Wednesday, April 05, 2006

Happy Anniversary..

This is a big week in our family.

Lots of things happen to us in the first week of April (we got engaged, we closed on our house...) but there are two new very important dates for us this time. One is a big day for Jacob.....we finalized his adoption one year ago. That is the special anniversary of his legal day. He had already be ours for 6 months, but it was nice to have it all legal (I hate this picture of me...my gut......BUT, to be fair, I had just lost an almost second trimester pregnancy two days earlier...my body still thought it was pregnant....I am going to have to airbrush that......) . This is us with the judge that finalized the adoption. Jacob just wanted to rip his glasses off his face the whole time we were taking this picture.



The other date is special for our whole family. We were all sealed together as a family one year ago too. This is our new family anniversary that we will celebrate every year. It works because my daughter had the nerve to be born on our ACTUAL anniversary so that day is all about her birthday. It was pretty powerful to mark the new addition to our life by being sealed together. For those of you reading that that don't know what having a child sealed to you is...it is basically like another wedding ceremony but it is for the whole family, it is the religious ceremony that seals the new (adopted) child to your family. It was in the temple (our highest house of religious worship) and all our family and friends were there. Many of the same people that had been there when Derek and I were sealed (married). I remember looking at the faces of my two little kids and thinking how blessed we were to be their parents.

So Happy Anniversary to us. I told the kids that THEY were in charge of planning the party this year.....I hope they take us to a fancy dinner..................

19 comments:

LuckyRedHen said...

CONGRATULATIONS
My 9 year anniversary of being a member of the LDS church is tomorrow, April 6th --- so I share in your excitement too!

P.S. Don't airbrush your gut. That's a reminder of the precious little spirit you held for Heavenly Father and a testiment to Jacob of how lucky you are to have each other - but that's just my opinion. If you were putting the picture up on the wall, like a family portrait, then I would advocate digital nip 'n tuck ;o)

Lyle said...

That is so cool! We recently celebrated our 11th anniversary together as a family for the first time, and ya know, it was great, especially when you figure, hey wasn't this part of the reason I got married in the first place.

Unknown said...

Hey very neat! Our adoption sealing days are in January and April. And then our wedding anniversary is in August. So basically we jsut party all year long!

Hope you have a great party with your forever family!

Christy said...

Adoption is awesome. There are always so many great days to remember! Congrats on yours!

Julie said...

Congratulations! Your family is absolutely precious. What an awesome anniversary to be able to celebrate. WOO-HOO!

Bek said...

Awwww shucks guys....

Thaks for the good wishes. Lots of crappy stuff has happened that week too, but we don't think about that :-)

Bek said...

No way, I told them I want fondue..Lauren is incharge of the cutting, Jacob is in charge of the melting.....

QueenScarlett said...

CONGRATS!!! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!! Love the photos ... clearly very happy.

CHEERS to many more HAPPY ANNIVERSARIES!!!

Enjoy your fondue...I love that stuff.

Lorien said...

what a great memory for your family. way to go! I sat here reading your entry, contemplating how important families and temples are to me and how glad I am for my own family--and then l hear my kids downstairs beating each other up. sigh. ah well, at least there are moments, right?

dalene said...

Happy Anniversary!

More Caffiene, Please said...

What great photos. You are such a cute family. Have a great anniversary!

Bek said...

Lorian,

I listened to my kids fight for 13 hours in the car over the last few days....sometimes that forever family stuff is a bitter pill.........

MCP....not as cute as YOUR photos. Would Haley take MY family pictures please? She is great. THey are a talented couple....

Queen, I will enjoy my imaginary fondue (I am allergic to cheese....sucks, I know) but not as much as YOU will enjoy your trip to HAWAII! Lucky. Have a great trip

QueenScarlett said...

Bek - If you and hubby can get a babysitter... (that's always our dilemna) La Fondue in Saratoga off of Big Basin is YUMMY! (I'm sure you can get the menu without the cheese) We did that once for an anniversary... YUM! FUN! Here's a link: http://lafondue.com/
Or...go just for the chocolate fondue...

La Yen said...

I love it! We have decided (copied this from a childhood friend who was adopted) that in addition to her "B-day" we will celebrate her "A-Day"--which is nice because it will be a special day for just her and us! (My friend went to Disneyland with her Mom every A-Day and got to miss school.)

Bek said...

Queen,

One year for our actual anniversary, my husband got reservations at LaFondue. We didn't actually go and now I can't remember why....

That is an excellent idea. You must be from here originally (you mention coming to the Bay Area for work). You know all the good stuff.

R

QueenScarlett said...

The one thing I miss about the Bay Area... Farmer's Markets (liked the one in Cupertino on Friday mornings at Vallco Mall) and Good Restaurants... with variety We still have yet to get more variety that suits my palate here in the Sac area.

Have you tried Straits Cafe in Palo Alto?? They have one in Santana Row - but I like the more sophisticated atmosphere in Palo Alto. Plus, it seems portions are better in PA. But the Santana Row is fun with the music and bar like atmosphere if you want to feel young and hip again. heheh http://www.straitsrestaurants.com/

If you like Dim Sum - Ming's off of Embarcadero in Palo Alto is good too. http://www.mings.com/

I did grow up in the Bay Area... loved it.

Oh... and I haven't yet tried the Crab House in SF - but I heard it's NUMMY! I had a craving for crab earlier in the trimester but... we just fixed some up ourselves. http://www.crabhouse39.com/ I can't remember the name of our fav dish...they've changed the menue names... but it had pasta, crab, shrimp, scallops...it was delicious.

Scoma's off of pier 47 in SF was our spot for dinners... before children. ;-)http://www.scomas.com/


AND... I was so jealous when Burke Williams Spa opened at Santana Row AFTER I'd moved to Sac. I'd been to the one in LA and LOVED it. Every Mom deserves a spa day with wraps, facials and plenty of relaxation.
https://www.burkewilliamsspa.com/secureprods.htm

If you go... any of these places - share... so I can live viacariously. ;-)

Have fun! ;-)

Bek said...

Why did I think you lived in LA? Wha? I am not very observent. You are so close....

I lived about 2 blocks from the Straits Cafe in Palo Alto for 6 years....until we moved to Menlo Park. I have never eaten there...I don't know why. Santana Row is fun. We have started doing "Girls Nights" there. There is an Irish pub there (where I can get my bangers and mash) and a Ben and Jerry's. Oh, and their Left Bank is much better. We are slowly working our way through all the resturaunts, then they have those fun seating areas where we can have some peace. (there is also a Wahoo's now...yum).

You are good to have around b/c you can help me find all the happening things......

Mings is an old favorite. We haven't been there in ages....

When do you go to Hawaii? I wish wish wish we could go.....

QueenScarlett said...

My hubbie used to work in Menlo... everytime we'd drive by the Willow exit on 101 he'd scream "Willow" from the movie... like big friggin' insane man. Entertaining.

They finished Santana Row right as we were moving... so I'm jealous you can have girls night there... fun place. The rumor is they're building a Santana Row wannabe in Folsom... which is close to me... that would be wonderful. ;-)

Approx 2 more weeks to HI!!!! ;-) The island of LOST.

Suzie Petunia said...

What a wondeful anniversary! I'm so happy for you - sorry I've been away so long. It's taking me a while to catch up on everything I've missed!