What the?!

The other day I was in my bedroom folding laundry during the historic Presidential Inauguration. Kennedy was in her room playing with her toys- and she walks in my room with her arms completely full of "My Little Pony's" and the moment kind of went like this...

Kenna: "Hey Mom."

Me: "Hi."

Kenna: "That's Obama. He has pretty brown skin like me."

Me: (Completely stunned...what the?! How the heck does she know who Obama is at three?! I don't remember ever sitting her down and explaining who he is to her...and how amazing is my child that she is observant enough to know something so smart. :)- and how interesting that she was commenting on his pretty brown skin....)

Kenna: "First I thought he was Cinderella's Prince."

Me: (Huh?! What the?! I must admit he is a good looking guy- but where would she get Cinderella's Prince from?..then I remember that we just watched the "Brandy" version of Cinderella...ya...I guess if you put him in tights and had him singing opera and dancing at random moments... I guess I can see the resemblance...)

Kenna: "But he's not. He's just the President. He's just The Rock Obama.

Me: (Wow.......all the while chuckling that she called him The Rock Obama. My kid is amazing.)

Obama might not have been my first choice. But I have to say- all political opinions aside. It was a neat moment for me to watch the Inauguration as the first black President was sworn in. I love how most of the country seems to feel on fire. Whether or not they like Obama- the magnitude of the situation is awesome. I loved in His speech when he was talking about how 60 years ago his father might have been refused at the local restaurants because of his skin color- and now his son was being sworn in as the President of the United States. It was powerful to me having it fall so close to Martin Luther King Day- and focusing on just how far we have come as a nation in breaking the walls of racial prejudice and misunderstanding. It was awesome to have my beautiful black daughter come in and sit on my lap and see the President of US and say-"He has pretty brown skin like me." and know that as she grows up she will have many more opportunities to see people that look like her in prominent positions and with higher educations. So much more than even when I was younger. That makes me happy for her. And proud of how far we have come. Very cool.

Just a short Update...

I'm a rotten mom. I haven't posted any pictures of Kenna's birthday. We had a great time though! On her actual birthday we had a little party with Grandma and Grandpa Hancock-(Mac's mom and step-dad) It was great- and Kenna loved the balloons and the princess cake. I was so grateful that Grandma pulled a party together- because I hadn't gotten my act together yet and didn't really know what I was going to do that day. But! We had a great night with good food and awesome company and Kenna loved it. On Friday- we got together with my family and celebrated Kenna and Josh's birthday. (Josh is my nephew and he and Kenna's birthday's are one day apart.) We had an awesome time, complete with a wild silly string fight that filled my family room with 9 cans of multi-colored chaos from floor to ceiling. It was great. I did happen to get it all on video- including my dad's wild triumph at the end when he faked us out that his can was empty and completely trashed us all at the end. However- it's a crazy long video and trying to post it- would take me forever. So you'll all have to use your wild imaginations. :)
We went out to dinner with our birthmom on Thursday and met her for the first time. I can't even really describe how that was. We met Kennedy's mom in the hospital and spent a little bit of time with her- but Kennedy was already born and the papers were signed and it felt like a done deal in a lot of ways. This felt completely different. It was wild. I was a basketcase before we left. I had talked to her on the phone several times- so it wasn't as if I didn't know anything about her- but I guess there was just this hidden fear of what if she realized that I looked better in the pictures than in person and maybe she should have chosen someone better. Believe me- I've seen other profiles- I know that there are hundreds of families that she could choose from. At any rate- we went out- and it was great. She is just a ball of fire, courage and determination. We were able to talk about anything and everything and it was so crazy to sit and talk to her and think about the fact that if all goes well- the baby inside of her will be my daughter. It was incredible. Adoption is just such a miracle thing! It's so amazing to me to be on the receiving end of such an incredible gift. I am so happy that she is comfortable enough to have contact with us. I am a HUGE supporter of open adoption and I am excited that we will be able to keep up some kind of a relationship. I think in the long run it is going to be so much better for my girls. We have only a week and a half to go. I am so excited that I can hardly see straight. Scared out of my mind....but so excited.

