San Diego Trip

Having Corey, Leslie, and Clay be in San Diego is hard....we miss them so much....so we WERE so thrilled to finally be going to San Diego to see them! This was Corey's first meeting Nella and we couldn't wait to meet our little Clay! We knew it would be fun, crazy, busy, but we didn't ever think it would be the perfect trip where we would have so many memories and laughs that we wouldn't want it to end.

I will forever remember the moment when Leslie met Nella...and now Nella and Corey's meeting will be engraved in my memory as well. She was amazing on the plane...have we said that we are blessed with the most easy going baby in the world....she was her happy self on the flight and then fell fast asleep in her carseat on the plane....she even slept through the landing....it wasn't until we started to get off the plane that her little eyes popped open!!! Mind you that it now 12:56 AM Indiana time....but she was so thrilled to meet her Uncle Corey! I loved watching Corey with her on this trip! They are so in love with each other and they have such a sweet goofy little relationship and watching them together I never stopped smiling! They are too cute!!!

Matt and I were worried about how she would do with the time change, new crib, new surroundings, etc....I worried and as she always does Nella rolled with it! She stayed up for about an hour and half after landing in San Diego. Woke up at 4 (which would be 7 Indiana time) had a bottle and then went back to bed until 6:30 San Diego time and then she was officially on San Diego time and napped during her regular times and just acted like she lived in San Diego....makes me giggle how amazing she is!

We had our Christmas morning our first morning in San Diego...being with Corey and Leslie for a special Christmas was so much fun! Yes, we had to pack entire suitcase with gifts and YES I went overboard with Clay's gift....but he is my first nephew so we get to spoil him! And Nella got spoiled by Uncle Cor and Aunt Les too! It was so fun just being a family and enjoying our Christmas morning! How fun a bonus Christmas with our babies all TOGETHER!!!

When we were trying to decide what toys to bring little miss...we decided her spatula was a must and I know it is funny...but it is one of her favorite things! She had to share it with Clay so he can have one when he is ready! :)

After Christmas, we headed to the zoo....It was amazing! I have never seen a zoo like this before! I felt like I was in another world! You all know how much I love animals and I was in heaven seeing all these different animals that I have NEVER seen in real life before! The weather was amazing and the vegetation there was gorgeous! I loved watching little roo with all the animals! She especially loved the gorillas and monkeys :)

Love this pic....

She was so intrigued by the gorillas....she just kept looking and tapping the glass....she really wanted to touch them

I loved my extra time with Nella....I loved being with family and just enjoying moments and just soaking in all my time with Clay, Leslie, Corey, Matt, and Nella....it was so delightful!

Matt and Corey are two peas a pod...seriously! I love when they are together! They are so happy and finish each others thoughts! I love how silly and how much Matt smiles when he is with his brother!

She loves SUNGLASSES!

I loved being with Les and watching her with Clay! I loved how in love they both are with each other! She is doing such an amazing job with her little man! It is so fun to be moms together!

Nella loves her Auntie so much!

The cutest little man

So when you are at the panda bears you have to be quiet because they don't like noise and I am so thankful we went to the panda near the beginning, because at the end of our zoo trip Nella couldn't contain her excitement about all the animals she had seen anymore! She told us all about what she was seeing in her sweet little voice so loudly! I loved it! People would just giggle and stare at us as we strolled along....it was too cute! She had so MUCH to say!

I love this pic.....you can just feel the love....cant you! Nella also got a little panda bear from the zoo....she loves him! Aunt Leslie named him Diego and daddy has him talk in a Spanish accent.....so adorable!

I loved watching these two together!

We went lunch out on the patio at a little Mexican restaurant! Nella loved being with her Aunt Les...she loved just snuggling with her!

And most of all she adored her cousin! It was exciting to see her with him! I could tell she was intrigued by him and she was so gentle and sweet with him! She cares so much for him already!

We headed to the beach! I was so excited to take Nella to one of my favorite places...the beach! There is nothing like walking along the ocean and feeling the sand on your toes! You feel such a peace there! and she loved it! She wanted to walk and go towards the water! She loved the sand too!!! She melted my heart! I will never ever forget that moment being there with her! It was weird...it was like the world disappeared and it was just us in that moment.....her sweet sounds and smiles as she squished wet sand in between her toes and her smiling at me will forever be engraved in my memory....now that was a moment!

Us with our babes and babies!

We even got to write Grandma Spencer a special message in the sand!!! Now how cool is that!

Nella loved the sand....she would just pick it up and let it drop through her finger tips! She was absolutely adorable! I was complete mush when we got off the sand......she melted my heart

We got to go swimming in January! She wore her itsy bitsy yellow polka dot bikini! Now daddy and I have been debating about her bathswits and mommy won! She looked so adorable in her little two piece! She loved the water! It was so SO cold like ice water but it didn't bother my little fish! She kicked and splashed and was so thrilled to be in the water!!!

