Changed For Good

"It well may be that we will never meet again in this lifetime.

So let me say before we part

So much of me is made of what I learned from you.

You'll be with me like a hand print on my heart

And now whatever way our stories end

I know you have re-written mine by being my friend.

Who can say if I've been changed for the better?

I do believe that I have been changed for the better.

And because I knew you...I have been changed for good."

"For Good" from the musical Wicked

Dallin's birthmom passed away on the 31st. I'm not sure if anyone, besides those on the adoption path, can understand a relationship between a birth mom and an adoptive mom. He is never just my baby. Yes Dallin is meant to be in our family and is sealed to us, but he has two moms who will impact his life. I feel like I have an extra responsibility to be the best mom because someone else entrusted me with the care of her baby. Dallin's birth mom gave him the precious gift of life and now Zane and I are giving him a life with an eternal family. I didn't understand true sacrifice until that moment when she placed Dallin in our arms. Not a day goes by when I don't look at my son and say a prayer thanking Heavenly Father for bringing Dallin's birth mom to our lives and for her sacrifice. She is our angel, our hero.

At placement

Dallin at 14 months on our Las Vegas trip

The Pirates Life For Me

What a fun Halloween! Last year Dallin was too young to understand. This year, he got it! Zane and I decided last minute to throw together pirate costumes to match Dallin. Friday night was our church carnival. Dallin got to stay up later and eat some candy, which meant he was pretty hyper. By the end of the night we were exhausted from running after him. Dallin tried to play a couple of games, but he found it easier just to take a piece of candy instead of working for it...tricky pirate. Every time he would dash off without me, I would find him with a new treat. I think he just smiles at people and they give him what he wants. Amazing powers of persuasion.

Dallin wanted his face painted. He held still while the girl painted the spider's body, but then he was done. He walked around with a big black spot on his face.

On Saturday we went to a friend's party for dinner and activities before heading out trick or treating. Here is Zane and Dallin in their matching costumes.

Dallin loved trick or treating. At first he would knock on the door and then run back to me. After a few doors though, you could see his mind finally getting it. Knock on the door, get free candy, say thank you...HEAVEN!!! Dallin went out trick or treating with his cousins Drew and Caleb. Zane pulled an empty wagon all night until right at the end when Caleb and Dallin climbed on in weary from all the hard work. Their bags were getting pretty heavy but neither one would let mommies hold it for them.

I think this is Dallin's favorite holiday...well until Santa comes.

Precious Moments

There are moments in life that warm your heart right up. These moments are what keep us going during temper tantrums, hitting phases, or moodiness from teething. I got two this week.

First, Monday night after we finished FHE, we knelt down as a family for prayer. Dallin has gotten really good at kneeling and folding his arms. He watches Zane and I and does whatever we do. As Zane started praying, he reached over and grabbed one of my hands. The next thing I knew, I felt a little hand grab my other hand. I felt so loved. My husband holding one hand and my little boy holding my other. So cute!

I was driving in the car yesterday and I heard from the back seat, "I love you." Dallin has started saying I love you after I say it to him or if we tell him to say I love you, but this was the first time he said it before me. Ahhhh! See, warms your heart right up.

Fun with Gram

Gram, Zane's mom, came out to visit us for a day. We had a fun filled day at the butterfly museum. I recommend this museum highly. It was very kid friendly and Dallin, as an 18-month old, had a blast. The best part of the day, besides Gram visiting, was Zane taking the day off of work to play with us. Unfortunately, we didn't get a family picture because the battery on our camera died, errrr. Here are some of the highlights.

Dallin and Gram (this was the end when he was tired)

Thank goodness caterpillars aren't really this size in real life!

I'm not sure which insect Dallin is pointing at. The museum had live animals from ants to tarantulas and every creature in between...even huge cock roaches! Yeek!

The butterflies

The butterflies also have a pet iguana. He was huge!

Fall is Here!

At the beginning of October, Dallin and I joined our friends on an outing. Dallin had a great time playing in the pumpkin patch (pushing pumpkins over), feeding the animals and chasing after them, playing on the playground, and racing in cars. I was surprised with how fearless Dallin was around the animals. We had a lot of rain the previous day, and I was really proud that I kept Dallin from getting wet (he is attracted to puddles.) He was sneaky though and found a hidden puddle on top of the ski boat that the kids could play on. I found him in water up to his ankles. It didn't seem to bother him that he walked around with wet shoes the rest of the day. We also had a picnic lunch and a popsicle. What a fun day to welcome in Fall!

Cousin Pictures: Drew and Dallin

Drew, Dallin and Caleb

Lawn Mower

As I was mowing my lawn last week, I had my little helper following right behind me with his lawn mower. It was so cute. When I put gas in the lawn mower, he wanted to put gas in his. We pulled out the bubbles and filled up his "gas tank" and then kept mowing. Do you think he will still like it when he is older and can actually push the real lawn mower?