Nicole's 40th Birthday is 08/20/25. This year, we are going to Ludington. We got a beach front hotel and could not be more excited to get away together. We have a list of things that we want to see, but we are most excited to go to the Big Sable Point Lighthouse. They also have a mini golf place that we are excited to check out. Nicole can drive a golf ball, but cannot putt a golf ball, so maybe that will give her some practice.

In 2020, when the lock down happened, Nicole was following a girl on social media. The girl and her friend were in Michigan, and decided that there are so many things to do in Michigan, they would just start seeing them all. We thought that was an amazing idea, especially because Michigan has a lot of natural beauty and outdoor things to do. We decided then, that each year, we would take a vacation somewhere in Michigan. Nicole's family actually used to do that when she was growing up (take family vacations with friends and their families). We also decided to see all five of the Great Lakes. So far we have stayed on/seen all but two of them. Nicole also LOVES taking pictures, so these trips are great opportunities for that.

Our first year, we went to Traverse City, which did not disappoint. We stayed in a hotel on Grand Traverse Bay, which was amazing. There was a duck that visited often, right outside our hotel door. Every morning, Nicole would read on the balcony and feed the duck. One morning, Nicole was not up at her usual time and the duck waited by the door. We hiked Empire Bluff Trail and got to see Lake Michigan and Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes. 

The second year, we went to the Upper Penninsula and stayed at a beach front hotel in Paradise. The hotel was right on Lake Superior. We saw Tahquamenon Falls. Paradise is very small and remote. There was only one small fish food truck in the area. Nicole does not like fish, but tried white fish for the first time and did not mind it. Dan likes to have something different to eat each day though, so the next day we decided on pizza... only to find out that we had to drive an entire hour to get to a Pizza Hut! Although Dan vowed never to go back there, it is a memory that we both remember and laugh at. During our stay there, Nicole also had her job interview for her last job position.

Last year, we went to the East side of the state and saw Lake Huron. The hotel that we originally booked was pretty scary and nothing like the pictures online, so we canceled it and decided to drive North. Nicole contacted a friend that used to live in Alpena, as that it where we ended up getting a hotel. Nicole took a boat tour to see Lake Huron shipwrecks. Dan stayed at the hotel, because he was not interested in being on a boat, looking at other boats that have sunk. A true testiment to how different our personalities can be. We also saw the Lower Penninsula's biggest waterfall, Ocqueoc Falls. We visited Rockport State Recreation Area, which was beautiful. Nicole enjoys rock hunting, and enjoys landscaping with rocks. Our front flower garden is surrounded by rocks that she has gotten from our neighbors, at camp, and has found.

We are excited to see what this year's mini vacation holds for us! Even when things do not go as planned, we make the most of it. 

I added some albums from each trip.

Every year, Nicole's cousin's friend also gets free tickets to the Ally Challenge concert at Warwick Hills Golf Course, in Grand Blanc. Every year, the concert is the Saturday after Nicole's birthday, which makes it extra fun. They have seen Kane Brown, Miranda Lambert and Thomas Rhett. There is always a celebrity appearance during the concert, as well as during the golf tournament. This year, the concert is Dustin Lynch and Sam Hunt. Dan is going as well. Since Dan loves golf, we plan to head down early and watch some of the golf tournament. We are all very excited to go, as it is always a fun time.

We are hoping for the best birthday present of all this year, the final addition to our family.

This weekend, Dan and I went to camp to stay. My cousins came up to visit on Saturday. My niece also came to hang out. There was a kitten that was hanging around. It was super friendly, but slightly skiddish. My niece loves cats, so she was playing with it. The cat let her pick it up and we realized it had a very inflamed paw. We cleaned and dried it's paw well, but it was clear it likely needed attention from the vet. Dan and I talked and we were willing to bring the kitten home, but really did not want to keep it, as we already have three dogs. My niece has a cat already and was nervous how her other cat would do with the new cat, but we made the plan that she would take it home for the weekend and I would take it to the vet on Monday to be checked out. We gave it a flea treatment and she combed it out. The kitten was so happy. She has sent me videos of it coming to cuddle her, since she took it home. I added an album with pictures from our weekend, be sure to check it out!

Nicole's parents celebrated their 48th wedding anniversary in July. Nicole's parents demonstrate the picture perfect relationship, balancing life's obstacles, managing careers that they are now retired from, maintaining both properties that they own, nuturing family and friend relationships, as well as  demonstrating the perfect partnership. Nicole's parents are truly best friends, and it shows.

Nicole's mother's family was and is very close. Nicole's mother had 6 siblings and grew up in a Catholic family. All of Nicole's maternal relatives lived on one road, for a long period of time. 

Nicole's mother's family has numerous sets of twins, with Nicole's mother being a twin. Growing up, Nicole always told her mother that she would adopt multiple sets of twins, because she never wanted any of the children to feel left out of anything.

Nicole's father's family is not as close, or as big, although, Nicole's father and grandfather were very close. Nicole's grandfather used to own the property that is camp.  Nicole's grandfather and father built and maintained camp together. Over time, they expanded the property to 60 acres. They went from staying in campers on the property, to adding cabins. This makes the property extra special, as it has been in the family for a long time. Nicole grew up going to camp, riding four wheelers through the trails, with friends. Nicole also got her first deer on the property. 

