Knit Together With Love

Since this was our first Christmas together for awhile, I was able to get a picture of all our Christmas stockings. Here's the story behind them:

My great aunt started the tradition by knitting the stockings for my dad's generation. So he and all of his siblings have the same design. The same aunt started knitting them for the next generation as well (my mom thinks mine was one of the last ones she made). My Aunt Bev picked up the tradition from there. All 43 grandkids (and their spouses) have them as well as around 30+ great grandkids. What a legacy! Every time I look at my sock, it brings back memories of Christmases together and good times with Aunt Bev. I know she looks down from heaven on us all and enjoys the legacy she left. Now that she has gone, several others from the family have picked up the torch. Thanks to them, this legacy can continue. What a great way to show that we are all connected.

Chinese Food For Christmas

What a holiday break this has been. My parents flew in from Utah on Tuesday the 23rd. They spent time at each of our houses--my brother in Mead, my brother in Castle Rock, and here in Colorado Springs. It was so good to have the family all together. The last time we were all together was June.

What was really fun was our dinner for Christmas. Growing up, we used to go visit my grandma and grandpa Christmas afternoon. By the time we would leave, we would be starving so we went to the only restaurant that's open Christmas Day--Chinese. When my oldest brother called and asked what we should do for dinner, I suggested we keep the tradition alive, only make it homemade. So that's what we did! We had Orange Beef, Sesame Chicken, Egg Drop Soup, Steamed & Fried Rice, crab won tons, and spring rolls. What a feast. It was enjoyed by all. Our family loves food and it was great to catch up with my brothers as we cooked together.

Just call me..."Mrs. Fields!"

A few days ago, Aaron asked me to make some goodies for him to take to work for Christmas. I agreed, thinking that it would be fun. I haven't baked in quite awhile and decided it was time to do some baking (plus, our church choir is going caroling on Sunday and I've been asked to bring cookies, so I can kill 2 birds with one stone...). I have the day off from work today and decided that's how I'd spend my day.


I made chocolate chip cookies, Applesauce Raisin cookies, Chocolate cookies, & snicker doodles (my all-time favorite--and I've only eaten 1!!!). All told, I ended up with about 125 cookies. Plus, right now there are pumpkin cheesecake bars (with gingersnap crust) in the oven for my work Christmas party tomorrow. Wow! I think I might be crazy!!! :-) I don't think I have EVER spent all day in the kitchen! But, even as tired as I am, I feel SO good that I was able to accomplish so much and do something sweet for my hubby.

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

BRRRR!!!! Well, winter has set in here in Colorado with a vengeance! Right now it is 7 degrees outside. Yes, I said 7! I don't remember ever being this cold, except when I lived in Minnesota. It makes me so thankful we have a house with new windows (2 new windows anyway) and lots of blankets and each other to keep us warm! Luckily, today was Sunday so we didn't have a lot to do. All we had was church and Choir practice. The rest of the time we have stayed nice and toasted here at home. At least we have been getting snow with this cold. To me, there is nothing worse than it being freezing cold, than to not have snow. I may be weird, but at least the snow adds beauty to the cold. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Christmas Decorating

Aaron and I are decorating our Christmas tree and listening to Christmas music tonight. I just love this time of year! It's so filled with hope and love. I don't necessarily enjoy decorating the tree, but I love it when the decorating is done. I'm taking a break from the tree right now while Aaron keeps at it. He is so good! He will put an ornament on and then stand back to make sure it looks good..then pick up another ornament and stand back to figure out the best place to put it. Then he repeats the whole thing again. He is so amazing! I have trained him well! :)

My decorating "specialty" is our living room. We have 2 nativities and a plethora of other decor to make our main living area festive. (Our tree is in our downstairs family room.) I just love making our home inviting and welcoming. I also like decorating so that all who come to our home will remember why we celebrate Christmas.

It's Official--We are POTENTIAL Adoptive Parents!

