Thoughts of forever...

After the sealing,Dallas Temple March 11, 2000


Natalie 2 weeks


Samantha 2 weeks


Samantha and Natalie 8 years

Tomorrow will be 8 years since we had the privilege of having our twins sealed to us, and I have been reflecting on the miraculous and amazing process of how they came to our family. I am so grateful for the support of family and friends who helped us and cheered us on. I am so grateful for Heavenly Father's plan for me and so grateful He didn't let me have the plan I had for myself! The blessings He has given me have been FAR greater than anything I could have ever imagined for myself. I remember the frustration of infertility and the heartache of wondering if I would ever be able to have a family. I remember the many doctor visits, surgeries, shots and hope of seeing the little blue line on the pregnancy test each month. Greg and I both hoped that we would get twins through the fertility treatments, but after many months and for various reasons we decided to stop the fertility methods and pursue adoption. We filled out all the paperwork and checked the box that said we would take twins, never dreaming that we might actually get twins. I remember being at work when the social worker called and said that there were premature twin girls and could she show the birth mother our file. I cried and cried as she told me what she knew of their condition in the NICU, the possibilty of them having every conceivable disorder, and liklihood of them being mildly disabled at the very least, and did Greg and I still want to consider adopting them. Greg and I didn't care what they had or might possibly have, it was just YES, YES, YES we want them! Greg called the social worker back after I had talked to her to reiterate that we absolutely wanted to consider adopting these girls. And I knew that they were meant to be with our family.

We lived through the NICU, cheering the girls for every ounce gained and every improvement made. As many of you know it is very touch and go in the NICU. One day everything is going great, and the next there are many setbacks, just like real life I suppose.

Susanna joined our family the old fashioned way later in 2000 and it has been an adventure ever since! Our family dynamics are very interesting sometimes--it is not all sunshine and roses everyday, but I treasure the journey through life with Greg and these sweet girls and look forward to forever with them! This is probably the longest post I'll ever have--thanks for reading!