One Year in Pictures

One year ago tomorrow this is what Coul and I opened our email to find.........

Thinking back over that moment brings tears to my eyes, joy to my heart, and the most overwhelming love I have ever felt. No one ever prepared me for the hardships that would come with being a mother. But I was also not prepared for the love and joy I would experience every time I look into both of your dark brown eyes, the way you both call for me when night is over, your thousands of kisses and loves, the way you both snuggle into me for reading, and singing time at night, my fabulous wet floors from the splashing wars in the tub (which I never can stop laughing over), kissing your soft skin, holding your tiny hands, watching you with the most AMAZING Father in the world, and marveling that Heavenly Father was so gracious to send you both to me.
We have truly been through a lot. Months and months were spent apart from each other. With there never being a day going by that we didn't want, love, and ache for you. With every picture we loved you more and more. With every report we would pray for you health and well being. I know there are times you probably think we are crazy, but we could not be more CRAZY about you two.
What an honor and privilege it is to be your parents. We can't help but look forward to what will be, who you will become, and the amazing things you will do and accomplish. We are so proud of you. You both have come leaps and bounds. And continue to amaze us everyday.
So at this end of our year in pictures, Thank you. Thank You for choosing us, Thank you for coming here,Thank you for the amazing love that you have given us, Thank you for being you, Thank you for completing our lives. And what a Wonderful Life this is!

HaPpY BiRtHdAy FiNlEy

I can't believe that it's my baby girl's 1st birthday. We have only had her a brief 5 months and could not love her anymore. She has the funniest laugh, is quite our little Diva, makes the funniest expressions, has the brightest eyes, and is even more gorgeous than the day we first saw her. She is crawling (Thank Goodness), pulling herself up to things, saying; Momma, Dadda, Bubbi, and Thank You, gives the best kisses, and loves, and is absolutely amazing! She brings a smile to our face everyday!
But tonight my heart is so full, as I was preparing for her birthday, my mind wandered to a year ago. A year ago tomorrow a sweet angel of a mother wrapped her baby up, walked (probably miles) to the nearest church, and left this sweet little girl on the steps. Hoping that she would get the life she was intended to have. Praying that someone would find her and love her. I know that as I am so happy to have this sweet angel in my arms, across the world your heart is aching, to hold her just one more time and know that she is happy. So to this sweet Mother, I thank you with all of my heart! Your baby is happy, beautiful, and the love of our lives.
So HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET BABY OF MINE!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY FINLEY!!

1 Year ago

What were we doing a year ago this last Friday??? We had FINALLY after two years dotted all of our I's crossed all of our T's and signed, sealed and delivered all of our paperwork for our adoption. This weekend a year ago was the official start to our waiting!
What craziness one year brings. We definitely had our up's and downs waiting for these two beings to come into our lives. But in just 4 short months we could have not loved these two more!
We Love their smiling faces, their sweet sounds in the morning, their laughter, their thousands and thousands of kisses (yes with tongue) that the give to us freely, the way that the cry out our names when they are sad or scared, their sweet cries (that I never thought I would LOVE to hear), and their amazing personalities!
Could life get any better than Wyatt and Finley........I think not!

Our First Crazy Summer

This is a little glimpse into our CRAZY First summer.
First Crazy Hair Day

First Official ATK Thiokol Launch

First Bath in Trailer

First ATK Thiokol Launch

First ride in Laundry basket

First Home Away From Home trip- Bear Lake Cabin

First Cookie Dough feast with Grampy

First Beach Ride with Dad

First Mini X ride with Uncle Cam

First Eyewear

First Campground Birthday for Grandpa-Happy Birthday Grandpa!

First Camping Trip with our Second Family Shayne and Kanion

Little to say we have had many firsts and many to come......what a summer!

AmAzInG cOlUmN aNd PiCtUrEs

My friend Karlee had this on her blog. She is also going through the adoption process. And I LOVED this article and wanted to share!

Different Trips to the Same Place
By Diane Armitage printed in the April 21, 1995 "Dear Abby" column.

Deciding to have a baby is like planning a trip to Australia. You've heard it's a wonderful place; you've read many guidebooks and feel certain you're ready to go. Everyone you know has traveled there by plane. They say it can be a turbulent flight with occasional rough landings, but you can look forward to being pampered on the trip.

