A Few Things to Share

I just wanted to say THANK YOU for all your prayers for Samuel!!!!! We heard yesterday that he has an appointment with a pediatric neurologist on Aug 16th!!! VERY good news! We thought it might take longer than that to get in. Please pray for wisdom for the neurologist!!!! I don't want to go through a bunch of "hoops" or "guessing games" - aka unnecessary tests!!!!! The Lord can make it clear to this neurologist, and that's what we are praying for!!!!

Also, I went to the Dr yesterday. It was an emotional and rough visit at the beginning, BUT by the end, I was very encouraged.

For whatever reason, I had lost weight, which was very discouraging for me. Partly because I had some fears that something was wrong. Partly because Karis' growth right now is extremely important. And partly because her growth is a key factor they are watching with the "risks" involved with her development.

As I was having a breakdown about that (yes....literally, an emotional breakdown RIGHT THERE as the nurse guided from the scales to the chair to take my blood pressure, which kept reading "error"!), the nurse noticed I was having a nosebleed! I looked down - blood all over my white shirt (of course I had to wear WHITE?!), which upset me a little more. More tears.

The nurse quickly got me back to a "bed" where I could lay down so that my nose would stop bleeding, and attempted my blood pressure again! She got it! And it was good....OK....that's a good thing!

Then the Dr came in. She must have noticed the red/teary eyes or splotchy face....or maybe it was the blood on my shirt...and wanted to know what was wrong. I immediately started crying sharing my fears that something was wrong and went down a list of reason why I would think that. She was pregnant herself, and very gracious with my concerns and tears!!!!

So, she started to check me! The heartbeat was GOOD!!!!! That was a RELIEF to hear! Then she measured me, and I measured 29 wks.......tears, tears, tears. I just couldn't hold it together in the midst of explaining that I'm not 29 wks - I'm 32!!!

The Dr, in her wisdom, told me to settle down and not get scared until she told me to get scared! : ) So, as I stared at the ceiling and prayed for peace to comfort, I just listened to all she wanted to do (lab work, check my cervix, ultrasound) and waited.

My cervix is CLOSED (YIPPPEEE), but soft - still gotta take it easy. And the lab work wasn't due back until the end of the day.

Off to the ultrasound room - the ultrasound tech knows me very well by now! She was so tender with me as she could see the fears.

Karis has grown SO much, and that was SO encouraging!!!! She is 4lb and 4oz right now. And her measurements are all good!!!! And the fluid around her is at a good level, which was something that they have also been watching closely. These are all INCREDIBLE graces of God that we do not want to take for granted!!!!!! All answers to prayers and we want to SHARE with all of you His grace in this season!!!!

So, after a few scares, the ultrasound proved encouraging. And the Dr was very encouraging to say that things looked really good. She said I may be meausuring small because Karis has dropped, so my uterus isn't has high - causing me to measure smaller. Sounds like a good explanation to me....it was encouraging anyway!

THEN I got in the car and called a friend who had left me a couple of messages to call her ASAP. So, I did, and she said she wanted to come help me for a wk or so if that would be helpful!!!!! WHAT A GRACE!!!!!!! So, after talking with Jason and praying, and seeking some counsel we decided it would be VERY helpful!!! The question wasn't IF it would be helpful, but WHEN it would be MOST helpful. Her original plan was to come AFTER Karis was born. But it seems right now is crucial for health purposes - to get her here safely. We figure every day we can keep her in the womb (by the grace of God) is a day she doesn't have to be in the hospital!!! After Karis is born, it might be more emotional/physical purposes for me, BUT those don't seem as high of a demand at this point! So....she's looking into flights, and will be here ASAP!

I had dreams all night about her being here and how HELPFUL it was to have a helping hand during the day with my almost 3 yr old and my 20 mo old!!! Unfortunately my roles for them and for Karis right now seem almost opposite!!! So an extra set of hands to help serve our toddlers during the day will be an inredible gift to all of us!!!!

And late afternoon we learned that the lab tests came back NEGATIVE!!!! That means that there's a low risk that I'll go into labor in the next 2 wks! WOOOHOOOO!!!!

Praising Jesus for His mercies and grace that are so evident right now (and for the many that I'm unaware of as well!!!). We truly are a desperate and helpless people apart from Him!!!!!!

GOOSE EGG!!!

 
 

Our 20 month old just seems to "learn better" with natural consequences!!! Here you see the fruit of natural consequences when we stand in our booster seat....and FALL onto the floor head-first!

