The Livingston's

Not again....

2011-02-03T12:15:00.000-08:00

In December of 2009 we purchased our home in Lincoln and unpacked with the sure knowledge that we would not being doing it again. I hate packing and moving and unpacking; I cannot emphasize the hate enough. I was so cemented in my conviction of never doing it again that I've jinxed us and we are indeed moving again....

When we moved in I was finishing school and Dallan was supposed to go active duty in the military. Well, as we've relearned again, plans mean nada.

For those of you that know me well, you know that law has always piqued my interest and now it's done something more: given me direction. Thanks to an amazing professors who pushed me towards law school and the most supportive of all spouses ever; I will be following my bachelor's degree not with a masters but with a JD. To save up before the three years of expense, we've decided to rent the house out, cut out all frivolous expenses and eliminate (we're hoping at least) one year of tuition that we will need to take a student loan for.

So, if you want our new address, let me know!

The Magic Mirror

2010-08-30T22:59:00.001-07:00

Where does it go? Time that it is....the elusive thief in the night that passes winter to spring, to summer and now into fall. It's been almost a year, a whole year of unmeasurable joy and unbearable sorrow. I've often thought of the dilapidated blog I've left but yet I've found no desire to return. Until tonight.

While I should have been reading two hundred plus pages for a constitutional law class I was perusing the tumblr site of a beautiful girl and her equally beautiful fiancee. I'll admit I was skeptical of their love at first, because when we met earlier this year she was just 17 and talking of marriage. I couldn't fathom the idea of someone knowing enough about life, let along love to commit to eternity at such a tender age. But...I was wrong. So very wrong.

I've learned that a lot over this last year. In fact, I'm more often wrong than I am right. This is something I'm learning to accept, embrace almost. I'm freer than I've ever been and for once I'm so very glad to be wrong.

I sobbed as I watched their youtube videos and marveled at the breathtaking photography that littered their site. I was privy to personal notes of sentiment and love. I even called the BFF to tell her how moved I was. I kept thinking how much I wanted something like that until I got to a page that said "I take you for granted. I'm sorry." and I thought, I too take my beautiful life for granted. I may not have any photographic proof but my ever so generous Heavenly Father has blessed me with something of a great memory and these moments are forever living there.

Two years ago, I lamented for a child I didn't know was waiting around the corner and cursed a war that stole 13 months from my life. Now I curse potty training and school work (which is being paid for by those 13 months of war). How far we've come and the beauty or our reality is that we've only just come these seven years.

Perspective, that's what I'm really searching for and by the grace of a random facebook post I've grasped on.

Hence, we're good here at Casa Livingston. We're working, learning, playing, growing and loving. Grace wants a sissy and Dallan wants a new job. I want to survive this semester. But none of us want for much else.

So, thank you to that beautiful young couple for a rich love and a willingness to share. You're true and deep and honest and I can't thank you enough for sharing; for reminding me what I do have. For holding up that magic mirror.

Happy Birthday Baby...

2009-11-09T23:15:00.000-08:00

How a year goes by....

Five years of waiting....

Six months of paperwork....

Two sets of government regulations.....

Countless stacks of paperwork....

AND THEN

Twenty Four hours on a plane....

Five visits to the Embassy....

One early decision to come home....

Three of us heading home....

AND THEN

Six months she crawled and learned to really laugh....

Seven months she could stand on her own, clap and found her fake laugh....

Eight months her feet hit the ground running as does her tongue: Mama and Dada come first....

Nine months she gave up her bottle for drinks with straws and talking is what she does best....

Ten months brings hysterics and giggles daily. She even laughs at her shots....

Eleven months; there is finally a tooth and she barks at dogs as they pass by....

Twelve months; it's here and she's growing like a weed. Time sure does fly by; here's to you little Ms. G!

Here's some other random pictures from the last little bit....

Where to start....

2009-10-10T22:20:00.000-07:00

Lots has happened since my last post, LOTS!

1. Grace was sealed to Dallan and I for time and all eternity in the Sacramento Temple on Aug. 1. On August second, Dallan gave her the sweetest blessing ever and we were very blessed to have so many of our friends and family come to support our new little family. Afterwards we had brunch and it was perfectly delicious; all in all it was more than we've ever dreamed of.

2. Also on Aug. 1, Morgan and I threw a baby shower for our sister Chelsea. It was beautiful if I do say so myself! Chelsea got a lot of stuff that she needed and the most beautiful crib ensemble ever! LOVED IT!!!

3. I started back to school! School is cool, school is cool.... I'm actually enjoying it quite a bit. It's good to be back and I feel more motivated than I ever have. There is something about doing it for Grace that is keeping me on track.

4. We found out Dallan will be deploying again to Iraq. Sometime in mid-December we'll send him off for a six month tour in the sandbox. It's gonna stink and we're gonna miss him like crazy, but we're so thankful for his service and the benefits it brings into our lives.

5. Chelsea had her baby! The most beautiful little Guad-a-pean ever! (Her dad is Guatemalan and Chelsea's claiming her European heritage, hence guad-a-pean). She was 7 pounds of perfection. Morgan, Grace and I trekked down two days after she was born and had one of the best weekends ever! The family was together for the first time in many, many, MANY moons. .

6. Grace has learned to feed herself and is talking up a storm. My favorite word: Shoes. I've never been so proud! She also says: momma, daddy, kitty, God (this is actually dog...), shoe, fish, please, hi, baba, papa and tub. Now, if only she could get some teeth....

7. I finally attempted brushing her hair! What a difference this is from anything I've ever known! Hahaha....I only got through half before there was a complete breakdown. G has SO much hair! It took us about two hours to brush what we did and so she is sporting a new style for a bit.

8. We are buying a house. We're looking for the long term so it's been interesting looking. We love to house shop; we're just feeling overwhelmed by so many options. Hopefully we will close on something before Dallan deploys so I can move in when our lease is up here in Concord.

9. The holidays are a comin'! It's been so different with a little one; normally I could really care less about Halloween but this year is just so different. We've got her costume (she's going to be a bumble bee) and we took a trip to the pumpkin patch. It's been amazing to do this stuff; I'm more thankful than I've ever been

10. Life is super good and amazing. We've been talking a lot about "this time last year"...Grace wasn't even a thought last year and next month she'll celebrate her first birthday! It's crazy to think how different life can be from one year to the next!

Gracie Gets Going

2009-07-20T20:17:00.000-07:00

Gracie's feet have hit the ground and she is off for adventures! Dallan and I spent a lot of time pre-g talking about what age to adopt. We wanted a baby so we could experience all that comes along with babies, well we feel cheated somehow! Hahahaha...we are so stinkin' proud but I feel like she is way too young and little to be walking already! And, she already knows all about my shoes and purses! So glad we got a baby so I could have a toddler going on 16!

We are missing Dallan like crazy but he comes home this week so we are super excited. G has been putting on weight to her pediatricians delight and growing too. She is trying to cut some teeth but they've yet to pop up. She's moving further away from her bottle and wants as much grown up food as she can beg off people. She's been spending lots of time in the pool and she's so comfortable there that she has managed to fall asleep twice while floating in her chair. She is giggling more and more and "talking" all the time.

We've been trying to stay busy while Dallan is gone so we took a trip with Auntie Morgan to San Diego so that G could meet Auntie Chelsea and Auntie Taryn and McKenna. We had tons of fun playing at Sea World, the beach, the Del Mar fair and everything else!

After San Diego, we turned around and hopped another flight to San Antonio to see Dallan and had another busy weekend. We saw tons and we all have a love for San Antonio now.

Basically, we're having an awesome summer!

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-21T22:53:00.000-07:00

Dallan is in Texas on this, his first father's day. Luckily we figured out how to get skype going on his computer so he could see Gracie and vice versa. She was so excited to see him finally after just hearing his voice for the last week.

Since Dallan was gone, Grace and I trekked up to Roseville to celebrate my father; a man unlike any other. He is seriously the best man I've ever known. When Morgan and I asked him what he wanted to do today, he told us he wanted to take Grace to the zoo, so that's what we did! She was great all afternoon. I'm not sure that she noticed the animals but loved all the other kids and the wooden posts that Grandpa helped her stand on (she did notice the monkeys and really liked them). Her favorite part of the day was when Grandpa shared his ice cream cone! Here are some pics from the day:

Special note to my husband: It's been worth waiting the five years to see you with Gracie; you are an AMAZING daddy. I can't imagine doing this with anyone else.

Not just surviving but totally thriving...

2009-06-16T08:49:00.000-07:00

It seems hard to believe that a month ago we were just arriving in Ghana. That six months ago we felt as if we'd never meet our daughter. That eight months ago adoption was on our minds, just not at the forefront of reality. That a year ago Dallan was just coming home from Iraq. A LOT has changed!