Years ago, Nicole's father transformed a field into a 9 hole golf course. The property is well known and many people come on Saturdays to enjoy golf, food, and to socialize. Dan enjoys going to camp to golf, as golf is Dan's favorite game.

Nicole hopes to someday call the property her own.

As we have navigated our life and our marriage, as well as the possibility of being parents, Dan and I have continued to put a lot of thought into the things that we enjoyed from our childhood, as well as the different things that we want. We prioritize our relationship and being a team. Over the last year of our marriage, we have really worked to strengthen that, through working together on projects around the house. 

A few years ago, we made the choice to sell our old home and buy something bigger, in preparation for adopting a child or children. We found a house in a safe, upscale neighborhood, that checked all of our boxes. Dan really wanted a ranch style house, which was difficult to find, but we did it! Part of what drove me to love this house for us, was that the family that lived here had two small children, so the house was set up for me to see what our life and home could look like with children. Every time I do the dishes, I think about the husband telling us that the farmhouse sink is perfect for "just throwing the tray from the highchair in and cleaning it off". The basement is big and finished, it would be perfect for a toy room. I also have a colorful wooden trunk down there that we could use for a toy box. Our backyard is large and fenced in. I also loved having three bedrooms and additional space for the dogs to be. Our neighborhood is beautiful, with lots of trees. It is also safe to walk/run in. 

When we moved in the house had dark green shutters, a dark green garage door and a front door and porch with green accents. I never loved the green, but assumed that at some point we could update it, as the house was well kept and move in ready. Three years later and I finally had the time to think about what I wanted to change. We replaced two doors, one being the front door. I wanted something that popped, so I chose the color cranberry. We worked hard to paint all of the shutters and the storm door to match. There are way more shutters on the house than I realized when we started... but, together, we got it done!

Completing home projects, while trying to work, participate in social activities, and maintain other aspects of life, truly made me pay attention to the way that Dan and I are able to work together as a team. It also made me reflect on the time that we have known each other and the patience and love that we have for each other. 

Reflecting on the last year, I have also come to really see how many friends and family members love and support us. We truly have the most amazing support network, which I am so thankful for. Friends and co-workers have come forward and shared stories of being adopted, giving their children up for adoption, or having children of their own give children up for adoption. Many of Dan's family members have been adopted. 

When we first started the adoption process, I had so many reservations. However, mine and Dan's relationship has always been something for me to rely on. He has always been a constant in my life, a friend and someone that has truly helped me through so much in life. I feel as if this process has brought us closer and made our relationship stronger. Our teamwork is truly the best that it has ever been, and we continue to grow together. There is no doubt in my mind that we would make amazing parents, if given the chance.

The love, support and excitement we have seen from everyone around us each time we are asked to have our profile shown, lets me know that any children we welcome into our lives would be loved and supported to the fullest, not only by us, but by everyone around us. 

Looking forward to adding the best addition to our home! We can't wait to meet you baby!

August has always been my favorite month, because it is my birth month. No matter how old I get, I will always be excited for my birthday, simply because growing old is a priviledge that not everyone gets to experience, and honestly, each year gets better! Lucky for me, the people around me really support that and go with it too.

The last year has flown by. I cannot believe that we have been in the adoption process for one year. This year is also my 40th birthday, in August (Dan turned 40 this year too). I have spent a lot of the time leading up to my 40th birthday reflecting on my life. I have accommplished so many things and truly feel happy in knowing that I have all of the things that I have always wanted to have. I know that now, all that is left is to complete our family.

I am also officially in my new job position, which is 100% remote, with a set work schedule. The change from my previous position of being constantly on the road, and never knowing when I would be done with work, has been very welcomed. August 1st was my 100% date, so I have been working hard to finish home projects, as well as soak up the last little bits of summer weather. I have attended concerts (my favorite) and also have 3 upcoming concerts to attend. I have had a few lake days, some on a friend's boat. Dan and I completed painting our shutters and outer doors to match the new front door that we installed. I am currently working on redoing my giant, stand up jewelry box, and also plan to redo our coffee table, as I may have spilled some nail polish remover on it...oops... I am working on finding a location and planning a family reunion for next year, for my mom's side of the family.

Every year, Dan and I take a trip somewhere in Michigan, during the summer months. This year we are going to Ludington for a few days for my birthday (August 20th). Then the 23rd, we are going to see Sam Hunt and Dustin Lynch in concert. It is at a golf course during a golf event, so we are going to head down early and watch some of the tournament before our friends meet us for the concert. 

At the end of this month, a close friend of mine and I are going to stay at an Air B & B on Torch Lake (a bucket list place of mine). I am also trying to squeeze in a day trip to Kitch-iti-kipi, with my mom, but that may have to wait until next year. 

The most exciting thing about the next two months is mine and Dan's one year wedding anniversary on 09/11/25. Dan and I were married last year, on our 5th dating anniversary. We have known each other since 2013. I am NOT an emotional person, but our upcoming anniversary has had me very emotional, as I have been thinking of how far both of us has come, how much we have grown individually, as well as together, and the amount of things that we have accommplished together, as a team. In the last year, we have built on our relationship completely, strengthening our communication, teamwork and understanding each other on a deeper level. I love that we are always learning more about each other, as well as learning different versions of ourselves. This past year has made me really see the immense support that we have for each other, as well as the dedication that we both have for our relationship. Not that anything has been hard, marriage has been an easy transition for both of us, but we have really shown the ability to work as a team, as well as recognize the wants and needs that we have as individuals, as well as a married couple. 

