Our Infertility Story and Hope to grow our FAMILY

Ken and I have been married almost 3 years. 3 years ago we had been dating for 2 weeks, then the second week of October he Proposed! I knew he was an amazing man, and I was so so happy! All we could talk about was growing our family! We wanted children right away.

My amazing husband knew I had some health problems, specifically very odd and painful endometriosis. So we began talking about seeing fertility doctors while we were engaged! 2 months later we were married! And off to see the fertility doctor.

 

We tried a special medication the fertility doctor thought would work with little to no side effects. Unfortunately I gained 30 pounds in 3 days! We went to the ER and they didn't know what to do! We kept calling the fertility office and they wouldn't allow us to speak to the Doctor, and they denied their medication had done that. I wasn't going to sue them or anything, I just wanted to know what to do. I mean, gaining 30 pounds in 3 days is stinkin scary!

So we tried seeing our regular doctor, and within 7 months I had gained 70 pounds! We saw new doctor after new doctor, and finally after a year of tears and pain and negative test after negative test, we went off all the medication.

All the weight from the medications to have a baby

And what a miracle, a month later we discovered I was pregnant! We were thrilled! But something was wrong. It was so early, that the Doctor didn't think anything was seriously wrong and just thought I wasn't used to being pregnant. I was terrified. On top of the nausea that is normal with pregnancy I had severe GI problems, and bone pain. I could hardly walk, and as each day went by, the pain got worse.

Before we could go in for the 6 week ultrasound to see our little prize, I began to bleed. And sob. And just as the pregnancy hurt my bones, losing the baby hurt even more, something was wrong with my bones, something was wrong with almost every body system, and all I could do was rest in bed.

The Doctor told us the fastest way to have another baby and the easiest was to try again at the next opportunity. Again we had a positive test stick! It was a miracle, but something was wrong again. It was like before, but the bone pain wasn't as severe. Something else was off, and I didn't want to believe anything could be wrong so we booked our ultrasound with a midwife and someone who might be able to help with the weird bone pain and other symptoms I was having. A few days before our ultrasound, again, all the pain came back. Severe bone pain, bleeding, and too many tears. Something wasn't right with my body after that.

We ended up going to a pelvic pain specialist and had surgery in September. It was a miracle, he got us in just 5 days after we saw him when he was booking other people out for the following February. We learned that my endometriosis was more aggressive than we thought. We learned that I had Pelvic Venous Congestive Syndrome, and that my Uterus does not function correctly. We had to have my organs that has fused together from scar tissue separated, 2 large veins cut out and burned so I didn't bleed out, and so many other things.

They were hoping I would have a normal pregnancy again, but my fallopian tubes are scarred shut, my eggs turn into cysts, and my endometriosis continues to grow with a vengeance.

My husband and I grieved in different ways. I felt so alone, I didn't think I could foster children anymore because I cried every time I saw them. But then I was given a miraculous gift from the Lord, and began to view the children in our care as blessings, and all babies that were announced and born as blessings. I am usually the most excited person in my reaction when someone tells me their pregnant. I'm so grateful that more babies are coming, and I'm so grateful to those moms who choose to give their babies up for adoption instead of terminating.

We have been trying to adopt for 2 years, and I'm Native American. We want to adopt a Native American baby to keep the tradition going, and both my husband and I feel called to love and care for and adopt those amazing children with special needs. We have started a Go Fund Me account: gofundme.com/2n3qtnuc and are trying to adopt a Native American baby with special needs.

Please help us expand our family and help us have the funds to provide for the needs of whichever special children the Lord has planned for us to call our own. We will continue to foster, but our current focus is on trying to adopt.

My husband and I both run our own small businesses and are moving to Show Low to make our business more successful. We are also trying to work with the different Reservations up north to be able to adopt those children waiting for us.

 We feel it is our calling in life to adopt and to foster children with special needs. We belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. We believe in the Bible. We believe that Jesus is the Christ and that through trusting in Him and His atonement we can overcome all trials in life.

We hope to have our businesses grow and our family grow faster! Thank you for supporting us in our journey to adopt and expand our business. Thank you for spreading the word, and for reading our difficult fertility story. And please, if you are pregnant, tell me, if you want the happiest and best reaction! All babies are blessings and all mommies who can have babies are blessings to the world! Help me be a mommy and our family grow to a large Forever Family!! Love to you all!
Rachel Annie!

