The End

This is the end of this blog, but a new one is coming! I'm rolling Gabe's Mom, Greg's Wife, and Wish I Might into one! For those of you who follow along, when the new blog is up and running, I'll make one final post with the new address. And, for all my facebook friends, I'll send you a link! It's just too hard to manage 2 blogs and a website... I am still in the planning stages, but when I'm done, I think my life will be much more simple!!

Wanted to get this down...

I'm working on Disney pictures for a blog update, but over half of the pictures were taken in RAW by mistake! (Greg: Honey, what's all this crap on the screen on your camera? -while pushing buttons- Me: It's a HISTOGRAM! Don't touch it!)hehehehe... So, I need to figure out how to process RAW in Photoshop 7. I think I need to use a plug in, but I just haven't had the time to mess with it yet.

I did want to get this down though... This morning Gabe and I were sitting on the couch watching some TV (or as Gabe calls it, 'TD') and he looked up at me and said, "Mommy, I'm so glad you're here". Oh my goodness. That was the most wonderful thing I've ever heard.

He has no idea how much that little statement made me feel so happy. Of course, he probably meant, I'm glad you're here and I'm not at daycare today. On Thursdays and Fridays he'll say, "No Monica's, right Mom?" It's not that he doesn't enjoy daycare, but I think it's that he enjoys our days at home together. So do I, buddy, so do I. And, I'm so glad YOU're here too.

It's been nearly 3 years since this awesome boy became a part of our family. I can't imagine one second of my life without him here. I can't imagine a day in my life where I didn't hear his adorable toddler voice.

I'm so glad I'm here too, buddy. So glad.

Gaber Update

Just a few fun facts about the Gabers right now...

•He's doing a great job going potty on the potty chair. We're still working on #2, but, he'll get it!
•Gabe starts preschool in 2010! I can hardly believe that's coming up in January. AND, he gets to have Mrs. Hoobler!
•Gabe's vocabulary has sky-rocketed. He talks in complete sentences, but still has problems with l's, r's, and y's - totally normal for his age.
•Gabe is still a pretty picky eater. He's expanded his horizons a little bit, but not much!
•Rewards and punishments have been working out pretty well - when Gabe misbehaves we do one of three things... Option #1 is timeout. Option #2 is putting a toy in time out. And, Option #3 is taking a sticker off of his chore chart.

We've started a "chore chart" for Gabe with the following "chores":

Check to make sure Jinxi has food & water (we just have him go look and then we fill it up if she's out)
Go to the bathroom to get his brush in the mornings
Take his dirty clothes to the hamper
Pick up toys before bedtime
Listening (this is one that's had a few stars taken away!:)
Being good in the store
Pooping on the potty

Once he fills up his chore chart, he gets a special prize - like a movie or a new M.A.S.K. guy.

Saturday, we leave for Disney!! Gabe is super excited about it. (so are Mommy & Daddy!) I can't wait to see my little guy's face when he sees Disney. Greg's parents and my mom are going as well. My dad's had a late harvest this year, so he has to miss it. We are all getting really excited. There will be a TON of pictures when we get back!

Biggest reason for my absence...

Wish I Might has had quite a busy Summer/Fall. I am extremely blessed that people have been wanting to book me for photography and I'm already taking Christmas card orders. I am loving every minute. I have taken senior sessions, engagement sessions, family sessions, and a couple of weddings. I am feeling really proud of starting something myself and having a business that I created.

Along with all those good feelings, come a lot of other feelings... Like guilt - spending too much time at the computer, stress - wondering how in the heck I'm going to get it all done, and worry - about my skills... I mean, I feel that I have an eye for it, but I've not been in the business long. I still have a LOT to learn. I feel like I learn more with each session I take. And, each session has its humbling moments. Like, "DOH! I should've focused better there... I knew better than that!" or, "You dork! Didn't you notice the telephone pole behind her that's now sticking out of her head?!" It's kind of a tough business too. There are a lot of "snobby" photographers out there... But, to be fair, there are a lot of really nice ones out there too who understand that you're still a newbie and you're learning. I feel like telling the snobby ones, "hey, you started SOMEWHERE!" And then, there are photographers out there that think they can charge UNBELIEVABLE prices and you just wonder how they ever got to that point. I keep my prices pretty low, for the simple fact that there really are a lot of photographers out there. People can go to any town and find a photographer... heck, they can come to my town and find a few! :) But, I feel like, especially early on, I need to keep my prices pretty low. Next year, however, they're going up a bit! This is a lot of work!

