5 MONTHS DTE!

WE ARE 5 MONTHS DTE!

YES, THAT MEANS WE HAVE

BEEN ON THE WAIT LIST FOR 5 MONTHS!

Remember me saying that our agency predicted our wait to be 4-6 months?

That means.........God willing...............THIS could be OUR MONTH!

We are hoping and PRAYING that God reveals the precious face(s) of our little one(s) within the month! {gasp of joy}

Now, please remain calm ~ and remind me to as well ~ as our agency cannot predict all that goes on in adoption. That being said, the SLOW DOWN in referrals that we have recently been witnessing, has not lead our agency to change the originally estimated 4-6 month waiting period. Yet.

Please pray with us that our referral ~ what its called when we are "introduced" to our children via "THE CALL" and email pics ~ falls within this predicted timeline! If we have learned anything, thus far, is that nothing is predictable in adoption!

Nonetheless, we continue to lift our child or children up to God, and excitedly await His plan! As our dear, sweet caseworker, Caitlin, recently reminded me,

"NOTHING can thwart God's plan!"

GO GOD!

We are #5 on the INFANT BOY list!

...And #9 on the SIBLING LIST!

We were asked if we would be open to adopting two UNrelated children, to which of course we promptly answered YES! So we have completed the paperwork for that scenerio as well!

Wow! Nothing like waiting for our "ultrasound" to not only let us know if we are having ONE or TWO babies; but also to let us know if it is a boy; boy/girl; or boy/boy!

EXCITEMENT IS IN THE AIR!

WE WAIT WITH EXPECTANCY but not with EXPECTATION!

(see the blog post regarding the difference HERE)

Our DTE DATE NIGHT was interrupted by Daddy's work. He has been slammin' jammin' busy all Christmas week and this one too! (Good thing he loves his job! Poor souls that are getting hurt on the ski hill and needing surgery!)

What helps to keep him going, is knowing that next year it is HIS Christmas to NOT work ~ our FIRST Christmas together as a FOREVER FAMILY! Coincidence? WE DON'T THINK SO!

So, DTE DATE NIGHT turned out GREAT! Once Daddy came home from work (10 pm), we went to dinner at Bar deNay and had awesome "couple talk," which I hear is nearly non-existent with kiddos! {smile} We even had fun brainstorming what we thought the judge might ask us on our Court Date. Good date night and celebration!

WE ARE GETTING CLOSER!

Wrapping Up Christmas!

WOW! WHAT A CHRISTMAS SEASON! ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS!

I've been rather absent on this blog as of late, because of all the FUN we have been having celebrating CHRISTmas! Allow me to "wrap up" our holiday for you.......

I was chatting with Doreen, my step-mom, the weekend before Christmas, while simultaneously shopping. I came across this sweet snowman plate that captured my heart. I thought it was because of the cute snowman on the plate at first, as I LOVE snowmen! I came back to it several times. Finally, the last time I came back to the shelf that held the plate, I realized I was picturing this plate as the plate our children would use for the cookies they would be leaving Santa each year. That did it! The plate HAD to be mine! OURS!

Of course, Doreen was right there to encourage me to make it "ours" in honor of the kiddo(s) we would have HOME with us next year! :o) See, our precious one(s), you were here with us this Christmas from the start!

Jeff and I always add one special ornament each Christmas. This beautiful glass world ornament was last year's purchase from Pottery Barn. Yes, we knew we were going to adopt, but at that time, we did not know we would be pursuing it in a few weeks!

It glistened so pretty again this year, reminding us of where our sweet one(s) are.....

Here's just another photo from this year. I love the sparkle and glow!

I ordered a couple of ornaments this year (couldn't choose just one)! Specifically with our child or children in mind. It simultaneously supported another family's adoption fundraiser, and I was pretty excited to receive the sweet ornaments! They served as yet another way in which we felt our babe(s) presence throughout this Christmas Season.

Notice the lack of luster in these pics?

That's because I took the photos instead of my talented husband.....

Don't they look fabulous on the tree!?!? (I actually purchased another one from the same family, but am saving it for next year, when he/they are HOME!) Thanks, Jewett family! WE LOVE OUR ORNAMENTS! We hope you had MANY purchases!

SOME CHRISTMAS EVE PHOTOS:

My Honey and Me.

