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Sunday, April 29, 2012

Busy, Busy



Yes, we are still alive.  It has been a crazy spring.  Crazy, but good.  I wish I had more time to blog, but I have to be picky about what I do with my days and hours.


If I had time back in March, I would have told you about our surprise trip to Disneyland.  The big girls had a blast.  Izzy loved every single bit of it.  Olivia, however, HATED just about every single minute. She danced during Playhouse Disney, and giggled on Winnie the Pooh.  Other than that, she cried...she screamed...she whined...she threw fits...unless I was holding her.  Oh, and the hotel.  She loved being in the hotel room, which was awesome since we spent about 5 minutes there before we fell asleep each night and then we'd wake back up and drag her right back to that horrible, awful place.


Luke was invited to stay in Utah with his cousin and future best buddie Zack.  Thank heavens for my sister Em, we would never have survived the trip with all 3 babies in tow.  He had fun:


Then I would have told you how my not-so-little Audrey turned 7.  We had a small surprise party for her, grandparents only since it's an 'odd' year.  Her dad took her to Boondocks while Abby and I set up.  It was a great day.



Then I would have told you how my little man turned one.  He is growing fast, and keeps me extra busy.  Wow, boys!  So different from girls.  I'm having a blast with that little guy though!  Currently his favorite past time is running in his walker full speed down our hallway on the wood floor, crashing at said speed into the wall, and then laughing hysterically.  We can usually find him easily, because wherever he is playing he makes lots of noise.  Love my little Lukey-boy!


Then I definitely would have shared with you how my amazing mother graduated from college with her teaching degree!  She starts next fall as an elementary teacher.  Going back to school while balancing work, wife-ly duties, mother duties and grandma duties...it was hard work.  I'm so proud!


But most of all...I would have told you about the best news our family has ever EVER received.  We are FINALLY able to finalize Luke's adoption, and--most importantly--take him to the temple!  It has been a very, very rocky adoption, and the longest year of my life.  His birthmom first asked us to adopt him on Valentine's day last year, 2011.  But she changed her mind, and he was born a few weeks later, on April 7.  We rode a terrible, awful roller coaster with her for 5 months...she would call and say she wanted us to have him, then we wouldn't hear anything for weeks.  Then she'd text us, then nothing again for weeks.  She did finally sign the papers...but one week later we found ourselves in court, now battling the birthfather.  He was blindsided by the adoption, which we felt sympathy for...but he's a drug addict with no job.  His mom supplied the funds for the attorney, until she met us.  Then she realized that taking Luke from our loving home was something she could not do to her little grandson.  His first 5 months had been rocky, and she was grateful she no longer had to spend sleepless nights worrying if he was being properly cared for.  Then, even though they had dropped the case, the judge refused to dismiss it until the birthfather signed relinquishment papers.  He (the birthfather), for reasons we don't understand, (he didn't really want custody...just didn't want to admit it maybe?) refused to sign until only recently.  The day he signed papers, one week before Luke's birthday, was surreal.  It was hard to believe that our more-than-a-year-long battle was finally over.  Jake and I were both giddy to the point of pure silliness.  We giggled all day.  It was kind of embarrassing.  Jake called later in the day to tell me that he was sure the sky was bluer than it had been all year.  I kind of felt like those allergy commercials where they take away the 'fog' and then the picture is clear.  I suddenly felt like doing the things I had once enjoyed but had forgotten, because I finally was able to feel true happiness again.  I cried everyday since last Valentines day, and now that he signed those blasted papers, I've cried everyday since.  I can't help it.  I'm so grateful to my Heavenly Father, and I'm so grateful Luke will now be ours for eternity.  If we had lost the court case, that would have been goodbye forever.  Although the court battle had dwindled, we knew that at any moment they could decide to pick it back up, and there was a chance that they would have won.  Losing him without the promise of eternal blessings would have drove me completely crazy, and I'm not being one bit sarcastic.  I feared, not only of losing him, but that the repercussions of the loss would destroy me as a person beyond repair.

So we get to spend the next month preparing for the temple and the massive celebration we have planned for afterwards.  I'm so excited, I just might rent a plane to write it in the sky that day.  Nothing seems adequate!

3 comments:

  1. Holy Cow, woman! What a ride!!! I'm so sorry you guys have had to go through that. What a roller coaster of emotions. I'm so very happy that everything worked out. I can't wait to see all the pics from the temple. It will be an incredible day to say the least!

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  2. Hey Sarah! So glad to hear things are settled with Luke. I can't even believe what you guys have gone through. I bet you are on cloud 9 now though :)

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  3. Yay, yay, yay!! I am so happy to hear that good news! You are a strong woman. Cheer and celebrate that you are still standing after all you've gone through! Congratulations!

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