I've been throwing the idea around about saving up for a studio... I really feel like that's something I want to do. Greg and I had a talk about our goals for Wish I Might and I told him that's something I saw long term. The next week, I got a call from one of my friend's moms. She is a church secretary and they're remodelling their vestibule. When they cleaned out the closets, guess what they found? A Lowel studio lighting kit. Guess who she called? And guess who has it now? And, guess what that's perfect for? Maybe starting up a studio in the future? Crazy, huh?

So, now, over the winter, in all my free time, I hope to find out how to use this stuff!

My life's been pretty busy lately. I am loving it and I'm anxious to see where this journey will take me. I hope it leads to a studio someday... we shall see.

Happy Halloween!

Wasn't he the cutest Toodah ever? I wanted to make sure I got this down... This is how Gabe sang trick or treat:

"Twicked or Tweet, smell my feet, give me somefing good to eat. If you not, I don't care, I'll pull my underwear down!"

He learned this from his buddy Will last year, and this year he started singing it again. It was so funny! We had a great Halloween. Gabe and his friend, McCarthy (my BFF's grandson), went trick or treating together. We drove them around in the suburban, or as I like to call the "super ban". We had a really great time. It was another one of those moments where I just stopped for a minute and remembered a time when I wondered if I'd ever be doing this. If I'd ever hear a child say, "C'mon, Mom! Let's go to diss house!" My heart was warmed so much by this excited little guy tonight.

After trick or treating, we headed over to Poke's house for the 6th Annual Hurloween. Gabe and I stayed for supper and visited for a bit, and Daddy stayed to hang out with the guys. Gabe had a busy day today, so he pretty much crashed as soon as his head hit the pillow. Hurloween was fun... I had a really nice compliment from Poke about my photography. We love Poke and Cari. They are great friends and it's nice to know we've got an ongoing get together each year with such great people.

Well, I have to say, shocked... two posts in two days?! Wowza!

Oh, and.......... we're leaving for Disney in 7 days!!!!!!!!

Yes, We're Still Here!

Ok, so I've been like the worst blogger ever. I haven't updated in so long. Life has been so busy for us lately. Fall has been CRAZY busy. My photography business has really been picking up - I already have 2 weddings for the beginning of next year. And, when I say next year, I mean I have one on January 1st and the other on January 2nd! One of them is rather small, so it shouldn't be too much work, but the other one will be a full day. Am I nuts? Yes, I think so. The good news is, I'm learning more and more with each session that I take and I'm liking each session better than the one before.

Ok, now onto the Gabers! He's really growing and changing so much. He's saying things like "I have an idea!" or "I pet Jinxi so she more comfortable!". He is doing great potty training. We still put a diaper on him at night, but daytime, he never has accidents. Right now, he's REALLY into his M.A.S.K. guys. M.A.S.K. is a cartoon Greg used to watch when he was little. Honestly, the animation is pretty crappy, but Gabe (and Greg!) love it. I love watching Gabe play with Greg's old toys. Greg's mom had saved some of them and gave them to Gabe. He just loves them.

This year for Halloween, Gabe is going to be Woody from Toy Story. He looks SO adorable in his costume! We took him out to my mom and dad's tonight since my mom has to work tomorrow. He even sang, "Trick or treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat... if you don't, I don't care, I'll pull down your underwear!" But Gabe says, "if you not, I don't care, I'll pull my underwear down!" Too funny.

Well, I did just want to get an update out there because it's been almost 2 months exactly since I've posted. I'll try harder. I'll make it a priority, I promise!! :)

Gabe Singing...

Life is good.

He says he wants to be a "copper". (aka cop) and he won't give Mommy and Daddy any tickets! It's so cute, he'll say "When Gabe grows up, Gabe be a copper and no tickets Mommy and Daddy."

Recently, things have been getting busier for Gabe's Mom. I had 2 sessions this week, then I've got 2 senior sessions next week and already 2 lined up for the beginning of September. I know it doesn't seem like much, but to me, it's a lot! AND, senior sessions are my FAVORITE. Seniors are so much fun to work with. They'll do anything for you. You don't have to constantly fight to get their attention, bribe them with candy, threaten bedtime, etc... (gee, guess who was a difficult photo subject today!?)

Life is good right now. Busy, but good. I'm enjoying my new business a lot, my Gabers has been having many less tantrums, and Greg's been home quite a bit lately. Life is good.

