Our unplanned Utah vacation

We did find some time for vacation while we were in Utah. I would go to the hospital once or twice each day, but that still left some time for relaxing. I am so grateful for such a good and helpful family. Not to mention just how much fun we can have together.

Taking Dustin's (my BIL) scooter for rides around the block:

Visiting the Open House for the Oquirrh Mountain Temple:


Celebrating 4th of July (which I was so excited for--my family goes up the canyon for a yummy breakfast, and we hadn't been there for years for the tradition):



The Lehi Round-up Parade (where only the Texans could actually feel chilly):


A visit to the dinosaur museum with our cousins Logan and Dylan:



Hiking to Timp cave with our other cousins Jake, Jenica, and Abby (even Tyler made it!):


I am so glad that our adoption allowed us to spend time with my family. And while the NICU stay wasn't fun, it was nice that we were able to turn all that waiting into a vacation.

Twin Pics

We have made it home and are trying to settle into a routine. And I think that holding a sleeping baby is the most amazing thing in the world, but it sure takes a long time to type with one hand. These first pictures are with Dan's parents. They have been called to serve in the Louisiana Baton Rouge Mission, and their MTC stay corresponded with our time in Utah. We are grateful that they were able to meet the boys, but we are sure going to miss them over the course of the next year and a half. And just a few more pictures for your viewing pleasure.







Don't you love this last one?

A new favorite quote

My awesome sister, with whom we are staying until Monday, has this quote on her wall: "Prayers are answered, miracles happen, dreams do come true."

Bye-bye hospital!

Both the babies got discharged this afternoon!! We thought Carter might need a few more days, but he learned to eat in one day. They are adorable, and very well loved. They are just sleeping in the next room until their next feeding. I'm hoping that the lots of sleeping is their disposition, not just their prematurity.

We are staying at my sister's until Monday. Bright and early Monday morning we will catch a flight to Houston. (You have no idea the hoops you have to jump through to bring a preemie with oxygen on a plane.) For all my Texas friends, I will let you know when we are welcoming visitors. I thought I would be less paranoid about the whole crowd thing with numbers 2&3, but am much more so since they are preemies.

To my Utah friends: I am so sorry that I wasn't able to see all of you on our trip here. Life just got so chaotic. Thanks for all your kind words.

My Utah Top 10

The ten things I will miss most about Utah. (Because, our stay really is coming to a close. Brady could be out as early as Friday, and Carter looks like he might be ready early next week. We'll see.)

10. Fry sauce. Seriously. I mean the packages of sauce we get at Sonic are made in Oklahoma. Surely they can ship some of that on down to Texas.
9. My hair dries so fast.
8. LDS paraphernalia everywhere. I really wanted the Neal A. Maxwell quote book at Costco, but didn't want to lug it home in my already overflowing suitcase.
7. Bajio. It used to be Cafe Rio, but Bajio, with its green chile chicken quesadilla, has overtaken my top spot for must-have restauraunt visit.
6. Good radio stations. Maybe I should give Houston a second chance since I've been listening to XM for a while now, but last I checked, no comparison.
5. The grass. You can actually walk barefoot through it. Or better yet, lie down in it.
4. Sno-cones. Now, I'm sure there are place we can get these in Texas, but I have loved all our trips over to Snoasis. Banana and Cream, yummy.
3. The weather. I love that I can sit outside at really any time of the day in the shade and be comfortable. And at night? Heaven.
2. The mountains. I absolutely love looking up at the mountains; they truly make me feel like I am home.
1. My family. I have the greatest siblings and parents anyone could ask for. They have all been so supportive and helpful through this whole experience. Luckily my mom will be coming back to Houston with me for a spell. I wish I could bring them all.

More pictures

Just feeding and growing. We are probably looking at about 2 more weeks. Brady seems to be getting the hang of feeding just a little bit faster than Carter, but both are perfectly age appropriate. Have I mentioned how much I love these boys?

Brady


Carter


I like seeing them in someone's arms--you can get a better sense of their size. Here is grandma holding Carter:


Brady holding grandpa's hand:

God Bless the Broken Road

Yesterday as I was driving home from the hospital, this song came on the radio. I just started crying. So while they were talking about romantic love, I think it describes our adoption journey pretty well. Here's the lyrics, and a link follows.

I set out on a narrow way many years ago.
Hoping I would find true love along the broken road.
But I got lost a time or two;
wiped my brow and kept pushin' through.
I couldn't see how every sign pointed straight to you.

That every long lost dream, led me to where you are.
Others who broke my heart, they were like Northern stars.
Pointing me on my way, into your loving arms.
This much I know is true:
That God bless the broken road that led me straight to you.

I think about the years I spent, just passin' through.
I'd like to have the time I lost and give it back to you.
But you just smile and take my hand,
You've been there you understand.
It's all part of a grander plan, that is coming true.

Every long lost dream, led me to where you are.
Others who broke my heart, they were like Northern stars.
Pointing me on my way, into your loving arms.
This much I know is true:
That God bless the broken road that led me straight to you.

Now I'm just rolling home, into my [babies] arms.
This much I know is true:
That God bless the broken road that led me straight to you.

God bless the broken road that led me straight to you.

God Bless the Broken Road

I know I haven't updated recently, but it is simply that there isn't much to say. The boys are doing great. We are just in the "be patient" phase of our NICU stay. They simply need to grow and eat. They are both steadily gaining weight, both doing progressively better on their bottles, and we are just waiting for them to get where they need to be so we can bring them home.

We have also turned this into our summer vacation and have been able to do a few fun things with family. I will get my dad to download some pictures. How nice it will be to be back on my own computer.