One Month Old

Big Yawn

Just Chilling

I'm too big for my britches

Check out how cute I am!

Happy as can be

Great Support

We have been overwhelmed with gratitude for such great family, friends, and neighbors during this wonderful experience we have of Porter joining our family.  Calls from them daily to make sure we are doing ok, and don't need anything.  People going out of their way to bring us meals, or be at a baby shower they were invited to.  There is so much love for our little Porter, we have no way to express how grateful we are to each of those who have and are doing so much for us.

One of my young women gave me a the onesie below at a neighborhood baby shower we had yesterday.  It has become one of my favorite outfits for Porter to wear. 

Porter is growing so fast.  I can hardly believe it will be three weeks tomorrow since he has come into this world.  Here is a picture of his little feet in the palm of Tyson's hand.  It's going to come all too quickly when his little feet will be too big to fit in his hands anymore, but we will treasure every moment.

 

Porter was not very happy when I took this picture.  He just wanted to be swaddled.  I think he is super cute, even when he is mad :)

Porter when he is 18 days old

"When can we see him?"

Ever since the news of Porter joining our family has gotten out, we have received nothing but love and support from all of our family and friends.  The favorite question that is asked..."When can we see him?!"

We always knew we had great family and friends, but the support they have shown us through this time has been amazing.  Calling and making sure we are all doing ok; making sure we have enough diapers, clothes, and other necessities for Porter; bringing us meals; and the list could go on.

Tyson and my sister's even threw a surprise baby shower for me on Saturday.  Tyson thought I had figured it out because he was in on the planning of it, but I had no idea and was really surprised when I went to our church to help with some Young Women's things since I wasn't going to be at church on Sunday.  When I walked out of the Young Women's room there was all of our family.  It was so fun!

These are a few of Porter's cousins that were so excited to see him.  The oldest two boys are cousins who were also adopted, and are excited to share that bond with Porter.

Many neighbors have asked if they could throw a Baby Shower for us as well, so that one is in the works and will be happening in the next couple weeks.

Best Thanksgiving Week EVER!

This week has been and AMAZING week for Tyson and I.  On Monday we received a phone call with an Angel on the other end telling us she had a baby boy for us.  He had just been born a few hours before.  Words cannot express the joy, love, or gratitude I felt in that moment.  After hearing this Angel tell me this beautiful news I knew in my heart it truely was my little boy there at the hospital waiting for us.  Tyson was on his way home for work and pulled into our garage less than 5 mintues after that.  When I heard the garage door open I couldn't wait for him to come in the house to tell him.  I went out the door and shared the BEST news ever with him.
After coming in the house and quickly arranging some things we had going on, we headed to the hospital.  When we got to the hospital we were able to meet the Angel who brought our little boy into this world, and blessed us with such great news.  There were others in the room when we walked in to meet our Angel and our little boy.  After meeting all those present, our Angel put our little boy into my arms.  As the Michael McClain song says, "From God's arms, to my arms, to yours".  What a beautiful moment this was.

This is our little boy...

Glacier

This year for our vacation Tyson and I went with my sister, her husband, and their little boy (who Tyson and I like to call Chuckles) on a road trip to Glacier National Park.  It was a great trip and definitely worth the long hours in the car driving to get there.  Chuckles even did great and he is only 20 months old :D

Our first two nights we slept at Fish Creek Camp Ground:

One of the hikes we went on...Trail of the Cedars and then on to Avalanche Lake

On the second day we got a very short bike ride in at the end of the day.  It was a fun change to see some of the back trail and not have to be in a vehicle or walking.  Chuckles even got in on building the fire for s'mores that night.

Hidden Lake.  This was one of the trails that was at Logan Pass.  It was a very beautiful hike!  Pictures don't quite give it the complete justice it deserves.

Chuckles enjoyed his running around time.  On the hike he was in a back pack that either his mom or dad carried him in the whole time.  He would have been trying to pet the squirrels and other wild life around the visitor center if one of us hadn't had some sort of hold on him while he was running around.  He loved seeing all the different animals.

On the way to Logan pass we were almost able to touch these two mountain goats that came down to the side of the road.









On the way back from Logan Pass we saw this Mama bear and her two cubs as we were driving.









Two Medicine is where we camped the last night we were in the park.  It wasn't quite as "woodsy" but it was still a fun a beautiful in its own way to go and stay at.  They even had a fun little gift shop where you could get ice cream at.  It was very tasty!

Giving Chuckles his first sponge bath.  He wasn't quite sure what to think.

Goodbye Glacier.  We will have to come and visit again.

Enjoying the Rain

A couple weeks ago on a Monday evening Tyson and I decided to walk to the library to get some new books to read.  On our way home from the library it started to rain.  Not just a sprinkle, but pouring rain.  It was warm, so it was very enjoyable to walk in.  It was fun to play in the rain, since we hadn't been able to feel like a kid for awhile.  By the time we arrived back at out house we were completely drenched and laughing the whole way.

Pittsburgh

 

At the beginning of May Tyson and I had a great trip to Pittsburgh, PA 

visiting his parents for a few days.  

 

We were able to go on a Just Ducky Tour and learn some interesting history of Pittsburgh.  One of the things we learned was why the roads are so crazy.  Two different designers.  One did the East side and the other the West side.  Their designs were not supposed to ever meet, but because Grants Hill was dug out and is now a road they have met, hence why none of it makes sense and you have to drive extra far, just to get around a block.

 

One of the highlights of the trip for me was to visit Kirkland, OH.  Some of my ancestors had lived there for a short time and it was a great opportunity to learn more about the history of Kirkland during the time they lived there.

 

One of the highlights for Tyson was going to a Pirates game. It wasn't one of the best games they had played that week, but it was still fun to be there.  It was also fun watching the sun set on all the buildings in the background.

Spring Project

Got a crazy idea to re-do my kitchen cupboards this spring.  It turned out great, and it was a fun little project for me!  Here are some pictures of during and after...

This is during...at this point I still needed to re-stain the frames of the cupboards.

 

Had to put all of the stuff from inside the cupboards somewhere...

 

It started to rain outside, so I had to bring in the doors to finish drying.

 Hurray!  Finished project :D  I love how it turned out.

Jami's Birthday

 

During this last week was my birthday.  Tyson started it off by bringing me home one of my favorite flowers...Gerber Daisy.  It was a great way to start celebrating.  We didn't do anything big or exciting, but that was the best part about it.  We were able to spend quality time together, not have a schedule, and just do what ever we wanted.  Tyson had taken a day off work, and he started the day by cooking us french toast for breakfast (this is a meal we enjoy any time of the day).  Then we went to the temple, went and visited with an Aunt and Uncle we don't get to see very often (because they live far away from us), then went to dinner at Texas Road House. After dinner we stopped at a couple stores on the way home and enjoyed the rest of the evening together.  It was a great way to spend my birthday!