As the World Turners

Perspective

2012-01-17T21:44:00.000-08:00

Most of life is about perspective. The more we have of it the easier it is to understand a situation, react to a problem etc. And just to give you perspective I am writing about a situation where the mom (Vivian) is home during the day and the dad (me) is at work. That is not to say it is the only possibility but it is the one I have the most perspective on. Sorry for the long intro!

In the case of parenting perspective is king. Knowing the job of a mom helps the dad understand how to interact with her when he arrives home and knowing the stress of the workplace helps the mom react to the dad when he arrives home, etc. All that being said, I am going to state my thesis as the following..."A mom with more than 1 kid has a much harder job than any work situation I will ever encounter".

My story.

Yesterday was stay at home and have fun day since it was MLK day and not a work day. We had a baby sitter lined up for a few hours and all was going to be great. But then the stomach flu with in all of its wonder hit Vivian around 11pm the night before. Thus ended the potentially fun day. But I was super thankful that I had a day off to watch both kids and let Vivian suffer in peace. I love our kids and they are both wonderful, cute, etc but when Eliana is teething and Patrick doesn't want to take a nap, the day gets longer and longer. I am not complaining here because by all accounts we are very blessed. My point is that there is nothing that I have ever encountered in 20+ years of working that compares with the energy that it takes to deal with 2 kids on the "not so good days". It is not one specific part of the day that throws the day off but a series of little things adding up to never getting time to sit down for 10 minutes and do nothing. But here is the thing...for mom's this is the rule, it is common place. I think that if Dad's could take a day off and deal with the kids at the neediest for 1 complete day (i.e. midnight to midnight with no one sleeping through the night) their perspective on what their wife has to deal with would change. No matter what kind of high power, high paying, stressful job you might have, I have never seen a spreadsheet scream at me or have a complex problem whine at me. They just sit there until they are solved, nice and politely. Fellow employees can be an issue but at the end of the day they don't go home with you. I am not saying that this knowledge will create total marital bliss but I will take anything the work world can throw about me over 2 emotional, teething, not sleeping, needy kids. The former just doesn't compare in terms of energy expended.

Let's all be thankful for the moms!

Thanks for reading

Our Complete Family

2012-01-09T22:47:00.000-08:00

It is not as if our family wasn't complete before Eliana arrived but in one sense it wasn't quite finished. I can tell you that two is a wonderful, great and final number. The video at the bottom of this blog article is complete with the sights and sounds of our family at the end of 2011. Unlike other videos that I have made which are a collage of pictures this one only has 1 picture and the rest are videos showing the kids in action. When you watch the video, set it to full screen and turn the volume to high. Not only will you hear the sounds of Eliana and Patrick but the music in the background is a very beautiful piece of choral music.

La rose complete
( Rainer Maria Rilke, from Les Roses)
J'ai une telle conscience de ton etre,
rose complete,
que mon consentement te confond
avec mon coeur en fete.
Je te resprire comme si tu etais, rose,
toute la vie,
et je me sense l'ami parfait
d'une telle amie.

The Perfect Rose

I have such awareness of your being,
perfect rose,
that my will unites you
with my heart in celebration.

I breathe you in, rose, as if you were
all of life,
and I feel the perfect friend
of a perfect friend.

The connection with this piece of music is that our family is now very much complete with our little rose, Eliana. And with the understanding of Ephesians 1:5.6 " even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved." it becomes even more complete.

I can't begin to express the love that I have for this family but I do know this, it is nothing on the scale of the love that God has for us. Eliana is now 16lb 5 oz and growing like crazy. If I didn't know she was born premature I would have no way of knowing. She is a very happy, opinionated, joyful and strong little girl. Patrick continues to be a joyful, high verbal, 3 yr old with a love for trains, paints, cars, balls, Little Bear, Jonah, Busy town mysteries and of course, Curious George. His favorite place is usually the park and is great at allowing me to take him on runs in the stroller even if it means getting to the park 30 minutes later.

We didn't send out a Christmas letter this year and probably won't get around to it until next year but after you see the video you will know why! So don't write us off your list just yet...we will be back eventually as we learn more about navigating the waters of raising Patrick and Eliana.

Thanks for reading

A.D.O.P.T.I.O.N.S. Part 2

2011-11-26T16:17:00.001-08:00

I have taken some time between part 1 and 2 of the acrostic regarding adoptions. I didn't want the words to start sounding the same. It is easy to say the same thing over and over with a new letter. As the stories keep rolling through my brain I want them to be fresh and new for this second part so here we go...
T. Trust - Ultimately you have to trust that God has all things worked out to His satisfaction or you wouldn't ever begin the process of adoption. With so many unknowns in the process trust is key to survival and proper perspective. However, under the umbrella of trust of God for all the details you end up learning to trust other people as well. The trust between yourself and the birth family starts to build from the first moment that you meet them. This is the process that is filled with the most lack of trust in the entire adoption. Each party at the beginning will question the other party's motives, understandings, reasons, intentions and everything imaginable. It is beautiful to see these lack of trust items turn into trust items one by one. The process happened with both Patrick's and Eliana's birth families and I am sure that similar trust is built in most adoption situations. If you recognize that this is normal (and even healthy) then you will have an easier time navigating through the process as you experience it.

I. Intimacy - I have often said that to have a child only takes a male and female who have reached a certain biological age and 9 months of waiting and then "poof," welcome to the world, oh, little one. This process at the raw level doesn't take any thought, concern, or discussion. However, adoption is the ultimate bearing of your soul to others in order to become qualified to adopt. If the enterprise of having natural children were this long and arduous, we would have a much smaller population. The questions are as follows but not limited to:, "Why do you want to adopt?", "What type of child will you accept?", "What race of child will you accept?", "What is your house like?", "What is the state of your finances or tax returns?", "How is your marriage?" Questions spoken and unspoken from the birth families include, "What makes you want to adopt my child?", "What do you think of me as a person since I am giving up my child to adoption?", "Will you love my child always?", and "Will you judge me?" This is not a complete list but often I found myself running away from the questions wondering how any couple could be required to be this transparent with their lives. It is, however, important to embrace the process, since it will make your adoption successful, beautiful and unique.

O. Overwhelming - The entire process is overwhelming. After we adopted Patrick we had the sense that the second adoption process would be easier, and it was with regard to the paperwork, etc. However, as a friend told me, "you are a rookie parent with each child". This statement holds true with each adoption. We are rookie adoptive parents with each adoption. As much as I wanted it to be the same, it was entirely different. With Eliana we expected that we would have time to prepare, time to enjoy setting up her room, time to get to know the birth family, etc. In hindsight I wouldn't change anything about either adoption, but the reality of it was that they were both overwhelming! The first adoption is always overwhelming because it is a brand new realm. The second adoption for us had the new factor of 7 weeks in the NICU in a hospital 450 miles away. The emotions, the details, the insurance, the finances, the relationships, the unknowns, and more all add up to a process that can be overwhelming. It must be understood that God is in charge of this process. Otherwise, all you have is your raw emotions which cannot be trusted.

N - Not Understood - Just when you think you have entered into this wonderful plan to adopt a child either domestically or internationally, it is now time to share these plans with others. And, of course, everyone will understand your reasons, emotions, and all the details of adoption, right? WRONG. You will find many people who have no clue about adoption except for what they have heard on the evening news or read about on the internet - these stories are often negative in tone. In order to survive this crazy world of understanding or mis-understanding it is important to know who to communicate with. This was true in both of our situations. There were people that understood every detail of the story and were of great help throughout the process. There were those who really had no idea what was happening and therefore they got the very general version of "We are adopting a child". After that they were told only basic facts to keep them informed. If you are considering adoption please understand that people generally fall into these two categories (understanding and not understanding) and tailor your communication accordingly. It will help you keep your sanity and survive the barrage of questions that are prevalent throughout the adoption process.

S - Sacrifice - The sacrifice of having a child (biologically) is one of putting yourself last and putting your child first. They eat before you; they bathe before you; they have their needs met before yours, etc. It is a natural outgrowth of parenthood and you can talk to any new Mom or Dad and get all of the details. This reality is equally true in the adoptive process. Everything in the process seems to happen on its own time schedule which can be inconvenient and frustrating at times. Nothing about the process of meeting the birth family will happen on your schedule. Nothing will prepare you for unexpected expenses (unless you happen to be independently wealthy!) When you keep the focus on knowing that sacrifice will is the norm then the process will be much easier to understand.

