Families can be Together Forever

“Families can be together FOREVER, through Heavenly Fathers Plan. I always want to be with my own family, and the LORD has shown me how I can.”

The day that made all other days have very little meaning. When Matt and I got married and sealed in the temple it was exciting and beautiful! But, we agreed, the day we got sealed to Tyce put that day to shame. There is something so magical and spiritual about being sealed to a child. It is completely different from birthing children. NOW,  that isn’t to down play the importance and magic of biological children. The day we had Taelynn, I thought my heart would burst. But, I didn’t have the panic and urgent feeling with Taelynn, because I already had the peace that she was sealed to us for eternity. Well…technically I didn’t even know I felt the peace until I felt the urgent longing that I experienced with Tyce. (Any of you other adoptive parents out there, feel free to help me figure out a better way of describing that feeling! I can’t find the right words to emphasize the importance.)

I know not everyone readying this is LDS, but just so you know, we believe that you can be sealed to your family after death. Death isn’t the end. When we get married in the LDS temple our biological children are automatically born in the covenant or sealed to us, but when we adopt, we get to go back and seal that child to our family so that our spirits are sealed for eternity.

***Get ready for picture overload***

 

April 16, 2016 – This day felt like an eternity away. In Utah, there is a law that you have to wait 6 months to finalize an adoption. That means that we couldn’t get sealed to Tyce in the temple or even have his baby blessing until he was “legally” ours.

The 6 month wait felt like an eternity. But, let’s be real here, it was closer to 7 months because of court dates. We knew it was going to be hard and that the adversary would be fighting against us, but goodness, even with that foresight, it was a painful fight. Satan knew exactly what would cause us the most stress and anxiety and he hit it right in the bullseye. But, despite all of that, WE MADE IT!

The night before, we had the beautiful experience of going through the temple with my cousin, Kaela, for her first time. It was such a perfect way to bring the peace for the rest of the weekend. Plus, it was perfect because that meant she could be apart of Tyce’s sealing the next day.

Matt and I woke up early on Saturday and started getting everything packed up. There was a feeling of peace circulating the house. Just thinking of it now, feels my heart with this eternal happiness. The babies woke up and were so happy. We got them dressed in their whites and they looked like little angels.

We got Tyce a tea leaf Lei in honor of his birth family. I love them with all my heart and it didn’t feel right unless we made sure they were a part of this day. He made the best faces when the leaves would touch his face. Tae was a little jealous and kept trying to put it around her neck or in her mouth…

My mom met us at the Provo City Center Temple, so she could help us take care of the kids while Matt and I got everything in order. We walked into the temple together and temple workers greeted us with such excitement! They all knew us by name and eagerly welcomed us inside.

We wanted the ceremony to be very intimate and so we just had our close family come, and it worked out perfectly. I don’t want to go into much more detail than this, because it was one of the most spiritual experiences of my life. Nothing I write will give justice to the feelings of joy and peace that we felt. I will say, that when my mom and the temple sisters brought Tyce and Taelynn up to me and Matt, nothing could hold back the happy tears that fell from my face, as I began to understand the true meaning of Christ’s love. I looked at the faces of each of the people that sacrificed so much to be there with us, and I knew that this was my heaven.

We walked out of the temple doors a forever family. What excitement we felt,  to see our loving family waiting for us. It truly is like walking through the gates of heaven. It was a true blessing that our family could make this experience as big of a deal physically, as it was to us in every other aspect. We will forever appreciate that.

***FUNNY SIDE NOTE- My mom was with the kids the whole time we were in the temple. They have a nursery area for families that are being sealed. Well, the temple sealer called down to have her bring up the kids, so she was racing to change their diapers. As she was changing Tyce’s diaper he decided it was the perfect time to see how far he could pee, and low and  behold, he made it all the way to his face, getting it in his eyes, mouth and every other crack and cranny. Let it be known, he hasn’t peed on any of us since he was a month old.  My mom decided not to tell any of us until after the ceremony, which means Matt and I got our fair share of pee kisses.

