Bushre Buzz

Christmas

2012-01-13T11:48:00.000-08:00

We had a little cookie decorating party prior to Christmas with a few friends - very fun times!!!
Here are the little cuties covered in sugar and sprinkles :)

My Drummer Boys

Christmas Morning!
We put Samuel back into his pajamas after going to church and while I did that, Kyle put the gifts under the tree. When we came downstairs, Samuel was so excited about seeing stockings hanging up, he didn't even notice the gifts under the tree... at first!

When he did see them, he said "there's more!!!"

Samuel made this tree for me and was so very proud of it. :)

Music time in the kitchen with one of his new instruments. The boy drums all the time and on beat too!

Some Christmasy things to do

2012-01-11T13:02:00.000-08:00

A few of the Christmas things we did together...

Samuel's art class at the Capitol Theater: We made jingle bells and hand/footprint reindeer, then sang some songs with the assistance of our new jingle bells.

lining up for their treat

Candy canes! Here's Samuel with his little friend, Eli :)

Baking cookies: Samuel did great helping me make the gingerbread men this year. He rolled the dough (sort of!), cut out the shapes, and carefully decorated with raisins.

Daddy suprised us with a special treat: a Train show!
This was a pretty cool setup just walking distance from our house. Samuel saw lots of trains, including that famous blue #1 train, Thomas. But his favorite was the carnival setup you'll see below.

Our trip to the Please Touch Museum

2012-01-10T19:13:00.000-08:00

While in Philly for the marathon, we were blessed with the opportunity to visit the children's museum for FREE!!! What a treat! We spent all morning running around from one exhibit to another - literally!

This water area was the first thing we saw and turned out to be one of Samuel's favorites.

Magnetic golden apples

Wonderland area: tea parties with the Mad Hatter, painting roses with a paint brush, and croquet. Here comes my live croquet ball now!

Samuel has become a giant!

The grocery store area had every imaginable food and a kitchen just around the corner! The people who work in this area have clean-up duty like I've never had!

Another favorite: dumping foam blocks into a pully system that takes them back up and shoots them out into a bin

THE favorite: balls that blow up with air valves! Just watch the excitement grow! We spent a long time here.

Not at all a favorite, but Mom thought it was cute to see Samuel haning up laundry! :)

What's a children's museum without a great carousel? We thought it was so great we decided to ride twice!

Samuel after his big day. Sweet dreams, buddy... :)

Philadelphia Marathon

2012-01-10T18:55:00.000-08:00

Kyle ran his 3rd Marathon in November -- this time in Philly.

The day before the race, we walked around the expo a bit and Kyle ran into his "coach"! Hal Higdon, the one whose advice and training schedules Kyle has followed for all three of his marathons was seated at a table quite by suprise! It was great to be able to get a photo with him.

We also found this great shirt for Samuel to wear the day of the race. He was quite the little cheer leader! We all went to bed around 6:30 the night before so that we could get up by 4:30.

Some pre-race shots right by the art museum, and very close to Rocky.

Cheering for Daddy during the race.

Here he comes on the last stretch. He's in the blue shirt right in the center. Great job, Kyle! He finished with his best time yet!

October Snow Storm

2011-11-15T17:56:00.000-08:00

So, Samuel had come in to bed with me in the morning to wake me up and we lay quietly for a few minutes. Suddenly, he sat upright and said "Snow!" I took a look and was shocked to see that he was right. "Oh my goodness, buddy! You're right" and he quickly followed that up with "can we play in it?" How could I say no?

It was beautiful...

a snow covered rose

Catching snowflakes on our togues, eyes, and noses. Really everywhere! They fell all day long without stopping. Very wet, very heavy, and fun, but we're glad it's gone for now.

Pumpkin Time!

2011-11-15T17:35:00.000-08:00

Samuel was VERY excited about going to the pumpkin patch this year! He ran all over the yard finding new things to play with and the running all over didn't stop when we got to the actual patch. He ran from one pumpkin to another, trying to pick one up then spotting another. It was all so exciting we had to just find one for him and tell him how great it was.

How about this one, buddy?

Some friends graciously gave us their kid's old tricycle for Samuel. It took a little practice, but he's got the hang of it now, and rides it all over the family room. He was so thrilled with it that it was the first thing he asked for the morning after he got it. He came right down to ride it in his jammies. :)

These are some pictures of the Harvest Party we recently had. We invited a few friends, got a lot of hay, made some goodies, and had a great time!

Apples, football, and leaves

2011-11-02T12:57:00.000-07:00

Meet the newest addition to the family, "Orangey" :)

We decided to get something for Samuel to help take care of and these are the easiest pet we can imagine, so we headed to the pet store and picked out a fish once I managed to find our bowl and net in the attic. When the lady caught our fish, she asked Samuel what it's name was and that's when he deemed our fish "Orange". It has become Orangey, but I just love it, don't you?

Our annual apple trip. We went to the Round Barn again and had a great time. Samuel's favorite part was hiding under the trees eating apples.

A honey bear lollipop allowed Kyle and I to enjoy the shop afterward when we were nearing nap time. Thank you honey bear!

Time to practice some punting!

The boy still loves to drum with Daddy! Here he is very animated - the eyes getting very big, lots of hopping action, and the lips very tense! He cracks us up!

A sunny day in the leaves (and the adorable moose hat!)

30 Months: Haircut and a visit from Grandparents Bushre

2011-09-28T11:49:00.000-07:00

Prior to getting his 2nd haircut, Samuel found a bush to climb into.

And then it was his turn. I know people don't normally document the 2nd haircut, but this was a pretty big deal for me. It had been over a year since his last (and first!) cut and his curls were so long and cute. But it was time...

Look at this handsome little man! It's amazing how a simple haircut can add years to that sweet face.

When Grandpa and Grandma Bushre came to visit, we drove to Lancaster to check out Strausberg Railroad. Such a fun thing to do! We looked at all kinds of train related things and found plenty of things to buy, and we took a ride on the big train too. Samuel took it all in and enjoyed himself and wanted to ride it again when we finished.

We had to have a little snack afterward, and what is better for photos than ice cream? :) Yum!

Grandma came prepared for FUN! She brought tubes of finger paint, paper, and even a smock for some Grandma-Samuel time. It was so cute to look in and see them having such fun and it was great to get some quiet time in the kitchen to myself.
Picasso original = $1 million; 20 prints by Samuel = priceless

Thank you, Grandma and Grandpa for coming to see us. We know it's a long way to drive, but we're so thankful that Samuel is able to still be involved in your lives, despite the distance. He loves spending time with you and we enjoy having you too. :)

30 Months Old: clothing preferences and a visit from Grandpa and Grandma

2011-09-18T20:16:00.000-07:00

This month Samuel started to exhibit a preference for a particular shirt -- his eagle shirt. Whenever I choose any other shirt, I hear "No, No, I can't wear that shirt. I want my eagle shirt." So he wears it as often as it is clean. I have posted the above picture because it's the only time I took pictures on the day he turned 30 months old. And it does show how much he's growing up, I think. Until recently he didn't eat pizza. Not because he didn't like it, but because I didn't feel right giving it to him. I've since found a healthy pizza option and he just seems so much more grown up to me.

The next sequense cracks me up. It shows the progression of thought for Samuel. He started by wanting to walk on the curb at the park...

then he thought it looked like a slide...

it's kind of hard to get down...

well, this works!

Finding a new swing!

While Kyle was away in Philly for classes, my Mom and Dad came to keep us company for a few days. A welcome help for me and lots of fun play time for Samuel! Here are a few photos.

I just love this one. Thanks for taking it, Mom! :)

Coloring with Grandpa in the new Thomas the Train coloring book they brought for him. He LOVES this book!

Our Chocolate World day photo. Samuel had a great time riding the "train" through the tour of the chocolate making factory. He's still talking about the singing cows! And about Grandpa and Grandma, of course. Thanks so much for visiting. We love you!

Heavy on my heart...

2011-07-25T12:50:00.000-07:00

I know I haven't said a lot about our little girl. There hasn't been much to report - just the wait until "THE CALL" which we don't expect until December(ish). So for now we have been very content to wait and pray for her as she grows in her Ethiopian Mommy's belly. However, recent news has prodded my mama heart to ache and long to hold her.

As you may know, Eastern Africa is experiencing a famine. It is affecting Sudan, Kenya, and a large portion of Ethiopia. As I've pondered the situation and struggled with the tough questions, I haven't found the answers but I do know that God is there. And He cares. He has not forgotten these people. Maybe He wants to use us to help.

If you feel helpless and wish you could do something, please check out this link so see how you can http://www.samaritanspurse.org/. I know it doesn't feel like much, but God can still work wonders today and maybe He will multiply our feeble attempts to help feed the hungry just as He did when He fed the 5,000 with 5 loaves and 2 fish.

