Summer Fun Playdate!

Our Last Homestudy!

Well, we said goodbye to our social worker, Nancy, today...she has been our social worker for the past 4 years and has been to our home numerous times for pre and post visits for our homestudies and today was our last homestudy. It was bittersweet saying goodbye. She has been so wonderful and is just a beautiful lady. However, it's a chapter now closed and our paperwork is officially done!

Above if just a random pic of Lauren being her usual crackup! :)

Our 11th Anniversary!

11 years ago today I married my best friend. What a journey we have taken together since then...the world is so amazing with Danny in my life. This past year we have grown even more in love and have taken on a new aspect to our relationship...parenthood. It has been one of the most challenging years of our marriage and one of the best years of our marriage. Sleep and money have been low, but our respect, admiration, and love for each other have grown. We layed in bed talking this morning about the excitement and love we had for each other 11 years ago today and how much more that love and excitement is there now.

Last year at this time we were counting the "sleeps" before we would head off to China to get our Lauren. Today we wake with her in the middle of us and are just amazed by what God has done in the last year. What a miracle Lauren is to us and what a beautiful gift God has given me in having Danny as my husband.

Favorite Saturday Morning Start

This morning I started my Saturday morning with my favorite start to the day. As Danny and Lauren slept, I got up as the sun just began to rise and I headed off to yoga. After yoga I got a coffee at my favorite local coffee shop next door and was home in time to kiss Lauren and Danny awake. Whenever I get myself to get out of bed early it always pays off...

While in class, my instructor read this excerpt. I thought I'd share it here.


Aparigraha means "nongrasping," and it can be a tough sell in this consumer culture of ours. But freedom from wanting more and more is just that: freedom.


"Aparigraha is the decision to not hoard or accumulate goods through greed but rather to develop an attitude of stewardship toward the material world, Before you bring anything into your home, ask yourself: Do I need this for my role in life? As a parent? As a spiritual seeker? Or am I just accumulating stuff out of my own fear and greed?" If you don't consider these questions, your possessions can take over. "Once you get so much stuff, you have to take care of and defend it, You start to get attached to it and identify with it. It's easy to start thinking you are your stuff, but the truth is that stuff comes and goes."

The idea is: Just let it go. "If our homes are filled with old junk that doesn't apply to us anymore, there's no room for new energy to come in, that holds true for the nonmaterial ideas and attitudes you cling to as well. "If you are hanging on to old beliefs about yourself or your relationships, or clinging to a career that no longer feeds you, there's no latitude to move in a different direction."
"Acknowledge abundance and practice gratitude. You don't need more and more if you are grateful and feeling fulfilled with what you have in the moment."

Haaayyyybatterbatter!

Happy Summer!!

Well, it's over 100 degree's today, so summer is officially here! Happy summer everyone!! :)