Wednesday, February 27, 2013

My Baby, Not my child...

I just watched these videos a friend had posted on Facebook and they are nothing short of amazing and I just had to share...

The clips are from a woman who is now a birth-mother (a strong,selfless,inspiring birthmother!), how she ended up choosing adoption, why she chose adoption, and the process of thought that occurs for someone going through this...she had chronicled her pregnancy through photos which you will see with in...

**The videos all together are around 7 minutes so nothing to lengthy and if the playlist is already playing on this blog as you are reading you can pause it by scrolling to the bottom of the blog where it is located....







Friday, February 22, 2013

Sometimes you got to lose til you win...

Today when I was getting ready for the day I was listening to the playlist on this blog...I listen to it a lot...and every time I listen, it's like each song is talking to me..hence a lot of the song choices I have on there mean a lot to me...

(P.S. you may want to pause the playlist by scrolling to the bottom of the blog so that you may watch the videos if it is playing already)

I was listening to the song "Little Miss" by Sugarland and I feel like the little miss who they are talking about...I know in my past when I have gone through struggles and disappointments I have just hidden my head in the sand and stuffed things down...I was a master of distraction...I always have been...I would just work more because there was always plenty to do but now I don't work and am forced to deal with my emotions...In the song a big part of the chorus speaks of it being alright and sometimes you got to lose til you win...I know this to be true.  When we lose and get back up it makes us stronger and we often find things that we would have never looked for. The only failures in life are those that aren't willing to risk feeling hurt and failing again in order to get what they really want. The risk takers always eventually succeed...


After that song, the song "Because You Loved me" by Celine Dion came on and as I listened to the words in this song I instantly thought of James and how I feel like he has taken such amazing care of me...every part of this song made me think of him...It made me think of the Savior too. Yes, I know its' Celine Dion and it's a kinda mushy song, well really mushy song but the words are what matter...

James has been like the Savior for me too in this and without him I don't know how I could have managed recently...I know this song talks in past tense but I have felt as if He has been everything I have needed and I know Heavenly Father has chosen him for me...Sometimes people may not see all that I see or what our extended family see's him do for me and our immediate family.  This failed placement has not just crushed me its been extremely painful for him as well...He has been the one that had to speak to others when I couldn't, even when his pain was just as real as mine...Men are often expected to be the tough strong ones and he has such incredible strength...strength that until now I have never seen to this extent...I love him so much and just when I think I am full somehow how I love him more.




James is working in Vegas this week and this morning he sent me this video below on Facebook to me. He knows how I feel and what I need...I am so eternally grateful that my husband is faithful and Believes.  I am thankful he loves me and Abbe so...I am thankful he will be the father to all my children to come and is the man he is...I am thankful for his strength for me.  I know that even though we have felt incredible loss with this I still do feel as though I have won in a way for what i have learned and seen...For this I am grateful. 


Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Moving forward...



I sit here thinking a lot has happened since Friday...I mean as in progress for me and our grief over our failed placement reversal...those are tough words to say...I am not sure why we had to experience this exactly but know that I have learned a lot...I feel way more compassion and understanding for others...I feel more love and closer to the Lord...I am thankful for that

Today, I had to go to LDS Family Services and pick up our car seat and diaper bag....it had been sitting there for two weeks...They needed it to bring Emerson Back to california and til today I couldn't even bring myself to get it...It made it more real that we don't have a baby but I did ok...I do feel ok with moving forward to find our other babies...On Friday our Itsaboutlove profile went live again and we are now officially up and running on Parent Profiles.

Everyday, I am able to do a little bit more and even though it hurts, I still love the thought of our next baby coming to us...the baby that will be with us always...it still stings to think of Emerson not being with us but I know God uses all things/experiences to work for our good and I am thankful for the family he is with and our connection to them...

Sometimes I feel like I hope our next baby is a girl just so I don't feel pain of what just occurred by having a girl but I know that won't  necessarily make the pain go away any better than having a boy...that pain part will just take time...

In the adoption world it is really easy to say you want one sex over the other...you don't get to choose the sex when you are pregnant so why should we choose the sex when we are adopting...we know that whether our next baby is a boy or girl we will love them the same and soooo much...that part I can't wait for...the part where you can just love them up, look at them, and hold them...

