Sophie's Birth Family and Birth Story

By now, most of our family and friends know our adorable baby girl Sophie who we were blessed with through adoption last November. We announced our new addition with this video:  And then there were three... in case you missed it. ;)

Sophie is a beautiful baby and when people meet her, they're earnest to learn more about her birth family, which we love, because they're freakin awesome. Open adoption is a foreign concept to a lot of people, so I'm happy to share a bit about ours.

Sophie's birth family on her birth mom's side

Because we decided we wanted an open adoption, I expected to become close to Gabby (Sophie's birth mom), but I never expected for us to be welcomed into their family the way we have been. We live in different states, but we were able to meet once a few weeks before Sophie was born. The moment we walked in the Ruby Tuesday's we were ambushed with hugs. I was overwhelmed with how much they already felt like our family. (Gabby's dad is literally the friendliest man you'll ever meet!) We spent the day shopping, taking selfies, and getting to know each other better in Park City, Utah. That's when Gabby surprised me with the news that she wanted me to be one of her two allowed people in the room when Sophie would be born! I, of course, bawled the whole way home.

Meeting Gabby in Park City

Gabby arranged with her doctor to be induced a week before her due date, so that Spencer and I wouldn't miss the birth while traveling across state lines. It was scheduled for November 1st at 12:00 am aka Halloween night! Gabby invited us to hang out at her house until we would all go to the hospital. Her family was passing out candy, dressing up their dogs in costumes, and Gabby (being the amazing make-up artist she is) was making her sister and friends look like this:

Gabby's mad make-up skills on Halloween!

We got to meet Gabby's wonderful boyfriend. We played Scattergories. Gabby bounced on a ball to try to induce labor. It was a good time. Then, the hospital called and told Gabby they would have to push back her appointment until the next morning because they were so busy!! We tried to book an extra early night at our hotel, but Gabby and her parents insisted that we stayed with them. We ended up sleeping in Gabby's room and she slept on the couch! The night before giving birth! (I know, I know, we're the worst people ever and they're the most selfless people ever. I'm still beating myself up over this.)

The next morning (Nov. 1st) Gabby got another call and we all headed to the hospital! Gabby and her mom talked the hospital staff into giving Spencer and I a room at the hospital a few doors down from Gabby's to stay in for the next few days.

We felt so blessed to be able to stay in the hospital with Sophie. We'll never forget those first few days with her there.

During the next 24 hours, Gabby handled labor like there was nothing to it. I never heard her complain once! Even though she wasn't allowed to eat anything! Even though the first batch of pitocin that took them 8 hours to give her was a "bad batch" and they had to start all over again! Even though her first epidural slipped out during labor and they had to give her another one! Even though she was giving birth to a human being! and Even though I was right next to her not feeling any of her pain and I was the one who would be leaving the hospital with Sophie.

Sophie was born on November 2, 2015 at 6:45 am. She weighed 6 lbs. 2 oz, was 19.75 inches, had a head full of beautiful black hair and was perfect in every way. Her birth was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Gabby, Gabby's mom and I were all in tears. I guess Sophie was in tears, too. They asked me to cut her umbilical cord and had arranged for me to have skin to skin time with her once the nurses cleaned her up.

We spent the next few days together at the hospital. Gabby's parents and siblings were so supportive and loving. I don't think her boyfriend ever left her side except to go get her food. He's amazing and they are the sweetest and funniest couple.

A moment I will always cherish from the day Sophie was born was when Gabby pulled me aside and apologized for referring to us as Sophie's "adoptive parents" to a nurse instead of just her "parents." First of all, I hadn't even noticed and it wouldn't have bothered me. But more importantly, it blew me away that on a day that she was going through hell, she could be so concerned about me and my feelings.

Sophie, this is where you come from. Your adoption is open so that you can know and love these wonderful people whose genes you share. We love them so much! We know they love us and WE ALL LOVE YOU!!!

We are thankful for kidney stones... and infertility.