When we moved, we transitioned her to a booster seat from her high chair. And she seems to think standing in her seat is the best way to get what she wants, see what she wants, and a SURE way to get mommy's attention!

Yesterday morning, while I wasn't looking, she managed to get to a standing position and fall in to the floor in the same amount of time it took me to raise the blinds for the morning sun to come in!!! By the time I looked over I saw her feet flying through the air, and her head hit the floor first! Not the best circumstance to greet the morning with for mommy. But she didn't seem to mind nearly as much as mommy!

Maybe that's why the natual consequences haven't worked this time! Though the "goose egg" is still bright and visible on her little forehead, she still seems to think standing in her booster seat is "the way to go"!!!

As a couple of you commented on the last post with her and the cactus, her sin nature is definitely a reflection of my sin nature and relationship with the LORD. I don't know how many times or how many WAYS I've had to learn to trust Him!!!! He's always proved FAITHFUL, but with new and harder circumstances, trust always finds a way to seem like a new concept!!! Praise Him that He is so gentle and patient with us as He molds and refines us!!!! 

No, Pat, No! Don't Sit On That!!!

Ohhhhh...our little ones never cease to keep us laughing!!!!

Some kids learn easily and quickly.....others....well, they learn the hard way!

We have a HUGE cactus out back that our neighbors conveniently planted outside of their fenced in yard! And our kids are DRAWN to it!!!

So, we've told them that if they touch it, it's going to give them a boo boo!!!

So, tonight, once again, their little bodies were magnetically drawn to what mommy and daddy have said not to touch! Our almost 3 yr old son was cautiously looking at it. And our 20 month old daughter was carelessly looking at it! Our 3 yr old, turned around and slightly bent down as if he was going to sit on it, and yelled "No, Pat, No! Don't sit on THAT!" as he popped back up! HILLARIOUS! Where did he get that? Dr. Seuss!

And in the midst of Jason and I trying to catch our breath from laughing so hard at him, our 20 monthh old GRABBED the cactus with her hand......and yep, you guessed it, turned with the most pathetic look as tears started streaming down her little face! Well, needless to say....she sat with mommy and daddy rest of the playtime outside while we tried to pick all the splinters from her little hands! I'm pretty sure we didn't get them all : ( BUT I think she learned her lesson....even if it was the "hard way"!!!

Seizures: Take Two??!!

Last night was another eventful night with Samuel. As we were eating dinner, he just started "drifing" off to the side and stopped interacting with us. Immediately, the adrenaline started rushing, and the fears came flooding.....and the first thing that popped into my head was....."we might lose him this time". NOT a comforting thought!! I called 911, and Jason grabbed Samuel.

Samuel wasn't interacting for about 3-4 minutes and was drooling quite a bit as we waited for the ambulance.

By the time the firetruck got here, Samuel was communicating and up and walking around. It was as if....nothing had happened....ALMOST. By the time the paramedics had arrived, which was quite a bit later (thankful it wasn't life threatening!!!), Samuel was still interacting, but he wasn't able to really walk straight, his speech was shaky, and his eyes were droopy. So, we decided it was best to take him on in to the hospital.

They really didn't do anything because they ran all the tests that they could at ER the last time he was there. So, they suggested the next step would be to see a pediatric neurologist. We are waiting on a referral so we can make an appt.

What I didn't know until all of this happened, was that Samuel had a fever last night. STRANGE that I didn't know? YES. But it must have spiked pretty quickly because he was in my lap, and we were reading right before dinner. It had to have spiked at the dinner table because I'm pretty sensitive to the kids temps or their feeling a bit warm. Plus the paramedic said that the fever itself wouldn't cause a seizure, it's when it spikes quickly that causes a seizure.

Even more bizarre.....we can't figure out WHY he has a fever.

He came home last night, and for whatever reason, the hospital didn't see fit to give him any fever reducer. They said 100.2 wasn't high enough to be considered a "fever". Excuse me???? Maybe not for SOME, but for my child - that is a SIGNIFICANT fever!!! Anyhow, when he got home, we gave him Tylenol and put him to bed, praying over his little body for protection and healing.

At 2:45 I heard a faint, "mommy". Again, adrenaline started rushing, and Jason ran to his bedroom. I, not being as quick as Jason these days, followed behind. And Samuel was BURNING up. His temp MUST have been about 104!!! So, Jason grabbed him, and I grabbed the Tylenol. I gave him the Tylenol, got him into our bed, and got cool rags to put on him. The temp wasn't coming down fast enough, so we got him in a lukewarm bath at 3am in the morning! He was such a TROOPER!!!!!!