For our wedding flowers, I chose Hibicus. They were originally dark purple and light purple, but I had to exchange them due to issue with the plants. They only had pink, which did not match the wedding, but we rolled with it. I planted them after our wedding last year, hoping that they would come back full this year. Well... they are a fall flower and recently started budding and blooming INTENSELY! It makes me so happy, especially so close to our one year anniversary. I added a picture so that you could see how beautiful they are.

The excitement that we felt in finding out that our profile would be shown at this time of year, is not describeable. We look forward to meeting the family that will help complete ours. Hoping for the best birthday and anniversary gift of all this year!

Working in child welfare, I am very passionate about supporting any cause for children. Last week, Texas Roadhouse had a fundraiser where 10% of your bill was donated to children in foster care. I am currently on a soft food diet, but had to go. I checked out the menu and found some things I could have. My co-worker and I went. We ate and chatted for over an hour. It was nice to get out and have some time away from work, and of course have som Texas Roadhouse rolls (although I should not eat them... I do...gluten is not my friend).

Dan and I love Texas Roadhouse. We both always get the steak kabobs. This time I tried the chicken and it was AMAZING! 10 out of 10 recommend!

Dan and I are both big movie fans. We often talk to each other in movie quotes. One of our favorite things to do together is watch movies at home, or at the theater sometimes.

One of my best friends is also a big movie person. She and I both LOVE scary movies. Dan is not a huge fan of scary movies and neither is my friend's significant other, so we always watch scary movies together. On Sunday, we went to see I know what you did last summer. I also invited my co-worker, so she joined us. We had the whole theater so ourselves! I was bummed that I could not have popcorn, as I am on a soft food diet, but I did get a soft pretzel, which was pretty good.

The movie was ok, I definitely think that it could have been a little better, so if you're into scary movies, I don't recommend seeing it in theaters. 

It was super bright outside so we struggled to get a picture where we were not all squinting. We all decided that this one was the best (at this point we had taken about 12 pictures in the movie theater parking lot ha!)

The excitement of my week was getting our new front door! This is 40....

Being a home owner, there are always projects to work on. 

This week we received the new front door that we ordered. Currently, our house is white with a green garage door and green shutters and green panels by the front door. The front door used to be white with green accents. Our plan is to paint all of the green maroon. Except for the garage door, our plan is to replace that with a newer, maroon garage door. 

I will definitely post an update once everything is all finished! I cannot wait!

I go to the gym every morning around 3:00 a.m. or 4:00 a.m., just depending on how quickly I get moving. I also have a home gym, so sometimes I workout at home. Since I now work from home, I enjoy walking Rocky on my breaks, or after work. We live in a beautiful, and safe, neighborhood, so a lot of people come here to walk, run or ride bikes.

With my health issues, I aim to take the best care of myself that I can, so working out consistently and eating healthy, well-balanced meals are two very important things to me.' I strive to be as strong and as healthy as I am able to be. I had back surgery in February of 2024, which slowed my progress some. However, I am not one to ever lose motivation. During physical therapy, following my back surgery, my goals were to strengthen my core and glutes, in order to ensure that I am able to do the simple things in life, for as long as possible, on my own. My physical therapist created workouts that are safe for me to do and worked on technique with me. I am proud to say that I have since increased my weight limit and reps.

With Dan's new diagnoses, I have also been able to help him get on track. He has lowered his A1C by 3 points, and has also lost approximately 45-50 pounds.

For myself, I struggle to see changes, so I take a picture of myself every day once I get to the gym. It also does a lot for my accountability. A friend of mine (that I have not seen in person in awhile) kept telling me that based off of my gym pictures, I was losing a lot. I did not see it until she sent me the attached side by side pictures. Seeing results keeps me determined. 

While we are waiting, we have been spending some time babysitting some of our friend's children. 

Last weekend we watched our friend's 4 year old son and took him to do lots of things. I added an entire album of our weekend. We took him golfing at camp, to a friend's house to see her highland cows (we even got to feed them some fig newtons!), to get ice cream at our favorite ice cream spot, to dinner and swimming at Nicole's sister's house at the pond, played baseball, took bike rides/walks, and played with the dogs at our house. He was so excited that Rocky LOVES belly rubs. He also LOVED that Evie was so snuggly and wanted her to sleep with him. She snuggled with him and protected him all night long. Typically, we do not have the dogs inside, but it was in the 90's with a heat advisory, so the boys were on the closed in porch and we let Evie inside to snuggle with the kiddo. 

He loved it here and asked when he could come back. His brothers also asked if they could stay sometime.

Yesterday, Dan went golfing at camp, and I went to the lake with my cousin, her husband, and some friends. My cousin's husband has a friend with a boat, so we took the boat out on the lake for the whole day. It was so relaxing and much needed. One of our friends brought two of her kids. We were feeding the fish and catching fish when two pretty big snappers surfaced super close to us! It was very unexpected and super cool. Turtles are mine and Dan's favorite animal so of course I had to snap a picture!

Of course we stay at camp for the 4th of July weekend! My niece and nephew have been helping out by watching the dogs. We have a dog kennel at the property for them to all sleep in, but we left them home for the weekend. 

With my change in schedule, I have much more time and we have been making the most of our summer!