Summer and Celebrations

2011-07-08T17:40:00.000-07:00

One of our favorite summer snacks: smoothies!

A morning at the splash park with our friend, Eli. Both of the boys were hesitant to get wet at first, but by the time we left... :) Samuel took like a fish to water! And all by himself. This pool is a great confidence booster, and easy for Mom to watch at only about 12 inches deep. We love it!

Daddy took us all out for a yummy bedtime snack. Samuel chose birthday cake icecream and ate it without any help.

4th of July at the fireworks:
the band played patriotic music at 7:30 and Samuel LOVES music, so we made sure we were there and were glad we did. He waved his flag and was wide-eyed. His little heart beat so fast with all the excitement of people, music, and festivity. To pass the time until the big fireworks show, we took things to make a hat, some books, and of course some yummy snacks. Then someone came along and handed Samuel one of those cool glow in the dark bracelets. He had a very big night! And he loved every minute of it... until the fireworks started! As soon as they started the warm up booms, he grabbed me so tight, buried his head in my chest, and said quietly that he wanted to go home. Poor buddy! We stayed and I think he did see a few out of the corner of his eye, but his head stayed planted in my bosom for the rest of the night. The next day he was talking about them like he had loved them. What a silly little guy!

Just chillin' with a popsicle

July 7: Family Day!!!
We celebrated our 2 year anniversary of meeting and bringing Samuel home with us this week. Wednesday was "Metcha' Day" followed by Thursday's family day. We had some Ethiopian food to celebrate: injira, miser wat, kik alecha, shiro, and iab. I was shocked when Samuel gobbled it down! I have a long way to go on my Ethiopian cooking, but my boys seemed to enjoy it.

Ocean week and Father's Day

2011-06-30T11:52:00.000-07:00

Samuel and I recently got to join Kyle on a speaking engagement for our church's youth group on their "Summer Sneak." We had a great time getting to know the kids and Samuel just LOVED being around so many people for a whole week. We learned that he has a healthy fear of the ocean (he actually did more "swimming" in the bathtub!) and that he loves worship music! He's still singing the songs he learned around the house and everywhere we go.

Samuel and Rachel, one of his favorite new buddies :)

Here he is in his element. Music in the meeting room! He rocked it out while the band warmed up.

Indoor s'mores in our hotel

And for Father's Day this year, we spent some time fishing after a Sunday afternoon nap. Kyle reeled one in and it's waiting in the freezer for its big moment. Samuel absolutely loves his daddy, and wants to do everything that Kyle does. It's so wonderful to see the love that they share. I have a wonderful man, and Samuel has a great Dad! Happy Father's Day, Kyle!

Goodbye spring; Hello summer!

2011-06-12T19:52:00.000-07:00

My little helper: he loves 'washing' dishes!

Puddle jumping after the rain

Enjoying the pool on a warm afternoon

Our friend, Tess graduated just recently from Wilson College. Samuel and I got to join her and her family for a party to celebrate. So much fun to be in the presence of other Habesha again! It was almost like being in Ethiopia again. :)

This was the Race Against Poverty, a race to benefit a really great organization in town called Circles. The organizers were hoping for 100 participants for this first time event, and more that 200 people came out for it! Awesome! Kyle ran fast and Samuel and I brought up the rear. We had a great time and raised a lot of money for Circles in the process. Yay!

Planting sunflowers was the highlight of Samuel's day this particulary Saturday. They're coming up!

A little sprinkler fun

Marathon Mother's Day!

2011-05-17T11:13:00.000-07:00

That's right, my hubby ran another marathon... on Mother's Day this time! We drove to Michigan for Kalamazoo's 1st Marathon where Kyle and my sister's husband, Mike ran together. The whole family came out for the event! It was a gorgeous day and both of the guys did a great job. Samuel cheered "Go Dada, go!" and "Go Uncle Mike!" with lots of "woo-hoo's" thrown in there too. :) He now has a deep affection for Michigan.

Here are some of the shots:

Before the race

At Mile 9 - going strong!
Mile 19 - still going strong
"We'll see ya' at the end!"
Waiting at the finish line

Kyle's finish! Yay!!!!!

Kyle and his proud Mama :)
Mike and Sarah
The two runners

Mother's Day / Marathon Day Weekend

2011-05-11T13:12:00.000-07:00

3 generations of Mothers

Samuel enjoyed playing in my parent's back yard, and I enjoyed watching him. What a difference in makes to have a fence! It was great to let him just discover and play and not have to worry about him getting "loose"! He played hard -- I love the way that tongue comes out when he's really working. So cute!

Uncle Dan was a big hit! He and Samuel got in lots of good bonding time over the weekend and we were thankful to have his help with the little guy.

Samuel was a little slap-happy at this point, but I had to capture his response to "Doink" my parent's pet rabbit on camera. Samuel was laughing and giggling and gave kisses to the bunny.

Marathon Day!

Before the race

At the 9 Mile mark

The 19 Mile mark

Spring Fun

2011-05-02T17:56:00.000-07:00

Samuel's new favorite kind of egg: the Easter egg
This is his 3rd and final hunt of the year on Easter afternoon.

Celebrating birthdays is so much fun! Here's Samuel helping me prepare for Dada's birthday celebration. He put the hats on without my help! And he thought he was like Curious George while decorating. He kept saying "He could not resist" while helping me put up streamers. It's a line from his Curious George story when George decorates for a bday party.

A weekend hike through Caledonia State Park

Just some 2-year old fun

2011-04-20T11:36:00.001-07:00

He LOVES his big boy bed! It's pretty cute to have him come greet us in the morning too, but I'm not so sure about the night-time visitor. This new-found freedom to wander has me looking for ways to keep him contained.

Samuel continues to be a joyful little boy. He's full of energy and is not shy. He says what he's thinking, and sings all the time. His latest favorites: opening tulips, saying "Oh d-d-d-dear" like Piglet, and hummus.

What a great little guy!

More Birthday fun!

2011-03-28T18:00:00.001-07:00

Though Samuel's actual birthday was on the 21st of February, he's had more of a birthday month!

Special thanks to all the Grandparents, Great-Grandparents, and Aunties who sent Samuel birthday goodies. He gets super excited now every time the mail carrier leaves us a package. :)

Happy 2nd Birthday, Samuel!

2011-02-26T10:58:00.001-08:00

Our baby is 2! Not such a baby anymore...

I once heard someone refer to 2-year olds as "Terrific!" and I choose to embrace this outlook. Samuel is such a joyful child, and we are enjoying him in all his "two-ness".

The morning of his big day, we went in to get him out of his crib and sang him "Happy Birthday." He got a very excited look on his face and immediately asked "Balloons? Lollipop?" I guess he's getting the hang of these special days!

We did have balloons waiting for him, and this basketball hoop. We played with both all day long! Daddy made pancakes for breakfast and then we played basketball all day long. :)

Aunt Billie gave us this hand-print kit before Samuel turned one. There is one tin for every year until he turns 5. So one thing we did on his birthday was make his 2-year-old handprint. He loved that! Gooey fun!

Birthday Dinner: Lasagna and then chocolate cake

And he blew the candle out all by himself!

Such a little sweetie! He just appreciates everything so much. I even heard him say to his new baseball tee "I love you, baseball!" as he got in some morning swings.

We are so blessed to be Samuel's parents... what a delight he is!

Catch-up Post: Valentine's Day

2011-02-26T10:28:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day is one of those holidays that's fun when you're a kid, awkward as a middle-schooler, and questionable as an adult...

We did celebrate this year, and Kyle was even so sweet as to get flowers and chocolates for me. :)

Thanks, honey!

Samuel loved the lollipop from Grandpa and Grandma, and strangely enough really liked the shirt they sent him! It's a nice shirt; I've just never seen a kid so excited about clothes. We had to put it on right away -- right over the top of his jammies! There he is wearing it while at work with the tools.

One moment I hope I never forget is the night before Valentine's Day, ("Valentine's Eve", I guess) when Samuel was "helping" me prepare for the little party we had the next day. Usually helping involves me holding him on my hip while I prepare food and he watches. This time he truly did help though! He stood on a kitchen chair and unwrapped Hershey Hugs for me and put them on pretzels. When the first two were popped into his mouth, I wasn't sure how this was going to go, but that was the end of the sampling. He got down to work and unwrapped candy for a good 20 minutes. You can see the diligence in his face. So sweet! And such a precious little helper. :)

Here are the "Princes of Hearts" at their party! They had a great time searching for hearts, enjoying their treats, making Valentine's for the Daddies, and playing outside.

We're Paper Pregnant!

