January and February 2010

Happy Birthday, YaYa!!

We have been home all week long, trying to get Mariah well. She's had a high fever, cough, runny nose, diarrhea, etc! Yuck!! She has been pretty miserable all week! SO sad! I think, as of today, she's on the up swing! I'm ready for my little girl to feel happy again!


Look how miserable and pale she was yesterday!


We got Mariah a big pink "baw" for an early V-day gift! She has been having fun rolling it around!

My sweet prayer group girls gave me a surprise bday party last week! Ashley made a yummy and cute pink cake! So fun! I just happened to have pink and green plates and napkins to match!

Mariah trying on Nan Nan's shades....she's one cool cat!
Outback dinner for my birthday!

My precious, thoughtful and amazing husband surprised me (and two of my besties) with a night at the Waterford Hotel last Friday night! The dads kept all of the kiddos and we ate TONS of food, talked into the wee hours of the morning (3am, to be exact) and did some fun shopping!! What a blast we had!! My husband is just awesome!! I got to the hotel early to relax, watch TV, read magazines and nap (hence the pic above:)). He also surprised me with a one-hour massage on my day off! SO nice!!

Haley and Mariah @ Cheesecake Factory for our Momcation! Super yummy food!!

Traditional birthday lunch at Cocina de Mino with Mom and Dad.
I caught Mariah rocking her baby and signing "baaa-beee, baaaa-beee". SO adorable!!! That was my old rocking chair, so it's so sweet to see her using it!
Mariah and her sweet friend, Brady, eating dinner together!
Admiring herself in her big-girl ponytail!
Mariah loves her baby dolls! She rocks, hugs, pats and feeds them so well!
Water color painting with Mommy. We've been having lots of fun with water colors, crayons, playdough, bubbles, dot markers, etc! I have a fun little crafting buddy! Love it!
In the snow after church with Daddy! My two VERY favorite people!!!!

17 months!

Mariah turned 17 months old on Friday! SO hard to believe! Here are her current faves, etc.:

Favorite Book: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you See?
Favorite Songs: Jesus Loves Me, Read Your Bible and Pray Every Day, The Wheels on the Bus, ABCs, Twinkle Twinkle
Favorite song to dance to: Pants on the Ground!!
Favorite activities: Ring Around the Rosies, spinning in circles, "running", dancing and climbing, bath time
Favorite foods: Grilled cheese, smoothies, crackers, yogurt, applesauce, beans and rice

She is getting so big and so much fun! I love how she pretty much understands everything I say and I love her sense of humor! She is busy, fun and hilarious! 7 months until 2 years...YIKES!!



I'm hoping to take some time and blog her adoption day/Gotcha party pics taken by Chiara Davidson very soon!! They turned out great!!!

City on a Hill

This morning I took Mariah for a breakfast date at Panera with some friends. Just a few minutes after sitting down, a curious man (probably in his 30s) cut straight to the chase and asked if Mariah was adopted. I told him she was and then just turned my attention back to my friends and our conversations. A few moments later, he started asking me about the adoption process and if she was adopted domestically, etc. It was actually the first time I've been asked point blank if Mariah was adopted, without her daddy being there, so that was odd. I usually assume that people just think her daddy is African American or something. If he had been, that would have been a really awkward conversation today!!!

Anyway, I wasn't offended, but just kind of shocked, actually. In the 16 months we've had her, I've only been asked by other adoptive moms if she was adopted and never right off the bat! I am always happy to share our story, in part. It is nothing that we hide or keep private. Of course, there are parts of Mariah's story that are just for her and our family, but as for the basics of how we got her, I'm an open book! It did get me thinking today, though about how we will handle it as she becomes more aware. Right now Mariah doesn't know if someone asks about her relationship to me. But, in a few years, she will! I don't want her to have to think about it or for it to be an issue at all. So, in that respect, I was a little concerned. I really pray that people will be sensitive enough as she gets older.

Take a few minutes to read this post: http://urbanservant.blogspot.com/2009/03/we-are-city-on-hill-when-we-adopt.html . It is wonderfully written and she shares my sentiment, but I'll pass on the 11 kids!!

New Year's Eve 2009

Sweet Grandma Lucy rang in the New Year in style in Elk City! I just had to post this pic of her because it's just precious!
Daddy and Mariah...I'm SO thankful for these two!! I'm so blessed to be called wife and mother by these amazing ones!

Me, Haley and Mariah....a few of my biggest blessings this year!! These girls are such precious friends!
Little Mariah in her 2010 shirt (thanks to Haley for the the great idea!!)
Our little family
Our little ones dressed in their cute 2010 shirts!!(Haley's 3 boys on the left and Mariah's little boy on the right)

We were able to ring in the New Year with two precious families last night! We enjoyed (too much) food, talking, game playing and watching our little ones play! These two girls (and their darling families) have been such a blessing to me this year!!!

We have had such an incredibly blessed year! God has been so good to us and many of His plans for our family have come to fruition this year! His plans are always so amazing! We look forward to 2010!

My life will never be the same!

I officially have a walker! Mariah has been toddling around for quite a while, but was very determined to walk when she wanted. We knew she would be able to, but that she would definitely be the one to decide:) Tonight after church was the time! She took off and has been walking everywhere and VERY fast! She also has decided that she has to carry her two purses she got for Christmas from NanNan. It's hilarious! I kept her up way too late, because I was just so excited to see her walking everywhere! Had to call the grandparents, take video and take pics, of course! I guess the baby phase is officially over, although most would argue that it was over several months back!

Snow and more celebrating!

Mariah's first time in the snow! She was a little uncertain at first, but loved it when she got to throw snow at Daddy's face!



Bundled up in her blankie after playing in the snow
Christmas with my side of the family...

Me and Mom
Mariah with PaPa Stanz,
NanNan
Dancing with NanNan and Viv
with cousin Viv,
Uncle Joe,
Uncle Matt,
Mommy,
Daddy,
Aunt Mandy,
and cousin Vi.

We have been so blessed to spend the Christmas holiday with our precious, generous, hospitable, and loving families! We have been well fed, well entertained, well gifted, and well loved!!! Thank you to both of our wonderful families!!!