Steve Jobs

I really love this video! And, with the passing of Steve Jobs, I was reminded of it.

Enjoy!

1 Year

I don’t know how to mark this anniversary. Although 1 year ago today he officially became ours, Jasper has been ours for over 3 years, and he feels like he has been ours always. I can’t imagine this family without him.

The picture above was taken April 2008, at Heather's old house in St. George. Can you believe how much he has grown in three short years?

When Jasper found out I was pregnant with a girl, he screamed in excitement. His friends gave him their condolences, but Jas was genuinely happy. I asked him why he was so excited to have a baby sister and he said “cuz then I can shoot any guys who try to date her (he is still overly excited about the 22 rifle Grandpa McKinnon gave him for Christmas. Yep, a gun).

I know he was teasing (about the actually shooting), but it made me kind of sad. Sad because Jasper does not realize that by the time this baby girl is 16, he will be almost 29. He’ll be a grown man! It makes me sad to think Jackson will only be 9 when Jasper goes on his mission and after that 11 when he goes to college (I hope hope he does both ).

He’ll always be a wonderful big brother, I just wish he could stay home and be one to them through all their hard teenage years. You could never imagine a better big brother, he is SO sweet to Jackson and SO helpful.

This picture is of Jasper helping Jackson during our Easter Egg hunt over the weekend. We visited family in Colorado Springs.

He is such a great young man.

We just love you so much Jas!

Forever Family

Last week Jasper was sealed to us in the Jordan River Temple.

To be sealed, or a temple sealing, is a sacred ordinance performed in a temple. Children can be sealed to their parents, with the expectation that the entire family structure can endure through this life and extend into the hereafter.

The sweet ladies who volunteer in the temple nursery - where Jasper and Jackson waited before the sealing - gave them these sheets before they left.

We are truly blessed.

Jordan River Temple, photo by Anthony Sweat.

Brothers

These two are meant to be brothers.

And now they officially are.

Monday, April 26th - we went to our courthouse and became Jasper's adoptive family.

Jasper has lived with us for over two years now, and we have been his legal guardians. At the beginning of this year, his mother Lori approached us about becoming his adoptive parents.

I've been truly touched and humbled at Lori's selflessness as Jasper's mother.

She raised him well for those first 9 years. He is such a wonderful boy. She knows her limits and loves him enough to give him the best life she can.

When the option to adopt him was presented to us - we felt joy, happiness, relief, and excitement. These past two years with Jasper have been very good - so rewarding, fulfilling, so right. Also at times full of worry - wondering how long we would get to have him.

Now that feeling of worry has been replaced with feelings of comfort and peace.

So Monday we planned an adoption celebration and after our time at court was done, we went to our local aquarium. Since it was a week day during school hours, it was the perfect time to go.

Jackson loved the "wishies".

After the aquarium we went to a family dinner with both sides of our family. We had so much fun.

Here are my boys.

(Don't be scared of my newly painted fluorescent door. I tried to be adventurous and paint it green. I'm not sure about how BRIGHT GREEN/YELLOW it turned out.)

These two didn't know what they were in for.

They never knew they would have it so good.