At this point, the kids were beyond exhausted. They had already skipped two naps, yet somehow were as happy as could be. BUT, as you look through all the pictures and see Ty’s head down, just know, he is fast asleep. Nothing we did could keep that kid awake. He didn’t even get jostled when we would move him around and put him in different positions for pictures. There were a few moments he would randomly wake up and give us a few perfect, happy smiles, and then two seconds later his eyes would roll back and he would fall asleep again. It was impossible not to die laughing.

 

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There is a reason I have always tag Tyce’s pictures with the hashtag #thejourneyofty (The Journey of Ty). He is on quite the journey, touching lives along the way. So many people have had a hand in bringing him home to us. My eyes are pouring, right now, as I think back on the last 7 months. I think of my parents who dropped everything when I called them that beautiful Sunday in September, without any warning, to tell them that our baby boy was being born right then. Right away, my dad jumped online to look at plane tickets for us and canceled all of his plans for the week so that he could fly to Arkansas with me so that I wasn’t alone. My Aunt Dana, who was so excited, she picked us up from the airport in Kansas City, and took me shopping for baby clothes, and then drove us the 6 hours to Little Rock and back. Matt’s mom, who came and spent a week and a half with me and the kids in the NICU, after my dad and Matt had to go home, and then helping me fly home. And then of course to so many of you who donated help to us after we encountered some unexpected costs. Some of you I barely knew, but I think and pray for you all daily. Thank you for being so in-tune with the spirit and answering our prayers so that we could get home. You all have a special place in my heart. And this is just a few of the people that are apart of Tyce’s Journey. Really, that doesn’t even brush the surface. Tyce’s Journey has been a remarkable one. I can’t express the appreciation I have to you all for believing in him and in us.

After the temple, my parents took everyone to Los Hermanos in celebration. Because let’s be honest, nothing says celebration like one of their fresh (virgin) Pina Coladas. It was so much fun to sit and visit with everyone. What a blessing it is to call these people my family. The legacy that they have paved makes me want to be a better person. Their example, love and compassion brings me to my knees. Family to me, isn’t just bodies to take up space, but spirits that come together to mold us as individuals. I am so lucky to be a part of a group of people that holds family above all.

Thank you everyone that helped make this day unforgettable. I can’t say enough how truly blessed we feel. What a reaffirming testimony that, “families can be together forever.” I’m sure glad I get to spend forever with this bunch.

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***I need to express my love and gratitude to both Emma Matheson Photography and Kurns Photography. Emma had taken our family pictures the week before we adopted Tyce. When she found out we had another addition, she immediately volunteered to take new family pictures for us with our handsome little guy. AND THEN, the wonderful Courtney Kurns volunteered to help take pictures for us at the temple, right after getting arm surgery, so we would have pictures to commemorate this day. I love you both and am in love with my forever keep sakes you gave me! Thank you! 

Picture Credits:

Emma Matheson Photography

Kurns Photography

 

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We’re Finally Finalized! The newest Bosen

There are very few reasons going to court is a good thing. My car accident last year… not so much! Yet, April 13, 2016 will be forever marked as the day I looked forward to appearing in court, because it meant that Tyce is legally my son.

I was so full of emotion yesterday that I had to wait until today to be able to express the gratitude and love I feel in my heart. My mom worded it perfectly:

Who said you can’t have a fantabulous sunshiny day when it’s raining? Today a judge bound all of the bazillions of heartstrings that I’ve had wrapped around my little peanut, to an official, legal document! Tyce is not just tied to my heart for eternity, but LEGALLY my grandson! I love you, Aubree, Matthew, Tae, and Tyce!  ‪#‎adoptionrocks‬ ‪#‎thejourneyofty‬ ‪#‎thereignoftae‬ ‪#‎familiesareforever‬ 

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I’ve been waiting for so long to get my picture with the Judge!! My kids may be looking in different directions and Tyce’s drool may be slowly dripping down my shirt, BUT This is exactly what I wanted. 