It was a very relaxing weekend of reading, golf and corn hole with friends and family. 

I added a 4th of July album with more pictures from our weekend.

June 20th was one of my oldest, best friend's 40th birthday. We have known each other since the 5th grade! Because we were going to be up at camp, and because we are old now, we just decided to go to dinner on Thursday evening at one of my favorite italian restaurants. It was so nice just to sit outside on the patio, eat good food and catch up. We used to be inseparable, but I have not seen her since our wedding in September (crazy to think that was almost a year ago!) We decided that we need to make a weekly habit of lunch or dinner together. Here is to hoping that life does not get in the way of that!

I have never really been high maintainence. However, a few years ago, one of my co-workers added me to her Color Street group. With the stress of my old job position, I really liked having weekends to do my nails and make up. It was just the charge that I needed after each hectic week. Since beginning the transition to my new job position, things have been hectic, but slower at the same time, and I know that they will only slow down more once I start my new position at 100%, in August.... so I decided to get out all of my Color Street nails last week and start doing my nails again (I had taken a break since January). I truly forgot how much I would stop and admire them throughout the day. This is my current mani and I LOVE it! Anything tropical (palm trees, flowers, flamingos, etc) I LOVE! I also love the pop of pink since the weather is nicer now! I just did these yesterday, but already have myself thinking of what mani/pedi combo I will be doing next! I will be sure to update!

I have a gym membership and a home gym set up. On days where it is cold or yucky out, I find myself working out from home more frequently. Today I woke up and decided that I needed to get to the actual gym, so I did, and it felt AMAZING!  I love having the gym all to myself (I go either at 3 or 4 a.m., depending on how quickly I get ready). Plus, Dan's sister got me some new workout pants for Christmas and I bought myself some workout tops. I love how comfortable and cute they are. If you are looking for good activewear, Amazon is where it is at!

I was checking social media this morning after my workout, shower and breakfast. I follow Bunnie XO. I absolutely LOVE her and Jelly Roll, for the message that they send to others who are struggling, or have struggled. I love that they send the message that everyone has a past, but anyone can overcome things and become what they want to be in life. I also love the love that they have for their fans. They truly seem like compassionate people. **Side note... they have also been very open about their own infertility issues and IVF journey, which I also like**

Anyway, in my social media checking, I came acrossed Bunnie XO's pod cast. On the episode I came acrossed, she was interviewing Rosanne Barr about a baby that Rosanne had given up for adoption. During the interview, Rosanne describes a time in her life where she entered a psychiatric hospital, was released and then became pregnant at 17 years old. Rosanne tells about how she chose to give her baby up for adoption and reconnected with the child later in life. Roseanne describes her significant other at the time and relationship issues that they had. Roseanne reported that she kept her name the same, even after becoming famous and getting married, because she wanted the child to be able to find her, if she chose to. She reported that the child thought that Goldie Hawn was her birth mother, initially. Roseanne describes their initial contact and their relationship since rekindling. Roseanne reported that her daughter now has a family of her own and she has been able to be a part of their life.

Throughout the process of our adoption, I feel like I have come across more and more of these stories. A lot of people around me know that we are going through the adoption process, and have also shared personal stories, as well. Not only is it great to know that others support us, it is also amazing to hear everyone's stories and how they have turned out for the best each time. It truly keeps me hopeful that we will welcome a baby to our home someday soon.

We both got to have a fun weekend doing what we love. While I was away at the concert, Dan spent Saturday in a golf tournament with some of his closest friends. Dan has had the same group of best friends since middle school, which is pretty cool.

Baby will have the BEST golf coach and get to play the best courses!

This weekend was a fun filled weekend. Me, my cousin, her friend, and her friend's mom went to a weekend long concert. I have a very diverse taste in music and there were so many artists from various genres there. Nickelback, Sammy Kershaw, Deana Carter, Afroman, The Ying Yang Twins, Big and Rich, Travis Tritt, Trick Trick, Little Texas, Logan Crosby, Gavin Adcock, Hudson Westbrook, Mark Chesnutt, and my favorite... Lynyrd Skynyrd! My dad is a BIG music fan and a big on classic rock. I great up listening to their music. It was something that my dad and I talked about a lot. He thought it was pretty cool that I got to see them. Definitely the highlight of my experience! My love of music is something that I would LOVE to pass along to baby.

We got a hotel room on Friday night and went home on Saturday after the concert. I got so sunburned! We had a blast though! Check out the album with all of my pictures!

We spent another weekend at camp, last weekend. 

There was a very large turnout! Two of my cousin's came from downstate. One of my cousin's brought his wife. My other cousin brought a group of friends. The usual crowd of my parents friends came, and Dan and I stayed the weekend. 

It was a weekend of golf, food and fun!

I will ALWAYS be an early bird. Typically, I am up and at the gym by 4:00 a.m. Sometimes I workout from home. Lately, I have been waking up around 3:00 a.m. and getting to the gym. I love early morning workouts, I generally have the gym mostly to myself. It is my daily quiet time. Working out helps me get my energy out, it is also a great way to jump start my day. I like having my workouts done first thing in the morning, so I am not having to worry about having the time to do them later in the day, if things get busy. I premake meals, to make my morning routine easier. 

Generally, I take walks throughout the day, or use my walking pad while I am working.