Grace has been amazing! I could seriously brag about her all day! I'm so grateful for such a wonderful little girl who lets mommy sleep through the night and be as social as ever! She is everything and so much more than we could've ever hoped for.

Dallan left on Sunday (June 14) for six weeks in San Antonio with the Air Force. He switched from the Marine Corps in January and maintained his rank but has no experience in his new job so they sent him off for some tech school. He had a rough start getting out there but seems to be okay now a few days in. There is another gentleman that was prior service and is older than Dallan and then the rest of the class are new guys, straight out of boot camp. Gracie and I are hoping we'll be able to visit Dallan while he is there but we'll see how things shape up. Before he left, Dallan went to Build a Bear to make Gracie a bear (it's actually a bunny...) that had his voice in it so that she could here and remember his voice while he is gone. She's very cute with the bunny; she totally lights up and knows it's here Daddy. Last night he called and when I put him on speaker phone she lit up and was kissing my phone; she's such a daddy's girl - we wouldn't have it any other way.

I'm sure the next six weeks will pass before us in the blink of an eye; I will try to update but it's so much more fun to hang with my girl than be on the computer!

Starting Forever

2009-05-25T10:34:00.000-07:00

We are home! We are home! We are home!

After 25 hours of travel, three airports and one good night's rest, the Livingston clan is up and moving.

Grace was amazing on both flights; she shocked us and surprised all the skeptics on both flights by being quiet and a great source of entertainment. Dallan and I couldn't believe our luck as she traveled the friendly skies like a consummate pro.

We're so grateful for every one's love and support and we can't wait to see you all!

Ways We Know Grace was Prepared For Our Family...

2009-05-22T04:43:00.000-07:00

1. She snores like Daddy.
2. She sleeps with her right leg up at an angle like Mommy.
3. She's stubborn like...well, like everyone on both sides.
4. She has Grandma Livingston's smile.
5. She is a leech when she sleeps like Auntie Morgan.
6. She loves music like Auntie Kaitlan.
7. She loves her dye dye like Auntie Chelsea.
8. She has a peg leg crawl like cousin Kenna.
9. Her laugh is deep like Grandpa D's.
10. To relax, she plays with Daddy's ears, just like mommy does.
11. She mimics all of daddy's noises.
12. She likes to sing like Auntie Janielle.
13. She likes anything technical like Daddy and Grandpa Livingston and Uncle Kenyon.

I'm sure there are many others but we can't think of anymore! Gracie kept us up last night with a night terror and then restless sleep so while she is happy as a clam today, Dallan and I are dragging our feet and dreaming of home!

We went to the embassy this morning to actually pick up the visa/passport for Grace. They gave us an 8am appointment for which we were on time. Too bad they didn't see us until 11!!! Thankfully Grace is AMAZING in public and she waits patiently (one thing she definitely didn't get from me!). Dallan got her to fall asleep which was even better.

There is nothing standing in our way to boarding that plane and coming home. This process is finally wrapping itself up and we couldn't be happier. We'll see you all when we get home!

Visiting Grace's humble beginning

2009-05-20T01:58:00.000-07:00

I swore to myself I wouldn't be one of those all important, I'm going to rescue this baby kind of mothers. Well, yesterday after seeing the orphanage where Grace has spent the last six months had me saying, without skipping a beat, "we really are saving her and giving her a better life."

First, to get there we drove through the "dump" which was doubling as a football field for the local kids. We then drove through a series of stall's that Dallan said reminded him of the scenes from the slums in Slumdog Millionaire. It was hot and dirty. We wanted to make a donation to the orphanage so Percy drove us around to all these separate stalls to buy the necessary stuff; baby food, sugar and rice. When we got back on the road to the orphanage, the paved road quickly turned to a dirt one and Percy kept warning us "not to worry about the bumpy road." As we were creeping along we saw roosters and chickens and crumbled down buildings. We even saw a baby goat that decided the middle of the road is the best place to nap. There were shanty shacks and some clothes blowing from a dryer line. We saw a woman who yelled "Esther" upon seeing the car. When we pulled up, I was floored. There were about eight women sitting in what little shade could be found and a bevy of kids running around. Percy bought some granola bars for these older kids and they scurried to get them and scurried away to eat them. When we got out of the car the women went crazy for Grace. Percy took her to give her to the Reverends (Juliet; the one who cared for Grace)sister and the first woman that we saw when driving in came running over; she was a larger woman with scary drawn on eyebrows and purple lipstick and she scared the crap out of Grace! She just screamed and screamed so I took her back and she nestled up to my chest and fell asleep. We took a tour of the compound and saw the old church, which is a wooden hall of a building, and the church they are trying to build (this one of cement blocks is bigger and will be better built). We also saw where the mothers slept with the babies. After the tour, Dallan carried the rice and stuff to the women and since Grace was sleeping we left. Juliet wasn't there because she was working at her "store" so we went back to where we had bought the supplies and waited for her to return. Grace was still sleeping when she got there but woke up shortly after so they could say goodbye. I cried when Juliet hugged me; thankful for all that she had done and all she continues to do. The last few times we've seen her she has been so supportive and helpful and as a first time parents with no outside help, she's been such a blessing to Dallan and I. Anyways, I'm glad everything went okay with the VISA because I know I wouldn't have been able to leave Grace once I saw that place. I feel even more blessed to be returning home to the life I live; we are so very lucky.

Pictures: me holding grace as we drive (there are no child seats here), Julliett, me, Grace and Dalla, the sign marking the orphanage, the road to the orphanage and the church at the orphanage

We're Coming Home as a Threesome

2009-05-18T02:49:00.001-07:00

We're just returning from the embassy and THE dreaded chance that we could be leaving without Grace....and we're not! WOO FREAKIN' HOO!!!! They approved her VISA with no problems and told us we could pick it up on Friday and board our flight home on Saturday evening. I think the gentleman that was helping us was so charmed by little Gracie that he wanted to do anything he could to make us happy! Thank goodness she is such a doll! After all this time, waiting and praying, hoping and begging, crying and laughing we will be united in our home in less than a week. Thanks for all your prayers; we felt them strongly.

In addition to the appointment there was the stress of meeting Linda, Grace's birth mother. It's hard to explain these emotions; we weren't so worried about her wanting Grace back or anything (and legally she'd have no ground to stand on even if she did) we just didn't want to rub it in her face. I imagined it would be devastating to see another woman loving on your daughter. Linda was very quiet and kept her distance. All she said to us was "she looks like you guys. She's very happy." I guess I couldn't ask for anything more. Linda asked to take a picture and we snapped some too and then she handed Grace back. I hugged her and said thank you and then she left. It was over before it even started.

Here are some pictures of Grace with her birth mother Linda and the three of us with Linda.

A Day of Rest

2009-05-17T13:33:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday we were still too confused about where we were and what was going on to wander out and try to find church services. Plus, I was feeling pretty yucky and slept a major part of the day. This week was different though. We feel like we know Grace's schedule pretty well and felt she would do fine with the three hour block of church. Plus the girl loves people so we figured it would be great. We tracked down the ward and called a cab. There are four wards in the Accra area; we picked the one with the time that most suited us (and is the most similar to our home ward...) and luckily, we ended up in the chapel on temple grounds. The Accra temple is a smaller one but the whole complex is quite large. There is the two story, two chapel building, the temple and a housing unit much like a small apartment complex. It was beautiful. We wish we would've brought our camera but we didn't think of it but that's okay; we're gonna go back and take some pictures. These Saints were amazing and I feel like I could go on forever about it but I won't because we have an early morning with the Embassy for THE visit. As if we aren't worried enough about that, Grace's birth mother will be coming with us. I'm hoping I can sleep, even just a little bit. I'll update when we get back and hopefully it's all good news. Send us your prayers, we are definitely going to need them tomorrow!

Lazy Friday

2009-05-16T01:39:00.001-07:00

Well after running around all week, we decided it was time to take up the suggestion to venture over to the Golden Tulip and lounge around by the pool. We called up Percy and he said he'd be down around 11. We ran out of formula so we started by going to the Koala market to buy some more and we needed two more pictures of Grace for her VISA so we did this too. After our errands were run we headed into Accra to find the pool. It was nice to see something different than we've been seeing for the last week. The Golden Tulip is a much nicer (and therefore much more expensive) hotel. We made our way through the lobby, down the bar area and out to the pool. We found two lounge chairs in the shade and set up shop. We were a little worried that Grace wouldn't like the pool because bath time isn't always great, but she LOVED it. Even after she got all prune-y she wouldn't let us take her out. She eventually needed a bottle and a nap. While Grace slept poolside Dallan and I ate (a good ol' cheeseburger!!!) and chatted about the week we'd had and the one to come. When Grace woke up, she wanted right back into the pool so we swam some more. I'm so glad she likes the water cause we are going to live in the pool this summer. All in all we were poolside about 6 1/2 hours.

