A castle!

All right so while we wait for the little one to come we have been trying to find things to do with our time. We know there are lots of things to do over here but we are trying to use our money sparingly to make it last in case things end up taking longer here. So yesterday we found a castle that was only a few bucks to tour through. It was great! It was more like ruins of a castle but it was still fun to walk through and imagine what each space was used for. Plus we got some sweet pictures. The castle is named Burg Nanstein and overlooks the village of Landstuhl. It was cold but worth the money and took up a portion of our afternoon!

Lindsay and I are still adjusting our bodies to the sleep thing. We usually crash around the evening and wake up in the middle of the night going back to sleep around 4 or 5 in the morning. It's weird but I am not fighting it. I know the baby is going to throw our sleep off anyways and we will have to adjust once we get back to the states anyways so I am just going with the flow. At least we are staying awake during the daytime here, that is all I care about really that way we can still go and do things.

All right we are at the library and I need to go.

Catch up with you soon, hopefully
Som

A few spare minutes

All right folks....so no pictures until we get back to the states...Sorry! We do not have a way to get then from the camera to a computer, and we are using all public computers here.

We safely made our way to Germany and were awake for a whopping 33+ hours! We got one hour increments here and there but it never felt like it! We got to experience England through a cab, the trains, and a subway (and yes, there were subway rats!) that reminded us of Harry Potter.

We met S in person as well as her Mother and that was great! They both were so sweet and have been a great help as we have maneuvered through the bases around the area.

yesterday was S's due date but her body is not ready to deliver the baby yet so we are all patiently waiting. The baby is doing well though and so is S so we feel good about that. We are guessing the moon babe won't make an appearance until at least early next week if not a few days later. The moon babe will also be born in a hospital where war heroes come to have injuries treated, so that is pretty special!

We feel extremely blessed to be here where we are and have this opportunity. Things have fallen into place oh so well and I know it's because of all the prayers and support that has been given in our honor. Thank You!!

I am not sure how much access to the internet we will have but I will post as much as I can about what is happening on the European front.

See ya soon,
Som

In a reflective mood

So you know how I told you that I have total insomnia...I wasn't kidding. Lindsay is in bed asleep and I feel like it will take me hours, so as I contemplate going and doing the dishes or posting...I choose the latter. I was thinking about the time this fall before we met S.

In October I returned from a second trip to Arizona where I spent time with my mom, our friend Cindy and her family. While in Arizona we mourned the loss of Cindy's husband and when I got home I continued to reflect upon the loss that I have felt as an infertile woman not bearing my own child. A few days upon my return Lindsay and I went to one of our spots for an open mic night and some yummy cocoa drinks. You may recall when I posted about Lindsay getting up and sharing a song on the guitar. What I failed to mention (if I remember correctly) is that after that show the emcee came up to us to thank Lindsay and chat. She said that we couldn't continue to come to open mic night if we didn't participate because we would be contributing to creating the community there-she was joking. She had asked me what I did and I replied that I was a housewife ( a title that I am proud of!) she asked me if I would write a piece so that I could come back and share another week with the audience, she told me I could write about cooking.

Honestly I was a bit upset. Being a housewife is so much more than just cooking to me...it's about creating a warm environment where peace and harmony dwell. Taking care of my family and nurturing those relationships, who was she to just assume that just because I am a housewife that all I had to write about was cooking? So I went home and thought about things. I really didn't want to get up another week and read my writing to anyone but I wanted to get something down on paper (just in case she called me out), yes sometimes I have assertive issues, I am working on that.

The following is something that I never thought I would share but it's about infertility. Just thinking about it brings tears to my eyes, but those of you who have dealt with it or those who are close to someone who has dealt with it may relate.

Here goes....

Waiting, barren, hopeful, helpless

Part of my heart feels artificial
Like it's been outfitted with a false hole
Bit I also feel as though there has been a protective charm glaring against the outside
I know in one life or anothe I will be the Mother
I want to be
What defines motherhood anyway?
Children? Statistically speaking perhaps
But I AM the mother of our home
Creating an atmosphere of warmth, creativity,
A refuge from this monster of a world.
I get to mother the other children of our village,
teaching them by example
and easing the burdens of their progenitors.
I am the mother of myself, governing my thoughts, feelings, and actions
I do not like the term "infertile."
It brings on an odor or alien beings with it,
people wrinkling their faces, speechless.
I am no different than any other woman.
I've heard all the comforting words,
they don't do anything.
It's like when someone has died and the mourners comfort those around them.
It's a bit backwards and twisted.
Rollercoasters of emotion happen...sometimes
I wake up to a knock on my door.
When I go to see who is there I realize
it is an unwelcome visitor.
The visitor who has come used enchantments beyond medicine altering my body mechanics.
We go through the day wallowing in each other's company
until at last
I see the value in this visitor.
The false hole is being cured with stuffing
until one day- another woman
just like me with her heart broken from similar unwelcome visitors will find me
and I her.
We will learn and grow as if we are children.
Then a child will be born and I will then
become a mom
and she will grow the wings she needs to fly on....

