Five years ago today...

For some reason, this birthday of Miller's has really had me reminiscing of the first day I met the little man that changed my life forever...

I was woken up by the phone ringing. I answered and my case worker from LDS Family Services had news that Amy had gone into labor and that she was in the hospital. Amy and I had spent time together in the last weeks of her pregnancy and she invited us to be at the hospital when Miller was born.

So I got ready and packed a bag and headed to Boise. I was to be making this trip solo because Bret was at Scout camp at Red Fish Lake. He had taken the truck, so I was left home with our Jeep Wrangler with the biggest tires you've ever seen, which didn't travel well on the freeway, so I called my parents to ask if I could borrow their car for the drive. They offered to drive me so I didn't have to make the trip alone. I was grateful for that, since my mind was racing and I was really wishing that Bret could be with me. I spent the next two hours trying to get a hold of Bret with no luck.

When I arrived at the hospital, I found the waiting area where I was met by Amy's sweet mother who gave me the best hug and told me that he was here. I thought she was talking about the doctor and she looked at me again and said, "He's here, Miller is here." I was in shock. I was expecting a pretty good wait, so I wasn't really prepared to be seeing him upon arrival.

Amy's mom lead me to her room and when I walked through the door, I saw him for the first time... ...it took my breath away. I wanted to cry, I wanted laugh, I wanted to shout to world my excitement. I think what I ended up doing was just staring in silence. I can't really describe what that moment was like. The only thing that would have made it sweeter was Bret.

Amy was so gracious to allow me to be with her that day in the hospital. I remember it like it was yesterday. I followed that baby everywhere he went. Now that I work on the OB floor, I see how annoying that can be. ;)

So after many, many phone calls and a trip by the county sheriff, Bret heard the great news and headed for Boise ASAP. He finally met Miller about 12 hours after he stole my heart. We did placement the next day on the Boise Temple grounds. It was amazing. When I think about the emotions of that day, I have a hard time not crying all over again. I will never forget how my heart was overflowing with such love and joy and I could see Amy's heart breaking. I was not prepared for that. I think about that often. I will never be able to fully express my gratitude and love for her and her family.
I remember on the ride home that Bret and I kept looking in the back seat and laughing that there was a car seat with a baby in it and he was going home with us. We had dreamt of that day for so long and it was finally here. It was like when you think your dreaming so you pinch yourself to make sure it real.

Introducing Miller to our families was almost surreal. It's funny how your life can change in a day.

I can't imagine my life without Miller, and I hardly remember what my life was like before I met him five years ago. Happy birthday, Miller! I love you bunches, and bunches, and bunches, and bunches, and bunches!

Happy Birthday, Miller!

Miller turned 5 today! I can't believe he is growing up so fast! For a long time he promised me that he would stay little forever, but I don't think that will happen.

Miller wanted a Star Wars birthday this year. He loves the Clone Wars cartoon and specifically wanted an R2-D2 cake with several characters on the cake. And since Miller is the resident prince at our house, he got exactly what he asked for.

I made Miller wait all day long to open his presents (I know, so mean). We spent the day together making his cake and talking about all the memories we have made together. I was glad that I hadn't given him any presents in the morning, because he would have spent the entire day playing with them and I wouldn't have had all the great conversation and time spent with him on his special birthday.

I put trick candles on his cake, which were sparking all over the place like crazy. When he couldn't blow them out the first couple of tries, he tried to spit on the candles to get them to go out. Luckily, the spit missed the cake and we were still able to serve it! I did have cupcakes for anyone not daring enough to try the cake after the candles!

Miller wanted a bike for his birthday, so that's what he got. One that he can learn to ride without the training wheels. And one that dad won't run over this time, hopefully!

I'm Back!

I finally found some time to update my blog. I was feeling guilty since Jill has been hounding me to put new pictures of the boys up. I hadn't been on here since March so it took me all dang weekend. But it's done, and now I can forget about it for a while. But hopefully I won't wait so long for the next one. It is too hard to play catch up. Hope you enjoy your little sneak peak into our family!

McCurdy Family Reunion

Every year the last weekend in July, we have the McCurdy family Reunion. This year it was in Island Park.

We had the weekend packed with activities. There is so much to do in Island Park.

A favorite spot is feeding the fish at Big Springs. When I was a kid, I remember how big the fish were and how there were so many of them. Nowadays, there are so many seagulls fighting for the bread, you can hardly see the fish. And they are seagulls, Jill, not ducks!

We had a great time playing with Grandma and Grandpa!

We have to let the kids do a silly picture in order to get a good picture of them smiling!

Ellie, Miller, and Chloe.

Aunt Jill is showing the kids how to call chipmunks to come and eat the chips the kids put out on the ground.

And this is the kids watching for the chipmunks. Miller is using his binoculars.

The boys getting their fly rods ready for some fly fishing. I don't remember seeing any fruits of their labors, but they said that had a good time.

This is how I found Miller sleeping one morning. I am not sure how he got all the way under there without waking up. Oh, well.

Every year, my mother brings her water guns to soak people with. This year, she wore head-to-toe rain gear to stay dry. She is such a chicken!

This one is for Jason!