Out and About in Osu

2009-05-15T04:05:00.000-07:00

Thursday. Seven days in. Nine more to go....

Today we ran around all morning with Edward as Percy was in court for another family. He was supposed to be here at 8 but didn't show until almost 9. This late thing is driving Dallan and I crazy!!! Anyways, the point of our errands was twofold. One, we had to get head shots for Grace's visa. This had to be done before the second part; the medical exam. We were told that we should ask for a medical waiver from the remaining immunizations. Edward said we may have to fight for this but if we were insistent they would accommodate us. So, we arrived and climbed 5 flights of stairs (thank you fit 2 the core; this would've been impossible not that long ago...) to sit and wait. Then they called us over and sent us down two flights to the clinic. There we sat and waited and were sent one flight up to see the Doctor. He checked Grace's lungs, heart, belly and hip placement. He said she looked great and was such a good girl. Then he sent us back up to the top floor. There we waited and they sent us across the hall. After that we were all done. No problems and with the medical waiver signed, sealed and ready for delivery to the consulate. Through it all, Grace was AMAZING! She played and laughed and caused not a single problem. We're really lucky to have this little girl!

What's A Dye Dye?

2009-05-14T00:24:00.000-07:00

A couple people have asked so here you go....

When I was a little girl my younger sister Chelsea always had with her an old cloth diaper. It was her security blanket. She'd hold it and rub it against her cheek as she sucked one of her fingers. For whatever reason, we always called it her dye dye. Gracie has picked up the same thing, using the burp rags we've brought (these look just like Chelsea's old cloth diaper but they are surgical rags that we were given and they are AWESOME!!!). It's funny how Grace would mimic her auntie chelsea....

Answered Prayers

2009-05-13T12:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was our appointment at the Embassy so we could file our I600 form. Basically this form informs allows us to claim an orphan as a relative. That's fancy for "hello governments of Ghana and the United States, Dallan and Kirsten Livingston want to make Grace ours forever." When we got to the appointment there was some confusion as to the forms but it was resolved quickly. Dallan and I had to wait in this shoebox size room for a woman to ask us questions we didn't expect. At the end of it, I asked how long the process takes. (The department conducts a search of all documents submitted to make sure they are valid and legal). The woman informed us it would take no longer than 30 days. This morning we got a call saying Percy was at the front desk. We had expected him later in the day so we could go the the Golden Tulip, another hotel here with a pool. Dallan went down to meet him and see what was going on. Percy said the embassy had called him requesting that Dallan return the phone call at his earliest convenience. Dallan called back and what did they have to say? Everything had been approved! Thirty days turned into about 12 hours! They told Dallan they had a packet of paperwork for him to come pick up. So, instead of spending the afternoon lounging in the Tulip's pool we were back at the embassy waiting for our names to be called. Grace was once again, AMAZING at the embassy. Easy and charming. When we were finally called to the window, the lady said "Livingston Family"; finally Dallan and I have a family!

The packet is to obtain Grace's visa/passport. We also have to have an interview with one of the consular officers. This only happens on Mondays and Tuesdays. So, instead of leaving Accra on Saturday the 16th, we've extended the trip a week to do this interview and, if God willing, come home on the 23rd WITH GRACE IN TOW. That's right, no more second trips, no more waiting. The Livingston's will all be united under the same roof by months end!

So, do us a favor and keep us in your prayers. There is always a chance something could go wrong with the Visa and/or the interview. Just send us some good thoughts for a speedy trip home!

Pictured: Snuggling with Daddy in bed, sleeping with my best friend, with mommy on our way to the embassy, after the embassy playing with my dye dye.

Monday, Monday

2009-05-11T23:28:00.001-07:00

This is long, so if you just want the two second recap, read right above the pics.

Dallan and I were so tired of being cooped up in our hotel room. I think Gracie was too. We were all just stir crazy after being there from Saturday afternoon on. Granted there was some great bonding time so I can't complain one bit...

So anyways, we woke up on Monday morning and got everything going. We wanted to take a walk into town but the woman at the front desk said that sometimes people move much slower on Mondays so we should maybe wait. So we did. We played, got Grace fed (we brought along some rice cereal to introduce her to it and she had this. It was pretty funny. Any time Dallan would try to wipe the stuff off her chin/cheek/lips she'd just keep trying to eat and it would get everywhere!) and put her down. Then Dallan and I played some cards and packed up and got ready to go. We left about 11:45 when she was up and had eaten. We used our Moby wrap and got her tied to me while Dallan carried the backpack with wipes/food/diapers/toy etc, etc, etc. (you know all the crap you never use but can't live without!).

As soon as the door to the hotel was open we were smacked in the face by the heat. I knew at that second this was going to be a very bad idea instead! Hahahaha. Had I not been so stir crazy I would have turned right back around.

We set off for the market that we'd gone to on Saturday, thinking it wasn't very far of a walk but we were so wrong. It was that the distance was long (maybe 1.5 miles in each way) but that it was so hot and I had Gracie strapped to me. She's not that heavy at all but the extra material on my chest/back made me sweat even more. People definitely stared at us but I was surprised by the lack of comments. I guess I'd just prepared myself for many questions but there was only one in our entire walk, "Is that how you carry babies in your country?" I said yes and she said "cool". Lots of people commented on how beautiful Grace is and how cute her little pierced ears are. They loved her hat and her little socks. One lady told us what a cute family we were.

So anyways, we kept walking and walking and walking and finally we were there. We needed to get some dish soap. Random I know but necessary none the less. I was overwhelmed by the smells as we walked. It's something I can quite explain. The heat of course doesn't help in any way. People were out and about, selling their wares and chatting with anyone that would stop.

While were walking taxis would honk at us to see if we wanted a ride. If I used the burp cloth to wipe my face they took it as a sign to pull over so we'd have to explain when we got to the car. On the way back a car pulled over and stopped but it didn't look like a taxi and when we got there we saw that it was Juliet, Grace's caretaker at the orphanage. She was out with her husband and daughter. She wanted to kiss Grace so we did and we chatted for a bit. She said we must be good "mummy and daddies" since Grace seemed so perfectly content with us. It made my heart sing.

On the way back I was exhausted and so dirty! I couldn't wait to get back to the hotel and strip everything off, which is exactly what we did as soon as the door was closed. Every piece of my clothing was dripping. So were Dallan's. And Grace? Not a single thing wet other than her diaper!

We took it easy for the remainder of the afternoon and met with Percy at about 6 to go over all the documents for our embassy appointment today. All in all, it was a good day!

So basically here it is: What you can walk at home is IMPOSSIBLE in this heat. People think our daughter is the most beautiful. I sweat a lot, but Grace didn't get one bead of sweat! Dresses are actually easier and let a breeze in.

In the pictures: Gracie with Jeffery the Giraffe, eating rice cereal for the first time, trying to stand up herself, lounging in hat after walk with daddy's glasses.

Day by Day

2009-05-10T14:13:00.000-07:00

Dallan and I weren't sure quite what to expect from our daughter or her home country. Everything has been very fog-like and now here we are, settling into our own little routine, talking about how natural it feels. We've been amazed by the shift...

Grace is a joy. ABSOLUTELY the EASIEST we could've hoped for. The first night she went down about 10:30 (Juliet said that she is usually down by 10 but with their late arrival and the hand off and of course us needing some snuggle time; we got a little behind...) and got up at 7:30. I thought to myself, "she's probably just exhausted from everything. Tonight will be different." It was, but she still slept like crazy and let Dallan and I get in the sleep we needed. She was down about quarter to ten and got up at 5. She's taking two, 3 hour naps a day and eating about every 4 hours. She is very, very VERY active. We were worried about her not attaching to us or vice versa but it has been so instinctual; there's not a doubt in our minds that all of this was pre-ordained.

