Baby Update!

I know that you are all patiently waiting to know when the baby is here. Yes, the baby's due date was yesterday August 25. Last week when we went to the doctor he said that he would probably start her at her next appointment which was yesterday. But the doctor is making her go one more week because the baby isn't ready yet. He said that they could be off a week or two on her due date. The poor thing was heart broken that she had to wait another week before he might start her. She is hoping that she has her sooner then later. But I don't think anything will happen before her next appointment, Monday August 31. We will keep you posted. Thanks for all your love and support through this adoption process.

THE ROOM!

Well after a lot of time and patience the room is finally ready for our princess! Cal cut out all the flowers, which I painted. I made the curtains, chair cushion, and crib skirt.

Girls Camp

This year I had the opportunity to go to Girls Camp. It was the week of the 10-14 of August. Camp was at The Heber Valley Camp and it was on a Stake level. Our theme was "Now is the Time". I was a little nervous to go since the doctor told Amber that with her Gestational Diabetes she would probably deliver early. The stake camp director was willing to work with me since I was unsure when the baby was coming. They let me drive up myself so I could leave at any time. The areas that the Stake had were Snow and Abish. They were cabined by year of camp. I was one of the leaders over the 4th years girls which were in Yurts in Abish. My sister Anette was one of the other leaders in my yurt. Abish was 1/4 mile away from Snow. So for each activity we had to walk up to Snow. You just hoped you didn't forget anything. Since I was with the 4th years Tuesday we went on an over night hike that helped them with their certification. We hiked about 4miles each way. I know that doesn't sound like a lot but with a 25lb packed on your back it becomes a lot of work. Since we were all tired after the long hike they let us drive up and down to Snow the rest of the week. So we would see how many people we could fit in my tiny car. While at camp we went cannoning, did a challenge course,and had a lot spiritual experiences.
All the 4th years and leaders ready for the overnighter.
We hit the record of the most people that I have ever had in my Honda Civic. We had 9 people at one time.
Our Yurt! "Keepers of Truth"

Fit for a girl!

Over the last week or two Cal has been very busy painting the babies room. He had this great idea that he wanted pink, green and brown stripes. But after starting this project he realized how much work it was going to be. After painting the room entirely green, He taped how far the stripes needed to go up.Then Cal went around the entire room and marked the spacing for each stripe. Then it took both of us to tape the spacing for each pink stripe. I lined up a laser level to each mark then Cal lined up the tape. This is the point Cal realized how work he created for himself. Painting the pink.After painting the pink and removing the tape we had to go back over and tape for the brown leaving a 1/2 space for the green, then painting the brown.
All the painting is done we just need to put up the chair-rail, organize the furniture, and put things on the walls.

Mr. New Dad!

Adoption Due Date: August 25

Where: Utah

Who: Baby Girl

On June 4th Cal and I went in to talk to our social worker at LDS family services, who handed us a bag full of gifts, which included: baby things, books, toys for Molly and Jersey, the best chocolate chip cookies ever and a letter announcing that we had been picked by a selfless birthmother named Amber. This came during an already busy summer, and along with it some hard choices to make in less then 2 hours. Our appointment to see our social worker was at 2pm and our trip to Moab for the weekend was to begin at 4pm, should have been plenty of time for a regular office visit, but to our enlightenment Amber was making one the most difficult yet respected decisions of her life and ours; she had chosen us for the adoption of her baby girl. Needless to say our appointment went long, we didn't leave until after 7pm.

We rolled into Moab that night a little after midnight and rumbled through quite a few campsites in my father-in-laws diesel camper before we found an overflow parking lot. that trip was amazing, but most of our thoughts reverted back to our Birthmother Amber, we were so excited, yet we didn't know what to get her for our face to face meeting with her as soon as we got home. It was the little things that made it so wonderful. Cal keep thinking, "this will be so much fun to bring our little girl down here and show her all of this wonderful land, and to teach her how to ride a bike, and to take her camping and boating and..." I think he rambled on and on for what seemed like forever about all the things we could do with her. Our anticipation kept us wired until Monday evening when, for the first time, we met Amber. She is somewhat shy, more like me, not Cal. She has long, brown hair and somewhat of an olive complication. She is about my height and has the same body build. The birthfather is mostly unknown to us and has a heavy build and he is about 6'2" tall. We got along great, including our social workers. Cal made sure to be himself, which drove me up the wall at times, he thinks he's so funny when he makes comments that make us laugh. I love him and his goofiness and I think Amber could see it.

That following Saturday we had the true test we met Amber's mother, Debbie. We also met Lexie her dog. Which is the one that helped Amber pick us, well Molly. When Amber was looking at profiles she showed Lexie our family photos and she liked us over all the other profiles. I think it is because Lexie and Molly look like twins they are both black, part Lab, and they both have a white patch on their chest. Over the last few weeks have gotten know this amazing birthmother Amber, Debbie, and Lexie through phone calls, weekly play dates at the park with our dogs, weekly activities together like: swimming, watching the fire works, and shopping. Amber has invited us to Ultrasound/doctor visits which has been a neat experience for both Cal and I.

Molly & Lexie

A month of fun filled adventures!

I can't believe a another month has gone by. I know I'm a slacker at up dating my blog, so here is what we have been doing the last month.

Memorial Day

For Memorial Day Cal and I went for a hike up Waterfall Canyon in Ogden. That was our first time there. So as any normal person that doesn't know their way you follow the signs. We just followed the sign that said Waterfall Canyon. While we were hiking we kept having a lot of Mountain bikers pass us. We later found out we took the bike route to the waterfall which was the LONG WAY. We did eventually found the Waterfall which was beautiful.

Moab and Aches

The first weekend of June we went with some neighbors to Moab. They planned it all and forgot to tell me one thing; we weren't going to relax. That Thursday we planed on leaving around 4:30 but we don't know how to tell time so we didn't even get on the road until 6:30 and arrived in Moab around mid-night. Friday day we road our bikes about 14 miles (it was just on pavement). Later that day we went to Arches and hiked to Landscape Arch and Double O.

Saturday the boys biked Porcupine Rim. Cal didn't tell the boys that this trail was for the advanced. (Cal did this trail a lot in his younger years) The first 4 miles are straight up and after that its all down hill for 12 miles. The boys were sooooo tired when they got back.While the boys were gone us girls hiked Negro Bill Bridge. Later that night around 9:45 we went back to Arches and hiked Delicate Arch. It was a full moon, but right after we started hiking the clouds covered the moon and it never came out again. That whole weekend was so windy. Sunday after we packed up and before we left we hiked Potato Salad Falls. It's a locals swimming hole. (I don't have all the pictures of our adventures.)

Lake Powell
We just got back from a fun filled week at Lake Powell with my uncle and his family(plus my niece Jessie and two other families totaling 22 people). Each year Cal and I get invited to entertain the kids. But this year we moved up from the kid table to the adult table. I think that is a sign of old age.
Our houseboat was at Wahweap, marina in Arizona this time so all new scenery that usual.

Gena & Cal at Rainbow Bridge
Dinosaur print
Gena wakeboardingCal wakeboarding
Glen Canyon Dam
Chelsey, Jessie, Elise tubing
The view from the houseboat