Dub, Sattie, Jeff and Me!

Our Family....waiting to add one or two more next year!

My dear friend, Maril, who blessed us with her presence this Christmas Eve!

Okay, so there was another "sweet" way in which our child/ren were present with us this year as well. We made our Christmas cut-outs in the shape of.....you guessed it! AFRICA! Yes, we even put the red cinnamon dot near the Ethiopia region. The cookie cutter was yet another family's fundraiser and we look SO forward to many more times of making the Africa cut-outs! Sattie was here to help make them with me! Thanks, Sattie!

YUMMY!

Recognize the plate?

Lastly, I have to share how Sattie and Dub read my mind. One of my gifts from them was a book on how to make our own baby food! They had no idea I had JUST mentioned finding this VERY book on Williams-Sonoma website! I can't wait to put this book to good use!

Our babe(s) were SO on our minds and in our hearts this Christmas, in a positive and exciting way! We can't wait to share Christmas with them next year ~ in person!

Our Christmas wasn't just about the kiddo(s) God is orchestrating for our family. It was also remembering the greatest gift of all. BABY JESUS. As we hustled and bustled in our Christmas preparations, we made sure to seek Christ in the season.

He wasn't in the shopping. Nor was he in the wrapping of our presents. He was THE REASON for the Season, and we kept our eyes on God's precious gift of salvation and life in abundance here on earth!

May each one of us reflect His love in our daily lives. And may we all let God be our guiding light throughout the New Year!

1 John 1:5, “God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all.”

Merry Christmas, My Child!

Scroll to bottom of blog and pause music player. Then click play on this video. Tissues may be needed. Just sayin'.............................

Our Precious Little Babe(s),

It's Christmas Eve. The tree is decorated and looks so pretty. The cookies and goodies are baked. We've added your stockings to the fireplace mantle. Sattie and Dub are here with us. All of our other family (your Gramas', Grandpa, Aunties, Uncles and Cousins) have received their packages of our love and will open them today or tomorrow. Maril is coming over this evening to join us for church and clam chowder.

Such blessings abound.

But you are not yet here.

Our arms ache to hold you, little one(s). This wait has seemed so unbearable these last few weeks. I thought we would at least have a picture of you by Christmas. I thought we would be able to stare into your precious eyes. I thought we would have a face to place inside these dreams we have of you......

Instead, you are halfway around the world this Christmas. HALFWAY AROUND THE WORLD! Amazing how, at times, it can feel as though you are right here with us. I can feel your very presence in my heart. And in my soul. Even in my arms. Almost.

As our hearts ache for you to come home, we have to trust that this world is NOT too big for our God. We trust that God is holding you in His arms. Lavishing you with His love. And. Somehow. Lavishing on you, our love for you as well.

May you carry a special warmth within you this Christmas Eve and Christmas. May you carry within you a special sense of safety, life and love. May you somehow know that it comes from our Heavenly Father, and your Mommy and Daddy. May you also feel the hugs and kisses and love that is flowing across the seas directly to YOU, from all of your other family and friends who cannot wait to welcome you HOME.

You are NOT alone, my little child. You are not alone!

You are SO LOVED by SO MANY! Until you can experience such love in person, may God bless you with it from afar.

Tears roll down Mommy's face as I listen to this song. Partly because I so yearn to hold you this Christmas. And every day thereafter. Partly because it saddens me to picture you so far away. Some of the tears are because I worry if you are getting fed, if you are warm, if you are sick and needing Mommy. But there is one thing that breaks through all of this sadness of not having you home yet..........

And those are tears are for the promise. The guarantee! That our Loving Father is cradling you in His loving arms right now. He has not forgotten you. Or us. He is currently working on the details of bringing you HOME. To Mommy and Daddy. He knows what is needed to accomplish this, and His timing is perfect. Never late (though it feels like it at times). He is watching over you. Protecting you. Loving you.

For those reasons, some of my tears are in JOY.

I also have tears of JOY in thinking of how we hope to see your face within this next month. Tears of joy in thinking of having you here next Christmas! {big grin}

But mostly, these tears of JOY are because of Jesus, the holy child. The real Reason for the Season.