Oh my goodness! We received an early Christmas present from our caseworker at LDS Family Services. All of our paperwork has FINALLY gone through and we are approved as an adoptive couple. Jim, our caseworker, emailed us the good news yesterday. I have to confess that I cried when I read it. All I want to do is be a mother and it is just on the horizon. Now our profile can get to the birth mother who is carrying a miracle and the greatest gift we could ever receive. It is hard to imagine that in the near future, I could be holding a child in my arms who would be able to celebrate having 2 moms. My heart is so full right now. What a great blessing to be thinking about bring a baby into our home when we are celebrating the birth of the greatest of all--our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Playing Aunt & Uncle

Yesterday we were so blessed! We were able to have my nieces, Teyghan and Kiari, for the afternoon. Ryan and Laurel (my brother and "sister") went to the BYU vs. Air Force football game while we played with the girls. We had so much fun! I love watching Aaron with them. He is so amazing with kids and they just love their Uncle Aaron. After Teyghan and Aaron romped in the leaves (while Kiari napped and I rested) I took the girls to the library to look at books. We had so much fun. Books are such an amazing imagination builder. We brought several home and read until Ryan and Laurel came home. It was so good to spend time with them and be able to share our love with them. Thanks Ryan & Laurel! (I think us giving you the tickets to the game benefited us all!)

General Conference Musings

WOW! What a blessing it is to know that we have a prophet on the earth today and that we can "sit at his feet" every 6 months and be taught by him and his apostles. There were so many things that Aaron and I needed to hear. Here are some highlights that touched my heart:

• A temple in Missouri and Rome--the gospel is moving forward boldly and is covering the earth. The thought that struck me at this announcement is that we are getting closer to the coming of our Savior. The center of the Catholic church is now going to have a "Mormon" temple there and Missouri, which state drove out the Mormons back in the early days of the Restoration, now will have a prominent reminder that "no unhallowed hand will stop the work from progressing."


• Elder Perry--Don't allow the stress & anxiety of life get to you. Remain positive & optimistic; the best is yet to come!


• Neil A. Anderson--Part of our victory as disciples of Christ is how we act in the face of fear, discouragement, doubt, & feelings of inadequacy.; You don't know everything, but you know enough.; Adapt cheerfully to the challenges that come your way.


• President Uchtdorf--Hope has the power to fill our lives with happiness. It is a principle with a promise as well as a commandment!


• Elder Wirthlin--Come what may..and love it!

There was so much more (that's just the first session!) that I won't share here because it would take me two days to post it all and my thoughts and feelings. I'm so excited for the transcripts to be posted so I can learn even more as I read them. We are SO blessed!!

One step closer to having a child...

After years of struggling to have children, we have decided to proceed with adoption through LDS Family Services. The paperwork is GRUELING and is finally in. We have an all day class at the end of the month and several more meetings/home visits before it's "official" and our profile is up for birth parents to view, but we are almost there. Heavenly Father has been leading our steps and actions. It took a "lightning bolt" in the form of a patient at work who didn't want to keep her baby (the third in as many months) to convince me that this was the right time to move forward (Aaron was ready months ago!). Unfortunately, it's not going to work out with her, but she was an answer to our prayers and helped us find the direction we needed to be moving in.

At this time, we want to ask for your prayers in our behalf, that we will be able to continue in the faith and be blessed with a child. Also, please pray for all those birth parents out there struggling to make the decision to place their child for adoption.

Saturday on the Arkansas River

Aaron and I wanted to do something fun this holiday weekend, since it's the last "hurrah" of summer. Because Aaron loves to fish, we decided to go to Buena Vista, which is about 2 hours away, to fish and relax. We had a wonderful time! The weather was perfect and the river was great. Aaron loves it when he can get out on the river and I enjoy watching him and enjoying nature. It was a little scary for me because this is the same river we went rafting in a few weeks ago and the current was very strong. So, being the worrier that I am I had to always make sure Aaron was safe and staying out of the rapids! :) He was safe and we had fun. He didn't fall in and neither of us got sunburned. I relaxed on the shore with a book and some magazines. I wish I would have gotten pictures, but my phone (which I was going to use for a camera) was in the car and I was too lazy to go get it. So, you'll just had to imagine a tree lined river with boulders protruding out of the water every so often and my hansome husband standing in it, casting his line.
Here's a picture I found on the internet to give you an idea of how pretty it was:
It is so wonderful to be able to enjoy God's creations. I am so grateful that we live in this beautiful state where there is so much to see and do. I'm glad that Aaron likes to get out in nature, because I think I would take it for granted and not get out at all were it not for him. Heavenly Father has blessed us with beauty all around and I can't help but think of Him as I am outside. We are SO blessed! We were going to stay the night but couldn't find anywhere that had availability (ah, the joys of last minute plans!) so we just made it a day trip.