Not one of the letters that were described in these 2 articles "A.D.O.P.T.I.O.N.S." describes the process, emotions, or ups and downs completely. You must take all of the discussions in the articles and keep reminding yourself that it is not about you, it is about the child. More importantly it is not about your plan, it is about God's plan for you. This will keep your adoption in the proper focus and give you the strength to make it through. The joy at the end of the process is indescribable. Thanks for reading. I pray that these 2 articles have encouraged other couples in their process of adoption.J.V.P.E

Musical Duet

2011-11-25T10:35:00.001-08:00

There is something fun about playing music with your 3 year old. I sense some talent here although we will have to wait and see. It is fun to see the wheels turning in his little headEnjoy the improvisation

A.D.O.P.T.I.O.N.S. (Part 1)

2011-11-05T21:36:00.000-07:00

Now that we have 2 beautiful kids through the wonderful world of adoption, I find that reflection on the past and a look toward the future is a very beneficial exercise for us. There are many more layers to adoption than I thought when we started this process 4 years ago. I decided to put an acrostic together in hopes that it would outline the important concepts of this multi-faceted process.

A -- AdjustmentIt might go without saying that having a new child in the family is an adjustment but more than that, the entire process of adoption is a life adjustment. At the beginning it is all about classes, books and money. Then there are the meetings with the social workers to determine the path of the adoption (domestic, international, ethnicity of the child, and other parameters.) Ultimately no matter what path you take to prepare for an adoption, the biggest adjustment is the match. It is without a doubt the largest adjustment that we have made in 19 years of marriage. With the paperwork process and the classes it is easy to be detached. But when you are introduced to a prospective birth mother, it is a beautiful adjustment that is almost difficult to put into words unless you have experienced it. And the adjustment was not any more or less significant with Eliana than with Patrick. Depending on how open the adoption is the adjustments will continue for a long time. Personally, I wouldn't want it any other way. I have come to realize that adoption is not "second best" in God's eyes. It is not something to do if and only if you can't have "your own" kids. It is near and dear to His heart and it is put in the same place as natural child birth. God gave us these children no matter the path, just as he has granted others with biological children. And, in the end, they are all God's kids.

D -- DependenceThe more unknown a situation is the more dependent you are on someone or something else. With both adoptions our dependence had to be 100% on God. There really is no other way in my mind. Without dependence on God you have only yourself to depend on; so many times in this life we have proven that we are not dependable. The Friday before we were connected with Eliana's birth mother we received a call that another adoption situation we were pursuing had fallen through. It was one of the most bizarre situations I have been in. Apparently the birth mom was scamming adoption agencies and families for money and had now come to California to continue the process since the agencies in Las Vegas had figured out what was going on. So getting that phone call on Friday was a relief but we were naive in thinking that the process would be delayed. The first phone call for Eliana's situation came that next Monday and off we went down the path again. Then after we settled down into the possibility of a late August birth only to get a text after church on Sunday June 26,2011 that Eliana was going to be born that day. And presto, we were dealing with a tentative match and a 3lb 6oz child who spent the next 6 weeks in the NICU in Northern California. Then we faced the prospect of having Vivian spend an unknown amount of time in Northern California (5 weeks) while Patrick and I stayed here in Southern California. We were completely dependent on God for wisdom, direction, endurance, finances etc. since we obviously had no control of the situation.

O - OpennessScary, Fun, Exciting, Rewarding, Indescribable. Which word do you want to use to describe openness? It is a default response for people who don't know anything about adoption to assume that you won't have any contact with the birth family (or "hopefully" won't have any contact with them.) That has never been our approach to the situation. We have always worked to get to know our birth families and serve them in any way possible. We continue to be connected to both families in our situation through various electronic and non electronic means. Open adoption means that you are going to meet the family and get to know them during the process prior to the birth. Sometimes this is not the case when the adoption starts with a call from the hospital. In Patrick's case we had 4 months or so and with Eliana we had 3 months before the "official" adoption. To deny the openness of adoption is to put yourself in a situation where you deny the essence of what adoption is. And it will be important to explain in full the world of adoption to Eliana and Patrick so it is vital that we don't start off with omitting truths or altering the facts. I am assuming that the story will change as we add facts when it is age appropriate. Truth is never relative and adoptions are no different. This may be where the most emotional ups and downs occur, but the end result is worth every bit of the process.

P - Prayer, Patience, Perseverance -- choose one because I sure can't :) -- all three are integral to the adoption process. Prayer reminds you to be totally dependent on God, Patience is a virtue and highly important in the adoption process and perseverance is a result of that. Since nothing is really under your control until you bring the child home from the hospital, adoption requires a enormous amount of Patience. I remember with both Eliana and Patrick that feeling that nothing was in my control. I knew it was in God's hands but that didn't mean that I had any clue about the outcome. Eliana was the biggest surprise since she came 2 months early. Patrick, however, was also a surprise since we didn't know when the real due date was going to be. Our best guess was actually 3 weeks before the actual due date. As I reflect on these 4 letters (A,D,O,P) it occurs to me that they apply equally to the birth mother/birth father. Adoption that is only understood from one view point is not adoption at all. There is an amazing amount of love, stress, and many other emotions that go into the birth mother's choice of adoption that most of us will never know. As adoptive parents we get a small insight into the thoughts of the birth mother, but I often wonder how many emotions and thoughts we are not privy to. In this day and age where you can't even discuss how much your annual salary is to your friends it is amazing that we are told as much as we are about the birth families situation.

Thanks for reading

Is Patrick 3 already?

2011-10-01T22:34:00.000-07:00

Well not quite. Patrick will be three in 6 days from now but whose counting. It was just yesterday that we were driving home from the hospital in Lake Arrowhead with a new infant. And today we still have a new infant in Eliana and a three year old. How time flies and things change. So in order to keep it simple we decided that a day out at Disneyland with his best friend Justus would be better than a party. With no nap today and a full day at the park (9am - dinner at 4:30pm) Patrick is thoroughly exhausted but the day was a success. Now let's hope he recovers from the energy expended. Enjoy the musical slide show from the super amateur photographers (1 with a droid and 1 with an iphone)Thanks for reading

Disneyland Patrick's 3rd B-Day from Jim Turner on Vimeo.

Photographers

2011-09-10T13:56:00.000-07:00

Part of having children is finding different ways to capture the activities, the expressions and the growth that our kids go through. Fortunately in this world of technology creating videos and taking pictures has become very easy and affordable. Anyone with a camera and an eye for the shot can create some good pictures. But there really is an art to being a professional photographer. The professional can capture images in a way and with an eye that the best amateur can't get close to capturing. They have the equipment, the expertise, the eye, and the experience that the rest of us don't have. I guess that is why they call them professionals and hence why we pay them money to use their skill for us. After 3 years of photo shoots I thought it would be good to say Thank you to the 2 professionals that have captured our family with amazing photos. They are both wonderful photographers, unique in their own way and fun to work with. Choosing a photographer is about a lot more than just getting some pictures and so I will leave out our decision making process and just let you enjoy some of the pictures that were taken by them.

Lauren DiMatteo - http://blog.laurendimatteo.com/ has been a family friend for years and is an amazing talent.

Rebecca Dawson Deaver - http://www.charmingphoto.com/ - we used her for a shoot when Lauren was unavailable and were very pleased with the results

May I suggest that if you are looking for a photographer these are 2 good ones to choose fromThanks for reading

The 2nd Child

2011-09-05T23:25:00.000-07:00

Do you ever find it annoying when people tell you "Just wait until you have ..." or "When you have 2 things will be different...". Partly because it assumes they know something you don't which bugs all of us and partly because inside you know they are right. It gets to the heart of what we strive for as humans, control. We want to be in control of all situations and when we are not it makes us crazy. Different levels of craziness depending on the personality but crazy the same. The best antidote for this of course is to stay single and die young, then you have no worries and no problems with relationships. Of course, that whole death thing can bring problems of its own. Short of that you are going to have to realize that you are not in control of much of anything. This is why I prefer to understand that God is in control and not me. It allows me to step back and look at the beauty of a situation, no matter how crazy, and try to see it from His perspective. We are thoroughly enjoying having Eliana home and for the most part she is a perfect (as my mom likes to say) little girl. It is those situations when you are without sleep and she decides to be fussy for the first time in 3 days that really gets to you. But that is just being a parent of a newborn and as they say "These things will also pass".

Eliana is a cute, wonderful, beautiful and feisty little girl. Patrick is a wonderful, handsome and super energetic little boy. Together they are going to be a wonderful pair of siblings. Right now there are a lot of unknowns. You can see the look in Patrick's eyes. "When is she going to talk with me?", "When is she going to play with me", etc. There is in addition a look of love and acceptance of his new sister and we as parents know that he will grow into his role as big brother. Eliana will have to spend a litte more time awake for that to happen :)

So if you have 1 child and are going to have 2 let me tell you "It will get harder but it will be worth it" And for those who have twins or more than 2 let me encourage you as much as I can to see the beauty in the kids because I will never know what it is really like to have more than 2.

I knew it was time to write another blog entry but I was lacking in something coherent to say so hopefully the above makes sense and resonates with you.

