The Temple

What an amazing day! I'm so grateful to have the gospel in our lives. Bob and I have had a great opportunity to grow close to the Lord with our lack of fertility. We have prayed, fasted and received many blessing, through which we have been lead to our children. I know that both of these amazing souls were suppose to come to our home. I haven't wrote down Preston's story so I thought I would take this time to do that.

We felt like we should take the foster care classes and see what we felt after taking them. The course was a month long 3 times a week. After each class we'd talk a little about what we were feeling, but decided we need all the information before we'd make a decision. Each class was a roller coaster of emotions one minute we'd be on board and the next not so much. The last class was really hard on me and I didn't want to do it. I didn't think I was strong enough to bring a child into my home, love them, then sent them back. The last class we had a birth parent tell her story. On the car ride home I just cried and cried I told Bob I couldn't do it, and every time I said that, I felt this little voice inside me say "but what about me?". I knew that was the road we needed to take to grow our family, and that there was this child who was a part of our famliy who would come this way. We said no to the first 2 calls, after much prayer, but when they called and told us about Preston it felt right. He had been severely abused during the first 2 months of his life. The first time we met him it was a little strange he was so beautiful and little and we wondered how anyone could do what had been done to him. We talked about names, he was so young and we worried that they had used his name out of anger, we didn't want him to have any bad memories when we talked to him. We used a bunch of different names but when ever we said Preston he would give us this big wonderful smile, then raise one eyebrow.

He came to our home on Oct 9th and in December his birth Mom told me that she could see how much love we had for Preston and how much love he had for us. She wanted to give up her rights and let us adopt Preston. We went to court in Feb and both her and the father gave up their rights. I have only ever seen Preston's father we've never talked, but Brandy and I have talked many times. I am so greatful for her and think of her as a friend. I t was hard to sit in the court room and watch her give up her rights. She was crying and the judge was kind of harsh and asked why she was crying (I understand now legally she had to ask so Brandy couldn't come back and say she was forced agiangst her will to give Preston up) I sobbed as she explained it is just hard to know that she was not what was best for her son. I know Brandy loves Preston and that she just wasn't ready for the responsiblity of a child. We had another court date at the end of July our case worker had us pretty worried that his legal father might be able to get him. This was a man who had no blood relation with preston and Brandy had never got a divorce so he had legal rights to him. He had never meet Preston or showed any interest in him. Luckily the judge agreed and she terminated his rights at that time. We had to wait until November for the adoption to be finalized. My Grandparents were out of town until the first of December so on December 13,08 we entered into the Temple to be sealed as a family.

It was such a beautiful day the boys looked so amazing in their white outfits, it still makes me tear up to think of how happy they both looked. Bruce had a smile from ear to ear the whole time and he was so reverent in the temple. I know Preston felt the spirit there too, he had a sweet spirit when we were in the Temple and loves to talk about that day and sing "I'm going to the temple".

I'm going to toot my own horn a little, I fell in love with this cute smocked pattern I had found it was short sleeved so I had to make them sweaters to go over the outfits. I started working on them in Aug and didn't finish until the night before we went to the temple. I have never crochet or smocked before, Luckilly I have a talented Sister, and Aunt who helped me make the outfits, and some amazing visiting teachers who helped me with the sweaters, Thanks Natasha and Jesse.

The lucnheon was fun we had a potato bar and soup. Bob and I stayed up until 2:00am wrapping the potatoes and then loaded them in the oven so all we'd have to do is start the oven before we left...Opps we forgot to start the oven. Luckily Kim didn't forget about her oven full of potatoes so we started eating and then an hour later ate ours:) Preston was blessed at the luncheon it was so great to have so many of our famliy and friends there with us I missed those who couldn't be there, but I know how life can be.


I am so greatful every day for my family. I love my children and the amazing sacrfice their birth Mothers made. Adoption truely is about LOVE. I read another blog awhile back and this guy who had been adopted had some ugly feelings about his birth mom until someone pointed out to him her options : she could have aborted, kept him, knowing she couldn't give him the life he deserved, or care him for nine months, feel him kick and grow inside her, give birth, hold him then find a loving family who could care for him. Adoption is truely an act of amazing strength and love. Preston brings such a joy to our home I love to watch him and Bruce play and laugh together, I love how he dances to every song he hears and his love for animals and other kids. I am so greatful to Brandy for knowing she wasn't ready yet for the responsibility of raising a child and working on her life so she will be one day. Mostly I am greatful for the knowledge I have of the church and that family's can be toghether forever, that as we work on the little things every day the Lord with help us overcome our sins so we can return home to him. I am greatful that my parents taught me right from wrong and that they've shown me how to love others. I am so gratetful for my in-laws for raising such an amazing man who teaches me and my kids new things every day. I know this church is true with all my heart and that as we live it's teachings it brings a joy to our lives that helps us through trails and disapointmants. I hope I'll be able to teach my kids to love the Lord the way Bob's and My Parents taught us.

Going to the temple with Bruce and Mechelle to be sealed with Preston was a very long time coming. The process of adopting through foster care is just what Mechelle said about it, Roller Coaster. It was also interesting to see a bond with preston grow from when he was first placed with us, 'till the day he was sealed to us. At first it kind of felt like we were baby sitting him and soon we would give him back to his natural mother. But after a couple of weeks I stared to get attatched to him. After a couple of months I felt like he was my very own son, just sent to live with Brandy for the first few months. I am Forever in debt to Brandy for her giving up someone she loved dearly so that he could have a better life. I love my children. My Sons.

We had some amazing entertainment as we waited for all the food to get set up. All the cousins put on a great perfomormance. I love the way kids love to be in the spotlight. Conversely I hate it and would rather be celery, no one notices celery.