Fawn's first Year

Fawn turned one this year. What an amazing year it has been to see our sweet baby girl grow. She is full of curiousity, and is getting more and more personality everyday. Fawn is the fastest crawling baby I have ever seen . She can say quite a few words and is quick to smile, and loves to hug and wave bye bye, although she is still shy of many people, those she is not shy of she shows an outpouring of her sweet love. Fawn loves peanut the cat and our bird, the fish, the hummingbirds. She loves to beat on her Brother elis head and he does not mind to to much. She is the sweetness to our life!

Spring is always birthday time in our family. Eli turned 5 this year!!! He had a ninja party. He loved it, Bryant set up a ninja training camp and taught all the litlte 4 and 5 year olds how to ninja around. Eli is such a friendly boy. He won the prince Charming award this year at school. He was so kind to all his classmates. He tries to take good care of me and Fawn while the kids are at school. I am so glad I have one more year with him at home part of the day. He is such a sweet special boy!

Merry Merry Christmas!

We had a wonderful Christmas this year. We held Bryants work party at our house and that was fun! Bryant dressed up as Santa and saw all the kids at teh party.Most of them were not sure about Bryant. My good friend Rowan helped me prepare and stayed for the party. It seems she is with me for all my wonderful and stressful events. I am so thankful for her. Then right before Christmas Evelyn came. I love Evelyn she came and we went our family hers and Rowans to the Seven falls. This is a beautiful waterfall lit up by lights on seven different cascades. it is amazing! Then we spent christmas at The Richard and Lisa McNeills house. It was so much fun to be with family. Winslow and Melissa came down to visit along with  their kiddos, and Evelyn and Ian and their kiddos. The kids played and laughed. Richard and lisa have such a cozy home, it is very heartwarming, with the fire going and delicous food baking. Melissa had some special moments getting to know and cuddle Fawn.We had such a good time. One of my favorite things was listening to the singing, it was so beautiful that it even impressed Hyrum who asked Evelyn to sing at his baptism because he  heard her sing at Christmas. Lisa helped up carry on our own family traditions by making a cake for us to sing to baby Jesus. WE sang silent night, the spirit was there!
We went over to Cliffton and Janelles and we were able to see their cute kids. Boy does Jesse love his oranges!!! WE had delicious pancakes and a good time visiting.
Lita and Lito had the biggest icicles and the kids loved pulling them down. Another favorite christmas memory was seeing all the grandkids watching a movie on Lito and Litas bed! It was so cute. I tried to take a picture but it did not turn out well.

                                                                  Santa Bryant

                                                                    Sisters and friends!

                                                         Melissa with baby Fawn

                                                                           Seven Falls
                                    

Rowan and Kailey and kids:)

                                                     Kids on Grandma Litas FEATHERBED!
Then we went caroling as we sang the spirit of christmas was in our hearts. I love that Bryants family always seems to have a song quick in their hearts and are quick to sing their joy especially at Christmas!I love the christmas season, and the time we have to reflect on Jesus Christ, it seems like the rest of the world at this time is more drawn to the Savior and acts with a beautiful spirit. I am so thankful that we could feel and share that this Christmas at the McNeills!

Thanksgiving 2011

We spent thanksgiving with my brother Allen Paul. I really got to know my brother better as we had time to spend one on one with our families. Sarah was a wonderful host and has been a wonderful friend to me since our early years of marriage. She is quick to laugh to smile, and gives wonderful advice. She is a good friend and I saw her be such a loving mother to her kids. My brother Allen "Paul" is an amazing dad. He loves his kids so much and I could see him be silly and play with htem and love them. Landon is my nephew and he is so proud of his Dad. He was a really good friend and cousin to the boys they still talk about him and the fun they had with him. My neices Tru and Nicole were a dream come true for Isabel, they spent every moment together, Isabel thought Tru was so so cute, and she has always considered Nicole one of her best friends. We had so much fun watching the kids play and laugh and do shows for us, the girls sang for us. we took the kids to play at a place called wizard quest, at first they cried we don't want to go, we just want to play with our cousins. I thought how wonderful it is to have family and to be friends! Fawn was adored by Tru which was so cute, but really she fell in love with Sarah. She is a shy baby and does not take to many people quickly but she loved sarah right away, it just goes to show that babies really know about people and their goodness inside. She was scared of Allen but she started to warm up a little by the end, she is still scared of most men. We did so many fun things like go to the smokey mountains, we looked at the lights at teh racecare track, but the funnest of all was just hanging out with each other. This Thanksgiving I am thankful for my brother and his beautiful family. I am thankful for the faith he has always had, for his strenght for his love, for being a good husband, as I saw him joke with Sarah and hug her I thought he was a lucky man and she is a lucky woman and their kids are lucky too, to have such a wonderful family. My brother is a brave man with a feirce patriatism to his country and for justice. He is noble, intelligent, and full of courage, and all those things impress me, but he is to me even greater than allt these things a good husband and father. Thankyou Paul for yoru good example, Thankyou Sarah for your good example. I love you both!

