Yeah, Write

Thankful For

My baby girl and her pigtails.

My new KitchenAid mixer that made these a snap to make for Thanksgiving!

Lovely place settings at my sister-in-law's house.

Grandma Lucas's famous mashed carrot potatoes and homemade turkey gravy.

Delectable sweet potato casserole (recipe here) and stuffing.

My contributions: buttery crescent rolls and this pear-gorgonzola-bacon-candied-pecan salad that is truly "salad crack" (as tipster Melissa Kaiserman aptly called it). I could eat it all day long.

My boys and my girl.

A roomy kitchen for the Thanksgiving meal. "Roomy" is not a word I've ever been able to apply to my own kitchen.

A baby who actually ate some of the items on her plate—just before throwing the rest on the floor. :)

This candid shot of the teenager who becomes more and more reluctant to be photographed as the years go by.

Pumpkin pie.

Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving too!

My Little Birthday Girl

It's hard to believe that 365 days ago, I didn't even know her yet.

I'd seen a picture of her ultrasound.

I had placed my hands on her birthmom's belly. I had hugged her birthdad.

I had started setting up her nursery. I had tried in vain to keep my hopes in check, just in case the adoption didn't work out. And on October 2, 2010 I'd heard the news that she had made her entrance into this world and that she was healthy. But nothing more.

A year ago today, I didn't know that she had brilliant blue eyes and a tiny button nose. I didn't know what her name would be. I didn't know I would love her instantly and completely—or that I would barely be able to remember my life without her in it. I didn't know that being her mother would make me feel so whole, and that the open wound in my heart, which grew ever larger through 6 years of infertility, would close and scar over.

A year ago today, I had 48 more hours to wait before I'd set eyes on her, hold her in my arms, and spend my first sleepless night huddled around her bassinette. I didn't know how quickly she'd fit right into our lives as though she'd always been there. I didn't know how quickly she'd have her tough-guy daddy wrapped around her little finger.

A year ago today, I was purchasing last-minute essentials, washing load after load of baby laundry (thus discovering the heavenly scent of Dreft), and putting together baby swings and car seats. Meanwhile, Keira Jane—although that wasn't her name yet—was spending two precious days in the hospital with her birthmom, watching The Little Mermaid over and over.

A year ago today, she was perfect, tiny, and new. And I hadn't met her yet.

Fast foward to today. Her first birthday. She greeted her grandmas and grandpas, aunts, uncles, and cousins with utter joy. I didn't know a 1-year-old could grasp or understand that today was a special day—but she seemed to sense it. She melted everyone's heart all over again.

Today, we celebrated and displayed 12 months of belly-sticker photos, which showed at a glance just how quickly my little one has grown and changed.

I didn't know until today exactly how worthwhile it would be to stick to that pesky photos-every-month schedule. Or that this simple photo garland would make me so happy, sad, and nostalgic all at once.

Today, there was a special cupcake, just for Keira. And a wonderful, made-from-scratch cake for everyone else.

We watched her cuddle and nuzzle that cupcake, hugging it like a baby doll, taking delicate little bites, all the while saying, "Mmm-mmm!" It's true that it's more fun to watch her eat a cupcake than to actually eat a cupcake myself—something I never thought I'd say. :)

Today, a certain someone who wasn't having a birthday enjoyed more than her share of the birthday cupcake, too.

Today, Keira wore the same lavender bracelent she wore 363 days ago, when we brought her home from the hospital—a gift from her birthmom. Then, it was fastened at the smallest link. Today, it was at the largest. (You can also see it in the last hospital photo above.)

Today, Keira received thoughtful presents—lovingly picked out and painstakingly handmade—from family members on both sides.

Today, it was abundantly clear to me that the best present of all was the birthday girl herself. Little Keira Jane—my life's greatest gift.

Old News: Family Photos

We conclude "Old News Weekend" with the final, edited family photos from Elisha Snow's fabulous photo shoot with my extended family a month ago.

The whole gang.

Just the grandkids.

My parents and their six kids (clockwise from my dad, we go oldest to youngest).

My big brother and his crew.

The Lucas clan.

My little brother and his family.

My sister and her entourage.

Jeremy and Keira—my little lovelies.