All morning, Tyce was giggles and smiles. He woke up earlier than normal and just wanted me to cuddle with him. He kept looking up at my face and stroking my cheek. It was like he knew it was a big day. Taelynn on the other hand, was my somber queen. It was like she could feel the intensity and impact that this day would bring. During the whole court proceeding my normally busy bee sat on my moms lap and quietly waited.

I don’t know what I was expecting, but finalizing an adoption was a really neat experience! I felt like I was doing Mock Trial all over again, except it was real, and I wasn’t trying to put someone in jail. My awesome mom came to celebrate with us and help us watch Taelynn. We met our Lawyer, K. Paul MacArthur from MHM Law Offices, at the Provo court house. I didn’t know I could like lawyers until I met Paul MacArthur. He brought us into the court room and we went and sat up front in the defendant chairs.

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Our wonderful Attorney, K. Paul MacArthur from MHM Law Offices

We talked for a little bit and he gave us some of the questions he would be asking us. Then, the Bailiff walked in and said, “All rise for the Honorable Judge David Mortensen.” And in walks our judge with his fancy black robe.

Matt and I each got our own microphones to answer the questions. I went first and was asked questions along the lines of, “When did you get married? When is your birthday? When was Tyce under your custody? Why did we want to adopt?… ect.”  Then it was  Matts turn. He was asked, “Do you agree with everything your wife said?” :/ really? haha

At this point, Judge Mortensen declared us fit to be parents legally and lawfully to Tyce. He said that they used to have him stamp the legal documents to make it official, which made it really dramatic, but now it is all electronic so he just has to click a button. BUT for our benefit, when he clicked the button he yelled out, “BOOM!” He then gave us a document with the Fourth District Court Seal, where he had written out his thoughts on adoption. I will keep this document forever. In one part he quoted a book entitled The Soul of Adoption, by Catherine E. Polman, saying:

“Adoption is an exquisite grafting of humankind. For both the birth and adoptive parents it is a defining transition, a deliberate lunge beyond childbearing. For the child it is permanent relocation accompanied by the hope of increased opportunity…Successful participants learn to comprehend the needs of everyone involved and afford those individuals freedom to choose and grow in ways consistent with their unique personalities and talents. Boundless and unwavering love can develop. “

I love this because my family has been grafted like an Olive tree. My family tree now includes branches grafted into the trunk making it bigger and stronger. It may not have all grown from one seed, but the new additions work with the old and grow from each other. However, they cannot grow strong and tall and straight without proper care and love and devotion. But just like any tree, the branches are all different shapes and sizes. (Thank you for letting me get cheesy for a moment).

Afterward, the Judge was gracious enough to let us take some pictures with him to mark this historic day for us. And just like that, Tyce is legally a Bosen.

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Tyce Mitchell Kabua Bosen

 

To celebrate, we went to the BYU Creamery for some Ice cream. We were a little notty and let our kiddos have a bite because it was a special day. Taelynn may have gotten a little carried away…. Tyce on the other hand, not a fan!

 

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***A special thanks to MHM Law Offices. They were the most honest, helpful, caring people and I am so glad we got to work with them.

 

Oldest Child Syndrome

This is a monumental time for us, because it marks Taelynn being out of my tummy longer than she was in it. Where did that time go?!

As any oldest child knows, including myself, with age comes GREAT responsibility! And Tae takes this responsibility VERY seriously. That’s right, she is only 9 months old, but makes sure that Tyce knows that she is in charge.

For example, let me give you a little play by play of their daily interactions:

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Don’t let their wrestling match fool you, they are BEST friends.

When people found out we were adopting, we had many people ask us how that was going to affect Taelynn. I can firmly say, Taelynn is better for having Tyce and visa versa. These two were meant to be siblings. I don’t feel it is any different than gaining a biological sibling a year or more down the road.