Jesus was born this night. He later died and rose again. BECAUSE OF THIS, we can rest in His promise to never leave you nor forsake you. We can trust in His Divine ability to love and protect you. And bring you HOME. FOREVER. In His perfect time.

May you know and feel our overflowing love for you, our precious one(s). We wish you Merry Christmas!

THANK YOU, LORD, for the birth of Christ. And for the care you are taking of our child or children. AMEN.

This Christmas

As we enjoy our Christmastime together with our families, may we remember those children out there who are waiting to be in a family.

(scroll to bottom of blog and pause my music player before enjoying this video)

Whether we are called to go on a mission and love on these kiddos, visit a local orphan, sponsor a child or adopt................there is ALWAYS something we can do to reach out to a child without a family!

GREAT WEEKEND!

GREAT WEEKEND!

It started as a bit of a bummer, as my sister (in-law), Molly, was hoping to come visit for an early Christmas weekend. THAT'S not the bummer part! {snicker} The bummer is that she was flying stand-by, and many others had early Christmas travel plans as well, so she was unable to make it. Don't worry, she WAS able to catch a flight to her and Jeff's parents, so at least she got a pre-Christmas weekend with family. That should help ease the fact that she has to work Christmas weekend (she is a nurse, and yes, sick people in the hospital need care on holidays too).

Jeff and I did still have a good weekend, even in Molly's absence. We got to go skiing with a dear friend of ours, Lisa on Saturday, and was it ever a BLAST! The snow was GREAT and it did my soul GOOD to be in the mountain fresh air with the big soft snowflakes falling upon us! A soul revival for sure!

We also got to FINISH our Christmas shopping, wrapped all the presents and GOT THEM ALL SHIPPED by Friday afternoon! YAY! Such FUN!.....not to mention the RELIEF of knowing we got them out in time for delivery for Christmas!

All of my family lives in Wisconsin and Molly lives in Colorado. Lucky for us, Jeff's mom and dad will be arriving TOMORROW for a family Christmas week! Can't wait! In fact, what am I doing blogging? I need to get the house ready! Ha!

One of the JOYS of this Christmas Season is getting all of your Christmas cards! I LOVE hearing from everyone and seeing pictures of your families and seeing your year of activities in pictures or letter form! It is so fun to come home from work and be excited to see who we heard from today!

Some of you are "new friends" that we have "met" through this wonderful journey called adoption, and we are tickled to hear from you! It is amazing how God can connect those of us with similar hearts, from such distances. Know that we are pleased to call you friends! ALL of you, our friends and family, bless us!

Well, I hope each of you are able to ENJOY the hustle and bustle of this week! As we scurry about with last minute errands and baking, may we smell the sweet fragrance of our Heavenly Father's presence...............

Where Do You Look In the Storm?

No, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth! (though I wish we had fallen off this continent and landed on Africa......in Ethiopia, specifically!) {grin}

I must admit that the stillness and silence of no referrals has been really starting to get me down. I am trying to stand in the peace and faith that Jeff can stand in, as he knows that he knows we are going to get THE very child or children that God has planned for all along. In this, he can wait with faith and strength. I usually can, as I believe this to be true as well.

However, as of late, I struggle intermittently. I wonder if this waiting will "make us miss out on our child or children." Silly. I know. I know NOTHING can hinder God and His divine plan! The excited mommy in me just starts to take over and want to control the how and when of this journey......I really don't want to control things, but my thoughts and actions sure act as though I do!

THANK GOODNESS God understands when we are weak! THANK GOODNESS that in our weakness, He makes us strong! IF......we lean on Him. IF we look to Him.

It is only when I take my eyes off of Jesus that I start to struggle with the waiting. It is then that I start to question God's timing. And my faith begins to quiver. Huh. Sound anything like Matthew 14: 22-33, when Peter steps out of the boat and tries to walk on water toward Jesus, only to find himself sinking when he looked around at the storm?!?!? Can't say I made that association until writing this right now. (no wonder I've been "detained" with fun busyness of the Christmas Season......."someone" didnt' want me to obtain this perspective!)

God is reminding me, right now, as I write, that He doesn' t want us to look around at the world. Life's storms can seem to swallow us or wash away our dreams. God wants us to keep our eyes on Him. He is in charge of bringing us to our children. No earthly "storm" can prevent that from happening! God calls us to faith even when the task may seem impossible, so that He can be glorified in the end.