Within about 10 minutes, his fever had broken, and we were all nestled in bed. Samuel slept like a champ!!! It wasn't until 8am this morning that the fever started rearing it's ugly head again. So, we gave him more Tylenol. And at 10am, I could feel the heat coming back AGAIN, so we gave him IBU.

He hasn't been warm since then, but we've been interchanging Tylenol and IBU to keep it down.

Now, it's just controlling the temp....and waiting....and trusting. And praying that we get "just the right" pediatric neurologist for Samuel!!!!

We've read that once a child has a fever induced seizure (which he had with his immunizations), it's common to have them again. We assume that is what could be going on, BUT we have NO idea where the fever is coming from because other than the fever - he's completely "normal".....as far as we can see!

So....please pray with us....as we hope and trust in our mighty Savior, prince of peace, Lord of lords who reigns over ALL things!!!

As I have considered this to be a spiritual battle as well, Spurgeon's words from this morning brought me so much comfort and encouragement

"As true as God's own word is true; Nor earth, nor hell, with all their crew, against us shall prevail. A jest, and by-word, are they grown; God is with us, we are his own, our victory cannot fail."

Amen, Amen!!!

Our FIRST Anniversary - One Year Together!!!!

 
 
 
 


Yesterday, July 19th, was our 1 year anniversary as a family!!!!

Exactly one year ago yesterday, we loaded up the car with a pack and play, 2 car seats, a diaper bag, a few random toys, diapers, snacks for the road, and clothes (for us and our two children we had yet to meet!!). And we started our trek to Florida around 6am. It was the CRAZIEST road trip of my LIFE. The whole way there, I was "giddy" with joy, anxious, easily excited, easily fearful, talking a lot, quiet a lot, praying a lot, and coming up with all kinds of scenarios for meeting our 2 new additions for the FIRST time!!!!

We were supposed to get to the agency by 5pm (or anytime sooner) because that's when they close. We got to Tampa right around 4:45, but there was a MAJOR accident on a VERY long bridge that had no alternate route. So our union was delayed for what felt like FOREVER!!!

We finally made it to the agency (after stopping for a quick potty break at a gas station because we didn't want to run into the agency and need to run straight to the bathrooms!!!) at 5:30pm!!! We both sat in the car, in front of the agency, looking at each other with a "are you ready to walk in without children and walk out with TWO??" look!!! Jason prayed. Then we giddily and shaking all over jumped out of the car and walked into the agency.

We stood there a minute...not know which way to go - there were a couple of hallways we could have chosen to go down - and all of a sudden, a little bitty boy came toddling down the hallway with a pacifier in his mouth. All I could think was "IS THIS OUR SON??" I didn't want to get too excited and grab him because 1) I didn't want to scare him, and 2) I wasn't sure if he was ours!!! SURREAL!!!!!!!!!!

Within a couple of moments, a woman came from around the same corner he had toddled around, and she greeted us, and confirmed that the little bitty boy that had toddled around the corner and been the first to greet us, was, indeed our son!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In that moment, he walked over to Jason, grabbed his hand (pacifier still in mouth), and pulled on his hand toward the door....as if to say "let's go, daddy!!! I'm ready to go home"!!! It was a PRICELESS and beautiful moment....still all very surreal, but yet....never awkward!!!

Then the agency worker took us down the hallway to meet our daughter who lay asleep in a pack and play. WOW....she's LITTLE!!! And they are both OURS!

At this point, Jason and I were both feeling a little overwhelmed with the gifts these 2 little people were to our lives!!!

Then we had to fill out some paperwork....NOT exactly what you want to do when you first meet your children, BUT it was necessary, so we did it. And within 30 minutes, we were walking back out of the agency with a screaming little baby girl who just woke up from her nap and was desperately seeking a bottle, and a little boy who somehow made his way to the drivers seat.....and would NOT detach from the steering wheel. Hmmmmmm...that was AWKWARD. We weren't sure how to appropriately quiet our little girl or detach our little from the steering wheel....getting them both safely into their car seats and not scare the life out of them!!!!!

