MAY IS A MONTH OF CELEBRATION

Monday, May 14th was our 1st official "Family Day". It has been a year that we walked off the plane and the girls, Mason, Marty & I were finally all together. I did not want a special day to remember until the five of us were together cause it was a journey that Marty, the girls & I all made the decision to do together 3 years ago. It's been fun thinking back on what we all remember about that day.
Unfortunately I was unable to celebrate this occasion with them because my brother called and my sister-in-law had recently had surgery to remove her previous transplanted kidney and fix her bladder and took a turn for the worst and my brother called asking me to come earlier then I had planned (leaving that Friday of that same week). Hearing the worry in my brothers voice I immediately dropped what I was doing and left for Denver. Marty was great about it and before I left I stopped at the girls school and said goodbye and then went to Mason's daycare and said goodbye. My Aunt Linda went with me so I didn't have to drive alone and thankfully she did because we ran into some bad weather through Nebraska. We stayed with Chad until Tuesday the 22nd and thankfully Megan was able to come home on Monday the 21st just before I left. Megan is doing great and on her way to getting stronger everyday. They are hoping by the end of July to have a new kidney for her through her family.

Mason & his "Build-a-Bear" we got him for "Family Day" He is a huge fan of Toy Story so we got him "Buzz Bear"

MASON'S 3RD BIRTHDAY, SATURDAY, MAY 26TH

Mason got a skidster from Aunt Kim & Uncle Mark. He hasn't quite figured it out yet and went off the driveway drop and ran into the neighbors house. It didn't even startle him, he was laughing.

Yesterday, May 26th was Mason's 3rd birthday. We had a party with family and he got spoiled rotten with all the great gifts he was given. Mason chose a Shrek birthday theme since he had just seen the movie last weekend. He loved being sung "Happy Birthday" too and blew out the candles in one shot. (We didn't celebrate his 2nd birthday because we had just gotten home and settled and he had received a lot of gifts from a toy shower that was given to us)

Mason and his Shrek birthday cake as we were singing "Happy Birthday"

Mason had a ball playing with his cake.

Another great photo of the 3 kids together.

Being with my brother and sister-in-law really put alot of things in perspective for me. When I think I have it so rough with my arthritis and all the medical bills that we have acquired or when I get upset with the kids for something they have said or done I think of Megan who never complains about what she is going through, you can call her and she'll be so upbeat and positive when you know things can't possibly be. I am truly blessed to have her in my life.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

I hope all you mother's had a great day spending it with the ones you love. Today we went to my sister's and spent the day with her family and my parents. We had a great time just hanging out and doing nothing spectacular just being together.


I've got to tell you this story, I forgot to mention it the last time I was on:


When Tori got confirmed we had to sit in the front of the church and Mason did really good for the most part but half way through it he was getting pretty antsy, loud & mad so I gave Marty "the look" of you better get him out of here and sure enough as they are walking to the back of the church Mason is screaming "MY MOMMY IS MEAN". It really was pretty funny I must say and everyone had to of heard it cuz we were in the front and heard it load and clear. I had a few people come up to me and say it was cute and others that had similar stories to tell.

Our little man.

Tomorrow we will be celebrating our official "Family Day". It will be one year ago tomorrow that we came off the plane and became a family of 5. I will never forget that day of seeing Mason put his arms out to the girls for them to take him. Now that I think back maybe he was trying to say "get me away from these adults". He has came into our lives and blessed it with so much love, laughter and happiness. Not a day goes by that one of us doesn't try to remember what it was like before he was home and it's as if life didn't begin till he was here. Even the girls will say "we are complete".

Oh Yeah--guess what Marty and Mason did for Mother's Day. While the girls and I were gone in Des Moines Marty & Mason went and got their pictures taken. It was the most thought full that has been done for me for a long time. It brought me to tears to think that Marty was able to come up with this idea all on his own. I had just told the girls on Saturday that what I appreciate the most from them on Mother's Day is something made from them or something that they thought of to get me all on their own without me being told to just "pick it out myself". I'll get the pic's on a disc and put some on the blog in the next couple of days.

Hope you all had a great day.

Much love,

Tammy & family

A BLESSED DAY--even with sewer in the basement

Today was Tori's Confirmation. We are so proud of her and her Christian faith. It has gotten her through a lot of hard times (14yr old girlie stuff).

L 2 R Grandpa, Grandma, (Tammy's parents) Tori & Papa (Marty's dad).

1 year ago today we carried Mason out of the orphanage for the very last time with his forever family. It is a day we feel so blessed for. You work so hard to get all the proper documents collected so everything is in order for court and you honestly never think the day will come. I will never forget the feeling of being a mother to a little boy chosen just for us by god's will.

Many families celebrate this day as their "Gotcha Day" but we (me really) decided to celebrate a "Family Day", which is the day we all (Marty, myself, Mason & the girls) were finally reunited together officially as a family on May 14th, '06. I am hoping to make a traditional Russian meal which is really funny because my family says I can't even make an American meal very well. I'll update you on how that turns out.

To explain the title: We woke up this morning from a terrible storm last night with sewer in our basement. We were so overwhelmed and upset at this because things just haven't seemed to go our way and we were excited to have all our family with us today to celebrate such a grand occasion. The kids and I went to my parents to take showers and upon our return we walked in to the stench of sewer. We quickly realized that we could not have all our company in the house with this smell. The angel always watching over me (my mother) offered her home to us. We ended up having a great day and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Tori received some very nice things someday she'll look back on and appreciate.

Much love to all,

Tammy & family