Thanks for reading

Let's Eat - no I think I will sleep

2011-08-25T20:42:00.000-07:00

In the last blog I commented on how different Patrick and Eliana are. However, there are some similarities. Patrick would rather play than eat and Eliana would rather sleep than eat. For now that is all Eliana does these days, eat and sleep and eat and sleep and poop. In matters not, however, they are both wonderfully cute and fun to play with.

Life is moving into a sense of normalcy and for that we are thankful. Eliana is on a 4 hour eating schedule so that usually means a 3 hour nap for the girl. Her first appointment with the doctor since leaving the NICU will be on Tuesday and that will officially mark a new chapter in her life. I am interested in finding out how long the feedings must be every 4 hours. For premature kids the feedings can't be any further apart than 4 hours or you risk dehydration. Eventually that will move into the next phase of eating but until then we will stick to the schedule!

Just for the record, if you are local and you want to visit just call and come by. We are as normal and normal is going to get for the next 3 months.

Looking forward to the grandparents visiting in September along with my sister and cousin "A". Fun times await!!

Thanks for reading

Week 1

2011-08-21T23:37:00.000-07:00

I remember writing a bit about Week 1 in Patrick's life and it was so different. Patrick had a 2 hour drive down the mountain from Lake Arrowhead and Eliana had a 2 day drive down from Walnut Creek with a stop in San Luis Obispo. That was a long trip for even the adults!!! These 2 kids are in no way the same, but isn't that how it always happens? I can recall many parents who have said that the 2 kids were not the same. Whether it be in personality or in eating habits, sleeping habits etc. these kids really have only 1 thing in common. They are both super cute. Now, of course, that is a generalization and they obviously have some things in common but if you have kids you know what I mean.

I am overjoyed to have the girls in our home. It is sooo much easier to manage 2 kids with 2 adults as compared to 1 kid and 1 adult. It is an almost exponential difference. I am sure that authors have written books on the subject but having 6 weeks of experience as proved it to me beyond a shadow of a doubt.

If you are wondering how quickly bonding happens with kids that are adopted let me give you my opinion on that. It happens pretty immediately once you are at home. There is an amazing bond that builds between the family members living under the same roof. Before Patrick I wouldn't have believed that could be true but it is very true!! Combine that fact with God's role in adoption and you have a combination that can't be beat. The spiritual component of this cannot be underestimated in any respect.

I feel like my comments are mirroring life. Without regular sleep the thoughts come in random batches and you just have to deal with them as they come. Eventually Eliana will sleep through the night also, but until then it is a 24 hour day with a few naps of various sizes.

And all you guys and gals you have helped, prayed, supported, written, cleaned, shopped, called, etc...YOU ROCK! Thanks to everyone for all the support you have given our family.

That's all for now. Thanks for reading. The pics below are from the first park day with the whole family!

Destination Home!

2011-08-14T19:54:00.000-07:00

Really, no really....no really, the time has finally arrived. I will be given the pleasure of having my family back together again and all of them in the same house in Aliso Viejo!! What a journey it has been in so many different aspects. On Tuesday evening I will travel after work up to Fresno (had to pick somewhere to stay) and spend a few hours sleeping with Patrick. Then on Wednesday we will travel to Moraga and drop Patrick off at our wonderful host's house for a few hours while Vivian and I go to the hospital and pickup Eliana. Then, assuming all that goes well and no forms are missing etc (after all this is a hospital :)) we will pickup Patrick and begin the journey to San Luis Obispo where we will visit our friends and spend the night. On Thursday it is destination Aliso Viejo!!

This journey has been punctuated by some much incredible support from our friends and family that to say thank you almost seems a bit trite. But as much as I can in a blog let me say a very big "Thank You" to those who have supported, prayed, helped and been a part of this in any way. The blog will continue as her little life grows into a big girl but it is now time for Chapter 2 in the life of Eliana Grace!!

Thanks for reading

Here is some photos of Eliana along with some photos of Patrick when he was 2 months old also.

Decision Time

2011-08-11T21:40:00.000-07:00

So the Brady events continue as the nervous system is developing. These events make us nervous (pardon the pun) but she comes out of them on her own as long as you stop feeding her for the moment and sit her up. She is now 6lbs 7oz. She lost 2 oz yesterday which was the first weight loss since being in the NICU. From my perspective that is remarkable as newborns typically loose weight in the first week of life outside the womb. Now the time has come....DECISION TIME!!

Even thought the Brady events have not stopped we can take her home if we feel comfortable. Since these events only happen when she eats and not when she sleeps they are willing and actually encouraging us to take her home. We have decided to wait until Monday and see how the weekend goes. A little more time in the NICU won't hurt anyone :) If nothing out of the ordinary happen it appears that Patrick and I will drive up sometime early next week. Maybe Tue evening. We will make firm plans on Monday.

So it is adventure part 2. She will be at home and we will be a family living in the same house again. Just for the record, 5 weeks apart from each other is difficult. I am not complaining in the least since this is God's plan for her and it was a very easy choice to make. It will be so nice to see her in the room that was prepared for her and see her grow up to be a little sister for Patrick. I guess the bottom line is that the adventure of kids never ends and the adventure of adoption adds another layer to that wonderful adventure.

Here are some recent pics of Eliana along with here room to be!!! The blog won't stop even after she is home so keep reading

Thanks for reading

Milestones

2011-08-06T22:28:00.000-07:00

Some of the hardest times in the adoption process involve waiting for milestones. Each milestone is important and the next milestone is always contingent on the previous milestone. Combine the adoption process with the NICU and there are even more milestones to navigate through. Today we passed through another medical milestone. To state the plainly obvious...you can't leave the NICU with a feeding tube stuck inside you. I have seen that tube in Eliana for so many days that it will be a little bit odd in a very good way to see it gone. Well that is exactly what happened tonight. Vivian sent me a text saying that the night nurse removed the tube and Eliana is using the bottle for every feeding during the day. This is super exciting!! The next milestone is ad lib feeding. This is when she wakes up hungry and cries for the bottle as opposed to eating on a prescribed schedule. Is it something that full term infants do naturally when they are born. Still no definite date on coming home but the more milestones that are achieved the closer we are. I will post pictures, sans tube, as soon as I have them

Thanks for reading

Sleep or Eat?

2011-08-04T22:36:00.000-07:00

What do you like more in life, sleeping or eating? I guess that depends on the meal being served. If you are tired enough it will take a serious meal fixed by some serious chefs to peak your interest. But what if the meal was the same each day, I would think that you would choose sleep. this is because, like groundhog day, the next meal will come and it will be exactly the same. I often wonder why we worry about feeding our kids the same meals more than twice in a week. When they were born they ate the same meal for the first 6+ months. That is a long time. I do know the importance of variety and a balanced diet but do you ever just stop and ponder...hmmm...?

Eliana is faced with the same question, to eat or to sleep. Newborns and especially premies do most if not all of their growing when they sleep. There is a reason behind the statement, "Don't wake a sleeping child" :). The problem arises when Eliana is trying to learn how to suck on the bottle nipple, breathe and swallow all at the same time. It is a lot for a little one to deal with. And on top of that if she has had an especially tough day, such as the testing days, remembering to do all of those things is difficult. This leads to what is called Bradycardia. It is a condition where they forget to breathe. With Eliana this can happen during feedings. The consequence is that the oxygen in the blood drops, the heart rate drops and she becomes lethargic. Eliana's heart rate can drop to below 70 and this is a big deal for a child that has a resting heart rate of 150+. This is an oversimplification of the condition so if you want to read more just google premature birth and Bradycardia.

She will come out of the "event" on her own and it is something that she will grow out of so we are not panicing. It does make us pause and remember who we put our trust in. We put our trust in God and we trust Him to develop Eliana in every way needed to come home from the NICU. We trust Him to lead the doctors and nurses in their decision making and we can't wait until we get to take her home. But each event signals the start of a minimum 5 day period that she has to go through without any events before she can go home.

So while you wait with us, here is brother ( 3yrs in Oct) and sister ( 6 lb. 3.1oz ), Orange County and Bay Area. Soon the girls and the boys will be together as a family. Until then, we wait, hope, pray and trust

Thanks for reading

Uncertainty

2011-08-02T17:14:00.000-07:00

Uncertainty is one of the pleasures in life that we all want to avoid. No one likes it and those that tell you they like it probably are just hoping it will go away. We don't like uncertainty with our health, our friends, our family, our lives, etc. Putting your complete trust in God doesn't take away the uncertainty, since we still don't always know the outcome, it gives you an amazing gift of knowing that the decision is out of your hands completely and in God's hands. That is the ultimate comfort that we rely on in our waiting and decision making.