I don't even remember what we ended up doing....the Lord calmed our little girl....and He must have detached Samuel's hands from the steering wheel because somehow, we got them both in their car seats and made our way to Target. We THOUGHT we were going to go buy some necessities for them....RIGHT AFTER we met them....FOOLISH!!! They were both in TEARS by the time we got the parking lot!!! It was 6pm by this time (if not later), and they were HUNGRY!!!! Necessities were no longer necessities.....food was priority......but....what do they eat?????? Apparently NOT yogurt (not that day anyway!). Samuel cried and spit with every bite : ( Keziah gladly took her bottle, and that was helpful.

Well, the yogurt must have made its way down into his tummy enough to satisfy the immediate need for food because he wasn't upset anymore. Now, we had to make our way to the other side of town to meet a family (whom we'd never spoken to in our lives) so that they could take us to their daughters house (whom we'd also never spoken to in our lives) so that we could spend the next unknown amount of time living with her and getting adjusted to our new family.....until the state of FL released us to go home!!!

So, we made it to the couples house, and they were ready to EAT! So, they asked us to join them for dinner. We went to Sweet Tomatoes (which became a daily routine for us for the next THREE wks as we waited for FL to release us!!!) with our son, daughter, and a random couple.....all whom we'd just met within the past hour! It should have been a LOT more overwhelming for me....I think we were in survival mode, and the Lord's grace was being LAVISHED on us!!!!!

Samuel chowed on some mac and cheese!!! Keziah ate...who knows what??!! And I'm not sure if Jason or I really ate ANYthing. We were full on these gifts that the Lord had given us.....and possibly some nerves running wild! : )

Dinner was a bit overwhelming as the wife of the couple asked us many questions about the kids that we couldn't answer.....I guess it was a little surreal to her as well that we'd just met them! And then she went on to assume he couldn't hear because he wasn't responding to any of us! YIKES! What to do with that comment.....we weren't sure. We were told he could hear, but maybe he couldn't, but then again, why would he respond to any of us....he doesn't know any of us!!!

Well, we made it through that with just a few tears and one spilt drink....and probably a couple that thought we were out of our minds!!!

So, off to our "place of refuge". We get there, and by this time it's late for the kids...probably 9pm. We were shown the room that we were given to stay in (SO GRACIOUS!!!), and started trying to figure out what to do next!!! I think we gave the kids a bath, set up the pack and play, somehow found some pajamas, prayed over the kids, made up a bedtime song (that we still sing every night before bed), and said "goodnight" to our son and daughter!!!!!

Then, Jason and I made our way downstairs, so we could get the grand tour and house details!!! It was one CRAZY day/night!!!

We finally got to bed with a baby on the side of our bed in a pack and play and a baby at the foot of our bed in a pack and play.....wondering what tomorrow and the rest of our lives with these 2 precious souls might bring!!!

I couldn't even THINK about the next day...much less....a year from then. It's been an incredibly JOURNEY!!! We LOVE YOU Samuel and Keziah more than our words, actions, or lives could ever reflect! You are incredible GIFTS from God to us!!!! May our lives together be a journey filled with grace, joy, and peace in Christ....and remember He loves you SO much more than we EVER could - HE is your Creator and your ETERNAL Father!!!! 

A Few Birthday Surprises

 
 
 
 

Though we didn't get to fully celebrate Jason's birthday ON his birthday because of our need to prioritize packing, the kids and I still had a few surprises for him when he got home that day!! The kids gave him a special birthday card, we had sushi waiting for him for dinner (he LOVES sushi, and rarely gets it!!) - here you can see the look on his face as he walked in and saw the sushi!!! And later in the eve, we had his favorite ice cream with a big brownie! We all sang "happy birthday" to him! It was a special eve all together EVEN with the pressures of packing!!!

So thankful for such a precious husband! 

Bed Rest Blues

I went to the Dr on Thursday for a regular check-up, and the verdict was "bed rest for the weekend"!!! For all you mom's that have had extended bed rest seasons.....I'm NOT envious!!!

I was in TEARS last night fighting the desire to "do, do, do, and go, go, go"!!! It's just in me...I LOVE to "do" things and be up and available and serve and be active. Telling me I need to stay on the couch on my left side and not do ANYthing.....is taking away part of who I am!!! So, in the midst of moving - it was a challenging weekend!!!

The Lord was SO kind in it all!!!! We were SO served by our dear friends and care group!!! We've had people watching the kids, clean our old place, help Jason move us in to our new place, mow our new lawn, bring meals, and go grocery shopping for us!!! Absolutely amazing! THANK YOU to ALL of you!!!!!

