Final Project for the Nursery (I think!)

Matthew and I painted the crib yesterday and it was so much fun. Since the weather was been amazing this past week, we have tried to be outside as much as possible! It was a perfect day yesterday. It was 82 degrees and felt like heaven! So we decided it would be the perfect day for a paint job. We got the paint and I starting sanding the pieces of the crib as Matthew took it all apart. We are a pretty good team if I say so myself!

Here is our masterpiece still in progress! We decided on GOLD (well I decided and Matthew halfheartedly agreed) Gotta love that man! It will look amazing with the mint green and ivory! I am dying to get the nursery photo shoot done, but I want everything perfect before we do! 

The face of a man who's finger is cramping up from pushing down the spray thing for too long!

On another fun note, I downloaded an app on my phone called I'm Expecting so I can keep up on how Cydney and Abigail are doing. It helps me feel more involved and it is really fun to see how she is doing from week to week. This week (on Monday) we are 25 weeks! Cydney is supposed to be avoiding spicy foods - too bad that is all Abigail wants. She is definitely a Larson! Abigail is the size of a zucchini. This is exciting but also hard to picture because I have seen zucchini is a LARGE variety of sizes. She is supposed to be about 14 inches long and weigh 1.5 pounds! Her spine is beginning to form real structures and blood vessels in the lungs are developing. She already has her fully formed fingerprints and her nostrils are starting to open up! It's crazy to think an actual human being is growing in Cydney's cute little belly! Have you ever just sat down for a moment and thought about it?! We're talking growing bones people! It's amazing and truly on of God's greatest miracles!

Family!

Family is everything! Here is a new look at what our family looks like! Cydney is now 24 weeks and 4 days!

Happy 1/2 Anniversary!

WOW! Has it really already been 3 and a half year that we have been married!?!?! It has flown by and we are seriously on cloud 9 with the baby coming in a little over 3 months! We are just trying to stay busy to keep our minds off of waiting!

Everything is going great with Cydney. We had a doctor's appointment earlier this morning and got to hear the heart beat for the first time. I cried, no surprise there and then yesterday we took a tour of the hospital. It was very fun and helped me visualize how everything will be unfolding.

We are now at 24 weeks! Woohoo! Cydney is looking seriously so cute and Abigail is starting to be a little wiggle worm. I was able to feel her stretching out yesterday. It was amazing! Then when I heard the heart beat it was like wow....there's a real baby in there ha! Does anyone else ever feel like that?

Then you would not believe what I found in Idaho Falls! 

Matthew freaked and so we bought it. Like I am even capable of saying no to cute baby clothes. Matthew and I are trying really hard to not buy too much before the baby shower so we can see what we get and then just fill in the gaps from there. I might have already bought close to 20 outfits though and....I'm not sorry. They are too stinkin' cute to say no to. She will be the absolute cutest child ever!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers in my life whom I love!

My amazing granny who raised me! She is the most selfless person that I know. She is also the strongest person I think I will ever meet. She does not let things get her down and pushes hard everyday for what she has and who she loves. I would not be the person that I am today without you. I wouldn't be anything without you honestly! You are my best friend and I love you!

Pame McHugh who has been there for me through some hard times and some incredible times too. She has such a capacity for love that it still surprises me. She is the example that I try to follow of what it means to be a capable wife and mother. I love you!

Brooke, my mother-in-law who could not be a more perfect fit for me if I got to choose her myself. Little did I know the first time I met Matthew as an Elder on his mission the amazing blessings that would come in also getting to know his family. This woman is always there for Mattew and I and I love having her in my life. She is a rock and I am so blessed to know her. I love you!

Busy!

While Matthew and I are waiting patiently (for the most part) for Abigail's arrival, we are trying to stay busy and get everything ready for the big day! We have a lot planned - probably too much - to keep our minds occupied so we don't die of anxiousness!

Cydney and her mother both talked to me yesterday on Mother's Day and wished me a happy first Mother's Day. They are seriously the sweetest people you will ever find!