Our moment in Heaven

This September the 17Th Fawn was sealed to our family for eternity. What a wonderful experience we had. We went to the Salt Lake Temple. We let the kids choose which temple we were going to since the Denver temple was closed. They said lets go to the castle temple, so we went to Salt Lake. The kids had never been to Salt Lake that they could remember. They loved it. We went to visit the this is the place monument, and some of our dear friends. We were able to visit my Aunt Jeanine, and my cousin Kurt and his family, we had a wonderful time. But the most wonderful of all was in the temple with our children.

I have to say first of all that our family has been so supportive and so loving to Fawn. I know that everyone would have loved to come to the temple. My sisters and brother had us in their heart and were excited. Emily made beautiful bracelets for Fawn and Isabel to wear and keep so they could always remember this special day. Amy was even considering coming pregnant and Paul and Sarah even thought about it. Bryant's family also wanted to to come, and would have if the didn't live to far and have work. We felt overwhelmed with the love and support. We also had in our hearts on this special day the Keyes a special family that made this possible, and Blake Sonne or lawyer and my cousin Joy, and most important of all Emma, Fawns birth mother, for giving her daughter to us to, she told us she wanted Fawn to have an eternal family, and I pray she will know how much this has meant to us.

When we first arrived at the temple we dropped the kids off at the child center. They waited there and changed while we changed too. We went to do all the paperwork, which ended up crazy since we left it in the car! Uncle Harold ran to the car to get it for us. We were so worried, but finally we were all changed. It felt a lot like our wedding day but with our whole family. After I changed the temple worker asked me to look in the mirror to see how beautiful I was. I looked in the mirror, but my thoughts were of Bryant and my family, I was so excited to see them. As we stepped out of the room Bryant was waiting for me. He held my hand and we waited in the Celestial room as our guests were brought to the sealing room. Then we entered the sealing room and as we entered I saw our family and some of our closest dearest friends. My mom took my hand as I sat next to her and the spirit quickened in my heart I felt it fill the room. Bryant sat on my other side and his mom next to him. All around us were his brother and sister and sister in law, my Aunt Jeanine and our friends Uncle Harold, Aunt Terry and cousin Terry McNeill. then our fathers were there. It was so beautiful. I heard giggles coming from the Hallway. The door opened and Eli practically ran in ,Isabel and Hyrum right behind, the were dressed in white and then little Fawn was being held by a temple worker. The spirit then began to sing within my heart for this is what it is all about . this my family together for Eternity this is what we should be working for each day. And now they were her in the temple of the most high God preforming this sacred ordinance. Our little Fawn being sealed to us for time and all eternity and our together children able to witness that their sister will be with them eternally . After the sealing was finished the sealer asked the children what they saw as they looked in the mirrors. Isabel said she saw forever. He said that's right and that is how your family will be.

What a wonderful moment for us. I feel so blessed that we had this experience, and for this incredible blessing. I felt so impatient at times when it seemed we would never be chosen and be able to adopt a baby. I am so thankful it took so long. I have learned so much from this experience, of patience and waiting on the Lords time and not my own. I can see now that it was necessary, and it was all worth it. I know the Lord has a plan for all of us, but sometimes we cannot see how it will all unfold, and He just wants us to take His hand and walk in faith. We did in this experience and we as a family have experienced true joy!

My McNeill Family

This has been a wonderful summer. My last post was about my family and the wonderful time we had with them. I feel so blessed to have not only one wonderful family but two. My McNeill family is wonderful. We were able to go and visit them the end of July. Lisa wanted all her children and their spouses to meet in the temple for her birthday. What a wonderful wish! Her wish blessed my life. Evelyn, Bryants sister made it happen. She had babysitters all lined out to watch our kiddos, even the babies. She organized a photo shoot for family pictures, and lots of fun activities. This woman is amazing!

As we sat together in the temple my heart was filled with so much love. I knew that I loved all these people, but at that moment It seemed that I realized just how much they all mean to me.

Lisa, she has become not only a mother to me but a friend. She has been there for me in all the times that I needed a friend and rescuer.I truly have come to understand the story of Ruth and Naomi, because I feel the same as Ruth. Wherever she is that is where I would like to be. Her people have truly become my people. And her testimony strengthens me!

Richard, is a father and friend. He is so loving, I always feel loved accepted wanted and appreciated. As I saw him next to his sweet wife, I felt so blessed, at the tender moments he has taken with me, to tell me how much he loves me, or just talks to me when he knows that I have been sad. Everything he says is well thought out, kind and wise. He is a great man.