So you go to the airport and ask the ticket agent for a ticket to Australia. All around you, excited people are boarding planes for Australia. It seems there is no seat for you; you'll have to wait for the next flight. Impatient, but anticipating a wonderful trip, you wait--and wait--and wait.

Flights to Australia continue to come and go. People say silly things like, "Relax. You'll get on a flight soon." Other people actually get on a plane and then cancel their trip, to which you cry, "It's not fair!"

After a long time the ticket agent tells you, "I'm sorry; we're not going to be able to get you on a plane to Australia. Perhaps you should think about going by boat."

"By BOAT!" you say. "Going by boat will take a very long time and it costs a great deal of money. I really had my heart set on going by plane." So you go home and think about not going to Australia at all. You wonder if Australia will be as beautiful if you approach it by sea rather than air. But you have long dreamed of this wonderful place, and finally you decide to travel by boat.

It is a long trip, many months over many rough seas. No one pampers you. You wonder if you will ever see Australia. Meanwhile, your friends have flown back and forth to Australia two or three more times, marveling about each trip.

Then one glorious day, the boat docks in Australia. It is more exquisite than you ever imagined, and the beauty is magnified by your long days at sea. You have made many wonderful friends during your voyage, and you find yourself comparing stories with others who also traveled by sea rather than by air.

People continue to fly to Australia as often as they like, but you are about to travel only once, perhaps twice. Some say things like, "Oh, be glad you didn't fly. My flight was horrible; traveling by sea is so easy."

You will always wonder what it would have been like to fly to Australia. Still, you know God blessed you with a special appreciation of Australia, and the beauty of Australia is not in the way you get there, but in the place itself.

I am so glad that I went by ship! Because that's the only way we found these two AMAZING children; who were sealed to us July 18, 2009

P.S. Karlee I pray your ship comes soon!!

CeLeBrAtE JuLy

What a month. We have had Wyatt's First Birthday, Pleasant View's Founders Day, Idaho Fireworks and Survivor Games, St. George, and many, many more adventures. We have been having a blast. Wyatt had so much fun with his birthday. He was not to sure about the cake, maybe it was a little to early for all the sugar, but at least he liked the icing! Of course he was way spoiled by all. Founders Day was fun. Though I am kind of disappointed for parades. What happened to the good ole' Floats and Parade excitement. It just felt like a huge advertisement. That night we gave the kids a sneak preview of fireworks at Weber High. They loved them, so with this being said I was stoked to take them up to Idaho's fireworks with my family. Now if your wondering, Why Idaho?? Let me tell you, they are actually listed as the Best Firework show in the States. It is AMAZING. So we headed to Idaho. Where of course we had to have our Survivor games, which I didn't have my Camera at. So of course you can't go to Idaho without my Brother's annual Redneck Survivor games and swimming pool. Which he dug with the backhoe in the morning and we filled all day. Nothing is more fun then wrestling in a huge mud pit, and running around like idiots! Thanks Cam and Jen, we look forward to it every year! Then off to the Fireworks. Finley was asleep the first half, while Wyatt was completely fascinated. Half way through they switched. Wyatt's fascination wore off and he fell asleep and Finley could not get enough. When we left Idaho, Coul became sick with what we, and the Dr.'s thought was appendicitis. After many tests we have confirmed that he has a stomach infection that has inflamed his lymph nods around his appendix. This has caused him GREAT pain. They are going to do more tests but believe that it was an bug he picked up in Africa. So a trip to St. George to lay by the pool was exactly what we needed. We went with Coul's side of the family. We had a blast! The kids LOVED the pool, and the Condo that we were in was AMAZING! Coul's sister Camie got us tickets to the Tuachon Theater for Annie. Which was so much fun. We hated to come home....but I guess we have to get back to reality. Thanks Camie and Chad for a great weekend! However things are not going to slow down. This weekend we are going to be Sealing our children to us and Blessing them in Church. I also would love to get their pictures taken. Then after that we have the 24th of July and more fun to be had. So until next time, HAVE A GREAT JULY!

Introducing....

WYATT ROBA & FINLEY SITOTA RICH
More to come soon...just not tonight, I NEED SLEEP!