I absolutely LOVE Nate. I have since I first watched him on Oprah several years ago, so this is beyond thrilling for me, as I’m sure you can imagine. And it makes it even more exciting that I adore Katherine Heigl too, who is his featured guest today.

The show airs here in California at 3pm, so I’m having a “viewing” party with a few friends in just a bit, but I hear it has already aired on the East Coast. (If you missed it, the segment is also available for viewing on his website).

I’ll hope you’ll tune in!

Josh turned the big 4-0 this month. His parents hosted a big party for him, and I think he thoroughly enjoyed himself, so that was fun. Finn turned six months on Josh’s birthday. We celebrated with a trip to the doctors office for vaccinations. So not what Finn had in mind. Poor baby. He remembers that doctors office each time now, and he does NOT like it.

Little Finn is growing like a weed. He is starting to sit on his own now too. Today he lasted about seven or eight minutes and I was so impressed I ran to get my camera, and just as I was ready to snap the photo, he tumbled over. Ha! I think he planned it that way. :)

I did capture this sweet (but brief) moment while he sat unassisted a few days ago.

He’s sitting in his new playroom I am working on. :o) I decided since we’ve lived here for six years and the guest room has never been more than a room for our cats, that Finn needed more room for his toys. It’s still a work in progress, but I promise to show pictures when I’m ready.

Here he is in my office the other day sitting in his very own chair. :o)

In other news, something pretty exciting happened this month. I was contacted by the Nate Berkus show and asked if I wanted to be a part of their “House Proud” segment for an upcoming show. I, of course, shrieked yes! The next day I was overnighted a video camera and asked to get the footage shot and returned within a day or two. I just about died. Does anyone have their home “camera ready” on that short of notice? lol… I hope I’m not the only one. I begged them to give me the weekend, and they agreed.

Josh and I cleaned frantically and I tried to hide all the clutter so I could meet the deadline and not pass up the opportunity. But man, I was so stressed trying to fit it into my already hectic January that I caught a terrible cold. My voice was so strained on camera, and I think I managed to fumble my lines just about every take.

I was told it will air this Friday, February 3rd. Talk about quick turn time! I am so excited and nervous! I looked it up online and it’s the episode with Katherine Heigl talking about “motherhood and Hollywood”. I just adore her! Grey’s Anatomy is one of my top five favorite shows.

Here’s a picture of my clean living room all gussied up for Nate Berkus!

I took a TON of pictures that day, so I’ll share them in a week or so after the show airs. You’ll have to tune in and let me know what you all think. His show is on at 3pm weekdays on NBC. Eeek!

Make sure you watch for Finn waving goodbye to Nate in the end. He’s so excited to be on t.v. too…lol… Josh decided he didn’t want to be on camera, so he never did make an appearance. :o)

Christmas Eve always starts at my Dad’s house in Huntington Beach. My sister, Ginger, was born on Christmas so we always celebrate her birthday that day as well. Finn was trooper, but did have a minor melt down, so needless to say, my photo taking was put on the back burner. I did manage to capture these two moments, which almost make up for the lack of photos….

Then it was on to Josh’s parents house for Christmas with his Mom’s side of the family. I’m sad to say, I didn’t get a single picture there. We had fun none the less, and Finn sure made out! You should see the “loot” he came home with!

Christmas morning at our house, we were up bright and early. Finn woke up at six, and although he will usually go back to sleep for an hour or so, it’s almost as though he knew Santa came, and he was WIDE awake. So, Josh and I were more than willing to open presents. And of course, Hannah was excited as well. I did capture a few pictures to share, but the lighting was terrible, so you’ll have to forgive the yellowy glow and soft focus….

Then it was on to Josh’s grandparents house for breakfast with his Dad’s side of the family…. and again (shame on me) I didn’t take pictures…

After breakfast, we were back home and ready to host Christmas dinner for my side of the family. I chose to just enjoy the moments, and didn’t even care about not getting pictures. :o)

I feel like I am still recovering, although we already took down our tree and Christmas decor. Finn is LOVING all his new toys, especially his gift from great Grandma Duckett….

I mean look at the smiles that talking, dancing and clapping dog gets….

And I am so proud to say that Finn is now rolling over all on his own. He did it for the first time on Tuesday and we were just so excited! He seems to have mastered the skill, as he has done it over and over again since then…. just look at that proud face!

Warmest of holiday wishes to all of you, and all my best in the exciting year ahead!

Happy Friday everyone!

xoxo

The months, the years, the hours of tears, heartache, and anticipation have all been worth it. I can’t even describe the joy we both feel when gazing into his sweet little face. It’s like we’ve died and gone to heaven.

I’m sure I will have thousands of pictures to share with you when I finally get my feet back under me, but for now, just know that we are on cloud nine.

First let me start off by saying I have no news to report as of yet, but I am on pins and needles these last few weeks thinking I could get that long awaited call at any moment. I am hardly sleeping due to my excitement and it doesn’t help that I check my cell phone half a dozen times between midnight and six a.m. each night. (Not to mention the fact that it doesn’t leave my side for more than a moment all day long).

It dawned on me the other day that I better start taking a shower each morning and getting dressed in case I have to rush out of the house on a moments notice. (I am usually working in my jammies all day, so it’s a bit of an adjustment for me).

We are as ready as we can be. A few of my friends have come by to visit and teased that there is enough baby gear here for three babies, so I may have overdone it just a bit. The car seat is buckled in, our bags are packed and we are just brimming over with joy and anticipation, proudly awaiting the life that is about to begin.