Dan's sister got me some new workout leggings for Christmas and I ordered some new workout shirts recently. They are the most comfortable clothes I have ever worn, plus they're super cute!

Since the weather is getting consistently nicer and camp is officially open, we have been spending most of our weekends at camp. 

My parents have 60 acres of additional property, with two cabins. My dad turned the field into a homemade 9 hole golf course. They have golf carts and everything! On Saturdays, everyone comes to camp and golfs. Dan LOVES to golf, so he enjoys Saturdays at camp. Friday evening when we got to camp, Dan decided that he wanted to warm up. My parents typically work at camp, every day but Satuday, however, I was able to talk them into playing against Dan and I on Friday evening. We keep things interesting by betting $3 per golf game (that is what they do for Saturday golf matches too). I have never golfed, until this year, but I am not too bad! We had a lot of fun, especially because Dan and I won!

A friend of mine teaches martial arts. On Wednesdays he holds women's self-defense classes. Last week, I invited a couple of my co-workers to go with me. We had a BLAST! And also learned some useful techniques. Unfortunately, we were unable to go back the following week, due to work schedules/personal schedules, but we definately plan to go again. We even made a couple of new friends!

This weekend was busy, in a good way. I was able to spend Saturday with my best friend and her significant other, for my best friend's birthday. We were too busy enjoying ourselves to think to take any pictures (which is odd for me). We went to see the movie Final Destination Bloodlines, because we both LOVE scary movies. Dan does not, and neither does her significant other, so it is perfect for us to go together. Since it was her birthday, her significant other joined us. Dan went to camp for the day and golfed with my dad. They won first place, no pictures of that either! After the movie, we went to my favorite Mexican restaurant for a late lunch. As usual, I had leftover nachos to bring home for the dogs. They were so excited! Afterwards, I went up to camp and we hung out there for awhile before coming home. 

Then Sunday, I went with my cousin to get free tattoos to support pet adoption. People were able to make donations. There were also the two cutest dogs there to occupy us as we waited in line. We got there early, so we did not have to wait long. People were able to choose between a cat paw or a dog paw. My cousin and I both have and love dogs, so we both got the dog paw.

This Sunday, Dan was able to go to breakfast and then golfing with some of his closest friends. Dan has had the same best friends, since middle school.

Landscaping season is here! I enjoy keeping our yard looking nice. I have numerous flower beds and I love this time of year! This year, I am going to create some natural downspouts, so Dan and I went to camp to do some rock hunting for my project. We also got tons of mulch and a few flowers (those can wait until I see what I am working with). I also plant a lot of perennials, so most of my flowers will come back. I have some poppy seeds, that were from my grandma's house, that I am going to plant. 

We also got new doors for the house and we are going to paint the shutters. 

We are very excited for all of the updates to our home. I cannot wait to see the before and after pictures! 

Here is to warmer weather and a productive spring and summer!

Rocky has quickly become my road dog.

He loves going for car rides (even though he cries the entire time). With the weather getting nicer, I have been taking him to camp a lot, to run and burn off all of his energy. He is so smart and listens so well. He loves chasing me around on the golf carts. 

I also took him with me the other day to pick up Gus' pain medication from the vet's office. He loves going to the vet because all of the girls give him attention and belly rubs (which are his favorite).

One of our favorite seasonal ice cream places opened recently. We were super excited when we found out that they offer diabetic safe choices. We had to go and check it out ourselves! It was AMAZING! They have raspberry and chocolate. We both chose the raspberry. We will be back soon, as we just found out that they now offer vanilla, and Dan really wants to try a vanilla chocolate twist.

The dogs got my leftovers and they all loved it too! :)

The Lions Chicken BBQ is an annual tradition for us. Dan always gets tickets, from his clients, for my parents, his dad and step-mom, and the two of us. Dan and I always go early to beat the crowd and pick up everyone's meals. We then take our parents their meals and eat ours together, at home. The food is always AMAZING!

Well... we made it to the Final 4 games. Dan and I spent the evening at my parents' house, watching the game and eating pizza. It was a night full of laughs! 

Also.... Dan won the brackets! (He shared the money with me though :) )

I have been reading like crazy lately! I enjoy reading so much, but the craziness of my previous job led me to never have the time or the energy to sit and focus on reading. Since I began transitioning to my new position, I am able to stop work at 4:00 p.m. (as scheduled), which allows me to have much more family time and much more me time!

I have read a total of 10 books this year! I have a group on Facebook that I created for people to share and swap books that they have read. I reactivated the group recently. It has brought my niece and I closer, as we share a favorite author, Frieda McFadden. 

This book was one that I thought would be perfect to blog about. Even though it is a thriller (so I know that it will be creepy), the couple in the story struggle with infertility and decide to adopt. They are matched with a baby, but sadly, the birth mother changes her mind and the adoption falls through. A woman that the adoptive mother works with then offers to be a surrogate mother for the couple. After that, it sounds as if the book becomes a true Freida McFadden book (if you know you know, if you don't and you love thriller books, check out some of her work). 

I have noticed lately that some of the books that I have been reading have focused on interfertility issues. The one that I read before this book was also a Freida McFadden book, called The Crash. It was about a pregnant woman who gets caught in a snow storm and gets in a car crash while going to visit her brother. A man finds her and takes her home, as his wife is a nurse and can care for her. The reader then learns that the couple struggles with infertility. As I have said, Freida likes creepy storylines, and this one definitely takes a creepy turn, but the ending of this book was a beautiful one. Definitely a good read! 

