Rest and Relaxation

We just returned from the Smemoe/Richardson family reunion in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I can't wait to post pictures but, alas, find the daunting task of unloading 300 photos from our camera a little overwhelming tonight as I am still suffering jet lag from our trans Atlantic flight.

We had a great time and already miss all of the nieces and nephews and Uncle Eddy's Frozen Custard. This was the most relaxing vacation I have ever had. I would wholeheartedly support anyone's decision to go on vacation there. In fact, the NC Visitor's Bureau would benefit by having me as one of their spokespersons. Anyone up to the trip next year? We would love to get a beach home and share it with you!! I will post a long, summary of our time at the beach soon.

Oh yeah...did I mention I received my acceptance into Cal State Fullerton and have decided to complete my MS degree in Instructional Design and Educational Technology with them? School starts on August 18th. Here I go...onward and upward, right?

Flowering Boulevard

I have been thinking a lot about my mom lately, remembering her endearing quirks and the small things she enjoyed. She loved flowers (though allergic to most perfumes) and every spring she looked forward to the blooming of her lilac bushes. My boss at work informed me one day that we had lots of Jacaranda trees in our neighborhood and they would bloom a pretty lilac color soon.

Did they ever! Every time we take Sofi for a walk or drive to work, I enjoy the natural beauty along our own "boulevard." We are very blessed to have these little pleasures in life.

Belated Birthday Pics

As promised, here are the pictures of Lance's baked good birthday surpirse that was delivered to him on April 17, 2007. I wish I had Photoshop so I could edit these pictures. Maybe that will be on my Christmas wish list this year....

The cupcakes were scrumptious...and the chocolate chip cookies divine. Lance was nice enough to save me some.

Awww...My husband knows I scrapbook so he saved the card I sent and took a picture of it. How sweet.

Lance and his serious, GQ pose with the hideous castle box the cookies came in. Albeit, the box is more suited for a little girl, but hey, it is the thought that counts, right?

My Prince

Yesterday Lance and I celebrated our five year anniversary. We had a very laid back day and a sweet, romantic dinner at The Waters Restaurant. We reminisced about the last five years, realizing we have moved six times, lived in three different states, graduated with both bachelors and a Juris Doctorate degree, helped take care of a sick parent, lost a parent and two babies, adopted a puppy (who is now our baby), traveled around the country and to Finland and shared many more laughs, good times, tears, worries, frustrations, heartbreaks, prayers, and lots of love.

In honor of our anniversary, I wanted to list a few little-known facts about Lance that make him the wonderful, unique husband that he is.

1. He brings me a glass of water to my nightstand every night in case I get thirsty.



2. He tells the same quirky jokes over and over again. Sometimes annoying, but mostly, endearing.



3. He loves to eat anything that is not good for him...ice cream, alfredo sauce, brownies, cookies. Whenever I send him to the grocery store, he always comes home with a food that is not on my "eating healthy" list. But once he grins and gives me his puppy dog eyes, I can't help but smile at this sweet antic.



4. He gets up early every morning to walk our dog because I like to sleep in.


5. He loves children movies and movies made in the 80s/early 90s. He would rather watch Curious George than Ocean's 13.
6. He will do the dishes every night I cook. He claims that is his job.

7. When he cooks, he follows a recipe to the "T" down to the amount of time he needs to boil the pasta. This exactness is carried to every aspect in his life.

I am so grateful that we found each other. It has been a great ride so far and we are looking forward to the years ahead. Here is a recent picture of my bubba and our little girl. (And Sammie the Cockapoo...Sofi's buddy.)

The Best Way to Spend Money

This Saturday we volunteered at RESOLVE's Adoption Conference in Pasadena. It was an all day event and we learned a lot about adoption, finding out when to move on from infertility treatments to adoption, birthparents, international and domestic adoption. You name it. Every woman there cried at least one and a few men were moved as well. A wonderful, touching experience.

Attending this conference made me think about our lives and the challenges we face. We have to make very tough choices. Either we adopt or buy a house. Either we save up money to do IVF cycles or we save up money to go on a trip to Hawaii with Lance's family in a few years. We can't do both. We can't afford to do both. I am sometimes very discouraged by these decisions we are forced to make. So many of those around me don't and won't ever have to make this type of sacrifice to have children. (Though I recognize that all women do sacrifice for their children...just not always in this way.) For lack of a better adjective, this just sucks.

After sharing this idea with my friend Jen B. at church today, she said, lovingly.
"Well, what a better thing to spend your money on."

She is right. This way is not always easy, but it will be worth it. So, we will gladly forgo Hawaii in 2011 and buying a home with a yard and save up our money so we can do everything within our power to have a family. Not just one child, but the 6 we always dreamed of having.

We want to adopt domestically and internationally someday. Lance said he would love to have children from the U.S., from Russia or Ukraine or Kryghystan, and Asia. We may end up doing infertility treatments again. And one day, years from now, I will read this post and smile to myself and look at my little family, knowing the hard work, sacrifice, mourning, tears and love that went into finding all those that needed to be a part of our family.

Jen, you are wise beyond your years and a great friend.

We...Are....In

One of my all-time favorite movies is "The Cutting Edge" starring Moira Kelly. It is a story about an ex-hockey player who grudgingly learns how to figure skate in order to become a far-from-pleasant female figure skater's partner. For each character, this is their last chance to make it to the Olympics. As you can imagine, they hate each other at first but in the end...well, it wouldn't be one of my favs if there wasn't a bit of romance and a happy ending, right?

Anyway, there is a line from the movie where their Russian trainer says "We....Are.....In," as they watch a pair of skaters fall during the Nationals. Basically, he meant they were going to the Olympics.

So, I use that saying now. We...are....in.....Pepperdine accepted me to their M.A. in Educational Technology program. Bienvenue Malibu!

I am still waiting to hear from Cal State Fullerton. I was told the decisions will be sent out the first week in June. Keeping my fingers crossed that I will get to make a choice between these schools.

Weekend of Nostalgia

During the first weekend in May we decided to take a shortened road trip to St. George, UT to visit our mission president and his wife (Kim and Pam Johnson, a.k.a. Kimo ja Pammi). Sofi was dropped off at her favorite doggie hotel Friday night for a weekend long playdate while Lance and I left first thing Saturday morning to make the 6 hour trek through the desert. We were home by Monday for Lance's a.m. meetings and for my set of doctor appointments.

The weekend was splendid and we felt so at home at the Johnsons'. Sisar Johnson sent us home laden with Finnish candy (Fazer...yummm...), mehu (juice) and sinappi (mustard) and spoiled us all weekend with homecooked meals. We spent a lot of time reminiscing of our days in Finland together and they were kind enough to look at all of my scrapbooks that we lugged along. (Literally, we had to basically drag them out of the car as they weight at least 50 lbs. all together.) We attended a session in the St. George temple and played a couple mean games of Rook during the two short days we spent with them.

Overall, the weekend was the best weekend I can remember having as of late. I felt so loved and cherished in their prescence. The Johnsons are upstanding, righteous examples of charity and service. They are also extrememly accepting of others. They are and will always be special to both Lance and I. We look forward to our next visit. Maybe this August? They reassured us that Sofi was welcome to come the next time.