Leaving On a Jet Plane....

Day One of our European adventure:

On July 22nd, Shay and I left for Europe!

Our trip started with my dad taking Shay and me to the airport where we were able to catch a flight to Denver to make our international flight to Frankfort, Germany.  

Shay had never been to Europe before so he was super excited.  

 

Some highlights from our flight:

1. When the flight attendant invited us to find the movie and T.V. options in the back of the flight magazine.  Wow:

2. When I realized the castle on the front cover was one of the stops we were going to go see!

3. When the flight attendants offered free alcohol for the fourth time during our flight:

4. When the lady across the aisle from me started to struggle with her little boy.  The little boy didn't speak any English but definitely was getting upset.  The passengers in the plane were all trying to sleep and were not happy about the child's behavior.  I quickly pulled out my I-mini and put on a game.  He looked across at it and quickly went quiet.  I handed my mini to the lady and she quickly thanked me profusely.  Later, after the lady had returned my mini, the little boy started to act up again.  I pulled out a few distractions from my purse to help him silent down, since the other travelers were getting upset (someone actually shushed the little boy...like that is going to help).  He was so cute.  As I was trying to play with him across the aisle he quickly slipped from his mother's arms and crawled up into my lap.  The mother apologies in her broken English and I told her that he was fine.  We had a good time playing a few games before his attention changed to the breakfast being served.  Unfortunately, the lady said she had another 8 hour flight ahead of her.  Wow!  It was a wonderful opportunity to give some service to this mother who looked so tired as well as play with this cute little boy!

When we finally landed we walked around the Frankfort Airport looking for our traveling companions.  We were a party of 8 for one week and downsized to 7 the second week.

  When we finally were able to rent the cars, cram what luggage came across the sea with us (yes, 2 girls had their luggages lost on the flight over), we were off. 

I was speechless when we drove through Germany.  I couldn't have imagined the beauty that one encounters in Germany:

This was a park we stopped at when trying to find our way to Mike's cousin's home:

It was a beautiful park, but when we saw it for the fourth time we were ready not so see it again! ;-)

I thought this gate was so cool that I took a picture of it to remember it:

The cute ladies that worked in this bakery allowed Mike to call his cousins to get directions:

When Mike was finally able to get a hold of his cousins, we stopped at a grocery store and ran in to check out the chocolate (European chocolate it SO GOOD!).

Here is Sonya.  We met Sonya last October when we went down to Cancun with Mike.

This is Bradley.  We hadn't met Bradley prior to our trip.  It was great to meet new friends on our trip!

 

This was the first time we had seen Lindt's new packaging:

It made us smile to realize they had a whole aisle dedicated to chocolate:

Then his cousin showed up to have us follow them back to their elusive home.  On the way I took some pictures.  It was SO pretty!



Mike's cousins were so nice!  We really enjoyed the opportunity to go with them for dinner:

One of his cousins, Arna, is a chef and I asked him to order my dinner for me.  This is a picture of what he ordered for me.  

IT WAS TO DIE FOR!!!

We then returned home, chatted in the back with Mike's cousins, and then hit the hay.  It was a wonderful first day in Europe!  We feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to go and see all we were able to see!

Placing a child for adoption....

So Shay and I just got home from our trip to Europe yesterday.  I have a pile of laundry that reaches Saturn, memories that will last beyond a lifetime, and a classroom that is screaming, "You are not going to be able to get everything ready with the amount of time you have and school starts next week!"  

Crazy how stressful ending a trip can become.....pictures etc. of our trip will be coming soon: We just need time to get life back in order and our pictures in order (I hope that makes since!).  I wouldn't be on here yet but I just had to document an experience I just had:

Yesterday, after my parents picked Shay and me up from the airport and fed us dinners so we didn't have to worry about preparing something, we headed down to Shay's folks to pick up our dog.  By the time we returned home I was DEAD!  I don't really remember getting in bed.  Then of course I woke up at 12:24 am thinking it was morning (Europe is an 8 hours difference from where we were at).  Of course I forced myself back to bed to try and get my body on the right time zone.

Now, after Shay left for work, I have been opening mail and starting the process of returning home from a vacation.  It will be a lot of laundry that is for sure.  In this process I checked my Facebook.  Wow, in 2 weeks a lot happens!  While scrolling through news feeds I came across the following link.  A really good friend of mine who has 2 biological children of her own shared it.  Since I know she has never started the adoption process...at least to my knowledge.... I was curious to see why she felt a need to share.  I am so glad I did!  My heart has been really full this last week with regards to adoption.  Being a potential adopted parent is a double edged sword.  Shay and I desperately want to have a family but are unable to do so the "traditional" way.  It is an extremely painful situation for us!  We have always wanted to be parents and raise children.  Yet, to want to adopt is also bitter in the fact that it breaks our hearts knowing that the birthparents are hurting.  Why would we want that?  We are fully aware that birthparents do "want" their child, can parent their child, and deep down struggle with the idea of placing, thus making it a very painful experience for us as well!  We have no desire to cause pain on anyone for any reason.  This situation makes me hurt deep in my heart!  Then I watched this video.  It answered some of my concerns towards the end....as an adoptive parent.  