Here are the things we've learned about her so far:

1. She will not have anything to do with a pacifier instead she sucks on her own tongue?!
2. Even though she can't stand on her own, she lets go every time to try it. She's Miss Independent already.
3. She has already adopted a favorite toy; her rattle/stuff animal that Dallan named Jeffrey. He's a Giraffe.
4. Instead of laughing she squeals. High pitched and perfect. We say she is flexing the golden pipes.
5. She is very ticklish on her back.
6. She hates water on her face but otherwise is a little fish!
7. She is a tummy sleeper and a wiggle worm too. She moves more during the night than anyone I've ever known!
8. She has the cutest dimples. The right one is slightly larger then the left one.
9. She LOVES all the noises Dallan makes.
10. She likes anything with a texture. Dallan says she is going to love getting into all my fabric...
11. She likes to play peek-a-boo.
12. When she is done with something, she's done. No ifs, ands or buts. She's got a little stubborn in her....
13. She likes when Daddy makes her fly in the air.
14. When she tries to get up, she uses her head to brace herself.
15. She is totally fascinated by Dallan's arm hair.
16. So far, her favorite thing to suck on is my knee (?!?)
17. She has baby beads.... (So the story behind this: That first night we had her I went to change her diaper before putting her pajamas on. When we got the diaper off we saw that she has two rows of beads around her lower belly (they are completely hidden by her diaper). We asked Percy about this because obviously we had no idea what they were...He said that back in the day the Ghanian people didn't have a way to weigh the babies so they would put these beads around them. If they got too tight it was time to limit the diet and if they were too lose it was time to up the feedings. I asked him how long one wears these beads and he said "indefinitely"; apparently his wife still has her beads on albeit more have been added as she grew (she even wore them through her pregnancy!). I don't know how long we'll have Grace wear them, but she is completely unfazed by them so for now it's one of those beautiful cultural experiences.)

Here's some pictures from the last few days of the first bath, bottle time, those baby beads (you have to look close for them) and a bad picture of her favorite toy.

We're All Together

2009-05-08T22:16:00.000-07:00

So much since the last post....

When we were dropped off at 10:30ish we were told by Percy that he was going to bring Grace to us between 4 and 5. We noticed however in our brief tour of the area that people seem to move at their own pace and clocks are seriously non existent. So, we prepared ourselves for Grace and Percy to be late and arrive closer to 6ish. At 6:45 Dallan went down to the front desk to ask them to call Percy since we hadn't heard anything. After a call, we learned that Percy had gotten stuck in some traffic and would be about 40 minutes more. Again we added and hour for local pace. At 8:30 we wandered down to the restaurant to order some dinner and ask again about Percy. They said he was close. At 9:45 we still hadn't heard or seen anything so Dallan once again went down to the front desk to be connected to Percy but there was a new man working the desk and he had no idea what or whom we were talking about! By this point I was pacing and freaking out. We didn't know what else to do so I whipped out the laptop and was in the process of sending Jen (the Director at the Agency and our social worker) an email about the whole thing. I seriously was beginning to wander if we'd ever see this little girl! No sooner had I typed the address in the line we heard a car pull up and Dallan went to the window. Sure enough it was Percy and a woman from the orphanage with Grace. Dallan waved, Percy waved back and we headed down to the lobby to meet them both.

Juliet has been Grace's main caretaker thus far. She was a beautiful woman and completely dedicated to our little one. It made me happy to know she was being so well taken care of and that so many people loved her. After a few minutes of talking shop with Percy about today and Juliet about feeding/sleeping routines we were sent on our way.

Climbing those stairs with Grace and her gear was so surreal. Here she finally was in Daddy's arms. She took to Dallan right away and giggled at all the noises he makes. They danced a little and played airplane while I fixed her bottle. Then I got some snuggle time and fed her her bottle and changed her diaper. She has these ponytails all over her head that I have wanted to remove from the first picture so I started on that but the things are in tight and on the second one she had had enough! She can definitely scream when she wants! Luckily it was just sleepiness that had washed over her and after a couple minutes of gentle bouncing she was calm enough to change her into pajamas and rock her to sleep. Dallan snuggled her on the bed while I prepped the 4am bottle feeding (which, yay for us she hasn't needed yet!) and then we put her to bed. We have no other option but co-sleeping right now, which we are against; but laying there with her in between us was something I was unprepared for. I watched her all night through every peep and movement (and seriously this girl is a worm; all over the place all night!). She is still asleep as its 5:30 here but we're as awake as can be. More later....

AKWABA

2009-05-08T10:22:00.000-07:00

WELCOME! We are finally here! We got in this am after the longest, most uncomfortable flight ever! We are waiting for our daughter to arrive from the orphanage and then we'll be set for the next week. More posts later...

Fit 2 the Core

2009-04-28T14:31:00.000-07:00

My friend Emily and I have been working out at Fit 2 the Core for a few months now. We've been going an average of three times a week for an hour's worth of circuit training. In the past couple weeks we've found our niche at 5am (yes, I'm actually up AND working out then....). Emily's been having great success; every time she's on the scale she's down something and you can totally see her body changing. It's been great to see her go, but.... I can't tell a difference at all. I'm actually up 5 pounds and everyone keeps telling me that "muscle weighs more than fat" and while I can feel the muscle, I also don't feel any different and I was really starting to get discouraged. Well, today we went and had our measurements taken and it was GREAT!!! I've lost four inches in my waist and three in my hips and about a 1/2 inch from my neck, arm, thigh and calf. WOO HOO it's finally paying off!!!

Ghana Make a Long Flight...

2009-04-27T21:43:00.000-07:00

We just booked our airfare to Ghana!!!! We leave early morning on the 7th and return the afternoon of the 17th. We will need to make two trips (at least I will, Dallan will be in Texas for the Air Force) so Grace won't be coming home this time but the days are limited and we're almost there! We will get to have her with us the entire time we are there so just 9 days to go until we are holding our daughter for the very first time!

Goodbye US, Hello Ghana

2009-04-22T19:11:00.000-07:00

Dallan and I will be leaving on May 9th to spend the first of two trips in Ghana. We are FINALLY meeting our daughter!!!! It's been a surreal situation and after 5 years of trying it seems so crazy to just board a plane and have her in our arms. We couldn't be happier or more overwhelmed. Anyways, more details to come soon but if all goes well Grace will be home around mid June!

Newness...

2009-03-17T21:49:00.000-07:00

I realized as I checked my email today that I hadn't checked any one's blog in quite awhile so I decided to leave yahoo and venture into the blogging world and do you know what I found? I discovered that two friends are waiting to be mommies; one for the second time and one is a first timer. My sister Chelsea is also expecting as are my sister in-laws Jazmine and Merilee. I also have two friends expecting in May and June (and another just delivered the cutest little man...). I love the spring; everything is new and fresh and I'm reminded in abundance this year how miraculous new life is! What a year 2009 will be for adorable new kids!

Time for an Update...

2009-03-09T20:33:00.000-07:00

We should have known that when things were going so well that we'd eventually hit a speed bump....This whole adoption process has been so strangely wonderful and emotional. Grace's case went before the judge on February 26th and was approved! The social worker happened to be in Ghana at the time helping some North Carolina families get their little ones home (apparently there were some complications with background checks). We were told that she would get back to us in a few days and get us a travel date. We have patiently waited since then. On Thursday I couldn't help but drop an email as it had been a week. Then we waited and waited and waited. Finally today Dallan made a phone call and said he'd call me when he had talked to her. When I saw his name on my caller ID about an hour later while I was a Target I just about freaked out I was so excited. I couldn't wait for that date to hold my little girl in empty arms. That's not the news Dallan had to share with me however. This is the news, copied directly from my email.....

"Hi Kirsten,

Attached you will find a few pics that were taken of your baby last week. I
just spoke with Dallan and I explained to him that we currently have two
families in Ghana picking up their babies, and we have found that the US
Embassy in Ghana is conducting much more thorough orphan investigations than
we had originally anticipated. This is actually good news for both the
babies and the birth mothers, even though it will lengthen your wait time
and change your travel plans, as it will ensure that the babies have been
legally relinquished by their birthmothers.

In order to meet the stringent US Embassy requirements we are taking the
following pre-emptive measures:

1. We are doing matching birthmother/baby DNA
2. We are arranging for voluntary birthmother interviews.

In order to do this, however, we must first make sure that Esi's birthmother
has a legal form of identification, such as a voter registration card and/or
a passport. If she does not have this our coordinator in Ghana will be
tasked with making sure she arranges for it. Once she has ID, we will take
her and the baby to the medical center for DNA testing. This test takes 4-6
weeks to complete.

After the DNA testing is complete we will request that you and Dallan fly to
Ghana to file your I-600. This should be a short trip of 3-5 days. At this
point, it is taking roughly 3-4 weeks for the I-600's to be adjudicated.
Once the I-600 packet is ready you will return to Ghana for the visa
interview and to pick Esi up. We anticipate that this trip will take about
10 days.

I hope this answers any questions that you might have. As you know, this is
a pilot program so we are learning as we go! Stay positive, she's almost home.

Cheers,"

Don't tell me to stay positive; I know there isn't much else I can do but that so isn't what I needed to hear! YUCK!!! I could barely keep my cool in Target as I thought of her empty room for another two months. I find myself praying, "please don't crawl - I don't want to miss EVERYTHING!"