At the age of fifty, my Aunt Gigi acquired her first kidney stone. As is the case with most kidney stones, it was an unpleasant experience to say the least... but, she had never had one in fifty years and they don't seem all that uncommon now-a-days She considered herself lucky. She hoped to never have the experience again and figured it for a fluke.

In January of this year, she experienced more kidney stones! Nothing gains a person's attention like multiple kidney stones. She took medication for it, started drinking TONS of water, and even stopped drinking soda.

Then in April, she passed a 3 mm stone. Now not only was this expensive and very painful, but it was also starting to become pretty worrisome. So she saw a urologist, who sent her to an endocrinologist who did some tests and it turns out my aunt has a disease called Hashimoto's and she needed to have a parathyroidectomy (surgical removal of parathyroid glands).

To prepare for surgery, her doctor performed and ultrasound and found 2 nodules on her thyroid. The biopsy said that only one could be removed, but that it was benign. Fast forward to the operating room.... The doctor removed a parathyroid gland that was four times its normal size! They also removed the part of the thyroid that had the nodules on it because "There's no need to worry about the nodules if they're removed." It turns out that the nodule they wouldn't have been able to remove was CANCER.

Moral of the Story: If my aunt wouldn't have had kidney stones, she wouldn't have had surgery. If she hadn't had surgery, the cancer wouldn't have been caught at its earliest, least dangerous size!
My aunt is a strong Christian woman and said this about her experience:

"I believe in God! I believe that everything that happens in our lives prepares us for the next thing IF we are open and listening."

Now she has a beautiful scar on her neck that tells her story and reminds us all to trust God and his plan. I am so grateful for her example in my life.

The process of finding out that Spencer and I can't have children of our own has been the hardest thing I have ever been through. I don't think it hurt the same way a kidney stone hurts (I've never had one), but it hurt like nothing I've ever felt before. However, because I believe in an All-Knowing God who loves me perfectly, I know there's a reason for it. I know that God has a beautiful and perfect plan for our lives and someday I will understand all the details. As we have learned more about adoption, we have fallen more and more in love with the idea of growing our family through adoption. I feel so much peace.

We trust God. We are thankful for kidney stones. We are thankful for infertility.

ONE YEAR!

Spencer and I celebrated our one year anniversary yesterday! We are so incredibly happy and are loving life as a married couple. I thought I'd post an update since you haven't heard from your local Hookers for a while :)

As you can see in this picture, Spencer grew a beard! We had a few weeks off school (where he's not allowed to wear a beard) and he had never grown one before so he decided to go crazy! He has received a wide range off comments about it from people who love it to people like my grandma who said it looked like he was "trying to hide something." haha but he shaved it off today because we're getting ready to go back to school.

Since my last post I graduated with my bachelor's degree in Theatre and Speech Education! I student teach this fall at Rigby High School.

I felt so loved at graduation. I couldn't have done it without the help of such a great support system of family, friends and teachers. Thank you all!

I graduated with an art education minor and so I had some really fun classes my senior year! Here is some of the cool stuff I got to make:

This year we also have been on a couple fun vacations. We went to Hawaii with my family in April before Jamesy left on his mission.

Then, just this summer, we went to Yosemite. Gorgeous. 

Spencer's birthday was also in June! We ended up being able to drive down to Utah for his birthday and see family. His little sister EmmaLee decorated their garage for him! What a sweet sister!

Sorry that this is such a super sporadic post. It's been a long time since the last time I posted. I have a couple more pictures I want to share... Spencer and I have been slowly trying to decorate our apartment. I found these ugly lamps at the DI in Rexburg and decided to take on the challenge to make them pretty.

We're still looking for matching night stands as you can see :)

All in all, we have had such a fun year! We have made some really great friends, seen lots of family, we love being students and most of all we love being married. Here's to another great year!

Halloween!!!

It's snowing in Rexburg!! and you know what that means, it's officially... Fall. The cold weather is slowly motivating me to learn how to drive Spencer's manual car. Ever since we sold my car last month, I've been riding my car to work and school every and it's getting cold.