Adoption has many layers of uncertainty. It has many times of waiting and wondering and many ups and downs along the way. As we go along the journey, one by one these layers are removed and the family starts to take shape. It is an awesome process to be a part of. The beauty of open adoption is that the bond with the birth family is forever. It is one layer that is constant. It may take different forms during the life of the child but it will never go away. Unlike closed adoption of past decades, open adoption allows for contact to continue as the parties decide. On Monday this week another layer was removed as the papers were signed as we became official foster parents of Eliana with the adoption agency as the legal guardian. This is a great support during the first year because the adoption agency is dedicated to making sure everything goes as smoothly as possible and is completely supportive in the process. In 1 year or so the last layer will change and the adoption agency will no longer have a role and we will be the legal parents in every way. Super exciting times abound!!! While on the outside everything seems the same it has changed substantially.

It is wonderful that another layer of uncertainty has been removed and we can start this new chapter in our family. Eliana is still growing in the NICU and is at 5lb 14.5 oz and cute as can be. She needs to be able to take food from a bottle for all the feedings and have her eyes develop before she gets to come home and there is not one doctor or nurse who will predict the date that will happen. But each day we get 1 day closer.

Here are some pictures from yesterday evening at 11pm

Thanks for reading.

Reality comes!

2011-07-29T22:28:00.000-07:00

The truth about adoption is that it comes in stages. Often times slow stages and then all at once it will hit you. We found ourselves filling out paperwork and doing all of the required tasks earlier this year. At that point it was partially real. There was no child yet, except in God's predetermined choice which He hadn't shared yet. Then came the next phase where we met with a social worker in our house and it gets a little more real. There is after all someone in my house talking to us about the particulars of the process. The next step is even more real when we were chosen to be looked at by a birth mom. The reality becomes serious at this point since you are being considered by someone who loves their child enough to look at their current situation and say that adoption is the right choice. Eventually we were chosen by someone and Wow...it is super real but still a bit far off, since there is no child yet. But then we got "the call" that says the baby is coming and at that point you feel more emotions in 1 day than you have in the last year or so it seems. This was magnified by the fact that Eliana was 2 months earlier than anticipated. For the most part the ultimate reality sinks in when you put the child in the car seat and take the journey home for the first time. With Patrick it was a 2 hr ride down the mountain from Lake Arrowhead at 9pm in the evening. With Eliana it will be a 2 day drive from Walnut Creek sometime in August. As adoptive parents the previous events are our pregnancy, our way of getting ready for the adventure. It gives us a bond with other adoptive parents that is special. It is in no way better or worse than the biological process, it is not to be thought of as a last resort, it is simply the most wonderful roller coaster you could ever ride with all the ups and downs you can imagine. I don't ever want to get off. Although just for the record 2 kids is enough for this family.

But what is a story about adoption without some pictures. So here are Eliana and Vivian as Eliana continues to grow and develop into a child that is ready to come home.

Thanks for reading

Give me that bottle!

2011-07-18T15:55:00.000-07:00

it is that time...34 weeks. It is the appointed time by the doctors based on the collective experience of pre-term babies that the bottle feeding should begin. Another milestone in the little life of Eliana starts today. The perspective on how little she is changes depending on how you look at it. Either she is only 4lbs 8.5 oz as of today OR she is 1 lb 2.5 oz more than she was when she was born. I am amazed as to how alert and active she is and how much more she looks like a fully grown baby as compared to the first time I saw her on day 2. The target for the discharge from the hospital is still the 37th week and at this rate (1 oz/day) she will be close to 6 lbs by the time we take her home.

I have enjoyed the weekend up here in the Bay Area and it will be nice to have Vivian back at home for a few days before she comes back up for another week. Love the baby sitters but I wouldn't want to do this long term!! Patrick had a good time and as a bonus he got to see his cousins James and Luke who were out visiting their grandma in Mountain View. He had a small issue with something that kept him sick and unhappy from 4pm to 1am but after that he was ready to go. We convinced him to sleep some more until 5am but it was all full steam ahead at 5am. Now I am the one that needs some sleep. These are just a few of the ways that God prepares us for what is to come!!

Now onto the fun part. The pictures!! Enjoy

Waiting...

2011-07-09T19:47:00.000-07:00

It is July 9th and Eliana is now 13 days old. She started out in this world at 3 lb 6oz and is now at 3lb 12oz and growing. All signs look good. She is having normal developmental issues that children go through when they are still inside but we are seeing them in person. It is important to realize that they are a normal part of development and to enjoy learning about the amazing growing child that God created.

Vivian is up north going to the hospital everyday and holding Eliana before the feeding time and can hold her for a few hours each time. Patrick and I are hanging out down here until next weekend. We are very thankful for a wonderful friends and sitters that are helping watch Patrick while I work during the week. It sure makes me appreciate how fortunate we are to have Vivian at home instead of having both of us working.

I am learning a lot about how prevalent entropy is in our lives. One day this house is clean and then then next....well you know the rest! There is no stopping it!!!

Patrick and I are looking forward to flying up next weekend and Patrick will really enjoy riding the BART train to see Mommy.

It is really a waiting game. I remember this period of time with Patrick and the most important part is to enjoy the time and not rush it. God has us in this not just for a purpose but on purpose. As much as I want Eliana to be out of the NICU we don't want to miss a moment of this important part of her life. The doctors and nurses are wonderful and the time with the birth family is priceless.

That's all for now. Here are some recent pictures. Thanks for your prayers and support. The community of friends that experience this with us is indeed an important part of the process and we are very grateful for all of you.

The adventure - 1 week so far

2011-07-04T21:42:00.000-07:00

We had a great weekend getting to know the birth family. It was a long weekend but details aside I know that everyone is more interested in pictures so without further adieu here is the first video picture collage. (the music is home grown if you know what I mean)

Eliana from Jim Turner on Vimeo.

The adventure Day 3!!

2011-06-28T20:31:00.000-07:00

Eliana was born at 10:04 on Sunday June 26th, weighing 3lb 6oz and was 16 1/4 inches long. She is now in the NICU at Walnut Creek. As I heard the news it was time to start finding out the details.!!!

As I sit here at the Oakland Airport and reflect on the day it has been a whirlwind of an experience. I (Jim) arrive last night at the Hilton Concord, CA at 12am to get a little sleep before going to the hospital on Tuesday. It was an information gathering day. I talked to the birth mom (BM), her mom (GM for grandmother), the kids of the BM, the husband of the BM (HBM) the social worker of the hospital, the nurses, the doctor, the information desk, the insurance coverage people and others that I probably forgot. Adoptions are situations that be definition are not perfect, hence the fact that you won't meet the parents on the blog as it would be an invasion of privacy in a very important moment in their and our lives.

All of the family are wonderful people and we had a great time getting to know each other, discussing details of adoption, forms to fill out etc. I can't wait to go back and see them this weekend. God has really put this together in an amazing way and I hope to be able to articulate that over time.

Eliana is an energetic little 3lb 7oz baby. She moves and won't sit still. She will fit right in with Patrick. Because she is preterm there are a lot of hurdles to jump over but she is very healthy according to the doctors and should fare well. She is Jaundice right now but that happens to many full term babies so they have her under the blue light to help the situation. I took a picture and may share it but it doesn't look like much since her eyes are bandaged to protect them from the light. The light is not dangerous but annoying to little eyes. She has a loud cry, some big feat and hands and a head of black hair for now. They feed her 2ml of milk each 3 hours and the nurses take care of her in an amazing way. There is nothing more amazing to me right now than the NICU. A bunch of dedicated and very nice nurses in doctors looking after the ones that need their help the most.

We will see BM and the family this weekend and I think they will be involved in the process until Eliana is allowed to leave the hospital. They are very generous and I am sure Patrick will enjoy playing with their kids. It is odd how I can love a little girl so much already and I haven't even been able to hold her yet.

The estimate now is that Eliana will be in the hospital at least until July 30th and possible to the original due date which is August 29th. So if you don't find us in Southern California you can find us at Kaiser Walnut Creek.

The community of support is so important, through prayers, encouragement, help with other tasks etc. Vivian and I are thankful for you all. Whether on Facebook or on the blog take a moment and comment and share the experience with you.

Let the adventure continue

Jim

Beach Time! (#2)

2011-06-18T14:35:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Julie, Jeff, Paige and John for a ton of pictures!!! I just decided that some of them needed to be put to music. The song in Latin means "After the birds"
Go Full screen and turn up the volume!

Hope you enjoy the views from Edisto Beach

EdistoBeach 2 from Jim Turner on Vimeo.

Beach Time!!!

2011-06-05T20:41:00.000-07:00

Not just any ordinary beach time, this was the 2011 edition of the extended family at Edisto Beach, SC. A lot of fun, food, fellowship, sun, ocean, sand and more was had by all. Here is the first video recap of the vacation. Enjoy

Warning. It is 10 minutes long so turn up the music and sit back and enjoy

Jim

EdistoBeach 1 from Jim Turner on Vimeo.