Nothing New-

Nothing new to report. Kennedy's Birthday is tomorrow though- YAY! She will be three years old- so hard to believe! She has been the biggest joy in our lives- and even though I have enjoyed every second and she gets funner by the day- I am kind of sad that she is growing up so fast and becoming more independent.
I don't have any new pictures or funny stories to tell- oh! except when we took Kennedy to Build a Bear and she got a "Hello Kitty" doll. It came with a little black cat for a "friend" for Kitty, and we asked Kennedy what she wanted to name it. She said,"I want to name it Popter." and McCarrey and I were like..."ok...Popter?!" and she says, "Ya! Hello Popter...(helicoptor) Hello Kitty- and Hello Popter!" Too funny- we got a good chuckle out of that one. We are just anxiously counting down the days until our newest family member makes her grand entrance. We have been enjoying getting to know her birthmom a little bit better and I am excited to be able to meet her this next Thursday. We are going out to dinner and it will be neat to get to see her. I already love her and just have a great time talking to her. She is so warm and open and we seemed to really hit it off. I am excited because from the way things are going it seems like this adoption will be much more open than the relationship with Kennedy's Birthmom. I am so grateful for any contact that we can have because I think that in the long run it will be so nice for my girls to know their story, and where they come from.
That's not to say that I haven't been feeling nervous or stressed though. Adoption is such a LONG scary process in a lot of ways and we have gone through every emotion under the sun on a wild roller coaster ride. I wouldn't want to go through it with anybody other than my McCarrey though. He is a constant calming presence to me. Such a great man...mmm! He sent me to my favorite Spa yesterday with my mom, and we had a girls day with Japanese hot stone massages and getting painted from head to toe with volcanic ash and clay. MMM! I'll get painted with mud any day of the world! Holy Cow! Good stuff. He is so good to me, and it definitely helps ease my worries and stresses.
Well- that's all that's been going on for now. I'll post some pictures of Kennedy's birthday later.

Well we survived the Holidays and had a wonderful time!! Right before Christmas Santa Claus paid us all a visit and the kids loved it -while the parents were excited about the picture opportunities! We had my brother's family there and our close friends Erin and Zar with their two girls. It was so funny to see the different kids reactions! Kennedy was just open-mouthed and could hardly stop staring. Josh was all excited and hyper, Charlotte was scared to death and wanted nothing to do with it, and Zachary wanted to pull the beard off. Good times!!


I love this picture of Boo looking at Santa with these huge eye's that scream- "Stay the heck away from me!" After awhile though- all of the kids warmed up and we all had a great time! When Santa came he sang some songs with the kids and we got this picture of Zachary when we were singing Rudolph the red nosed reindeer. I love it. The little nose blinked bright red and Zachary thought he was quite the stuff.

On Christmas Eve McCarrey and I had the family over to our house. We had a big Turkey dinner and then we all sang songs and read the Christmas story out of the New Testament. It was fun because it was the first time that we had hosted the party at our house. We seriously missed Neil and Annie and the boys though! With as much fun as we had- it just wasn't the same without them! We did English Christmas crackers where two people pull an end and it bursts open and there is a party hat and a toy of some sort inside. Everyone loved that- then we mangled a few songs with Bell Chimes and that was pretty fun too. Christmas morning was AWESOME!! Before we even had Kennedy up to see the tree and open presents we got a phone call from our Birthmom and got to talk to her for a little while! I LOVED it- and was so touched that she wanted to talk to us on Christmas morning. I am ultra sensitive I guess because every time we talk we both end up teary. She is just such a wonderful person and she is going through one of the hardest things, that I can't even comprehend. We visited for awhile and it was seriously the best present I got for Christmas- that little reminder of the package that she is holding for us. Such an amazing thing! After that- we took Kennedy downstairs to the tree where it was just magic! My parents came over and we opened presents. It was so fun! I was so wrapped up in the moment that I kept forgetting to take pictures! AHH!! But I did get a few so I guess it's ok.

This is one of the few pictures that I got of Kennedy- but I think it is so great! She had just started to open one of her presents and she saw what it was on the box and it was that prefect moment when she looked up at me to say "Oh my goodness it's a ....!!!" I think it is just priceless! Kenna got the things on her list...a teddy bear and a variety of Little Einsteins toys. Plus- crazy amounts of other spoils from Mom and Dad and Grandparents. Mac and I had such a great day!

After we finished opening presents we went over to my folks house for Christmas breakfast. Then we went over to McCarrey's grandparents house to visit them. Kennedy was so cute playing with their Nativity set and "putting them all down for a nap" even the cows and the sheep. We are so lucky that Mac's grandparents are still here for Kennedy to get to know. Family is so important- and we love them! After that we went to Mac's Dad's house to visit with the family on that side. We had a great time and the kid's just loved playing together. This is a picture of all of them- except for Aaron and Holly's family- who are in Kentucky and Aunt Sage who lives in London. We missed them lots and lots! So in this picture we have Kennedy, Morgan, Nyaangatr and Anyango- (Omat and Gizma's kids- they are our adopted brother and sister from Sudan) Kayla and Ryan. After we played at Grandpa Dub's house we went to visit Mac's mom's side of the family. We went to her house and played with all of the cousin's on Grandpa Don's side. Kennedy had so much fun with everyone. I feel so bad that I don't have pictures to show! All of the girls were making necklaces and bracelets with beads and that was fun- and Kenna has always adored playing with her cousin Jeremy who is about 12 and is very sweet to let Kennedy follow him all over the place. We feel so lucky and so blessed to have so much family close to us! It makes everyday life so much better to be surrounded by people that we love. The only thing that would have made this Christmas better is if everyone who was out of town could have been there. Anyway- hope everyone else had a wonderful Christmas!! Now that the holidays are over- we are just getting ready for our new little one. They are inducing our birthmom on January 30th! The countdown has begun! YAY!

