soft and adorable and Gabe absolutely LOVES them. I heard him talking to them this morning. It was so cute. The conversation went something like this:

Gabe- "Hey baby chicks...did you miss me?"

We hadn't been anywhere, but Gabe had left them and gone outside for a minute to help Dad with some important manly business. =)

I love this boy and his infectious smile.

Spring time!

I absolutely love this time of year. The snow in our yard has finally melted, the sun is out which means the neighborhood kids are starting to play outside (love that!), the streets are filled with walkers, runners and bikers, the feeling of the warm sun on my skin, NO COATS (very excited about that) or heavy layering just to go outside, birds chirping, green grass, flowers and trees budding. It just makes me feel alive and grateful to be alive.

 It's also incredible to me how a warm and sunny day can lift ones mood and spirits. I took a minute today to sit outside and just feel the warmth on my skin while Gabe played on the lawn and I couldn't help but reflect on the season and all the new growth and life that comes with it. Gabe's prayers for a sibling have become more fervent of late. While it is so cute and touching that he has so much faith and is willing to continually ask for what he wants it also breaks my heart. I've felt lately as though our little family could be in for some changes, like things are stirring up and the starts may just align in our favor. I sure hope so. I'd give anything to fulfil Gabe's hopes and dreams for a sibling. =)

Sometimes, I wonder if this is a blog for prospective birth parents to read to get to know us a little better or if it is more a journal of my random ramblings. BUT...that being said, if anyone out there is reading this, I hope they would feel that they could approach us at any time with further questions. We are happy to communicate via phone, email, texting and are open to any and all questions.

Since today is so nice, I think a trip to the park is in order. For dinner....I think pizza in the park will be fun and a nice distraction.

~Nats~

801-540-8218

A conversation with Gabe

Today after Brad and I picked Gabe from school we were driving home in the car and he asked me if I had ever heard of the Salt Lake Zoo. I said "You mean the Hogle Zoo?" To which he replied "No, mum, it's the Salt Lake Zoo and at the Salt Lake Zoo they have this fountain where you can make a wish and it will come true."
"Oh really" I said.
"Yeah but you can't ask for really big things just smaller things."
"Oh that's cool...so Gabe if you could wish for one thing, anything in the whole world, what would you wish for?"
"A baby."

Brad and I just looked at each other.

Some day kiddo, some day!

Till then, I thank God every single day that he gave me this angel. That I get to wake up each morning to this face. When I look at this face every heartache, all the loneliness, sadness, longing and dissapointment vanishes into thin air and is replaced with feelings of absolute grattiude and love.