Tennessee trip to see family

 We took a short trip back to Tennessee to see Uncle Buddy, Aunt Kim and families.  It was so different traveling with a baby this time, not just a child.  Thomas did really well on the airplane, especially when the stewardess brought him a juice and crackers. Our flight there was pretty crazy.  We were flying into thunderstorm / tornado watch weather in Tennessee.  As we were descending into Nashville, you could see lightning everywhere.  Thomas had his window open and we were looking outside, when a huge lightning bolt struck the wing of our plane.  It was bright, loud and the plane bounced a bit!!  The pilots did a great job landing us safely even though it was pouring rain.  It was a true thunderstorm.  Warm, lots of heavy down-pour rain and lightning everywhere!! 

Enjoying a free continental breakfast at our

Hannah & Aunt Kim.

Hannah & Nana

Hannah was talking to and giggling with Daddy & Uncle Buddy

If Thomas ever tells you he knows what whiskey smells like, it's not because we've given him any (LOL) but he got to go with Jim & the rest of the family on the tour of the Jack Daniel's distillery in Lynchburg, TN.  Hannah & I had to stay behind, because they said it wasn't good for the baby to breathe the smells of the whiskey vats. 

It's not what you know but who you know!!  Uncle Buddy is a member of the JD's squires.  He has a land deed to part of the property, which he owns.  There's a back room (where only the squire's can access) that has lots of JD memorabilia, and stuff other squires have sent in.  You can see in the background the carving of JD made by the Zac Brown band.  There's bottles that survived hurricane Katrina, and stuff.  The table with all the whiskey is all the bottles of special editions.  The guy sitting next to Jim (black shirt) works at JD and shared a lot of history behind stuff.  Many neat stories to listen to.

Our trip home was LONG!!  We left Tennessee early in the morning, had a layover in Chicago, then a long flight home to San Diego.  Thomas was sleeping under his blanket on the plane he was so tired.  He's done that ever since he was a baby......hides under his blanket when he sleeps.  Kind of cute !!

This is what it looks like flying over Des Moines, IA at 30,000 feet.  They were having some stormy weather.

Our final Seaworld Trip (after 3 yr membership)

Family photo with Cookie Monster, Elmo  & Abby

If you look at the top of the picture, you'll see Jim & Thomas with their hands in the air!!  Thomas finally was tall enough to ride the roller coaster.  They rode it like 5 times, he loved it!!

That's the baby Orca Whale at Seaworld with the adult whales in the background.  Can't believe how big a 2 month Killer Whale is. 

Thomas's favorite show at Seaworld (for 3 years) was the Sea Lion & Otter show.  We always tried to sit up close and we'd get close up visits like this!! 

Daddy & Thomas riding Elmo's flying fish for the last time. 

Thomas is growing up so fast!! He's only 4.5 but he's going on 10!!

Thomas loves his Daddy!  He takes every chance he can get to dress like his Daddy, too.  Hannah & I were walking behind them one day, and I couldn't help but smile and take this picture.  This picture says it all.

Thomas & I went to the Farmer's Market and they had a little petting zoo and pony ride.  Normally I don't let him do those things, but he was so excited to see the pony.  I can't believe how much of a big boy he looks like on the pony.

 

Family visits

 We had a nice visit with our Oregon family Easter week.  The weather was beautiful and we had lots of opportunities to play and visit.  The kids are all getting so big, and this year Hannah was welcomed by her cousins with lots of love and kisses!!  

Cousins Faith & Hannah, spending some quality bonding time.  Faith was ready at almost every opportunity to hold Hannah!!

Nice family afternoon at my parents house.  The kids were all running around and playing, while the adults had a lot of good laughs and shared old stories. 

Aunt Cristy finally got some time with Hannah.  Hannah is so blessed to have such wonderful cousins, Uncles & Aunts!!

Enjoying an ice cream at Grandma's with all the cousins!!  (Gracie, Thomas & Faith)

No better way to end the night, than a good ol' tickle from Uncle Jerry!! 