Although, Shay and I are not sure when or if we will ever be parents in this lifetime.  I do know that if we are chosen that we will LOVE our birthparents and that there will be a reason why the child was placed with us.  Thanks so much for sharing this link with me Jamie!  It really touched my heart in a way that I needed it!

Please note that this is being shared as an answer to some of MY questions, not with anyone in mind or in anyway trying to persuade anyone either way in the adoption process.

Placing a child for adoption
In this exclusive interview, Tamra, a birth mother and adoption advocate, shares the beautiful story of her decision to place her son for adoption.

Foundry Grill, Sundance

Spending time with the fam at the Foundry Grill up at Sundance Resorts.  

We are a very serious family! ;-)

As we waited for my older brother and his wife we took a few pictures to document this joyous occasion.  Shay and I love the Foundry Grill!

Here we are:

  That is where Shay proposed to me!

Below is my younger sister and youngest brother:

My cute parents:

My younger brother and his wife:

Then finally the whole gang: 

(minus my sister's husband who couldn't come to the reunion due to work)

We were spoiled rotten by our parents and enjoyed a DELICIOUS meal!  

Thanks mom and dad for taking us all out to eat!  You're the BEST!

Family Traditions

My family has a tradition of having family prayer every morning and evening.  

Since all of my 5 siblings and their families (minus one brother-in-law who had to work) are in town there are a lot of people to round up.  I had to snap this picture, probably totally inappropriate...but it cracked me up.  In the back you can see my dad kneeling so patiently and my mother kneeling by the coach as they try oh so hard to get everyone to kneel down for family prayer.  Now notice everyone else.  :-)  It is not an easy task to round up 20 people to pray together!  At times it is comical!...but I am forever grateful to a father and mother who have taught us kids that prayer is important.  I truly believe a family that prays together stays together!  

Checking Out A New Taco Shop

This week Winnie's family is having a family reunion.  We normally rent out a cabin/house someplace, but this year everyone is coming to Utah.

We love when family comes in town!  Mark, Winnie's youngest brother, flew down a few days early.  We decided to take him (seen in the back seat on the right), Winnie's parents, and Winnie's oldest brother's kids to a new taco shop.  Shay's really good friend Matt recommended the place to us and we thought it would be a great adventure.  So the boys and Winnie jumped into one car and Winnie's parents took our two nieces in their car.  

We joked all the way to and from the taco shop! 

We ended up at Blue Poblano.  WOW!  AMAZING TACOS!

Here is the gang returning to the cars after one amazing dinner:

Of course Winnie made everyone stop and take a photo.  

Everyone is happy after such an amazing meal--

although we are not sure what Shay is doing in this photo?

July 5, 2013

We took the opportunity to come together and have a bit of fun!

Winnie's mother's siblings were up for the 4th of July.  

On the 5th we met up at the Brick Oven to eat.  We had a blast spending time with all her siblings and some of the cousins!

It was such a hot day we were not surprised when we saw a car pass us with an air conditioning unit strapped to the back of it:

We laughed SO hard when we passed it!

That night we played miniature golf in Winnie's grandmother's backyard:

Here is Shay taking a shot.  Shay played golf in high school and isn't too bad:

 Here is a shot of the cousins playing together in the backyard:

We enjoyed seeing who could get the lowest score.  

 Prizes were even given out!

 Winnie's aunt, Aunt Winnie (seen on the far left in the picture below), 

loved to give pointers and play as well!

 Winnie loves her grandmother's backyard.  Even though she is getting older and can't keep it up as well as she use to have it, it is still beautiful!  Shay and Winnie scheduled their wedding reception to be held here but the weather didn't cooperate and it had to be moved into a nearby church.

 Winnie's mom (placing her ball down in the picture below) also played a round.  Behind her is Winnie's uncle, cousin, and aunt that drove all the way up from California to join us!

 This is nathan, our nephew! 

 He is a stud muffin!

 Playing golf:

 Ilene and Shay taking a whack at the ball:

 The crew even played through when it started sprinkling:

 Hallie was really excited about her shot:

 It was a blast playing around the backyard.  Uncle Talt created the whole course!

While taking pictures, Winnie decided she wanted to document the backyard.

Here is a special sitting room her grandmother created in the back corner of the property.  Her grandmother would go there almost every day, throughout the summer, to sit and relax.  The trees overhead create a beautiful peaceful canopy!  This is a fun place to hang out at:

 Another view:

 Another view:

Winnie's grandparents had the cousins create these feet in 1991.  Winnie found her's and took a photo:

Shay poising by the foot/hand prints: 

Winnie's grandma came out to join the fun:

Winnie's grandmother, Winnie, has always been a very active service oriented woman!  She is an example of hard work and love to everyone who knows her!

It has been hard on Winnie seeing her grandmother get older and not remember as much as she use to, but she is always full of life and energy and is still quick to offer a helping hand.

Below is a picture of Winnie's grandmother (whom she was named after).  She is 84 years old:

It was such a fun time hanging out with family!

Family is very important to Winnie and Shay!