PHOTOG-PHUN!

Carter and I had a good time this morning testing out my new external flash for the camera. OK, well I had a good time testing it out.


This was a fluke! I looked over at the crib and all I saw was feet...how cute!

Almost done Mom?

OK I will smile one last time, make it a good one.

IMPROMPTU DAY TRIP

We woke up this morning bright and early to head out to a hot air balloon launch to kick off the Balloons Over Niagara Weekend. So we packed the diaper bag, packed up the kids and headed out at 6:30am with sunny skies ahead. Tucker was so excited to see the "bahoons" as he calls them. We pulled into the parking lot just in time to see everyone leaving. That's right leaving. Evidently, there was a storm system heading in and they canceled the balloon launch. Try explaining that to a 4 year old. He was devastated! So we came up with an alternative.

Niagara Falls is only a 10 minute car ride and that seemed to calm Tucker down. So off we went.


Headed down to the falls.
What a ham!
The Niagara River looking peaceful and calm right before the falls.

The American Falls
And the Maid of the Mist. A really cool boat ride that takes you right under the mist of the Horseshoe Falls (or the Canadian Falls)We ended up having a great time. And then...I found out that the Pirate Festival was going on about 45 minutes away. I know what you're thinking. Tucker LOVES pirates. Well, we didn't go. You know that storm system that was coming in, well it started raining. So we headed home. But a great morning anyway.

KITES & A BABY BIRD!

This past week we went kite flying at Kenny Field. It is just a short walk from our house and usually is home to hundreds of soccer or football playing kids. But this day it just belonged to the Morris'. It was a beautiful day with just the right amount of wind. So when Jeff suggested that we go fly a kite, the boys and I were up and ready.

Up, Up, and Away. The kite has just taken off.
I think Tucker was under the impression that if he ran fast enough, he was going to lift up off of the ground and chase the kite.
There she blows!
Tucker was the master of kite flying for about 30 minutes or so, then he got it very much stuck in a tree. Jeff had to go back later and rescue it with a special stick.
Carter enjoyed the day too. But he didn't care about the kite, he just wanted to watch me.

Well, from the sounds of things Poppy is starting to settle in just fine over at Marc and Amanda's house. She is still attached to mostly Amanda, but she is starting to loosen up a bit. She has a new nickname "Baby Bird". Amanda says that she is always looking up with her mouth wide open for more food. She couldn't be any cuter that's for sure.

Look at this sleeping angel!

This just made me chuckle. I know they waited a long time to see her smile. She is starting to play with toys in her room and she even went to the library the other day. Taking after her mom already.
This is how you can usually find Poppy.
Oh my goodness, I could just eat her up. Isn't she adorable. And look at her dress!!! So sweet!
And I hear she is a corn lover. I don't blame you Poppy, I love it too.
A great blog posting if I do say so myself. What is more fun than flying kites and checking in with the newest member of our family. I am glad that everything is going great.

Carter continues to grow like a weed. He is housing food like it's nobody's business. And he has a permanent smile plastered on his face. Tucker got himself a haircut this week. He looks like a little man now. His hair is so thick and a little growth looks like a hair helmet. Jeff has been busy with the house. We got a new furnace and air conditioner this week, then our sewer system went haywire. He has been so busy this week. But it paid off, the house is cool and we can now flush our toilet (yuck). And as for me, I still love my new job, but still miss the old one.

POPPY HAN-YEONG IS HERE AT LAST!

Last night was probably one of the most anticipated nights of my life. After waiting for what seemed like an eternity to meet the newest addition to our family, all of our hopes and dreams for Marc and Amanda came to fruition. I will never forget looking at the clock at home and at 8:30pm thinking that Marc and Amanda are probably meeting their daughter right this minute. I will never forget getting our first glimpse of the Marrano family through the security checkpoint and straining our necks to get a better look. And I will never forget the look on Marc and Amanda's face as they were walking towards us to introduce us to their daughter. A look of sheer joy and pride. Oh, I'm tearing up just thinking about it.

Poppy flew in on JetBlue Flight 112 out of JFK. Due to arrive at 12:26am Wed. July 16, 2008.

A little pregame party at the airport. Yes, that is Tucker at the airport at midnight. This is a once in a lifetime thing and he couldn't have been happier.Jessica and I doing what we love.
Amy, Caroline, and Natalie seeing a picture of Marc, Amanda, and Poppy together for the first time.
Our first glimpse of Poppy! HURRY UP AND GET OVER HERE!!!
No words can describe what those wonderful parents are feeling right now.
It looks like Poppy knows Amanda is her Mommy. She hadn't let go since Amanda held her for the first time. She slept the whole way from JFK to Buffalo, and she patted Amanda's back the whole time in the airport.
What an angel. Hi Poppy! Welcome to our family!
Can you feel the love?
And Carter says "I know I was sleeping at the airport, but I love you and I can't wait to play with you!"
I will post more pictures as I get the ones from Jessica and Scott, also keep checking in on Amanda's Blog (Click Here) to see when she posts her pictures from JFK and hopefully when they got home. Keep them in your prayers that Poppy has a smooth transition.

