I put these up backwards so you will have to act like you are rewinding my life...
When I got off the plane from Portland, I called my mom to tell her I had landed. She didn't answer. I called Monica and she said that my mom should be there. As I as walking past security, I saw what looked like my mom with a baby on her lap, but then I saw two blonde people on either side of her and figured that wasn't her. When I got closer, I realized it was Zaddy sitting on her lap and Steve and Angie beside her!!! I waved to Z and said, "Hi Bubba!", he looked at me and then realized who I was and gave me a GINORMOUS smile!
Happy New Year to me!
Those of you who know me, know that I DO NOT eat fish. Well, I figured that since I was so close to the coast, it would probably be fresh and it was GOOOOD!
This is where I recommend you to go and eat if you ever find yourself in the Portland airport, between gates C7 and C8.
Beau has learned to climb the steps!
When I caught him up there, he turned and waved to me.
There he goes!
These next 3 pics so funny! Drew was so excited that we were having a "birthday" party. I think he even said something about HIS birthday party. He loved the popper things and he loved the noisemakers as you can see here.
YEAR!
NEW
HAPPY
Gina and I and the kids took a little trip to the Tillamook Cheese Factory in Tillamook, OR. I was in CHEESE HEAVEN!!!
Christmas Day
Christmas Day
Steve and Angie gave me this ornament with Zad's handprint. He has huge hands so the entire thing was taken up by his bear cub paw print.
I babysat Z while his parents went Christmas shopping.
LET ME OUT!
Angie said he loves his little lion toys!
Here is Liahona's "Pretty Smile"
Monica used a blow dryer on Levu's hair and he turned out looking like Pedro from
Napoleon Dynamite.
Flying Zad
Hey ese, whas happening?
We had Thanksgiving early because the Wilkins were moving to Portland. At the same time, the Varos had a little Fijiian ceremony type thing.
Steve and Zad
Angie and Zad
Lia in her outfit. She looked so cute!
Levu and Siteri, Kali's mom who came to visit from Fiji for a couple of months. Monica bought some little warrior tools for this and Levu looked adorable!
I babysat Z on Halloween while his parents went to a wedding. It was so fun! This wig was hanging up and I decided to see what he would look like.
Baby Slash!
This was just before the wig.
We went to Texas Roadhouse for my niece Soleil's 16th birthday in October. I can't believe she's 16!!
My mom and Drewfy.
Gina and Beau at the annual Halloween party.
The doughnut on a string for the bebes. Levu, Liahona, Clark and Eve.
Pirate Z and his daddy
Auntie Monica helping pirate Z with a lovely Krispy Kreme.
After one of the outreach panels we did, Angie and I went to the movies. Zad looked so cute. Of course it was dark so his eye got HUGE when the flash went off.
Zadok's blessing day. The Owensby's invited all of my family to the blessing and most of 60 or so that live in Arizona came to see this special day.
This will be one of my favorite pictures of all time. This is the day that Zadok Paul was sealed for eternity to his mommy and daddy. I was able to be at the altar while this sealing took place and will never forget that feeling.
The next day his curls were gone!
I got to have Z come and stay with me for a couple of days while his parents went "out of town". It was a lot of fun and the twins loved to have their cousin around.
He is sooooo adorable!
My cousin Erin and I went to Utah for the National FSA Conference and on the way home, Angie invited us to stop by her parents house to see them. Her brother Mac had just come home from is mission so I was able to meet him too.
Oh the pain of being dipped in the lake!
4th of July weekend, the Owensbys invited me to go on vacation with them and Angie's parents up at Lake Powell on their houseboat. It was so much fun!
After he got used to the water, Z was screeching and splashing!
Floating in the river
His first haircut
Look at those cheeks and lips!
ADORABLE!
This was on Birthmother's Day. We went to Glendale and did our first panel for an adoption academy. Afterward, we went to Fajitas in Phoenix. That is a wonderful place!
