Boston's 1st Year Scrapbook

Another reason it's been so long since I've posted! I worked on Boston's scrapbook for a couple of weeks -- what a fun thing to do! It has been a long time since I completed a scrapbook -- I usually do pages here and there, but this has been very rewarding :)

I took this page from the front cover of the Milestones & Moments Simply Scrappin' Kit -- don't you love the flower?!! I loved this idea and couldn't wait to make it mine. This is an 8 1/2 X 11 scrapbook, and many of the page layouts I adjusted from layout ideas off of Splitcoast (splitcoaststampers.com). A major thank you to all of you who post out there! I will post mine as well, and hopefully will make someone else's job easier like you all did mine. I had the actual idea pages so that I could give credit back where it is due, but have no idea where they went now -- I might have thrown them away :( So although a few are my own idea, about 2/3 are ideas taken from others. Thanks again for your creativity and for sharing.

The colors I'm using are So Saffron, Certainly Celery, Basic Gray, Whisper White, Tempting Turquoise and Regal Rose. All the other things I used I'll list at the end. The feet below are stamped on Whisper White, and covered with vellum paper, attached with brads. It is so cute, and can be used for journaling.

This layout below uses paper from retired DSP pack Sweet Always, as well as the 1st page of the scrapbook. The stamps above, "I'm Here" are retired as well, but how can you make a baby album without them???

Mary helped me with some of the pages, and this below was her favorite. She loved cutting out the little hands :)

On the hands above, I finally tried a technique that I'd heard of but hadn't tested until now, and it works! Embossing with Versamark and Classic ink and Clear embossing powder -- a bit lighter color than usual, but it totally worked! You stamp in Versamark, then directly go to your classic ink pad color of choice, then stamp it on cardstock, and emboss with clear powder! I love learning new stuff :)

Above, Amber actually embossed these chickies for me. We were stamping together in the hospital -- I was finishing up the scrapbook, and she was finishing thank you cards. It was fun!

Stamps: Nursury Necessities, Happy Everything, I'm Here (retired), Fifth Avenue Floral, Baroque Motifs, Little Feet Wheel (retired)

Ink: Tempting Turquoise, Basic Gray, So Saffron, Certainly Celery, Whisper White, Regal Rose

Cardstock: Same as above

Accessories: Moments & Milestones Simply Scrappin' Kit, Clear Embossing Powder, Various punches, brads, Go Go Boots Sizzlet Alphabet Dies, Big Shot

Happenings @ the Riggs Household

Mary and Boston: I have been unattentive indeed to this blog lately, but with good reason :) We have had what's turned out to be a pretty special experience in our household. Our oldest daughter and our family are going through an adoption, and we are on the placing end instead of the receiving end. It's not the usual side that most hear about, so I'd like to share that with you. We sent out a letter to many of our family and friends, but missed many more as I'm finding out, so as I can't figure out how to cut and paste from Word to my blog, I'll retype the letter in now:

April 19, 2010

Dear Family & Friends,

It is with a happy heart that we announce that Mary is no longer pregnant (yay!) and has given birth to a beautiful baby girl, Boston, 6 lbs., 7 oz., 18 " long, at 10:44 p.m. on Friday, April 16th, 2010. Will & I, along with adoptive parents Greg and Amber, were there with her every step of the way, and had an experience that will forever remain unforgettably special in all of our hearts. This has been a neat weekend, and I thought I'd share a little of it with you since so many of you are asking how Mary is, and how Will and I are doing.

