What's happening around here...

so much to post! nothing terribly exciting about me but I feel like i have neglected our loyal followers for too long! lol.

first of all, remember my friend Hallie and her family that I vowed to publish at the top of my page to remember them myself and for you to think of should you come across a potential adoption situation for them??? They have been matched with a birth mom in UTAH! she is due with a GIRL on Valentine's day and they I'm sure would love your prayers that they will indeed receive this baby (the birth mom could always change her mind so it's never 'done' till they have the baby and signed paperwork -usually by 10 days after birth) if that is God's will and of course we hope it is! We will be praying that this birth mom is confident with her decision and sees what a wonderful family she is giving this gift too. So... Gretchen, get ready for some good vibes coming your way when Hallie's family gets their daughter, you're family is going in the hot spot on my blog. :) he he he. Congratulations Hallie, Mike and Landon, we are praying for you!!

next: My computer is unusable. I have successfully ruined the Laptops battery within 6mo-1year of owning it by not understanding that i should UNplug it more. that was about 5 years ago and it's been really good to me, my Toshiba Satellite. I have managed to damage the connection from the plug to the mother board? and can no longer plug my computer in and use it. special, i know. so blogging hasn't happened for a few days and I'm bummed because I was going to blog about this awesome editing i've been doing on my pictures since realizing i can use www.picnik.com for free like what i used for my header on the other blog. my friend marrion used lightroom but before i could get a chance to see if i could figure that out, i stumbled back on to picnik (only to find out i was the last one in the universe to know about it. oops?). i'm computer illiterate, give a girl a break but... here are some examples i was able to do...



{BEFORE of me as a baby with my aunt Angela and oldest brother Carl}



{AFTER enhanced and beautified - so fun!}

 

{just the after of this now outdated -by 3 grand babies and 1 spouse of my nieces - California family photo}

 

{i just couldn't bare that you all saw cora grace's birth mom so tired looking so i softened her dark circles and enhanced all of our color, including teeth whitening! it's totally addictive!!!}

{another of c.g.'s birth family that looks more upbeat now}

{i'm too lazy to look for the original of this picture of me from kindergarten but, it looks better}

{our engagement photo at fall creek falls where mike proposed to me. literally on this spot}

{13 1/2 years ago, we were married in the Los Angeles, LDS Temple and someone caught us making out on the front lawn... how embarrassing!! .... he he he he... just kidding, it was planned to give a sweet kiss but I had you going for a minute didn't i? lol}

anyway, some of the pictures above were done for a new blog project i'm working on. some of you have noticed you can now add tabs to the top of your page? well, if you don't know what it is, you soon will cause i'm working on some that i've not only wanted to do but have had requests about our adoption journey being more prevalent so one tab with be that. the other tab will be my own life timeline. i want to write it, it's going to be very detailed but but not completely detailed if you know what i mean. it's not really for you, it's for my family and children to hear me tell my story of who i am and since this is my blog, it's only appropriate it is about me. i love the life I've been given, I'm grateful for it and want to tell why through the good and bad. so, you have that to 'look forward too'. ;). one day i hope i can get mike to do the same (but on paper) so our children and their children will have that history. If we are lucky, grandparents will get the idea too and it would be the best gift our kids to ever have. a gift of their family history. so... annnnnyway, what am i typing on do you ask? why my husband has graciously allowed me to borrow his computer until we come across a major deal on a new one for me (hopefully it will fall gently from heaven for free!?). I like the new Toshiba Satellite i saw this weekend for sale but it would have had to be cheaper then the sale for $499.00 this weekend if we are to afford it. keep your eyes open for us please. we're on a budget of $0.00 so something around that price please and no smart alecs with your 'why don't you get a mac?' lol .

lastly... i have volunteered for something i hope is going to be ok. being an LDS family who has adopted, we are automatically associated before, during and after adoption with "Families Supporting Adoption" or click here (FSA), a support group for LDS families touched by adoption. Not only are the adoptive families invited to participate but friends and family that are willing to support it can also help out. it is supported by but not run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and so it adheres to our Church's values. Anyway, in order to get the emotional and educational support needed in the adoption process this 'club' is designed to educate and edify the families. Volunteers, ordinary people who are members of the group, give up many hours a day, week,  month to organize education conferences, new member support, FSA outings, media and legislative watches etc. There are usually a husband and wife team asked to 'be in charge' of the local chapter where they live for a few years before passing the torch to another couple etc but there are many minions beneath them to help. Well... these "chapter's", usually encompass an LDSFS Adoption agency's territory. The agency I currently belong to is Indiana/Kentucky(/Tennessee) territory, before that, Atlanta. While currently we do not have an LDSFS Adoption Agency in Tennessee, they have however decided to give us an FSA chapter here. I know, lots of "words" and abbreviations etc. Point being... a family who was just placed with a daughter, less that 24 hours after being chosen - 2ish weeks ago... are the Co-Chairs, Amy and Asher in N. Nashville. Amy has asked me to be the Vice Chair to get things organized here in TN. Why???!!! do you ask did I agree to do such a crazy thing when i already chase after 2 little ones, own my own business that i'm needed for not just the days i work, have a church calling that requires a lesson every sunday - that i already have to put off till saturday night EVERY week... :) because... the Lord asked me to. When we signed up for adoption and they told us about FSA then we went to our first conference with workshops... i knew i would be part of it one day where i could help organize things. the families benefit from other families seeing success so they don't lose hope and stay positive that their babies are out there. we help them with tools to keep the word out that they are interested. you are only as successful as your 'advertising' in some cases. it doesn't mean you have to go over the top, just tell EVERYONE, tell 'everyone' to tell everyone, then tell some more and the flood gates will open. anyway, i've been put in charge of getting the blog up and when it's together I'll post it so you can check it out. Hopefully some of you will be willing to help when we have an event, either with ideas or your physical body's to do something for us. I am actually really excited to help out and hope we can be successful in setting the ground work for future FSA members in Tennessee to have success with the program. Wish me luck. Pray for my sanity. ha ha ha. :)

p.s. sorry about all the rambling and lower case letters, i'm so tired!