State Fari

So last night we went to the State Fair with Rob, Ruann, & Jared. Oh, what fun we had!! We wandered around looking at the animals and ate funnel cake (We all spilt one because they were huge and also expensive!! ). Ruann and I got lost in the "Creative Arts" building. The quilts were AMAZING. It makes me want to take up quilting!

It brought back fond memories of the Box Elder County Fair back home. We would go every year and wander through and look at the accomplishments of those who participated. You would spend hours admiring people's talents. The Colorado State Fair was a little disappointing because of the "skimpiness" of the entries. Instead of a whole building of artwork, there was one small wall. I'm not sure why there wasn't as much "stuff" but it was still enjoyable. It makes me want to go back home and see what a "real" fair looks life! I know, I'm probably biased, but what do you expect from a country girl?? :)

Time Flies When You Are Having Fun...

So, it's been forever since we updated our blog. Oops! Life got busy and time got away from us. Here's an update on the past month:

We had a great time with the Van de Merwe clan at East Canyon. How wonderful it was to be able to see people we hadn't seen FOREVER! There just wasn't enough time and we are hoping to make it to the reunion next year.

My brother Jeremy and his wife Nichole, blessed their baby the first weekend of August. It was wonderful to be there with them and the rest of my family as we celebrated Xander. Jeremy's kids from Utah were here as well and we had so much fun!

Aaron & I were able to go rafting with "my girls" and the other young men and young women from our ward for youth conference. We had an amazing time, even though we flipped over and saw our life flash before our eyes. :) The theme for the conference was "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the Lord giveth give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." The rafting trip was the day after workshops about this very topic. It turned out that our "adventure" rafting was a VERY tangible lesson that we will be in turbulent water sometimes and that we shouldn't fear. We have been given instructions on how to survive and as long as we listen, we'll make it safely to shore. It was a great way to end the weekend. It also ended my 2 year run serving with the Young Women of the Ridgeview ward. It was a sad moment, but I know that the Lord knows what he's doing.

On another note--we have started the process of adoption. As we have struggled for the last 4 years to have children, we finally have been led to LDS Family Services and know that it is Heavenly Father's will to bring a child into our lives through adoption. Please pray for us and for those mothers out there who are struggling to make the decision to give their babies up for adoption.

That sums up what has happened in the last month..I promise I'll keep up now!

3 days and counting!!

The countdown is on! The time has finally arrived. After much planning and preparation by the Conner family (Mom & Dad--you are amazing! Thanks for your hard work and organization; Rachel & Carter--your help was immeasurable. We'll make you proud since you can't be there!), the Van de Merwe Annual Family Reunion commences with pre-reunion festivities on Wednesday night and lasts through Saturday! It's finally here! We finally get to see all the family again. It's been SO long since we have seen the whole Van de Merwe clan. This is one of the biggest draw backs of living outside of Utah. We miss them all! But it makes times like this even more special!

We are almost completely packed. All the things we need for the reunion that we are in charge of are packed in a box, waiting to be loaded in the car; our snacks are packed (the most important thing for a long road trip :] ), the camping gear is in working order, and the clothes we plan to take are waiting to be packed. We leave Colorado Springs Tuesday night and are camping in Laramie, WY at a KOA (flushing toilets and showers are a must when you want to look presentable!). Once we get to Utah, we will be making a detour to Ogden to see my grandma, whose health is declining rapidly and whom we don't know if we will get to see again in this life. From there we will head to Salt Lake to meet up with the clan and have a fun-filled, busy time together. The excitement is building and we are thrilled to be able to go. Van de Merwe Clan: We'll see y'all soon!!