We KNOW that God is behind this adoption! We know that God birthed our children in our hearts! How they are delivered to us (via delivery in a hospital or delivery in Africa!) matters not to us, and God has known the plan for this union from the very beginning!

Aaaahhhhh.......THERE it is! That mommy excitement and JOY that was slowly slipping away! It is coming back to me! This very minute, as I write and remind myself of where my focus needs to be!

Okay, God wants me to keep my eyes on Him. Even in the silence. I will continue looking up, indeed. Thank you, God!

THE GIFT GIVER

Do you ever read the Proverbs 31 Ministry blog? I do every morning. It blessed me so much this morning, that I want to share the post with you...........

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The Gift Giver

By Rachel Olsen

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38 (NIV)

On Christmas morning I’ll watch with joyful anticipation as my family opens the gifts that I’ve given them. I can’t wait to see their faces light up with surprised pleasure and gratefulness. In moments like these I understand why Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35, NIV).

A few years ago my daughter reached the age where she could find the hidden stash of unwrapped presents if she really tried. So I warned her that if she peeked, and I found out about it, I would return those presents to the store and she would not receive them.

Sounds a bit harsh I know, but I really wanted her to learn some important lessons: to exercise self-control and delayed gratification, and to respect the act of giving by not robbing me of the pleasure of seeing her open her presents for the first time. I wanted her to see that giving and receiving are irreversibly linked, and good for both parties involved.

It’s essential for God’s children to respect the act of giving as well as receiving – He calls us to live a life of both. I also believe it can help us better understand God’s core nature and our relationship with Him. God is a gift-giver! And He always knows the exact perfect gift to give. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17, NIV).

Let’s unwrap today some of the awesome gifts He has given us …

He’s given us physical life: “The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” Genesis 2:7 (NIV)

And eternal life: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (NIV)

He’s given us family: “God sets the lonely in families …” Psalm 68:6 (NIV)

He’s given us wisdom: “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5 (NIV)

He’s given us peace: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.” John 14:27 (NIV)

He’s given us joy: “You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.” 1 Thessalonians 1:6 (NIV)

He’s given us rest: “Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.’” Matthew 11:28 (NIV)

He’s given us a personal counselor: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you.” John 14:16 (NIV)

He’s given us an inheritance: “…you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.” Colossians 3:24 (NIV)

And He’s given us freedom: “God alone made it possible for you to be in Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made Christ to be wisdom itself. He is the one who made us acceptable to God. He made us pure and holy, and he gave himself to purchase our freedom.” 1 Corinthians 1:30 (NIV)

In return for all these glorious gifts, God simply wants us to receive and respond with thankfulness and a heart that is ready to emulate His gracious nature. I can’t think of a better time than now to respond with gratefulness and enjoy the act of giving and receiving – Merry Christmas!

Dear Lord, thank You for Your graciousness towards me. I praise Your generosity! Help me to receive all You have for me in the coming year. And help me to value giving as much as I value receiving, in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Isn't this a wonderful reminder?! To be THANKFUL for ALL God has already given us ~ and to ENJOY giving to others, in His love! Thank you, Lord, for gifting me this heart that gets giddy over giving to others!

Gosh, when asked what I want for Christmas this year, I just keep saying that ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS TO KNOW WHO OUR LITTLE ONE(S) ARE!!!! Lord, THANK YOU for reminding me of how gracious and giving you are to me. Daily. Even when those gifts are yet unseen by me.

Your gifts never cease to amaze me. I cannot fathom that you are about to bless us with a child or maybe even two! My mind cannot quite grasp such a GENEROUS and LOVING gift! Oh, how they are WELL WORTH waiting for!

Show me, Lord, how and where you want me to give your love. Not just this Christmastime, but every day throughout the year!

Once again, I give to you this waiting time. As we wait to hear how many children you have planned for us in this adoption, we trust in YOU. As we wait to stare into the pictures that reveal our chidrens' precious face(s), we give it all to you. Please help me to focus on all of your loving gifts we have already received, as we wait to see even more of your precious gifts to us. Our child or children.

May we see their face in your perfect timing. No sooner. No later. However, may I ask one more thing? Will you please continue to hold my heart as we wait to unwrap this gift? It is excited and FILLED with JOY..... yet aching at the same time.......................