We have our first OBGYN appointment with Cydney (the birth mom) on May 21st!!!! We are so excited, we get to hear the heart beat for the first time. AHH! I already know I will cry, go figure - but I cannot wait to see Matthew's face when he hears her for the first time. I have always read that women become mothers when they find out they are pregnant (or in our case find a birth mother) and men become fathers when they see their baby for the first time. I know this is true for me. I already love her to pieces and am dying to meet her and hold her and love all over her. Matthew is too, but I am just so excited to see him with her. They both completely hold my heart and I already know I will be a wreck when I get to see them together for the first time!

Then there is the Henry Larson Family Reunion on June 27th and 28th. This will be my second one and WOW - they are so fun! I never had that growing up. A big family that is interested in me and my life. A big family period! I love it and I love them! There are games and a spoons tournament which, make no mistake, is VERY serious business. We are talking broken chairs, bloody knuckles, real trophies and bragging rights! It's the real deal! There is great food, amazing people, and so much laughter! I don't think they all realize the love that I have for them! I absolutely LOVE being a Larson!! It is one of the greatest blessings of my life and thankfully my eternity!

Next up, we have the BaByQ which is seriously going to be so much fun! To my 2 readers - you are all invited! It is a co-ed baby shower since Matthew and I are not having a baby traditionally either, we thought a BaByQ where Matthew and I get to celebrate together would be the right fit! I am so excited! There will be tons of lawn games and yummy food, lots of friends and family, and of course Cydney - who will seriously be so cute and super pregnant by that time!

And then of course, the day we have all been waiting for  -  September 7th!! It can not come soon enough! Cydney had a tour of the hospital last week and got everything straightened out for Matthew and I to be present at the birth. Cydney asked that we be there and we of course said yes yes yes! When Abigail is born Cydney will be the first to hold her, then Matthew and I (mostly me though because I'm not letting go!). After she is weighed, checked out and all that fun stuff, Matthew and I are heading to the nursery with Abigail to give her her first bath while Cydney re-coops. We are so thankful that Cydney wants us there and it is a real answer to our prayers. Seriously, if I sat down and wrote all the amazing small little miracles that Heavenly Father has put in this path for us....I'm not sure if I would ever finish the list. Cydney found us and chose us to be Abigail's parents, both her and her mother are amazing and fit with us so well, she lives close so we get to meet and spend time with her, she wants us to go to doctors appointments, she wants us at the birth, she is in such a healthy place with the pregnancy and adoption that we are all moving forward full steam ahead with no worries or doubts, it is just....a miracle. I really don't know how else to describe it. It is EVERYTHING Matthew and I wanted and prayed for. It's just...perfect. I can't believe the power of the Lord. Just wow, you know?!

We have so many other small things that we are working on and pushing through! Least of all, Matthew will be finishing another semester in the middle of July! Yay! One step closer to being done - and I know Matthew is excited about that! Camping trips with some friends so we can enjoy our last few months as just us. Tons of work - it never ends. TONS of projects that I am keeping myself busy with! We REALLY need a house with a shop or garage or something. I'm not sure how much more my poor living room can take. One project that Matthew and I just finished that we had so much fun doing together - and got a little high on fumes - is a lawn game for the baby shower. Have you ever heard of the game corn hole? It's basically a bean bag toss, but better! We built everything ourselves and I came up with the design and we painted and stained together. It was a lot of fun and we decided we should build more projects together.

Here is a really crappy picture of one of the boards that we built. It's a dark picture, but there is a hole in the top that you throw the bean bags through. It will be a super fun game at the baby shower. The stain and colors all match the nursery. The colors are mint green, chocolate brown, and cream. I promise we are having a nursery photo shoot and I will post everything as soon as I have them up! I am so excited to show it off, Matthew and I love it!

Parenting

What I want for baby Larson

What Matthew wants for baby Larson.

THE END.

Our adoption story and....a name reveal!

We got THE call!