So, basically, when I went to see my midwife, she checked me because I told her I was feeling some cramping.....and she felt that Karis' head was...well, pushing on my cervix (she seems quite ready to meet us!!). So, in checking me, she said that my cervix is "soft"....hmmmm....not the most comforting news at 31 wks! And by the time I got home that eve, I was having contractions every 5-10 min. THAT was SCARY! We have friends that have had preterm babies, and it's not something to play around with....and not something we desire, by any means!!! I really thought we were going to have her last Thurs night! My midwife said that I could either "do things" and dialate....risking preterm labor OR I could do NOTHING for the weekend in hopes that my uterus would calm down a bit!! I chose the latter....as much as I could!!!

And Lord was merciful, and has sustained our little girl in the womb up to this point (this is not to say that the Lord isn't merciful to women that have their babies preterm!!!!! His mercies are evident in their lives as well in VERY real ways!!!!).

So, today, after talking through things with my midwife, she took me off bedrest, and has given me the "take it easy" prescription!! THAT is GOOD news!!!! Very thankful to be given the "OK" to be up and around and on my feet!!!!

And we are moved in, and my DEAR husband, with much sensitivity to my situation, pretty much UNPACKED us over the weekend!!!! He didn't want me to be tempted to do a lot this week! : ) SO SWEET!!!

I'll post some pics soon!!!

And if you think about it....pray that Karis will hold out until AT LEAST 36 wks!!!! The Lord can bring her when He desires, and He will give grace that we need for whatever happens, BUT our LORD does love to hear the requests of His children!!! : )

The Guitar is Now a Weed Eater!!!

 
 
 
 




















Yep, Samuel has changed his mind! His binoculars are no longer his "guitar", but his "weed eater", and he LOVES to "cut the grass"!!!! He's got pretty good sound effects going on too! : )

You can see there's TONS of boxes in the background - tomorrow is the BIG DAY!!!! WOOOHOOO!!! We are READY! 

Happy Birthday to my BEST FRIEND and Daddy to our Children!!!

 
 
 
 


















Today is my precious husband's birthday!!!! We aren't celebrating today because we are moving on Friday and still have some packing to do, BUT we are planning to celebrate next week! Last year we had to wait to celebrate his birthday too (I can't remember why...something to do with church). BUT we celebrated on the 15th instead! And that was the day that we got the phone call about Samuel and Keziah!!!! After getting the phone call, praying, calling our parents, and running off to commitments we had.....(where we couldn't focus anyhow because we were so distracted by what the Lord was doing)...we made some necessary phone calls about logistics, and realized we had to get our fingerprints FAST that day!!!! We hurried from place to place to connect with one another and get to the town that we needed to be in to do the fingerprints. We literally ran into the court building on a Friday afternoon at like 4:58. By God's grace there was somebody there to take our fingerprints (the lady originally thought he had already left!!!).

By the end of all of that....we were both emotionally exhausted with pounding headaches....wondering if we should even go out to celebrate Jason's b-day. After much more talk about what was in store over the next few days and uncontainable excitement about the potential for these 2 children to be additions to our family....we drifted into a little nap. We awoke JUST in time for our headaches to be gone, time to get ready, and still get a good celebration in : )

So, we got ready, and went out! It was an incredible night of dreaming and praying and unknowns!!!! What a BIRTHDAY!!!!

You are such a precious man of God!!! Thank you for all the FUN, spontaneous, and special moments you create for us and our family!!!! With each passing year, I see God's grace more evidently in your life.....He is daily sanctifying you and changing you and making you more and more and more amazing to me!!!! I LOVE YOU!!!!

And you are the best daddy ever!!!! Our children absolutely ADORE you! I cherish those times when they hear you at the door coming home from work.....and both of them scream out with JOY "Daddy's HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!". And then the chant "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!!!!". They love you so much, and I pray that their love for you would only grow as mine has through the years!!!!! 

Some "At Play" pics!

 
 
 
 


























I've been BUSY packing!!!!! So, that's why I haven't been posting! :( But taking a little break here, and wanted to share some pics that I've been meaning to share of the kids!!! I just love these of Samuel! He must have gone back and forth through that whole 6-7 times....definitely enough to make him dizzy!!! ; ) Brings such a JOY to my heart to watch them play so freely!!!

And please say a prayer for my sweet friend, Jolynna, who is going in tomorrow morning at 6am to be induced (unless her little guy, by the Lord's design, decides to start pushing his way out before then!!!). It's her first pregnancy, so naturally, there's a lot of unknowns about these next few weeks (and years!) that CAN cause anxiousness and fears. Pray with her as she faces the labor.....and welcomes her baby boy!!! Thanks so much!!! 

