{ Thankful and Halloween? }

Thankful.  Yes.  Everyday. 

Because I get to spend it with the four specials in my life 

{well five but I'm talking about 4 today;) }

 So certain little 5 year old Halloween costume got me thinking:)

 I find Adoption fascinating and so I should right, since its how we have children and what our lives center on.

My Children. My family. My everything. 

I find genetics fascinating, personalities and tendencies that I probably don't know where half came from. In my own extended family think of yourself and your siblings, parents...

But I also find nature vs nurture fascinating. 

SO many times when people find out that ALL our children are adopted they can hardly believe it ........"because they look so much like each other" or "one acts just like his dad" or "she looks just like you" 

are a few of the things I have heard over and over 

{which of course I love to hear} .... 

why? because those are things that we as parents who don't have biological children {which that term doesn't exist or matter in our home}  don't hear much of that so and so has so so's nose eyes, ears, personality and well we throw that out here;) but sometimes quite honestly it hurts a little ....a twinge but these 4 far out way the twinges:).....

 they like each of us come in this form with a spirit full of personality likes, dislikes, attitudes  and quirks all that makes each one of us.

No matter where and how we come to be we all have generations and generations of genetics....

Anyway what fascinates me most is the likes of my children for example K loves and talks about hunting, golfing and fishing {three things of which D does not do} but that biologically his birth family does have huge interest in.....in the little info we do have!  That came with him and are strong personal likes that he wants to do. fascinating isn't it:)
he really is a "super" man:) 

most days;) growing so fast! 
oh and another football season done:( undefeated season & more growth:) in every way.

OR 

how about k2 he LOVES to draw and color and LOVES music guess what... his background and very beautifully, talented birth mother plays many instruments and is an artist........ K2 loves these things.... and there is the other side he loves TO BUILD things bob the builder is one of his favorite shows and guess what he wanted to be for Halloween a construction worker his birth father is a talented builder of big engineering projects interesting eh;)  fascinating isn't it 

I LOVE ADOPTION 

How about Ms. L a very strong desire to stand out, to stand up for what she believes in .......which sometimes can be a deterrent to others around her..... but will serve her very well in the years to come! She is a stubborn fireball and I might have a little idea that that comes from..... a strong line of hard working biological traits of her birth families yet she will do anything for anyone and has a sensitive, helpful side that yearns to be needed, praised and adored! and that we do!

and MR. M my strong willed independent softy 

who LOVES people! and helping people and has all these little quirks like the rest of us......

Who loves to sleep on the floor more than anywhere else! or who never sits still anywhere and always onto the next thing 
who loves his dad and the ranch and wants to be just like him

 I mean this has got to come from somewhere right;)

always making us laugh:)

That I find so fascinating also...because every part of us is a make up of so many other people...

So back to adoption in our family we love our children's birth families but we don't have visitation with any or anything like that....... we send pictures and letters {each to there own situations} 

Over the past years the face of Adoption and the openness level in adoption has rapidly changed to an open invitation of extra people in your family...... including birth mothers and birth fathers in some situations}

We have always loved our children's birth families always will....but when we got sealed as a forever family that became our family unit, for us. For all...... thats their own unique choice but for us this is our story. That being said we love running into any of them here and there! But as a family as each situation is so different from each other it doesn't matter we are one..... we are an eternal family unit..... best said by Miss L's primary presentation talk last Sunday pretty you bet I cried!! 

Here it is:  

{if you don't understand the terms go here} or ask:)

"We know that Heavenly Father had a plan for us, my parents and my brothers and me. Whether you were born to your family in the covenant, or whether you had the opportunity like me and my brothers to be sealed together as a family through each adoption in the temple, the knowledge of the temple sealing and faith in its blessings gives us all a greater desire to make good choices.

It has blessed our family each time we have gone to the temple to be sealed together forever and feeling the spirit there so strongly that we know we are all meant to be together forever. I feel blessed to be a part of my family forever and I am so thankful that families can be together forever like mine. I love the temple and

I know that by working together as a family, we can enjoy the blessings of the temple sealing right now, as well as through eternity......

{she wrote her own first and then together we put it together but seriously she did an amazing job!}

So very PROUD of her!
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So this all came about because of K2's Halloween costume

 I just found it so cute that their wasn't anything well besides being olaf;) maybe that he wanted to be more than a construction worker...... as he sits each afternoon coloring and coloring and drawing while part of the time watching bob the builder or something equally exciting:) Now that is a beautiful mixture of genetics. Fascinating isn't it:)

Though for most of you, you see these things everyday you look into the eyes of your children..... like your looking into the eyes of yourself or spouse.  But for us its searching, seeing and trying to understand each other yet seeing the beautiful and probably not so beautiful;) traits or things we've taught them just by being us. But to me its an amazing journey that I really do love.  One day when my children if they decide to take the opportunity to look into the eyes of their birth parents, those little puzzle pieces will fit perfectly together like a forever circle made by all of us who contribute to these awesome spirits sent to us at just the right time:)  Feeling so
Thankful. Blessed. & Grateful.

So maybe halloween is good for something haha 

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We had our ward Halloween party last night D & I channeled 
our inner 1920's....... a little downton fun:) The kids had fun and L will have her real costume on tomorrow so I'll add some more pics of Halloween tomorrow:) 
This is pretty much how pictures go lately...... people trying to escape .....K telling me constantly this better not be on instagram;).... and M wanting to run and happy smiley K2:) and L acting annoyed;) 
Oh the joys:)
Enjoy it all right:)

Just a few thoughts from this old fashioned gal:)
 Have a great weekend:)

Happy Halloween:)