Cousin Fun!

I really wanted to do a “cousin’s camp” this summer with all of my nieces and nephews… but since our schedules were all so different and we couldn’t find a time that would work for everyone to get together, I decided instead to do a fun activity with each individual family. It’s worked out really great and I feel like I’ve been able to feel more connected with them! My kids feel the same way. Win win!

Meet the Family!

Hi there! We’re Bryan and Maria, happily married for over 20 years now! We have 3 awesome boys- Mr Tate (age 16), Mr Sam (age 10), and Mr Neum (pronounced Neé um- age 7). We’re all super excited about the decision to adopt and add a baby girl to our family!!! We feel that God is calling us to this great responsibility and we look forward to sharing the process with you! P.S. If you know of anyone who’s looking for a good family to place their baby with, please share our blog with them!

Get to know Mom (Maria):

1. I’ve ALWAYS wanted to be a mother (like from as far back as I can remember!) I’m sooooooo grateful that God has blessed us with 3 wonderful boys. They mean the world to me! And I’m over the moon excited about the opportunity to adopt a baby girl. Trust me when I say that whoever she is, she’ll be loved beyond measure! 2. I’m a homemaker and I take my job seriously! On top of being a wife, mother, housekeeper, etc., I’m a school teacher (yes, I homeschool our elementary school boys and we love it.) 3. Some of my hobbies include cooking/baking, gardening (I love growing my own food!), playing the piano, reading self help books, going on weekly dates with Bryan, mountain biking with our family (even when I struggle keeping up with them), going camping with our family, vacationing with our family, yeah… basically anything and everything with our family! They’re kinda awesome. 4. In general I’m a very healthy person… but I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes about 5 years ago, so countin...

A glimpse into our lives:

We woke up to an unexpected rain this morning! Since family tradition calls for popcorn and orange julius (but since no one here likes orange julius) we celebrated with popcorn, a daybreak smoothie, and a game of Suspend!

Get to know Dad (Bryan):

1. Bryan’s a special one! And no, I’m not just saying that because he’s my husband. He’s a treasure, one of those people that genuinely loves everyone! He treats everyone equally, with respect and kindness. 2. Bryan is a schedule maker and keeper. The 15 minutes he spends planning out his day is golden, because when he plans it, it happens! 3. He consistently runs Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. And bikes Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings. Bryan is physically fit and enjoys a good work out. 4. Every Tuesday evening is “Daddy Night”. This is the boys favorite time of the week! Bryan will do something fun with them (that they want to do)… maybe driving RC cars, getting a treat, or swimming. The thing I admire most about the way Bryan interacts with the boys is that during the time he spends with them, he’s fully present and engaged. 5. Bryan is THE HARDEST WORKER I’ve ever known!!! Just like the way he lives every other aspect of his life, he puts his all into the time he ...

Poor pup! 😂

The homestead:

We live in a cozy, paid for home, located in a culdesac, with a large lot (almost 1/2 acre), and over 2300 sq ft. living space. It’s an irrigated property with plenty of trees and room to play and explore. (Has 4 large ash, 3 mature pecan, an apricot, navel orange, lemon, lime, and a tangelo tree.) We have a large garden that produces much of what we eat, including a “secret garden” over seven feet underneath the trampoline! Nestled in one of the ash trees is a large sturdy tree fort complete with a twirly slide, zip line, and tire swing. And when you add in the diving pool, the backyard is seriously a kid’s paradise! (Our boys basically live out there!!) The inside is recently remodeled and includes 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a living room, family room, dining room, kitchen, large-walk in pantry, and school room. A wood burning fireplace makes it quite homey in the winter. And as a bonus, the neighborhood is bursting with other young kids to play with! We love our home and are hap...

Best day of the week!

Church with the family makes me so happy! I look forward to dressing up, partaking of the sacrament, and just the overall feeling of being with other believers. Another bonus for me is getting to teach the 4 year olds in Primary. We sing songs together and learn about Jesus. I LOVE teaching children and bearing testimony to them of Jesus!

Get to know the brothers (Tate, Sam, and Neum):

Mr Tate the Great (Age 16)-Eagle Scout at age 13, responsible, natural leader, self motivated, honest, spiritual, a true friend. Interests: computer programming, swimming, mountain biking, working Mr Sam (Age 10)- Peacemaker, nice to everyone, visual photographic memory, so smart! Interests: reading, legos, board games, cooking, mountain biking, piano player, Pokémon card collector Mr Neum (Age 7)- The life of the party! Fun, friendly, people person, crafty, leader, 1st to be done with chores, determined Interests: whittling, trampoline, playing with friends!!!, helping out around the house, mountain biking These boys are super happy about Mom and Dad’s plan to adopt a baby girl! They will protect little sister and love her to pieces!

Candyland Camp for Mr Sam and Mr Neum!

The little boys were in a 5 day musical performance this week. It was their very first experience with acting. They did fantastic and had a blast! I’m amazed at how much they learned in such a short period of time! https://youtu.be/ZJfegi5I-So

Bryan and Maria are hoping to adopt!!!

Search This Blog