How Great is our God

I've been doing a lot of quiet reflection lately with God .  I will admit, there have been many days in my past, where I felt like motherhood was only something others got to experience and I longed so much for.  We tried (through the years) to do things to make our plan work our way, but it never was successful.  We both finally got to a point where, we decided to fully place our hearts desires of having children, in God's hands.  It was only after that breaking point, did the stress of everything go away.  What really matters in life, isn't our happiness, rather knowing that we are in step with God's word and his purpose for our lives.  Jim & I never imagined that 3.5 years ago God would send a precious little angel into our lives, in a matter of hours.  But God did know and we trusted God through the hard times of the adoption process to make Thomas, our son.  We felt so blessed to watch Thomas grow from a sweet little baby boy, to a smart, funny and cute little boy.  We felt like he needed a sibling, yet we wanted it to be God's will for our family, not ours.  So we prayed and prayed and waited.  We were filled with joy the day our phone rang with the information for a perfect match placement of a baby girl.  God never ceases to amaze us.  There will be hard days through our adoption process to make Hannah our baby girl, but we are trusting that God will make all things perfect in His way, in His timing.  How exciting is it to be watching this happen, and of course be the main story characters of some amazing testimonies of God's plan.  Today at church we sang a beautiful song "How Great is our God" and I felt God put a peace over my heart and calm my anxieties.  As I sang that song and looked down at my precious baby girl, Hannah, who was so peacefully sleeping in my arms.  I began to cry.

How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God, and all will see
How great, how great is our God
Age to age He stands
And time is in His hands
Beginning and the end
Beginning and the end The Godhead Three in One
Father Spirit Son
The Lion and the Lamb
The Lion and the Lamb Name above all names
Worthy of our praise
My heart will sing
How great is our God
How great is our God, sing with me
How great is our God, and all will see
How great, how great is our God

 I realized at that moment, that God was looking up at me through her smile, reassuring me to just "trust Him and his perfect will for our lives".  Don't worry about tomorrow, cherish each minute today and just to know that He is the Author of our story.  He already knows how things will turn out.  We believe Hannah was placed in our lives because it's all part of God's plan, when we decided to trust him.  I pray that as this post may be "deep" that you'll see into my heart and know how much I'm rejoicing in these amazing, precious gifts that God has given Jim & I.  I am their Mommy.  I am so blessed!! 

 ....sing with me How great is our God, and all will see How great,

 

  How great is our God

Spring time!!

The weather has been so nice and we've had so much fun getting out and about.  Last week Thomas went over to help Papa do some tree trimming.  That little boy has NO FEAR of heights and loved climbing the ladder. 

 While Thomas was playing with Papa, Grandma was enjoying some girl time with Hannah.  I feel so blessed to have such amazing parents who can be wonderful Grandparents, too!!  Hannah loves to hear Papa's voice and she looks at him when he talks to her.  Grandma loves to hold Hannah close and enjoy her baby softness. 

 There's a small "duck pond" near our house that we like to visit.  Thomas loves to feed them and he gets really close.  That little boy makes me smile, so much!!  Hannah's first trip to the "duck pond" was nothing more than a nap in the carseat/stroller while Thomas & I fed the ducks. Thomas is 110% boy and he loves to play outside.  We let him have some freedom to make his own choices on some things, one of them is to get dressed to go play in the back yard.  So that explains his choice of clothing, but hey "it is cute for a 4-yr-old"!!  Thomas is so in love with his little sister.  He always wants to help hold her, feed her, he hugs her and always loves to chat with her, too.  Hannah is the perfect fit for our family and completes the picture perfectly.  God has a great plan, He hears all of our prayers and in HIS perfect time, he answers prayers in his PERFECT way!! 

Brotherly Love

Thomas has really adapted well to having a baby in the house.  He loves being the BIG BROTHER and can't wait to teach her things.  He always is asking how she's doing, he gives her gentle kisses and he loves to help dress her, feed her and bathe her.  Jim & I feel more than blessed to have such a beautiful family.  God has a plan for all of our lives and his timing in nothing less than perfect. 

Kisses

Telling her a story

Sporting their beanies.  Hannah's is pink with a bow and Thomas's is black & red.

Bonding time

"Mom can I help feed her?"