Merry Christmas!

Warming up with a fist-bump!

Candy canes from Santa

Cookies & reindeer antlers after visiting with Santa!

Christmas Cookie Party

Several moms and kids from our church got together this morning in celebration of the Christmas season. It was a Cookie Swap for moms and a Cookie Decorating Party for the kids. It was a blast! Surprisingly the "littles" did a great job keeping the mess down and not wearing too much of the icing and sprinkles!

I love how seriously Vivienne took her cookie job today. You can see it in the pictures. You'll also notice that in most of the shots, she has frosting on her lips. That's my girl!
 

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Each year we send a Thanksgiving letter to our family and friends - our version of Christmas cards - to reflect back on the past year and give thanks for our many blessings. This year's letter...

Happy Thanksgiving:

This has been a year of many firsts for our family!

Last December, we celebrated our first Christmas as a family of three! Both Michelle’s and Dave’s families were in town, so it was a very festive holiday at the farm. Vivienne loved having a house full and enjoyed her cousin’s help in tearing open presents.

On May 30, Vivienne had her 1st Birthday! We had a cookout with family and friends at our home to celebrate. We made homemade butterfly cupcakes, which were Vivienne’s first time tasting yummy, sugary frosting. Let’s just say that she loved everything about having a birthday!

Starting in June, Michelle began working part-time for the first time in her career, in order to spend more time home with Vivienne. It was a wonderful summer for the three of us with lots of trips to the pool, fun times at local parks and a day of adventure at the zoo. Dave is enjoying his “stay-at-home-daddy-day” each week! Vivienne loves following him around the farm and helping with chores. She is becoming quite the little farmer.

This fall has been busy but wonderful! We’ve enjoyed hosting several fall parties and hayrides for various groups from church at our farm. The best conversation overheard, as one of the parties was ending, was a mom telling her toddler to thank us for the fun time. It went something like this:

Child: Thanks Farmer Dave!

Mom: Be sure to thank Miss Michelle too.

Child: Thanks Farmer Dave!

So as you can see, if you aren’t the one driving the tractor, you don’t count. Ha Ha!

A couple weeks ago we had our first long road trip with a toddler. We went to visit Michelle’s brother and family. Vivienne is a huge fan of the portable DVD player. Elmo saved the day on the 8+ hour trip!

We are celebrating Thanksgiving this year with Dave’s family including his mom, sister, aunts, and cousins and we look forward to the upcoming Christmas season. We also hope to take a family trip to Florida to see Grandpa & Grandma and Disney World this winter!

We pray you are doing well and look forward to hearing from you this holiday season.

Much Love,

Dave, Michelle, and Vivienne

Doe a Deer

I do not hunt, but yesterday morning I got my first deer!

On our way home from grocery shopping, I hit a deer. Vivienne and I were driving along the country road and just like they say... "it came out of no where and I didn't see it until it was right in front of my grill." I slammed the brakes and closed my eyes. I must have peeked because I remember seeing it slide across the road and fly into the ditch on the other side. :(

I was crying when I got out to see the damage to the front of the car. It was a mix of shock, mixed with fear, since Vivienne was in the car with me, and guilt that I killed something that was alive moments ago. What I saw was that the headlights and grill were gone. There was a hissing noise from the radiator (just like in the movies!) Vivienne started crying  so I decided to calm down and stop crying myself :-) I unstrapped her and we sat in the back seat together. While fiddling with my cell phone, I heard Vivienne, "mmmmmm." This is what she does when she wants to kiss you. She pretty much only gives kisses at night when she's ready for bed. She leans in, pinches her lips closed and says, "mmmmm." I was super surprised so I looked up from my cell and sure enough she was leaning in for a kiss. I kissed her and it was like she wanted to tell me, "Don't worry. Calm down Mommy." So sweet! That was the best moment of the whole horrible morning.

Dave arrived shortly after the sheriff's deputy. He had the morning off thank goodness. He brought a sippy cup of milk for Vivienne and the extra carseat. On his way to meet us he was thinking how he should take and mount the antlers for me. Too funny! He was a bit disappointed when he and the deputy peered into the ditch and saw it was a very small doe! We were able to drive the SUV back into town to an auto body shop. After stopping at one shop and getting little to no help (long story here) we felt that we were supposed to leave and drive the vehicle to the dealership where we bought it.

So we strapped the extra carseat into our other car and Dave drove Vivienne home so she could nap and he could get ready for work. I drove the SUV to the dealership. I called our salesman on the way there. He remembered me right away because we were the couple buying a family-friendly vehicle three days before adopting a newborn. ha ha! When I arrived, the paperwork was already started and a tech was waiting to see the damage. Good choice to leave the other place!!!

