Wings Over Houston

Until we receive a very special certificate in the mail, I won’t be talking much about our adoption.  For right now, you’ll hear the ways in which we fill our waiting period and all the fun things we do to keep ourselves entertained.  And our schedule is jam packed with fun events right now!

Kris and I have always found ourselves very patriotic, especially since 9/11.  We fully understand the sacrifice of our troops as well as their families and we want to show our gratitude and appreciation.  We decided back in May that we wanted to volunteer for the USO (United Service Organization) and try and make a difference in their lives in any small way we can. 

On Sunday, we volunteered at the USO booth at the Wings over Houston Air Show.  We sold T-shirts, wristbands, bags and beach volleyballs and also gave away car magnets, candy, snacks, pins and who could forget the Texans Cheerleader’s poster.  The donations we raised go to troops serving in combat, their families, wounded soldiers and their families and the families of the fallen.  We saw a ton of traffic at our booth and it was humbling to see how many kids got excited to sign the banners that will be sent to the troops in Afghanistan.  It was a very successful day and Kris and I had a lot of fun at our very first air show. 

And of course we took a few minutes to take some photos during our down time!

Pearl Harbor Re-enactment (my favorite part of the show!)

 

The Snowbirds - the rest of the picture are of their show

  

  

Drum Roll, Please...

I'd like to introduce to you...

Our Profile Book!! 
Tip: If you click on each page it englarges the page so you can actually read it!

Take a peek and let us know what you think.  I wish there was an easier way to show everyone our book, but they are being printed now and are soon on their way to our caseworker.  That means we won't even get our hands on one, but that's okay.  The books will be in good hands just waiting for the right birth family to come along and take a peek of their own. 

I will say, the time, effort and thought that went into creating this book was endless.  I can't tell you how many times I have read each word and examined each picture to make sure it portrayed exactly who we are.  To say it is a relief to have our book completed is an understatement.  I can't even put into words the weight that was lifted off my shoulders knowing this little 28 page book is behind us and officially ready for a birth family to 'meet' us.  Kris and I love our profile book so very much and we will treasure it always.  This book represents who we are individually and as a family and it captures our life perfectly.  It's a gift; a gift that we received by choosing adoption. The first of many... 

If you are reading this and in the process of a domestic adoption, I highly recommend Carrie Zuber to help you create your own profile book.  She owns a company called Reflections and she creates Adoption and Life Profile Books.  She's amazing at what she does and needs very little direction to capture who you are in the design of her pages.  She's extremely creative and no detail is overlooked.  I have to say, working with her was the easiest and most pleasant experience we have had so far in our adoption process.  Our caseworker told Carrie that our book was her best work yet and it would be hard to top.  I’m just so grateful I found Carrie, because without her, our book would have been some heart-felt words and pictures, nothing more.

New Orleans - A City Like No Other

Kris and I chose to celebrate our 3^rd wedding anniversary in New Orleans.  Both of us have been before, but never together.  Many of you just think of Bourbon Street when you think of New Orleans (at least my parents do) and let me tell you – it is so much more than that.  NOLA is a city rich in culture and history, so full of life and the people who live there are proud of who they are and their city.  It’s a sense of pride that Kris and I have never witnessed anywhere else we’ve visited.  There is music on every street corner, people dancing in the streets and who could forget the amazing food and my personal favorite, the shopping.  We had an amazing time getting to know the city together.  We’ll be back, many, many times more.  What can I say; their way of life is contagious.

My gorgeous flowers from my groom.

I really love this building.  There is so much character in every structure in New Orleans.

I squatted down in the middle of the street with people surrounding me to get this one. I'm actually surprised it came out.

A very romantic dinner at Commander's Palace in the Garden District.

We didn't stay here, but we went to the Carousel Bar in the hotel. It really is a carousel and you sit in a bar seat and circle around the bartenders. Really neat concept. We loved it and stayed too long!

The gorgeous Jackson Square. We got sandwiches from a locals hot spot and had a picnic in the park. It really is a romantic city.

We actually found someone who knew how to use our camera!

This is my favorite picture from the trip. It looks like a drawing.

Everywhere you go there is jazz. I couldn't get enough!

At the lover's table for our jazz brunch.

Kris walking the French Quarter.

Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop Bar is the oldest bar in the United States!

Happy People!

The bar was built between 1722 and 1732 and escaped two huge fires due to it's slate roof. It's still standing and thriving today.

Kris enjoying tapas and beer on a patio on Magazine St in the Garden District.

Magazine St was my favorite, great shopping and lots of character and charm.

THIS is New Orleans in one photo.

Music on every corner.

Streets so full of life...

People dancing...

And of course, jazz.

Royal Street

Beautiful view from our hotel - The Omni Royal Orleans. Great location, great service and beautiful rooms. We'll stay there again!

Wedding March - I love watching these. I hope one of our friends gets married in NOLA. I want to be part of one.

I love this one. This is the backside of our hotel. Got this idea from a photo book we have except he shot this idea in a parking garage using light poles.

And that wraps up our trip.  I had a wonderful time celebrating 3 happy years of marriage with the man of my dreams.  We escaped our adoption and work stresses, made some unforgettable memories together and discovered one of our new favorite places to visit.  I foresee many weekend trips to New Orleans in our future.

Silence and Solitude

Amidst all the stress and anxiety in our lives, Kris and I took a moment after church on Sunday to take a hike (pun intended) and explore the forest of Kingwood.  This is something we loved about Austin, and as you Houstonians know, there aren’t many places to explore in Houston.  We found a new gem in Kingwood this weekend that I think will be our go-to spot to hike from now on.

As it turns out; quiet time with nature is good for the soul. 

Here are a few photos I snapped while on our hike. Enjoy!