Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Happy Day!

When we adopted our older kids (Firecracker and then Little Brother) we felt so lucky and blessed to be given a child...and at the same time we grieved with their birth parents for their loss.  Our family's happiness came at a very heavy price for our kids' birth parents. 

Which is why I was so grateful to get to take Firecracker to Hawaii last week to be part of Alanna's (Firecracker's birthmom) wedding. 

In the LDS faith, we believe the marriages performed in our temples are for time AND for eternity and your children are sealed to your family for eternity also.  (We also got to take Firecracker and Little Brother to the temple to be sealed to us after their adoptions were final.) 

It was a sweet experience to be present when Alanna married her sweet heart and man of her dreams, creating a new forever family...a happy ending and wonderful new beginning in Alanna and Firecracker's adoption story.



I teared up several times walking into the temple and again as I try to find the best words as I write this post.  We're just so happy that Alanna has made the choices to make this day possible and that she's been so richly blessed for the sacrifices she's made over the last few years.
I'm kinda proud of this shot...they were posing for their real photographer, but I like the angles of this one.

So I hope you'll bear with me as I share some pictures.

Firecracker was really excited to see Alanna again. 


Firecracker warmed right up to Micah.  This is the first time she'd met him.

She also got to meet her Great-Grandma for the first time.  (I actually think they look a lot alike.)

And we got a great four generation picture.

And it was fun to get some cute, fun pictures of Firecracker in such pretty clothes.
I really like the photography of this shot too, with the flowers in front.


Firecracker was a real trooper through the whole thing.  She got pretty tired of posing for photos, but she hung in there for Alanna's sake.

And I hope Firecracker will do what she needs to to marry her own sweet heart in the temple someday too.

15 comments:

  1. What a magical and special day! Beautiful pictures of a beautiful family!

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  2. What a wonderful gift you gave to someone that gave you a wonderful gift. How nice she got a temple marriage. Such a good example to her daughter. Thanks for posting.

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  3. So, so sweet. Now you've got me tearing up. :) And great pictures. The last one is my personal favorite. :)

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  4. Wonderful photos of a wonderful event. I'm so glad that Alanna's grandma and Firecracker could meet each other. Such a treasure. Alanna and Micah look so happy, as well they should. Beautiful photos - welcome home, Polly!

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  5. That is SO sweet. I recently had a friend give her son up for adoption and I am so proud of her. She also has a close relationship with the adoptive parents. Hopefully she'll get her life back together and get married in the temple someday.

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  6. I love the ideas on your blog and I have used many of them, so thanks for putting them up here. I never knew you adopted. We are currently hoping to adopt and I love to see the open relationship you have with the birth mom. Even more than that, I LOVE to see that she got sealed in the temple. That is awesome!

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  7. I love the pictures! And that is so neat that you were able to take your daughter to be there for this. And, you're right! She does look like her Grandma. :)

    -Erin at chattychickadee.blogspot.com

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  8. How wonderful that your daughter has a good relationship with both her moms!

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  9. What a wonderful day to share together! Thanks for sharing the memory and the pics!

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  10. I want to thank you for sharing such personal experiences related to adoption. My husband and I are just beginning our adoption journey (putting together all the info for the application), and I am often overwhelmed, sometimes fearful, and always emotional. We have one beautiful son (biological) who will be 4 in February, and we are anxious to give him siblings and build our family. Reading happy, uplifting stories like yours gives me hope for our own happy ending!

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  11. What a sweet post. I am an adoptive mom as well and I am always so happy to hear positive adoption stories and relationships:) Thanks for sharing!

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  12. Polly, what a beautiful story. I was dying to know... because I looked at the photos on Facebook and I thought that your little girl looked just like the bride!!!! I knew your little girl was adopted... and once again, what a beautiful story. Pure happiness just glows from the happy couple and what a powerful testimony of the Atonement and I say this young lady is very valiant for the sacrifices she's made and deserves every ounce of happiness she's found! Thank you for sharing! The spirit of the temple just glows in those photos.

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  13. What a beautiful story. I love our faith, I love all that it represents, and I love that you have kept such a great open relationship with her birth mother. That is one of the greatest most precious gifts to all of you from all of you.

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  14. This story really brightened my day! Thank you for sharing your sacrifices and blessings with us. It's so good to see positive outcomes for all people involved and to witness the beauty of temple sealings and forever families!

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  15. What a special story. It is wonderful to hear how open your relationship is and keep everyone connected as one big family to support and love each other. So glad you were able to take her.

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