You can't ever grow up

This is Joey.

Today is his FOURTH birthday.

I just can't believe it.

I have made some posts about him before, but never really told the story.
But,
Because today is such a special day,
I have decided to tell the story of how my family and I were blessed with him and my other adorable little brother, Casey.

It was two years ago,
in June.

Casey and Joey

At the beginning of the year 2007,
My parents decided that they wanted to adopt another child.
They researched many different places,
and after much thought and prayer, they decided to do the Foster to adopt.
After months of my parents going through adoption classes, they finally finished the preperation, and were waiting to adopt.

Three months later,
My mom received a call.
They told her that they had two little boys that needed a place to stay for only the weekend
because the plan was (of course) to get them back to their parents.

Later that day,
two beautiful little boys showed up at our house.

My mom knew that these little boys were meant to be in our family,
and even though they told us that they were going back to their birth family,
my mom believed differently.
A week later, we were happy to say, we still had them.
my mom said that if they were to take them away,
she wasn't going to do this anymore because she wouldn't be able to handle it.

well,
weeks turned into months,
and we still had these amazing little boys.

The more days that passed,
the better our chances of being able to adopt them were.

FINALLY,
in January of 2008,

WE FINALIZED THE ADOPTION

My whole family, our attorney dean (who is also in our ward, AND a member of our stake presidency), and our case worker Paul.

(less than a month later I discovered I was pregnant.

I don't consider it a coincedence that we adopted them when we did.

It had a lot of influence on my decision to place Beautiful little Avery for adoption.

Knowing how much you can love the children you adopt.

I KNEW that she would be loved JUST as much by her adoptive family,

she would just have a better life on top of it.)

I cannot imagine my life without Casey and Joey.

They are the sweetest, cutest, most adorable little kids

and our family is so blessed to have them in our lives,

and most importantly, in our FAMILY

Being sealed to them was such an emotional experience.

It was SO hard to have to sit in the waiting room,

while the rest of my family experienced the amazing sealing session.

It was an emotional,

yet VERY amazing experience.

I felt Our Saviors love during that time.

I knew that even though I could not witness our family being sealed to Casey and Joey,

it felt great to know that I was still being sealed to them.

I am so grateful for this Gospel.

I'm so honered to have been born into the covenant,

and I'm so grateful for the Savior and His sacrifice.

because of Him, I can be sealed to my family for time and all eternity.

So now,

almost two years later,

I look back on those days.

Joey was 2 when he came into our lives.

He is now 4.

FOUR.

I told him that he can't grow up.

I told him that he cannot turn four,

and he responded.

"Yes I can, I HAVE to grow up Andee"

too bad he's right...

Casey will be 7 next month.

he was 5 when he came into our lives.

They are such a blessing, and I am SO grateful for them.

My testimony is stronger because of them.

Happy Birthday Joey!

I love you,

and to me,

You will always be my baby brother.