About Me

My photo
My name is Jenny, and I am married to my wonderful husband Andy. We are the proud parents of Owen Daniil, who we adopted from Russia. Our Gotcha Day was 02/08/2011. Our family is a true gift, and we feel very blessed that God chose each one of us as members. I am not good at blogging, I'm just starting out and getting used to it. However, I am hoping to share some stories about our family. Welcome to my crazy, but wonderful, life!

Sunday, August 28, 2011

5 year wedding Anniversary:)

So Friday 8/26/11 was Andy and my 5 year wedding annivesary. We were so excited about this little benchmark;)  We were also excited to be sharing it with Owen. When we were matched with Owen, we had been trying to have a child for 3 years. Even though it felt longer than that! Owen was well worth the wait, and we became stronger as a couple during that wait. Even though there were times that were hard, God gave us the strength and love we needed for each other and Him so that we could stay a faithful and hopeful couple.

During our 5th year celebration, we could not have been more thankful for the family that we have become. I know that God formed our family, even before we knew our own hearts. I know God is leading us, and that we are the family He means for us to be. It's an amazing and awing feeling, to know that God's hands can create this love and this relationship with us and between us. I could not thank God enough for this family He has given me, our family is truly our gift.

I am blessed to have a caring, kind, loving, and supportive husband. Andy was always open to adoption, and when we began the process, he gave 100% of himself to the process. Seeing Andy for the first time with Owen, you would never guess Owen was not with us for his first 9 months (which is how old Owen was when we met;) ).  Having Andy be my partner, best friend, and love is so wonderful, that words cannot even describe the feelings I have for him.  I love  Andy, and cannot wait to see what the future holds for us!

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Sleep, baby sleep!!!

So Owen is starting a bad habit, and I think it's my fault. Last week, I decided to nap with him for his afternoon nap 2 times. Friday, after he started crying when laid down at the sitters, i decided to stop that. over the weekend, no nap problems. Then yestreday and today, I lay him down for his afternoon nap. He gets all tired looking, lays down without crying, is quiet for 10-15 mins, fooling me to think he is asleep. Then, bang, bang, he starts kicking the walls/crib!  I go up, tell him to stop kicking and go to sleep. He is quiet again, looks very tired, like he could go to sleep any second, but then begins kicking again. The next time, i go into the room, sit in the rocker, and tell him to go to sleep. He cries, and then is quiet.

He is literally blinking hard to stay awake, his eyes will shut and be shut for a good 30 seconds, and then he pushes them back open.  Finally I pick him up and hold him, and he falls asleep in like 2 mins. UGH!  I'm torn because I do want to hold him, but I also can't last 1.5 hours doing so. It also will mess up his nap at the sitters, because she has other kids, and I know she can't hold him all the time there. Im going to try something different tomorrow.

tomorrow I'm going to leave him in his crib, if he doesn't fall asleep that is, for an hour of quiet time, which is recommended by this doctor in this book I read. Still keeping him somewhat on his routine. Then, I'll get him up. He'll be super tired, and he'll probably be a cranky butt. But, we'll put him to bed earlier. This should help with getting him to realize I'm not going to hold him to get him to sleep. I have a feeling he's going to try and pull this again tonight for is night bed time. We'll see. Let's all hope my plan works.......I'm REALLy hoping it does. But of course ideally, he'll just give in to sleep tomorrow, but we'll see.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

6 months home!

Early on February 16, 2011, Owen left Russia to come home FOREVER!  After 2 plane rides, we arrived in the US late February 16, about 24 hours after we had left Russia. Owen met his grandparents, rode in his car seat for the first time, and we all walked into our home together as a Forever Family!  Thinking about the long journey we all had made through the initation of the adoption process to the point of being home, still brings tears to my eyes! Tears of love, joy, happiness, and blessings! 

We have been so blessed to have our family, and Owen makes it even more special. God always knew Owen would be our son, and it amazes me! He knew this little rascal was what our family needed.  None of us could be who we are today without the other.

Our lives have been changed, but better than we ever imagined. Our house is louder, we have more messes, and there are a lot more temper tantrums (though Andy might argue this last point in regards to me), but it is also filled with more joy, laughter, and love.  

I thank everyone that was a part of our journey, our family, our friends, the social workers, the baby home staff and caretakers.  I also thank Owen and my wonderful husband, best friend, and partner Andy, for without them, this journey would not have been as incredible as it has been.  I am looking forward to the next 6 months and beyond to see what the future holds for us. I love my 2 crazy, ornary, and loving boys!

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

08/08/11 marked 6 months together as a family!

We met Owen in 11/2010, and we just prayed and prayed for the day we could all be together, FOREVER, as a family, without an ocean between us!  On 02/08/2011, we picked Owen up from his baby home and have been fully united:) 

It is hard to believe in some ways that it has only been 6 months, because I know and feel that Owen has been my son since his birth. There is a reason that adoption and specifically Russian Adoption called to us in early 2010, it was because Owen was born, and God needed us to pick him up ASAP! :) 

Owen got to spend the last 2 days with his "aunt" Jen while his regular sitter was on vacation, and tomorrow he gets to spend the day with our friends Emily and Kelli. I know he will have a great time, but I'm just itching for it to be Friday, so I get my day off with him!  He is getting so smart, and cute, and even more ornary, if that is really possible;)  He is simply joy and fun, and a blessing, all wrapped into one. We are so thankful that God formed our family, with Himself as the head! 

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Owen finally hit 20 lbs!

It's official, Owen is 20 lbs 4 oz, YAY!  We weighed him at home about 2 weeks ago, and that is what he weighed. We were hoping he would be at least that at his 18 month check up and he was. He is still below the 3rd percentile for his weight, but is now just below 10th percentile in his height at 30.5" We are so glad that he is growing a bit more now. I think it's because he's finally eating regular table food really well.

I'm happy, but sad, that my little guy is growing and learning so much so fast. I actually scheduled his 24 month visit, which made me kind of sad knowing that in 6 months he'll already be 2. I really wish he could have been with us for his first year. But then I think, that first year helped make him who is now, even if it's just a little bit, it's still part of him.

He says "socks" and it sounds really funny. I love to hear him say it. I'm still waiting for him to say mommy, and he's come close, but I don't know that he's associating it with me.  It will happen one day, and I'll be ready;)