Taelynn has an old soul. She is a child I don’t “deserve” and here is why: I think getting a sibling is trying on any child, and I know it was tough on her little self at first. I became an older sister when I was 3 years old. I still remember the feelings of jealousy that I felt toward my sister. It was rough! I loved her, sure, but I also felt like I had been replaced. Here, Taelynn was only three months old when we jumped on that plane to Arkansas, and she was a little trooper! All of a sudden, she didn’t have 100% of my attention and there was another little human laying around. I can’t even begin to imagine what was going through her little mind.

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This was the first time that Tae looked at Ty. Until this point, she would do everything she could to pretend he wasn’t there.

She went through a lot of changes the first month with Ty. The biggest change was, she used to hate nursing, but as soon as she saw me try and feed another baby, that is all she wanted! She also never pooped without help, and then suddenly she was a pooping machine. She also got jealous very quickly, when seeing me hold a baby that wasn’t her or Tyce. I think it was her way of saying that one little brother was enough for now.

BUT, she got over it quickly.

Tae is already a better older sister than I ever was. She is always checking up on Tyce when he cries. She saves her biggest smiles for him. If he is hungry, she will literally stop eating and let me feed him first.

BUT, she is human AND an older sister. So don’t let that smile fool you. I can’t help but laugh as I watch her try and be sneaky, coming up behind Tyce, and trying to grab his toy or bottle or whatever he is holding. The best part, she will hurry and throw a different toy at him and crawl away as fast as she can thinking I won’t notice. Oh boy, the future is going to be fun.

I love watching Taelynn and Tyce learn and grow from each other. I know that they have their own way of communicating with each other. I love watching them race to give each other kisses in the morning and hold hands as I carry them around the house.

Taelynn is definitely more of my adventurer. I think that is perfect because she is the older sister and uses that to push Tyce along. She loves exploring and playing and being thrown in the air! Tyce is my happy observer. He loves to watch Tae and see what she is getting into. I honestly feel like Taelynn has helped Tyce hit his growing goals, because he looks up to her so much.

Yes, Taelynn was changed for gaining a brother, but she was changed for the better. Because who better to learn and grow with than a sibling.

 

“You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.”

– Desmond Tutu

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Adoption Stigma: “Savior” Mentality and Types of Adoptions

“I do not intend to be rude, but since you put yourself out here, I have a question. If the fact that some children are in need of parents is what made you interested in adoption, why did you choose infant adoption, when there is no shortage of parents for newborns?”

I received this question about adoption, and rather than answering back privately, I thought this was the perfect time to talk about infant adoptions versus adopting older children. I would like to say, “Thank you,” to the person that asked, because I think this is one of the big stigmas about adoption that needs to be broken. Keep in mind, everyone’s story is different, so I can only share my perspective. But, I did call on some friends for help, to help me find words for all of these emotions in my heart.

***DISCLAIMER*** I do NOT recommend asking anyone else this question. I opened up this blog so that people could ask me questions like this, BECAUSE  I want to shed some light on what adoption really means. So, I am totally ok with this! But, it can be perceived as a very offensive question. It is very personal to each and every person. 

Why adoption is for MY family

First, I would like to address the first part of the question. In the “Our Story” section of the blog, I talk about my Uncle telling my family about some kids in Romania, living in an orphanage, that needed families. I was in Elementary school at the time. This was not my first encounter with adoption, BUT the first time I had the impression that I wanted to adopt.

As I got older, and continued to think about adoption, I learned that there are several different ways to adopt. Infant adoption, foster to adopt, foster for reunification, International adoption, adoption with an agency, private adoption, transracial adoption, special needs adoption, open adoption, closed adoption, the list goes on. I researched a ton. But not just how to adopt. I researched the sociology behind it, the psychology behind it. I did a lot of self evaluation and wrote out my 10 +  year plans. Most importantly I prayed about it. (Realize that this is my side of the story, not my husbands. He had his own journey).

Now, not everyone believes in God or spiritual promptings, but I do. Our whole adoption journey was completely dependent on Heavenly Father and his plan he had in store for us. If he would have directed us to Foster to adopt, we would have. BUT he knew where our son was and he led us to him. I believe everyone is directed to where their children are.