I am trying to remind myself that there is ALWAYS a plan and that Heavenly Father knows what He is doing. I can guarantee we will look back and thank Him for the blessings of this trial. Just for now, just for tonight though, we're gonna cry. Keep us in your prayers would you?

Here's the latest picture of our angel along with the liaison that's helping us get her home; Percy. She's so cute with her little hair-do!

Finally, An Update (On Grace and Life...)

2009-01-23T13:09:00.000-08:00

Dallan and I have been operating under the old adage of no news is good news as we wait for the call from some foreign judge telling us our paperwork has been signed. It's excruciating to say the least. (Side note: If you call and I sound excited then let down when you say who it is; this is the reason - we're hoping your the Ghanian liaison....). Anyways, today we got a new picture of our daughter that is so freakin' adorable! We are so in love with her and can't wait to have her home! Some stuff has changed since a new president was elected late in 2008 so we aren't exactly sure when we'll depart but we may have to make two trips instead of just one. At this point, we'll do anything they tell us. We'll keep updating better on this...

Dallan started school up again this week. He has two more architecture courses, two English courses and math. Not fun at all but after this he will have no more English ever which makes him very happy. He is officially out of the Marine Corps as of 10:30this morning! YAY!!!! It's actually very surreal. As much as we worked towards this and waited for them to release his contract it is weird to think that such a big part of Dallan's life is over. He dutifully served the Corps for the last 8 years, but as they say - Once a Marine, always a Marine. Which I'm sure his new unit in the Air Force won't appreciate! As of 11 this morning Dallan in now officially an Airman based out of Travis AFB in Northern California. He will be working in Air Cargo Transportation. More to come on military later.

As for me, I am pretty much the same. Lots of nesting and I am oh so close to being done with Grace's bedroom. Grandma Livingston is making the bumper/crib skirt for us and that's the last piece we need. She is an AMAZING seamstress and we feel pretty darn lucky that she was willing to help. I had my baby shower this past weekend and am once again reminded that it takes a village to raise a child; luckily I feel blessed by the village I'm in and I'm so thankful for everyone's generosity. We are good to go (minus formula; we'll figure that out when we get her home and know what she can handle...) and glad to be so. Luckily Dallan got a phone call from Weston while we were in Babies R Us that distracted him for most of the shopping. I don't think he's ever been more grateful to talk with his brother! (Just a note: Dallan is SO excited to be a dad, he just hates shopping!). I'll post pictures of my beautiful shower when I find my camera.... Thanks to everyone that came and for those that couldn't I hope you know you weren't far from my heart that day.

We Got 'Em

2008-12-13T20:48:00.001-08:00

Dallan and I just got home from taking pictures with the wonderful duo of Enchanted Images and checking the mail. Lo and behold, what was in there? Our FINGERPRINTING appointments!!! Holy Freaking Crap that was FAST!!! We take them on January 6th. This is all moving so fast and its reassuring to my heart that it's so smooth; it just reaffirms that it's meant to be every single time and that my friends, is a blessing I'm ever so thankful for!

Thank You Immigration

2008-12-09T15:23:00.000-08:00

I HATE paperwork on a good day and this adoption has brought stacks of documents that I couldn't have imagined in my worst nightmare. We have ALL, yes that's right, ALL of the hard stuff done. We just have to make photocopies of our passports and create a collage and then our dossier is done. We are skating now... But anyways, the biggest "hurry up and wait" hurdle is Immigration. We were told we could submit some paperwork to open a file and let them know of our desire and intent to bring a child home so that when we arrive in Ghana we don't have to start this paperwork. The agency helped us with the forms and we paid our fees and they told us not to stress and check the mail everyday. Oh geez! So today I go to check for Christmas cards and lo and behold there is a letter from Immigration. My heart sank; the only time things go this fast is when they need extra stuff from you or the fees we paid were incorrect. For the love....but I was totally wrong! They received everything they needed and have opened the file. They are just waiting on our home study (our social worker sent this out on Friday) and then they can issue us appointments to get another round of fingerprinting done. They said in the letter to look for a followup letter around the first week of January. Once we do these and they get the results (approx. 3 business days later...) we can have a date to TRAVEL AND PICK GRACE UP!!!! OMG this is really happening!!!!

That's where we are at. All is sailing just fine and we are getting the nursery ready for her. When its done I'll post pictures.

Meet our Daughter: Grace

2008-11-13T22:34:00.000-08:00

So after many years, tears, trials and paper trails we are FINALLY parents! We became Daddy and Mommy on Sunday when our little girl was born. The people at the hospital named her Esi (this literally translates to Sunday born...). Isn't she absolutely perfect? I've often been told, as I'm sure many of us have been, that things happen in His time, not ours. I couldn't be more thankful for this lesson learned. She is the perfect little girl that we've dreamed of these last five years. The next few months will be crazy as we prepare to travel to Ghana to pick Gracie up. We will be there about a month while we wait for the courts to finalize all the travel documents and adoption paperwork. We can't wait to be amongst these beautiful people. The tentative time frame will put us home with her around February.

I can't be too deep here because my tears are flowing with excitement and nerves but I couldn't wait to share either. More to come when I can focus...

FREE HANDBAGS?!?!?

2008-10-12T05:22:00.000-07:00

No joke, you guys know I wouldn't kid about something this awesome. Check it out...

www.handbagplanet.com

They have WAY cute stuff!

NKOTB

2008-10-12T04:55:00.000-07:00

I'm ridiculous. That's it, in a nut shell....

When I was 9 I so desperately wanted to go see New Kids On The Block, but my mom wouldn't let me. After Friday night I can see why, but at the time I was devastated. I LOVED them, couldn't she understand that? Sadly they broke up when I was 10 and I never got to see them in concert. When I was 15 Joey Mac and Jordan Knight had solo albums. My sister, cousin and some friends saw them perform that summer. We were in the front row. They looked right at us. They were amazing and we cried....

When I heard they were reuniting I told Dallan I was going to the concert. When the concert dates/locations were announced I was bummed to see the price of tickets and came to accept my presence at their show would just never happen. Thursday afternoon, an old acquaintance sent an email telling me she needed to get rid of two tickets and was going to sell them at a loss to her. I called Morgan since she was planning on coming down anyways and asked her to come, she said yes. Then on Friday morning when I was talking with my friend she mentioned that there was a third ticket available and wanted to know if I'd like that one too. Heck yes I did! I asked my friend Emily to come along and she was just as excited as Moe and I.

We got there right in time. The lights dimmed and the screens started to display graphics. The band was hitting notes and the next thing you know there they are. It was absolutely deafening. I almost couldn't breathe and yes, I cried again. I totally embarrassed my sis and girlfriend but I couldn't help it. It was so freakin' awesome.

When we got home and Dallan asked how it went all I said was, "I could die in my sleep tonight and feel like my life was complete." Poor guy - he's so amazing for understanding my obsessive attachment to all things boy band related - he laughed and tucked me in to bed. I obviously didn't die, but its one more thing I can cross off my bucket list!

Catch Up: Sunny San Diego

2008-10-12T04:38:00.000-07:00

My sister and her hubby took in a couple sporting events this summer. While we could care less about the Cowboys or Braves coming to San Diego we do know this: it means they need a baby-sitter for the evening (and in the case of the Braves game, and OVERNIGHT sitter; they were celebrating their third anniversary). Dallan and I were happy to oblige. Dallan was slightly nervous about going down to visit as he hadn't seen Kenna since April when she was about 4 months old, but he shouldn't have worried - Kenna was all about Uncle Dallan....

The first time we babysat, I went down early as Dallan had an interview and physical fitness test for the sheriff's department. Kenna and I played all evening; riding the jeep in the backyard, coloring on the floor, taking a bath and then it was time for bed. Dallan's flight was delayed so he made it to the house sometime around midnight and we went to bed. The next morning we got up an hour before we knew Kenna would be awake so we could shower and get ready and clean up our air mattress. Once I heard her moving around upstairs, I went to get her. She is so cute in the morning (actually she's WAY cute whenever she wakes up...) and was totally cuddly. Once we got downstairs though and she saw Dallan it was all over for me; she was like clay in his hands. The second weekend was much the same; once she had eyes on Dallan she didn't know anyone else existed.

What do you do with an almost two year old? You attend the Elmo and friends breakfast at Sea World of course. We also spent time on the US Midway ship and at Seaport Village in downtown San Diego. All in all, we had the most fun with her (and my sis and bro-in-law) and look forward to the next opportunity to see her!

Catch Up: Alaska Cruise

2008-10-12T04:25:00.000-07:00

Our second adventure this summer: cruising the beautiful waters that are Alaska for 10 days!