Thank you, Lord, for this reminder of your faithfulness! AMEN.

MAN UP!

So, I was blog-hopping. You know how it is. You start on one blog and soon after end up on blogs you have never before viewed?

Well, I encourage you to go to this blog and read how he describes how we all ~ especially MEN ~ need to join the many women who are being awesome advocates for the orphans of this world!

I would try to restate his ideas, but viewing his own words will be WAY better!

So, whether male or female, I challenge ALL of us to "MAN UP" and become advocates (in whatever form that looks like) for these precious children! Click HERE to read his blog post! Scroll down to the second post on Oct 28th.

Give This Christmas Away...

What if I told you that YOU had the power to give someone hope beyond their wildest dreams.............and it was right there in your hands?...............................

(scroll to bottom of my blog to pause my playlist; then click this video)

There are SO MANY WAYS to Give This Christmas Away. Don't let the love in your heart stay there, in your heart. Give it away!

How?

Just moments ago (when viewing this video and another one with Matthew West and Amy Grant on Youtube) I learned of one way that you can Give This Christmas Away, and it is called OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD. This project is through Samaritan's Purse, which is a reputable group that provides international relief in numerous ways all year long!

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD provides you and me the opportunity to fill a shoe box with toys, hygiene items, clothing, whatever fits inside your shoebox, and then ship it!

HOWEVER!.............given that I just barely learned about this wonderful project, we have missed the deadline for shipping gift-filled shoe boxes to Samaritan's Purse for THIS Christmas Giveaway!

HAVE NO FEAR!

We can still participate in this fabulous opportunity to Give our Christmas Away, but "filling our shoe box" ONLINE! Just click HERE and it will walk you through how to fill your shoe box, donate on-line, and they take care of the rest for us! Isn't that a GREAT IDEA?!?!

We get to choose gender, age group, and even choose from the offered items available to be placed inside your box! They even allow a place for us to put a photo of us/our family and send along a note to the child!

HERE'S THE DEAL! WE ONLY HAVE UNTIL THE END OF NEXT WEEK, if we want our box to be shipped this year! (Though they begin accepting boxes for the NEXT Christmas the day immediately following their shipment for the current year!)

C'mon!......WON'T YOU PLEASE JOIN ME?!?........and GIVE THAT LOVE IN YOUR HEART AWAY THIS CHRISTMAS!?!?!? HAVE FUN!

P.S....I know there are many other ways to also Give Your Christmas Away, and this is NOT the only way. Bless you as you choose the way that best fits your family!

Jesus described the story of the Good Samaritan, and communicated His desire for us to reach out to those in desperate need. He then instructed his followers to "Go and do likewise." This is what OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD (OCC) is based on.

God will be so pleased ~ regardless of the way in which you choose to bless another in need.

May you and your family find a special way to "Go and do likewise" in your own special way, and may you consider OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD.

MAY YOU BE ENJOYING THE REAL REASON FOR THE SEASON!

A Random Act of Culture!

Oh.My.Goodness!!! Words can hardly express the emotions this video stirs!

I viewed this over at a fellow blog-friend's blog. I had goosebumps all over and tears trickling down my cheeks! To see such a public display of glory toward our Sovereign King of Kings is truly amazing!

(scroll to bottom of my blog to pause my playlist, then click video to watch....and be MOVED!)

Christmas is not meant to be a retail holiday. May this video be a vivid reminder of the REAL reason for the Season! May you carry this spirit within you throughout this Christmas Season......and EVERY day thereafter!

And hey! If you ARE going to do some shopping, I vote we support stores like Macy's who allow such public display of affection toward our Heavenly Father ~ helping us to keep CHRIST in CHRISTmas!

LET IT SNOW! and SHOP THIRTY-ONE!

DATE NIGHT MOVIE REVIEW!

Date night was fun last night! We went to "The Flicks" to see the movie, which is the only theater in town that offers wine/beer and dinners (as well as typical sodas and snacks) for you to enjoy during the movie! I, of course, stuck true to my MilkDuds!

Okay, so the movie, 127 HOURS, wasn't romantic (not that we thought it would be). It wasn't a comedy. Nor was it family friendly, with its language and bloody scene of when he cuts off his own arm to survive. It was, however, amazing to think that the story was true. Someone actually endured that. And lived! And, I believe, learned the importance of allowing others into your life. We cannot live this life alone! We need one another! God created to live in community. NOT isolation!