Breaking News!
Today, May 30, 2011, I am blogging at Write.Click.Scrapbook. And I'm blogging there tomorrow too. I'm done living in the past. Come check out the fun ideas I have to share. Happy Memorial Day!

My First Mother's Day

My eyes instantly welled up when I opened this sweet card from my sister-in-law earlier this week. Oh yeah, Mother's Day gets to be about ME this year.

I was surprised at how much that mattered to me. It was unexpected because, although many infertile women get the blues around Mother's Day, I never really did. I never got sad about my childlessness on scheduled holidays or specific times of the year. It would just hit me out of nowhere, here and there, without warning—that empty ache in my heart.

So imagine my surprise at feeling such pleasure over a simple card.

And Keira decided to commemorate my first Mother's Day by staying awake and screaming from 11 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. She's making sure I earn my motherhood stripes just in time for the big holiday. The poor little thing has a cold, she was a bit irregular (if you get my drift), and her teeth were bothering her, too.

But oh how I love the way she cuddles into me when she doesn't feel well, trying to soak in all the love and comfort she can.

She had an even worse cold, with an ear infection, the week before Easter, which was also the week before our big day of family pictures, her name & blessing, and her LDS temple sealing that I blogged about last week. I took her to the doctor the morning before the big day, and she was miserable. But miracle of miracles, she was in a perfect and happy mood all day--during pictures, at the church, and at the temple. (In the temple, she was beaming in a way that told us some part of her knew exactly what was going on.)

Only after we returned home did her little eyes begin to water again, and her nose start to drain, and her little hand reach back up to tug on her ear.

So many things about her are miraculous. From the way she came into our lives to the way she captures the heart of everyone she meets. I am amazed every day that I was given this gift.

If my last few posts are any indication, you might eventually see all 140 pictures Elisha Snow took for us at an ampitheater near my house. I love them!

Crazy Good Times

You know how sometimes everything your life stacks up all at once, and you just go into "survival mode," moving from one task to the next as quickly as you can? Trying desperately not to let yourself get overwhelmed, because wonderful things are happening, and you don't want the details to get lost in a blur of busy-ness?

That's been my life lately. But for wonderful reasons.

Photo above by Elisha Snow. Bonnet and dress handmade by my mom. I can't wait to see the rest of the pictures!

1. On Saturday, April 23, we scheduled Keira Jane's baby blessing (the LDS version of a christening) and temple sealing (the spiritual version of "finalizing her adoption," to follow the legal finalization from a couple of weeks ago).

2. Hence, my sister's family was in town from California.

3. And my brother's family was in town from Arizona.

4. And my grandparents were in town from Idaho.

5. We also scheduled extended family portraits (with the fabulous Elisha Snow), since all 23 of us were together for the first time in a long time. Two parents, six children, and 11.5 grandchildren.

In said family photo, I finally understood the concept of being more concerned with how one's children look (binkie out, blanket out of the way, boogers out of nose) than oneself.

6. I coordinated a family potluck luncheon after the blessing, with 40-50 people expected to attend. My mom's famous potato salad and homemade mustard. My mother-in-law's famous ham. My sister-in-law's famous orange cake. My sister's famous cheesecake pudding. Costco's famous rolls. And the green lime slush I was so fond of from childhood.

7. I tried to set aside as much time as possible from Thursday through today to spend time with family and friends. Meals, walks, drives, shopping excursions, Easter-egg hunts, and simply time spent together.

8. Keira got her first fever and her first ear infection the day before the family was set to arrive. She was not a happy girl, but she was sweet and calm and cuddly nonetheless. And she was in a wonderful mood all day Saturday, which was a huge blessing. She'd only been on her antibiotic for one day.

9. Naturally, it was Easter the following day. No eggs were boiled or dyed at my house, but Easter baskets did manage to get filled and set out the next morning. (16-year-old boys still do care about these things, as much as they might pretend to be too grown up.)

10. In my work life, I've been madly preparing for Ella Publishing Co.'s very first online event, Spring Training 2011, which launched yesterday. It's been a huge undertaking, but Wendy and I have been having a ball!

In hindsight, I might have scheduled things a little bit differently. But I can't complain. Saturday could not have been more perfect, and Easter Sunday was a lovely respite from the mania of the previous week.