Dallan has always wanted to go to Alaska. I was fortunate enough to go back in the summer of 2000 with my grandmother and sister. I've been putting off this vacation destination in favor of other things (basically I'd already seen it so I wanted something new), but I realized last year that only two things mattered... 1. We had survived the deployment and would be together and 2. Who cares, where we go - we're lucky to be able to afford what we want to do! So, I called a travel agent and she took care of everything. We left out of San Francisco harbor on the morning of Aug. 15 and docked back in on the 25th. Along the way we saw Victoria, Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka and the Tracy Arm Fjords. It was so much more beautiful than I remembered and Dallan says it totally exceeded what he thought it would be. We'd definitely go again some day. Even on our days at sea we managed to have the time of our lives. We went to art auctions, trivia in the library, swimming, the movies, photography lectures and so much more. We were also lucky enough to eat every night with the three best couples on that ship. They were so warm and amazing - what lives they've all lead - plus the one guy was a walking trivia game*; needless to say we were never bored and the ten days went by way too fast!

*My favorite piece of trivia from the cruise.... Name all the states that start with either M or N. I'll give you this much, there are 8 of each....

Catch Up: South Dakota

2008-10-12T04:11:00.001-07:00

So I'm only like three months behind here....

Dallan and I were able to go to South Dakota to spend a week with my dad's side of the family. Along the way, we picked up my fave sister in law (although she is totally a sister and not an in-law) and her husband and drove Dallan crazy watching movies on the forever long drive to nowhere. (In case anyone is ever thinking of driving from Northern California to Custer, South Dakota - DON'T; it's a 24 HOUR drive...). Except for me getting sick along the way (it's official; I'm allergic to Utah) we had a great time. Some of these family members I hadn't seen in over a decade and it was like no time had passed at all. They loved Kait and Clint and haven't stopped talking about how wonderful Dallan and his sister are. We went to Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Hill City, the National Woodcarving Museum*, Purple Pie House and lots of other cool places. All in all, it was a great little reunion!

*Disclaimer - I totally did NOT want to spend an afternoon doing this, however Dallan very nicely went along with dressing up in Hill City for old time photos so I couldn't very well deny him such a simple request...Luckily we didn't pass this up because it was AMAZING!!!! We saw the most beautiful chess set designed to be Custer's Last Stand and wanted it so badly, alas $16oo on a chess set was way out of our price range but it totally inspired some creativity. Plus the resident artist teaches wood carving at Davis during the winter/spring semesters so Dallan may take a class there to learn how to do his own Custer's Last Stand....

I've Got Some Living To Do...

2008-08-11T09:18:00.000-07:00

So obviously I've been slacking on the blogging, I've just been so busy and I still HAVEN'T developed any pictures from vacations! Here's something though that I found on a friends page. Interesting to keep stock of what you've done (or haven't done). What I HAVE done is in purple.

1. Touched an iceberg (and will again this week; yay for vacation!)
2. Slept under the stars
3. Been a part of a hockey fight
4. Changed a baby's diaper
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Swam with wild dolphins (this happened all the time at Waimea Bay...)
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a tarantula (with a sister like Chelsea, this was the least of your worries..)
10. Said "I love you" and meant it
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise (oh, for my glory days....)
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Bet on a winning horse
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort (this was the fun part of living in Utah...)
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Taken an ice cold bath
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Ridden a roller coaster
31 Hit a home run
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking (ask Dallan, this is what I do without even trying...)
33. Adopted an accent for fun
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors (both my father's and mother's side)
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach
41. Gone sky diving
42. Visited Ireland
43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited India
45. Bench-pressed your own weight
46. Milked a cow (surprising, I know...)
47. Alphabetized your personal files
48. Ever worn a superhero costume
49. Sung karaoke
50. Lounged around in bed all day
51. Gone scuba diving
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Done something you should regret, but don't
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Been in a movie
60. Gone without food for 3 days
61. Made cookies from scratch
62. Won first prize in a costume contest
63. Got flowers for no reason (my husband is the best in the whole world...)
64. Been in a combat zone
65. Spoken more than one language fluently
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
67. Bounced a check
68. Read - and understood - your credit report
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
71. Called or written your Congress person (and they wrote back!?!)
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
74. Helped an animal give birth
75. Been fired or laid off from a job
76. Won money
77. Broken a bone
78. Ridden a motorcycle
79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph (I really miss my Acura sometimes...)
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing (ummm, always...)
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
83. Eaten sushi
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
86. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions
88. Gone back to school
89. Changed your name
90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
92. Read The Iliad (and loved it - I still re-read it from time to time...)
93. Taught yourself an art from scratch
94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office
98. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair
103 Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep
105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all four
106. Raked your carpet
107. Brought out the best in people
108. Brought out the worst in people
109. Worn a mood ring
110. Ridden a horse (this was a one time affair, please don't ask for a repeat performance...haha!)
111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
112. Prepared a dish where four people asked for the recipe
113. Buried a child
114. Gone to a Broadway play
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band
119. Shot a bird
120. Gone to an arboretum
121. Tutored someone
122. Ridden a train
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar (and don't get what all the fuss is about....)
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need
126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt
129. Lived in an historic place
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
131. Asked for a raise
132. Made a hole-in-one (in mini golf, hahaha!)
133. Gone deep sea fishing
134. Gone roller skating
135. Run a marathon
136. Learned to surf
137. Invented something
138. Flown first class
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment
145. Written a love-story
146. Seen Michelangelo’s David
147. Had your portrait painted
148. Written a fan letter (to William Shatner in the third grade. We had to for school; I was like one of five that didn't hear back from their celebrity...so sad...)
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane
151. Ran away (I used to when I was little, but I never got far - I wasn't allowed to cross the street)
152. Learned to juggle
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury
155. Lied about your weight
156. Gone on a diet
157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget
158. Written a poem
159. Carried your lunch in a lunchbox
160. Gotten food poisoning
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
162. Hiked the Grand Canyon
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous
166. Worn knickers
167. Ridden in a limousine
168. Attended the Olympics
169. Can hula or waltz and polka
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane (every time I fly...)
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
175. Saved someone’s life
176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint
178. Laughed till your side hurt
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival (It was way more fun than I thought too)
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hostel
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood or plasma (all the time; I have B- blood so they like me!)
188. Built a campfire
189. Kept a blog
190. Had hives
191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube
196. Know CPR
197. Ridden in or owned a convertible
198. Found a long lost friend
199. Helped solve a crime
200. Responded to a NJP newsletter (if this is what I think it is, then no but I've made someone else do it by being late...)

Catch Up...

2008-07-23T12:54:00.000-07:00

Dallan and I went to the family reunion and then headed straight down to San Diego and then back to work (for me) and job hunting/testing for Dallan. We also started school this week so time is limited but I want to post my pics and the details of July, I am just too busy running around with my head cut off...

Check back though, I promise to update it by the end of the week!

Strolling Down Memory Lane

2008-07-23T12:23:00.000-07:00

Everyone seems to have this on their blogs, and it seems fun, although I'm scared what some of you might say! Hahaha

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, if it is recent or years old, silly or serious--anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.

Take a stroll down memory lane....

It Must be Thursday....

2008-06-26T11:53:00.000-07:00

Bird man is totally growing on me. Here are the best of last night's performance. The first gave me crazy goose bumps and the second was just way too sexy not to mention. So, for your viewing pleasure....

Hello, hello....

2008-06-24T17:15:00.001-07:00

So not much to say but thought I'd say hello to everyone. Dallan and I continue to stay as busy as possible and are LOVING the California weather! I've been in the pool more the last few months than I did in Utah, the entire 4 years I was there and I love it! We're recovering from one of the longest (and funnest, that's totally not a word but I swear it should be) weekends. Em Rocks and I threw a small brunch baby shower for our dear friend Emily and then Emily threw a surprise "concert" for her husband Austin that night. Austin and his friend Scott were our entertainment as they jammed on their guitars and we BBQ'd some burgers and hot dogs while swimming in the pool. I almost felt like a kid again, celebrating summer vacation like it should be celebrated.

Anyways, Dallan and I are gearing up for our first vacation this year to South Dakota and hoping (praying really) that the gas will not rise anymore before we get back (or at least that's its much cheaper in po-dunk Sioux Falls) from our adventure. We've registered for school this last week and are now busy trying to figure out what our assessment scores will allow us to take and how we'll fit those classes into our schedules. Needless to say, it's already shaping up to be a busy fall.

Hope all is well with everyone, we miss you guys!

(Except for Weston and Rosalyn; thanks for visiting guys; it was just the boost of family we were looking for. We loved having you guys for a few days and hope all goes well before the move back to good ol' Utah!)

Follow Up: Interesting Statistics

2008-06-20T10:00:00.000-07:00

Curious who you selected to run the country?

