St. Mary's Basilica

I found St. Mary's Basilica church on my way home from the ASU downtown Phoenix campus on the lightrail. It is a catholic church. Stephen and I have agreed to have a traditional catholic ceremony and a second ceremony with an LDS Bishop. When I saw this church I thought it was very beautiful and I told him I want to get married here. So this is where we are going to get married. We will come up with an official date soon so we can book it! St. Mary's is the oldest church in all of Phoenix and surrounding areas. It was built in 1881 and was nationally recognized when Pope John Paul II came to the church in 1987. It is home to Arizona's largest stained glass window collection. The dome located over the altar is topped with a cupola designed to provide light to the altar which will be nice since I would like to get married late morning there. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. It is so beautiful and I think would be by far the coolest catholic church to get married in. I can imagine walking down that long isle!

Click on the images to make SOME of them larger:


The one above this sentence is the alter.

The love of adoption...

I have a lot on my mind tonight as I'm preparing to go back to school in a few days. What gets me through the struggles of school is knowing that someday I will be able to work with birth mothers and adoptive couples in aiding them with the joys and sorrows of adoption. I want to help them through the ups and downs that adoption has and ultimately help the birth mothers make the right decision for their baby no matter what that decision is. I can't wait to see parents hold their babies for the first time. I will never forget B and S and the look on their face when I placed Joseph in their arms and said "here is your son". This is my true destiny in life and I can't wait to do it. There was a lovely woman named Betty Butler who sat in on a birth mother support group I attended back in 2000 that was very touched by my story and wrote a poem about it. It was published somewhere I'm not sure where but not using my name because I have a semi closed adoption. She used the name May instead of April. She originally called it April's Sweet song and changed it to May's sweet song. I still refer to it as April's sweet song! Here it is:

April's Sweet Song

Panic and anguish caused a heavy heart
In how this story got it's start.
A sweet girl startled and all alone
Would eventually choose an adoptive home.
For the little one she carried
Because alas, she was not married.

She knew she couldn't run from the pain
That her child's temple sealing would gain
Because she allowed his life to be spared
No greater sacrifice showed she really cared.
For his future she gifted
Her guilt and shame was lifted.

For nine months of waiting she would write
A journey of her path from darkness to light
Her grief and despair, hopes and dreams
Even her desperate plans and schemes
Of how to keep her baby, live and work
But her baby's future she could not shirk.

A couple, happy, sealed, and sure
Would give the baby something more than her.
She wrote down her hopes and wishes
In a letter sealed with kisses.
To give him something he had to have
Her baby required both a mom and a dad.

She settled into a world of prayer
Guided by God's plan of love and care.
New love for scriptures gave her insight
Taught be the Comforter she would make it right
Through the days of waiting around
She bathed her baby with her sound.

Favorite books she'd read and sing
Primary songs and nursery themes.
She crooned and soothed him with lullabies
She knew she would remember them all and cry.
She was letting go and moving on
She'd always carry their favorite song.

She would send him off with a kiss and hug
A love letter, a Teddy and a song so snug.
That even as decades come and go
Deep in his heart he would always know
There was a birth mom who had loved him before
And sang to him of heaven's angels and more.

She knew he could not be by her side
He needed more than she could provide
But a loving home she could give
By choosing parents with whom he could live.
She wondered how to know this choice was right.
She prayed for guidance day and night.

She believed all that Christ had said,
Blessings assured, she faced the day without dread.
"Knowing I'd put my love on that line."
She knew God would give her a sign.
That all would be forgiven and fine.
She wrote him a letter to explain the plan

She'd found the couple to care for her little man.
She left her love letter, their story, their song
Even though to others he'd now belong.
She had his footprint, a photo and his baby book
She kissed him, then glanced back for one last look.

He smiled at her and raised his hand.
A "thank you" wave from her little man.

