Christmas 2011

Dear Gabriella,

This Christmas was a special one because I, after being married to your dad for 11 years, finally invested in some family stockings.  I found some online that I fell in love with.  I set them up and asked Santa if he would come and fill them a day early since we would be in San Diego for Christmas, and he did it!  It was also the first year you were old enough to take items out of your stocking and play with them.  Santa brought you some candy, a magna doodle, and a "Wolly Willy" (one of those faces with magnet shavings that you can put the hair on the face).

First, we spent some time with your Nana, Papa, Auntie Ashley and Uncle Chad, Auntie Jennifer, Uncle Jared, JR, and Adelyn.  You had a fun time chasing Rory and Opie around, and you loved playing with all of Nana's fun toys!

This is one of Nana's dancing snowmen (well, it's actually a snow girl)

JR, Adelyn, You, and Charlie.  (I stole these pics from Aunt Ashley's blog.)

We spent Christmas morning with your Grammy and Pa.  This year, Christmas was on a Sunday, so we first went to church, and you wore your cute little elfie outfit.  Everyone at church talked about how cute you looked.  When we got home from church, we started the Christmas festivities.

I guess you had been a good girl because you had quite a few presents under the tree.  One of the gifts you got was a five-foot long stuffed animal caterpillar.  I was strictly opposed to purchasing it for you because I hate finding room to put large gifts, but your Dad was set on giving it to you for Christmas, so I caved.  You absolutely loved it and you named it Chaka Khan (because that's what you kept calling it). 

You and Chaka Khan

You also got this pink elephant chair and a Disney princess chair from your Nana
(You were the cutest little elf in the whole world)

Thanks for the $10 Pa Bartholomew
I got you the purple Leaptop on the left

Although a great deal of our time during Christmas is spent focusing on the gifts and the good food we eat, my thoughts were often turned to Mary this Christmas.  Maybe it is because I had given birth to Charlie just a few months prior to Christmas, but I kept thinking of what a remarkable woman she must be.  She knew that she was to give birth to the Savior of the world, and yet she was not given any sort of VIP treatment.  I was able to give birth in a comfortable bed with doctors and nurses at my bedside, where she was in a lowly stable sitting on scratchy hay with dirty animals surrounding her.  I had the pleasure of an epidural where all of my pain was taken from me, and Mary had to suffer through labor and delivery.  When Charlie was born, Brandon was given sterilized surgical scissors to cut his umbilical cord, the nurses took him and cleaned him up, wrapped him in a nice clean blanket, and then handed him to me.  Next to my bed was a rolling, sterile crib where I could easily access him with the help of my bed that I could lower and raise with the push of a button.  When the Savior was born, he was wrapped in swaddling clothes and placed in a manger.  I don't know what the condition of the clothes or the manger were, and I honestly have no idea how they cut the cord, but I do know that the circumstances surrounding his birth were humble.  Although they did not have the modern advances that we have today, I'm sure that Mary wanted what was best for her son.  I doubt that she was pleased with the location and the surroundings of his birth, but I imagine her as such a fine lady that she whole-heartedly trusted in our Father in Heaven.  I picture her not complaining about the smell that must have accompanied the stable or even how uncomfortable she was sitting on the hard ground.  I think that she was overcome with joy because she saw and understood what was most important, that she was doing the will of the Lord.  I hope that I can some day learn to be as faithful a woman as she. 

Love,
Mom

From Infant to Toddler

Dear Gabriella,

Ok, this actually happened the Sunday before Thanksgiving, so this post is out of order.  I had been waiting for you to start walking for a long time, but you were so scared.  I'm sure from your perspective, the ground looks so far away when you stand up. 

You began "scooting" across the floor at about nine months, and I thought that you would go straight from scooting to walking.  Then at about a year you started crawling, and I thought that you would crawl for a long time before you started walking.  About a month before you started walking you were pulling yourself up onto things, but you weren't too interested in letting go of them.  Your dad and I tricked you into taking a few steps on your own.  Then, one day, you decided that it was time to start walking, and you took off.

You haven't stopped running since.  This toddler stage is one of my favorites because you're able to see the world from an "off the ground" perspective.  When you started walking, you started being interested in getting into the cupboards and playing with the pots and pans rather than eating dirt off of the floor.  I'll take your percussion over your crawling diet any day!

Love,
Mom

Thanksgiving Stuffing

Dear Gabriella,

This Thanksgiving was pretty low-key since your dad had to go in to work at 6:00pm.  We had dinner at our house with just the family at around 3 or 4 in the afternoon.  This was your first time trying stuffing, and you absolutely loved it.  I think these pictures say it all!