2011-02-21T11:22:00.000-08:00

On this, Samuel's birthday, there is much to report but so little time. I promise I'll catch up later on photos and today's activities, but for now I just need to let you all know that we just received word that our dossier has arrived in Ethiopia! Woo-Hoo!!! We are now officially on the waiting list, and while we know it will be several months before we find out who our precious daughter is, we can now begin the count-down.

Samuel's 22nd Month

2011-01-21T13:10:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe, but there is now only one month standing between now and the time Samuel officially turns 2. Hard to believe because it seems like it hasn't been long enough for that to be the case, but not hard to believe when I consider all the ways he is growing and learning. We've found ourselves facing issues of discipline and we've been in tears with laughter at some of the things he says and does.

Here are a few things we've been doing to beat the winter blues...

Playing in the romp room - this day, Samuel decided it was a good idea to take his snack over to the center of the activity circle and eat it there. Quite cute, I thought. :)

New Year's Day, we were all decked out in green and white. Thankfully we took our photos before the game... not such happy faces afterward.
Playing in the snow! A couple weeks ago, we got a fair amount of snow and enjoyed a Saturday morning of winter. Snowballs and even a snow-man. Lots of fun!

The best part of my birthday was balloons in the afternoon! Samuel loved them and still does! They're still hanging in there at day 13! I never knew they could be SO entertaining, but Samuel could be the happiest boy on earth with a balloon to hold.

The local rec center has open gym time a couple of times a week for toddlers and pre-schoolers. We went and had the whole place to ourselves!

A cute moment when Samuel decided to cover himself up with his blankies and sit down to play with his Farm magnets. He had just woken up from his nap not long before this.
And here's our little friend, Eli! He and Samuel have had several play-dates in recent days. Good for them and for the Moms! :) After taking the boys to story hour, we took them out for lunch and couldn't resist a little dessert.

Samuel thought of this one on his own...

He has a fettish for putting things over his face and kicking. Always has, and still does. He pulled his shirt up and started jumping around the kitchen last week! If you look carefully you can see the outline of his face underneath. He was laughing and having a great time, and since this is not something you see every day, we had to capture it.
Play day at Monkey Joe's with Eli! Lots of inflatables and fun colors everywhere! And again, something to do in the cold days of winter.

Samuel has been putting full sentences together for several weeks now and some of them have been pretty amusing:

"I love pizza!"

"Let's keep rolling!" - we have no idea where this one came from, but it's funny

(very angrily when I pulled him away from a musical toy to get lunch) "Playing music!"

And one cleaning day (those don't come around often enough!), Samuel was helping me sweep and mop the floors. When using the mops we were "mopping", and then looking back at the broom, Samuel said that we had been "brooming."

He's also really into altering words lately. He thinks it's hilarious to say a word ("Mom") and change it up ("Moms"). He laughs and insists that I say "Not Moms; ,my name is Mom" or whatever the case may be. He practices words over and over again and then finds ways to make them silly.

This child is such a JOY!

Our Little Christmas

2010-12-29T13:15:00.000-08:00

After a wonderful visit to Michigan to see family, we made the trip back home to celebrate Christmas at home. Only 5 days before the big day, we went to the cute little tree farm we found last year to cut down our tree. Very small, and just perfect for us this year!
Christmas morning opening of the gifts. Samuel had so much fun, he was running around the house at one point shouting "Yay, Christmas!"

getting that last gift under the tree...

Ah-ha! One of our favorite books from the local library is now our own! Samuel was happy to see it and wanted to read it right away. :)

A little later in the morning, and a few too many animal crackers later...
Time to play in the block fortress!
To sit in anticipation or to knock it over now?
Now!!!
Our sweet little Christmas angel after a long and wonderful day...
Here's the closest thing to a family Christmas photo we had done this year. The day after, we had friend snap a shot after our church service. Merry Christmas everyone!

Marathon Day!

2010-11-19T11:24:00.000-08:00

I think I've mentioned in the past that Kyle has been training for a marathon. The big day came after 5+ months of training just last week, Sunday. We dropped Samuel off for an over-nighter with some good friends and made the trek to Harrisburg. A pasta dinner the night before, and the big day was upon us. Thankfully Kyle slept well the night before and the weather was perfect!

On your mark...
Get set...
GO!!!
What a thrill to see so many runners passing in front of me, all on the same mission. To run 26.2 miles. Some were fast, some ran as parts of relay teams, some were elderly (one man had just turned 90!), some were pushed by others with compassionate hearts. One runner juggled the whole way!

As they ran through this part of the city, a band was outside playing music for them. I heard the Rocky theme song being played, and I couldn't help smiling. That's Kyle's favorite movie, and he got to train one week in Philly. Pretty cool!
Here's Kyle at the half-way point. It was located at the community college in Harrisburg. Another good place for me to be able to see him, he passed by twice.

Here he comes just off the hardest part of the run - over hills at about mile #20. I was glad to be able to find it and to cheer him on here. It was a tough point for everyone I saw come through. Almost there now!
See you at the finish line!
Here he comes!

Kyle worked so hard to get to that finish line, and the feeling of having accomplished it is something I'll probably never fully understand but I do know how I proud of him I felt in that moment. What a privilege it was to be able to cheer him on and to stand by his side. :)

Pumpkins and everything Orange

2010-11-04T11:12:00.000-07:00

For obvious reasons, Samuel has been especially attracted to the color orange as of late. :)

That after all of the activities you'll find below.

This was our pumpkin patch trip for the year. We went to a place in Columbus, Ohio on our way back from a trip we recently took to Kentucky. Samuel's a great traveler, but this proved to be a great stretch break for all of us. Samuel loved these animal figures and even "fed" hay to all of them on his own initiative. So sweet!

The hay pile. Fun climbing for little guys!

Another stretch break along the way: Ice cream! Gotta love that face. :)
In recent weeks, Samuel has become fascinated by the game of basketball. So I dug our ball out of the attic for him and on this day, I took him down the street to the basketball courts near our house. The swings and slides were lost on Samuel when I tried to coax him to try them. He just wanted to play ball!

And here we are painting Samuel's little pumpkin. The colors? Green and White, of course! Go Spartans!

A warm autumn day deserves a picnic. Samuel had such a fun day this day, spending much of it outdoors. Here, a little lunch and a game of football.

Later in the day, Samuel donned his Halloween costume as we took a trip to a local potato farm where they also have a lot of fall fun ready. A fun outing and a good way to get more mileage out of the costume. :)

Here are the trick or treating pictures. We took Samuel to our town's Trick or Treating on Main Street, which takes place in the morning (before the spookies come out!). He said "trick or treat" very well and enjoyed the non-edible parts of his treats oh so much! Still getting use out of the orange balloon which is now about the size of a baseball!

The little monkey is a friend who we walked with. A great, fun couple who is also new to the area. We parents had a great time enjoying each other's company as we walked with our little cuties.

The night before Halloween, we carved our pumpkin and Samuel loved sticking his hands right into the goo! Such fun!

Autumn Fun

2010-10-27T12:37:00.000-07:00

"Go Green! Go White!" These were the first words out of Samuel's mouth this morning. He is so full of joy, Kyle and I are very much enjoying this time of exploration with our busy toddler. Here are a few pictures.

These are taken at one of our favorite Sunday afternoon locations, a nearby university where we can walk on trails and visit the farm. We always start off with a little family game of football!

And here is Samuel in the yard, exploring the many sights and textures of fall.

By the way, if you know what these berries are (particularly the various pastel berries in the 2nd photo up), I'd be very interested to know!

Yummy Ethiopian Food!

2010-10-15T10:29:00.000-07:00

My friend, Erin, who loves to cook heard me lament over the summer the fact that I have never tried to make Ethiopian food because of my fear of messing it up. Well, she's not afraid to try her hand at anything, so she invited us over for dinner with one stipulation: that I help her prepare it and that we make Ethiopian food together!

The result is in the pictures below. An added blessing to having our what was supposed to be summer meal postponed to just 2 weeks ago: we have since befriended Tess, a student at a school here in town... who is from Ethiopia! So we had her join us to give us some pointers and together we labored in Erin's kitchen for no less than 4 hours to prepare Samuel's very first taste of Ethiopia! Thank you Erin!

The Menu:

Injira (of course!), Doro Wat, Kik Alecha (yellow peas), Iab, Lentils, Vegetable Stew, and Tess' own recipe (don't remember what it's called, but it tasted the most authentic by far!)

And for Dessert: Ethiopian coffee, fruit, and Dabo Kolo ("Little Fried Snacks")

My sweet little Habesha! He loved the Iab (cottage cheese flavored with lemon and herbs). And he continually refers back to the "lentils."

Now that I've done it once with help, I can see doing it more often. I have the spices now and I know that it can taste like it's supposed to (for the most part!). Our next eating venture together may just be to the new Ethiopian restaurant just an hour away, however!