Fishing Adventures & Fun with the Family

Saturday morning, Aaron went fishing with my 2 brothers, Ryan and Jeremy. We all spent the night in Castle Rock so the boys could leave at 4:00 AM to go fishing up Cheeseman Canyon. Yes, I did say 4:00 AM. I know, I thought Ryan was insane for suggesting it but he always has really good luck in the wee hours of the morning, so off they went! :) They were up there fishing as the sun rose and had such a good time. They caught over 20 small mouth bass and brought home 7 for us to feast on (I am not a big fan of fish, but the bass was REALLY good--thanks for cooking it, Ryan!). Even though Aaron was EXHAUSTED when we left Castle Rock for home, it was completely worth it since he out fished BOTH my brothers, which has never happened! Call Aaron the Bass Pro!!! :) They also did some shooting (target practice) and even caught a huge blow snake. All in all it was a successful trip for them.

Us girls (Me, Laurel, Nichole) took the kids (Mackenzee, Dylan, Teyghan, Wyatt, Kiari, & Xander) swimming at the apartment complex's pool. Oh what fun we had!! Except Kiari didn't like swimming so much. As Laurel would carry her into the pool she would climb up Laurel and try to stay as far from the water as possible, all the while screaming like life was so unfair. Mackenzee and Dylan are AMAZING swimmers and love being in the water. Wyatt and Teyghan love the water and are still learning to swim. With rosy cheeks and shoulders and worn out bodies we headed back to Ryan & Laurel's apartment to wait for our men to come home.

What a wonderful thing it is to be able to live close to family. Our families are so special and it is so important to stay close to them because we really can live with them forever. I am so grateful the Heavenly Father brought my brothers and me to Colorado together. Now we just need to get Aaron's brother, sisters, and parents here as well as my parents then life would be perfect!! :) I am so happy that I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and know that I will be with my family forever. What a gift!! Treasure your families and do what you can to spend time with them. They are worth whatever effort you need to make!

"...pale green pants with nobody inside them."

My niece Kiari (18 mo. old) loves stories and her favorite is a Dr. Seuss one called "What Was I Scared Of?"--also know as The Pale Green Pants book. Her mom, Laurel, will start reciting from memory the beginning of the story and Kiari runs around the house to find the book and settles on the couch for her mom (or Aunt Emily--as the case was Friday) to read it to her. It is the cutest thing! Then, Kiari's older sister, Teyghan (4 years old) sits down and tells us the story from memory (almost word for word!!!). Such amazing girls who already love reading.

I never read this story until I read it with Teyghan when she was younger and it has become a favorite. If you haven't read it, or just want to get a glimpse back into your childhood. go to the link posted and you can! :) Enjoy!!

http://ruthvansickle.blogspot.com/2007/09/what-was-i-scared-of.html

Uncle Aaron & Auntie Em!

In the last 3 weeks, we have had a niece and a nephew born to our family.

My brother, Jeremy,and "sister", Nichole, had a beautiful baby boy on Sunday, June 29th. Alexander Curtis came into the world weighing 6 lbs. 15 oz. and 21+ inches long. Xander is tall and skinny and the apple of his parents' eye. He is also adored by his 3 older siblings (who are spending the summer with their dad here in Colorado) Mackenzee, Dylan, & Wyatt. There is a link to their blog if you'd like to see their little family.

This past Monday, July 14, Aaron's sister, Rachel, and her husband, Carter, welcomed their 2nd child, Katie Ann, into the world. I know she was a few weeks early and weighed in at 5 lbs. 15 oz. and 18" long. Mom and baby are doing fine and are home now. (I'll post pictures when I get them.)

I love being an aunt. I get jealous of Aaron sometimes because he is the favorite uncle. Ryan and Laurel's girls, Kiari & Teyghan, have him wrapped around their fingers. All they have to do is look at him with their big blue eyes and their wish is his command. He is so great with kids and I am so grateful we have a few nieces and nephews close by so we can get our "Kid Fix." Children are such a miracle. Those little ones are so close to heaven. You can't help but feel God's love for you and for ALL of his children when you are around a newborn.

Whether Aaron and I are blessed with children of our own, we are so grateful to have Mackenzee, Dylan, Wyatt, Xander, Teyghen, Kiari, Andrew, Natalia, James, and Katie in our lives.

