I love this famliy of mine

I have felt so sad to not be closer to my brother right now. He has had none of his family to be with him and support him with the birth and adoption of his sweet Maddie. My heart was so full when he told me how wonderful the birth families were to him and MaryAnn. He said they felt like one big family and when things were hard for them (when they had to take the baby from the birth parents and see their grief) these sweet people cried with them and loved them just like we would have done if we were there. I am just so thankful to God for watching out for Chris and helping him in his time of worry and hardship.

I booked a flight for this thursday to go visit with them. Ryan, Josh, and I are on our way to Dallas. The other kids are bummed that they can't come but at 250 a ticket I just can't swing that. I am so excited and I am going to bring my camera and try and get some great shots of my first and maybe only niece. With the distance that separates my family from me I can not help but feel so grateful for the close ties I have with my husbands family. Now that we live so close to them I have felt the bonds develop. I had to decorate for a fund raiser the other night and I just called up my SIL's and they were all willing. When I need help with my children I always have someone to call, When I feel frustrated or sad, again I just pick up the phone. When I need help finding the perfect outfit, just a phone call away. I gave a talk in church last week and I talked about the gifts we all have and I shared the wonderful gifts my sister, SIL's, Mother and MIL have shared with me. They are all different and all needed. I just feel so blessed to have such wonderful family.

With that said... these next pictures show why else I love this family. They had a lip sync contest at their church tonight.

The one in the middle is Ryan's aunt Chris

This is my SIL Sarah. She was so awesome. She rocked out and had me cracking up.

"Ice, ice baby"

Sarah, you look just like Reeghan in this picture, And look how cute my MIL is. She is the one on the far right. No one would guess she has 13 children and 18 grandchildren.