HAPPY FATHER'S DAY HONEY!

Melt.my.heart.  My honey just came to me and stated that this was one of the BEST weekends he has had in a very long time!

Weekend Goal:  Celebrating the wonderful father (and husband) that Jeff is, while having fun family time.....especially since he wasn't on call all weekend long!

Goal Accomplished!

We didn't have any real big plans, as we had just returned home from celebrating my brother's wedding in Wisconsin late Tuesday night.  But this weekend was proof that love and joy can so be in the small things!
SATURDAY.......

Water Fountain fun downtown 

Ready to swim!

SUNDAY.......

My Three Boys!

Hanging out with mom and dad while Kaleab naps

Time at the shooting range

Honey, you are such an amazing man.  Watching you love on and father our boys makes only fall deeper in love with you daily.  All three of us are so BLESSED to have YOU leading us spiritually; providing for us ~ allowing me to stay at home where I can best mother our boys; playing with us ~ adding so much love to our hearts and home; and we are all blessed to have YOU kissing us good morning with each new dawn and good night with every evening.  We love who you are.  What you do for us.  And how you love us.  Such a great example of how God loves us!  Steadfast.  Unconditional.  Gentle.  Patient.  Enjoying opportunities to fill our hearts to overflowing.  Finding joy in surprising us.

We love you.  We are blessed by you!

Our weekend was relaxing and filled with love and laughter.  Each one of us goes to bed tonight with more joy, more love and more peace.  Thankful we got to have Daddy all to ourselves for the whole entire weekend!  {big mama smile inserted here}

First Laid Eyes on Kaleab...

Two years ago we first laid eyes on our sweet baby Kaleab (2 months, 3 weeks old).....and were EXSTATIC to say YES! to the very baby boy God hand-picked for us!.............

......and today we are OVER THE MOON HAPPY to call him OUR SON!...........

Oh how those sad nights of crying in his rocking chair with empty arms (while he was half a world away), have been filled with overflowing laughter, love and joy!!!

GOD IS AMAZING!!!!

HOME A YEAR!

IT'S BEEN A YEAR!!!

We walked off the plane as a FAMILY of FOUR May 11, 2012!  

Our precious sweet Sami has been HOME for ONE YEAR!

  

We actually celebrated his FAMILY DAY one day early (last Friday), before heading out of town for one of his soccer tournaments.  I surprised him with a cake and a couple small presents to unwrap.

Unfortunately, the camera was already packed away in the car (for the trip), and we failed to think of using our phone cameras, so we didn't get even one pic of this special celebration!  So bummed!

We had fun reminiscing about the looooong plane ride home and what it was like to walk off the plane TOGETHER as a complete FAMILY!!!!!

Love that smile on his face!

And how precious it was for our friends to be there so late at night to welcome him HOME!!!  We still so appreciate ALL of you!!!

We are still WOWED at how incredible it was that our friends, Angela and Darrin, drove FOUR PLUS HOURS to give Sami a hug in person!    They had visited Sami for us when in Ethiopia to bring home their sweet baby girl, and they wanted to be a part of his Welcome Home!  We will never forget their thoughtfulness!

 We love you, Angela and Darrin!

We talked of our first night home.  We reminisced walking him through the house, showing him where everything was.  And we shared the feelings we all were having.

Such a unforgettable memories!

We cannot imagine life without our sweet Sami!  And now, it feels as if Sami has always been a part of our family!

OH, don't get me wrong.....I haven't forgotten the miracle God performed in bringing Sami into our lives!  Nor have I forgotten the amazing five weeks I got to spend with both of my boys in their birth country of Ethiopia.  Nor will I ever forget the heart-wrenching "see you soon" when I departed Ethiopia, not knowing when we would be cleared by the courts and embassy to bring Sami home.   And no, I have not forgotten the delays that kept us apart another three months, before returning to BRING.HIM.HOME!

But all of that was part of our journey.  And God showed up BIG for all of us during this time!

Now.........and forever.......we can bask in God's glory and celebrate being a family!
A family TOGETHER FOREVER!!!!!!

My Dearest Sami,

Dad and I could never have imagined how beautifully you would fit into our family.  I literally dreamed of you.......and God lead us to you.......and still, we are amazed at how wonderful and beautiful our family is because of having YOU in it!!!!

We cannot imagine life without you!  It feels as though you have always been here with us!  And we soooo look forward to a lifetime of being FAMILY!

We prayed and prayed for you, son, and yet, God has surpassed our wildest imaginations with you!  Your love for God..... your love for others........your fun personality (you makes us laugh a LOT!)........your gentle spirit......your passion for the outdoors and physical activity.......your kindness.......your bravery to dive into new situations.........your love of laughter and joy.............your passion for skiing (had to put that one in here too!)..........your determination to do the best that you can in all that you endeavor.......your precious love of reading..........your fun-loving ways with Kaleab........

We honestly could not ask for more.  You are AMAZING.  You are God's precious precious gift to us.  God made you perfectly.

And we LOVE YOU beyond words.

We love you TO THE MOON AND BACK!!!!  {wink}

Remembering our first day HOME TOGETHER via pictures......

Good Morning!

 We went to the park that first afternoon....

Such JOY in that smile!

 Doggy bonding....

Playing with our friends the Sherburnes'

and enjoying an authentic ET dinner.....

BOSTON 2013

EASTER!

March was a fun-filled month...........with Easter being the highlight!  Didn't Easter sneak up on us FAST this year!?!?!?  My what a celebration it was to remember the huge sacrifice of our Heavenly Father, while being able to celebrate it with BOTH boys HOME!!!  Kaleab was home last year, but sweet Sami was yet to arrive.

Here are some pics to capture our holiday weekend {better late than never, right?}

Evening of Good Friday church service....

Easter Sunday......the boys had fun with their baskets.  It was a total surprise to Sami, as we did not share with him the Easter bunny portion of the holy day, so as not to highlight that aspect.

 Sami's basket...with cross bracelet, swim trunks, games and candy inside

Kaleab's basket with new sippy cup and candy inside....

 First full Family Easter!

 My HANDSOME boy!

 His smile captivates me!

EASTER EGG HUNT!.......