We had such a blast in San Diego! I will never ever forget that trip! I will never forget meeting my little Clay! I am so thankful for our family! I am thankful that we got to go and enjoy Corey, Leslie, Clay, and Bella! It was so much fun and we have so many memories from that trip! It was so hard to leave and say goodbye! I wish we didn't have to...We love you all so much! Thank you so much for sharing your home with us! We love you so!

Little Maxwell is here!!!!

Little Maxwell Jones has arrived! To say that Matt and I are thrilled for our new little neighbor is an UNDERSTATEMENT! He is the most precious little man I have ever seen! He is so tiny, such a peanut! Here are our gifts from God....to think that God had a plan for Jess and I greater than what we even knew! To know that God was holding us through all our pain and whispering to our hearts that you will have love and you will be okay my child! God is amazing! I am humbled that he chose Jess to be Oli and Max's mom! I am humbled to be Nella's mom!
Nella is SO in love with her new little friend. She gives lots of kisses and looks at him with such deep love!
Here is little Maxwell and his proud momma! He is so precious and I am so grateful that Maxwell is here! He couldn't ask for better parents to love on him and they are all so in love with each other! Little Oli is so proud of his baby brother and has such a deep love for him! It melts my heart!
He has lots of hair like Nella did...but his hair has curl and stands straight up! He is such a doll!
God thank you for choosing Maxwell to be apart of Dustin, Jess, and Oliver's family! Thank you for watching over him so closely and making sure he made it home! We are so excited to see the love this family has for each other! God is GOOD!!!!

Happy New Year

2010 was the best year of my life.....it brought our girl home...our girl we have been praying for sometime. Adopting was truly a huge blessing...don't get me wrong...it was unpredictable...not certain at times, but it was a truly amazing....we learned to trust God with all our hearts...we learned that through heartache and pain, you could have peace and joy....we learned that even though the what ifs are huge and you are not always sure how the end will be, that with faith....it will all fall into place! I know not all adoptions end like ours did, but I know God has a plan for us....see I am a planner by nature...it drives my mom and husband crazy how I like to know exactly how things are going to be and what every little detail determined before I begin something....but I learned that I may have huge plans for my life and God can turn my world upside down and make me realize that all my plans are not going to happen and it will be okay...because he is holding me...he has me in his arms.....God brought us great joy when he lead us to Courtney....who lead us to momma angel...who chose us to raise Nella and love and adore her.....and who wouldn't seriously...she is the sweetest little love.....ever

So when I think about my new years resolution this year....I just want to be content...I want to enjoy every little moment of my life and just drink it in...I want to not worry about my to dos and all the things I should be doing and just enjoy the moment.....I want to enjoy my family and treasure them...not that I don't already..because I do...I just want to soak in all our moments so I can forever remember them....

Remember and soak in the sweet little things about being a family......

Nella's First Christmas

Ummm for some reason...the pictures loaded recent to past...so that is how our post will go.....so we are taking you from the present to past....so enjoy :)

Last year, my Christmas time was hard...it was filled with hoping and longing for a little one to share it with....so this year...I WAS overjoyed that Nella was here...we had our little one to share Christmas time with.....She was a true delight...you could fill everyone's excitement and there were so many smiles......Our Christmas time was busy, filled with lots of love, and huge smiles....it was beyond what I could have expected....we started many traditions and enjoyed past traditions from a new perspective
Nella had 3 Christmases...how lucky is that...she had her Christmas at home, Christmas at G and G Spencers, and Christmas at Mamaw and Papaw's....We ended Christmas at mamaw and papaw's house....she got this cute hooded towel...so fun. She loved opening gifs....I was amazed she really seemed to get the concept...her eyes would dance with excitement, bang on the gift, and pull the paper....she was so fun and talkative
G and G Spencer got her a door jumper....she LOVES it and she is the cutest thing in it....Matt and I continue to giggle everytime she starts bouncing.....it is the funniest, cutest, and most joyful thing she has ever done...so fun