I thought I'd preface it with a little background on Mary's decision to place her babe for adoption. Mary knew she was pregnant for about 4 months before she let us know, and took that time to carefully consider what was best for her little one. When she told us, she let us know that she was about 99% sure that she would place the baby for adoption, knowing that this baby needed a mother and a father, and Mary couldn't be both. She paid us the greatest compliment a child could give their parents when she told us that she wanted this baby to be raised the way she had been. It was an emotional day, but after discussing it fully with her, we totally agreed with her decision, and plans soon went into motion to let her family, neighbors and friends know what was happening. While making one of those calls to her Aunt, this Aunt felt prompted to menton a couple she had known very well for years that had been married for many years without being able to have a baby. To make a long, sweet story short, this eventually led to Mary choosing tham as the adoptive parents. And she couldn't have made a better choice! We ment them as a family in December, they fell in love with Mary (asked us if they could adopt her too!), and they continued to support Mary throughout her pregnancy by coming to almost every ultrasound and Dr. appointment Mary had from January on. They live out of state, and made that long trip a lot! They have been the kindest caring people we could have dreamed of from day 1, and we already loved them well before this last weekend. But these past days have solidified our trust in and love for them. They are supposed to be Boston's parents, of this we are certain.

Thanks to absolutely the best nurses and doctors who helped Mary through a long day, Mary did a FANTASTIC (one of her favorite words!) job and brought Boston into the world. We were absolutely amazed at the care and competency of the nursing staff and of course her sweet doctor. Mary kept her great sense of humor throughout, and kept us laughing when, about 3 minutes after delivering and being asked how she was doing, she replied deliberately and with a smile, "I'm not doing this again for a very long time." Amen to that.

I spent the first night in the hospital with Mary, and Amber spent the next so she could be there to "mother" Boston. What a beautiful thing to watch as Greg and Amber took right over as new parents! They are naturals. They have continued to be so concerned about Mary's and our feelings, and are honestly some of he best people I know. Boston is so blessed to be in their care. I've had much time to ponder and consider this situation that has happened to our family, and of one thing I am certain. Mary's decision has changed so may many lives for the better, that generations on end will be affected for good. I have never felt this kind of love for a child as I do now for Mary -- and I do totally love all my children, don't get me wrong! But her maturity has made a difference to our family and so many others. And the way she handled this pregnancy and her labor and delivery gave Will & I a whole new respect for her. We have always been proud of her, but after watching her turn a very tough situation into such a positive experience for us all, that love for her has hit new heights, and we want her and all of you to know that.

Feel free to ask any more questions that you have -- I'm not sending this to say "the end", but to let you in on a "tad bit" of our feelings and experiences so that you can know that Mary and Will and I and our family are doing great. We will be hanging out this week with Greg and Amber and Boston since they have to stay in Vegas for a week until all paperwork is finalized. So our kids are especially excited since they couldn't go into the hospital to hold Boston. They will get to bond with her, and we will take lots of pictures so they can always remember her.

Mary is fully ready to move on with her life, and get back to her full-time schooling AND full-time managing of the two "As Seen on TV" stores where she has been working. She both worked and went to school the day before she went into the hospital, and is looking forward to getting back without being pregnant. Mary plans on graduating from UNLV with a bachelor's degree in Accounting & Business Management, and wants to get her master's degree as well. So on she goes, and we know that she will do well. She is already a huge help to her employer, and we know she will be entirely successful.

We have truly felt our Heavenly Father's hand throughout this whole experience, and are grateful for the blessings and love that He has shown our family these past few months. We are thankful beyond words for the care and comfort many of you have given us at one time or another during this time as well. You will never know how upbeat you have helped keep us with your questions and concerns about how Mary was doing. You are all the truest of friends, the best of neighbors, and our family has, as always, been there supporting us all. We love you and appreciate you in our lives.

Sincerely, Will & Mary Lynn and family

Will & Boston in the hospital, above. Below, have you ever seen a scene more sweet, more perfect? New mom, Amber, with her sweet baby Boston.

Below, our kiddos love every minute of holding Boston!

And so do I!

We got to enjoy the pool at Greg & Amber's condo, and Willie & Greg especially like have dunking wars! It was amazing that the water was already tolerably warm in April!

Lizzy, above, Meg below spend time with cute baby Boston!

Mary, Greg, Amber and Boston. My favorite photo of all :)