Our First Christmas With Marlee

Christmas will be so much fun with this little one ~ I can't wait!!

National Adoption Day

Today is National Adoption Day ~ in fact the whole month of November is considered Adoption Month. How appropriate since we also celebrate Thanksgiving in November. I am so grateful for this family . . . .
My son-in-law Aaron, my daughter Melissa and my sweet granddaughter ~ Marlee Marie!!

We arrived early at the courthouse in Phoenix. I started to cry as we drove up and saw all of the balloons, booths, and hundreds of families all different, but all there for the same reasons - to be a family. I cried a little more when I sat in front of the courtroom and saw the parade of families entering into each courtroom all excited and then watching them leaving even more happier. Then it was our turn and the tears started to come again. I can't completely describe my feelings next . . . I had flashback memories. From the time Aaron & Melissa told us that they were going to adopt, seeing the mounds of paperwork my daughter meticiously filled out, watching their blog at least twice a day until the day they were picked by the most wonderful young woman, to the day we got the phone call that Marlee was on her way to earth and then the almost minute to minute calls and photos that came telling us that she was born.

I am in love with this sweet little girl. I don't remember leaving her in Heaven as I prepared to come to earth, but I imagine we cried. I'm sure I assured her that we would be together soon and not to worry. From the first moment I held her I know she remembers me. I know she loves me and I am determined to be the "cool" and "awesome" Grandma.

She is beyond lucky. There are so many people who love her ~ but none as much as my daughter and son-in-law. Oh if everyone could have a mother like Marlee's. Melissa is the best mother - she has found her calling.
Next Tuesday will be even better. Marlee will be sealed to Aaron & Melissa for time and all eternity. They will be a forever family. That means that death will not separate them and that they will be together forever. I have no idea how I am going to act on Tuesday. I mean seriously if I started to cry today when I saw the balloons and clowns, I am sure that seeing the Temple and Marlee in her gorgeous blessing dress I am going to be like mush. But then, isn't that what Grandmothers do??

Halloween 2011

Are you dressing up for Halloween? My children are older now, but they still like the tradition. I always dress up too - very scary in my witch costume, but this year I think I have to tone it down a little because of my granddaughter. I don't want her to think that her favorite and fun grandma is an ugly witch (no comments please!)

Aaron, Melissa & Marlee

Miss Referee

Brent

???

Conference Weekend

We all watched Conference this weekend . . . even Marlee. She sat and listened to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and I wonder if she was dreaming of being in the choir some day. We witnessed something very sweet. She fell asleep during some of the talks, but when President Thomas Monson started to speak, she woke up and stared at the T.V. during his entire talk. She never moved or even made a sound ~ just listened.

Diamondback's New Mascot??

The Diamondbacks won the National League West Championship last night against the Giants (3-1). Marlee was pretty happy about it! I would buy more tickets if she were the mascot.

A Girl & Her Dog

You've heard the phrase, "A boy and his dog"? Well here is a different version ~ "A girl and her dog". Meet Jenks. He is Marlee's protector. She loves him. He makes her laugh. They are both getting so big.

Future Cardmaker!

For those of you who know me, you know that I love to create and make greeting cards. Well it looks like maybe Marlee is going to follow in my footsteps. Doug & I got her a wooden toy at Seaport Village in San Diego and well . . . she made us a thank you note and gave it to us personnally. Who cares what the card says ~ look at that face!!!

She's Such a Sweetheart!

Marlee is getting so big!

California Girl

Going to the Beach for the first time!!

She's Growing Too Fast!!!!

She's one month old. How can we stop her from growing up so fast?

Grandma's Little Girl!

Marlee Marie Kleiner

I'm in love!

This Is Real Love!!!!

Aaron, Melissa & Marlee!!! (the date in the far right hand corner is incorrect. This was taken Thursday, May 19th ~ Marlee's birthday)

Mom & Dad ~ Sweethearts

Sunday is Mother's Day and it just so happens to be my Dad's birthday too. I love these two people more than I can ever try to verbally explain and I miss my Dad so much! My mother gave me this picture of them ~ I love it. I remember that night (February 1968) when my parents were getting ready. I can almost remember the smell of my Dad's cologne and how I loved my mother's dress. Gorgeous bead work. My mother belonged to a soriety "Beta Lamba" and she was crowned the queen that evening. I think it's funny that she has high heels on and she is still so short compared to my very tall Dad. Love and miss you Daddy ~ Happy Mother's Day Mom!