Welcome to the USA & Welcome to our family!

And Happy 31st Birthday Jeff! I love you!

POPPY IS COMING! POPPY IS COMING!

For those of you that have been following my blog, work with me, are my family, or even just pass me in the street, you would know that my SIL Amanda and BIL Marc are in the adoption process for little Poppy in S. Korea. Well all of the waiting has finally paid off. Amanda received the call yesterday that Poppy Han-Yeong is on her way. She will be here TODAY!!! Can you believe it? She is literally on a plane right this minute on her way home to us. I cannot wait to meet her. At midnight tonight Poppy will be here meeting her new family. If you want to jump over to Amanda's blog and give her a quick Congrats click here. After all, her daughter is coming home. Her daughter...that is so cool. I know she has been waiting a long time, and has had to overcome many obstacles. Congratulations Amanda! And Welcome to our family Poppy!

Here are some pics from yesterday. This was Parker and Grace's Birthday Party.

Tucker actually took this picture and did a great job.

There go the balloons, up to the party in heaven.

Jeff's present for the twins.

HAPPY 2nd BIRTHDAY IN HEAVEN

Today is a hard day for our family. Today is our twin angels 2nd birthday. They were born on July 14, 2006 at 22 weeks. Parker Bryant and Grace Lee were born together at 10:43pm. Parker grew wings at 11:04pm and little Gracie held on until 11:59pm. Despite all of our efforts to keep them from being born, God was calling them home. I feel especially blessed to have met them and to have had the opportunity to hold them in my arms, even if just for a moment. See, my life has been forever changed by them. This day will forever remain a blessing and a curse for me. While it is a celebration of their life, it is also the anniversary of their death. Forgive me if I get a little too emotional on here, but be glad you are not in my head. It is hard enough to have lost our twins, but to have a constant reminder of what I don't have is too much. Seeing Moms out and about with their double stroller and people stopping them in the store to comment on her twins is hard to see. But the media is taking it to another level. First there was JLo and Marc Anthony and their twins, now Brad and Angelina! I can't take it anymore. Don't those people have enough children, and what makes them deserve their twins more than I do. These are the thoughts that rage through my mind everyday. Especially when they hit me when I least expect it, like on the cover of People Magazine in the checkout aisle at the grocery store. When I was a teenager and a boy broke up with me, I claimed I had a broken heart. Well I was wrong. I didn't have the faintest clue what a broken heart was until I attended my own children's funeral.

I laid awake last night replaying the whole day that they were born, it is like a movie that keeps playing over and over for the past 2 years. While it was on a continuous loop for the first year, it has slowed down to every now and then. I don't ever want to forget that day, but I wish it had turned out differently. Today we are supposed to be chasing around a little boy and a little girl to try to get them to pose for a birthday picture or stop long enough to blow out their candles. We don't get to do that with them, they are spending their birthday with Jesus.

Over the last 2 years, a lot has happened as a result of losing our precious angels; Our faith continues to grow and I even have Jeff going to church. And after a lot of hard work and prayer we now have Carter Bryant in our lives. I stare at him and wonder if they would've been anything like him. Carter looked so much like Parker did, and Grace and Tucker could've been twins.

Please say a little prayer for Parker and Grace, and for our family so that we can get through this day and continue to heal. Our hearts are on the mend, but we still struggle. To those who know us, thank you for your support over the last 2 years.

Please click on their names to visit their website and light a candle for my babies on their birthday. (Disclaimer-my angels are perfect to me, but might be hard for others to see-their pictures are on the bottom of the website, so do not scroll all the way down if you wish to not see them-but like I said they are perfect to me)

Parker & Grace Morris

I ALMOST FORGOT THE 4TH!

With all that is going on in my life lately, I forgot all about July 4th pictures. We went over to Jeff's Uncle Al and Aunt Karen's house for a big party. Jeff has a huge family and it's nice to see them all together.

Carter is showing off his muscles after hitting a home run.
You mean I can draw on your driveway! Count me in!
Uncle Al, Carla, and Tucker made a cardboard box house. They had so much fun.
Aunt Patricia loves holding all of the babies. There are sure enough of them to go around!
Yes, that is my son getting ready to go down this roller coaster backwards! I cannot watch!

He made it!

Bocce Rules!!! Jeff, Marc, Bob, and Uncle Bob.
This was so neat. It is a little airplane see-saw that all of the kids can play on at once.
Carter hanging out at the party just soaking it all in.


Aunt Amanda invited the boys and I to a pool party at her friend Hillary's house in West Falls. It was way out in the country. But boy what a beautiful place to live. The scenery and the fresh country air did us some good.

I am Mr. Cool in my pirate shorts and Spider man life jacket! My SIL Amanda with Carter and Natalie with Claire. Are they adorable or what?
This is Alli. She sure loves those Barbies. Where are their suits Alli?
Carter playing in his new Bumbo and loving it.

I also want to say "Happy Birthday" to my Mom. She doesn't look a day over 29!