Learning

I've written a lot of posts about watching Gabe learn a lot of new things. But, I don't know if I've really written much about the things I've learned since becoming a parent. So, I thought I'd share some of those things. I wanted to get them down for Gabe since (hopefully!!!) someday, he'll want to have children too.

• I've learned that I am capable of loving someone more than I ever thought I would. I had no idea that a smile on your child's face, can make your day 100% better. I had no idea the amount of joy your child could bring just by talking to you on the phone, or giving you a hug, or just saying "Thank you, Mommy" (Gabespeak: "Tank you, Mommy")
• I knew I would love watching our parents with Gabe. But I've learned that just seeing Gabe can make their day better. If my mom's had a bad week at work, seeing "her Gabers" she says is just what she needs. Or, when PawPaw H was in the hospital, his face lit up when he saw Gabe. Grandparents love their grandkids so very much!
• I've also learned that Grandparents give your child WAY too much sugar. They love seeing Gabe enjoying candy. Gabe knows Abba Piff (now Abba Piff instead of Abba Piss) will give him "tweets" and he knows where PawPaw H's treat drawer is. It's too cute.
• I've learned that God has really blessed us with sleep and renewal time. Meaning, you could've had a really rough day with your kiddo, but then when you wake up the next morning, the first person you want to see is him! When Gabe was a baby, I used to miss him when he slept. I still do now, but now, he and I sleep the same hours. And, I have to admit, naptime for him is downtime for me!
• I've also learned that each age comes with it's own challenges AND blessings. (Another God thing). When Gabe was a baby, the fussiness was hard, but the cuddling was my favorite. I loved giving him baths, I loved watching all of his firsts, and I loved feeding him. As a toddler, the tantrums have been tough, the "sassy talking" has been tough to control, and the timeouts haven't been fun. But, the hugs, the conversations, the "La U Mom"'s, and the joy of seeing him try new things have been so wonderful.
• I've also learned that you need to make time with your spouse. It's so important not to focus your entire world only on your child... I've learned you need to remember your relationship as a couple as well.
  

I could write and write about the different things I've learned. I am learning everyday. How to be patient, how to put my own stuff aside and read a book to my boy, how to play on a playground again, how to enjoy swimming again, etc...

No matter the challenges, no matter the hard lessons, I am loving this life - being Gabe's Mom. I was meant to be his mommy and he was meant to be my boy. That's not something I've learned, that's just something I know.

Love him.

Just love this kid. That's all I gotta say.

Smith-Nandez Weekend!

So, it's a big weekend! My little sister, Jenny and her fiance, Rene are getting married! I am so looking forward to seeing my little sister marry the man of her dreams. Rene has been a real joy to get to know and I'm very happy to have him as a brother in law. When we ask Gabe who's getting married, he says, "Jenny and Uncle Ney". It's pretty cute.

I'm a little worried about a few things... Um, I have a solo, Gabe's a ringbearer.... and I have no idea how he'll behave, and I don't know what to do about my camera! I certainly want to take it with me to take some pictures, but I don't like a couple of things about that - It's not a camera you can just throw in your purse. I'll need to take my flash. I don't want to be one of those people that's in the photographer's way. Although I love my "big camera" (as most people call it!) It's not always convenient when going on vacation with a kiddo, or going to a wedding. I'm still going to take it, and just deal. :o)

So, it should be a pretty fun weekend. Congratulations, Jenny & Rene! I hope this day is full of wonderful memories!

my reasons for lack of blogging.....

Life as we know it:

• Gabe's Dad gone on 2 week long business trips
• a bachelorette party
• 1 or 2 photography sessions each week
• a toddler full of energy
• processing pictures until I go to bed
• IM's
• Tiredness
• Nonstop at work
• No smoking (never promise something on your kid... especially when life gets stressful!)
• Nearly late to work every morning (I swear Gabe knows when I'm running late)
• 2 weddings down, 2 to go
• Did I mention tiredness?
• Dental appointments

Ok, now there have been some really great things happening too:

• Gabe and I have really been bonding more - cooking together, laughing a lot, reading books (Love You Forever is our favorite right now)
• I'm totally engrossed in the Twilight series and I can't stop reading at night
• Gabe and I have the following conversation:

Me: I'll love you .....

Gabe: Foreber.

Me: I'll like you....

Gabe: for alldays

Me: and as long as I'm living, my....

Gabe: baby we'll be!

