We can't believe it has been 2 years!

We waited so long for our little (hehe) Jonah that I can't believe he's already been with us for 2 years!  Here are some of the highlights of our journey to get Jonah.

August 2006-Get approved through LDS Family Services

November 2006 (2 days before Thanksgiving)-Find out that Jonah is on his way

December 1, 2006-Meet Rhonda for the first time.  She seemed so familiar to me.

December 14, 2006-Jonah is born in Idaho Falls (ironically that is also where Graham was born) around 7:30 pm by c-section with the cord wrapped around his neck several times.  He was healthy and happy.  We did see him that night but only for a second.

December 15-We spent some time with Jonah and Rhonda.  I felt like Jonah seemed so wise and that he was perfectly aware and content to know that he had two mom's in the room with him.

December 16-We decided to let Jonah and Rhonda have the day to themselves.  We knew we would have forever with him and wanted them to be able to have the time they needed together.

December 17-Around 11ish we met at the hospital with the caseworker (Jackie), Rhonda, her friend, and a nurse.  We chatted for a bit and the caseworker asked Rhonda if there was anything she wanted us to tell Jonah when he was older (or something like that) and I remember her saying that they (she and Jonah) had already a had good long talk.  I thought that was so sweet.  It was a bitter sweet moment when she put Jonah in my arms.  My heart broke for her especially having birthed a child myself I couldn't imagine what she was going through.  At the same time I couldn't believe how lucky and blessed we were.  It gave us such a greater understanding of the atonement and what its like to have somebody do something for you that you can't do for yourself.  

Monday, December 18-The waiting began.  Since we were from Utah and Jonah was born in Idaho there was all this random paperwork and court stuff that had to take place before we could take Jonah back to Utah.  The hope was that it would only take 3 or 4 days. We kept busy. We took Jonah back to the hospital for his pku test (I think that's what it was) and Jason had a friend from ISU that had us over for dinner one night.  Our car had troubles while we were there so for a few days we were stranded at the hotel.

Thursday, December 21-Jackie calls to say that the paperwork and court stuff had not gone through.  That everyone would be leaving Friday for Christmas and wouldn't be back until sometime between Christmas and New Years or maybe not until after New Years.  We couldn't go home until that paperwork was done.  We were bummed (I know, we were so blessed to have Jonah that being stuck in a hotel for Christmas is just a small price to pay but we were homesick and wanted to share our new addition with everyone), and started making plans for Christmas in the hotel.  Knowing that this might happen we had brought some small gifts for Graham, our stockings, and our mini Christmas tree.  My parents and Mikey made plans to come visit us for an afternoon and we found a restraunt that would be open on Christmas.  In an attempt to perk ourselves up we went to Big Judd's and had a ginormous hamburger and then went to Rexburg and saw the temple that was being built there.

Friday, December 22-We had a bad night.  Jonah of course was up a lot to eat and since we were all in a hotel room together we were all up.  Graham wasn't feeling well and I decided in the morning to go get our continental breakfast and bring it back to our room to eat (btw one morning Kurt Bestor was having the continental breakfast with us and he and his band couldn't get the waffle maker to work right and I helped them). Then the phone calls started coming.  First Jackie called and said she had talked to her boss and that they had worked something unoffical out so that we could leave for Christmas and then come back.  We couldn't believe it.  We started dancing around and then crying.  We felt so blessed.  I have never seen anyone pack as fast as we did that morning.  As we were taking things out to the car the phone rang and it was Jackie again.   She said that she had worked things out and that we could officially go home! WOW!  It was like a huge burden had been lifted.  She asked if we would stop by the office before we left so she could say bye.  We hurried over there and while she was out with me oooing an ahhing over Jonah Jason was inside and the other workers told him that Jackie had been on the phone all morning explaining our situation to everyone and had finally talked them into letting her fax the 60 page document to Utah and Idaho and back again.  Plus she had talked to the courts and gotten permission for us to go home even though they wouldn't get the judges signature until after Christmas.  She was so amazing and we think of her often and of how grateful we for all her efforts on our behalf.

June 18 & 29 2007-Our adoption is finalized in court by Judge McVey and Jonah is sealed to us in the Mt. Timpanogos temple.

July 2007-Jonah is blessed in Sacrament Meeting.  

Happy birthday Jo!  We don't know what we would do without you.  Thank you Rhonda for blessing us with something so precious and that has brought us so much joy.  We love you!