Piano Time 3

2011-05-14T17:33:00.000-07:00

Nothing more fun than piano time at the improv in our own home. And mix in a little Duke Ellington and John Coltrane and you have an avant garde masterpiece.

Enjoy

Piano Time 3 from Jim Turner on Vimeo.

Beach Time!!!

2011-04-16T15:37:00.000-07:00

Running is indeed fun. Running with Patrick is even more fun than normal. Today we went on a 9.3 mile training run to Salt Creek Beach. We can't wait to hang out with the cousins in South Carolina at the end of May but until then it is nice to have a beautiful location so close to home.

Check out the video from a beautiful Saturday morning.

Beach Time !!! from Jim Turner on Vimeo.

Water Table Fun

2011-04-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

A Perfect Match, something we always search for and here it is. A Water Table for Patrick. Life couldn't be any better than the joy of playing with a Water Table. Well it can be better but that is a conversation for another day :)

Enjoy

Water Table from Jim Turner on Vimeo.

Trains part 2

2011-02-19T18:56:00.000-08:00

Some blogs have a lot to say, but at this blog we are mostly about pictures and video. Occasionally there will be some important and useful information but for now we will stick with the video and pictures. Off we go to Trains part 2, a fun day on Amtrak and a beautiful couple of hours in Solana Beach.

Enjoy

Amtrak from Jim Turner on Vimeo.

Trains

2011-02-12T22:02:00.001-08:00

It must be the weekend with time to create and post videos. With the help of some new trains, a roundhouse and by moving the train table out so that Patrick can easily walk all around it we have achieved a new appreciation for playtime with trains. That combined with the iphone and imovie gives us the following.

Enjoy

Trains from Jim Turner on Vimeo.

Basketball

2011-02-11T23:42:00.001-08:00

Let's face it...iMovie is too easy and too fun and with the resources on the net you can come up with something enjoyable in a short amount of time. So that sounded like a good Friday night task since I had a few iphone videos to upload. It doesn't really matter to us which sport Patrick chooses as long as he is active and strives to glorify God in the process. But for now we are trying to help him enjoy basketball (from the short rim).

Hope you enjoy the short video

Basketball from Jim Turner on Vimeo.

Happy New Year - 2010 In Retrospect

2010-12-26T14:57:00.000-08:00

As I consider our journey this year, I am reminded that it is good to see the world with eternity in mind. As I continue to wait for our CHRISTMAS cards to arrive (due to a delay in shipping from the printer to us,) I realize that we spend so much time worrying about unimportant and temporal things. Our Christmas wishes will have the same spirit, sentiment and impact after Christmas as they would have had before December 25th. I have also been reminded this year that it is refreshing to see the world through the eyes of a child, in this case, our energetic toddler Patrick! Here are a few of our 2010 family highlights:

February - Patrick "officially" became a Turner as we headed to the Superior court of Orange County to finish the legal portion of his adoption. We were thankful to have friends and family members present for the festivities (see the "It's Official" post from February 11, 2010 for details.) And although this was not a big change for us, as Patrick has been integrated into our family from his first day of life, it was a touching and meaningful ceremony as the State of California declared that Patrick now had all the rights and privileges of a biological heir in the eyes of the law. Praise God for His abundant provision!

May - We packed up our little boy, bags, car seat, snacks, toys, and beach clothes and headed to Edisto Beach, South Carolina for a week on the Atlantic Ocean with Jim's parents, younger siblings, spouses, and 4 "little cousins." The kids and adults alike had a spectacular time, and we enjoyed our time of R & R together on the sand.

August - Jim's sister Julie delivered Patrick's newest cousin Dean Robert Collins and we all rejoiced! We can't wait to meet Baby Dean in person on our next Turner family get together in 2011. Patrick, Jim and I also started Gymboree classes together (directed play on structures and gym mats designed to help kids improve motor, verbal, and social skills.) We did these classes 3 times a week for 4 months and were amazed at Patrick's development through the guided activities.

October - We celebrated Patrick's 2nd birthday with a Thomas the Tank Engine party at a local park. Many friends (and kids!) were on hand for this joyous event, and Patrick had a BALL with the balloons, gifts, and all things Thomas! We also enjoyed visiting Patrick's Grandma and Grandpa (my parents) in Arizona later in the month. Patrick was a literal "chatterbox" on the car trip and in AZ, and we loved sharing his joy and energy with our family out west.

December - A week after Thanksgiving we flew to Denver and spent 6 days in the snow with Jim's parents in Beaver Creek, a lovely ski resort near Vail, Colorado. Patrick had his first "ski" experience (although Daddy did all the work,) and we continued to build lasting family memories of the snow in Beaver Creek, whose slogan is "Not Exactly Roughing It." Not exactly, indeed! :) The highlight was a snow day near the end of our trip when we skied, strolled, and played in the snow with complete abandon! Patrick was in snow-induced heaven, and we had a fun time sharing quality time with Nana & Papa.

We celebrated Christmas quietly at home and church and were able to reflect upon the significant connection between the Baby in the Manger and the Savior on the Cross. We pray that 2011 finds you earnestly seeking Him as we continue to live our lives in service of the One who loved us enough to send His Son to earth to sacrifice Himself on our behalf.

Happy New Year to All, and To All a Good Night . . .

Christmas 2010

2010-12-25T22:57:00.001-08:00

A wonderful intersection of Biagi, Handel, and lots of pictures of Patrick and the presents. Thanks to all the friends and family that were a part of our Christmas.

Christmas 2010 from Jim Turner on Vimeo.

The homeless perspective

2010-12-17T20:42:00.000-08:00

Today I had the privilege of donating clothes to a wonderful organization. The organization is Children Today in Long Beach. http://www.childrentoday.org The mission of Children Today is to provide community based services to children and families experiencing homelessness, fostering long-term family stability and success. The service that I saw today was the Play House in West Long Beach. In the early 1990's I worked with inner city kids in Long Beach so I know most all of the areas and I can tell you that this is a perfect spot for the facility but not a place where the typical Orange County person would find themselves. The Play House is a place for kids of homeless parents to enjoy time eating, playing, doing art projects, playing in the park and on a play structure all in the comfort and safety of the facility while the parents work on finding permanent housing, jobs, etc.

As I toured the facility after dropping off the clothes that the Turner's, Donaldson's and Faulk's had donated I asked myself the question, "What is the difference between Patrick and these kids?" The answer was, absolutely nothing. The economic circumstances differ and the culture is different but the reality is that kids during the early years know nothing of these things. They just want comfort, love and stability. That is what Children Today helps provide. As I saw the kids at the facility I just wanted to stop and play with them and be a part of their life, but alas a work day awaited me.

So what can we do? How can we be a part of the solution? The answer is "it's all about the clothes." Homeless Moms and Dads do not always have clean clothes for their kids and as the kids play the clothes often become dirty. Sometimes accidents happen (as every parent is well aware) that cause the clothes to become soiled. At these times Children Today can offer the kids a new set of clothes from the ones that have been donated. These clothes are a gift to the kids and the parents and nothing is expected in return. So therefore there is a constant need for clothes for the kids (ages 6 months to 6 years)

What are you doing with the clothes that your kid has outgrown? Goodwill, closet storage, etc.? If you are reading this and are in Orange County, please help me help the kids who need it the most. I will pick up your old clothes and deliver them to the Play House and together we can be a part of the solution. Just leave a comment or a Facebook message at any time.

For the kids

JV&P

The Epic Adventure

2010-12-07T19:35:00.000-08:00

I find it useful to catalog the adventures of Patrick and this one was no exception. It was a wonderful experience showing Patrick the snow and giving him his first taste of skiing. Based on the feedback from Patrick I think we have a ski bum on our hands. The epic adventure is now complete

BeaverCreekDec2010 The Epic Adventure from Jim Turner on Vimeo.

Night Time at the Snow

2010-12-06T17:55:00.001-08:00

It is fun showing Patrick new experiences. We finally got to introduce him to falling snow (white rain as we call it). We continue to wonder what goes through his mind with these new experiences but something are better not known

Word Cup Birds of Prey 2010

2010-12-04T18:27:00.000-08:00

In addition to enjoying Beaver Creek we got to see the Birds of Prey World Cup skiing race. This was an added bonus to our trip. Who knows? Maybe Patrick will like skiing that much in a few years!!

Beaver Creek Birds of Prey World Cup 2010 from Jim Turner on Vimeo.

Skiing Time

2010-12-03T16:38:00.001-08:00

It is well know that I love skiing and despite not having skied for 5 years I was still excited about going up to the mountain. Especially because this year we got to expose Patrick to the joys of coming down the mountain and enjoying the snow. Day 1 is complete so enjoy the video

JV&P

Beaver Creek Dec 2010 from Jim Turner on Vimeo.