More Understanding of How Racism Will Affect My Son

I just read this article called "Black Men Quietly Combating Stereotypes", that Mary posted about on her Ethiopian Adoption blog. My heart feels as if somebody is gripping it and my stomach feels weak. I couldn't read it without tears filling my eyes and fears filling my heart for our son.

Racism is real. I don't deny that. And I know that African American families prepare their children for racism in this country in ways that I am ignorant to. It just hit home a little harder as I read this article.

It's hard to hear the realities of racism....and to know that you play a part in that. Regardless of my hearts desire to be completely free of racism....I'm white. And when a black man/woman comes face to face with me....they immediately think white girl....and probably some (not all) respond the way the article talks about (speaking differently, smiling more, standing "more respectfully" or non-threateningly, etc). I have a hard time swallowing that reality. And I have a hard time swallowing the reality that my son might be "labeled" by police, neighborhoods, grocery store (or retail) workers, white business men, and....the list goes on. Not only will he most likely face "labels" from these people....he will also face them from the black community because he will, no doubt, be "a little different". He, most likely, won't talk "black". He, most likely, won't have the "authentic black stance" this article refers to. There's certain things as white parents that we CANNOT give our son (or daughter).

These are realities....realities that we have to face....realities that we have to talk about with our son.....and realities that we can only combat with truth and love.

I think I could get depressed if I hung out in the camp above entertaining these thoughts about the challenges of racism and what my son "might" face in his future. But I have to focus on TRUTH!!! My sovereign God placed my son (and daughter) in our family. He created them FOR OUR FAMILY, and "we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose" Romans 8:28

I have to believe this TRUTH! I have to cling to HIS promises!!! And trust that our kids are ours and God is going to work that together for good for THEIR good!!! I definitely don't doubt this, but when I read something like the article above....I have to CLING to what my God has promised!!! AND, not denying the realities of racism, I have to trust that the LORD is going to give us wisdom for each day as we seek Him to provide our kids with the understanding of who He is and the sin of man.

Though the way we raise our son may look a little different than the way an African American family would raise their son(s), I TRUST the LORD is going to give us all the wisdom and discernment and faith and courage and understanding we need to train Him in the way He should go and in all FAITH believe that the LORD is sovereign over ALL His days....and NOTHING can come face to face with our son without our God's permission and design....and will then, give him full grace to respond in a way that will honor and please the LORD (NOT MAN).

Happy 4th of July!!!

 
 
 
 


We went to see the Symphony Orchestra the other night and watched fireworks afterwards! The kids LOVED the orchestra!!! You can see how they were using their flags as trumpets : ) They do that quite often with their thumbs, but I guess the flags seemed a little more appropriate given they are bigger :) And they used their flags to help conduct -a little dangerous at times, but everyone walked away safe with eyeballs intact!!!! It was also their FIRST firework show, and their personalities played true! Keziah got out of the stroller and stood with hands in pockets taking it all in!!! Samuel, on the other hand, was not about to get out of the stroller!!! He couldn't decide if it was better to look away or keep his eye on the fireworks just to make sure they weren't coming after him!!! There were a few horrified screams, but overall, he did GREAT!!! I'll have to say - these were some LOUD fireworks! I don't know if we just forget each year how loud they are or if some shows are just louder than others, but these were LOUD! It was definitely the noise that was bothering Samuel because facial expression always went downward when they'd do the occassional multiple fireworks at a time where there was a dramatic "BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG" one right after the other!! I think I would've been scared too had I been 2 years old listening to that!!!

We had a GREAT time - it was a great night for it all!!! 

Our New Boat!

 
 
 






















Yep, you guessed it! Daddy!!!!! : ) What a great boat, hugh?! Samuel jumped on Daddy, and said "I'm riding my boat"....oh...and the little frisbees....those are "helmets"! What great fun!!! Somebody commented in the last post that we needed to get Samuel a guitar so he could stop using the binoculars.....does this mean we have to get him a boat too???? His little imagination could get quite expensive!!!!! ; )

I mentioned this before, but we plan on getting Samuel a djembe drum for his birthday - that's really his instrument of choice! We'll see how that goes, then maybe a guitar! : ) He definitely needs instruments - that's NO doubt!!!

Well, back to packing for the big move!!! ; )