The Apple of My Eye

2010-10-08T11:19:00.000-07:00

We recently took Samuel to an apple orchard to experience some apple-picking fun, not that we were really able to pick the apples, but we did enjoy running through the trees. We even fed a few that had fallen off to the beautiful horse and the donkeys. Samuel loved seeing them and he can now tell you what a donkey says. Actually the donkey has now become part of our Old MacDonald troup. :)

A big thanks to Aunt Billie, who sent the tee-shirt you see Samuel wearing just days before our apple trip. She works at an apple orchard in Michigan and sent this "Just Because" gift to Samuel. It has the name of her orchard on it and on the back it reads "Ex-seed-ling Sweet"

Side note: when we told Samuel who sent him his new shirt (Aunt Billie), he pulled up his shirt and touched his belly button! Billy/belly, I guess they sound a lot alike. So I had to pull out a photo of our beloved aunt to show him. Now he loves looking at her and he likes to find his button too. :)

There goes our little runner! What a great space for him to release some energy.

Mmmmm.... Yummy apples!

Adoption Status

2010-10-05T06:17:00.001-07:00

For those of you wondering what's happening with our current adoption, I have changed out the "Adoption Timeline" at the bottom of this page to reflect our current adoption along with our current status. Here's a quick update:

After a bit of a delay, our home study is now complete and has been approved. It and the other paperwork required by USCIS has been sent to the appropriate office and we are awaiting our I-171H, which is a document that will let us know when we are to be fingerprinted for the FBI.

In the meantime, Kyle and I have two courses left to complete for our training, something we've been working on over the weekends.
Also working on completing our dossier, but one very important piece of that is the I-171H, along with the fingerprints it requires. For the most part, our dossier is complete with the exception of this document and a few last-minute form letters to be done with our notary.

So where does this put us for waiting? Well, it's hard to say because things are always changing with international adoption, but our hope is to travel for the first time (for our court hearing) sometime next fall. Until we finish the dossier and have it turned in though, it's very hard to predict when we'll travel. It's not until then that we are officially on the "waiting" list.

We are finding ourselves getting more excited for this little one to join our family though... !
I find myself re-arranging furniture in our house to make the guest room into her nursery and graduating little Samuel into a big boy bed. Thankfully we have a little while before we have to do that! And names.... we find ourselves day-dreaming about who our little princess might be. She's probably still a twinkle in God's eyes, but we are praying for her.

Pray with us: for her birth mother's health and safety, for her own development and growth (in and out of utero), for early loving relationships from which she will learn to be loved and to bond with us when she comes to us, that she will know at a young age her need for Jesus, and that she will serve Him with her life.

Goodbye, Summer; Hello, Fall!

2010-09-16T12:04:00.000-07:00

Reading one of Samuel's favorites: Oh, Daddy which we dubbed "Oh, Dada" Now Samuel will say "Oh Dada" or "Oh, Mama" out of affection at any given time of the day. We're thankful that he gleaned that from the book and that we can now stop reading it.

This is the day Samuel ate the entirety of his lunch with a pea on his head. He placed it there at the beginning and forgot all about it. This kid cracks me up!

Yeah, he liked the tractor! These next few were taken at a jem place we just discovered here. You can step out of the "city" and suddenly be in a big open country area where we can run and discover.

My baby is getting "SOOO Big!"

The best part of making cards? Eating the crayons! Next to using ink, of course. which totally rocks!

The next photos feature the over-alls from Great Grandma Pashby. We LOVE them! Isn't he such a big boy playing in the courtyard. And how about that peeking shot? Such a handsome little man. :)

One of our new favorite places to go: Memorial Park

Samuel and I found the goals one day and he talked about them constantly afterward, waking up saying "goal!"

Helping Dada with the leaves!

The latest happenings

2010-08-31T11:39:00.000-07:00

I haven't been the best at keeping this updated, but we've been very busy. Kyle is now home (again!) from another 2-week treck, and is here to stay for a while. He returned last Friday after having been in Philly for two weeks of classes for his Doctor of Ministry program, which he began work for in the spring.

Check out his blog (on the sidebar) to see the run he did on the Saturday he was there. Pretty cool! Did I mention that he's training for a Marathon? So proud of my hubby! The race is in November.

Not much news on the adoption front... just waiting for our home study to be completed so that we can apply with USCIS (United States Citizen and Immigration Services). All of the paperwork we needed to complete our HS was in in record time! We continue to work through the required classes, and I'm actually really glad we have to take them, as it's been good to refresh myself on a lot of this stuff and to be able to see it in a new light now that we have already brought Samuel home. Here he is on one of the day-trips we took while Kyle was away. We went with our friends, the Vincenti's to Bender's Potato Farm. They have a lot of animals there, but Samuel was mainly interested in running through the fields. It was nice to see him take an interest in the miniature horses ("Nay, nay"). He was cracking up as he touched this one's nose. :)

As for that little man, he is growing like crazy! Just had his 18 month check-up and everything is looking good. And like a proud Mama, I'm glad to say the Doctor says he is ahead of the curve cognitively (he likes his books, what can I say?!). He is singing, identifying letters, kicking his soccor ball, and all sorts of great stuff. He's become more emotional too - part of that is the teething of his eye teeth - but in addition to the new tantrums, he's also more affectionate. We love the hugs and cuddling. We could leave the flailing of himself onto the floor when he doesn't get his way, but that's developmentally appropriate, I suppose.

Such a bundle of energy! He loves to run, and I mean I have a hard time keeping up with him these days! Crazy to think that just one year ago, he was a helpless little baby...

I've been told and I can see that it's true that the time flys by. We're just trying to enjoy every single moment of it.

Fun in Michigan!

2010-08-12T12:32:00.001-07:00

With Kyle away for 2 weeks of travel, we decided it would be a good time for Samuel and I to travel to Michigan and visit with family - both for extra help and for sweet company. So while Kyle was off in Wisconsin and Africa, Samuel and I had our own little adventure...

We took a plane (a direct flight!) the same day Kyle took his and headed first to my parent's house for a week. So much fun! And incidentally, Samuel did great on the plane. He had fun putting the window shade up and down, and slept for a good part of our trip. No squirming or trying to get off my lap; just curiosity with all the buttons and gadgets.

Here are some pix from that first week in July:

Visiting with Great Grandma :) Waiting to get on the carousel at the mall, where we went with Grandma and Aunt Sarah...
Just wait for the last photo of this ride - it was his first carousel ride and he LOVED it! He had the biggest smile on his face the whole time.

Another first: Beach Day with Grandpa and Grandma! I miss the lakes in Michigan, and this was just the thing to make our summer. A gorgeous day in Holland at Lake Michigan. Samuel loved everything about it -- from the umbrellas and water to the sand (in the mouth!) and castles. What a perfect day...

Ok, Samuel had eaten ice cream before (of course! I'm his mother :) ), but he'd never had it at Plainwell IceCream. Grandma took us out for one last treat. Yummy Blue Moon!

Some cousin time in the back yard at Grandma & Grandpa's house. Samuel and Maddie are twins in their little swimmies :)

My sweet sister and her hubby got some time in to play too. Here they are reading one of Samuel's favorites: Cars and Trucks from A to Z Then we were off to the Bushre's for our 2nd week. Again, lots of time seeing family and just getting in some good grandparent time. :)

Early in the week, we took Samuel to Binder Park Zoo. Again, he'd never been to a zoo before, so it was fun to watch him. Here he is checking out the prairie dogs exhibit.

Ready for a foot massage already!

Under the flag of Ethiopia on our way to the Africa exhibit. Pretty cool! I love that expression! He's on Grandpa's lap on the tram that took us into "Africa"

Feeding a giraffe romaine lettuce!

And back at the house, Samuel thought it was really neat to play "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" on the piano with Grandma's assistance!

Saturday was a big day for us. Samuel's Grandma planned a party in his honor for her family members who had not yet met Samuel. So we travelled to the party location (Great Grandparent's house) for the event. It was so great to have other kids there for Samuel to play with! He had a great time. :)

More cousin time! This time with Flora. She came over to visit for the afternoon on Sunday and boy were we glad to see her! She brought some of her toys along and shared so nicely. Grandma & Grandpa Bushre also had a pool in the back yard. We were so thankful for it! It was really the only way we were going to be able to play outside with the hot weather that week. This one was super-cool! It had a built-in sprinkler and Samuel LOVED it!

On the road again... here's one last shot of the little guy. This is on the way to the airport. Even though they are pink and huge for his face, he really does look so handsome, doesn't he?!

Adoption Day Pictures

2010-08-02T12:21:00.001-07:00

We celebrated Adoption Day on the 4th of July! Thence... apple pie with the outline of Ethiopia cut into it as a vent (surrounded by stars of course!) The first taste...

That's the reaction I was hoping for!