Contentment

2010-11-12T21:25:00.000-08:00

Being content in all situations is a good thing and something we try to teach Patrick. With the time change darkness arrives at 5:30pm so when we left for a walk at 5:45pm I was surprised for Patrick to ask to go to the Park. But I had my super bright night rider lights and we were ready to go. Enjoy the 1 minute video of the experience.

Enjoying the Park at Night from Jim Turner on Vimeo.

Piano Time

2010-11-03T23:41:00.000-07:00

The first draft of the Piano Sonata was captured on video last December. Here is the recent draft of the Piano Sonata as it has developed. Enjoy.

Piano Time from Jim Turner on Vimeo.

Grateful

2010-10-28T19:32:00.001-07:00

It is election season here in the USA and everyone is waiting for November 2nd to arrive. What are we most upset about seems to fuel the fire of our voting. But what are we grateful for? Now that is a question that seems worth asking and is missing from our news, movies, schools and every day environment.

I am thankful for my wife and son. Everyday I get to wake up to a happy boy and every night Vivian and I get to put him back to bed. I am always reminded of God's grace every day that Patrick is around. This doesn't mean that it is all roses if you know what I mean.

I am grateful for friends that I don't see or talk to often but are always in my thoughts. Every time I get the Burley out with Patrick, I am reminded of the Kings who gave us the Burley and who are living in Seattle. Patrick has enjoyed the Burley since he was 8 months old. Every time I think of Patrick's adoption I think of the Clement's who live in San Francisco and adopted their son 4 years before Patrick was born. Bruce is a great friend who I was roommates with in College.

I am grateful for my church family, my neighbors and most importantly the God who we worship and who created this universe (without any help from us :))

I am grateful for night riding with Patrick who is happy as long as one of his parents are around. Adventures abound and more are to come I am sure. Life will throw us curves but that will never mean the absence of things to be grateful for.

Bounce House for a 2 year old

2010-10-15T21:39:00.000-07:00

The 2 year appointment confirmed what we already knew. We have a healthy tall and thin 2 year old. 37 inches and 26.5 lbs. We had promised him after that appt that we would go to bounce house that they have in Town Center during October and he had a blast. It was a great Friday night activity for the family. It is amazing what you can do with the iphone. It now does video! -- what could be easier than that!

Bounce House from Jim Turner on Vimeo.

2nd B-day party pics

2010-10-07T06:33:00.001-07:00

Thanks to all who came out to the party. The video as Patrick's 2 favorite theme songs. If you have kids under 5 I am sure you will recognize them :)

Enjoy

Patrick's 2nd B-Day from Videos on Vimeo.

2nd B-day Party and the 3 A's

2010-10-03T23:06:00.000-07:00

Thank you to the 25 kids and adults that came to Patrick's B-day on Saturday. It made the day really special. I will post pictures later in the week as we get them.

Amazing....the word that describes that which we can't describe. It goes along with awesome, a word that describes something deeper than you describe. Both words correctly describe Adoption, the process that placed Patrick into our lives 2 years ago.

On October 7th, 2008 I wrote "Latest reports from the mountain are the the medical director and the doctor and the birth mom met today and decided that today would be the day to induce. Hopefully all will go well, nothing will change and everyone will be very healthy after this is all finished."

On October 3rd, 2010, we went to church, prayed together with the kid's ministry team and dropped off Patrick in his 2yr old class. The verse that I thought would be important before the adoption is even now more prevalent in my mind.

Ephesians 1:5-6
"In love ⁵he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— ⁶to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves."

Not only is adoption something that God has chosen to do, He gives us the amazing opportunity to be involved in the process and all for the purpose of giving praise to the creator of this world and His son Jesus Christ.

So the conclusion for us is this: When those "2 yr old moments" are more frequent than we would like we have to remember that the purpose of Patrick's life is not to acquire more stuff, or be the best kid he can be, or impress the world with how cute or smart he is. The purpose of Patrick's life should be to give God the praise that He is due, and I hope and pray that we are up to the task of teaching him that.

Thanks for reading

Wordsmith

2010-09-04T21:54:00.000-07:00

It is a fun adventure watching Patrick grow up and learn the art of communicating. He obviously knows what he is saying but we sometimes are a bit perplexed by the sentences that arise out of his little brain. Each day, however, he comes up with new words that he hears from us, Brainy Baby ABC's, Little Bear or Thomas The Train. So far we have

"Attention"

"Octopus"

"Alligator"

"Happy Hearts"

"Teeth"

"Eyes"

"Toes"

"Ears"

"Cars", etc.

The vocabulary is increasing which reminds us consistently to watch what comes out of our mouths since we might just hear it come back to us from Patrick :)

Downtown Disney

2010-08-07T21:04:00.000-07:00

So what do you do when the family is sick or getting over colds etc? Go on an afternoon adventure at Downtown Disney of course! Patrick always has enough energy to go around and the Rainforest Cafe took care of the food. Millions and millions of stimulative sources for the boy made for a super fun evening out.

(pictures from the iphone 3G hmm do I need an iphone 4 for a better camera and video? NOT, but want is a different story)

Saturday out by the pool

2010-08-01T23:09:00.000-07:00

A wonderful time we had at the Joujon Roche household on Saturday. Patrick absolutely loved the backyard primarily because it had a pool and other water features. We had a good time connecting with friends and all in all it was something we should do again soon. Patrick is working on relaxing as you can see in the pictures!!

It Starts Early

2010-07-15T22:47:00.000-07:00

It starts early:
So here we are on a Thursday evening back from the pool, fixing dinner and allowing Patrick to sit down and watch a Little Bear DVD. Little Bear is his favorite out of the 2 he has seen (Thomas the Train being the other) -- These are the benefits of not subscribing to Cox or DirectTV, Dish, etc.

A little Background:
I have a small computer hooked up to the 30" Television screen which is connected to an AMP and then to the stereo speakers. Tonight there was no sound on the DVD. I checked the normal issues, sound on the computer, mute button, AMP in the on position, volume control up etc. But I wasn't finding the problem.

The solution:
So Patrick, who had earlier in the day pressed buttons on the AMP, walks over to the AMP and presses the tape direct button, the one button that brings the sound back on. Both of us laughed and told him how smart he was to figure it out. That's our 21 month old fixing the electronic issues already.

The conclusion:
He is not just pressing buttons. We may not understand it but he does!! Just because he doesn't have full sentences yet doesn't mean the brain is not in overdrive.

Water Toddler!!

2010-07-15T19:29:00.000-07:00

Patrick's first time in the new swim floatables :). It really helped him float and learn more about the pool. These pictures are obviously not from the big pool, (I can't take pictures and swim with him :)) -- so I took them in the fun little pool. We played ball, went under water, jumped off the side (well slid is more like it) and had a great time. I think we have a water bug for sure!!

Aquarium of The Pacific -- look at all the fishes!!!

2010-07-04T17:35:00.001-07:00

In keeping with the animal loving theme that seems to encapsulate Patrick's life so far, we ventured off to Long Beach on Saturday to the Aquarium of the Pacific. Let's just say that if it weren't for his little body's need for a nap, he would have stayed there all day.

AquariumofThePacific from Jim Turner on Vimeo.

We Love the Zoo

2010-06-27T08:03:00.000-07:00

I have learned that you can't evaluate the zoo based on size. From a 20 month old perspective a "small" zoo may be just the right size. So we ventured off to the Orange County Zoo in the city of Orange, road the horses, saw the goats, burros, peacocks and many other animals. All in all, it was a wonderful Saturday

Animals at the Orange County Zoo from Jim Turner on Vimeo.

Look Mom I'm Flying

2010-06-26T15:35:00.000-07:00

If anyone is in need of a lesson in faith just look to a child flying in the sky!!!

World Cup 2030

2010-06-26T15:18:00.000-07:00

The question as a parent is often, what will my child do or become? So how about World Cup Soccer 2030. Just one of the many possibilities.

New Kids Music

2010-06-13T16:40:00.000-07:00

Patrick enjoys a new generation of kids music. Watch the following and dance along with the tunes.

Dance Time with Patrick from Jim Turner on Vimeo.

Train ride to oceanside

2010-06-12T15:56:00.000-07:00

While Vivian went to a conference at church Patrick and I headed down to Oceanside (30 min) on his first train ride! He loves the beach and loves Amtrak hence it was a great start to the weekend. Enjoy the video

Train Ride! from Jim Turner on Vimeo.

Beach Fun

2010-05-30T13:32:00.000-07:00

Hey, Let's go to the beach. Edisto South Carolina and boy did we have fun. Patrick is a beach bum in the best sense.