Just another reason I THANK GOD for each of you as we travel our own personal journeys of life.......TOGETHER!!!!

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LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW!!!

We have been getting dumped on (in Boise terms) with snow the last couple of days, and WE. ARE. LOVING.IT! Bogus (our nearby ski resort) got a FOOT of snow just Tuesday night! We have more snow (~ a foot!) on the ground than I have ever seen in my 15 years of living in Boise! BRING IT!!!!

Of course, last night after the movie, Jeff "had" to take us to a parking lot to "teach" me how to do doughnuts/cookies, "...so you can learn how to handle the Yukon if it ever slips out of control on ice!" {how was THAT for justification of my man wanting to play like a kid! love it!}

If this snow puts you in the Christmas Spirit, and triggers that desire to start (or finish) your Christmas shopping, while helping out a friend of mine, as they journey to their child, keep reading!...........................

Connie and her husband adopted their precious Emily from China a couple of years ago, and they are now pursuing adoption of their second daughter from........you guessed it!.......Ethiopia!

Want to shop THIRTY-ONE and help Connie and her family out at the same time?

Connie has a friend, Anne, who is a Thirty-one consultant and she offered to hold a sale for Connie and Rick, where 100% of the profits from the sale will go toward their adoption!

The party is December 1 - December 11th.

Just by placing an order, you will be entered into a GIVEAWAY for a Scentsy Warmer with 3 different Scentsy Wax Bars (THANKS, Andrea!).

Also, with any purchase total of $31 there will be a few select items offered for additional purchase at HALF PRICE!

To see all of the Thirty One items visit Anne's site.

http://www.mythirtyone.com/annelittle

On the right at the bottom you will see "MY EVENTS." Click it and choose DAVIS FAMILY. This will give Rick and Connie's adoption fund credit.

HAPPY SHOPPING!

And THANKS for supporting our friends and their adoption!

4 MONTHS DTE ~ DATE NIGHT!

We are FOUR MONTHS DTE!!!

Know what that means??!!??!!??!!??.......................we are in the timeline that our agency told us to expect to wait for our REFERRAL! Remember, they estimate that it will take us 4 to 6 months to get our referral (which means finding out WHO OUR CHILD or CHILDREN ARE!)!

We continue to lean on God throughout this, and as of late, there has not been any referrals, and the silence is DEAFENING!!! We do, however, trust that all is according to God's timing, and once again, our timing is just not God's. But ONE of these days it WILL BE!

Reaching these little milestones means a LOT to adoptive families. We don't get to watch our tummies grow or feel the children kicking in our tummies, but milestones such as getting one month closer feels much the same to us! {smile}

I was going to say that our very FUN and non-traditional Thanksgiving could totally count for our 4 month DTE date night, but given that those plans were made FOR Thanksgiving, we have chosen something else to help us celebrate our 4 month mark!

First, I will share with you what we did for Thanksgiving. Jeff totally surprised me. Of course, the "planner" in me unknowingly made it hard for him to keep a secret ~ as did his excitement that was bursting to share his secret plans! {smile}

I kept hounding him to sit with me and make a final decision about how to spend the holiday ~ with friends, just the two of us, skiing in Salt Lake City, yadayada. So, he "gave in" and revealed his plans a few days early. How sweet! He had made reservations for us at Berry Hill, a nice local restaurant (YUMMY!)...........and then made reservations at The Anniversary Inn!

The Anniversary Inn has different theme rooms to choose from and he chose the Mansion Room. What a beautiful Victorian-style room! A non-traditional Thanksgiving that was PERFECT for our last Thanksgiving as the two-of-us!

THANKS, BABE!

SO! Given that he made those plans with the holiday in mind, we have chosen to make a date night tonight specifically for our FOUR MONTH mark!

What did we choose!?!?..................We are going to a movie!

As easy as it is for us to go to a movie now, we haven't lately; and we hear how hard it is to go to a theater when you first become parents!

Remember the story of the climber who got stuck and had to amputate his own arm to survive? We are going to the movie about that story! Should be amazing!

I'll fill you in tomorrow....................