Last Thursday we had our ward halloween party. I really wanted us to be Alfalfa and Darla from Little Rascals! We went to DI and they didn't have ANYTHING for Alfalfa and Darla! I was distraught. Luckily, DI is never short on old people clothes.... so, Spencer and I decided to be ourselves in fifty years. It was so fun.

I'm so blessed to have a husband who will goof off and dress up for Halloween with me. I'm so ridiculously in love with him!

BEST WEEKEND!

Spencer and I decided to go to Utah for the weekend! He had a mission reunion and we missed our families. We had the best time! But first... I have an announcement to make... I chopped off 10 inches of my hair and dyed it super dark....

I just needed a change! It had been about the same for the past five years. It's a little darker than I wanted, so when my roots grow in, I'll lighten it.

But, anyway... back to our awesome weekend! So, Friday we drove down to Provo and saw Jamesy's (my lil bro) new apartment. He just started at BYU this fall. After that we went to Spencer's mission reunion. AND THEN.... I went to my first BYU football game with Megan (Spencer's sister) and Spencer's dad.

It was freezing but we had so much fun!

Saturday, we got to watch general conference, which made the weekend great all by itself. We went to Megan's volleyball game. My family came down to the Hooker's house in Draper for dinner.(cafe rio style chicken salads. YUUUUMMMY!) When the boys went to priesthood session, the girls got to hang. I love my new sister-in-laws so much! We decorated a bunch of little pumpkins.

Okay, now here's the cute part:

After priesthood session, Spencer and I kinda recreated our first date. 

Last year at this time I was living in in Tucson, Arizona. Last minute, on the friday before conference I decided to drive up to Utah with some friends from AZ. They were going to conference and I was determined to surprise my family. I had been texting Spencer since he got home from his mission in August and I told him I was on my way to Utah. He asked me out on the spot! I told him I'd only be in Utah for less than 24 hours and that night was priesthood session.... but it was meant to be so it all worked out. Anyway, he drove up to Draper and went to the corn maze in Syracuse. 

So... after priesthood session, we drove back up to Syracuse and went to our corn maze :)

We spent all of Sunday with my parents and we were soooo tired from our long weekend, that we might have kinda sorta fallen asleep at the very end of conference...

Sunday night we drove back up to Rexburg listening to Micheal Buble's Christmas album. :) Perfect weekend.

Apple Cider Cookies

Spencer and I just got married this summer and we decided that keeping a blog would be a great to keep all our friends and family who live far away updated about our new life together. :) We're all moved into our new apartment in Rexburg and so far we're loving life.
Friday night, we went on a date to Ramirez. It's a super good Mexican restaurant and probably my favorite restaurant in Rexburg. Anyway after dinner we found a cookie recipe that looked really good! Spiced apple cider cookies filled with caramel! We're getting excited for fall, so we decided to make them.

However, about half way through, we accidently added a half  tablespoon of salt instead of a half teaspoon. So, we made THREE batches!!

 

 About one batch of dough is still in our fridge because we got tired. The cookies were a success though! Mmmm... they're so good! I'll share the recipe:
 

Apple Cider Caramel Cookies:

(Recipe from The Cooking Photographer)

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, nearly melted
1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (7.4 ounce) box Alpine Spiced Apple Cider Instant Original Drink Mix *Not sugar free*
2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 (14 ounce) bag Kraft Caramels

Instructions 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. It has to be parchment this time.

2. In a stand mixer, cream together butter, sugar, salt, and all 10 packets of apple cider mix until smooth and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract, then mix in the baking soda and baking powder. Add the flour and mix until just combined.

3. With a standard (size 50) cookie scoop, scoop the dough scrapping off the excess as you go up the bowl. Flatten the dough slightly in your hand and place a caramel in the center. Work the dough around the caramel sealing well. Place the cookies two inches apart on the sheets.

4. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. After baking, carefully slide the parchment with the cookies onto the counter. Let cool until they are no longer soft but still slightly warm. Twist gently to remove, and cool the rest of the way upside down on the parchment or on a cooling rack.