The most difficult part of being a foster parent... when they leave

Due to the legal nature of fostering, we are not allowed to disclose some things we wish we could with friends or family to get the support we need. We aren't even allowed to talk to other foster parents about it, because each foster child has rights.

Which makes sense, if you were a foster child would you want someone talking all about you all over the internet and posting some frustrating things that happened that may embarrass you now, or even hurt you now as an adult and get in the way of your journey in life?  I know I would hate that. But I also understand the need for support and to share the discussion to share the weight of the burden.

I honestly don't know how single foster mom's do it. Can anyone say Super Hero?!

So, to the point. The worst part of fostering is when they leave. And today one of our children left. Went to a new, wonderful home that will  help that specific child grow and learn tools that are needed. And that's all I'm allowed to say.

I'm so thankful that the Lord has given me such an amazing and supportive husband, and that we can share the burdens and stresses and sadness together. Other people don't quite understand. It's not the same as a child dying, but it feels and though the child has died.

We may never see the child that we love and have put so much work into in a long time, if ever. So it does feel like death. It also feel, I would imagine, as a mother sending a son or daughter off on deployment for our Amazing Nation. You wonder will they be ok, will I hear for them, and you grieve and think of all the what if's.

Well I'm deciding to let go of all the what if's and put all my trust in the Lord. And perhaps the next child to come will come and be ready to adopt. The lord has a plan for us. No matter how hard or sad or scary, we need to trust him. And make His will our will.

Help us Grow our Family!!!

Hello everyone!!
Ken and I are trying to adopt, and it's looking like a miracle is coming soon, but we need to raise the money for any equipment or special tools our child may need. We will be adopting a child with special needs.

We don't want to do a Go Fund Me account, because we want you to have a beautiful present made with love from us to remind you of the beautiful child you are helping come into our life!

If you see something you like on my shop, but want something a little different, or want a specific pen and ink of a temple, or want other colors or sizes, please let me know and I would be happy to see if I can do that for you!

Please take a look and see if there is something you would love to have to help us get our child to love!

Thank you so much! Please share and pass this along, we can't wait for our adoption!!!!

My Etsy Shop is called My Pink Stilettos

Here are some beautiful things up on the website, with more in the works!!!

 

 

Date, Turtle and Singing Time

It's big news people, Ken and I finally went on a date! It's been like FOREVER! It was sooooo fun! We went to the movies and saw Pitch Perfect 2. We love fat Amy, she's hilarious. I like the first movie better, but this was still super fun!!!

 

I know, I felt like a weirdo tourist asking a stranger to take our photo at a movie theater, but yep I did it. Awesome.

 

 

Then we met my parents and my aunt and uncle who I haven't seen in ages for fish and chips and prime rib and a live band! I seriously felt like a newlywed again, it was so fun to get out on the town!

Look at that handsome man! We had so much fun going out to dinner without little kids clamoring for attention. It is really important to do fun things with our kids, but its super important to go out together and not talk about kids!

 

 

Also our good friends gave us Miss Penelope! She is our sulcata tortoise. She is a baby. They sell them so if you want a baby turtle I can get you in contact! Penelope is very tiny, likes her heat lamp, does not smell ( which I really like) and can book it outside like you wouldn't believe!!



See how tiny she is!? So cute!!

 

Here we are on our first night with Penelope at our house!

she also loves her lettuce

 

 

And totally unrelated, but fun! I made a sing or dare game for music time and it was so fun! I asked the children a question about the songs, and someone would pick a song, but in the song pile there were a few DARE cards! The dares were fun and reverent though, like standing on one foot for 20 seconds or singing the ABC's. Then if they picked a song, another child would come and pick out the actions we would do during that song. It was so fun! And the children are so fun and great at the songs, I love to hear them sing!!!

 

So it's been a super fun weekend!

 

And remember, go on dates and have a great time!! and turtles are wicked fun!



10 Things I wish people had told me when I became a Foster Mom

Please note: we are not mad, offended, angry or resentful of anyone who has done #1-7 on this list, I just had to learn the hard way and I think it's important for people to know. :)

1. People who were your friends get mad: mad that you have children who have naptimes and bed times, and on game night need to be fed and changed and comforted mid game. Mad that you have to cancel, mad that you can't spend all your time over at their house listening to their problems.

2. People don't consider you a real parent: because I have no biological children, Mother's day was interesting. Some people were very supportive and kind, others made it seem like fostering made me less of a person and that I had no right to call myself a mom.

3. People judge: People who are supposed to be your support system judge your foster children. They judge the case they don't understand, they judge the color of your foster children's skin, they judge your choices to do what you do. And these judgments are not fair or kind.


