Jax's temple sealing

What an incredible feeling it is to be sealed to Jax. Today is one of the days that we have been looking forward to for a very long time. Many people asked us how cool it was to go to court and have the adoption finalized. To us it was alright but today was the day that we were really looking forward to. I think it is so awesome that our Heavenly Father recognizes any adopted child just as if they were born into their adopted family under the covenant when we are sealed to them. When Shaileen and I walked into the sealing room it was incredible to see our family and friends there. We have had such love and support throughout everything we have gone through. Throughout the many heartbreaks in the adoption process it just did not effect just the two of us. It effected our family just as much. That is why it was so great to have them there with us to celebrate our FOREVER FAMILY!

Mostly it is just me that blogs but I really think it is super important to get Shaileen's thoughts from today. Here you go :

So my top moments in life, so far, are:
     1- The day I married my best friend,
     2- The day Jax was born,
     3- Bringing Jax home,
     4- finalizing Jax's adoption,
AND now
     5- the we had Jax sealed to us for time and ALL eternity.

Today was such an incredible experience. To know that no matter what happens in this life, Jax will be ours FOREVER!! This process of adoption has taught me so much. It has taught me to never give up, there is always something brighter to look forward to. It has taught me that no matter how lost you think you are, our Father in Heaven can help guide you back. It has taught me that PATIENCE is definitely a virtue. It has taught me that GOD knows ALL. It has taught me to be a strong, independent, loving, caring, hard working, confident, and funny woman. Adoption has taught me to never take advantage the relationship I have and can have with my children. It has taught me that no matter the struggle I can turn to my Father in Heaven for peace and guidance.
When Jax entered the sealing room he was thrilled, it was almost as if he knew what was about to happen. I sometimes wonder how thin the vale is for him still, and how much of what is happening in his life he knew was going to happen.
Today in the sealing room an overwhelming feeling of gratitude poured over my heart and slapped me in the face. I have so much to be grateful for. I feel as if we are always thanking those that have been a part of this journey with us, BUT sometimes we forget to thank the most important person. In the sealing room today, though everything that was happening, I poured my heart out to my Father in Heaven in silent prayer. I thanked him for this incredible MIRACLE he gave to us. I thanked him for trusting me enough to mother this precious child. I thanked him for allowing me to guide him through this life with his help and the help of my wonderful companion. I thanked him for not giving up on me through the years, and keeping his faith in me even when I wavered in my faith in him. lastly, I thanked him for being my strength, and for listening to me when I was sure no one else was.
I feel so much joy in my heart after today. Nothing will ever compare to the amazing experience of sitting across the alter from my incredible husband and our beautiful son, being sealed for TIME AND ALL ETERNITY!!! I know without a doubt that Jax was meant to be a part of our family. We will forever be grateful to his amazing birth mother Sarrina and the beautiful gift she has given us. She not only gave us the child we had longed for, but a new extended family as well. We love our Birth Family and we are so proud to have them in our lives.
I also just want to add that I would be nowhere without my husband. He has stood by me when others have not, at my lowest and at my highest. I know that God provided Kurt for me. He choose Kurt to be mine so he could teach me to be kind, generous, patient, gentle, soft of heart, and most of all faithful. I love you Kurt Reed Cline. You are mine forever and I cherish that thought. I love you madly and I am beyond grateful to share every moment of every day with you.
AND
Jax... one day you will read this. I want you to know that mommy loves you so much. I cried a million tears before I found you. Daddy and I waited, and waited, and waited and we know that Heavenly Father was finding the most special baby to send to us. I love you more than I can put into words. You have my heart little man. I know that one day you will be a daddy, and if you feel even an ounce of the love I have for you for your children you will be the best daddy around. I loved you before I even knew you existed. I have prayed for hours on end hoping that one day those prayers would be answered... Buddy, my prayers were answered with you. I love you my angel, you are my miracle. xoxo - mommy

I asked Shaileen to come into the computer room and not read what I had written earlier in this post but to just write down her feelings for today. WOW! I have no idea why I am the one that blogs because she can pour her heart out way better than I can. Shaileen, I love you too with all of my heart. You are the woman I had been looking for to marry but more importantly be the mother to our child. I love you!

Jax chooses which temple he wants to be sealed in

We were having such a tough time deciding what temple to have Jax sealed to us. Shaileen thought we should go to the Jordan River temple and I wanted the Salt Lake temple and we both really love the beauty of the Oquirrh Mountain temple in South Jordan. Someone online gave us the idea that we should show Jax the photos of each of the temples and let him choose. We both absolutely loved that idea. This evening we both sad down with Jax on the floor and pulled up photos on the temples on the Ipad and let him go to work. It was obviously hard to tell which one he really liked but from sitting next to him it seemed like he really liked the 2nd temple. I obviously was not watching which one he chose because it was the Jordan River temple (Shaileen's favorite). We are excited to go through the Jordan River temple though especially because that is where my Grandpa worked. He was also on his way there when he passed away. Each time we go there I can feel his presence there with us. We want to go get sealed on 12-28-13 but are not sure if that is a possibility yet because the temple is closed for cleaning currently and can't make an appointment until Monday. If that is when we get sealed we plan to bless him in church hopefully the following Sunday if our bishopric is ok with that. This is the thing that I look forward to most with Jax so far in this whole adoption process. To become not only a family on this earth but for eternity. Man, I love that boy more than the world. I am definately the luckiest Dad in the world.

Delivery Room Vs Sealing Room

On Friday we went to an adoption panel that Families Supporting Adoption put together. It was a panel of adoptive parents that told their stories. It was really good but the thing that hit me most was the quote in the photo. He said "I would trade a delivery room for a sealing room anyday." How true is that and how cool is it also. I have been in 3 sealing rooms when an "adoption sealing" was taking place. It is such an incredible thing to see. Like I said in my previous post it is pretty cool how Heavenly Father understands and allows adoption to complete families eternally. I look forward to the day we are able to take our child to the temple and be sealed. I can just picture us kneeling there together and then looking in the mirrors that symbolize an eternal family.

Adopting sealing

Another special day in our family happened yesterday. Alex was sealed to Kimberly and Jason in the temple! We are so happy to have him in our family through the wonderful gift of adoption. Alex sometimes wont let others hold him if Kimberly (his mom) is in the room but in the temple today he was super calm and was as happy as can be. The sealer in the temple said that pretty much all of the time when a child is brought into the temple they are super happy and calm. I can't wait for the day that we are able to do this in about 7 months or so! Thanks for inviting us Kimberly and Jason.

St George and Richfield Trip

We had a great time this past weekend traveling down to Richfield and St George. The reason we traveled down there is Shaileen's cousin had finalized their adoption last weekend so they were taking little Zoe through the St George temple to be sealed to them. What a cool experience it was to see the sealing. They were all very excited with huge smiles on their faces. It meant even a little extra to us because we as I am sure you know are trying to adopt too. We also had a great time spending time with Shaileen's grandmother and cousins. It overall was a great weekend. I even put together this little video of it! Check it out!