Handsome in his Easter outfit.
My sister Gina, brother-in-law Dustin and my nephew Drew went for a visit. Drew loved baby Zad.
Look at his hair!
They were sooo tiny!
I loved his profile, I still do!
February 2o, 2009. This is the day that I signed my rights away as Zadok's mother. It was hard to do, but I knew it was the best thing for him. He needed a mother and father who he could be sealed to and who could give him everything he could ever dream of.
Flying Zad
Hey ese, whas happening?
We had Thanksgiving early because the Wilkins were moving to Portland. At the same time, the Varos had a little Fijiian ceremony type thing.
Steve and Zad
Angie and Zad
Lia in her outfit. She looked so cute!
Levu and Siteri, Kali's mom who came to visit from Fiji for a couple of months. Monica bought some little warrior tools for this and Levu looked adorable!
I babysat Z on Halloween while his parents went to a wedding. It was so fun! This wig was hanging up and I decided to see what he would look like.
Baby Slash!
This was just before the wig.
We went to Texas Roadhouse for my niece Soleil's 16th birthday in October. I can't believe she's 16!!
My mom and Drewfy.
Gina and Beau at the annual Halloween party.
The doughnut on a string for the bebes. Levu, Liahona, Clark and Eve.
Pirate Z and his daddy
Auntie Monica helping pirate Z with a lovely Krispy Kreme.
After one of the outreach panels we did, Angie and I went to the movies. Zad looked so cute. Of course it was dark so his eye got HUGE when the flash went off.
Zadok's blessing day. The Owensby's invited all of my family to the blessing and most of 60 or so that live in Arizona came to see this special day. This will be one of my favorite pictures of all time. This is the day that Zadok Paul was sealed for eternity to his mommy and daddy. I was able to be at the altar while this sealing took place and will never forget that feeling.
The next day his curls were gone!
I got to have Z come and stay with me for a couple of days while his parents went "out of town". It was a lot of fun and the twins loved to have their cousin around.
He is sooooo adorable!
My cousin Erin and I went to Utah for the National FSA Conference and on the way home, Angie invited us to stop by her parents house to see them. Her brother Mac had just come home from is mission so I was able to meet him too.
Oh the pain of being dipped in the lake!
4th of July weekend, the Owensbys invited me to go on vacation with them and Angie's parents up at Lake Powell on their houseboat. It was so much fun!
After he got used to the water, Z was screeching and splashing!
Floating in the river
His first haircut
Look at those cheeks and lips!
ADORABLE!
This was on Birthmother's Day. We went to Glendale and did our first panel for an adoption academy. Afterward, we went to Fajitas in Phoenix. That is a wonderful place! Handsome in his Easter outfit.
My sister Gina, brother-in-law Dustin and my nephew Drew went for a visit. Drew loved baby Zad.
Look at his hair!
They were sooo tiny!
I loved his profile, I still do!
February 2o, 2009. This is the day that I signed my rights away as Zadok's mother. It was hard to do, but I knew it was the best thing for him. He needed a mother and father who he could be sealed to and who could give him everything he could ever dream of.
I found that in Steve and Angie.
The Lips!
This was a visit where my niece Soleil first met Steve, Angie and Zad.
Zad's daddy, Steve
Zad's mommy, Angie
This was February 2, 2009. Placement Night. I had to pray very hard that I would be able to make it through this night. Steve and Angie were so caring and worried about me that I was a lot more comfortable in their home. As I placed Zadok in their arms, a hush came over the whole house, it was as if just us four were the only ones there.
This is just before we left their house the day after our first "interview". Angie's mom, Susan, asked if she could take a picture of me and the baby. I thought it was cute. A couple of minutes later, I would be back in this same place telling Steve and Angie that they would soon be parenting this sweet little spirit.
Angie feeding Z for the first time.
He was so tiny!
The day before placement, taking some time with him.
I love this little man!
His hair would get CURLY when wet and then dry straight as an arrow! It was crazy!