4. You will see selfishness and selflessness in people you never imagined: People down on their knees, deep in trials give more than you could imagine and forgive in amazing ways. The hearts of these children are incredible. The selfish come from the adults who don't believe in giving people second chances and believe they know more about parenting children with difficult lives than we do. Hello people, we've been trained and trained and trained, we have been recertified and taught how to deal with rehabilitating our children, because that is our job. Get over yourself.

5. Foster moms can be the nicest or the most cruel: I've read so many facebook posts and blogs from foster moms and been so proud to be one of them, and at other times, so angry at how some behave or treat their children. I also have met some of the most amazing and giving women and families. Especially A.M.C. who volunteered to watch our children for free for an emergency surgery so Ken could be there when I woke up.


6. Everyone asks you if you are going to adopt the children you have: They don't care what the case plan is, they don't think the biological parents deserve a chance, they think you deserve these children, and a lot of people are very vocal about it, IN FRONT Of MY FOSTER CHILDREN! Not cool.

7. You will get bullied: Either by someone working for the state, other foster families, neighbors, people at church, people involved in the case, at some point with each case you will get bullied. It may be because you make someone else look bad by doing what you are trained to do, or it may be because you have a nice blouse on, who knows the reasons, but you will get bullied.

8. You will see miracles that others could only dream of: The miracles we have had have been amazing. Prayers are constantly answered, we are watched over by angels, and having these children in our lives is a huge blessing We have grown closer to the Lord and to one another because of numbers 1-7, and now on number 8 you see it's all worth it. The blessings that have come, the lessons we have learned have been life changing. And humbling. Now I look at others in a whole new light, and I look for miracles every day.

9. Your marriage will become a rock or will crumble: As newlyweds we wanted children. It was hard, but we both parent in the same style, and we both rely on inspiration from the Lord. Because we continually turn to the Lord and to one another ours has become a rock. We have to work at it like any other marriage, but we've been given miracles and blessings to become strong and solid.

10. Your view of the world will change: You will see miracles where others won't look, you will be uplifted by the Lord in times of difficulty and really appreciate it. You will find out who great friends, good friends and bad friends are. Your support system will be completely redefined. You will look at those less fortunate than you with respect, and you will fight hard for children who aren't even yours. And then one day, when you know you will have a child of your own, you will treasure and cherish it, and really thank the Lord for what you have seen and lived through.

Mommy Pretty, I love you. Here mommy flower.

Our big news: adoption

Disclaimer: all the thoughts, opinions and observations in this blog are strictly my own and do not reflect any agency or government entity. They are purely the feelings in my heart.

I took a few deep breaths. Tears brimming over my eyes, ad made my way around the corner to the kitchen where my incredible husband was trying to complete a mountain of homework. I felt awful interrupting him because then he would need to stay up later to finish, but this was to important to wait.

He looked up and smiled, saw my tears and moved his computer aside.
                " Sit down my love, what's wrong?"
     "Well, I don't know how to say this, and I don't know what you will think because it is completely opposite of what we decided, and it's going to mean a huge sacrifice on our part, and I'm really struggling with it."

My sweet husband held my hand and waited for me to speak. He had a look in his eye that told me he already knew what I was going to say and that he was proud of me for listening to the promptings of the Lord and trying to come to terms with this decision. He held my hand tight and just waited.

The my tears poured out, my heart ached as I spoke the words that needed to be said but hurt so much to acknowledge. Even now as I write this my eyes are watering and I remember the strong feelings of love, sadness, and comfort at doing the right thing.

       I sobbed as I said, " I know we decided that we would do a planned transfer of the children by June if they were still with us so that we could adopt a child. We have to have an open bed to adopt, and all of our beds are full. But Ken, (and here's where I really started sobbing, it was a true miracle he understood what I was saying) I just can't give them away to be split up into multiple foster homes, separated from one another just so I can have the baby I've always wanted. I feel so selfish having such a hard time keeping these children that won't be our to adopt, but I just can't send them away. I'm so torn and so sad. I'm sad for them, and I'm sad for us. And I feel so selfish wanting my own child to keep. Is that bad? Why am I struggling so hard? Are you ok if we continue to foster them and put our own family on hold until they go to their forever family?"