It's interesting for me to think that just a few weeks later we would meet that woman. How our lives would change in the same season and together we would help each other transition into the next season. Birth moms are truly angels!

It's about time, huh?

So I know it's been way toooooo long since I have posted...I apologize! Things have been quite busy around the moon household. As we have been preparing for our trip that starts in the next few days there have been many things to put in order to make sure all is well while we are away. Lindsay and I both have had to arrange and get things done for our callings in our church so that things don't fall by the wayside.

Also we have been getting things prepared in the house so that the moon babe has a good welcome home. And to be honest so that when we come home I don't have to do a ton of cleaning and setting up of things.
So if you look, you will see our home is transforming into one where a baby will be in a few weeks! The car seat on the end table waiting to be put in the car for the road trip home!

Hooded towels for a nice warm bath. Mmmm we love baths at the Moon house, hopefully moon babe will too!

A diaper station amongst our books in the living room. A friend gave me the idea and I loved it....now I won't have to go upstairs every time I need to change the diaper and plus I did it so that once moon babe gets older they can get into it and I won't have to worry. I am starting to think about how to baby proof our house, this was a small step!

A beautiful quilt that my grandmother made for moon babe and sent to us! I love love love it! For the past couple of years I have said that these are the colors that I wanted our nursery to be, it is totally neutral and unique and you can punch in any other bright colors to go with it. But you see now I am torn.....I still love those colors but also love the colors of our pack n play. I can't decide which way I want to go. Either way though, I love this blanket and it will get great use from the moon babe!!! Thanks Grandma!

The starts of the packing! I will be sharing my suitcase with little moonie so as you can see I won't have much space, but I am totally fine with that! It has been fun laundering and picking things out and packing for the little one...ok so the laundry wasn't that fun but I know I have got to get used to more laundry! Lindsay and I ordered slings off the internet that are to be delivered to his parents house that we will pick up on our way over to Europe and we can't wait! Lindsay has been fun to watch as he has shown more excitement! It went from being really casual and not saying much about it all unless directly asked to now he picks things out at stores and plays with some of the stuff we have to wanting his own sling! We thought at first we could just get one sling that we could share but the one adjustable one that we found was still too big for me. So then we looked online and found ones that fit according to your body size. I am glad that Lindsay is so excited to help out with the moon babe and play with our little one.

He is honestly going to be such a great father! He has such compassion for people and totally knows how to lift people's spirits! He will set a wonderful example and show his amazing patience as he helps to teach our children good values, morals, and lessons. I am looking forward to co-parenting with him and know that we will draw closer together as a couple as we do so. I also know that parenting is hard work and that there will be tough times but I know that if we work together and do things to help one another out like we have done to have our successful marriage that it will all work out!

In my last post I was really nervous about becoming a mom, excited but nonetheless nervous. I can honestly say that those feelings have left me. I know I am not perfect nor will I ever be but I have complete peace that I will be able to mother and be successful. I know that my Heavenly Father will guide us as we parent and I am just so grateful for the opportunity that my insides are about to burst out! I have had total insomnia as of this week as I lay in bed thinking about how excited and happy I am, how I can't wait to meet S and some of her family, how I can't wait to hold moon babe for the first time......it will be grand!

I am hoping the insomnia will stay so that when we get to Germany my body isn't as messed up as I am expecting it to be. I know that I will be running off of adrenaline and happiness which will help, but I wonder when that will fade into dead exhaustion. I am glad that we will be able to go home to our families when we get back so that we can visit and receive help that will be nice to have.

Oh and this last weekend we held another yard sale at one of our ward members homes and it was rockin' awesome! I didn't expect much out of it because it's mid january and cooler here and there haven't been any garage sales in a few months but we were able to raise a little more than double of our first sale. Lindsay and I have been so amazed at the ward that we attend here in California, the people have been so helpful, encouraging, and warm...we could not have asked for a better ward! I only hope that in time we will be able to return the favor to everyone who has helped us with this adoption whether it was help with donations, or sales, or just being there for us as we have been going through our exciting journey!

I will warn you that the next month in posting will be sketchy! I will do my best to post pictures and give updates on the travels and little moonie's arrival but I am not sure how available I will be to the computer.

Updates on adoption logistics are great! We have flights and things in order to get to Germany. S will pick us up and we will be able to meet and chat. Appointments have been made for the babe's passport and birth certificate...we have been blessed with a cell phone that we will use while over there from our blessed birth father B....placement paperwork has been gone over and other paperwork faxed in that will be needed upon return on our end....S seems to be hanging in there and doing well........hospital details have been worked out (we will arrive after baby is born and S has spent time with him/her).....what more could we ask for? We have been extremely blessed as this adoption has unfolded and feel comforted in the power of prayer. Everything has fallen into to place so well and hope that labor and delivery go as smooth as possible for S and her child. We hope that her recovery is speedy and goes well also. Please keep her in your prayers as well as us and her child that the timing and health will all be well. We appreciate it!