Copyright 2000 Betty Butler

When I put him down in his car seat when I was saying good bye he looked me dead in my eyes and had this little grin on his face. He then raised his right hand as if he was waving good bye. He had the biggest brightest eyes and I will never forget it. I felt so strongly that at that moment he knew what was going on. It was amazing. I then walked out the door.

Second try on Coach...

OK no one bought me that coach purse but here are some more! I have faith that I will get one. :) The ones with pink are my favorite but I will take any of these listed. Thanks

Click on the links. The first one is my favorite and the cheapest. Go figure!

Coach Patchwork Holiday bag

Coach Fall Patchwork

Signature Coach Fall Patchwork

Coach Pink Signature Patchwork

Coach Signature Pink Wallet

Coach Patchwork Tote

Coach Pink Wallet

Coach Pink Zip-Around Wallet

Proud Auntie...

My nieces learned how to ride their bikes. They are so cute!

Charlies Birthday...

Today Charlie is 7 years old. I can't believe how old he is getting. Pekingese don't live very long so I get sad every birthday. I hope we have at least 3 more years together.

Coach

Please buy me this purse, or one similar. I have wanted this purse for SO long. I found it for dirt cheap on ebay. It's usually well over $300.00. That is if you can out bid the other bidders. I like the "patchwork" purse from coach with a strap long enough to put around my shoulder and big enough to hold all my stuff. I also like the brownish colors with zebra print and blue colors. A matching wallet would be ideal too. I got the idea to ask for something I really wanted from my sister. Its a good idea. I hope I get it! It never hurts to ask right. You can find it here:

http://cgi.ebay.com/COACH-PASTEL-PATCHWORK-TOTE-BAG-PURSE-LEATHER-RARE_W0QQitemZ310159982795QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_CSA_WH_Handbags?hash=item4836f9c0cb&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Las Vegas!

I just got back from Las Vegas. I had such a great time. My little sisters wedding was beautiful. Her husband dropped the ring and she stumbled over the vows once but other than that it was perfect. The food was good and we all had fun. We went to Circus Circus so my nieces could play and I went to The Hard Rock Hotel/Casino and got to do some people watching. That was very interesting. Going there in the middle of the night is fascinating. There are some different people there. I was so tired that I took a nap the next day. I don't do that very often. We went to the MGM Grand to eat at the Rainforest Cafe. My nieces had a great time looking at the baby monkeys and enjoyed the thunderstorms. We spent time with my Dad swimming at his house, having a picnic in the park with the best sandwiches, port of subs, and hanging out. It was sad to come home.
Swimming at my Dad's house.
Here comes the bride. My little sister walking down the isle. My dad is hard to see. He is the one to her right. Her step dad is the one to her left.
My dad giving her away.
First kiss as husband and wife.
First dance.
Daddy daughter dance. They danced to the Temptations, My Girl.
My nieces dancing at the reception. That little boy is my ex step sisters son. He was a ladies man.
Sierra fell asleep on her mama after a long day of swimming and playing at the park.
My niece looking at one of the many fish tanks at the Rainforest Cafe in the MGM Grand. They loved the baby monkey and the thunderstorms. It was freezing in the restaurant and we couldn't wait to get out of there.
My niece at Circus Circus.
On the way home. This is the new bridge at the Hoover Dam. It should open in June and will help ease the traffic through the Dam and should make it easier to get to and from Las Vegas!

Part 2 of the Things I like that others might think are weird or crazy.

1. Putting frozen grape juice concentrate on vanilla ice cream.

2. Peeling skin off a sunburn. (I stole this from my sister.)

3. Putting salt on watermelon. (Some like this but most just think I'm weird.)

4. Eating hamburger meat and rice. (It reminds me of a trip with my sister and her husband when I was young!)

5. Taking scalding hot showers. So hot that my skin turns bright red.

6. Picking scabs/zits.

7. Biting my bottom lip so hard I get a blood blister. I don't do it anymore though.

8. Pulling my eyelashes out in times of stress or anxiety.

9. Watching episodes of FRIENDS over and over.

10. Eating ramon noodles raw.