Reading this book to my boy nearly makes me cry every time. I always sway him towards that one when he nods his head and says, "Mom, just one more book?" Well, ok.....

My little Gabey, I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, and as long as I'm living, my baby you'll be.

All my love,

Mommy.

He's a Firecracker!

Ah, my little pyro. Your Daddy has sure gotten you interested in fireworks! It is really cute to see you with a sparkler, and thankfully, you're still afraid of the big stuff, although tonight, I saw you carrying a Roman candle to Daddy.

I'm in for it.

You've been a little challenging lately as far as obeying... I say one thing and it seems like you want to do the opposite. You're my firecracker! But, you have been really affectionate lately - you've let me hold you, you've given more hugs and kisses. I guess that makes up for the, "No Gabe do it!" and the "No, bad Mommy!" statements I've been hearing lately. :) I love you, boy, but yes, it's been a challenging couple of weeks.

Speaking of "No, Gabe do it!", you STILL talk about yourself in the 3rd person. I think that is so funny! "Gabe go potty!", or "Gabe wants a hotdog for wunch", or "Gabe wike AAAAApple juice". And, speaking of potty, YOU are doing GREAT!! You go into the bathroom by yourself and go as long as you can get your pants, and you ask us when we're in public. You really have been a breeze to potty train. We're still working on #2 and during the night, but daytime, you're "trained"! Way to go big boy! Once you're completely potty-trained, we're getting you a fish tank.

I love you, my little firecracker! You're the light of my life.

Discovery Museum

Last Saturday, we went to the Children's Discovery Museum. That place is like seriously THE coolest place for toddlers. We took McCarthy and some of his family with us and both of the boys had the best time! Here's a picture of me & Gabers taken by our friend, Kenny.

Gabe LOVED being able to "paint the walls" without getting in trouble! He was having a blast making a mess! And, the people that set this up, totally knew kids. I was so impressed with this place.

Little McCarthy Man driving the RED tractor! (We love the red tractors!)

This was Gabe's favorite (we'll forgive him for the green... :). On the inside of this combine was a TV screen that made it look like you were actually harvesting corn. Gabe LOVED pretending he was going off the rows and driving crooked. So, I had to pretend he was driving crazy and say "Woah!". He was just laughing so hard and having the best time!

Here's Gabe and McCarthy in the tractor driving. Notice Gabe's tongue sticking out!

Gabe playing "Operation". This was so cool. They even had a real difibulator that they had made nonfunctional. How cool!?

Gabe and I were playing "store" and I was the cashier. Gradually, all these other kids came up to me and wanted me to "ring them up". It was so cute!

And here we are making a pizza!

Our friends, Whitney & Kenny. Love them guys so much.

So, overall, did we love the Discovery Museum? YES! What a cool place. They put so much thought into it and came up with so many details! I would've been able to spend hours there as a kid... Even as an adult! It was so fun. We will definitely be taking him there again. This could be a cool place to take Gabe with his grandparents to celebrate his adoption anniversary, our celebration of life day.

Had to share this picture.... We've been doing some remodeling and we put Jinxi's food in the spare bedroom. Gabe was being unusually quiet, so I knew something was up. This is what I found:

Look at his sad little face! This was before I even said anything! In fact, I think I was really trying not to laugh!

Witnessing a Big Kid

Just some things I noticed today that tell me I've got a big boy on my hands:

• "Mommy, Please apple juice." (apple juice given) "Tank you".
• "Ah Potty. Ah Pottttttty!!!!!!" -meaning he had to go NOW. He went on the potty chair and peed like a gallon.
• He sat in the stroller for at least an hour walk around town and behaved wonderfully!
• Didn't freak out when he didn't get his way. I was able to calmly talk him out of a potential tantrum.
• Played outside all morning and listened to Mommy when I said graham crackers - not cookies - were the snack and that he had to have his shoes on to go outside.
• He ate his entire soup with a spoon! And, he's drinking out of a big boy cup at meal time.

Isn't this awesome?? Such a great thing. But, kinda sad to see my baby growing up before my eyes! I know, everyone says it will go fast. But this fast?? Geesh. I'm so proud of my little boy today.

Why I love being a parent

As much as I've promised to be a better blogger, lately it just hasn't been happening! I think it's because I really do take a lot of time writing each post I create... revising, adding pictures, etc... I probably could do it faster, but I'm kind of particular. I probably need to get over that.