They sent me home with a quad-cab Chevy Silverado in a beautiful blue color. It only has 3000 miles on it and it smells amazing -- new car smell. :-) Needless to say, Dave has not stopped drooling over the truck!!!!

It's 24 hours later and they've already completed the repair quote, submitted it to insurance, ordered parts and will start the repairs next week. So although quite traumatic when it happened, we are doing well now. Not the simple grocery shopping errand I was thinking it would be!

Our Smart Little Cookie

Fun video taken in August of Vivienne at 14 months old. Enjoy!

Vivienne's 1 Year Photos

Our friend Jen is a fantastic photographer! We are so grateful that she captured Vivienne's personality in such beautiful and memorable images. Happy 1st Birthday Vivienne! We love and adore you sweet girl!

CLICK HERE for the Genesis Photography blog entry from our photo shoot and additional info on Jen's photography. If you're from our area, we DEFINITELY recommend her!

What A Year It Has Been!

May 30, 2011

Dear Vivienne,

Happy Birthday little one! Mommy and Daddy love you so much! One year ago today we witnessed the most amazing miracle. We will never forget:

• Getting the call from your birthmother that she was in labor and we should rush to the hospital
• Holding her hand, helping her count & breathe, putting cold wash clothes on her forehead and neck, telling her she was doing such an amazing job. And she was!
• Mommy shouting, "It's a girl!"
• Daddy cutting your umbilical cord
• Staying in the hospital with you for three wonderful (and sleepless) days
• Feeling like the most blessed parents in the world

Happy Birthday Vivienne Rose!

Love,

Mommy & Daddy

My 1st Mother's Day

One of Vivienne's toddler friends, Joshua, loves finding me at church each Sunday and saying very proudly, "Hi Bibienne's Mommy!" I love that moment each week.

Being Vivienne's Mommy is my biggest joy in life and my deepest desire fulfilled. God is so good. All the time.

To my little miracle: I am truly blessed to be your Mommy. I love you!

Today is Birthmother's Day!

A perfect day to share this beautiful poem...

Vivienne with her mother and her birthmother

An Openly Adopted Child's Legacy

by Brenda Romanchik 

Once there were two expectant mothers.
One carried and cared for you beneath her beating heart
She became your Birthmother.
The other carried the hope of you within her.
She became your Mom.

As the days passed, and you grew bigger and stronger,
Your Birthmother knew that she could not give you all you needed after your birth.
Meanwhile, your Mom was ready and waiting for you.

One day your Birthmom and your Mom found each other.

They looked into each other’s eyes and saw a friend.
Your Birthmom saw the life your Mom could give you.
Your Mom saw how much your Birthmom loved and cared for you.

They decided that what you needed was both kinds of love in your life.

So now you have two families,
One by birth, the other by adoption.

And you have a home where you can get:
your questions answered,
your boo boos bandaged,
your heartaches soothed,
And much needed hugs.

And a place where you can find:
answers to your questions,
your image in the mirror,
a part of yourself,
And much needed hugs.

Two different kinds of families
Two different kinds of love
Both a part of you.

Happy 11th Month Baby Girl!

Wait a minute... is there a sticker hidden on my back?

Seriously taller than the puppy now!

Favorite Household Chores

Besides emptying baskets of clean and folded laundry (so helpful!), Vivienne LOVES helping Daddy with the dishwasher!

No matter where she is in the house, if she hears the dishwasher door open, she dashes off. And she's pretty quick! See for yourself...

Vivienne is also very close to taking her first steps unassisted! This is how some of today's pre-walking adventures with Mommy went down...

10 Months Old and So Big!

SO BIG!

Practicing standing is my favorite thing this month!

I like giving hugs to my puppy!

Hello Maggie!

The Day It Began...

One year ago today, our open adoption relationship began! We were so nervous meeting Vivienne's birthmother for the first time. We soon realized, she was just as nervous!

This is how it all began...

The End of the Waiting Phase

One year ago today, we got the call that changed our lives!

Here's how it happened! 

Nine Month Toothy Grin!

Happy 9 Month Birthday!

 

 

 

Hugs for the puppy!

So big!

Happy Valentine's Day

I said a Valentine prayer for you
and asked the Lord above
to fill your heart and bless your soul
With the precious gift of love.

I asked Him for sincere love
The kind that's meant to stay
Just like the generous love
You give to those you touch each day.

I prayed for love from family
And from every cherished friend
Then I asked the Lord to give you
His love that knows no end.

Love is patient,
Love is kind.

It bears all things,
Believes all things,

Hopes all things,
Endures all things.

Love never fails.

1 Corinthians 13:4,7,8

 

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!