Conference Weekend

Twice a year (April & October) our family gets to enjoy Conference. Conference is simply when members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints listen and receive inspirational messages and direction from our Prophet, Apostles and other general leaders. This is worldwide direct from Salt Lake City. Since there are so many members, we watch by way of television (BYU channel), satellite, Internet and some very lucky souls get to attend in the beautify Conference Center in Salt Lake City. Our family watched it on our television. I enjoy all of the speakers, but I kind of am partial to this man: Dieter F. Uchtodorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency. We have a tradition in our family that I fix a big breakfast for the Sunday morning session. We have a variety of goodies, but this year we had: Mickey Mouse pancakes (they can also pass for Easter Bunnies ~ just saying) and yummy fruit (strawberries, grapes & pineapple) like these with fruit dip: We also had juicy bacon ~ or stinky bacon as Melissa says because she can't stand the smell of cooked meat. After everyone has eaten I start to threaten everyone not to fall asleep - some years I'm successful ~ like this year. I know they love me and love Conference weekend too.

My Daughter is a Spartan Warrior!!

My daughter loves to run. She absolutely loves it and she is beyond amazing. She made a goal that she would run in a race at least once a month. Now we aren't saying little 2 milers - no, long marathons. Full and half ones and she does it in record breaking times too. I know she did not inherit any of this from either of her parents.

Well recently she did the Spartan Race. (click on the two words to the left and watch the video) It's an 8 mile trail race with 15 obstacles. It's grueling ~ like boot camp! They call it the "death race" - it's crazy. Jumping over fire pits while getting blasted by a fire hose of water. Climbing huge wooden walls. Throwing heavy spears. Being almost drowned crossing a river. Dragging two 50 lb. blocks of cement. Crawling through mud under barbwire. Doing 20 or more military push ups and jumping jacks in between all of that and still running. Getting to the finish line only to be attacked by gladiators who try to knock you down. Several hundred people (I'm sure it was almost a 1,000) competed and she was the 17th woman to finish!! (I have some videos of Melissa that are amazing and I will post them as soon as I can figure out how).

She is amazing and I am so proud of her. I want to be her!

Welcome To Compass Bank

Would you like to open a new account? ¿Habla español usted? (Do you speak Spanish?) Well this cute teller can help you.

Our Family Reunion

We're all together again!

Has He Really Changed?

I saw these pictures on Melissa's Running Blog and "borrowed" them (even though I think she got them from me). The first one I think is one of my favorites of him. I remember that day as if it were yesterday. Catching his first fish with me. The second one was taken a few weeks before he left on his mission - deep sea fishing in California with me. The last picture is in Huaraz Peru. I'm hoping to see this place next week with Brent. Can't wait!

We're All Together Again . . .

I like this little song, "We're All Together Again, We're Here, We're Here. We're All Together Again, We're Here, We're Here. Here We Are Singing All Together Again. Singing All Together Again, We're Here, We're Here!!" Soon I will be singing it with meaning because my entire family will finally be all together again. Our "Little Link" has been away for two years. Well he isn't really little, but he has been away. Away in a different country for two whole years. Two years in dedicated service to our Heavenly Father teaching the Gospel to the sweet people of Trujillo Peru. I am so grateful that I've been able to email him weekly, watch videos of him, receive tons (yes tons) of pictures from him, talk to him twice a year (Mother's Day & Christmas) and Christmas 2010 we were able to actually see him, via Skype. Wonderful, but I haven't been able to touch him. I haven't been able to hug him, kiss him, or smell him. Oh how I've missed those hugs and kisses. He always hugged and kissed me goodnight. Well very, very soon I will see him face to face and I'm pretty sure I'm going to get several of his powerful hugs and sweet kisses. Oh I can't wait!!