And my husband gave the best response in the world. " I'm so glad you understand. I'm so proud of you for seeing what needs to be done, and putting the needs of these children above our own desires, even thought waning our own child is a righteous desire. I have felt this way about the situation but wanted you to find your way here too. I know how hard it has been for you to wait for the children that will be forever ours. But this is the right decision. We both know that. We can't put these children back into homes where they will be separated. We don't know how long we will have them, but we do need to keep them until they go to their home. I'm so proud of you, it's not selfish, and I know how hard this is."

Then I just cried and cried. He was right, his answer was perfect. We both know that these children need to stay with us until they go home, and that we need to put our adoption on hold. I cried some more, feeling my heart breaking for our sweet foster children and the stress they are under, and knowing we have to wait even longer for our forever family. But we both have comfort knowing we are doing what the Lord would have us do, so despite the pain, we know it will be ok.

Many people don't understand what goes on behind the scenes of foster care. You love the children as your own, and you need to give them back. In Arizona the biggest priority is reunification with family, which we wholeheartedly support. Some foster parents try to sabotage the biological parents because they think they bio parents aren't good enough. That is not right, it is not what the Savior taught, and we make every effort possible to support reunification.

Fostering has shown me the extremes in compassion and selfishness in others. And in places I would never expect to see. I have seen extreme compassion and love in biological parents who just need a helping hand. Who are ready to change their lives and serve others around them. And I have seen great selfishness in people who consider themselves to have their lives in order and think it's ok to be judge and jury on things they don't understand.

What you can do is support Ken and I in our decision to wait for the precious children we are in charge of to be safely home. And support us in our efforts to adopt children with special needs and disabilities. We have prayed and fasted and know this is what the Lord wants us to do. Yes we have to wait for our adoption, but we know in the Lord's timing it will be worth it.

Fostering is so difficult to understand when you aren't living it. Hopefully the example above of one glimpse of a decision that will affect the rest of our lives will show you how complex fostering is. PLEASE ask me questions, please be supportive and kind. And know that I will continue to be an advocate for reunification, for adoption, and for mothers who can have their own children. Find ways to help support and serve your community or foster and adoptive parents. There are so many opportunities out there, you just have to look!

We are so grateful for the guidance of the Lord. We are so grateful to be able to pray and fast about difficult decisions and have people in our lives do their very best to support us. We are grateful for the trials and big decisions that leave our hearts slightly broken from the sadness of the sacrifice because it gives us a chance to allow the Savior to heal the wounds and for us to grow closer to him.

Our adoption process has been put on hold at least until the fall. We will keep you posted as things progress. Please pray for the children in our care that they may feel loved and supported by all those around them. Love to you all.

Miracles, alleric again, miracles again

So my life is a life of miracles as I've said before. We found this amazing product called Thrive and it helped me feel so much better! My inflammation went down, my discomfort level went down and I had so much energy. It turns out, after an anaphylactic reaction, that I'm allergic to things in Thrive which is a huge bummer!!! So we are still waiting to see and allergist and unfortunately I'm still taking Benadryl around the clock, but there is a miracle in this!!!

Thrive had such a profound effect on my body that I loved it!! We have had to go to the vitamin store and try and find similar ingredients, which was inconvenient and expensive, but it's working. If we hadn't tried Thrive we wouldn't have known that there are vitamins and minerals that my body is deficient in, and we wouldn't have been able to find similar supplements. If you don't have any food allergens I highly recommend Thrive, it really changed my life. I'm so sad I can't continue the product because it was so convenient and affordable! So if you want to try Thrive, please let me know and I'll get you in touch with the amazing friend who introduced this to me and changed my life!!

I will be forever grateful to this amazing and brave woman!! I love you D!!

Now that I have energy, my swelling is under control and I'm feeling great, I'm ready to take on the next steps in our life journey!! We met with our adoption agent today and had an amazing time!!!! She is an incredible lady who is so supportive of us! And we had to check off this list of what child we were willing to take, which is pretty much any child, and we really want to adopt a boy with Down Syndrome. And I'm Native American, I know I totally don't look like it, and since I'm Native American we have a very very great chance of getting a Native American baby!!!

We are so excited!!! So Thrive was a miracle, giving me hope that there are vitamins that can help me feel awesome, and now the adoption paperwork is underway! It will take until about may/june but we could get a baby! And we signed up to be a safe haven, which means when our agency is on call for a baby that gets dropped off at the hospital or a fire station etc. We can race down there if they call us and adopt that beautiful baby!

This man does this and has helped save hundreds of children! We are so excited to be part of a similar program!!!