I've been thinking about this post for a while. What is my favorite thing about being Gabe's Mom? Well, I think after our recent trip to the Shedd Aquarium, I've discovered my answer. I'd have to say my absolute favorite thing about being Gabe's mom is watching him truly enjoying something and having the time of his life. I love seeing him happy. Seeing Gabe enjoy something, or experiencing something new is just the most wonderful thing to witness. He was so happy at the Shedd. He (and his friend, Caleb) were fixed on some of the exhibits and it was difficult to even get them to move on to the next one! I loved seeing the smile on his face and hearing the excited giggles as he saw one of the fish move towards him. Or, when he was delighted as a turtle began to follow his movements from behind the glass. Joy. Pure joy beaming from my son's face.

I am so blessed to experience that! I am so thankful that his birth mom was able to sacrifice moments like these to make the best decision for him. I always remember her when I think about things like this. Yes, she does see him every three months, but she misses out on the day to day experiences that make him smile. She misses out on him learning new things. She misses his big smile when he goes potty on the potty chair.

On the other hand, I guess she is missing out on the not so fun moments too! Tantrums, ah those tantrums, angry hitting when he doesn't get his way, and the runny noses wiped on my shirt....

Oh yes, those moments too! But, I think God gives us those wonderful moments like the new experiences, the hugs goodnight, the "love you too mom"s, and the "play little bit"s to renew us and recharge our batteries when we get weary from the not so fun moments. How amazing is that? It is mind-boggling to me that God would know how we would need those moments to forget about the temper tantrums and the hitting the day before. It just all melts away.

When Gabe wakes up in the morning (like if he wakes up on his own and he doesn't have to be woken up to go to daycare - he doesn't really like to wake up on someone else's time frame), that is my favorite time of the day. I've said that from the time he was born. This might be weird to say, but I miss him when he sleeps. I need the break by time he goes to bed, but I sure do look forward to seeing him first thing in the morning. I think that's another gift God gives parents.

So, I just wanted to get this down. My favorite thing about being a mom - a mom to Gabe, and my favorite gift - the blessings God has clearly given us in being parents. I can't get over how God had it all figured out. It's just amazing.

About Mother's Day

It was a great Mother's Day this year... We went to Gabe's Dad's parents' house and spent the afternoon there. We celebrated Mother's Day with my mom a couple of days before. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful mom and mother in law. They have been so supportive of us and our family. I hope that someday Gabe will feel the same about me. I am very fortunate to have my mom, Greg's mom and my sisters in law, Missy and Jen in my life because they are wonderful examples of what Moms should be. They have all taught me so much about being a mom - loving my child, teaching my child, disciplining my child, etc... I love each of these women so much.

Here are my awesome "in laws". We had a great Mother's Day with them.

My sisters in law and my mother in law.

Laughing at PawPaw. I love this picture even though I look like a major dork.

Gabe learning how to play baseball with "Uncle Jesse" (he calls Uncle Jeffy "Uncle Jesse"!)

Picking Momma a flower.

Gabe with his cousins. I LOVE this picture because this facial expression is SO Gabe.

And, it was a Happy Mother's Day for this Momma Bird too! These baby birds hatched that morning!

I know I should be used to the fact by now, but sometimes I have to stop and and tell myself again that I'm a mom! I just still can't believe that I am so blessed. I never knew that it would be this wonderful. I am really, truly enjoying this age. Tonight, Gabe and I played "Spiderman" up in the playhouse while Daddy mowed below. I never thought that the highlight of my day would be throwing fake punches and pretending to be "got by the bad guy", but it really was. We had an absolute blast. He laughed so hard, and so did I! He kept saying, "More Mommy!" and he'd just laugh and laugh and laugh. Just sitting here now, I could cry thinking about how much I love my little boy.

I thought of all of you waiting moms out there too, like I do every Mother's Day. I know how hard it is to hold out hope for your child. That you will conceive, or that your child's birth mom will stay healthy carrying your child, or that your overseas trip will be a safe one, etc... All I can tell you is don't give up - hold out hope. God knows the desires of your heart. Pray. Wait. Hope. Endure... I promise you...

God will fulfill the desires of your heart. He knows what is best for you. I prayed that God would fulfill my heart's desire and He did. Bigger and better than I ever could have imagined. He will do that for you too. I really believe that. And, if having a child isn't a part of His plan for you, I believe He will fill that missing piece in another way. I believe He will make you complete, as long as He is the center of it all.