“It is not about finding A child. It is about finding THE child that was meant to be in my family.”  -My good friend, Carly Thompson

As I also mentioned in the “Our Story” section, the reason we started the adoption process when we did, is because we had an opportunity presented before us to possibly adopt the baby of a family friend. That baby was never ours, but we truly believe that situation was placed before us so that we could be ready for our son. If we would not have prepared for that baby, we would not have been able to adopt our son. That was a true act of God.

We firmly believe that Tyce was always supposed to be in our family. It wasn’t chance. He is our son. He and Taelynn were meant to be siblings and grow and learn from each other.

Infant Adoption Vs. Adopting Older Children. 

Now, to answer the question more logistically. All kinds of adoptions require different abilities from the adopting parents. This is really hard for me to put into words, so I have a friend, Kaitlyn Phillips, from an adoption group, that is helping me out a little. She said,

“Adopting an infant and adopting an older child are not interchangeable. They are very different experiences, and each come with their own unique set of challenges and blessings.”

Whatever route you decide to take in building your family, you have to be prepared for the challenges that come with each situation. I would add, this also includes building your family through giving birth.

For me, we were not in a position to adopt an older child or to get certified as a foster parent. I like how Kaitlyn put it,

“I don’t think a person should “just” adopt an older child because they want to adopt. If a couple is adopting an older child, they need to be in a position emotionally, spiritually, and physically to care for, parent, and be a good fit for an older child.”

The same goes for an infant adoption. BUT that does not mean that being prepared for one makes you prepared for the other.

An older child that is looking for a family has different needs than an infant being adopted. I see so many amazing parents that have adopted older children. Some of the skills that they have blow me away.  They were meant to be parents to those children and those children were meant to be in their family. I can’t even begin to imagine the emotional roller coaster that so many of these kids go through, in their search for their forever family.  They need parents that can give them the attention and support to heal and grow.

Unfortunately, I would not have had the right amount of attention or emotional stability to give an older child and a newborn.

Yes, There are so many older children looking for families. BUT, that can’t be your only reason to adopt an older child. You need to be prepared for what that entails. Otherwise, you will not be successful as a parent. This leads me to the “Savior Mentality.”

The “Savior” Mentality 

THIS IS IMPORTANT! (It is such a strong opinion I have, I dare to claim it as a FACT.)

When you adopt, you are not the child’s “Savior.” You are their parent. I didn’t “save” my son, and if he ever feels like he “owes” me because I adopted him, I will truly feel like I have failed as a parent.

Although, Taelynn and Tyce will always be free to try and repay me for the sleepless nights, the several ounces of spit up I have caught in my eye, mouth, bra and who knows where else…I JOKE!!! My point is, I am their mom. I expect the same respect and love from them that any mother should hope to receive from their kids.

I didn’t choose to build my family through adoption because I wanted to “save” children. I am not God. This misconception makes me so sad. I chose to adopt because I knew that I had a child out there that I had to find.

I am often told things along the line of, “Tyce is so lucky that you adopted him.” “You are so amazing to take on that child.” “wow, I couldn’t do that.”  I know you mean well, and I thank you for that. But, would you ever go up to me and say those things about Taelynn? Maybe you would, but up until this point no one has given me praise because I conceived her. WHICH IS HOW IT SHOULD BE! At least in my book.

In a way, I guess you could say we were all saved. Heavenly Father had his hand in this whole experience. And my family was “saved” because we all get to be together. My kids personally “save” me everyday. I don’t know what my life would be without them. BUT Matt and I didn’t do the saving.

To summarize- Matt, Taelynn and Tyce are my family. I get to carry the proud title of “Mom.” Being a mom gives me so much happiness. We all build our families in different ways and adoption just happened to be in the plans for us. We were led to Tyce. If you believe in destiny, I guess this would be the best description of it.

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Thank you all so much for reading my ramblings. I hope I could answer this question with justice. You are free to send me questions as well, and I will answer them in the best of my ability.