South Carolina Vacation

2010-05-26T20:32:00.000-07:00

The cousins had a wonderful time in South Carolina on vacation. Abigail, Patrick, Grady, James and Luke from left to right. This is why we do vacations with the family!

OC 1/2 Marathon

2010-05-02T16:34:00.000-07:00

It was an early morning for Patrick today. We got him out of bed at 5:15am. which is 1.5 hrs earlier than normal. But through the entire process he was his normal, happy self. I have done multiple 1/2 marathons before but none with a double jogging stroller and a 25 lb child. But thanks to training and a wonderful baby jogger stroller the event was a success. Vivian gets a major assist in the event being mom, taxi driver and photographer. It was a sea of people but many people were amazed to see a stroller in the event. I finished the event (with Patrick's help, of course) in 2:16 which is only 4 minutes slower than the last 1/2 marathon I did sans Patrick. It is a complete joy to have a 19-month old that loves being outdoors and doing runs with me. At the beginning of the morning he was excited to see thousands of people, then he loved going through the back bay and watching the planes come through their flight path. He even thought the mile 10 diaper change was funny since I did it in the jogger.

All in all a very successful event. Enjoy the video slide show from you tube.

You Tube Video Slide Show

Happy Easter 2010

2010-04-04T17:29:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter Sunday. A wonderful day to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ and hang out with our little family. The pictures are from the Bren center at UCI where Compass Church held its Easter services.

St. Patrick's Day

2010-03-24T22:59:00.000-07:00

What a difference a year makes!!!

Spring Snow

2010-03-13T15:21:00.000-08:00

On a beautiful day in March we headed up the hill to let Patrick experience the white stuff for the first time. He wasn't so excited about the curvy drive up the mountain but he sure enjoyed the snow. It was a great day for snow in the spring. I wouldn't be so excited if I was on skis but this was a day for sliding around in our ski clothes so any snow will do. Maybe we will get to go again before the season is out if the weather permits.

Coming down

2010-03-06T15:11:00.001-08:00

Slides at the park ar now a lot of fun for Patrick. Especially face first

- iPhone Blogging

My ball

2010-02-27T12:30:00.001-08:00

Patrick loves the neighbor's soccer ball so it was now time for his own. Don't bother me, the ball and I are sleeping!

- iPhone Blogging

Los Angeles Zoo

2010-02-21T15:01:00.000-08:00

There is nothing like the zoo on a Saturday. Since we were in Pasadena for the 1/2 marathon on Sunday, it seemed like an obivous choice to drive over to the zoo which was only 10 miles away. All the animals were out waiting to be seen or maybe wondering why they were being seen. Patrick seems to like all animals but he is epecially fond of those that move. Today he didn't much appreciate the Lions who were napping but found much joy in the Sea Lions who were swimming around their pool.

It's Official!!!

2010-02-11T21:25:00.000-08:00

The process began, well, a long time ago, but on Feb 3, 2010 Patrick legally became a Turner. It was the last, the final, the ultimate piece in the puzzle but now our little dude is officially a Turner. It was great to have my parents, our friends, the Kaisers, Kim Evans and the boys and of course the Honorable Cheryl L Leininger as witnesses to the proceeding.

Hangin with the cousins

2010-01-30T18:43:00.000-08:00

The memorial service celebrating the life of Patrick's 94 year old great grandmother also allowed us to spend time with the cousins and visit the local attractions. Patrick enjoyed the time with his cousins Grady and Abigail and his Nana and Papa as well. He was a super traveler on the plane both ways from BUR to DFW to ATL and back. The pic on the lower left of the collage is from the Atlanta Zoo where Patrick thoroughly enjoyed himself even if it was chilly outside.

Little Drummer Boy

2010-01-18T07:28:00.000-08:00

What should be the first thing you do when going to a friends house for dinner? Play the drums of course!!

Christmas 2009

2009-12-25T12:46:00.000-08:00

Last year 2months old and not really concerned about Christmas. Just feed me and let me go back to sleep. This year was a much different story. A ton of fun getting new toys and books and more. Not quite ready to understand the meaning of Christmas but there is always next year for that. Merry Christmas from our family to yours.

Piano Fun

2009-12-25T12:34:00.000-08:00

The pictures say it all. Oh how I love my piano.

I'm dreaming of a sunny Christmas

2009-12-19T20:10:00.000-08:00

Well.. in place of a cold white Christmas Patrick and I took a bicycle ride to Zoomars in San Juan Capistrano. Might as well make some good use of this 75F degree weather. It is worth the effort that it takes to ride the hilly 26 mile round trip with the bicycle trailer, Patrick and "the stuff" to see him enjoy one of his favorite locations. Today he moved from the Pony to the larger horse. A little scary but he adjusted and enjoyed it. Feeding the llamas carrots is one of the highlights along with playing with the bunnies. I guess someone should write the song "I'm dreaming of a sunny Christmas"!!!

Walking

2009-12-06T08:14:00.001-08:00

Patrick took his first steps on Monday, November 23 in his room during evening playtime! Jim and I were both surprised by the three steps and did not capture them on camera. We were having too much fun playing with Patrick! But we knew that there would be more steps to come, so we waited for an opportunity to catch Patrick "in the act" of walking. He is still quite cautious and spends more time crawling and cruising, but his confidence is building daily.

What I love to watch is the "thrill of victory and the agony of defeat" present in each walking experience. Patrick gets so excited about getting where he is going that he moves a bit too fast for his legs and topples over in a big heap, sometimes laughing and sometimes crying. I think that adult life is a bit like that; we all must learn to relax, take our time, and not rush to the goal without savoring the process.

Well, that's enough Mommy Philosophy for one day! Enjoy our latest "Walking" video. We hope that you are taking time to enjoy the abundance of precious moments in this Christmas season.

Music and Me

2009-12-06T07:24:00.000-08:00

It is fun watching the development of Patrick in the music world. I don't know if he is "advanced" or just "normal" but from a parents point of view it doesn't really matter. It is a joy to know that he loves music and enjoys the piano. It is our desire, being two musicians, to raise a child that appreciates music and maybe even finds an instrument to play or a love for singing and it seems that God has given us that desire. Enjoy the video

The Passage of Time

2009-12-02T07:26:00.000-08:00

The passage of time happens quickly, ever when the momemt seems like forever. Enjoy the contrasts from the first year.

Zoomars Again but more fun!!

2009-11-28T22:19:00.000-08:00

Patrick's most fun time yet. Zoomars petting zoo with Nana and Papa (Jim's parents). The goats were the most fun animals as Patrick couldn't stop petting them. The rabbits and llamas and goats were also loved by Patrick as he had a great Saturday after Thanksgiving.

Our Year-Old Teddy Bear

2009-11-02T19:26:00.000-08:00

Here we are at our church's Fall Fest Event on Halloween night. Patrick, Jim and I had fun riding the train, looking at all the people, and Patrick enjoyed his bear costume until the warm weather necessitated its removal! He thinks of the costume as a glorified stuffed animal, and he is still talking to the bear as it hangs on his coat rack in his room. Here are Patrick's 12-month statistics from his doctor's appointment:

Height: 32 inches (96%)
Weight: 23 pounds, 4 ounces (60%)
Head Circumference: 47.5 inches

Hope everyone is enjoying the fall festivities wherever you may be. Happy Autumn!!

Patrick's First Birthday

2009-10-22T12:43:00.000-07:00

Almost everyone is in the picture above from October 11th, the fabulous 1st Birthday Party of Patrick. Thanks to all for coming and helping celebrate.

Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-17T10:42:00.000-07:00

Patrick had a wonderful time at the Disneyland of Pumpkin Patches. In case you haven't guessed it is the pumpkin patch at Avila Barn in Alvila Beach, CA.

Hollywood Here I come, I found the video camera!

2009-09-24T22:01:00.000-07:00

It is almost time for the 1st birthday party and it seems crazy that just yesterday he was learning to roll over and crawl for the first time. Now Patrick is fully mobile, learning about how things work, checking out the video camera and on his way to the rest of his life. Watch out world, here he comes! But don't get too excited, he is only 1 year old on October 7th, 2009. You can leave the excitement to his parents!!

Enjoy the music by the Eric Mintel Quartet http://www.ericmintelquartet.com

Picnic in the Park

2009-09-05T18:36:00.000-07:00

The moms live and attend the same church in Decatur GA, the kids and grandkids live in Aliso Viejo / Ladera CA. Today they some got together for a picnic in the park at Laguna Niguel Regional Park. It is a small world as they say.

Wildlife Week continued

2009-08-18T21:00:00.000-07:00

It's wildlife week here at the Turner household. Today we had the pleasure of meeting "D" (Diablo) - Picture Center - and Rush - Picture lower right. They are the horses of our neighbors and friends Ron and Amy. Once again Patrick was at home with the horses and had a great time on top of "D" who is a quite large horse at 17 hands. "D" is a draft horse which is a relative of the Clydesdale horses and is the calmer of the two. I imagine we will be back for more visits with our new animal friends.