Winslow and Melissa, these two people have been the example that led Bryant and I in our first year of marriage. We watched them, and were very impressed, we tried to follow there example. There is always a smile and a laugh from Melissa, and in some of my greatest hours of need she was there to hold me up. To cry with me, she remembers my heart ache, and I know that she truly does mourn with those that mourn and comfort those that stand in need of comfort. Winslow has been there for Bryant too, Bryant had to be strong for me when our baby died, but when Winslow came, Bryant knew he had a shoulder to cry on and a brother to hold him up.

Clifton and Janelle, Clifton has been a great friend too, to Bryant, I know every time he calls and asks how Bryant is, it cheers Bryant up, he loves it. I love it, I know that he never forgets about us, he is thinking of his family and he loves them. And Janelle, saver of my cat ( she saved our cat from near death in 2007) and when she sees me I feel like she is so happy to see us, she is fun and funny, beautiful and a wonderful mother. I admire her in all her happiness, talent to make one feel they belong:)

Evelyn and Ian. Ian has become a brother to Bryant. Bryant loves to talk with him spar with him. He knows and gets so excited when we are going to see Ian because, Ian has a way of helping Bryant feel awesome and appreciated. Bryant truly has gained another brother and friend. They spar, and laugh. And I love to see them so happy:)Evelyn, now what can I say about this beautiful woman, who I met as a 16 year old girl, and she has become one of my best friends, someone I can talk to always. When I am with Evelyn, I believe that all my dreams are possible. She is such a wonderful aunt, I would have never thought how much this 16 year old girl would mean to me later in life. She has a way of teaching me and talking to me, helping me make sense of things. She makes sure that I don't' forget to have fun. I can laugh with her. She has followed in her mothers footsteps and at a moments notice she will come to help us with sickness or sadness. I only hope that I can one day help her as much as she has helped me!

John and Mandy, John brings the party and the positive happy easy going attitude. John has so many talents, and one of them we saw at Christmas. They came to visit and he played with Hyrum, Hyrum sometimes has a hard time warming up to people but not with John. He loved to be with him and felt comfortable and happy. I think that this easy going nature and a genuine love for others is wonderful. Hyrum asked where he got his left handedness, and Bryant said, well I guess you got it from my Brother John. Hyrum liked that. John is a friend to all. Mandy, is an achiever and a go getter, and has been so kind to me ever since the first time I saw her. Mostly I remember our time in El Paso, Bryant had been gone and I moved there and was alone the first month. John and Mandy came, and made sure I was okay, then we had Isabel's birthday party, we asked them to come with short notice, but I told them that I was going to be dressed up as Bell from beauty and the Beast and Bryant was going to dress as the beast. Well they came to our party dressed as a king and queen. Isabel loved it, Mandy made it in her heart that day and has never left. I felt that they made it a priority to be there for this simple party, because it was special for our little girl. Mandy had a tradegy of her own, and I felt so honered that she trusted me to watch over her sweet boy. It felt good to be needed. When Mandy came for Christmas, we felt honored that they would want to come spend this special time with us, we loved it.

Ricky and Jenny- I saw these two sitting together in the temple, and I met Ricky when he was really young, and I realized he is not that kid anymore, but he is a man and a good man, who has a wonderful wife, another sister for me. Ricky has always been a dreamer and he is achieving his dreams, I am so proud of him, both Bryant and I are. and Jenny, what a sweet aunt she is always smiling always ready to help with the kids. It is because of her that I have so many pot holders and other knitted items from Isabel:)( She took out the time to teach Isabel how to knit). I realized as we were sitting in the temple and felt deep down that this special person is now my sister and part of my life and my family, and I felt so glad to know her and be a part of her life.

I cannot express all that I feel about my McNeill family, but my cup runneth over. The Lord has been good to me to let me be a part of these wonderful peoples lives. I love all of you everyone. I am so glad that I was able to see just how blessed and lucky I am!!!!

Fawn is Four and a half months:)

Fawn is 4 1/2 months now. All of us love watching her Grow!!! She is trying to sit up, and she had her first bite of baby cereal a few days ago. She loves it. Isabel wants to feed her, she is so excited for her. Fawn loves to hold anything and everything. She also is drooling like crazy. Eli has taught her the fine art of sword fighting. She loves to smile laugh, fake cough and spit. Hyrum loves to dance for her and say hi in a funny voice to make her smile. She loves Daddy and is gettng attached to mommy. We are looking forward to September when we can be sealed to her!!!

Not just Fawn is growing up. I just cant believe how fast Isabel Hyrum and Eli are growing too! Isabel turned nine and Hyrum turned 7!!! Eli says he is turning 11 in February:)