Archive for Adoption

Highlights of My Life

jdeeds / October 24, 2010 / 2 comments

Wow.  This was supposed to be a five minute post about the great things that have happened in my life. I had so many great things… Sorry if it’s long, but this is the highlights of the great things in my life from about High School on. There have been so many other great events in my life. I wanted to take time to let the Highlights of my life shine.

Took some time today to think about the past 20 years or so. I’ve done so many amazing things, I’ve been lucky enough to have amazing people in my life  and traveled to so many crazy places and I’m only 31.

At 8

I meet Kurinko-ga, who has been my best friend for over 24 years now.

~There are enough stories just in that friendship to fill several books, and even a few lifetime after school specials.

Check out more about Kurinko-ga.

At 16

I started my own recording studio (Aberration Studios)  and recorded several local San Diego bands, and musicans.

At 17

I ran my first concrete for local musicians at the Speckles theater downtown San Diego.

~I didn’t make any money on the show, but I’ll tell you what I was proud of myself for being able to put the show on.

I Met Kirsten, my Future wife, in marching band,  (insert jokes here) and French class. We become best friends, she dated one of my best friends, drove me crazy, and now I can’t imagine life without her.

At 18

Spent the summer after my senior year in Europe:

Where I walked the Catacombs in Paris

Kissed Kirsten for the First time in Paris

Kicked it at the Berlin wall

Went to a concentration camp outside Berlin (sachsenhausen) Which became the inspiration for the story I wrote Wendell

Traveled to Dresden and Prague by myself. Prague would inspire the Gideon stories I’m working on

Went to College at NYU maintained a 3.1

At 19

Spent two Weeks in Greece with NYU students. amazing place. Was nearly shot by the guards at the temple to Hera in Delphi. (funny story that.)

At 20


Switched Colleges to USC, was kicked out for missing to many classes and not passing my classes. I was spending to much time in San Diego with Kirsten. Honestly USC wasn’t my place never fit in there.

At 21

Went to Germany again with the High School this time as a chaperon, while Kirsten was a student. Not sure how I pulled that one off.

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At 22

Moved to PA in January 2001. San Diego boy had never seen real snow.  That was my first Cross country trip.

Moved Eric from Portland to Middletown PA. That was my Second cross country trip.

-During the Trip we were pulled over by a Nebraska State Trooper during a Tornado that had touched down five miles from us. He asked my my moving van was “weaving.” Seriously dude you are the one standing outside do you not feel the wind???

At 23

Kurinko-Ga moved to PA to live with Kirsten and myself.

At 25

Toured around Germany with Kirsten for a week while she was studying in Marburg.

At 26

Got Married in 2004 at the Mount Hope Estate. What an amazing day that was.

Spent our Honeymoon on a Cruise in Alaska

At 27

Flew to Prague with Kirsten, Kurinko-Ga, Eric, Jess and Heather. An Amazing 10 days in my absolute favorite city in the world. So far.

Bought our first house in Millersville PA  July 2005.

At 28

Moved back to CA in December 2006 to help Norm and Shirley raise Anthony and Ethan. Cross country trip number 3 with Kirsten, Kurinko-Ga and Smola.

Survived Ramona wildfire October 2007.

At 29

Pics missing

Took a Vacation with the Boys Drove from San Diego to Portland along the West Coast.

Moved back to Lancaster PA May 2008. Cross country trip five with Norm, two dogs two cats and an expedtion.

Bought new house for extended family Aug 2008. Otherwise known as “The compound.”

At 30

March 2009 Started the adoption process for the boys.

At 31

Our First Ultra Sound

December 21st 2009 found out we were having a little girl

First day as Parents

December 22nd 2009 offically became parent to two wonderfull little boys.

May 14th 2010 Our daughter Keira entered the world.

WOW! Wonder what the next couple of years will hold.

Category: Adoption, Family, Kids, Uncategorized / Tags: ,

Best Week Ever!

jdeeds / December 23, 2009 / 2 comments

The Most Amazing Week of my Life.

I have to say that this week, and mind you it’s only half over, has been one of the most amazing weeks of my life. When I start to count my blessing this holiday season I notice there are many more then I would have ever expected. My heart has never felt as warm and comforted as it has in the past several weeks. There have been moments of stress but nothing that could outweigh the joy.

All the Fun started Sunday Night when Kirsten the boys and I found ourselves sledding on 14 plus inches of snow at chad and myka’s for the sledup.

The kids had a great time and it was good to get out of the house after being trapped at work for nearly 48 hours with the snow.

Monday 12/21/09 Kirsten and I had our appointment to do our ultra sound to check on the babies health. The baby is 100% healthy, Kirsten is doing wonderful. She is really starting to feel the baby move around. The tech who does the ultrasound is not supposed to tell us the gender, they are supposed let the doctors tell us. Although the tech did stick to this they had to go back and to take a more clear picture of the gender *wink wink*. Kirsten and I are 90% sure of what we saw and are willing to say that it is a little baby girl. The doctor will confirm for us on the 8th of January. The tech said a little baby was moving around a lot and making it hard for them to get some of the pictures. My child acting stubborn? We all know which side of the family she would get that from.

Our First Ultra Sound

 

Yesterday 12/22/09 our boys legally became OUR boys. Although it changes only legal issues and didn’t really change how I’ve ever felt for the boys, I think it solidifies in everyone else’s eyes Kirsten and my commitment to these two wonderful children. I think it was great to walk into a courtroom where not only was the judge smiling and joking, but the bailiff was a neighbor and friend who was able to schedule herself to work our court room that day. Anthony took that stand to tell the judge how excited he was and it was so cool. The Judge even gave him permission to hit our attorney with a snowball when he got outside.


I don’t think the boys knowing felt a change but I could see them smiling all day and calling us mom and dad just to try out the words now that they were official. It makes my heart so light to see the boys laugh and smile. Now if I could just get them to sit up at the table…
For Norm and Shirley who have been taking care of A and E for so long I think it was a strange weight lifted. Nothing changed, but I think now they now feel more and more the ability to just be grandparents and spoil the kids rotten and they will.

After the hearing we went out and walked around downtown on gallery row and somehow ended up in my favorite gallery christian david’s Kirsten let the boys both pick a print for themselves and we bought a large reproduction of This landscape to It’s number 8 on the slide show. “Alaskan sky” be touched up by Christiane and framed for our dining room.

We then went to The Press Room for dinner. We allowed the boys to get whatever they wanted off the menu. E choose the New York Strip, and A choose the chicken cheese and bacon sandwich. It was a great end to a wonderful day.

We still have Christmas, new years and an adoption party over the next two weeks. I think this a great ending to 2009 night and a great begging to 2010.

Category: Adoption, Kids /