Candidate A: Franklin Roosevelt

Candidate B: Winston Churchill

Candidate C: Hitler

Makes you think twice about judging a book by its cover, doesn't it?

Which Princess Are You

2008-06-19T11:39:00.000-07:00

I'd say this is about 50% accurate, but me, naive? I don't think so! Still, it's kinda fun. Which princess are you?

You Are Ariel!

Headstrong and feisty. You have a mind of your own that's full of romantic dreams about the world around you. Exploring exotic places is your ultimate dream, and although you can be a little naive you'll realize that there is something to be gained from your family's wisdom.

Which Disney Princess Are You?

So You Think You Can Dance

2008-06-19T11:09:00.000-07:00

Yes, I do think I can dance but then I watch the show and realize I'm so going to be at the bottom of the barrel in my tap class next semester, but oh well! This season is off and running but I'm finding myself less than impressed with how they've all been dancing. Last night though, I was really touched by this dance and found myself saying, "Could it be that I love contemporary?" And then I remembered some of my favorite dances from last couple of seasons and they were also contemporary. So, for your viewing pleasure, starting with last night and work back....

Homecoming Pictures

2008-06-16T22:39:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my fabulous little sister Kait; I've got some of the cutest pictures of Dallan's homecoming. Needless to say its taken me awhile to post these, but better late than never, and besides I needed help figuring how to get them off the external hard drive and on to the computer. These are my favorites...

A New Kind Of Tag

2008-06-13T16:01:00.000-07:00

So while I was checking email, I was tagged with this.... Although I mostly stay away from these things, it's different so I liked it. The idea is to only answer with one word and it is harder than you think it may be....

1. Where is your cell phone? purse
2. Your significant other? Dallan
3. Your hair? boring
4. Your mother? dramatic
5. Your father? phenomenal
6. Your favorite thing? Dallan
7. Your dream last night? sexy
8. Your favorite drink? Pepsi
9. Your dream/goal? happiness
10. The room you're in? office
11. Your ex? unimportant
12. Your fear? worms
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Florence
14. Where were you last night? home
15. What you're not? PC
16. Muffins? blueberry
17. One of your wish list items? Wii
18. Where you grew up? Cali
19. What are you wearing? jeans
20. Your TV? necessary!
21. Your pets? none
22. Your computer? tired
23. Your life? hectic
24. Your mood? excited
25. Missing someone? Whitesides
26. Your car? clean
27. Something you're not wearing? shoes
28. Favorite Store? Target
29. Your summer? busy
30. Like someone? yep
31. Your favorite color? pink
32. Last time you laughed? Wednesday
33. Last time you cried? overwhelmed

Time For A Little Catch Up....

2008-06-13T14:33:00.000-07:00

Wow, are we seriously half way through June (and more to the point, a whole other year?!?!)? It seems like Dallan and I have been running in circles these last few weeks, so here's a nice montage of what we've been up to....

On May 31st, we had two weddings that we were lucky enough to attend. The first one was at the Sacramento LDS temple in Rancho Cordova. We feel so blessed that we were included in this very special occasion and couldn't be happier that their faithful waiting has finally paid off. After their sealing, we made our way back to Roseville so I could take a nap before heading up to Winchester (due North above Auburn, CA) for the wedding of one of my dearest longtime friends, Kirby. I can remember a time before Matt, but before him Kirby was never this happy. One of the best things about good ol' friends, is other good ol' friends. It was the first time in years that we were together.

We thought that once we survived wedding season, life would be lazy summer days. I couldn't wait to get into the pool and just relax with Dallan. I soon discovered, however, that pool days are funner with a 15 month old.... Since Dallan is not working right now, he's been marvelous to some friends of ours by watching their little girl Bella while they are at work. She is hilarious and Dallan and her adore each other. Who knew Dallan would go from combat training to lunching, hair styling and phones non-stop. Here are some of my fave Bella pictures....

With Dallan settling in, and both of us adjusting, I've decided to break from the Make-A-Wish Foundation for an opportunity much closer to home. Although I will totally miss the mission, my coworkers and Raiser's Edge, I'm very much looking forward to a new challenge.

Basically, we're doing fabulous and having the time of our lives!

Interesting Statistics

2008-05-28T11:54:00.000-07:00

So, last night Dallan and I were having yummy hamburgers with some amazing friends when we started talking about various political/religious leaders. It made me think of a forward I'd received awhile ago, so here it is for you to ponder. I'll post the followup in a week or so...

Question:It is time to elect a new world leader, and only your vote counts.Here are the facts about the three leading candidates.

Candidate A-Associates with crooked politicians, and consults with astrologists.He's had two mistresses. He also chain smokes and drinks 8 to 10 martinis a day.

Candidate B-He was kicked out of office twice, sleeps until noon, used opium in college and drinks a quart of whiskey every evening.

Candidate C-He is a decorated war hero. He's a vegetarian, doesn't smoke, drinks an occasional beer and never cheated on his wife.

Which of these candidates would be your choice?

Also, in light of an election year, when some feel like it isn't worth the time/effort/energy etc to vote, ponder this and make sure you know exactly who you are voting for....

Can you imagine working for a company that has a little more than 500 employees and has the following statistics?
*29 have been accused of spousal abuse
*7 have been arrested for fraud
*19 have been accused of writing bad checks
*117 have directly or indirectly bankrupted at least 2 businesses
*3 have done time for assault
*71 cannot get a credit card due to bad credit
*14 have been arrested on drug-related charges
*8 have been arrested for shoplifting
*21 are currently defendants in lawsuits
*84 have been arrested for drunk driving in the last year

Can you guess which organization this is? Give up yet? It's the 535 members of the United States Congress. The same group of people that crank out hundreds of new laws each year designed to keep the rest of us in line.

Makes you think, doesn't it?

TAGGED

2008-05-06T08:55:00.000-07:00

5 things on my list to do today
1. Plan Emily's birthday party
2. Pay bills
3. Change light bulb in hallway
4. Sort out dental benefits through Military
5. cancel hotel for this weekend (Dallan got us into military housing!)

5 snacks I enjoy
1. M&M's
2. Cheeseballs
3. Pepsi with Lime
4. Cheese :)
5. any sour candy

5 things I would do if I suddenly became a billionaire
1. Buy a plot of land and build Dallan's dream home
2. Take our World Cruise now
3. Adopt
4. Quit work, go to school full time
5. Start a foundation to benefit children's charities

5 places I've lived
1. Roseville, CA
2. Hau'ula, HI
3. Phoenix, AZ
4. West Jordan, UT
5. Concord, CA

5 Jobs I've Had:
1. Sun Splash
2. Nationwide Insurance
3. Chili's
4. Pier One Imports
5. Make-A-Wish Foundation (Utah and Greater Bay Area)

5 things people don't know about me
1. I actually do like to cook, I've just never really had to and I'm way out of practice.
2. People think that I'm just scared of worms but I'm scared of clowns and horses too. I can just hide these fears better.
3. While Dallan was home for leave we slept in twin beds. We'd gotten used to our own space. We're adjusting much better now, thank you! :)
4. I dig tattoo's. I can't explain it, but I think they are awesome!
5. I want to be a stay at home mom. I know, crazy huh?

I TAG anyone else who wants to give it a shot.

He's HOME (Kinda)

2008-05-05T09:19:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I've posted anything but I figure I have a good excuse! Dallan is safely back in Utah and will be there for a few more weeks.

Here's a good link of their return. Dallan is the second Marine on the far right.

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=3210656

Thankfully, the Livingston's were on hand with cameras in tow so when they pass them to me (next week when I'm back in Utah) I will post some.

The Happiest Place on Earth

2008-04-14T20:50:00.000-07:00

My sister and her husband took my way-too-cute-for-her-own-good niece to Disneyland this past weekend. She was a trooper; riding the rides (loving Dumbo), eating more than her weight, picking out Winnie the Pooh beads to make Nana a key chain and enjoying a day with mommy and daddy. When they were driving home, she asked for a chicken nugget and no sooner had mommy handed it over, she was dead asleep (with a death grip on the chicken nugget, might I add).

It's so amazing how fast she's growing up and how quickly the days go by. Everyday is something new and wonderful for Kenna; it's a lesson I've appreciated more than I could ever say this last year. Go figure, I had to learn that from a 15 month old, but she's been the best little distraction ever!

Isn't It Time for Vacation Yet?

2008-04-14T16:47:00.000-07:00

First up is fun in the sun with the Dentinger clan....

Then we need some fun at sea with one another....

And finally, its about time we put our passport pictures to good use....

The ABC's of Me (Kirsten)

2008-04-10T13:05:00.000-07:00

So this has been passed along... I normally don't do this type of thing but I'm pretty distracted at work right now and it seemed like a good waste of time....