Opening his gift after dessert and taking a look... we'll transition slowly into this one. It should be great for many years to come. :)

And to top off the day, fireworks where we met up with our good friends, the Vincenti's. Here are Samuel and his little friend, Asha with their Daddys as we waited for the show to begin. So cute, aren't they? :)

Samuel was enamored by the fireworks. And we were glad they started! The time before that was a little crazy as we chased him around the park trying to keep him out of everyone else's stuff. He seems to think that if he's able to get to it, it's meant for him. Funny for a while, but exhasuting!!! The booming didn't bother him at all - a little jump at first, but then he settled in for the show. A late night to be sure, but it was a Holiday and quite a celebration. :)

Celebrating Adoption Day

2010-07-07T18:07:00.000-07:00

This past weekend marked the 1 year anniversary of our union with Samuel. I found myself recalling special moments all through the weekend -- the time we were traveling to Ethiopia, the day we were able to learn Samuel's story, and of course the moment our precious baby was placed in our arms for the first time.

Because we are apart from each other today - the day we actually brought Samuel back to stay with us - Kyle and I decided to celebrate our family's union together on July 4th. We dressed him in his traditional outfit and had apple pie with the map of Ethiopia carved into the top. Sort of an American/Ethiopian treat!

Then we gave him a gift to open. We picked out a new Bible for him -- the Jesus Storybook Bible. It continues to be our prayer that Samuel has not one but two adoption days -- the day that he became part of our family AND the day he becomes (we pray!) part of God's family. We were admittedly more excited about the Bible than Samuel was, and were pouring through it while Samuel happily carried the gift bag around and shredded the tissue paper! Ah, the life of an active toddler!

He is such a gift and we are so blessed to have him in our lives. What a year this has been! Thank you Lord for the blessing of this precious treasure...

Samuel's 15th Month

2010-06-25T13:00:00.001-07:00

This past month, Samuel seems to have sprouted before our eyes. He has grown up so much and continues to grow and grow... I'm wondering how long it's going to take before he's taller than his Mommy. Those legs just keep getting longer. But it's more than just physical growth; his personality continues to shine through and he's learning to express other emotions too - like anger and frustration! Fun times! :) It's wonderful to hear him trying out new words and I love it when he looks at us in all earnestness and babbles something that is obviously very important. Oh, how I wish I could know what's going through that sweet little head all the time! He is SUCH a joy and delight! We hope you enjoy these glimpses of Samuel's 15th month...

Memorial Day

We had a picnic at one of the state parks in the area. It was fun and we were glad to see the park. But we learned our lesson about timing when leaving for the day on a holiday. Did we mention we live on the parade route? Yeah, we drove through our town's parade first then got stuck behind another in an even smaller town on the way! Funny :) But I've got to tell you - the detours around here are beautiful.

Backyard Play/Work

Samuel is so curious and eager to see and touch everything. It's fun to watch him in the yard. This day, we planted a flower together. I don't think the flower made it in the end after all the tugging it went through, but it's all about process right?! We had fun and that's what matters. :)

Visit with Grandma & Grandpa Bushre

Grandpa & Grandma came to visit for a weekend. We went to D.C. and took a tour on one of the trolley lines that runs around the city. That was fun, but really it was just good to have them here!

First Haircut

My baby is all grown up! I don't know what I was thinking that morning when I suggested Samuel go along with Kyle to get his hair cut... We're going to be visiting Michigan soon and Samuel will make a cameo appearance for many of his relatives so I thought it would be a good idea. And it was. But I couldn't help shedding a few tears when those precious little curls were in my baggie and not on my baby's head. He did great though! As you can see, he had big smiles for our friend and barber. And in case you're wondering who the body builder is cutting Samuel's hair, he is indeed a body builder! He teaches a few classes at our church about using our bodies for Christ too! Awesome! Lance did a great job - even took extra time to show Samuel the clippers before he went to work. Samuel may look more grown up now, but he'll always be my baby. :)

Father's Day

What a special day! We started off with a steak dinner (that Kyle had to grill because I don't know how - thankfully he likes to grill!) and then had a great day of relaxation and a little baseball too! Kyle picked up the bat and ball you'll see the day before. And Samuel lit up everytime he saw his gift for Dada - a collage of pictures of him and Dada over the last year. He loves his Daddy and seeing himself with Kyle makes him smile with glee too!

What a joy to see the two of them love each other so much. The screams of delight when "Da-da-da-da" comes home from work; the uncontrollable laughter from Samuel when Kyle is tickling his belly; the pride I see in Kyle when he is out with Samuel. He is such a good Daddy. Yes, he makes Samuel laugh, but he also takes time every night to read to him about Jesus and to teach him about our Saviour. Samuel and I are both blessed to have Kyle in our lives.

Samuel's Announcement

2010-06-03T10:20:00.000-07:00

"I'm going to be a big brother!"
That's right, Kyle and I have begun the adoption process to bring home lil' sis Bushre. Here are the answers to your immediate questions:

Gender: Girl
Age requested: 0-6 months
Country of Origin: Ethiopia
Agency: Holt International

We're very excited to be starting out on this adventure again. There will be some similarities and some differences, but already I'm feeling much more at ease this time around. I feel like I know what I'm doing and what to expect (as much as possible anyway). Paperwork is underway and we're told that we can expect anywhere from 12-18 months from now until we travel to bring our little one home.

Right now I'm just so thankful to be where I am: settled into our new home, surrounded with the love of my hubby and little guy, and truly blessed to be starting this beautiful process once again.

Get-Away!

2010-06-02T11:58:00.000-07:00

Kyle and I were recently able to get away - just the 2 of us - for our first time since Samuel's arrival. We spent 3 days in Philly taking in a Cubs game, some history, and even a show. It was wonderful to have that time to relax together and be able to refresh. It's amazing how different life with a child is from life on our own! Don't get me wrong - I would never trade it. But I learned the value of getting away and we plan to do it at least once a year.

I should also mention that we swung through the campus of Westminster Theological Seminary on our way home. Kyle was accepted into their Doctor of Ministry program some time ago and has begun course-work for some summer classes he'll be taking. I'm pretty proud of him. :)

And how, some of you may be wondering, was I able to leave my little Sam-Sam for 3 days and not worry about his well-being? He had a very good care-giver. :) Grandma hopped a plane to come spend those three days with them and they had a good time too. Check it out!

Dirty fun

2010-05-29T13:18:00.000-07:00

After an evening stroll a few weeks ago, we spent some time hanging out in the yard and Samuel plopped himself in the flower bed to play in the dirt. Just a little sifting through the fingers soon turned into a certain bath night, but oh the fun!

Mother's Day

2010-05-12T11:10:00.000-07:00

My first Mother's Day as a Mom... :)
Last year at this time, we had pictures and we knew who Samuel was, but we were still waiting to pass court. How wonderful to have my baby here this year. He was the first to greet me (at 5:45am) and the last to say goodnight (when he woke up unusually in the night), but I didn't mind at all. It's just such a blessing to have this joyful little boy in our lives!

After service, Kyle took us out for a delicious brunch at Emily's, a quaint little out-of-the-way place in Chambersburg. And though he was getting a little sleepy through out time there, Samuel was happy eating the delicasies we put in front of him - beans with a creamy glaze, pineapple casserole, stuffed french toast, and cream of mango soup. With each "mmmmm" after every bite, we began to wonder if maybe his name should be "Bob!"

After our naps, we went out to look at the flowers.

"Smelling" the roses. This is what happens when I put Samuel's nose up to the flowers. He wants to taste them too. Not such a bad idea, I guess. If they taste the way they smell, it might be nice. :)

The thoughtful nursery workers taught Samuel how to say "I Love You" in sign so that he could say that to me on Mother's Day. :) Since we shake it, that's what he does - he shakes his fist. I realize he has no idea what he's saying, but it's kind of fun to say it with him anyhow. Eventually he'll know. And I hope he always knows how very much he is loved. He has brought us so much joy. Thank you, Lord for this delightful little boy!

New Favorites

2010-05-07T18:46:00.001-07:00

It all started with The Foot Book...
Samuel was having us read it upwards of 9 times a day just a few weeks ago, and we couldn't be more thrilled at his newfound love of books, but one can only take so much of the same book. It really is amazing to see Samuel soak it all up. He's like a little sponge just taking it all in and when we think we can't read the same book one more time, we turn to see him "reading"it quietly to himself - playing peek-a-boo with the little boy in The Everything Book, touching his head as he pours over Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes, or wildly proclaiming "ba-ball" when we have the Cubs game on after reading It's Not Easy Being Big (in which Big Bird stars in a game of baseball).

We're still working on coloring. He sure likes his crayons from Aunt Sarah & Uncle Kevin! Unfortunaltey, I think he still likes them in his mouth more than he does on his paper. :) We'll keep working at it.

Making Da-da's birthday card (notice the binky in the mouth - keeps out the paint!)

