Spring has sprung??

Fun, fun, fun!!

We had Daddy Ernie and his family in town all of last week, and boy did we have a great time! We got to spend a lot of time together and Ernie and Alex got to know each other better. What a neat experience to see Alex's birth father, half-brothers and sisters, all fall in love with Alex and Alex with them! Ernie is a great dad, and if circumstances would have been different, we wouldn't have gotten the chance to adopt Alex. Which means we wouldn't have this family as a part of our family. We are truly blessed, and this just proves again that the Lord has his hand in all things.

The whole family! We made sure to take family pics while they were here.


This is Alex with his brother Collin. Collin is only 3 months older than Alex, and they became best friends. Alex followed him around saying, "Brother. Brother." to get his attention. Collin is an amazing 13 year old; patient, kind, caring and he helped everyone and usually without anyone asking. Now when I tell Alex to do something I add, "So you'll be like Collin." I know - that's cheap, but it works!!

L-R Katelynn (cousin by marraige) Ashley holding Shyla, Sierra, Collin, Ernie with Nathan in front of him, and then Alex

The men!! Behind Ernie, L-R is Collin, Alex and Nathan

Alex and his little sisters; he's holding Shyla and next to them is Sierra

Daddy Ernie and Alex!!

All of Ernie's kids; Collin, Shyla, Nathan, Sierra and Alex

We went to Classic and roller skated and wore ourselves out on the bouncy toys.

One night Cali and Taylor worked their magic with the curling iron and face paint...

...while some of the older kids played video games.

Alex and Ernie loved playing video games together.

We also had a fun day at the zoo. I don't have any pictures, but Alex also went with them to the kid's museum and to see some friends in Ogden.

And, of course, we had to swim a couple of times at their hotel pool!!

Thanks Ashley and Ernie for traveling so far to spend time with Alex. It meant as much to us as it did to him!! Glad to have y'all a part of the family!!

Daddy Ernie and family are coming!!

We are so excited - next week we will be with Alex's birth father, Ernie, and his new little family. I will make sure and put pics up. He's a lucky little man to be able to have 2 families that love him so much. What am I talking about? He has so much more than 2 families - whew! he IS lucky!!

I'm twitterpated!

I didn't think I could love this much. For heaven's sake - I have the best husband I could have ever dreamed of that I love so much that sometimes it hurts.... forever isn't long enough!! And then I became mommy to 3 of the best kids on earth. And that has nothing to do with me. They came to me that way - absolutely amazing! Then I fell in love with Alex. Some days, for his sake, it's a good thing that I love him, but, OH! do I love him!!! And then I became a mother-in-law to 2 people that even though I had never met them until they became a part of our family, I love them like they are my own! Then Baby Mac.... pure, sweet love. And now Morgan and Oakland. Can it get any better than this?

These 2 girls have me enthralled. I can't look at them enough! (Even with their radical hairdos!)I can't be with them enough!! I worry about them, I think about them, I want everything and more for them.

Right now Mo is sick - she has RSV. Not only am I worried about her, but OH! I miss that little girl. She always has a smile for me - no matter what I look like, no matter what chores I have or haven't done, no matter what I say or don't say to her!

Oak is still getting used to me, but it's fun to see her recognize my voice and face. She's my serious baby. I guess someone in this household needs to be mature! She has just realized that if you give her permission, it's OK to smile and even laugh.

It's so much fun to have all these people in my life. I even am lucky enough to be so close to my parents - again, how lucky could I be? I have the best mom and dad ever! And not only do I love them, but I like them, too. And my brother and sister - Yeah! I love AND like them, too! I hope everyone has at least one person they can say they truly love. It's the best feeling in the whole world!