Happy Birthday USA

We hope all of you had a safe and happy 4th of July. It was a special time at our home because it was Sam's first Independence Day as a U.S. Citizen. We went to the lake, ate good food, and watched fireworks. It seems that Sam is very patriotic.... he loves waving the American flag. He continues to grow physically and developmentally. Last week he started gymnastics on the Big Green Bus. He had such a good time that he did not want to leave.

China Beach Babies and Father's Day

Talk about a picture worth a thousand words!!

China travel families reunited

Renee gave them these cute t'shirts with their names

Happy Birthday Isabell, Cole, and Sam

It's not the red couch but it will do for an updated photo

Father and son enjoying the "ohsin" (Sam's version of ocean!)

My dad is the man!!

Happy Father's Day!

WOW! What a beach baby!!!

I tell you we cannot praise our Heavenly Father enough for children. They are amazing, wonderful, (exhausting), and a blessing. We got together with the families we traveled to China with (the Gallahue and Schmitt families) to celebrate our children's birthdays. All of them turn two almost within a month of each other. It has been over six months since Sam, Isabell, and Cole joined our families. They are all from the same region in China and we want to make sure they remain close because of this connection. We had a great time and all three of the tots seemed to enjoy the water and fun in the sun. We threw them a little birthday party with hot dogs, cake, and ice cream. The weekend was perfect to celebrate Nick's first father's day! Sam made him a necktie that he colored and put a sticker on it that reads "my dad is neat"! He also gave his daddy a picture of his footprints and it reads "Here is my little footprint. One day it will fit your shoe. I watch what you are doing because Daddy I want to be like you". Nick was thrilled. Sam even let Nick sleep to 8:30am!!!! Father and son had a fun time on the beach. Nick is a terrific father. He is so loving and patient with Sam. He is a wonderful teacher to Sam and takes pride in showing him how to do things. Sam just turned two... but Nick has already taught Sam wonderful habits... like wiping his feet before coming in the house, how to wash his hands, and to wipe his mouth when he eats. I love watching the two of them together and I am very lucky that Nick is the father of my son. I love my Honey and Sam loves his Daddy!!

Sam's 2nd Birthday Party!

We had a birthday party for Sam today. He turns two Monday and we celebrated with family and friends by having a party in our backyard. Sam had a great time playing in his swimming pool with his friends. He loved eating chicken nuggets, cheese puffs, and of course ice cream!! It was so much fun celebrating this day with everyone and thanking God for Sam. He has been home six months and has grown so much during that time. He talks more each day. It makes our head spin because he is learning so much so quickly. He loves the water... whether it is his backyard pool, Aunt Sherry and Uncle Pat's pool, the lake, the ocean, or the bathtub! He says "hold you" when he wants to be held. He also will say "open it", "I'll do it", I'll get it", "Nognan" (for Noggin), "outside" (which he loves to say since he wants to be outside all the time)!!

Congratulations Hunter!

Congrats Hunter!

Pat, Sherry, Hunter, and Josh

Panda Pals at the Zoo

Sam holding hands with Anna Lei

Hunter is the son of one of my dearest friends, Sherry. He graduated from High School last night and we are so proud of him! He is a wonderful young man with a bright future and we know he will do many good things. He was also a nominee for the Jimmy Hitchcock Award this year.

Changing subjects... we had a playdate with our Panda Pals at the Zoo. We had a great time and we love spending time with all our friends. Thanks Anna Lei for helping me with Sam... you are so sweet and a great babysitter (plus I think Sam has a crush on you!!)

May Happenings

One proud Aunt!

My two beautiful nieces!

Sam asleep on his new bed

Our first meal as a family of three at The Back Porch in Destin

Playing in the sand

Dipping his cute little feet into the ocean for the first time

Having lots of fun

Loving the "Oooh-sin " (and holding one of his cars in his hand!)

Busy building castles and burying mom and dad's feet

Totally exhausted!