We still enjoy going to the park almost every afternoon. It's great to get fresh air and enjoy nature, and yes even to get a little break from reading!

Attack of the baby! Run ducks!

And his other new favorite: the "la-la" (umbrella)

We get this out to play with more days than not lately. Thankfully he's content to let us hold it while it's open. I don't think he could do it yet! It's not out of the ordinary to see Samuel clapping his hands while standing in front of our coat closet, looking at us with longing eyes these days. His way of asking to play with the newfound treasure.

And to go along with the books, Samuel developed a love of his ABC quilt at the same time! He brings it to us wherever we are in the house and expects us to lay it out on the floor. Then he claps his hands (his sign for "want") desiring us to sing the ABC song to him, which we gladly do. Thanks, cousin Kay for this great quilt! I bet you never thought it would get so much play-time!

Please read to me!

A book with umbrellas in it! This is as good as it gets!

This isn't the best lighting, but here's a little Mommy-spy time of seeing Samuel read on his own. So much yet to learn, but he's off to a great start. What a joy to watch this happen right before our eyes! And what a responsibility we have to teach him the things that are really important. I'm so thankful he has a Daddy who makes it a priority to ready him his Bible every night. May he learn to love his "Ba-ba" more than all other books!

Spring Blessings

2010-04-08T13:54:00.000-07:00

Happy Spring, everyone!

Here we are enjoying an afternoon in the back yard.

One of Samuel's last crawling accross the floor days. I was trying to capture some pix of his new walking skill, but I'm glad I got a few crawling photos in because we won't get many more.

A cloudy morning in the daffodils. Though he looks rather grumpy in the first photo, he's just being serious. He really is a happy baby! Had to put it in though because it makes me laugh!

Attack of the Easter Monster!

Some early "Senior Photos". What a heart-breaker! (don't worry; I had ahold of him!)

My two favorite guys under the gorgeous spring trees... looking at the water, the ducks, and the la-la's (flowers)

Here comes Peter Cotton-Tail!

This is how we found him sleeping one morning. :)

Easter Sunday!

I'll only show you one of these. It's what we refer to as "Tupper-time" It's the time of day when Samuel reaks mayhem in the kitchen by pulling out all of the TupperWare while I prepare dinner. Sounds like fun, huh?! We're recently started going to "limited tupper-time" which I enjoy much more - it only involves a few pieces of plastic selected by Samuel and those items alone can be thrown all over the floor. Ah, todder-hood!

Here are a few boy-ish photos. He doesn't mind getting dirty. And I'm glad he's a busy little explorer. It's healthy, even though it is messy. :)

We're working on smelling with our nose! But it's so tempting to do it with the mouth. Sidenote: the other day, Samuel learned (I hope!) the hard way when he bit into a stink bug! He got an awful look on his face and promptly removed the bug from his mouth. Yuck! A quick call to poison control and I was no longer worried, but hopefully we don't have too many more insect tasting experiences.

One Year Ago Today...

2010-03-27T11:47:00.000-07:00

One year ago today, we recieved the most wonderful news. One year ago today, we heard our family coordinator tell us over the phone line, "You have a son!" It was a year ago that our phones rang with the long awaited referral and a year ago today that we first laid eyes on our precious Samuel. And though he's tiny in this photo, he is strong and active today. And that huge smile you see here is just as big today - even bigger! As much joy as he has given us, I know that it's really the love of God Who has given me this joy. We prayed for this child and He heard our cry. He saw Samuel and knew his need too, and He brought us all together. What a beautiful and wonderful thing adoption is! Praise God for this wonderful day one year ago and for the day when He adopted me!

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth."

Ephesians 1:3-10

Our Little Toddler

2010-03-18T11:05:00.000-07:00

It seems that Samuel is just growing up and changing so much lately. Here's a sampling of some of the new things he's doing:

* New cute sound: "mm(high-pitched)-mm(low-pitched)" as if something is very interesting. When I picked him up from the nursery this past week, the workers told me that he said that with each bite of his snack that he ate!

* Stands up, picks up his soccor ball, and throws it. Then he claps for himself. :)

* Beginning to use a spoon on his own, though hands are still helpful for grabbing a bunch of oatmeal or applesause... :P

* No more formula! Drinking milk out of big boy sippy cups. And enjoying the feel of occasionally letting the fluid run out his mouth and down both sides of his face. Ugh!

* Down to one nap a day, for the most part.

* And the new big one... his first step! March 13, in the presence of his Daddy, Samuel took his first step. Later that day, he took 7 consecutively and he continues to practice each day.

Such a big boy!

Spring is coming!

2010-03-12T08:05:00.000-08:00

Spring is just around the corner, and we've been enjoying some warm weather this past week. Samuel loves getting outside. He's discovering so much -- grass, pinecones, stones, sticks, and even some flowers! Here's a few pix of him from last week, Samuel LOVES this soccor ball! It is the first thing he goes for every morning and the last thing to be put away at night. He throws it while standing and gets very proud of himself. We've clapped so much for him that he's beginning to clap for himself - so cute!

10 Realizations that have come with Motherhood

2010-03-03T17:38:00.001-08:00

I was just pondering motherhood the other day and thought I'd share some of my thoughts - some funny, some not. I'm still amazed at how much life has changed with the home-coming of Samuel. Some things are things I can get used to, others will pass with time, but some things are real personality kickers. All of this said, I'd never go back to pre-Samuel. Ever!

1. Necks are for hanging diaper bags on in public restrooms so that arms are free to hold baby in one arm and the other is free for... well, for other duties.
2. Showers are not essential, though they sure are a treat.
3. Clean, dry laundry is not so common as one might think.
4. Wet kisses are the best kind!
5. We use a lot more vocabulary and concepts than we usually think about during a day. In my monologues that go on to instruct Samuel about everything that happens around the house (for example "now Mommy is pouring water into the resivoir" as I make the morning coffee).
6. To Do lists are no longer attainable. Even when I am able to cross everything off, I always have a nagging feeling that I'm not doing something like I should for someone.
7. There are some things I just don't want to share. I enjoy the fact that Samuel doesn't realize what chocolate is, and may he never know. Mommy time calls!
8. I am very picky. Never before have I wanted every person who comes into contact with the child in my care to have gone through all the screening that we had to go through to bring Samuel home. Background checks for a babysitter? Sure!
9. My baby is the most beautiful baby in the world. :)
10. There is nothing as wonderful as rocking him to sleep at night...

A couple of cute pix from month 11

2010-03-02T11:37:00.000-08:00

In the "rush" to get birthday photos posted, I neglected to post a few photos of Samuel's last day to be an 11 month old. Kyle and I had fun playing with him in the romp room. Here are the photos: (I have no idea how I managed to underline everything! oh well!)

He's ONE year old!

2010-02-25T12:09:00.000-08:00

With the big party a few weeks ago, we had a quieter family birthday celebration on the actual day of Samuel's birth. And it started out with a stack of pancakes made specially by Daddy. :)

Not real sure about the candle or the strange song, but Samuel did like eating his special breakfast after that strange ritual was done!

A little balloon play after breakfast. Bop! Bop! Ok at first because he'd never played with them, he was very careful. By the end of the day, he was squeezing them and they disappeared overnight.

Samuel wore his speical Ethiopian outfit to nursery on his big day. Such a cutie. But more than just being cute, it was a way to honor the wonderful country he started his life out in and to the special woman out there who gave birth to him. I wish there was a way to let her know how thankful we are to her for all she has given us and to let her know how well Samuel is doing. Maybe someday...

A little birthday icecream after the blissful nap. Icecream with puffs on top! Yum :)

I know it looks like all we did was eat, but we also enjoyed going for an afternoon walk. Another favorite of Samuel's. He kicked back in the stroller before dinner and cruised around town.

Samuel had one more present to open in the afternoon. His friend, Jack sent him some great cups, and some tissue paper!

Then it was time for the present we couldn't wrap. The present that has taken over our house! And how fun it is! Complete with a ball pit, this play hut is great entertainment.

One year old and such a blessing. Samuel doesn't even know it yet, but he is such an answer to prayer. He lights up our life and we praise God for the creation of this little guy. What a joy he is! Happy birthday, dear Samuel.

Hugs and Kisses!

2010-02-16T13:06:00.000-08:00

Our sweet little Valentine is such a joy! He's starting to give kisses - once in a while!. But we sure can't plant enough on his sweet little cheeks!

Making Daddy's Valentine dinner - lasagna!

Snow and Birthdays

2010-02-16T12:36:00.001-08:00

Chambersburg is not known for snowy winters, but this year has been different. The entire town shut down just this past week after we got nailed with 20+ inches! And this is the weather Samuel's grandparents travelled through to get here for his early birthday celebration!