Sommer

An new year awaits us...

Wow, the holidays were very different for us this year. They were good but different. To give a quick recap..... for Christmas Eve we were invited over to a family in our ward's house and had a big traditional dinner with about 5 families. After dinner the kids re-enacted Luke Chapter 2 and we sat and talked for a while and then played some cards. It was a lot of fun! When we got home Lindsay and I unwrapped our christmas eve gifts that are tradition from my parents which are pajamas and went to bed.

The next morning we woke up and opened our presents and stockings and lounged around and made breakfast. Well actually Lindsay made breakfast for me. His present to me this year was a very thoughtful handwritten letter with a bell attached. In the letter it said that all I had to do was ring the bell whenever I wanted that day and he would pamper me all day. It was the best! I got food prepared, and a back massage, my feet rubbed, kisses on demand...it is right up there with one of the best gifts ever!

Christmas evening we went to another friends house and had a more low key dinner and watched a movie. It was a nice relaxing day. There is something about not being around family though that took a little of the zing out. But we were able to talk to them on the phone and talk about how excited we are to see them next month with the moon babe. That's right we will be parents next month, can you believe it?

These last few weeks have been super nice! Lindsay has a had a few days off here and there and half days on other days, and we even had a snow storm here (we got about 4 inches). The funny part is that even the mojave desert got snow which is unheard of and the freeways and highways were closed from bakersfield to las vegas down to LA. I felt bad for travelers but it was nice to have Lindsay "stuck" at home!

For New years Lindsay and I opted to stay home and enjoy each others company. We have never been big new years fans, most years we have not even made it to midnight even with our best friends over, we all fell asleep waiting. To me its just another day in paradise...such the scrooge of new years I am! But later on New Years day we drove down to Northridge. We needed to stop by REI to see if they could fix my punctured down jacket, while we were down there we also stopped at JO-Ann fabrics which I always love and Babies 'r us. Below is our sweet new travel system!

I was so excited to find this one because I knew that I wanted a jogging stroller but didn't realize that I would be able to find a whole travel system. I thought I was going to have to get everything seperately. But this is Baby Trend and although we haven't tested it out with the moon babe yet......Lindsay did test it out at the store and I did once we got home. It works like a champ.

I can't believe that in less than a month we will be making our way to Germany and going through a new experience! Our lives will be changing from a couple to a couple of parents and we are so excited! Details continue to come together as we tie up loose ends to make this special miracle happen. I tell you our church headquarters personnel have been very efficient and so helpful! There are so many people making this adoption happen and everyone is so very important. We have people in the states and people in Europe and each is vital to this. Mostly I am excited to meet S in person and give her a warm embrace! I have started packing for our trip and each night I lay in bed thinking about if I have everything and the most efficient way to pack. Lindsay and I have gone over all different sorts of traveling scenarios in case S goes into labor early or if we stay in Germany longer than anticipated. I feel so prepared and yet there is only so much we can account for at this point. The insecurities of new parenthood have tried to rear their head quite often lately and I have been fighting them back with a vengeance! I know that we will have lots of help at first with parents coming to visit usand ward members available, but the adversary has a way of making us doubt ourselves doesn't he? (side note: I hear Lindsay in the nursery right now playing with the sounds and things on the pack n play.....it makes my heart melt!) I know I have the skills and the desire and the things I don't know, I know I can be taught and learn...Lindsay has been such a strength for me-he doesn't get stressed out or worried very often (Sorry, Lindsay is now reading a book to Boomer---he must be practicing!) so when I start to worry he just gives me the perfect reality check.

And since we didn't send out christmas cards as I want to send out something once the moon babe arrives. So let me give you a 2008 re-cap.

-I worked my way up to office manager at my work.

-We received our first pcs orders to our second military base-Edwards AFB

-We sold our first house

-We found homes for two dogs

-I was able to be a stay at home wife for the first time and I have loved it most of the time!

-We found out we will be parents!

-With the move came new callings at church....I was called surprise surprise to be in my fifth primary presidency, although this time I am the secretary which I have never been. Lindsay was a sunday school teacher but just a few weeks ago was called to be the Young Mens president. He is going to be a great leader!

-I learned how to make bread from scratch

-Lindsay reloaded lots of his own gun ammunition to go out and shoot with!

-We went on two backpacking trips

-We spent some vacation time in Las Vegas

All in all our year was good, we were very blessed and with all the bad even more good came out of it!

Oh and I almost forgot! On New years day the weather was gorgeous! We took Boomer to the dog park that morning for a couple of hours and then ate outside for lunch. It was crazy that it was January and people had flip flops (not many, it is still a bit chilly, but nice), no coats, eating outside............it's all so foreign to us! In Spokane they are having to shovel off their roofs each day because the snow wont stop. They have been considered in a state of emergency because the plows cant keep up and there is no where to put all the snow. Our poor families!

Love love,

Sommer