Here you are pointing at the stuffing indicating that you would really like to try some, but we made you take pictures instead.

Now you are really angry that you have to take another picture, when clearly you would like to eat some stuffing RIGHT NOW.

Ahhh, finally we have prayed and allowed you to have some delicious stuffing.  I think I know what you are thankful for this Thanksgiving.

Charlie had a good time too.  He wore himself out and went into a Thanksgiving milk coma.

Ella, you make the holidays so much fun for your dad and me.  We love you, and we are so grateful to be your parents.

Love,
Mom

How We Yabba Dabba Do Halloween

Dear Ella,

This year was your first year where you were an active participant in the Halloween festivities.  Your first Halloween, you were only two months old.  You were an adorable LoveBug, but you didn't really understand what was going on.  This year was so much fun that I can't wait for next year when you and Charlie will be able to do all of the fun Halloween stuff.

The first thing I had to do was take pictures of you in your cute Halloween PJs.  I had bought these ones for you the year before on clearance, and I waited all year to put you in them.  Grammy bought Charlie's PJs for him.

Your PJs say "Wickedly Cute" and they have little red-headed witches flying around on their broomsticks.

You also had a blast carving pumpkins with your dad and me. 

First we scooped out the seeds.

Then you ate some of the seeds.  Yum!

And finally, we carved the faces of the pumpkins.

Dad's is the one on the left, and mine is the awesome one on the right.

On Halloween night, daddy had to work, so it was just you and me passing out candy to the trick-or-treaters.  We sat on the couch and watched "Scared Shrekless."  Each time the doorbell rang, you would shout, "Yay!" and clap your hands.  You loved taking candy out of our bowl and giving it to the trick-or-treaters. 

Daddy came home from work at 8:30 and I forced him to get dressed in his costume and go trick-or-treating with us.  We only went to about three houses, but you had a great time.  At the second house we went to, I made the family take a picture of us.

We tried to get you to look at the camera, but you were very focused on the candy in your bucket.

(Your costume originally had stick on fuzzy animal prints, which you peeled off about five seconds after I put your costume on you.  Your Grammy made all of these adorable costumes.  Thanks Grammy!)

When we came home, we let you eat two tootsie rolls, which you thoroughly enjoyed.

You are the cutest Pebbles I have ever seen!

My Pebbles and BamBam.  Do you see that you're still sucking on that Tootsie Roll?

Thank you for making the holidays so much fun for your dad and me.  This was by far my best Halloween ever!

Love,

Wilma Flinstone, AKA Mom

Your Blessing

Dearest Gabriella,

The day after we were sealed in the temple, your father gave you a blessing in church.  About a week before your blessing, I asked your dad if he would like to discuss with me what we should include in your blessing.  He told me that he felt it would be better to allow the spirit to guide him as to what to say to you.  In order to spiritually prepare, he fasted for 24 hours.  While he was fasting, your father prayed fervently for revelation as to what to bless you with.  I could tell by his actions that your blessing was very important to him, and he treated it as hallowed and sacred.

Your dad insisted that I put your hair in pig tails for the blessing because he LOVES your hair in pig tails.  You are pretty darn cute with them.

While your dad was giving you the blessing, you were so still and sweet.  He told me that you were giving all of the men in the circle hugs as he was blessing you.  Your dad did such a good job that you even clapped for him at the end of the blessing.  However, when it was Charlie's turn to be blessed, you did not want to let dad go.  Fortunately, the woman sitting next to me on the stand (Sis. Heidi Jones) let you play with her watch, and that made you happy.

Your Nana crocheted this beautiful pink blanket for your blessing.

After the blessing, all of the family and friends from out of town came over for some taco salad.  Your favorite part was the dessert!  Your Nana special ordered these oreos that were covered in belgian chocolate, and they had little hearts imprinted on them.

You've been a big fan of oreos and chocolate ever since.

We have the words to your blessing written down for you to read so that you can know all of the beautiful things that your earthly father and your Heavenly Father wish for you.  We love you so much, and the real blessing is having you in our family.

Love,
Mom

For Time and all Eternity

Dear Gabriella,

One of the greatest parts of having your adoption finalized is that we were able to take you to the San Diego Temple and have you sealed to your dad and me for time and all eternity.  Many people came to share your special day with you. 

Of course your Grammy and Pa were there.

I just love this picture of you and your Pa.

And your Nana and Papa wouldn't miss it either.

Your Aunt Marianne and Uncle Jake came too.