This one is a shot of one of the ice sculptures in our town's annual "Ice Festival", in which each business downtown has an ice sculpture in front of it's doors. About a week before Samuel's b-day celebration, but a good sign of that was to come. The weather was perfect for an ice fest - COLD!!! Here we are on the ice throne.

Grandpa shoveling out his van (and our car, and our sidewalk!). Thanks Dad!

The best part of the gifts - crinkly paper and pretty bows!

My dear sister helped me make and decorate Samuel's lion cake. I was a little overwhelmed with getting it just right, but she's so artistic and laid back. It was great to work in the kitchen with her by my side. :)

Play Time!

2010-02-03T14:03:00.001-08:00

Samuel has been enjoying a fun new play room lately. Great climbing equipment for little guys and so nice to get out of the house! We've had a couple of play dates here with a little girl who's just a couple of months older than Samuel. They seem to enjoy each other's company and I get to enjoy good conversation with her Mom. On this particular day, I just took Samuel over and the two of us played.

Is this a little mischivousness coming out? Time will tell!

Samuel's 10th Month

2010-01-25T05:01:00.000-08:00

Here are some long-awaited photos of Samuel, who just recently turned 11 months old. It's been a fun past month -- the beginning of self-feeding (yikes!), and so much personality bubbling out! We are enjoying this little guy so much.

Even when he's not feeling 100%, he's adorable. Here he is wearing his "grandpa shirt". Both Grandpas have an affinity for plaid. I guess it is comfy. :)

Samuel has just recently gotten much more interactive in his play. He likes to knock down the towers we build for him and come crashing into our laps head-first!

2009 - A year of CHANGE!

2010-01-13T19:43:00.000-08:00

A year that started out "normal" quickly changed in almost every way possible. For me, in-home child care for three adorable little ones, tutoring on the weekends, and helping Kyle with the church. For Kyle, the task of trying to get The Bridge some kind of momentum necessary to get off the ground. Thankfully, he was able to unwind by involvement with the Civic Theater.

January - "The Man Who Came to Dinner" and some JB Concerts helped releive stress

February 21 - Somewhere between the time we had dinner with the Kirkwoods and the time we were at an Oscar's party, our son Samuel was born on the other side of the world.

March came in like a lamb and went out like a lion! The 27th brought the news we had been waiting for. We had a son! Through all this excitment, we started to realize that God may be moving us on to another ministry, but we weren't sure...

April - Our neighbors returned from Ethiopia with their new son, and news of ours! We were able to watch Samuel on a video they took while in the Transion Home. So little! Our first baby shower this month - finally we're able to start thinking about this like it's really going to happen!

May - Court date for friends and our first court date (May 26), which we did not pass. More baby showers and continued prep to leave (immunizations, thinking about and trying to imagine what life will be like with Samuel home).

June - Court date #2- June 3, which we again did not pass. A suprise phone call from our agency on the 16th told us that we DID pass, though we didn't even know we were being represendted that day! Praise God! Samuel is our son! Now preparations to go to Ethiopia begin. Frantic mode begins!

In the midst of this chaos, Kyle is travelling and interviewing with other churches.

We had our last trip out before starting parenthood with our good friends, the Singletons. Went to a Cubs/Sox game and out for deep dish. Oh yeah! Bummer the Cubbies couldn't pull it off, but we had fun anyhow.

July - Left for Ethiopia on the 1st; returned home on the 11th. Sounds so easy, doesn't it?! It was WONDERFUL. Loved the country, the people, the food. Upon our arrival, our parents greeted us, along with good friends the Edwards. Were home for one week before Kyle had to travel again for interveiws and then we took Samuel to his first doctor visit in the states.

Kyle got the job he interviewed for and in the last week of July, we were faced with sharing the difficult news with our church family that we would be moving and that The Bridge would no longer be. Such dear friends, so hard to leave them. Yet this is all for the best.

August - Put our house on the market first thing. Began packing up what we could before our 2-week vacation. Vacation = visits with family and time on our own at a little cabin on a lake. Returned "home" for less than a week after vacation.

September - Farewell party on the 1st; pulled out of the driveway and on our way to PA on the 2nd. Moved into our new house on the 4th. Whew! Is it any wonder I was an emotional mess?!

From there-on out, life has been adjusting to a new house, state, community, and church... all being a first-time parent. Is it overwhelming? YES!! Am I making it? Yes. Not as hearty, I know, but it's tough for this girl who likes things to be constant. I'm not a fan of change, even though it's all been good change, it's tough. But with the help of my loving hubby and faithful Lord, I'm getting there. We sang this song on Sunday and it resonated with me deeply. It is good to know that some things NEVER change.

"My Hope is Built on Nothing Less" by Edward Mote

Christmas with Samuel

2009-12-29T11:50:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas! What a joy it has been to celebrate the Incarnation of Jesus this year with our own little baby boy. Such JOY he gives and fresh perspective on so many aspects of the season. Just thought I'd share some of our photos with you.

Reaching for mistletoe... I love it! :)

Samuel climbed up into this cart to play with his wooden creche' one day leading up to Christmas. He loves the star best of all!

Christmas morning! It looks like he's excited about gifts, but nothing makes him smile like that but his Daddy. (I really should have found some Christmas jammies... oh well!)

Little drummer boy

Snuggly time

Samuel was mezmerized by a small candle we had lit on top of this table. He stood like this and watched it flicker for quite a while.

Snow fun!

2009-12-23T17:06:00.001-08:00

Based on what we've heard, Pennsylvania isn't known for it's cold winters or snow, but everyone's been saying how we're long over-due for a snowy winter. We wouldn't mind it, honestly we like the snow and we've had our share already this December.

Samuel also likes our "fake snow" aka packing peanuts that were included in a box we recently got in the mail. They're great fun, and thankfully they don't dissolve in the mouth... too much!

A Day of Much Celebration

2009-12-17T19:19:00.000-08:00

Yesterday marked 9 years of marriage for Kyle and I. What a priviledge it is to have such a wonderful husband. He really is my best side -- he loves me no matter what, he is a constant companion through the good and the not so good times. While he's not perfect (who is?!), he demonstrates the way Christ loves His Church to me on a daily basis by the way he cares for us and puts our needs ahead of his own. I am so in love with him and am thankful to have him by my side.

As if that weren't reason enough to celebrate, add to that the readoption hearing for Samuel which also took place yesterday. At 11:30AM we went before a Judge to make the adoption of Samuel into our family official. It already was official according to Ethiopia, but it needed to be re-done for the USA. We were one of 4 families who participated in the annual "Christmas Hearings" that this particular Judge does for adoptive families each year. The Judge obviously enjoys doing these, as he was quick to do a photo shoot with us afterward and let Samuel hold his gavel. Then he handed us an envelope with his mailing address on it and asked us to send him a picture! Will do.

We enjoyed a celebratory lunch afterward. at which time Samuel sat in his first restaurant high chair and enjoyed the fine dining experience with his own Cheeri O's!

First Tooth!

2009-12-15T12:28:00.001-08:00

This morning at breakfast, I spotted Samuel's first tooth! The right bottom front tooth is just above the surface of his gums. Yay!!! We've been saving this shirt to wear for this day. Here it is. :)

Can't really see it here, but I thought I'd tortured the poor child enough with my fingers in his mouth. You'll just have to take my word for it and wait until it comes up a bit more. Soon he'll be crunching those Cheeri O's like a pro!

New Views of Samuel

2009-12-08T11:10:00.000-08:00

He's on the move! This boy is going and he's not slowing down. Samuel has a shirt that says "Little Explorer on an Adventure" and that's what he is. He studies everything so carefully. From checking out the radiators ("no, no") to his thumb, and even the little pictures printed on the seat of his high chair, this boy is one observant fellow. It's so good to see him growing and developing so much. He really takes all of the details of life in to the fullest.

Today I found him sitting up in his crib carefully studing the toes of his stuffed lion. Too cute!

We had our 9-month check up today and Samuel continues to develop and grow very well. He got compliments on his killer eye-lashes. We're thinking a stick to ward off the girls later in life may be called for! That's just our opinion. :)

Giving Thanks

2009-11-27T19:29:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving couldn't have come at a better time this year... not that it would come at any other time, but it's just good for me to have the reminder that I need to have gratitude in my heart. God has been SO GOOD. We have much to be thankful for this year. :)

Adoption.

What a beautiful thing! We asked God for this child and we couldn't be more blessed. Samuel is such a bundle of JOY. We thank God for him every day.

He's growing and developing so quickly. Crawling, and crawling faster, pulling up on furniture and cupboards and anything else he can get his hands on to steady himself, sitting up on his own, feeding himself some table food, and just exploring his surroundings. I think one of the cutest sights right now is going into his room when he wakes up in the morning to see his little head poking up above his crib railing and he hangs on for dear life to the rail. He just looks too little to be doing that! And he sort of is... he doesn't quite know how to get down yet, but he's working on it. :) Here are a few pics of things he's been doing lately.