A - Attached or single: Attached
B - Best friend: Dallan
C - Cake or pie: I LOVE either; as long as it's chocolate...
D - Day of choice: Friday..It's dress down day at work, parking is easy at BART and the weekend is oh so close!
E - Essential item: Blackberry
F - Favorite color: Pink
G - Gummy bears or worms: I like the sour gummy worms
H - Hometown: Roseville, CA
I - Indulgence(s): Coming home, grabbing a Pepsi a magazine and getting in the bath
J - January or July: July
K - Kids: Not for awhile...
L - Life is incomplete without: Dallan
M - Marriage date: January 31st, 2004
N - Number of siblings: 3
O - Oranges or apples: Apples. I love orange flavoring but I can't eat an orange; the white stuff is yucky!
P - Phobias or fears: Worms, slugs and snails; weird I know but I can't help it...
Q - Quotes: Consistency in performance is better than flashes of brilliance
R - Reason to smile: I'm finally back in Cali and Dallan will be home in two weeks!!!
S - Season of choice: Fall
T - Tag three friends: Janielle, Taryn and Moe
U - Unknown fact about me: I don't think there are any...I'm a pretty open book....
V - Very favorite store: Target
W - Worst habit: Procrastination
X - X-ray or ultrasound: Neither; both make me uncomfortable..
Y - Your favorite food: Country Chicken
Z - Zodiac sign: Capricorn

Olympic Torch

2008-04-09T15:23:00.000-07:00

One of my most favorite things about being back in the Bay Area is that there is always something going on and instead of reading about it a few days later in the paper or on the Internet, I can leave my office, walk about four blocks, take a deep breath and jump right in to the chaos.

Both pro-China and pro-Tibet protesters lined the street (also, a small group of naked people who want the games to go back to the way they were in ancient Greece; I guess they assume that togas and nudity are one in the same?!?!). It was pretty intense but so cool to see so many people passionate about what's going on in the world today. Seeing the torch was pretty awesome too; it's like being part of living history.

Check out what happened on the bridge yesterday in prep for today. It's amazing what some people will do...

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=080407184511.x8a9s81y&show_article=1

Woo Hoo

2008-04-06T01:08:00.000-07:00

So, Dallan's successful PFT has lead to a promotion; he's now Sgt. Livingston.

I am just so proud I can't help but share (and I'm grinning for him from ear to ear)!

We're about three weeks out now and the anxiety is totally setting in....

Why, oh why are these last DAYS seemingly longer than the last YEAR???

It's Pretty Cool...

2008-04-03T10:05:00.000-07:00

Tattoo's are most definitely a personal taste kind of thing. They are (or at least should be) very personal; a reflection of a passion, time in your life or love. They are forever....

Two of my sisters now have matching tattoos. As young children we often talked about one day getting matching tattoos to represent everything that we'd been through and to solidify the bond we have. As we got older, and went separate ways, the ideas of our youth did too. My sister Chelsea stayed true to her statement of getting a "sisters" tattoo, albeit much different from the ones we'd always discussed.

When she turned 18 she did some research. She wanted something that embodied certain ideals and what she found were sparrows. Here are a few things we've learned in researching the symbolism behind these birds....

1. They stand for freedom, dedication, loyalty and trust.

2. They are fierce fighters.

3. They represent true love and soul mates, but not necessarily to a romantic partner. They are for your first love, whatever that means.

4. They represent leaving to chart your own course but finding a way to return "home".

5. They embodied the souls of the ones you love so that you can carry them with you always.

For those of you who know more than you'd probably like about my life growing up, you'd know how spot on the sparrow is for my sisters and I. When we heard these things we knew that Chelsea had definitely gotten it right for her first tattoo. She took it a step further, however. Her sparrows have a banner between their beaks with our names on it. Yes, she has inked my name on her body for forever. That's commitment folks. For better or worse she'll always have it there. Now, Morgan has turned 18 and followed in Chelsea's footsteps. Morgan is more conservative so she opted for one tattoo (not the two birds) and instead of our names, she has our initials. Again, WOW!!! that's commitment.

So...after much background....here they are.....

Whole Lot of Posting Going On....

2008-03-29T10:20:00.000-07:00

First things first....

Dallan got a 1st Class PFT (physical fitness test)! This is the best of the best in the company. He's been working towards this for as long as we've been married and he was finally able to do it (and right before they discuss promotions; he has immaculate timing....)! He did 10 straight pull ups, up from 7 before. 115 crunches in 2 minutes, up from 98 and ran the 3 miles in 21 mins and 3 sec, up from 24 minutes and some odd seconds (side note: I'd be excited if I could do a small fraction of any of this...). He was pretty jazzed about all of this and I'm so proud of him.

On another note, I went and saw Stop Loss last night. I can't explain why I HAD to do this; I know it teeters on the sick and twisted but I needed to see what Dallan's been seeing-what they've all been seeing and feeling-so that I know what we may be up against when he returns. It was heartbreaking and horrific and honest. I was crying the whole time and even more when I left and got home to see Dallan's pictures; especially the ones in uniform.

This war is so much more than who's right and who's wrong. It's more than a religion. The price of oil. The pride involved. It's about the soldiers, airmen, marines that are doing something that most of us couldn't do. It's a tough job; an honorable job. So...thank them whenever you can. Love them unconditionally. Pray for them without fail and welcome them home where they belong.

Here's a link for the movie just in case you haven't see much about it....

http://www.fandango.com/videos/102121

Lake Bled, Slovenia

2008-03-28T15:25:00.000-07:00

So my favorite magazine just got better; Real Simple did a special travel edition and the bug has bit me so hard I'm already trying to figure a way to get more paid days off from work to trek around the globe. Moving straight to the top of my list is Lake Bled, Slovenia. I'd never heard of it but reading the articles and doing some research made me squirm with excitement! Maybe it's because I swear they filmed Chitty Chitty Bang Bang here (?!?!?) and I LOVE that movie (I know that's awful, but I've got great memories from watching Ol' Chitty and signing...Chitty Chitty Bang Bang we love you, high low anywhere you go....), but realistically it's because this is an undiscovered gem that I know Dallan and I will both love....

Anyways, June/July 2008...I'll be in a pletna heading from Grad to Otok...

Ah Paradise...

2008-03-27T14:43:00.000-07:00

I thought I had sent all these pictures to Dallan, but I had the forethought to download them to my computer first (just in case they got/get lost in transit...). My sister and I went to Oahu, Hawaii in celebration of my 4th anniversary... Moe and I braved the waters with sharks, ate tons of good Hawaiian treats and relaxed as much as we could....

We had a great time, here are the pictures to prove it!

Technology and My OCD

2008-03-26T16:03:00.000-07:00

I got an email today from Princess Cruises about pre-booking my shore excursions! I clicked through the link and signed Dallan and I up, just like that-it was so easy! For those of you who have traveled with me and know that before I can relax I need a plan, this is AMAZING! I can plan now, not stress about being the first person in line on board and best of all, Dallan won't have to deal with the OCD that organizing sometimes comes hand in hand with! We'll post pictures when we're back, but if you want to check out our planned trip, here it is:

http://www.princess.com/pb/itineraryDetails.do?voyageCode=D831

Isn't She Adorable?

2008-03-25T09:57:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I know I'm totally biased but I have the cutest niece ever! She's such a freakin' ham (sorry sis; she's gonna be a handful by 12...) and seeing her cute little face just makes my day! I had to share the latest pic of her....

In the Beginning....

2008-03-24T13:47:00.000-07:00

There was chaos.... Like all things directly (or indirectly for that matter) related to technology, I am eons behind....

(Side note: Boss if you are reading this, I'm totally up to speed on technology. I promise to not corrupt our files, shut down the server or have to re-install any software. I have also provided myself an "out" to this promise; I have programmed every imaginable help line into all my phones. You know, just in case...)

I thought I would start blogging at the beginning of Dallan's deployment as I thought that this life changing event was the beginning of the rest of our lives and thinking that we'd want to chronicle the year. I quickly realized though, that most of what has transpired this last year was either "classified" or way too personal. (We also discovered that with no email and very limited calling, snail mail is fun! We developed an old fashioned love story, complete with letters and doodles.) I also realized that we were stupid to think of his service in Iraq as the beginning of forever; this event is just the precursor that made us realize we haven't been "living", we've been getting by. Although there is no shame in this; we've worked hard and played too, we've just put things off for "later" or a "more convenient time".

Now, with his return looming in the near future (but still feels like forever....) I'm prepared to look to the future and live and let live. Life is about living and laughing; it's about loving-things we are ready to do again in full force. Like the 3R's of learning we've decided there should be the 3F's to life; family, friends and fun.

So, watch out life, the Livingston's are unstoppable....