The Adams flew all the way from Indiana just for your sealing.

Your Auntie Jani was already in San Diego, but she would have flown in to see it anyway.

Your Nana Griffiths and Pa Bartholomew made a special trip from Utah so that they could be present.

The sealing took place on Saturday, October 8th, 2011.  The whole experience was so spiritual and uplifting.  We entered the temple and had you and Charlie stay in the children's waiting room while your dad and I went upstairs to change into our white temple clothes.  Just before it was time for you to join us, the temple workers changed you and Charlie into all whites too. 

We were able to reserve the same sealing room that your father and I were married in eleven years prior.  The room was filled with friends and family who were there to share our special day with us.  Some of those not featured in the pictures were the Ellsworths and the Kinseys who drove all the way from Yuma to be there.  We asked your Nana Griffiths to be the one to hold your hand over our hands during the ordinance.  You usually go to strangers so well, but for some reason it took you a while to warm up to your Nana Griffiths.  Because you had just met her the night before, you cried the entire time, but I didn't care at all.  I was crying too, except mine were tears of joy.  I couldn't stop smiling, and you even helped me to laugh a little, partly because I was so happy and partly because you were so mad that this stranger was pinning your hand down onto ours.  (It was rather amusing.)  I still remember the feeling I had when the sealer said that you were entitled to all of the blessings just as if I had given birth to you.  It was as though a weight had been lifted from me.  No matter what happens, you will always be my baby. 

I have a testimony that families can live together forever.  You give me another reason to live my life righteously so that I can live with you and my family in the eternities.  I love you my beautiful daughter, and I will love you forever. 

Sincerely,
Mom

Finally, The Finalization Hearing

Dear Gabriella,

Shortly after you were born, we went to see a judge about finalizing the adoption.  At that time, he said that we should be able to finalize on November 19, 2010.  We were thrilled that we could have it all finished in just a few months!  Usually, it takes about six months for all of the paperwork to go through. 

We were later informed that we would not be able to finalize in November, but they thought everything would be finished by March or April of 2011.  Once again, there were delays, so they said we could probably finalize in June.  When it was pushed back again to August, I wasn't holding my breath.  I decided we would just wait and see if it would all come together in August.  Sure enough, the finalization hearing was delayed until . . . well, they would call us and let us know.  When they called us and scheduled the finalization hearing for Monday, October 3rd, 2011, I admit that I was skeptical.  I thought, "Could this be true?  Are we actually going to have Ella bound to us legally and lawfully?"  The idea of it was so exciting!

On that beautiful Monday morning at 9:00 am, we all arrived at the Yuma County Juvenile Courthouse for your hearing.  Your Grammy was still in town for Charlie's birth, so she got to come with us to the hearing too.

(left to right) our attorney Bill Kerekes and his assistant Dee Smith
They were both very friendly and kind throughout the whole process.

Judge Katheryn Stocking-Tate

Your dad got to take the stand and answer all of our attorney's questions.  Then I took the stand and said that I agreed with everything he said.  When the judge stated that you would hereafter be known by the name of Gabriella Rachelle Griffiths, and you should be treated in all respect as the child of Brandon Keith Griffiths and Shelley Elizabeth Griffiths, I started to cry tears of joy.  Your Grammy was crying too, and we were all overcome with happiness.  You were finally a Griffiths!

Afterward, we all had a celebratory breakfast at Denny's.  I ordered you an applejuice because you LOVE juice, but I rarely give it to you.  It's not that I don't want you to have it, it's that you love it so much that you gulp it all down quickly, and then you don't have room for any food.  I figured it was your big day too, so I let you gulp down the applejuice.  You drank it so fast that your lips started to turn blue and your whole body shook because it made you so cold, but you didn't care.  You still clutched that juice and would not let it go until you were finished with it.

This picture says it all!

When we got home, Grammy took our family picture right outside of our house.  It took many tries, but we finally got one where we were all looking at the camera with our eyes open.

Your dad was so happy that he was twirling you around the house, and you loved having all of his attention.

It was such a happy day that even little Charlie was smiling!

Throughout the day, your dad kept saying, "No man can take you from us now."  It was such a sigh of relief to have all of the legal parts of the adoption over with.  Ella, I am so happy to be your mom.  It is such a tremendous blessing to have you and your sweet spirit with me every day.  As soon as people meet you, they immediately fall in love with you because you are so full of love and joy.  I am honored that Heavenly Father, Rachelle, and the law allowed me to be your mom.

Love always,

Your legal and lawful mom