The Petting Zoo

2009-08-15T15:49:00.000-07:00

What else would want to do on your 17th anniversary? You guessed it...Zoomars, the petting zoo in San Juan Capistrano. Patrick is the most happy when around animals and thoroughly enjoyed seeing all the animals and going on 2 pony rides. As you can see, he is very comfortable on a horse based on his genes I am sure it will continue.

Party at the Beach

2009-08-05T10:10:00.000-07:00

Patrick is loving the time at Edisto Beach, SC. He loves to play in the sand, with the toys and with all of the other 7 cousins and 6 aunts and uncles and 2 grandparents

A Day at the Beach

2009-07-26T11:02:00.000-07:00

What a better way to spend a Saturday afternoon then getting wet and sandy at Doheny beach in Dana Point, CA. Very thankful that Patrick enjoys playing at the beach as much as I do!

Patrick and the playtime plastic

2009-07-11T11:30:00.000-07:00

2009-06-23T22:25:00.000-07:00

Let's go riding in the Burley!!!. Thanks to Lori and Robert King for giving us their Burley that was too small for their growing kids. Patrick will love it for many years to come.

"Aw, Mom. I was just playing with my friends!"

2009-06-23T14:07:00.000-07:00

We are enjoying adventurous days with Patrick in our house! Today I put him down for his morning nap, started the colorful animal mobile that we use to help Patrick go down during naps, and bid my little boy "night-night." I went downstairs and started my morning task list, and I heard a "bang" that came from upstairs. I assumed that the breeze from the ceiling fan had closed Patrick's door, since that happens quite often. Since Patrick cannot yet sit up on his own or stand in the crib, I didn't think much about the sound. I went on about my business, showered, etc. I happened to walk by Patrick's room about an hour later and I noticed that his door was not completely closed. "Well, then," I thought, "what could that sound have been?" I walked into his room and saw what you are seeing in the attached photos: Our "he-man" son decided that he wanted to play with the animals on his mobile, so he yanked the whole contraption down (it was bolted to the top of the crib,) probably played a bit, and promptly went to sleep. Patrick knew that the animals would be there when he woke up, so he could relax and take his nap in peace.

Our little crawling wonder continues to surprise us with his strength, his determination, and his resourcefulness! But sometimes you've just gotta have your animal friends close by!

Thanks for reading.

Patrick's First Hair Cut

2009-06-20T20:56:00.000-07:00

Patrick thoroughly enjoyed his first hair cut, much to the amazement of his parents. It was so much fun he didn't want to leave. Happy times at the hair salon!!!

Child Dedication

2009-06-20T20:40:00.000-07:00

For a while I have wondered what about the purpose of child dedication? Then I realized that it is really parent dedication and a chance to show your child to the entire church family. In our case there were many people in our church who went through the journey of adoption with us, prayed for us and rejoiced with us at the beginning of Patrick's life. It is to those people that we affirm our commitment to raise Patrick by the guidelines given to use from God's word, the Bible. I also realized that just because there is not a commandment to do something does not mean that it is not a worthwhile idea. Thank you to Chris, Tressa, Katie, and James from our small group who joined us tonight as we dedicated our parenting of Patrick to God.

Yosemite

2009-06-16T22:59:00.000-07:00

This was Patrick's favorite stop on the whirlwind 4 state (NV, UT, ID, CA) tour for Jim's Ironman 70.3 in Boise, Idaho. Patrick always enjoys the outdoors so it comes as no surprise that Yosemite was his spot!!! We spent time in Hetch Hetchy area on the west side which was very beautiful and devoid of tourists, my favorite part!

There is no coincidence

2009-05-31T14:46:00.000-07:00

"Chance, luck, and coincidence just don't exist in this world."

On Friday we went off to a nice weekend in Crestline to getaway and see the Gatons (the family that let us stay in their 2nd house before the birth). After walking around Lake Gregory we went into the local grocery store to pick up a few items and walking the other way down the isle was Tim Comfort (Patrick's biological father) and 2 of the his kids. I had decided that if God wanted us to meet He would make it happen. Come to find out both the Turner's and the Comfort's were waiting for the other one to call and of course no one did. We agreed at that time to get together later that afternoon at a park in Lake Gregory. We had a wonderful time together and enjoyed the fellowship as can be seen from the pictures. We are planning to find another to hang out before the summer is over and they move back east in the fall. The reality is that this is not the typical adoption story that is broadcast on the news, written about in books or told over a lattee at the local starbucks. For that I am thankful and in awe of God's sovereignity in the entire process.

Thanks for reading

Piano Times at the Turner house.

2009-05-22T22:09:00.000-07:00

It is a special day when Patrick starts to enjoy the same piano that I learned to play on. The best thing is that he will turn out to appreciate music and for that we are thankful. Enjoy the first recital from Patrick at 7 1/2 months. Thanks for watching.

It's Lunch Time

2009-05-15T12:29:00.001-07:00

yumm. Sweet Potatoes and AppleSauce. Hold the Zucchini.

Hey cuz!! What's up!!

2009-03-28T19:36:00.000-07:00

Grady James Collins,son of Julie (Jim's sister) and Jeff Collins and Patrick James Turner hanging out in house.

I love the beach and my Mom

2009-03-28T19:33:00.000-07:00

Go Green

2009-03-17T19:55:00.000-07:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day from P,V,J

The Roll Over Project -- all the way!!!

2009-02-26T21:40:00.000-08:00

Our little bumblebee has now figured out how to roll over all the way. Thus we find him at various parts of the room when we are not looking. This must be a precursor to crawling when we will never be able to find him :)

Roll Over - The Dream Fulfilled

2009-02-14T12:37:00.000-08:00

It may be that only parents get excited and enjoy watching little vignettes like this but nevertheless I present to you the Sequel to Roll Over Almost, the dream fulfilled. Now we just need to figure out how to go back where we came from !!!

Roll Over Monday

2009-02-09T21:05:00.000-08:00

"They grow up quickly" they say, and it is fun along the way. Just when we turn around Patrick has figured out how to go from one side to the other. Video to come later.

Welcome to My Blog

2009-01-25T16:06:00.000-08:00

I want to welcome you to the continuing blog coverage of the fun things in life. I hope you will enjoy your stay, look around, leave a comment or just have a good time.

Patrick

Thanks to JSTC for the iphoto inspiration.

Growing, Changing, and Hanging With Family

2009-01-24T22:15:00.000-08:00

It is amazing how much Patrick has grown and changed within the last month. We call him our "little man" because he looks just like a miniature adult, expressions and all. Patrick's recent activities include working on his core muscles, trying (constantly) to sit up or roll over, and making us laugh with his cooing and high energy squealing. Most mornings Patrick wakes up a very happy baby; we are thrilled to watch his daily development and share in his new discoveries. Patrick is very inquisitive and enjoys being social with almost anyone, but he seems to have a knack for charming the ladies. I finally broke down and bought him a onesie that reads "Chicks dig me," which seems to be quite true these days!

We enjoyed a great visit with my cousin Denise and her family last weekend in La Jolla. As usual, Patrick was a trooper traveler, and we all had a great time. Patrick found two new buddies in his second cousins Helena and Jordan, and he enjoyed strolling along the beach with Jim and Denise, checking out the waves and catching a few rays of sunshine on the Pacific Ocean! We look forward to a few more car trips with Patrick before he becomes mobile, which could be sooner than we expect, based on his recent determination to roll over. I have nicknamed him "Protracter Man" because he pushes himself around on his side in his crib, making a 45 degree arc with his body. It's hilarious to come into his room after he has been awake for a few minutes, since we never know in what position we will find him! Stay tuned for more adventures from Patrick's Crib! Thanks for reading.

Grit, Determination and Frustration

2009-01-24T17:10:00.001-08:00

Somethings take time and effort. Feel the grit, experience the frustration, vicariously live the dream, the dream of rolling over for the first time in this 1 min 15 second movie clip from Sat Jan 24, 2009.

Stay tuned for the Sequel

Jim

Things that make you go hmmm.

2009-01-11T20:59:00.000-08:00

I often wonder why. Specifically Patrick has a Dr. Seuss outfit that says "up up and away" and every time we put it on him something else goes up up and away and the outfit must be changed. Things that make you go hmmm!! One day he will get to wear it more than a few minutes.

Sounds of Happiness

2009-01-05T22:10:00.000-08:00

What do we do when Vivian is teaching a voice lesson downstairs? Have fun upstairs of course :)

You need sound for this one otherwise it won't make any sense!!

Taken via the digital camera movie function (not intended for HD!!!)