She had a blast being with her Grandpa Spencer. I always knew he would be a fantastic Grandpa, but how he interacts with her is beyond what I ever dreamed. He gets down on the floor and plays with toys, makes silly noises and faces, and throughly enjoys her. He enjoys every sound, movement, face, smile she does. I love it! She treasures her time with Grandpa and I can tell she adores him....can't you tell
Nella is one lucky girl.....Santa comes to Christmas Eve every year on Matt's side. To say that I have been looking forward to this tradition would be an understatement. Secretly since marrying Matt, I have dreamed of my child sitting on his lap at Christmas and everyone whooing and ahhing at him or her.....so I was giddy with excitement as we took her up there....would she cry...would she pull the beard....would she smile...I couldn't wait...I was like a little kid nervous, excited, and proud as I took our beautiful daughter...more beautiful than I ever dreamed....to Santa....She adored him...she smiled and looked up at him and was completely content....to say our girl is easy going is an understatement...she rolls with whatever and she won Santa's heart just like she does everyone else....
Nella playing with her cousin Bailey....I truly think Bailey thought she was a doll....she keep pushing her tummy and patting her head like Nella was going to make a noise or go to sleep or something....so precious to watch them interact with one another....they seemed to have their own conversation together....so fun
Christmas Eve was so fun being with family.....and it was more than that...you can feel the love with Matt's family.....usually we are squished in Ma Knox's house where it is hot and stuffy and hard to move around...this year it was moved to the Youth Center....it was nice to see kids running, adults talking, and everyone just enjoying each other....I love being with Matt's family....it is always filled with laughter, good times, smiles, and lots of hugs....:)
Our girl is a lover....she wants to give kisses and hugs....she gets what a kiss is...she will pull you in close to her face and then plant the most wet and slobbery kiss you could imagine....but it will leave you with wanting another and another because it is so sweet how she wants to kiss you...she wants you to know how much she loves you....my momma heart mushes when this happens when she decides to not only kiss me...but now everyone.....she got in trouble by dada for kissing Mr. Oliver and Mr. Lincoln...dada said you don't kiss little boys.....lol it starts already
Matt and Nella had so much fun with each other over Christmas...Her daddy adores her....and I love how the world stops when Nella is around and how he just drinks in all her giggles, noises, and smiles.....man....she has won his heart...
We headed up to Albion on December 19 for Bushong Christmas....as a child Bushong family events were always something I so looked forward too....they were one of my favorite things....and still are.....Bushong events will have really good food, lots of LAUGHTER (people will be crying they are laughing so hard), good stories, lots of hugs and kisses, and an abundance of love
This year...we did craft time with all the kids.....I LOVED IT....it was the teacher in me that wanted to see creativity, excitement, and smiles...and I got it....all the little ones gathered around to make a reindeer craft..we traced a foot, two hands, two wiggly eyes, a red pompom, some crayons..and you have RUDOLPH.....what I love about crafts..no one's looks the same....love THAT!!

Nella with her older cousin Aubrey....hmmmmm Nella looks gigantic compared to her....makes me giggle
Her Christmas outfit was one of my favorite things this year......I secretly bought it...Matt thought it was the most adorable thing he had ever seen....and when we put it on her....we seriously couldn't handle the cuteness...
We had Christmas at home before all the other Christmases started......we were so excited to have a real family Christmas to have a little one to share our traditions with.....we first started the season by going to get our christmas tree.....the day was perfect...it was snowing and we headed out to Spencer Farms to find the perfect tree...We then began decorating our home and preparing for Christmas. We baked Christmas cookies....made special cards for Aunts, Uncles, and grandparents....

We had our Christmas early in the morning....we opened gifts and Nella loved ripping the paper, chewing on ribbons, and all the sounds her new toys made. Matt and I decided to start a tradition where we write her a Christmas Letter each year and then read it to her. We stayed up late the night before just trying to capture what we wanted to say to her in a note together....daddy read it to her and my heart melted....the way she looked at him and hearing him be so emotional and sentimental with her.....We ended our morning with a christmas breakfast....we cannot wait for the many Christmas mornings to come

We had an extra special early Christmas gift this year....Baby Clay Jameson Spencer was born....we met him on Skype for the first time and we are thrilled for his parents, Corey and Les. Watching their gigantic smiles, hearing the proudness in their voice, and seeing them with him.....just melts us and we could not be more excited for them. We are going to visit in two weeks and we are dying to meet him...to see his little fingers and toes in real life....he is just precious!!!!! Can't wait Clay to see you!!!


Christmas was magical at our home.....it was beyond what I dreamed and thought it would be like.....Nella even made it extra special...by saying dada on Christmas day for her daddy for the first time! This was by far my most favorite Christmas ever. I will never forget the excitement on her face, excitement in our hearts, the new traditions we started, seeing her on Santa's lap on Christmas Eve, being with family and watching everyone just melt with her, it was perfect! She is perfect! Seriously....I am humbled by the gift God sent us...choose for us....the gift of this little girl!

Our Angel Girl

There is something about Christmas time....something that makes everyone smile and feel happiness. Out of all the holidays, Christmas is my favorite holiday. I love our home at Christmas time, the smells, the decorations, the Christmas music, wrapping gifts, getting cards in the mail, stockings on the fire place, and especially making Christmas cookies....but this year is way different than years past, this year....I get to be a mommy on Christmas.....there is something about having a little one that makes the holidays even more special! I think it is the excitement on their faces and everything being new and exciting, traditions are created, and enjoying, soaking up every little minute. Nella is LOVING Christmas and it makes my heart so excited as we see what she will do next....

Last Saturday, we went and got our tree....it was so cold out on the farm and the snow was falling...it was perfect. Nella wanted to touch all the trees, she would flap her arms with excitement as Matt and I tried to find the perfect one....We came home and decorated the house and then later that night the tree.

She loved seeing all the decorations and we had to go through the whole house and touch every decoration.....her little eyes were so wide and she would flap her arms with excitement.....so sweet.

She has her one tree in her room. It is pink with pink little decorations....she loves it. Every night we turn off all the lights except for her tree and read our night night story and then we say our prayers and snuggle....it is my favorite time of the day.....snuggling in the quiet with my sweet little Christmas love....

She is the most precious gift I have ever received.....so precious