Good News!!

We have some exciting news to share with you . . . Most of you know that we have been applying to adopt and this week we were approved!!!

This has been a long time in coming, since we made the decision to adopt almost one year ago, after we found out I wouldn't be able to conceive. We know adoption is the way our children are meant to come to our family. Now, after filling out a mound of paperwork, being fingerprinted for background checks, getting physical exams, being interviewed, having a home study, and creating an online profile, we are finally finished. Whew! It was a lot of work, but I hear pregnancy is too! We are so excited at being one step closer to bringing a child into our home. Thank you to all of you who have supported us throughout this journey. It really means a lot to know we have so many people praying and hoping for us to become parents. We have already learned so much this year about adoption and hope we can share with others what a positive and wonderful thing it can be.

Adoptive families are encouraged to find their baby, as opposed to waiting for a baby, and that's where you come in! We need your help in spreading the word that we are hoping to adopt. If you know of an expectant parent considering her options, you can direct her to LDS Family Services through the website www.itsaboutlove.org. There she can find an agency near her and receive counseling and support. Our agency is in Houston, Texas and can be reached at 281-537-0211. If she is interested in viewing adoptive family profiles, that can also be done at itsaboutlove.org. Our profile can be found by searching our names or by our profile id 23149140.

Or click here to go right to our page.

We truly do appreciate all the love and support you have already given us. Please let us know if you have any questions. We love you all!

No time for blogging...

I'm too busy watching the Olympics!

Has anyone else been glued to their t.v. this week? I like to watch speed skating, snowboarding, and figure skating the best, but I still don't understand curling. What are your favorite winter sports to watch?

Good Things (According to Kim)

So I just wanted to share a few things I have been addicted to lately, starting with this yummy soup that I have been making all winter long. Jacob and I both just love it and could eat bowls and bowls of it in one sitting. And it is super easy to make.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2 chicken breasts

2 cans chicken broth

1 can diced tomatoes with chilies

1 can black beans (drained, but not rinsed)

1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

juice from 1 lime

1 avocado, diced

Cook the chicken in broth and shred into bite-sized pieces. Add tomatoes with the juice and black beans. Add cilantro, garlic, and lime juice. Let simmer on medium-low for 10- 15 minutes. Garnish with diced avocado. Can also serve with shredded cheese and tortilla chips. Makes about 4 servings.

(source: Meadowbrook Recipe Book 2007)

I've been addicted to chapsticks and lip glosses since I was a little girl, and recently I've been using this CoverGirl Wetslicks Amazemint lip gloss. It's made with Crest peppermint oil and makes my lips feel tingly and pretty. I'd say it's a step up from the greasy carmex I used to wear. (No offense to anyone who still uses carmex) :) What lip gloss or chapstick do you love? Seriously, I am always trying new things because my lips are so dry and flaky. Or should I quit using anything altogether?

I have also been hooked on Michael Buble's newest CD "Crazy Love". I can't stop listening to it! I especially like the songs "Baby (You've Got What It Takes)" and "Georgia On My Mind". I just feel so happy and relaxed after hearing him sing. What music makes you happy?

My good friend Shaela has started a blog to share her crafty creations. She is helping me get started with papercrafting and I love seeing what she's made. I feel like her cards and layouts are works of art and they inspire me so much. You can check out her work at www.yellowumbrelladesigns.com.

I want to hear what good things you have been addicted to lately!

Dry

I never thought when we moved to one of the most humid places in the U.S. that I would ever have dry skin. But lately my face has been getting so dry. It's definitely not as bad as it was in Idaho though, where I had dry skin all year round. I have been wondering if I need to get a new moisturizer for my face. Right now I use L'oreal Active Daily Moisture Lotion with SPF 15. I usually have to put on two coats of lotion so my face doesn't feel so dry.

What do you use? Anything you would recommend?

On the Hunt...

for a house!

We are excited and nervous because this will be our first home. We have rented for so long that it just feels comfortable, but we are ready to be homeowners. I need all the advice I can get. Should we use a realtor? Or do it alone?

We are probably going to end up building a house. Has anyone else done that? What would you do differently the next time? Did you pay for upgrades or do them yourself?

Help me out!!

Soap Opera

The other night we were able to go to the Houston Grand Opera and see the dress rehearsel of Tosca by Puccini. (Our friends gave us their tickets because they couldn't go.) I had only been to one opera before and this was Jacob's first time. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I knew nothing about this opera, but there was a synopsis to read and supertitles in English so we could know what was going on as they sang. Who would've thought you could sing so passionately about a woman's fan or a basketful of food? And somehow it all sounds better in Italian. The performers were amazing and I was in awe at how powerfully and beautifully they sang. There were a few slow parts and overly dramatic parts I rolled my eyes at, and by the end all the main characters were dead, but overall I thought it was worth my time to see. Jacob didn't even fall asleep, but I guess that would be hard to do while people are being murdered on stage. Has anyone else been to an opera? What do you think of them?

Friends

Some highlights of my trip out west were seeing a couple of friends I hadn't seen in a long time. Carole and I have been friends since junior high and her family just moved to Utah from South Carolina. We figured out that we hadn't seen each other for about 3 years. I finally got to meet her little boy (who has the cutest big belly), and saw her daughter Emily again (who called me "Kimmy" in the sweetest little voice!). We had a great time laughing at old pictures of us, playing games, and eating brownie sundaes. Thanks for letting me stay with you Carole!

Christina is my friend from when we lived in Virginia; our husbands went to dental school together. It was great to see her family again and catch up on what they've been doing. We miss living close to them. I used to be able to walk down the street and see Christina whenever I wanted. Her 3 little girls are adorable and I'm excited for them to have a baby boy in a couple of months. Thanks for letting me come visit you Christina!

I really do believe that I have the best friends anyone could want. They have to be to listen to me ramble on, right? I wish I could've seen more of my friends over the holiday. Maybe next time...