While I would be lying if I said that waiting has been easy, I think that connecting my reading material to our personal life has helped me realize that things happen in their own time and as they are supposed to. Everyone has their journey and each step is important. While I know that we will meet our perfect match when the timing is right, we are very ready, in every way.

Dan and I have been watching basketball non-stop!

We completed March Madness brackets with my mom and dad. So far, Dan is winning and I am in last place (he is a big sports nut and pays attention to the seeds. I pick teams based on jersey colors and names). My mom has Clemson winning the entire thing though, so I am hoping that I surpass her point total at some point. We have five whole dollars a piece riding on this! 

All of my family members are big Michigan fans. So are Dan and I. I have Michigan winning it all. They played on Thursday night at 11:00 p.m. I get up super early to go to the gym (I get there by 4:00 a.m.), so we are people that go to bed early. We did not think that would be up for any of the game. I woke up at half-time because I had to go to the bathroom. Apparently, I woke Dan up at some point, because I was yelling at the Michigan players (that game was intense and I truly thought that they were going to blow it!) We ended up watching the remainder of the game. Michigan won (thank goodness!)

Fingers crossed that my brackets start to look better and that Michigan keeps it together! Go BLUE!

With the weather being nicer (well back and forth nicer), Dan and I are trying to walk in our neighborhood more often. Our neighborhood is a great neighborhood for walking. Walking through the neighborhood in the evenings is one of our favorite things to do in the spring, summer and fall.

Dan and my mom have also been in a step war, which my friend is joining in on, on Monday. I regularly get over 10,000 steps, so no one wants to compete with me yet. It has been fun to see my mom and Dan so competitve with each other though. 

It is supposed to rain all week, so I doubt we will be able to get any outside walking in, which is a bummer. I have a walking pad that I love, and a gym membership that I use daily, so I will stick to those if the weather is not nice. Dan gets his steps in by doing laps in the house, although he did say that he might start using my walking pad too.

I cannot wait to watch the three of them step compete!

Yesterday Dan and I went to his sister's house to celebrate his niece's birthday. We had dinner, visited with Dan's family and played a couple of games. It was a fun time, but his sister lives a couple of hours from us and the weather was not great for traveling. Thank goodness we made it back safetly!

Dan is still working most weekends, with it being tax season. 

Today, I made french toast for breakfast, meal prepped our week's breakfast and lunches, and decided each night's dinner. Dan went to work for a few hours, while I stay home and cleaned. When he came home we went for a walk through our neighborhood, which is a nice neighborhood for walking.

A lot of our neighbors have kids that often ride their bikes around. Many of our neighbors also have dogs that they walk around. During the week, many of my co-workers walk through our neighborhood on their breaks and lunches, as it is known to be a safe, quiet area. 

Rocky did not go with us today, but I have been walking him, during the week, on my lunches and breaks. So when we got back I put him on his leash and walked him around the front yard. When we came inside, he sat down so I could take off his training collar. He then tried to jump on Dan for some snuggles. They used to snuggle in Dan's chair when Rocky was little, all the time. However, now that he is much bigger, that is more difficult. He is still a giant snuggle bug though!

I am currently transitioning to my new job position. I am working part time in my new position and part time in my old position, training my replacement, and another new employee. 

I am really enjoying my new position and think I will really like it once I transition to 100%, in August.

It was a chaotic week for me and for both of the employees that I am training, so we decided to go out to my favorite Mexican restaurant on Friday. We ate amazing food and chatted for 2 hours. Both of them have checked out mine and Dan's adoption profile, and one of them told me that it made her cry, because it was just so sweet. They decided that they wanted to be a part of our adoption journey, so we decided to take a picture. We tried so many times to get a good picture, but we had all of our trash in the background and couldn't get a picture without it. We were laughing so hard that we decided to take a picture to display it. I told them I would make sure that was the picture that I used.

It was a fun way to decompress at the end of the week.

Dan has been working a lot, with it being tax season. That means weekends too. 

I really enjoy reading. For Christmas he got me two books from a local bookstore that I have heard of, but never been to. I decided to check it out, since I was alone for the day. It was SUCH a cute place and the shop owner was very nice. I bought six books! I have read three of them so far and they have all been good, so I will definitely be back. I also enoy supporting small businesses, especially now that Dan is a small business owner. I even bought a cute little camping decor sign for my best friend in Nebraska!

If you enjoy reading, this is definitely an amazing book store to check out.

Last weekend, I had some errands to run and Dan had his golf simulator, golf league. I was almost finished with the returns that I was doing and he called me to see where I was at. Since he got done earlier than he expected, we decided to meet for lunch at Tropical Smoothie (one of Dan's favorite places). 

After lunch, we went home and watched some movies. It was such a nice rest of the day together.

My cousin and I have a snap streak of nothing but us sending pictures of our vehicles going through the car wash. Dan typically washes my car for me and will send me pictures to send. After our Tropical Smoothie date, he decided to stop and fill my vehicle up with gas and wash it though, so this was the picture that we took to send my cousin.

I am typically a healthy eater, but lately we have both been making it more of a priority to eat healthy and be more active. I go to the gym every morning at 4:00 a.m. and Dan does golf league once each week (at the simulator). Dan is really looking forward to golfing outside, once the weather is nice enough.