I am so thankful for all of our friends that are trying so hard to help us get the word out by passing our blog, liking our Facebook page, and with pass-a-long cards!  We know that our birth mom and baby are out there...she may even be reading this now...we know that our blog has been seen by many now and has even been passed to some birth moms...

So for now we sit and wait again...I will say that those that know me really well will know I don't like waiting at all...patience I think you are sometimes born with (those people are really blessed with that gift) or it is something you have to learn over and over and over (like for me) but I know that the Lord always does everything in the right time and that thankfully gives me more strength to endure the wait...

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Agape Love....

I just watched this video today for the first time and thought I would share...It's beautiful.



I also saw this poem where I found this video and there are no words except it is nothing short of amazing....

Once there were two women who never knew each other
One you do not remember, the other you call Mother
Two different lives shaped to make you one
One became your guiding star, the other became your sun
The first one gave you life, and the second taught you to live it
The first gave you a need for love, the second was there to give it
One gave you a nationality, the other gave you a name
One gave you a talent, the other gave you aim
One gave you emotions, the other calmed your fears
One saw your first sweet smile, the other dried you tears
One made an adoption plan, that was all that she could do
The other prayed for a child, and God led her straight to you.
Now, which of these two women, Are you the product of?
Both, my darling, Both, Just two different types of love.

—- Unknown

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

What's mine is yours...

I heard this song a few weeks back but now it has so much more meaning...beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time since Emerson's placement did not exactly end as we had hoped for...Everyday is really hard but each day I feel stronger and it becomes more manageable...I know the Lord has a plan for all of this and He teaches us so much during our hardest trials...I am grateful for those Blessings even though I am so over having trials...




Below is a series of videos that tell the story that inspired the song to be written above...I have felt so many of the feelings that Addie decribes in these videos through out our journey to grow our family...for those that have never adopted, don't know much about it, don't know how to understand, don't know what to say to someone like me or are adopting these videos are really amazing...they are pretty short and worth the watch...








Tuesday, February 12, 2013

You have forever changed me...

My Last picture with you...


Oh Emerson...you have forever changed my life...you are so little right now and not even with me but I know that we will meet again one day...you may not remember me here on earth but in Heaven I know you will...You have brought me so much closer to the Savior...You have allowed me to feel things that I never knew possible...You have shown me a part of my husband I so dearly love, you have taught Abbe that she can love again and how to love from afar.  I am thankful for your new family here on earth and who they are...they are amazing beautiful people who are close to Our Father in Heaven.  Heavenly Father has directed them for you as us.  They will lead you to where you need...They will teach you about Him and the Savior and of His unending LOVE for you...They will seal you to our family in Christ.  Through him we are all sealed to our Father. I love you always...

Friday, February 8, 2013

Learning to feel Our Savior's Love...



"Great is our Lord, and of great power; his understanding is infinite" -Psalms 147:5

I have been sitting here thinking of how to say all that I feel and that is in my mind...James and I (and Abbe) have clearly been thru a lot these past few days but we also have been so humbled to the hundreds of people that have expressed their love, anguish, support, service, fasting and prayers for us...Never have I experienced anything like it...I am beyond grateful.

Never in our lives have we felt so unbelievably Humbled...We feel that Heavenly Father has used all of this anguish to bring so many closer to the Savior...We have had so many that have fasted and prayed with us, many not of our faith, many who have never met us, some that are not necessarily religious, and many that have never prayed before...We know that Heavenly Father has used Emerson as a tool for His good and His Glory... He has gathered so many together to feast upon His word and will...Emerson has only been on the Earth a few weeks and already thousands of people know who he is and how absolutely beautiful he is...

"The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth" 
-Psalms 145:18

Emerson has now been placed with Jules' cousins and we feel peace about this and we are so Blessed to have had Emerson during the time he just came here from Heaven...We have forgiven Jules fully, and know that even though we won't be raising little Emerson here that he is still connected to us somehow...For that we are Eternally grateful...

He is so beautiful and we are glad that he has such a loving family with little siblings who will love him dearly and love the Gospel...We so ask Heavenly Father to Bless them and watch over Emerson...This experience has been such a testament to us of the Saviors unending love for us...I know sometimes that we are not aware of why things happen the way they do here in this life, but we do know we will know all of Heavenly Fathers plan when we return to Him...