I want to say thank you to all of you who commented on my last post. I was overwhelmed by the sentiments so many of you shared with me, and I feel so honored to have such support and encouragement in my life. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Well, about a month and a half ago, we got a phone call. It was a friend of mine who knew of a baby that was about to be placed for adoption. It was an unborn baby due in July, and his parents were actively looking into adoption. Yes, I did say, HIS parents… as the baby is a little boy.

We instantly got our hopes up, and prayed day and night that this connection would be the one. We contacted a lawyer, got some information of how “private” adoption works, and waited.

We were nervous to be hopeful, as we had actually received a few phone calls like this before, that never seemed to pan out, or somehow never made it past the initial call to get our hopes up… but this felt different.

About a week later the lawyers called us to let us know that the birth parents wanted to meet us. Again, we were overjoyed, and yet terrified to let ourselves feel how badly we wanted this. I paced the house, changed my clothes four dozen times, and made phone call after phone call to my mom and sisters to somehow set my mind ease before the meeting…

We met on a Thursday. I instantly liked them. Both birth mother, and birth father were obviously caring people who wanted to make the best decision they could for their child. They didn’t choose to give up a baby, they choose to pick out a family who could provide for their child the way they couldn’t. They met multiple couples, and read about several families, and selected one they thought best fit their child’s needs, as well as their own.

One agonizing week later, we got the call that they picked us. I cried instantly. I’m crying now just remembering the feeling I had when I got that call. We were (and still are) so undeniably happy, overjoyed, and terrified. I texted my parents, Josh’s parents, my sisters, and my close girlfriends one simple message: “They picked us!!!!”. And instantly my phone started ringing off the hook. One tearful call after another slowly marked the beginning of our dreams coming true. And we were thrilled.

I called my social worker to let her know about the private adoption so that we would be taken out of matching for the foster care journey we were already on…We signed papers with the lawyers and started the “official” process… and my uncontrollable urge to buy baby gear and clothes once again started spiraling out of control…

Birth mom is now in her 35th week, and we are “expecting” our baby boy in early July.

As with all adoptions there is some risk involved. Josh and I are choosing to remain positive and confident. I struggled a great deal about how soon I should tell the world, but as you can imagine, I can hardly contain my excitement. Ten years of waiting, and wishing, and hoping is a long time, and to be this close is nearly unbearable without being able to share the news.

I’ll keep you all posted as the upcoming events unfold.

I bought myself some flowers this week. This sweet little bunch has been brightening my day all week. I’ve been dieting since Monday, and it hasn’t been easy, so I their cheerful disposition has certainly helped my spirits.

I’ve also managed to take Hannah on a walk every day this week. I think we both enjoy getting outside (although Hannah enjoys pulling me along even more). She knows each house along our path that has a canine resident, so she practically pulls me down to get to that one spot where each of their noses can greet a ‘hello’.

Hannah turned six this month, and was spoiled rotten for her birthday (of course). She got to open presents and eat special treats. She even received this new dog bed: (this isn’t Hannah… it’s the image from the Etsy listing).

hannah hearts this dog bed.

I think she was a little more spoiled than usual due to her recent surgery and mastering this pathetic face, while wearing her “cone of shame”. :)

Oh, I almost forgot to mention that I was featured on two lovely blogs this week. Take a peek if you have the time, here and here.

I hope you all are having a lovely week. Still no baby news, but I promise to report here first when we do get some!

My rainy day is looking up. Thanks so much for the support and encouragement yesterday. Hannah is home from the hospital, and recovering. It’s sort of a gruesome surgery with some less than glamorous details, so I won’t gross you out with the specifics, but just look at this face. She’s so pleased to be home (but sad she can’t get at her itchy stitches).

She hasn’t worn a “cone of shame” in several years, so she’s a crack up bumping into everything. And of course she’s made both cats really upset because she smells like the hospital and is really scary with her cone on. I’m hoping the next three to five days won’t be too difficult, but so far she’s needed non-stop monitoring so she won’t scoot.

Greg, my father in law, is also doing much better. He had a tear in the arterial portion of his stomach, so the ulcer was literally pumping blood into his stomach, which of course explains the extremely low blood pressure. They were able to cauterize the bleed, and are monitoring him to make sure his blood pressure returns to normal and the repair sticks. They think it was caused by too much aspirin, which he was taking for back pain.

All in all, today is looking up. Thanks for letting me vent my sadness yesterday. I know it’s not the funnest stuff to read, but sometimes it’s really therapeutic. Have a wonderful week, my friends.

First, my father in law was admitted to the hospital last night. He’s experiencing some internal bleeding, and his blood pressure is very low, so they are monitoring him and running some tests to see where the bleeding is occurring. We are concerned and anxious of course, to figure out what is wrong.

Then, I noticed something was wrong with Hannah, so I rushed her to the vet, only to be told she would need immediate surgery, and, oh, by the way, it will cost $480. The worst part was having to leave her there, she was clearly upset and she kept trying to get me to take her home. (Her poor little bottom has a golf ball size abscess, and it would have ruptured at any time….)

And then I had some not so nice emails to come home too. As much as I try, I never do a very good job not letting them get to me.

When it rains, it really pours, doesn’t it? I’m taking my box of tissues, wiping my eyes, and heading back to bed.

**Quick update – My FIL is doing better. The doctors were able to find the tear and cauterize it, but he’ll have to stay in the hospital for a few more days for observation.

And my sweet Hannah is awake from surgery and resting. She had to stay overnight for observation as well, so we’ll have her back home tomorrow. I’m missing her terribly, but I’m glad she’ll be in good hands (and on pain meds).

Thanks for all of the sweet encouragement. It’s just been one of those days.