The theme for this year's reunion was the County Fair. My aunt and her family put together a great afternoon of activities. They had a midway full of games for the kids to play and win all sorts of prizes. For the adults, they had a game of Minute to Win It. Each family was a team and we all had to participate in one game.

This is Jason competing in the game where he had to get a cookie from his forehead to his mouth by wiggling his face.

He finally did it!

I had to flip over face cards and separate them into piles using only one hand. I did it in 34 seconds and took first place!

Bret had to empty a box of Kleenex with one hand. He thought he could take them all out at once. He failed miserably! But we still love him.

Jill had to roll an orange across a finish line using a banana that was tied around her waist. The funniest game to watch all day! And she won. Props to the Ladies!

Our family took first place by one point (Woot! Woot!) and we won $20.

We had to rescue it from Porter who thought it was lunch!

We had so much hanging out, eating treats, and laughing til our stomachs hurt. Thanks to Aunt Di and Uncle Jim for such a fun reunion!

Lagoon

We took a trip to Lagoon with the Swensen's in July. It was so much fun. It was almost 100 degrees the day we went, so we spent a lot of time at the splash park in the center of the park. A favorite for Miller.

Porter spent most of the day chillin' in his stroller. Shade everywhere he went. He did such a great job. He slept when he wanted to, and didn't complain all day.

Bret and Craig took the big kids on the rides while April and I and the little ones hit kiddie land. I think they rode every ride two or three times.

I love this picture because you can see Preston and London in the front, Miller and Jackson in the very back, and Bret and Craig enjoying the ride together in the middle.

Who doesn't love Puff the Magic Dragon roller coaster?

I know it was Craig's favorite part of the day. We had to bribe him to get off!

April and I took a turn riding the big rides with Preston and London, but for most of the day, this is what we were doing. And it was a blast!

It is so fun to watch the kids have so much fun. And we made some great memories with some great friends.

Zoo Mania!

Miller has been begging to go to the zoo this summer. So we decided to head to Boise for the day and hit the zoo with Miller's birth family. This is his big brother Darren and his little sister Alyssa. He loves being with them. I have always thought that Miller and Darren looked quite a bit alike, but this picture proves that Miller and Alyssa came from the same mold, too. They have the same face when they are squinting in the sun. It is so cute! I am sure as Miller gets older, he will appreciate that he has family that looks just like him.

We spent a lot of time watching the giraffes. They were great.

Miller was mesmerized by this giraffe's "purple" tongue. He talked about it all the way home to Twin Falls.

Watching these two on the slide was hilarious. Miller had to copy every single thing that Darren did.

I love this picture. Just the three of them chillin'.

There is an exhibit that you can feed the goats. Miller had a great time and wasn't scared. I love this picture with Miller and his birth mom, Amy.

We are very blessed to have Miller in our family, and blessed to have his birth family as part of our family, too. They are very special to him, and us as well.

T-ball 2010

So we got our first taste of organized sports this summer. Miller started T-ball.

Bret and Miller's aunt Gina were the coaches. Lots of fun, but more work than I think Bret expected. It was a good experience. My only problem? Is is really necessary to play a game for an hour and fifteen minutes, especially when we aren't keeping score? We are dealing with five year olds.

Miller loved playing at the pitchers position. He had this little wind up before he would pretend to throw the ball.

Miller had three cousins on the team with him. I spent as much time yelling at him to leave them alone as I did cheering for him while he was playing.

Batter up!

It's a hit!

I love his face in the picture. He really did love playing. I won't ever forget his first game, however, when he was playing in the outfield and suddenly, he and another of his teammates threw off their gloves and sprinted for the bathrooms. We had to sent in some quick replacements. We have a few things to work on for next season!

The mind of a child

As long as I live, I will never be able to figure out Miller and the way his mind works. Sometimes the funniest, and most surprising things come out of his mouth. I am still learning that children are sponges and pick up on way more than I think. A little while after bringing Porter home, I was fixing a bottle for him and he was throwing a fit because I wasn't making it fast enough. Meanwhile, Miller is coloring at the kitchen table. While I am making this bottle and Porter is crying, Miller looks up at me, without even stopping what he's doing, and says to me,

"Mom, he just wants to suck on your almond."

He said it in such a sarcastic tone like, duh mom, you should know this. I was speechless and several things are now going through my head.

First, how does he know what breastfeeding even is? No one in our family has had to do that in a while so I am not sure where he was recently exposed to that.

Second, why in the world does he call them almonds?

Well, I wasn't going to ask him about my first thought, so I asked him why he called them almonds?

His reply was priceless...

"Because Mom, girls have almonds and boys have peanuts."

Duh.

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!

One of our families favorite holidays. There is just something about spending a hot summer day having a BBQ with family and friends and then ending the day with fireworks.

The last couple of years, we have decided to skip out on the CSI fireworks and have a show of our own. I am sure it is more for the big boys. They have the most fun out of everyone acting like children blowing things up! It is fun to watch.

Miller loves to be in the middle of all of the action.

I still can't believe that I have two boys. What a blessing.

Porter enjoyed his first time seeing fireworks. He loved the colors and the noise didn't bother him at all. This is how he started the show....

...and this is how he ended the show. HE was done watching and fell right to sleep in all the commotion of fireworks and kids.

We had such a fun day making lots of new memories.