And Spring Training is going along swimmingly. We're having a blast! And since I've certainly neglected the journaling and writing topic here on my blog recently (I can't resist talking and talking about my baby girl!), you can get your word-nerd fill in three extremely useful and meaningful journaling lessons from me. I have to say, these feature some of my best writing tips ever.

p.s. How could I have forgotten? I also ran a half marathon the Saturday before. I'll post about that later this week! Probably. Right now, I need a nap.

My Valentine and My Little Love Bug

Oh, how I adore this man.
(Click the image for a better chance at reading the journaling... :)

And I couldn't love this little love bug any more than I already do.

She brightens every minute of every day. Such a little love...

And for Jeremy, who didn't care to have his picture taken, Valentine's Day meant heart-shaped blueberry pancakes (and an egg) in bed.

Love is most definitely in the air around here.

"Handmade" Gifts: Photo Desk Calendar

To continue my parade of handmade gifts given to family and friends this Christmas, behold the calendar with which I surprised my husband, Travis, and his mother, Beverly. I didn't do much "by hand"apart from moving the mouse around to click and choose photos and layouts via Shutterfly.com, but it still counts. Family photo books make fabulous gifts, no matter how or where you create them!

Travis just started a new job as the Creative Architect / Director of Interactive Design at Deseret Digital Media, which runs local news sites KSL.com and DeseretNews.com, among others. (Way to go, sweetie!) And this is the calendar that now sits atop his shiny, new desk. (AND, I get to help him pick out office decor from IKEA. Woot!)

This project reminded me what a BIG year we had. Jovie the Loveable Tyrant joined the family in December, followed by cute Keira Jane in October. Life is good. And characterized by the cleaning up of lots and lots of poop.

 

Top Ten Memories from 2010

In no particular order...

Jovie as a puppy, when she still looked like she was wearing footie pajamas that were a few sizes too large. I had to keep checking her belly for a zipper.

My last Girls' Weekend with my nieces before they packed up and moved to Mesa, Arizona. I miss my girls! (Pictured: Haylee and Breanna gathering up the courage to pet a stingray at the local acquarium.)

My Grown-up Girls' Weekend with Wendy Smedley and Elizabeth Dillow, who was visiting from scenic Cheyenne. (Photo hijacked from Elizabeth's blog, as I was too intimidated by her mad photo-taking skills to even pull out my camera.)

 

The surprise Travis Lucas 40th Birthday Bash with nearly all of his favorite people in attendance--a major undertaking as this man is (almost) impossible to surprise.

The great haircut of 2010 (donated to Pantene Beautiful Lengths), which landed me and my sister-in-law on a local morning show.

 

Sailing the California coast with my sister's family. (Pictured: my 5-year-old nephew, Thomas.) Well I didn't sail, due to anti-nausea-medication-induced pupil dilation in just one eye. But the boys had fun!

 

Our four-wheel-driving adventure through Colorado's back country—Silverton to Telluride to Ouray and all sorts of places in between. (Pictured: two pesky marmots peering at us through the rocky terrain.)



The release of my second eBook, Journaling that Matters: Simple strategies for finding the right words. This one was co-written with Kelly Jeppson, with whom I've been friends since we were fellow English majors at Utah State University.

 

The Deseret News 24th of July 10k that had me on a 24-hour high. (Pictured: me with running partner, Kelly Jeppson.) It was such a fun race! So fun that I haven't run more than a mile since. But that can be blamed on the entry that follows...

 

And now for the memory that rules them all: the arrival of miss Keira Jane Lucas. This event could easily fill ALL ten spots and then some, but I decided it was only fair to share the love with other events, too.
Keira Jane at 3 days old.

Keira's First Santa Encounter

Can you believe she wasn't one bit afraid to sit on Santa's lap?

It probably helped that this particular Santa was about her same size--and that his belly didn't shake when he laughed like a bowl full of jelly.

Clearly, this little elf had a jolly old time with jolly old St. Nick!

But let's be honest, THIS is how she spent most of Christmas Day. Sleep in heavenly peace, indeed.

Merry Christmas

Miss Keira Jane loves to gaze at the tree. What will we do when it's time to take it down?

Christmas Eve snack celebration.

Peppermint-cocoa cookies. (Recipe here.)

Big brother. Very little sister.

Traditional extended-arm family group shot in front of the Christmas tree. (It's nice to know we can fit four in the frame.)

Ready for Santa.