Wow, my mind is still spinning with everything that is happening. Matthew and I are seriously in shock! As I am sure all 3 of my readers know, we applied for adoption and were (not so) patiently waiting for baby Larson to find us. We applied and had our profile published and the wait began. We made fliers, pass along cards, and smeared our faces all over the internet in hopes that someone would see and read our story. I immediately started working on and perfecting our little nursery and since I graduated from college in April, it really became my pet project. I have spent countless hours in there working and dreaming and making sure everything would be perfect for our little baby. Then I spent countless more hours in there crying, praying, and searching my soul for the answers to questions and hope for the future. Often I will walk by the nursery and see Matthew in there doing the same and my heart is so touched at the amazing man I have to stand beside me. My heart is truly full! I remember at our first meeting with Dale, our social worker and, I would add miracle worker too, I told him I didn’t think we would have to wait too long. I look back now at how naïve that was to say. We had not even started the waiting process, which, let me tell you…..is awful! I told him maybe that was silly but he reassured me saying that if I felt that, then maybe it was true. So I went about the paperwork, and then we were sent more paperwork, and more and more, and then….we were done. If you know me, it won’t surprise you to know that I got ALL the paperwork done and our profile published in a little less than a month. We actually set a record! So the profile was up and actually viewable to other people. We were terrified and ecstatic all at the same time. Little did we know the hard part was just beginning. Waiting. Again, if you know me, you will know I loathe waiting and not being able to get things done. Just push ahead and finish what is on my plate. This is the part of the story where the Lord was teaching me patience. I’m still learning. So we wait. Every single day I would check our profile and my email at least 50 times looking for something, anything showing that someone was reading; someone was interested. The stats on the profile slowly started to rise. But that could be anyone looking at the profile. All our friends and family were reading it. So I stopped looking at the numbers. I started to get depressed and worried. Matthew was ever encouraging like he always is and told me to keep busy. We can’t waist our lives away waiting. I felt early on a prompting that if we have a nursery, the Lord will bless us with the baby to fill it. So I nose dive into the nursery. I am working on it every day. If I’m not home to work on it, I am researching what I want to do to it when I do get home! We get an amazing friend to sew all the bedding. I whip out a quilt in 4 days – again, if you know me, no surprise here. Halfway through what I had planned, I rip it all down and start over again because something doesn’t feel right. By this point, I seriously have no idea how Matthew is handling me. He’s incredible is all I can say about that man. So I start over and work even harder to push to finish it. I remember one Sunday I walked in there to spend a few minutes and I could just hear my heart say ‘it’s finished.’ I felt so at peace in that moment. I did what I needed to do and it was beautiful.

Well, if you have ever trusted the Lord, you know He does not play games! We got THE call the very next day. It was such a spiritual experience for me to share with my Heavenly Father. He promised me something and when I held up my end of the deal, He delivered. Just like He always does. Just like He always will. Matthew called me at work, which is not normal. We usually just text each other if we need something since we are both at work. I answered kind of puzzled and he simply said ‘Dale text me and asked me to call the office.’ I could have died right then and there. I could only think of one reason he needed us to call. I got so excited and he forwarded the text to me. I tried to remain calm since really he could have us call about anything, but something in my heart knew it was good news. I told everyone around me at work to hold their breathe and don’t say a word so that we don’t jinx the call! So I acted natural and just asked to speak with Dale. He answer and said “well, I don’t have twins, but would you like to have a baby?’ I bawled. I’m talking embarrassing, gasping for air, can’t control yourself cried. What a rush of emotions. Dale kept talking and telling me things about the birth mother, Cydney and I honestly can’t remember hardly anything he said I was crying so hard. He kept asking if I was still on the phone because I was crying. As soon as I get off the phone with him, I called Matthew and asked if he was ready to be a father. I wish I could have been there to see his face, but just in his voice I knew how touched he was. So naturally, I start crying again. Then I call my grandma and tell her she will be a great-granny and cry again. Then when Matthew gets off work, we call his parents and then his siblings. Everyone was so happy for us. Matthew and I are still so blown away by everything.

