Making My Heart Ache On Purpose, Kinda...

Sometimes I go to the website www.adoptuskids.org and look at pictures of kids and their bios.

Occasionally I find a family like this one.

It tricks me because I only see the one child that, according to the search field, we would possibly be able to adopt, then find out he has older siblings.

I know what is written, that as long as he maintains contact with his siblings he can be adopted alone.

But I would hate to make him live somewhere where he couldn't visit.

I wish it was within our means to adopt the whole family!

Then there are these brothers.

They live in the neighboring state!

But they would be older siblings to Ellie.

Could it work?

Possibly!

But we haven't even been together for 9 years!

Would we be okay with that?

So many variables, but they seem so awesome don't they!?

This cute little man.

Oh, how my heart aches!
His video is just so cute!

My heart aches that they haven't found their forever families yet, and I pray that they do soon.
I ache because I know that we are not to be their forever family,
yet I so desire for them to feel that love!

Maybe one of you who stumbles upon my post will be able to help these children out!
I pray that someday we will be able to make a child's hope, dream, and prayer come true and be able to welcome them to be a part of our family!
But until that day, and after too, I will continue praying for these children and their future endeavors!

I'm Alive!

Don't worry my pretty little readers, I am alive and well!

I know it's been 2 months since I last wrote...

Lots has happened!

Both good and bad.

So I will just bullet point, and add pictures, to review.

November after the 11th, which was the last post:

*I found out I was pregnant

* I started miscarrying the night of Young Women in Excellence

This is a celebration we have for our young women in the church 12-18 and all they have spiritually accomplished in the year!

*We traveled to Colorado for Thanksgiving with Mr. Dawson's family

*Finished miscarrying the day before Thanksgiving

* Fantastic time visiting with family and relaxing

December:

*My hair was THIS long!

*I held my 3rd violin studio recital in Kansas

It also happened to be Ellie's first violin recital, spur of the moment decision on her part!

Don't worry we are working on posture! =)

*Mr. Dawson finished the semester with flying colors!

*We traveled to warmer weather and stayed 3 weeks in Arizona visiting family.

*Christmas was awesome

*My cousin got married

*We celebrated 5 years of marriage!

 *Attempted a Family Photo

 *Added another temple to our list of visited! 

The Gilbert, AZ temple!

*I also got my hair cut...as you can probably tell! =)

*We evaded the polar vortex by staying in AZ for a total of 3 weeks!

And I think that is about it!

2014 is the year!

I feel it!

It's going to be an awesome year!!! 

I can't wait to see what it brings!

So many things!

I am so grateful for all of the men and women that serve our country!

I have family history of relatives serving all the way back into the Revolutionary War!

Almost one person in each generation has fought for our country one way or another!

I am so grateful to them for risking all they have to provide us with safety and freedom!

I am so grateful for miracle babies.

I understand that every baby is in their own right a miracle.

But for this gratitude mini paragraph, I am grateful for the ones that give their moms and dads hope.

The ones that parents have been fighting to conceive.

The ones that fight to make it into this world alive.

The ones that try their hardest, but are called back to our Father before we get to know them.

I am so grateful to each and every one of those miracle babies.

I am grateful for families.

I am so grateful that we are so tightly knit to each other!

I am grateful that we get to visit with each of our families a few times a year!

I am so grateful that we can talk on a weekly basis and receive updates!

I am grateful for the opportunity I have to work with the Young Women in my church.

Ages 12-18!

They are an amazing group that keeps me on my toes!

We laugh together, welcome each other, and do our best to always love each other.

They are such a great group of girls that I love.

I love watching the way they face their daily challenges and learn from them.

They are going to be tremendous women and leaders when they leave their nests!

Books

I LOVE books!

I am grateful I can read any book I desire!

I will someday have an amazing library of books!

My favorite kind of books are the ones that take you out of your current state and put you in a new place, a new life, a new mind!

When I find those books that do that, take you somewhere else....

I can't put them down!

I recently read a book in two days.

I couldn't stop!!

It's a terrible good thing.

I put off cleaning, laundry, dishes, meal making....and read.

That is the terrible side.

Good side?

I got to escape the world I live in and all the "Troubles" that come with it and go explore somewhere new!

The latest book I read was Blackmoore by Julianne Donaldson.

I LOVED IT!!!!

I also very much enjoyed her book Edenbrooke as well!

If you like the Jane Austen era as well as the type of romances similar to the ones Jane Austen herself wrote, you will love these books!