I have been working hard to meal prep healthy meals. Our meals have consisted of breakfast wraps, french toast, breaded fish dinner, venison steak, chicken crusted BBQ chicken pizza, and lots of fruits and veggies. I do not like fish, but Dan does, and I made it for the very first time this week. It turned out AMAZING! I was so proud of myself.

This weekend was busy! Daniel worked on Saturday, as it is tax season and busy!

Sunday we went with Daniel's dad and step-mom, to Daniel's sister's house for his nephews 10th birthday party. Daniel's mom and step-dad were also there. Daniel has two nephews and a niece. We got to see both of them, Dan's brother-in-law and sister, and his parents and step-parents. The attached picture is us with the birthday boy!

Today I went to the movies with some friends. Dan does not like scary movies. Scary movies have always been mine and my friend Grace's thing, so we went to see the movie Heart Eyes today. This shirt seemed the most appropriate to wear, it says, I like murder shows, comfy clothes and maybe 3 people. It is my favorite weekend sweatshirt and was fitting for today. 

Daniel and I are now prepating to watch the Super Bowl, after we pick up some Applebees Car Side to Go.

I used to live in Kansas City, Missouri, so Go Cheifs!!! 

I have been in training for my new position, at 50%, for almost two weeks. The more that I learn about my new job, the more I think that I will like it. I am quite excited to fully transition to the position. I have been mentoring and training two new people at work, as well, so  my work life has been pretty busy.

The last two weeks have been super cold, so I have been completing my workouts from home.  I have been focused on  meal planning and prepping too. I have read a few books this year already.  I have been doing my nails more often. I have a couple of friends that sell Colorstreet, and over the last few years, I have become obsessed! Dan's dad got me a sublimation printer for Christmas. I have not used it yet, but I think that I am going to use it and do some crafting this weekend. I have also been spending time catching up with friends, and have plans to go to the movies on Sunday, with my friend Grace.

Because of the cold, the pups are all still in the house. Dan is loving all of the snuggles from Evie.  She gets up super early in the morning with me and hangs out for my workouts. Sometimes she even tries to workout with me. 

Here is a cute picture of my workout partner this morning.

I have a super close relationship with my parents.

I got to spend some time with my mama the other day. Our cleaning lady came to clean the house on Saturday. We like to stay out of the way, so we went to breaktast and then to hang out at my parents' house. We spent about half of the day just visiting, snacking and watching t.v.

Last weekend Daniel went to play poker with some friends, at a friends house., while my cousin and I went to lunch and shopping. 

This weekend was spent together and with family.  Saturday we had a breakfast date and then hung out at my parents. We spent Sunday at home, watching movies and relaxing together.

Typically, our dogs spend most of their time outside. Gus is our gentle giant. He has his own outdoor kennel, in the garage. He loves having his own space. Gus is 9 years old, which makes him quite an old man. He loves squeaky toys, sleeping, treats/food and being outside. 

Evie is our snuggly, sweet pup. Evie can bark, but never does. She is timid, but LOVES to snuggle once she warms up to you. Evie loves positive praise. Evie is 7 years old. With it being so cold, Evie has been inside, as she is the smallest dog that we have.. She enjoys sneaking into our bed, even though she has her own bed on the floor.

Rocky is the playful puppy. With Gus being as old as he is, I got Rocky, thinking that we would not have much more time with Gus. Gus has proven me wrong! Rocky enjoys attention (pets, cuddles, being spoken to). Rocky loves snacks, destroying his toys and playing outside. Rocky loves the snow (especially eating it). 

I have been training my replacement for work. I start my new position on Monday and I cannot wait! Daniel has been preparing for the busy part of tax season. 

With as crazy as life can get we try to have date night, at least a couple of times each month.  We received lots of gift cards for Christmas, as well as for our wedding, so this month, we have had more date nights. As hectic as things have been, this month, it is so nice to slow down and be present with each other. We had an Olive Garden date night a few nights ago and just caught up with each other. 

We both believe that the process of adoption has brought us closer together, as a couple, and as friends. The process of adoption has encouraged us to grow as a team, as well as express our individual strengths. 

Waiting has always been hard for me. I am the type of person that works hard for the things that I want. I think that one of the best feelings in the world is seeing the result of something that you worked very hard to obtain. This year has been a year where I have seen many results of things that I have worked hard for. I have a wonderful marriage, with the most amazing man, I have a job that I have always dreamed of having, we have a beautiful home, Daniel is a co-owner of his business, and he also got a new truck last year.

Things have been crazy at times, and boring at times, but in the best way possible. For that reason, I really struggled with blog topics and updated pictures. Daniel and I used to be the kind of people that did not enjoy sitting idol, however, during our time together, we have focused on creating our life together. This has led us to spending more time at home, at camp, or catching up with friends and family. 

We have been fortunate to have the support of our friends and family. We are often asked about the adoption process and how things are going. A close friend of mine had a still birth a few years ago. She provided us with all of the baby items that she had, as she wanted us to use them for our baby. We have been offered child care assistance from friends and family members. My co-workers have reported being excited for me to bring a baby into the office to visit. They have stated that he or she is already well loved by my co-workers. One of my co-workers has a daughter that gave a child up for adoption. They have an open adoption and still see the child sometimes. My co-worker has talked with me, in depth, about their experience, what they looked for in a family, and has also assisted with putting my worries at ease, regarding the process. Daniel's family members, that have adopted children, have shared their experiences with us. 