So, waiting moms, I am thinking of you as I know this time of year is a tough one. But, know that those of us who walked in your steps still have you on our minds. I know I haven't forgotten how it felt to be a Mom without a child. So, until that moment...

Pray. Wait. Hope. Endure.

I believe God will provide for you too.

Firsts

As a parent, you get the opportunity to witness a lot of "firsts". First bath, first word, first steps, first friends, etc... In the past couple of weeks, we've had a couple of firsts that I wanted to get down before I forget. Speaking of forgetfulness, this is one of the reasons I blog... I have a horrible memory. I think that's why I scrapbook too - I've got to get these things down so I don't forget to share them with Gabe. I don't want to forget these day to day things that have been so special in our lives together.

We took Gabe and his friends, Will & Patrick, out to Mrs. Hoobler's (she is the local preschool teacher that everyone had - everyone LOVES Mrs. Hoobler!!) because she had 3 baby ducks and several baby kittens that she thought the boys would like to see. First of all, I love watching Gabe with his friends. Will & Patrick are older than him, but Gabe doesn't let their age stop him. He's always keeping up with them, tagging right along. Anyway, back to the baby animals... It was so amazing to see Gabe hold a baby kitten for the first time. He was so excited to hold one, but when we finally gave him one, he got a little scared and didn't really want to hold it. So, we held one of them on his leg so he could pet it. That worked out a little bit better. It was such a neat experience to see him just sit still and pet the newborn kitty. He was very gentle and you could just tell he was being cautious and taking it all in. I remember holding kittens as a child. There's nothing like the warmth of a baby kitten and the soft sound of their cry and wimpers. It was very sweet to see my son experience that for the first time.

Tonight, we took Gabe to Walmart - which is always a gamble (you never know how a 2 year old is going to behave) - and he was excellent! He had a great nap today, which makes a huge difference in how he behaves. Seriously. At Walmart, we told him we would take him for ice cream if he was a good boy. So, we were getting ready to leave, and like always, I had to stop at the restroom first. When I came out of the restroom, Greg and Gabe were standing at the water fountain getting a drink. Gabe was facinated by the water fountain! I had to stop and just watch him because up to this point, I don't think he's seen us use a water fountain. He kept telling Greg, "More...More, Daddy drink". It was so cute to watch him - he thought it was the coolest. Then, Mommy had to have a few drinks, then Daddy again...

Then, we drove through the car dealership on the way home - just to look. It never even crossed my mind that Gabe's never been through a car dealership. He didn't understand why Daddy kept stopping the car and getting out. Then, Gabe wanted out.

I guess I had just taken for granted all of these little things that are new to you when you're a child. It has been a joy watching my son experience all of them. It's been a joy watching the look on his face when he gets a new concept, or when he really likes something, or even when he really dislikes something. As Gabe's getting older, I'm finding that each age is coming with it's own challenges, but also it's own really incredible new stages. I didn't know that I would enjoy his toddler years this much - I really do love it. Yes, the toddler years are challenging and you have the tantrums to deal with. But, you also have new things like, "La U too Mom" or "Gabe do it" or "Peese just one candy right now?"

I'm so blessed to get to experience all of it.

What you can't see...

What you can't see in this picture is Gabe's birth mom holding him and laughing right along with him. What you can't see is the huge grin on Greg's face and my face as I'm taking these pictures of them together.

What you can see, however, is a very happy little boy. A very loved little boy. As I sat and watched my son with his birth family tonight, I couldn't help but feel a ton of love welling up for them. I laughed as we quoted the same movies. I laughed even harder as his birth mom and I said the same exact random thing.

I can't believe this is my life. I have an amazing son. I have a wonderful husband. I have an awesome family. And, I have the privilege of knowing my son's birth family. I have the joy of laughing with them. I have the comfort of knowing that she's alright. I don't think I could handle not knowing how she was. I am so blessed. I am so fortunate. And, I am so glad that Gabe is the reason we all got together.

Reasons Why I Love My Abba Herrman

1. She loves me Way Up to the Sky!
2. She plays "guys" with me.
3. She makes me bacon
4. She introduced me to Lion King and Nemo
5. She loves spending time with her Gabers
6. She let me decorate sugar cookies and get frosting all over her.
7. She's married to my PawPaw - and he's pretty awesome too.
8. She has an AWESOME tweet (treat) drawer!
9. She knows how important "guy time" is, so she calls my cousin Braden to come play with me.
10. She's my Abba...maybe if Abba Smith says "no" Abba Herrman will say "yes". Or vice versa!