It's almost Christmas...

It is almost Christmastime and I can not even believe it! I got this little video clip of Kenna singing Christmas songs.This little clip just cracks me up! And I was laughing so hard when I was recording it that the camera was just shaking. Kennedy was singing for us- and she just makes me laugh. You might have to pause the music so you can hear her- she's pretty loud for most of it- but gets kind of quiet in the middle.

We have been so busy getting things ready and doing so many fun things! Even though I have been laid up- and my mother basically comes over everyday to help me do the most basic things...I have had a wonderful holiday season! We went to "The Forgotten Carols", the Mormon Tab Christmas concert, the Zoo lights, Temple Square, Pioneer Christmas up at "This is the Place" Monument, and my sweetheart husband surprised me with tickets to the Nutcracker Ballet! It's been so busy- but so wonderful! Kennedy has been on cloud nine with all of the decorations and the music. She is getting so excited for Christmas and spends her days coloring pictures and making birthday presents for Jesus. I haven't been able to do much of my baking or making Christmas candies because of my stupid injury- but again- my angel mother has made sure that Kennedy has decorated cookies and made my favorite English Toffee. I swear I would be lost without her and my incredible husband! Only a few more days though until I throw away the sling and leave it forever behind me. It literally has driven me nutty to wear it.

I took my sling off for two seconds so we could get a family picture without the nasty thing in it. I had it made into a Christmas card at Costco- but don't feel bad about not getting one- because I can't stuff them or label them without my right arm- and my honey has had so many other things to do that we just didn't even get them mailed out. SO! To anyone reading this blog- Merry Christmas from my family! I will definitely try to do better next year!

So pretty and ready for Church- Kenna loves her new Christmas dress! (And I love it because she can wear it later on in the year and not just at Christmas- I think the fur trim and plaid dresses are so cute at Christmastime....but I am too practical I guess- I can't justify buying a dress to only wear in December. Well all- hope your Christmas is wonderful! I'll have to post some more pictures of all of our adventures after the holiday. This post has literally taken me 2 days to put together and I still have to figure out how to get Kennedy's hair re-braided....hmmmm....that might have to wait too. :)

We're Having a Baby!

Just some exciting news! McCarrey and I have been chosen by a birth mother and we are going to be adding a new addition to our family in February! It's a girl!! We have had a chance to talk with the birth mother and she is just awesome! We are so excited to get to know her better and have her be a part of our lives. She is making such a difficult, unselfish choice- and I am so grateful to her! We are so thrilled and can't wait to meet the newest member of our family! YAY!!!!

What a month-

Well- Contrary to what most people might think about me by now- no I am not dead. We have had a crazy eventful month though! Neil and Annie came down for a visit from Washington and we were soooo happy to see them. The kids were screaming and hugging and picked up right where they left off from the last visit. We have missed them like crazy! We spent a week doing all sorts of fun stuff- and we had a blast! My birthday was this month also- so happy birthday to me. I got the cutest video clip of the kids all playing in the leaves at the park by my house- so I had to share it.





Doesn't that look so awesome! I must admit- even all the adults got in there and played in them. The pile was HUGE- who wouldn't want to roll around in them! Kenna loved it!

We did Thanksgiving early with my family- and we had the kids doing little games and crafts to keep them busy and out of the kitchen while everything was getting ready. This picture is of the stylin' "turkey hats" that the kids made to wear while they were eating dinner. Yep- I know you're all jealous of how cool they are. They all looked hilarious and it was great.

We found this fun place in North Salt Lake called Kangaroo zoo that the kids just LOVE to go to. It's a place that has just tons of bouncy, blow up slides and things for the kids to play on. We went a couple of times while Neil and Annie were here to just let the kids work out a little of their energy. These pictures kind of give a good idea of what the place is like. Except for the bottom one- which I just added in because of how hot my husband is. (You rock my world baby!)



Well- (sigh) All was not fun and games because I was bouncing around at Kangaroo Zoo with all the kids and I fell...hard...and I broke my shoulder bones in two different places and dislocated my arm. Ugh. It was AWFUL!! Teach me to be bouncing around like a 3 year old huh! So- I have just been recuperating and my sweet husband basically has to do everything for me. The doctors are talking surgery- but I am going to try my hardest to just let the bones heal and get as much of the movement as I can back through physical therapy. I really don't want to do the surgery right now if I can avoid it. (I have had shoulder surgery before...no fun at all!) Anyhow- I literally have been working on this stupid post for what seems like hours because I am working as the "one armed monster" at the moment. Typing left handed and pecking at the keyboard like a chicken really sucks. All in all though- the month has been good, and everyone says from the way I landed that I am just really lucky that I didn't break my neck- so there you have it. Heavenly Father is blessing me once again!