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The Adoption Stigma: Terminology

Although adoption is a completely normal and an AMAZING way of building a family, let’s be honest, there is hundreds of stigmas around it. The amazing thing is, the adoption community is working so hard now to fight those stigmas and to educate the world on what adoption really means. If you are like me, you have tons of questions when you meet someone that is adopted or has adopted, BUT you don’t know what is appropriate to ask. So I thought it would be fun to go over some great things that I have learned through my adoption process.

(I also created the contact me page so that you can email me and ask me any questions you have about adoption. I love learning more and sharing my knowledge with those that are interested)

Today, I decided to talk about vocabulary, because who doesn’t love a little English lesson;)

1- “Placed for Adoption” Vs. “gave up” “put them up” “get rid of”

One of the most common mistakes is to say, “gave up for adoption,” or “Put them up for adoption” or even to say, “the birth mom got rid of.” Really anything similar to that. How detrimental for a child to think that they were given away or unwanted. That simply is not the case. They are human beings, not hand-me-downs. That is why the adoption community is working hard to change this common phrase to “Placed for adoption.” A birth mother is placing her child into the arms of another family. The family that they chose to parent their child.  I love the picture that saying the word placed creates in my mind. It gives the whole process a lot more love and compassion.

Now, I’m not a dummy. I know it is just common to say, “gave up.” Just like at one time is was common to call flip flops thongs. But even though it is more common to say it one way doesn’t make it appropriate.

2-Birth Mother Vs. Expectant Mother

This goes for birth father and expectant father as well. There is a difference!! Someone does not become a birth parent UNTIL they have relinquished their rights. Until that moment, they are either the expectant parent, or if the baby is born, they are just a parent. This often gets confused. I will be the first to admit that I didn’t know this before I started my own adoption journey. For example, if a family is “matched” with an expectant mother, meaning that the woman who is pregnant has chosen a hopeful adoptive family to  be the parents to her child, then she is still an expectant mother UNTIL she signs the paper work and places her child in the hopeful adoptive families arms. THEN she becomes a birth mother and the hopeful adoptive family is now just the baby’s family. Did that even make sense?

3- Mom Vs. “Real Mom” as opposed to fake mom?

Refer to point #2. I have had so many people ask me who Tyce’s “Real Mom” is. Well, I am pretty positive none of us are fake. I am quoting a friend that said,

“‘Real mom’ or ‘real parents’!!! We are all real! We’ve played different roles but none of are fake and I personally don’t believe that any of us are more ‘real’ than the other.”

This also refers to siblings. Taelynn is very much Tyce’s “real” sister. They may not be biological, but they are real. Their love for each other is real and their bond is real.  But as quoted above, Tyce’s biological family is also very real. Just avoid saying the word “real.”

4- Family Vs. Adoptive Family

Yes, technically Matt, Taelynn and I are Tyce’s “Adoptive Family,” but you don’t need to call us that all the time. I am his mom. Matt is his dad. Taelynn his is sister.

Tyce is our son, brother, grandson, cousin, nephew ect.

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Hopefully this helps you a little when talking to people from the adoption community. BUT KEEP IN MIND, we understand that certain phrases are just common to say. I personally am not going to hit you over the head if you say one of the naughty ones above, but I can’t express the joy and appreciation I have for the people that refer to my adoption correctly.

I’ll have some more similar posts coming in the future. I apologize if these annoy you! But, adoption is a passion, and can you blame me?!

AND PLEASE, send me a message if you have other questions I can answer. Whether it has to do with adoption, or just my little family, I would love to know what you all would like to read about.

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Water Babies

IMG_3726You’ll quickly learn through my ramblings, if you didn’t already know this, that I don’t like being told that I can’t do something. When faced with a dilemma of being told something is impossible or that there is no way it can be done, I often think,

“Says Who?”

And then I go on to see if it is in fact out of my reach. I remember, when I was pregnant with Taelynn, someone told me that I was throwing my life away by having kids so young. I thought that was a little silly and my “never upset” husband actually became angry at the comment. However, it got me thinking about things that I could still make possible even with kids.