While waiting, I have found myself focusing on the gym, nutrition, reading and crafting.

We are excited to meet you!

It is super cold out today! The beginning of our week of freezing temps. I worked out from home this morning, as it was wayyy too cold to leave the house. I do my morning workouts at 4:00 a.m. I have weights, a yoga ball, yoga mats and a walking pad that I use for my at home workouts.

I am off work today, due to it being MLK day. I am spending the day with the pups, watching the movie 42, and reading. I enjoy doing my nails with Colorstreet nails, and I plan to redo my nails today also. There is nothing better than a good self-care day! 

This weekend was a weekend of quality time for me and Daniel. We went to the movies together, and used one of our Christmas gift cards to get dinner at Bob Evans.

This is my last week in my current position at work, Monday I begin my new position. I am very excited for a change, and to meet and network with new people. I am excited for professional growth, in a field that I am very passionate about. 

Cheers to change!

This week has been super busy and chaotic.

I went without a vehicle for the week, as my car was being worked on. I am also training her replacement for my current position, and work has been crazy. I cleared my cube out, at the office, as my new position will be fully remote. I have been working hard to set up my home office the way that I want it to be.

Daniel was ensuring that I had rides to and from work. He also stepped up by making dinners, being the primary caretaker for the dogs, and taking my car to and from the repair shop.

Daniel is also preparing for his busiest season at work, tax season. 

With the weekend finally here, Daniel went to the golf simulator with some friends. I am spending a quiet night in, playing repair woman with my cricut maker, watching movies, and reading before bed time. We also plan to spend some quality time together, as the chaos of this week prevented us from spending much time together.

We continue to look forward to welcoming a child into our lives. 

All the best,

Nicole & Daniel

Life lately has been lots of preparing and planning. Nicole cleaned out her work office, and has been putting her home office more together. Nicole begins her new position (for the same employer) at the end of the month. This position will be fully remote, and will offer more opportunities for professional growth.

With tax season coming up, work for Daniel has been quite busy, as well. Daniel and his co-workers have been doing a lot of preparation, and have hired additional staff.

As a couple, we have been continuing to plan for what life with a child will be like. We are fortunate and have had lots of friends and family members provide us with baby items. We currently have everything that we need to create a nursery for baby, which has fueled our excitement.

We have also enjoyed our time as a newly married couple. We have spent lots of time with friends and family, as well as downtime with each other. We enjoy having relaxed days, spent watching movies indoors. We also enjoy going to spend time with friends together. Daniel's winter golf league has started. He goes once each week. On those nights, Nicole gets dinner from her favorite Mexican restaurant, and watches t.v., or reads books. 

With the cold weather, Daniel loves snuggling with the dogs, and with Nicole, as he is a big cuddler.

We continue to receive a lot of love and support in our adoption journey. Our friends and family ask for adoption updates often. Nicole's co-workers have already expressed love and excitement for baby.

We look forward to meeting you.

As a New Years Eve tradition, we get together with Nicole's parents, at their house. Nicole's dad loves the old Twilight Zone, and there is always a marathon on New Years Eve and New Years Day. This year Nicole's nephew joined us. We order pizza, have snacks, watch the Twilight Zone, and watch the ball drop (if we are all still awake at midnight). 

November and December of 2024 were filled with lots of family, holiday fun!

We had Thanksgiving with each of Daniel's parents. We also had Thanksgiving with Nicole's family.

The first weekend in December, Daniel's extended family had their family Christmas. Daniel has a large extended family. Every year they rent out places around the state of Michigan, in order for the entire family to get together in one place. They play games, eat lots of food, exchange gifts and the children play together. 

We then had Christmas with each of Daniel's parents, as well as his sister, brother-in-law, niece and nephews. 

Christmas with Nicole's family happened on Christmas Eve. Nicole's parents, sister, brother-in-law and niece and nephew were all there. Nicole's family exchanges presents with one another. Nicole's family also plays Bingo every year. Everyone supplied wrapped prizes and the family played Bingo for the prizes. Nicole's dad has a microphone and speaker that he uses to call numbers from a Bingo  ball cage. Nicole's family has stuffed cabbage, every year for Christmas, as a Romanian family tradition. At the end of each Christmas, Nicole's dad plays, "The War is Over", by John Lennnon, on his record player.

WOW what busy months August and September were!

Our adoption profile was finalalized in late August, we then decided to get married on our anniversary, which was in September. 

With just three weeks to plan, our family and friends pulled together to help us plan the most amazing wedding and reception that we could have ever imagined having. Our wedding and reception occurred at a local golf course. Although we decided to keep the ceremony small, we both had friends and family, from all over, in attendance. We both also had friends and family all over the globe, send us cards and gifts. 

Daniel and I had a mini-moon, at a local hotel, not far from the golf course, where we were married.

Over the years, spending one on one time with my parents has become more and more important to me. My mom and I go to Florida, every year, and stay in Daniel's dad's condo.  In 2021, my dad and I went hunting, on my parents' property (camp). It was my first time ever. We saw lots of deer, but I did not shoot at anything. This year, we decided to go again. It was an oddly quiet morning, and we were debating leaving when two bucks walked in front of the swamp. My first deer was a buck and my dad got to experience it with me. He was so excited!