What a GREAT Saturday!!

I love Saturdays! I get a break from the daily grind and get to enjoy life for a day with no other "important" responsibilities", besides the usual cleaning.

Our ward had a ward camp out last night. We didn't camp but we went with Rob & Ruann this morning to help cook breakfast (Rob & Ru are our best friends/"parents" here in the Springs; they are on the activities committee and were in charge of the grub this morning). Evidently, the wind was very strong last night and kept everyone awake. It's times like those that I am glad I am not much of a camper. :) It was great to spend time with everyone and enjoy nature for a little while.

Rob & Aaron then came to our house and played "Mr. Fix Its" to get our sprinkler system working. We haven't had it working since we moved in over a year ago. It works now and Aaron and I were even able to figure out how to program it and what stations watered what areas--who knew that it would be so tricky?? Growing up, we just used grandpa's well and flooded the lawn or moved the hose and sprinkler around 50 times. :) Ahhh, the joys of technology.

Ruann and I went to the library to find some books for her to read. I would LIVE at the library if I could, much to my husbands dismay (even now, I get wrapped up in my books and sometimes don't pay enough attention to him! :] ) So much enjoyment and entertainment right there--AND ALL FOR FREE!!! It's always tricky trying to find good, CLEAN books to read. I have it down to an art and know the publishers that publish Christian works. If you have any book suggestions, let me know! I have a link to my "Shelfari" page that has some great books on it. I'm so grateful that there are people out there that have strong moral values and are willing to share their talents with us. Aaron and I strive to keep our home as a haven from the world and it is amazing how the media, in all it's forms, can diminish that haven. What a blessing it is to be able to control what comes into our home and our heads and our hearts.

Call me Miss Prepared...

We are going to Utah at the end of the month for a family reunion for Aaron's side of the family. Last night, I sat down and made a list of the different things we need to take. Aaron was looking at me like I was crazy because we aren't leaving until July 29th. He jokingly said "We don't need to do anything until Monday the 28th." I lovingly glared at him and continued my list making. Isn't it amazing how much more efficient we are when we are prepared? We are in charge of a couple of things for the reunion and before I made my list, I was freaking out (I know...those of you who know me could NEVER imagine me freaking out!!! :] ). Now, I feel in control--which I like to be! --Just ask my husband!! :)

I do admit that I am usually not this prepared. I am often a procrastinator and put things off until the last minute and then have a meltdown as I try to do it all. My poor husband bears the brunt of it and does his best to pick up the pieces. There truly is wisdom in the Lord's counsel--"When you are prepared, you shall not fear."

Happy 4th of July

I always love a long holiday weekend, but there is something that touches my heart about Independence Day. We are so blessed to live in a country where we are free. Such an amazing blessing.

I waxed nostalgic yesterday as I remembered holidays' past. In the small town of Perry, UT where I grew up they have an all day long celebration. It begins with a breakfast, then a 3 block parade (which consists of all the LDS ward Primaries, local businesses, horses, and the local high school band.). They have softball tournaments and games like fish pond for the kids. The fest ivies continue at the community dinner where, depending on where you live, you bring either a side dish or dessert and the city provides the meat. Surprisingly, this small town celebration is still going on today, although it's not such a small town anymore!

When we were young, all the aunts, uncles, & cousins would gather for the festivities at the park then head to Grandma's for more games, food and fireworks before heading to Brigham City to watch the BIG fireworks. No matter who lit the "flowers", they always ended up chasing my dad--with the exception of the year he missed the festivities due to him playing Tarzan! :) Happy 22nd anniversary, Dad!!

So many great memories...so many things we have to be grateful for!

Now, Aaron and I are striving to find traditions and memories of our own for the holiday. We have yet to find anywhere around here that has a celebration like what I am used to. :) But then again, Aaron has been on call both years we have been here so we haven't been able to really search for the best celebrating spot much. We have started the tradition of making homemade raspberry ice cream since we have settled here in Colorado. Any other ideas you have??? Let us know!! :)

I hope everyone had a chance to reflect on the freedoms we enjoy and give thanks to those who made it possible.