Two kids later and I still am determined to have a great experience through this journey, not just for my kids, but for me! Matt and I do what we can to make any adventure possible. Road trip to Las Vegas, no problem! What about a road trip to California, BRING IT! Romantic evenings aren’t dead. Goodness, I am even working to get my Real Estate License. My point is kids have never “gotten in our way.” They actually make life a lot more fun for us.

(Pictures from the first time Taelynn went swimming. It just happens to also be at the Provo Rec Center.)

Swimming was one of those things I was questioning the possibility of. Before Tyce was born, Taelynn and I would go all the time. BUT, adding another baby to the mix makes staying a float a little more challenging.

My awesome SIL is here visiting with her perfect little boys, Ben and Andy. Of course, like any 3 year old, Ben wants to get out and have adventures! So after thinking about it, I decided why not join them at the Provo Rec Center. I was slightly terrified. I packed the swim bag, made sure we had enough diapers, got the kids ready to go and a short hour later we were finally out the door.

We got to the Rec Center and I was approached with my typical questions of,

“Are you babysitting?”

“Are they both yours?”

“Are they twins?”

But I guess in a way every mom is a permanent babysitter.

Then we finally made it to the pool.

2 adults against 4 children (Jessica’s SIL on her other side also came and observed)

My children are scared of tubs of water… They are shower babies. So sitting in water up to their waist in the kiddy pool was a little traumatic. They literally were gripping each others hands and hugging each other around the waist. It was adorable to see! If I wasn’t in water I would have had a million more pictures as proof.

As they started warming up to their new surroundings, I could see their eyes light up as they started to have some fun. I braved the water, and took advantage of their clinginess, and we made it over to the lazy river. Lazy might not be the best way to describe it, as I was trying to juggle two children that decided they liked floating around.

One woman failed to realize that the section of pool she was in was designed for kids, as she kept giving my kids dirty looks and shoving past me…but not everyone can have fun swimming I guess…

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Taelynn really got excited by the end and was giving everyone that passed her a full body wave. Seriously, there is not a more animated wave in the world. I made a little barrier with my legs because Tae kept trying to swim off to play with her cousins because she is obsessed with them (the water was only about 4 inches at the deepest where we were). Tyce enjoyed looking at the water from the safety of my arms. He had a death grip on my swim suit that you wouldn’t believe, and Taelynn kept checking to make sure he was ok.

After they kids decided they were worn out (because holding onto mom is hard work) we packed ourselves up, slowly but surely, and made our way to the car. Tyce was asleep before we got to the parking lot and both were asleep by the time we got home. Let’s just say the moral of the story is, if I have stuff to do, take the kids swimming because they will sleep for hours!!

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I would say the day was a SUCCESS!

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And so it begins…

Here I am, mother to the Wonder Twins, jumping on the band wagon and starting a blog. I am awful at remembering to write in my journal (so much so, that I bought a one line a day journal and still forget), BUT I get so many questions that I thought this would be the best way to share our story and keep our record of my perfect little kiddos.

What should you expect? Laughter, tears, the good, the bad, and the snotty noses. This is going to be my online sanctuary. I’m not getting paid for this, so you can all know that everything I say is from my own mouth. So all you fellow moms out there, let’s share this journey of motherhood together.TwoPeas-LargeFont

 

I need to give credit where it is due. When I was in Arkansas, picking up Tyce, my mom called me with this fabulous idea that I needed to have a blog. She had the name ready and everything; “Two Peas from Different Pods.”It is perfect, because these two munchkins were meant to be partners in crime. I loved the idea, but put it off because…life… That is until I discovered the wonderful Megan Hargraves. She is the one that designed our logo. Isn’t it the cutest?! After seeing her work, I knew this project had to happen. Then my brother comes in. He drew the picture of my babies at the top of this post. He does it on HIS PHONE!!!! My friend Maddy was gracious enough to help me set up the blog itself. I am surrounded by talent and so I hope this blog does it justice.
Logo Design: Paradigm Design        
Photo Credit: Ethan Jones  
 Blog Design: Maddy Low (Low Designs)
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