I love the 4th of July!!!! It is probably my most favorite holiday and we especially like celebrating in our hometown. Maybe it is because there is a great love of this country there. It's just something about celebrating the freedom so many have been willing to fight for, and even die for. My dad taught us the greatest respect for living in America... I remember the time we came back to the states while living in Canada. When we crossed into the states my dad stopped the car and got out and kissed the ground. It was half joking, and there is nothing wrong with Canada, but it did leave a real impression on me of the love he has for this country, for those who have served and for all those willing to continue to serve to keep our country free. So... we love to see the fly over at the beginning of the parade and we love to be in a place where they honor the men and women who have served. It is also the greatest opportunity to hang out with family and enjoy our time together!!!Bummy is waiting for the parade to start...
Silly girls...
Three really amazing girls!
Two of my favorite guys... love them so much!
Sweet Kami girl is so excited for the parade to start...
Kassi... being Kassi
What is it with these kids sticking out their tongue????
It seems that the festivities start much too early for poor Candice!
Kalli is prepared to scoop up lots of candy!
Just hanging out taking pictures!
Poor Bummy, always being harassed by siblings! He loves it though!
Cereta hanging with her crazy cousins!
Grandma and Grandpa
So many new babies ready to join our family... we only needed Tiffany there to make it complete... Kerry due in December, Candice, hoping to adopt very soon, Tammy due in February, me... with Noah, and Kimi due in December!
Love our military!!!
Hanging out with cousins...
Waiting for the parade...
My pretty Kami...
Willie is taking care of Ella, making sure she gets her fair share of the candy!
Making strategic plans for how to get the most candy...
Grandpa loves tootsie rolls and the kids weren't so thrilled about them, so he saw his chance and ran out to get him a stash...
Kimi, Kinzee, Candice and Kailee... oh, and Harlon too.
The cousins setting off fireworks. I am not sure that the adult supervision was very effective but they had a blast and everyone still has all of their fingers, and toes. Whew!
Breaking him out of NICU was a long, hard process... especially when in the end he was only being monitored for his glucose levels and since that ended up being completely normal! Actually getting him released was nothing! So easy that I asked the doctor a couple of times if that was really all, that he was really ready to go home. She told me he was perfect and ready to go!!!Getting me ready to go home was a little more time consuming and complex. Mostly because they had to get the supplies to remove the staples from my c-section and it seems that they were in short supply. And then, when it came time to actually REMOVE my staples, it became quite the comical ordeal. There were a couple that were really stuck. I mean that in a very literal way... they could not get them out. The nurses were so sweet, and kept things light as they dug into my skin trying to get the last staple out. It ended up taking 3 nurses and over 30 minutes to get ONE staple out!!!! But we managed... and got on the road. I couldn't wait for the kids to see Noah. They had been so patient, and so good about us being gone. They kept the house running with little to no problem and told Thayne more than once to just stay with us and wait for him to be released because they were all fine. Which was a good thing considering Thayne ended up with some stomach bug that the other kids had before we left and he spent 2 days in the hotel room sick trying to keep it away from me, and Noah.The kids response was nothing less than I expected. They were so happy to see him. Someone (Kassi, cough cough...) told the kids they could go play at their friends' houses because it would be a while before we got home so that they could get first 'dibs' on their brother. Talk about a low down dirty trick! :) I love to watch them with new babies. They love them... they are in awe of each new baby, they find new life to be the amazing miracle that it is. And they are SO happy to have him home. This is one very loved little boy. Nate adores him. He cannot walk by him without stopping to give him a kiss. I have said it before, but the worst thing about bringing a new baby home is that there is only ONE new baby!!!Kami and Noah ready for bed his first night home...
Hyrum told me this is the 3 mama's boys... except for Jace!!! :) I love mama's boys!!!
Ready to leave the hospital....FINALLY!!!
I can't put into words the gratitude I have in my heart for being able to carry this little boy under my heart, and to be able to have him join our family. Sweet 16... our precious little gift from heaven!!!
I love this picture... this is when they first held him and the awe on their faces just makes me smile. They love this little boy... but they love each other so much that it warms my heart to see them together!
Big brothers to watch over him!
Nate keeps saying, "MY NOAH!"
Nate bought this monkey for Noah and wanted to see how big Noah is compared to his monkey...
The toes... Noah has really long toes... he loves to stretch and his toes look more like fingers. Jace and Kailee decided he has their toes and wanted a picture of them. This does it no justice but it is funny to see them all stretched out looking like monkey feet instead of human!!! :)
I love this face... he makes my heart feel like it is going to burst with love and joy!
My sweet Nate and Noah... I have a feeling these two brothers are going to be the best of friends!
Poor Kailee had to work and couldn't wait to get home and get her hands on Noah!!!
I love the 4th of July!!!! It is probably my most favorite holiday and we especially like celebrating in our hometown. Maybe it is because there is a great love of this country there. It's just something about celebrating the freedom so many have been willing to fight for, and even die for. My dad taught us the greatest respect for living in America... I remember the time we came back to the states while living in Canada. When we crossed into the states my dad stopped the car and got out and kissed the ground. It was half joking, and there is nothing wrong with Canada, but it did leave a real impression on me of the love he has for this country, for those who have served and for all those willing to continue to serve to keep our country free. So... we love to see the fly over at the beginning of the parade and we love to be in a place where they honor the men and women who have served. It is also the greatest opportunity to hang out with family and enjoy our time together!!!
Silly girls...
Three really amazing girls!
Two of my favorite guys... love them so much!
Sweet Kami girl is so excited for the parade to start...
Kassi... being Kassi
What is it with these kids sticking out their tongue????
It seems that the festivities start much too early for poor Candice!
Kalli is prepared to scoop up lots of candy!
Just hanging out taking pictures!
Poor Bummy, always being harassed by siblings! He loves it though!
Cereta hanging with her crazy cousins!
Grandma and Grandpa
So many new babies ready to join our family... we only needed Tiffany there to make it complete... Kerry due in December, Candice, hoping to adopt very soon, Tammy due in February, me... with Noah, and Kimi due in December!
Love our military!!!
Hanging out with cousins...
Waiting for the parade...
My pretty Kami...
Willie is taking care of Ella, making sure she gets her fair share of the candy!
Making strategic plans for how to get the most candy...
Grandpa loves tootsie rolls and the kids weren't so thrilled about them, so he saw his chance and ran out to get him a stash...
Kimi, Kinzee, Candice and Kailee... oh, and Harlon too.
The cousins setting off fireworks. I am not sure that the adult supervision was very effective but they had a blast and everyone still has all of their fingers, and toes. Whew!