Samuel's first Thanksgiving was very special. We spent the morning at home relaxing and then joined some new friends at their home. It was so great to spend the day with the Ford family. Samuel napped well, enjoyed crawling around a new place, got to play with their sweet kids, and loved their little puppy. It is good to have developing friendships - a good day of delicous food and sweet company.

Getting "so big!"

2009-11-17T12:53:00.000-08:00

Health:

While he continues to grow and be over-all very healthy, Samuel and I recently were both sick with some strain of the seasonal flu. Thankfully Samuel didn't get it too bad, but he did have a low-grade temp and still has a little cough. This picture is from one morning when I decided to put his robe on him. I had to take a picture because it's just too cute.

On the Move!

Samuel shocked Kyle and I a couple Saturdays ago. We were playing on the rug as usual when he started to crawl - not scoot on his belly, but up on all 4's! He can now get around just about anywhere.

Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention that he immediately wanted to start pulling up on things. We see him sitting on his knees more and more as he finds things at his level to reach up for. Babbling

Samuel now says "Mama" and "Baba" and we've even heard the rare "Ga" emerge. We're still working on "Dada"... we look at our family photo and say everyone's name and when Kyle comes home at the end of the day many "Dada's" come from our mouths, while Samuel just beams at his favorite man in the whole world... his Daddy! He knows him, even if he's not saying his name yet. (Incidently, he only says my "name" indiscriminately; he doesn't know what he's talking about!)

Eating

Samuel has never been a fussy eater. He eats whatever I offer him, but he definately has a new favorite. Puffs are a wonder! He has picked up the idea of raking them into his hand and stuffing them into his mouth quite well.

Another meal-time favorite lately is blowing "motor-boats" with mouths full of food! Ugh! I've tried everything I can think of to deter this but to no avail. Today he just started to do it as soon as I put him into his seat. I don't know what it is, but he sure likes to see his food spray accross his tray in little bursts of spittle.

Babysitters

Kyle and I had our first date, as in dinner and a show, since the arrival of our little guy earlier this month. We had a trial run when we went to lunch on a weekday in October, but this was the big one. We went out with 2 other couples to see Brian Regan and had a great time! And Samuel did great!

One of my favorite things...

And I'll leave you for now with this. Samuel's not really a thumb-sucker, but he has recently discovered his thumb. After pondering it in front of his face for a minute, he stuck it in his mouth while keeping all other fingers spread out to take a little chew. He's done this frequently since then. Here's one such chew just this afternoon.

Happy Pumpkin Day!

2009-10-29T12:40:00.000-07:00

Our little pumpkin continues to amaze us. We are so blessed to have this little guy in our lives.

Samuel painted his hand-print on his pumpkin. He wasn't sure what was going on, but I had fun! And it looks so cute. :)

Before we walked down Main Street to trick-or-treat, Samuel picked up this leaf. He then carried it the entire time we were gone. Vendors would offer him their bowls of candy, but he clung to his leaf, sometimes slowly lifting it to his little outstreached tongue for a lick. For the record, I did not just let him eat the leaf; he seems to listen when I tell him not to put it in his mouth. But I guess it's true that giraffes like leaves... that's alright, because this Mama likes sugar!

A Day in the life of Samuel

2009-10-19T18:55:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd try to track Samuel's day through pictures the other day to document what our life is like. Maybe you'll think I'm crazy or that I've really lost it, which may be true in some senses but not here. I love taking care of this little guy and I love the fact that I have the honor of caring for him and being his Mommy. For those of you who are interested, here's a sampling of a typical day.

7:15 - Morning bottle and devotional (about 2 minues long!)
7:20 - Play time

8:00 - Time to make the donuts!

8:10 - Breakfast time

8:25 - Full belly and time for morning nap

10:00 - Time to get dressed... and play peek-a-boo!

10:15 - Play time

11:00 - Snack time

a little chew on the teether after lunch...

what I didn't picture here was the outing we took to Target in which we got all packed up, Bjorn strapped on, up to the door of the store when I realized I had left my money at home! Oh well. We had a nice car ride. We re-did that part of our day later in the afternoon.

12:45 - Bible story before nap #2

1:00 - My sleeping angel

2:15 - Story time

followed quickly by music time!

(he loves that piano!)
chillin' on the couch after all that play. Tired again?

6:00 - Trying out the new sippy cup for the 2nd day. Getting pretty good at this. (We bought this at Target that afternoon and this is the next evening.)

6:40 - An evening jump after dinner. Those lights can be mezmerizing

And that's about it. Lots of fun and energy, and lots of rewards. Those evening snuggles just can't be beat. :)

Fall is here!

2009-10-12T06:56:00.000-07:00

Kyle has introduced Samuel to his favorite fall event -- football! Each Saturday, Samuel gets to catch a few plays with Daddy and help cheer on the Spartans. Then on Sunday, we cheer on the Lions. Right now, Samuel's really likes just teething on the ball. :) This past Friday (Kyle's day off -- I LOVE it!), we went to Round Barn Market for apples and pumpkins. What a great time we had. They even let us bring our "pet giraffe" :)

Samuel really likes the animals. He got another chance to see some farm animals when we went on our first hay-ride! Samuel loved the baby cows... and I loved our warm seat in the truck that rode behind the hay-wagon! Thanks Kim, for letting us keep you company in the back-up truck!

This Child

2009-10-06T04:30:00.000-07:00

Our good-night albumn has a song on it called "This Child." Though the song itself is a little hokey, the idea is right on -- that of praying for our children and asking God to call them to Himself that they might live for Him and serve Him with their lives.

As many of you know, we dedicated Samuel to the Lord when we first found out he was our son, saying as Hannah did so long ago that we would give him back to the Lord Who has blessed us with this child. But on Sunday, September 27 we made that dedication public at our new church home - King Street Church. This dedication was all for our benefit -- the church body agreed to pray for us and to help us as we seek to rear Samuel wisely and teach him about the God Who made and loves him. It does nothing for Samuel's salvation. Those are decisions that we'll have to leave in God's hands as we pray earnestly that Samuel has the ears to hear and eyes to see his need for a Savior when he's old enough to understand.

We would ask those of you who follow Jesus to pray to this end too! Here are a few pictures.

Samuel's 6th Month

2009-10-04T13:58:00.000-07:00

As if Samuel hasn't had enough transition already (moving from Ethiopia to our home in Lafayette), he wasn't done yet. Shortly after we were joined together as a family, we were packing up and preparing to move to PA. Here a few pix of moving day. As you can see, Samuel and I were a big help!

Thanks to our friends who lended their time and muscles!

The drive to Pennsylvania... 9 hours didn't seem as bad as it sounded!

We did finally arrive and when we did, it was to a very warm and welcoming group of people from the church who helped us unload and show us our new house that they fixed up for us.

Samuel started to pull up on all fours at a welcome party we had our first weekend here. At first, he just moved backward but now he's starting to figure out how to move forward...!

Samuel likes to help me out when he finishes eating by wiping his face with a washcloth. :)

He's growing up awfully fast, but he's still my sweet little baby.

Still Kickin'!

2009-09-28T05:16:00.000-07:00

Hello again. My time on the computer continues to be quite limited. Right now my excuse is that I actually don't have one at my disposal through the day until Kyle brings his laptop home, then I can use it on the weekends too. But I wonder if when we get the electricity issues fixed in the house if I'll actually have more time... :)

I thought I'd take the quick moment this morning before Kyle leaves to post a few pictures and to let you know that we're doing well. Though I miss Lafayette so much it hurts at times, this new community is starting to become home.

This is a picture of the outside of our house. The front street there is 2nd and it's quite busy, but we're getting used to it. The alley-way actually does get quite a bit of use too.

Well, Kyle needs to go and I don't have the pictures off the camera yet. I guess more pix will have to wait. Stay posted. I'll try to get some for you soon!

Our Precious Baby Boy

2009-09-17T17:58:00.000-07:00

A few photos for Samuel's fans

2009-09-14T14:43:00.001-07:00

We spent 2 weeks at a cabin in Michigan in our transitional time between moving from Lafayette to Chambersburg. It was great to rest and regroup before the big move - vacation with a baby looks a lot different than it used to when it was just the 2 of us, but it was great! Samuel is such a blessing - a big present from God! Enjoy some pix of his cuteness. :)

A really great swing that was in the trees on the owner's property. We loved going up into the leaves!

Chill'in with Dad

Ladder ball - 2 against one. How could I hope to win?!

Catching a few Zzzz's in the wee hours of the morning on the comfy couch in our cabin.

Samuel has spent more than his share of time in the car lately, but he did great. More on the big trip to PA later.