And we have opted to adopt children with special needs. Some people disagree with us or are not supportive, or question our judgment, but we are following what we feel to be the Lord's will. And so the road may be tough, but we are ready. And thank you to those of you who have been so supportive and encouraging of us as we take on this new journey in life. We are so grateful for your love and support!

About a year ago this weekend we lost our first baby. And the road after the second loss was really rough. But I was talking to Ken about it and he said try not to remember the hurt around this date, and I said, well just think about all that we have come through, all the grief, difficulty, all the trials, and all the miracles. If we can make it through that, we can make it through anything.

This process of finding out that I can't have children, living with chronic illness and finally finding some supplements to give me energy and reduce swelling and inflammation, having severe allergic reactions, fostering a sibling group for over a year, having a big surgery, going to painful physical therapy, seeing our foster children struggle with the challenges they face, all of it has been an incredibly difficult journey. But Ken and I have never been stronger and our marriage has become so solid, it's been amazing. I am so grateful the Lord led me to such an incredible man, and that we have the privilege of fostering such wonderful children and to adopt some amazing kids soon!

I keep a miracle journal to show our children when they are older all the amazing things the Lord has done for us and is doing! I can't wait to see what this year holds! We are so grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and for being sealed in the temple, married for time and all eternity!

Greif, Adoption and Gratitude

Sorry it's been a month since I've posted!!! January has been very eventful! I have lots of pictures and videos of our foster kids being adorable that I wish I could show you! I decided to fill you in on our process, where we are for adoption, what our goals are, and what's been happening!

First, Grief. It will be a year next month that I lost the first baby. Christmas and basically all of December was extremely difficult for me. I love our foster children but they will be going home, which is always a great thing, but I felt so empty on Christmas day. We were supposed to have our own baby in our arms to celebrate the holidays and be happy and enjoy every aspect. Christmas day was very difficult for me. I just wanted the present of our very own baby, the one who should have been born by then. So the holidays were very difficult.

We just got home from our trip to Utah so we are super tired!

 

I thought that after enough time would pass the grief would lessen, but it's only changed. I think one of the most disappointing factors is knowing that since I was 14 I was told me endometriosis would be cured when I had a baby, and that I would have no trouble having a baby. So not only did we lose 2 babies right before 6 weeks, we also lost the hope of ever having a baby, and having my endometriosis cured.

Grief is weird. I have learned about the stages of grief, but didn't understand that you can go back and forth between stages!! And there are several friends I know who have recently experienced great loss. My friends, I love you and we have been praying for you! I am so grateful to know that we have a loving Heavenly Father who watches over us, and that families can be together forever.

On to adoption! This has been very scary for me, and a little sad because I really LOVE LOVE LOVE newborns, and we may not get one to adopt. But I am learning to accept that just because I don't get a child 2 minutes old doesn't mean it won't be our child. And I've realized what a blessing it is to have Heavenly Father plant the seeds of hope and wanting adoption in my and my husbands hearts. Maybe we wouldn't be thinking adoption if we could have our own children.

I love this painting, it reminds me of how our Savior loves each of us so dearly!

 

The other big thing that many people don't understand or have even been rude to me about is the child we are looking to adopt. One day I said to Ken, " I think Heavenly Father wants us to adopt a child with Down Syndrome" and he said, " that's what I've been thinking too"!!! It was wonderful to us because we both felt it was the right thing. We have been working with an amazing woman named Gina who runs Sharing Down Syndrome Arizona. She has been amazing and has been keeping us in her mind and heart, trying to find our child. Please check out the web page and see all of the amazing things this woman has done!!!

We don't know what other children we will adopt, or if even the first child we adopt will have Down Syndrome, but we have seen time and time again the Lord's hand guiding us, sending us to the right people, inspiring us to reach out to the right resources, and we have seen many blessings!!

Gratitude!!! We finally found a state agency that will let us continue fostering with our current agency and just do adoptions through them. We are so excited! We have begun to fill out the initial paper work, and they are going to help us get on a specific file at CPS where there is a list of children ready to be adopted, and if any children come through our home and are available for adoption they will help us there. We tried to contact so many agencies, but they all wanted us to switch to foster with them as well, and we absolutely love our foster agency. Everyone is so nice and treats us like family.

We only have to take 3 classes, all in march, to get our adoption license since we are already licensed foster parents for disabled children. And did I mention that this agency is actually able to help you adopt a child with disabilities?!!! Almost every single other agency would only do foster children not considered disabled. I was so amazed at how much harder is it to adopt a disabled child than one with no disabilities. But we are so grateful to have an agency, and hope they take us on. Based on the initial paperwork they still could say no to adding us to their adoptive families, so prayers would be much appreciated!!

