Joshua is home!!

Finally Home!! On the airplane In the hotel

Cheese!

Big Sister love

Lisa (Josh's birth mom), Joshua, Gilda and Dorothy (Lisa's sisters)

Hailey and Joshua's first hello

We picked Joshua up on Friday March 20th 2009 at the agency in New York City. It was a wonderful (yet emotional) day.

New York City

World of Disney Store

FAO Schwarz Times Square Toys R Us

Picking up Joshua Children's Museum Serendipity Frozen Hot Chocolate Dylan's Candy Bar

Central Park Zoo

Mon. March 16th - We flew to New York (our flight left at 11:15 PM). Tues. March 17th - Arrived at JFK at 5:30 AM (it was a long night, luckily Hailey slept the whole flight). We took a taxi to the hotel (who needs Disneyland when you have NYC taxi's, I spent the whole week carsick:0). The hotel let us check in so we went to our room and slept until 1:00 PM. We walked down to Fifth Ave, went to FAO Schwarz, the World of Disney Store, saw some of the St. Patricks Day parade (it goes from 11 am until 5 pm). Wed. March 18th - We went to the Central Park Zoo, Dylan's Candy Bar and Serendipity 3 for frozen hot chocolate (that alone is worth a trip to New York). Thurs. March 19th - It was our 16th anniversary :0). We rode the subway and went to the Children's Museum of Manhattan, H&H Bagels, Zabars and Artie's Deli. (I had Matzo ball soup, which I love and haven't had in years! I wish that I could get it here in Utah). We took the subway back to Times Square and walked around some more. Fri. March 20th - We picked up Joshua at the adoption agency!! We spent a couple of hours talking to his birth mom and her sisters. His poor birth mom was so sad! It was really hard for her, her sisters are a great support for her. (See next post for more details) Sat. March 21st - We went to Times Square Toys R Us. They have a 3 story ferris wheel in the middle of the store. The cars are different toys like Barbie's pink car, a red Little Tykes car, the Mystery Machine etc. It was very cute! We went to the airport and had dinner (JFK is like a little "city" in itself). Our flight left NYC at 8:00 PM and we arrived in Salt Lake at 11:30 PM. By the time we got to bed it was 2:00 am.

Whew! A whirlwind of a trip, but so much fun.

It's a Boy!!

January 30th, 2009 - 4 months old This is the picture from the website... so cute!!!

We are "having" a baby! Joshua Jamison was born Sept. 23, 2008 in Brooklyn NY. (Joshua is what his birth mom named him, we decided to keep it. Jamison is my mom's maiden name) I saw his picture on the Spence-Chapin website (the same agency that placed Hailey with us). We found out on Friday 2/20 that his birth mom chose us and she signed all the papers!! Now, with all of the "red tape" involved with going out to New York to pick him up, we should be heading out there the 2nd or 3rd week of March.

We have felt for a while that we were missing someone in our family and we knew that it was a boy so we are very excited to have found him and bring him home. For those of you that are shocked by this turn of events, join the club :) As I said, we knew that we were probably going to have 1 more child but until I saw this baby I didn't admit my very strong feelings about it to Cody. We had "joked" about it but when I sent this little one's picture to Cody at work, he said "I always KNEW that we would have one more and it would be a boy". When we started comparing notes with each other, we had all felt this way we were just too nervous to bring up the subject. After all, we do have 6 kids! :) Even Cody Joe has felt that someone was missing and was relieved and excited that we found him. It is funny, This has been the most peaceful that we have ever felt about an adoption. Usually we are running around like crazy and nervous that something will go wrong and that we won't "get the baby". This time we felt an amazing peace and calm about the whole situation, knew for a fact that he was ours, and didn't worry at all about the birth mom making her decision or signing papers. It has been a very strong testament to the gift of the Spirit and that when something is right, it is right and that's it! (even if it means child #7 :) I will try very hard to keep an update here about when we are leaving and such.

6 year old girl!

January 7th was Tia's 6th birthday...

I made her a big bow to wear to school,

she liked it because it "crinkles" We had a party for her in the evening, she pretty much screamed throughout the entire event.

It is a good thing that she is (ordinarily) so cute and lovable! Oh No!! Birthday Party!!

(turning 6 is apparently very stressful :)

Oh No!! Not CAKE!!! :)We finally gave Tia a bath, put her to bed

then let the other kids open her gifts. They were more than happy to help :0)

Snow!

The front yard The pile from just half of the driveway! You can see the dark line at the bottom of the snow... that would be the lawn. It's under there somewhere. The snow has been insane! We got about 1 1/2 - 2 feet in 2 or 3 days. I have shoveled more snow than I ever thought possible. I have to keep the whole street in front of our house clear for Tia's bus (so the wheelchair lift can come down). It has been crazy!