So we pretend to sleep Monday night and act normal on Tuesday. I got a text from Dale about setting up a meeting with Cydney, the birth mom and her mother. He said the meeting would probably be Wednesday. I just assumed it would be in a week Wednesday, but then the next day he calls and says ‘can you come in later today at 4:30?’ I of course said yes and then immediately went into panic mode! I am so nervous. Matthew and I just wanted to make the best impression possible and hope for the best. We both get off work early and head to Idaho Falls to the LDS Family Services office. At this point, I could literally throw up I am freaking out so much. I am sweaty and shaking. I’m a hot mess! I kept going over scenarios in my head of what I should do when she walks through that door. Ok, I’m going to hug her brains out and thank her a million times for picking us – no, too forward. Ok, I’m going to casually get up and shake her hand and introduce myself – I don’t know, does that not show enough interest? I was a wreck. So I stand up and offer my hand and tell her how happy I am to meet her and she comes rushing into the room and immediately hugs me. I can’t even begin to explain the relief. We hugged and then hugged her mom and it was so great! The meeting was incredible! I really feel like we hit is off great. Cydney is a great girl and I am so happy she is the birth mother that we get to share this experience with, and her mother Cynthia is one of the sweetest people I have ever met. They are amazing! How did we get this lucky! The meeting lasted about an hour and we just talked non-stop the whole time. There were so many little things that kept clicking for all of us that when Matthew and I finally left, I could not stop smiling. Everything just felt so right and so perfect. I know that that little girl was sent here for Matthew and I. Heavenly Father is just, I can’t even put words to it. He knows me. What is more comforting than that? He knows Cydney and put her here so that we could be close. He knows Matthew and I and had us apply for adoption exactly when we did. He just knows!

So I’m thrilled because Cydney wants me to come to her doctor’s appointments and be a part of that journey with her. She even invited us to the hospital when she is giving birth. Nothing could keep me away! This is exactly what I was hoping for! Thank you Cydney, from the bottom of my heart thank you! We agreed on the level of openness we want the adoption to be and are looking forward to getting to know each other better as she progresses through her pregnancy.

Oh, and did I mention she is due September 7^th. That is only 4 months away people. I am in panic mode. Thank goodness the Lord prompted me to have the nursery done because I have no idea how I would be able to finish everything in only 4 months!

We’re having a baby!!!

So here is the timeline of everything so you can see just how amazingly everything happened for our little family!

January 14 – first meeting with LDS Family Services

January 23 – all paperwork is finished and we are now officially accepted as clients

February 19 – our profile is published and we are live!

April 27 – the nursery is officially complete

April 28 – We get THE call

April 30 – We met Cydney and Cynthia

WOW!!! Right!?!?! So when it is all said and done and baby Larson is here from start to finish will have only been 7 months. Not everyone is as familiar with adoption – but this is serious! The blessings are amazing. Heavenly Father is real and alive and He loves us and wants to best for us. I know this. Matthew knows this. Cydney and Cynthia know this. What amazing roots this baby will get to grow from!

So for moving forward!!

We are having a baby shower on July 19^th (the unofficial date) and all 3 of my readers are invited plus anyone and everyone else who sees this! Cydney is due on September 7^th and we are thrilled!!! Everything is just so perfect - all of the Larson grandkids are born in the Fall. The baby is going to be a little girl! What a relief just knows that is! I can finally go shopping!!

Oh and as for the name! Drum roll please…………………………

Abigail Brooke Larson

Matthew and I have such a strong testimony of family and so we have decided to use family names for all of our children. Brooke is his mother’s name and I cannot think of someone with a stronger testimony for Abigail to look up to than her.


*This post is dedicated to Cydney and her mother Cynthia. I do not know anyone as selfless as you Cydney. What you are doing for our family can never be repaid or thanked for enough. We love you with all of our heart. Thank you.