We are so grateful to have such wonderful children in our home. We did close down the Sutton Station Depot, but I felt it was a great success. I am so grateful I had toe opportunity to run it, and that even though only 3 foster families showed up on the day I gave everything away, a church who is starting a charity was able to come and take and use all the left over donations, so thank you so much to those of you who came and those of you who donated.

I love being sealed to Ken for time and all eternity! I love that we will be together in heaven, and our adopted children will be sealed to us and we will be a forever family even after this life That knowledge takes away the sting of death and grief.

 

 

I am so grateful to know that there is life after death, that Jesus is our Savior and Redeemer, and that despite all the trials we have faced in this last year, Heavenly Father has blessed us immensely. We know that the Lord has a plan for each of us, and as I look back at the past I see how He has been preparing me for the trials I am facing now. I know life may seem so difficult or lonely, or maybe you are dealing with grief or other trials, but please know that the Lord is there to guide you. I love the poem footprints in the sand, where a man asks the Savior why are there one set of footprints along my path? Why did you leave me Lord? And the Savior responds "I did not leave you, there is only one set of prints because I carried you along through your trials".

At the Salt Lake Temple Visitor's center!

Merry Christmas Love the Suttons!!!

Hello Everyone!!
Merry Christmas! We can't show you pictures of our foster kiddos but we can tell you about the whopper of a year we've had!

We had the twins we fostered go to a distant relative, and are now getting adopted by that amazing relative!!! We were so heartbroken to lose them, but are so happy they have a forever family!!!


Then we got 3 new foster kids, all siblings! They are very cute and very fun!! We aren't allowed to show their faces but maybe you can see their cuteness from the blurred photos!!!

 

 

 

 

This is for the baby's first birthday!

 

 

Here the baby is with cousins and auntie Carrie! Thank goodness I'm sometimes blurry with taking pictures because I can post this!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Then we had 2 pregnancies which ended in miscarriages. Our baby would be due any day now, and I'm surprised that the grief has returned. I guess once you experience grief it can become a constant silent companion. But with the help of the Lord we can get through it.

 



Here I am excited at Easter knowing our baby would be coming around Christmas. Only a few days later our dreams were crushed.

 

But life of course goes on, and we have tried to press forward, figure out how to fix my endometriosis, and are trying to get the paper work ready to adopt!

 

We started a charity called Sutton Station! People donate gently used toys and clothes and then foster families come and get what they need! Check out our facebook page!!! If you have toys or clothes you'd like to donate, just let me know!!!!

                              Ken and I have grown closer together through this very trying year.

I had surgery to remove my endometriosis and try and find the cause to our infertility.

We can't have children, so like I said, we are trying to adopt!

 

This year Temples have been especially huge blessings in our lives. We go there for guidance, comfort, and to serve.

Our new phoenix temple!!!

The Gilbert temple where our friends got sealed!

A trip to serve in the Phoenix temple!!

 

Ken and Me with the oldest at the Phoenix open house. Sorry you can't see her cute face!!!

 

Ken and I serving at the Phoenix open house!

 

Our 2 year wedding anniversary! Here we are getting married in our Superman Shirts!!!

 

Our 1st year Sealing anniversary!!!!

 

 

Up next for us! Trying to adopt- taking forever. Fostering- tiring, frustrating, and the best job in the world. Our dog Rylee is doing amazing. Our Christmas tree is decorated with paper ornaments colored by the foster kids!!

 

 Rachel is seeing an amazing physical therapist and making huge strides overcoming the issues her body has been dealing with. She's lost 42 pounds and is still going strong!! Getting off fertility medicine was the best thing! We think we have figured out why her body decides to be difficult, which is exciting, and we love herbal medicine!!

 

 

Ken is a stay at home dad and full time student! He is doing amazing in the pathway program and is now a BYU Idaho online student! He built an amazing swing set for the kids, built shelves for the charity so Rachel could organize, built a mudroom station as a nod to Rachel's love of the East coast, built shelves for food storage, learned more about happiness, morals and economics and ancient American history from his favorite books and speakers, and is the best dad and husband in the world. He mastered the art of homemade onion rings, and spiced ketchup.

 

 

We hope your year has been filled with Love and Peace and that you have an Amazing Christmas! Sorry we can't do a family photo!! Hopefully your trials and sorrows will be more light and the amazing gift of our Savior will light up your holiday season and throughout the year! Love to you all!