"Every word of God is pure; he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him"   
- Proverbs 30:5

Many at this time may be asking if this means we are scared to adopt now?  The answer is no. They may ask if we still want to adopt now or soon again?  The answer is yes.  We know we were supposed to have Emerson for his first few weeks of life and we will cherish those weeks forever...but we know other children and we must continue to press forward.  We will be doing all that we can to find them.  Emerson will always have a special spot in our family, we will always love him dearly and another child will never take his place because they will have their own place just like Abbe has her place.

In closing, I am going to share something that a dear friend of my sister's shared with her for us...It is absolutely beautiful and we are so grateful for her profound outlook and feelings for us and Emerson...

"Life works in mysterious ways. One day we've conquered a mountain, the next we've tumbled down a hill. We never know when something truly great is about to happen and always seem to forget about the wonderful things when something seemingly terrible happens. Here is one note to remember: hidden blessings are the most difficult to accept. 

An infants first days, weeks, and months in the world are his most critical. He must adjust in moving from one world to another. This is a transition that no individual will ever remember going through, but it is something that impacts our lives and will shape who we become. During Baby Emerson's first weeks in this world he experienced the Love and guidance from a family who prayed and waited for him. 

What if Emerson hadn't met the Little family? Would he have been cherished as much? Swaddled as much? Watched over as much? No one one this Earth will ever be able to answer these questions. All one can do is Hope. We will always be faced with obstacles and Hope challenges us to discover new strengths and possibility within ourselves and others. 

To the Little family: your strength, devotion, and Love will always carry on triumphantly. Although Baby Emerson may not remember it, you have done more for him in his infancy than he may ever know in his whole life. Never underestimate the power you have given him just by Loving him.

To Baby Emerson: you are so young and you have already experienced more love than many will know in a lifetime. My hope is that the universe will continue to work in ways that will enhance the Love and blessings that surround you.

We may not know why we walk in and out of a persons life but there is a reason. We should all learn from the Little family to have the best intentions when we enter someones life. We may not know why we met them or how we impacted them, we should just know that we did. This calls for tremendous strength and courage and Love.
As a final note I would like to share a blessing. It is a Jewish tradition that every Friday night before the Sabbath dinner the parents give the following blessing to their children:
May God bless you and guard you.
May God show you favor and be gracious to you.
May God show you kindness and grant you peace.
Never forget the Love you receive and the Love you give out. It is the most important possession we have with us on Earth."

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

So so sad and broken hearted...

"Let thy Cry come near before thee, O Lord: give me understanding according to thy word" - Psalms 119:169


I feel very numb at the moment...I have gone through so many emotions in the past few hours and wonder why and can only ask for Heavenly Father to help me understand what has just happened...

There are no words to explain what our family is going through as well as our extended family.  PLEASE PLEASE Pray for us...Pray for Emerson....we miss him so dearly already...Jules revoked her relinquishment yesterday afternoon after 4 weeks and LDS Family Services came for Emerson and brought him back to California...


Jules is set to place him with a cousin now...A wonderful cousin who is pro adoption and has even adopted and  even congratulated us about our adoption from this blog...My heart is broken...

I PRAY for these cousins to seek confirmation and to pray to pray fervently about this ....
PRAY for Emerson to be surrounded by guardian Angels..I swear he see's them all the time...

PRAY for Jules to REMEMBER why she chose us and the Spiritual experience she had at the Temple and the confirmation she received....

We love Emerson so much and I have never felt pain like this ever in my life...I feel like I have been forced to give my child away, I never made any choices to create this feeling and we did everything right...the only feeling that I can compare to this would be the death of a child...I am a mess...James and I have gone through so much in our quest to grow our family and are at a loss...Abbe is unbelievably heartbroken...Her little brother was taken away, and I have never heard her cry like she has...why would someone do this...please Heavenly Father help me to feel peace and comfort even if I can not understand ones reasoning...

We love you Emerson...It is so hard that you are not here...your sweet spirit..your little lambie grunts, your beautiful blue eyes and baby smell...We long for you to be with us again...


"Lead me in thy truth, and teach me;for thou art the God of my Salvation; on thee do I wait all day." - Psalms 25:5



"Remember , O Lord thy Tender Mercies and thy lovingkindness; for they have been ever of old" - Psalms 25:6



What's mine is yours...

Amazing Birth-mother video of her placement....

Such a Time as this...