The day we came home from the hospital. When Monica brought them out from their nap, they both smiled at Z (then his name was Quinton) as if they remembered him from Heaven. It was so sweet.
Half Naked boy.
On the way home from the hospital
Squishy Face
I just thought this was the cutest face
Again the hair is amazing!
Little Red Man
His lips have always been so awesome!
My swollen ankle and foot! My toes look like little tootsie rolls!
This was taken on December 19, 2008. I didn't think I was that big. I was wrong!
It's a boy!
The Lips!
This was a visit where my niece Soleil first met Steve, Angie and Zad.
Zad's daddy, Steve
Zad's mommy, Angie
This was February 2, 2009. Placement Night. I had to pray very hard that I would be able to make it through this night. Steve and Angie were so caring and worried about me that I was a lot more comfortable in their home. As I placed Zadok in their arms, a hush came over the whole house, it was as if just us four were the only ones there.
This is just before we left their house the day after our first "interview". Angie's mom, Susan, asked if she could take a picture of me and the baby. I thought it was cute. A couple of minutes later, I would be back in this same place telling Steve and Angie that they would soon be parenting this sweet little spirit.
Angie feeding Z for the first time.
He was so tiny! 
The day before placement, taking some time with him.
I love this little man!
His hair would get CURLY when wet and then dry straight as an arrow! It was crazy!
The day we came home from the hospital. When Monica brought them out from their nap, they both smiled at Z (then his name was Quinton) as if they remembered him from Heaven. It was so sweet.
Half Naked boy.
On the way home from the hospital
Squishy Face
I just thought this was the cutest face
Again the hair is amazing!
Little Red Man
His lips have always been so awesome!
My swollen ankle and foot! My toes look like little tootsie rolls!
This was taken on December 19, 2008. I didn't think I was that big. I was wrong!
It's a boy!
Sweet baby boy!
He looks like a little baby alien.
So there it is folks. My year in pictures.
6 comments:
Yay! Those are great pictures. Zad was so teeny tiny! You'd never know it to see him now :o)
Thanks for sharing all the pictures Norma! I will never forget your placement with Angie & Steve. It has to be the best one I've ever witnessed. I remember feeling after meeting you that since you were a "homie" in a way (being from Queen Creek and going to CHS, having a cousin married to my cousin, knowing Monica and some of your other cousins, etc.,) I had to make sure I helped you find an awesome couple who would be good to you. I really worried that you might not place if I told you that the first couple wasn't such a good match, but I couldn't let you unknowingly place with someone who wasn't open to having you be part of their lives. I was so so so happy when you chose Steve & Angie! I was holding my breath when you told me they were in your top three and I asked you who you wanted to meet first. My mind was trying to project to you "Steve & Angie, Steve & Angie!" because I knew they were awesome and humble enough to share Zaddy's special moments with you as well. I remember well the "hush" when you came to their house for placement and handed Z to them. I'm pretty sure every person in that house was crying at that moment. I was so happy to see the dreams of my friends coming true while at the same time knowing that you would be taken care of as well.
Going through all those pictures makes me so happy for you that you have such a great relationship with them.
Ahhh...all of it really is awesome. I feel so honored to have witnessed it all, really...I'll stop commenting now since this is so long. Love ya Norma!
Thanks for sharing!
Zad has grown so much!
I love the pictures.
You have had an amazing year! love you!
Wow, Norma, what a year! I love all the pictures of the little ones.
Wow, I'm bawling, again! I think I have cried more happy tears this year than ever before. These pictures are beautiful, some of them I have never seen. I love them all!
This year has been so amazing, one I know I will remember as one of my best. You're the best and you know we love you more than we can say! Thank you, thank you, thank you. I so hope for a deeper word than "thank you" that can some day really express all that I really feel for you. But not a day goes by that I don't thank Heavenly Father for you and Zad. Two of the greatest blessings of my life!
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