Button, Button, who's got the Button?

Ok, so after much hard work and tons of research on how to do this here are my BUTTONS!

(SEE SIDEBAR--they are kind of hard not to miss)

Please grab one and put it on your blog...you never know who knows someone, who knows someone!

The BUTTON takes you to our LDS Profile which has our adoption blog address on there but if you want one that takes you to the blog instead of the Profile let me know.

Thanks again for all your support!

If you don't know how to add the button to your blog just click on the code in the scroll box and copy it. Then go to the Layout page of your blog and choose "Add Gadget" then choose the HTML box. Paste the code in the box that pops up and save it. Then you can move it around to where you want it to show up on your blog by dragging the box from your Layout page. Save your changes and then view your blog.

I hope that helped!

WE ARE APPROVED!!!

So, our big news is that on December 16th we were officially approved for adoption! What this means is that our profile is given to birth parents when they go into any of the LDS Services office in Utah (if we meet their criteria) and we also have a profile on-line that is available for anyone and everyone! So, if you know of anyone who may be placing a child for adoption encourage them to look at our profile or just check out LDS services if they choose us or not. They offer so many services to prospective birth mothers and fathers.

We have also set up a blog specifically for our adoption process. I have not posted about us being approved because the blog is not done and still is not and will go through many changes until it is but, right now it has some good info and bit by bit I will get more on there.

I am also going to make a BUTTON for anyone who would be willing to put a link to our online profile from their blog. As uncomfortable as it may be since we are kind of private people (really we are!) we are going to get ourselves out there! So people know what we are doing and can help!

We can't wait to expand our family and we know that it's through adoption that this will happen for us at this time. I are so grateful for every ones support, prayers, and love. We have been blessed with a GREAT support system! Thank you!!

Click here:

OUR PROFILE!

ADOPTION BLOG

Merry Christmas from Indiana

We spent the last week in Indiana! It was a blast! We went to visit Ryan's dad and his side of the family. It was a jam packed week of vegging and running around--the time was gone before we knew it. I had to pick and choose which pictures to Post because it seemed like the common theme of our pictures too place at restaurant tables...if felt like all we did was EAT! There are way too many good restaurants in the little town of Columbus, Indiana. We feel like we need to get them all in and it really takes some effort! :)
This is Me and Ryan, his little brother, Pat, who is in the army and is being deployed in January (it was really great to be with him--he is actually in Utah this next week :) ). Also in the picture is Grammy & Grampy--two of the nicest people ever! They truly are so kind and loving, I really enjoyed the time we had with them. This was at a ice cream parlor--we ate lunch and were way too stuffed for ice cream so...yeah, Ryan and I went back later for ice cream! :)

This was at a restaurant called Bistro 310--a restaurant that was way to fancy for us but, it was GREAT food and GREAT company! We went with Grammy & Grampy, Jana, Ryan's Aunt, Greg, Ryan's dad, and Teresa, Greg's wife.
One day we went to Brown County and went hiking! It was cold but awesome! I had never really been so close to a frozen lake, I kind of liked it! Swimming was prohibited--IT WAS FROZEN!

The next day we went to Nashville, a LITTLE touristy city and we went through the little shops and hand lunch and hot chocolate at a little place called, "The Daily Grind" it was a snug little joint :)

We did make it up to Indianapolis to have a Christmas party with Ryan's mom's side of the family "The Smiths". It was a lot of fun! I met David and Pat who even after 6 years of marriage I had yet to meet. It was really fun to sit and catch up!

Then on Christmas Eve we spent with the Jones Family playing Guesstures and Apples to Apples. Which has always been on of my favorite games but I am questioning who since I am flat out NO GOOD at it! After about 20+ rounds I was the only one to not have one card! I know pitiful! The game finally finished when I was able to win with a pick your own card... It's hard not to pick the one whose card means "Chewy Sweet Tarts" and the word is "Chewy"! I know like a said, SAD!

We left Indiana early Christmas morning and got to my sisters house about 2 in the afternoon. We spent the rest of Christmas with my family...The Backs :)

Over all it was a GREAT Christmas filled with family, friends, and good food! :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE JONES'
We hope you all had a wonderful Christmas as well!

Ryan Would LOVE This!

Picture Collage

We need to submit 15 copies of a picture collage of our family for our adoption profile. When perspective birth mothers go into the agency and we fit the match they are looking for the agency gives them a family picture, a letter we have written to the birth parents, and also a picture collage. So, here is what I have done so far...

I think I am done with it but, if you were looking to place a child for adoption what kinds of pictures would appeal to you? Do these work? Thanks for you input... (hint, hint)

I am planning on changing some of the font colors to make them easier to read but, do you see anything else?

Oh, it is not supposed to have any identifying information, that is why it only has our first names on it.

Good Friends & Christmas Traditions

You know the kind of friends that no matter how much time passes between seeing them it is like no time has passed at all? Well, I have many of those kinds of friends and one I got to see this past weekend. Britt, was one of my great friends in High School and even though we have not seen each other much since then we had a great time catching up. It is fun to see how much life has changed since High School.

Britt, you are amazing, I love you, and lets not wait another 100 years pass till we do this again!

Oh, by the way...if you are planning on going to see "Everybodies Fine" let me save you the most depressing 2 hours of your life and say "SAVE YOUR MONEY!"

Thanksgiving weekend we put up our Christmas Village. This is one of our favorite Christmas traditions we have. It is something we look forward to each year. Since we didn't get a real tree this year (in our efforts to save every little bit for our adoption fund) we decided to decorate the big tree with our keep sake ornaments. Another tradition Ryan and I have it that we get a Christmas ornament from every where we visit. NYC, St. Thomas, Jackson Hole, and Disneyland. There are many more up there but those are just a few. This is something we started when we first got married and the ornaments are growing! :)

Each year we add to the village and last year Ryan's mom gave us this one. It is a tree farm...we love it. It adds a lot of character to the village.

We were looking at houses at Kohl's the other day and they had a little shop that we have to add this year. They were all sold out when we were there but we are keeping our eye out. It is called "RYAN'S BIKE SHOP"! It was really cute and kind of has value given that this was the year Ryan rode in a ton of century rides.

30 ROCK...ROCKS!!!

If you know me at all you know the love I have for The Office BUT, now you should know this about me...I LOVE 30 ROCK!!! The Office is hilarious in a real "I know someone just like that" sense or a "who does that" sense but, man 30 ROCK out does its self. This past Thursday's episode had me crying I was laughing so hard. You know one of those really great laughs that has you tired afterwards, the kind where you just can't stop once you've started! That was how great this episode was!

If you have not been introduced to this show do yourself a favor and tune in!!!

Thanks to Ben and Chrissi for letting us borrow that first season which was the start to our beautiful relationship with characters like Liz Lemmon and Tracy Jordon!

Man, they make me laugh!