Blessed with snow before Christmas

We were blessed with snow this year before Christmas.  We rarely get snow before Christmas so it has been a treat.  

Skippy wanting to come out and play

never to big to make a snow angel

snowball to the face while taking a picture of us

Skippy the king of the mountain

I think my yard could be a Christmas card

We got a tiny break from daycare so we drove to the sledding hill.

Carrot on her way to the top

taking a rest

Ready to go

A little snow in the face from the ride down but it was so much fun.

Banana being a good big brother

So thankful for my blessings 

17 Months

So much for sweet 16 :(

Well on to month 17 and we will see where it brings us.  I'm not too hopeful with the holiday's.  Also I feel like historically I haven't seen too many January/February referrals in the past but still holding out some hope that maybe.  My brain is trying to convince my waiting heart now to expect anything until March.

The Christmas Cards

I did it!  I sent out the Christmas cards.

This is not a big accomplishment due to lack of time or busy schedule.  In fact, they have been sitting here on my table for almost 2 weeks addressed and ready to go.  The accomplishment was walking them to the mail box.

I normally make the cards early and send out early but I held off making them a while longer hoping we would get our referral and I could add a picture of the baby.  Then we attended our adoption meeting and I realized we would probably not get a referral until the new year so I made the cards.  I had myself 99% convinced the referral would not come and I should just send them out but no matter what there is this little 1% of my heart that held onto hope that it may come and I could maybe add his picture to them so there they have sat.....

...but the calendar kept turning and here we are at mid-December and I knew it had to be done so I  picked up those cards (that actually started to get covered with dust) and walked them bravely to the mail box.   I stood there and looked around at the beautiful scene of my snow kissed neighborhood and shut the box tight knowing there is a reason and timing for this but it was hard to give up that last one percent of hope.

I know it is harder on us adoption Mama's-to-be.  I'm sure the dads never would allow this process to creep mentally into the little details of their life.  Who knew it would effect something as simple as sending out my Christmas cards, but it does and even a year ago at the early stages of my wait I did not understand how hard this adoption process was for the mama's at the end of the wait until I got here myself.  

A Black Friday Tradition

Each year we go to a local tree farm to cut down our Christmas tree.  The past two years we have had the pleasure of my sister and her family coming with us. We also had Rooney visiting from college over Thanksgiving so we had quite a crowd.

 This could be Johns last year to cut down out tree.

Yes, that is a football in Jeff's hand and you may be wondering why someone would have a football when cutting down a Christmas tree.  Well that would be because once we land at the farm it seems the boys forget we are there to get a tree and rush off have a catch in the clearing.  Finally they came around and helped pick out a tree.

Carrot wanted this tiny tree for Christmas.  We told her it would not even show above the couch and she was a little red around the eyes for a while.

John trying to show off his big muscles

Uncle Chuck and Caleb with their tree

 Trying to get a happy face but still a little sad about the Charlie brown tree

Baking a quick batch of chocolate chips cookies to go with our tree.

 Hold on mom get my picture with the dough in my hand 

We get ornaments almost every year but this year I laid them out in the progression of our life.  It was amazing to see how many years have gone by via ornaments :)  It is hard to believe my little kids are so big now.

The ornament on the left is the first ornament Jeff and I bought the year we got married then we bought the stork ornament when we were expecting Brennan and then all the kids ornaments from their first until now.  I can't imagine how I will feel when they are in college.

Carrot putting up the star

 Skippy all worn out from the Christmas fun.  Doesn't he look so cozy.