We have so much to talk about in this post. First of all, let me say Congratulations to my niece Shannon (affectionally known as Prissy by me). My mom nicknamed her Prissy when she was just a baby and I have always known her as my little Prissy. Well, my little Prissy graduated from High School last Friday evening. We are so proud of her. It is a major milestone in everyone's life to finish High School and my little Prissy has grown into a beautiful, intelligent woman with a WONDERFUL sense of humor.

Now for an update on our little man. He is now sleeping in his own room on his big boy bed which happens to be a car! Tonight is his 3rd night sleeping by himself and he has done great so far. He wakes up happy... and makes a quick trot into our room... telling us "UP". Of course he did this at 4:30am Saturday morning!!!

Another milestone to mention... we took Sam to the beach for the first time.... and he LOVES it. He had so much fun... playing in the sand... running up to the waves in the ocean... and swimming in the pool. We discovered he loves to jump in... so you have to hold on to him every minute... and keep a life vest on him at ALL times! His new word is "ocean"... he is so cute when he pronouces it "Oooh-sin". He cried when he had to say goodbye to the ocean.

We are going back in June for a reunion with our China travel group. We are looking forward to seeing everyone and to let the kids play together now that they are 6 months older than when we got them. By the way, when you look at the pictures you may see a "boo-boo" on Sam's nose. He fell from the slide at daycare last week. He is okay but he loves to get sympathy!

My First Mother's Day

The perfect Mother's Day Gift!

Sam showing off his cars to Summer

Mother and son on Mother's Day

Sam giving Nai Nai a kiss for Mother's Day

WOW! After years of waiting to be a mom, I finally got to celebrate my first Mother's Day as a "mama"! It was wonderful. Sam was real busy because he got me several cards, a big nice straw purse, a gift certificate to buy some clothes, and a pedicure! Sam was a good boy all weekend because his Nai Nai and Pop Pop were visiting. We also got to visit with my niece Summer. She was so sweet to bring me a mother's day gift. She also got Sam some clothes and a car that he played with all weekend.

Here are some of my thoughts on being a mom. It is the most demanding job I've ever had... and it is also the most rewarding. It takes a lot of patience, energy, and enduring strength. It requires some sleepless nights (and forget about sleeping past 6:30am ever again)! It is also the most wonderful thing in the world to hear him say "mama" and to have him wrap his legs around my waist and squeeze me tight..... to feel his breath on my cheek as he drifts off to sleep... to hear him laugh with joy... to see him run, jump, and play.... to hear him speak new words... to get a big wet kiss... and to watch him and his daddy play. Children are a heritage and gift from God. I pray the Lord gives me all the wisdom, patience, and guidance I need to raise this gift that I have been given.

Our Eyes Adored You!

Our first pictures of Sam!

Play date with Nalani and Ray

Our new potty!

Wednesday will make one year since we first laid our eyes upon Sam. It was May 7, 2007 around 4:30pm when our Adoption Agency Director, Pat, called us and asked "would you be interested in a boy"? Those words changed our life forever! It is hard to believe that has been one year. Of course, it took us 6 months before the Chinese government gave us the green light to go and get our child, but it was on May 7 that God answered our prayers and gave us the most precious gift of Samuel Duron Moss! Lord, how we love this boy! Now for an update on Sam.... the cast has been removed!!! YEAH!! It has been replaced by a splint that comes off so he can have a nice bath. You should have seen the look on his face when they removed the cast and he saw his arms and fingers! He kept touching them with the other hand to make sure they were really there. You can barely see a scar where he had the extra thumb. We also got a potty chair. Sam is getting use to the idea of using the potty... but right now he mostly enjoys playing with it because it plays music, lights up, and sings songs. We also just ordered Sam a car toddler bed (have we mentioned how much Sam loves cars??). We are hoping it will make the transition of moving out of the crib a lot more fun. He climbed out of the crib a few weeks ago (it was more like a fall, but Suze caught him before he hit the ground). We lowered it to the lowest point, but it is only a matter of time before he will climb over again.