HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY!

This BUNDLE of LOVE turned one just over a week ago...

This picture (Above) is when we met our son... Feb 18th in Ethiopia. The picture (below) is a picture we looked at for weeks before going to meet him in person. HOW SWEET ARE THOSE EYES!

WELL... Here is our SON NOW! He is ONE YEAR OLD! Happy Birthday SWEET Abel!

I love that when we sang to him he started singing too. Can you see his mouth open? He is singing. I still sing Happy Birthday to him to see him do this. It's adorable.

FUN TIMES... opening gifts.

His buddy MAYA was here to celebrate. She's the older woman in his life.... She turned ONE a month before Abel did. They actually had their first "fight" (haha) while she was here. I want to forever remembers Maya's "mad" face. It's SO CUTE ... OH MY! Abel took her lunch box and she was not having it.

This picture was taken as she was leaving. We didn't really have a full out photo shoot of the two of them. I just snapped a few.

Abel...

We are THRILLED to have you in our lives. We are crazy about you. Each one of us love you so much and could not IMAGINE our lives without you. We are humbled and honored that the Lord chose you for us and us for you. Before the foundation of the world... all your days were ordained before ONE OF THEM came to be (Psalm 139)... HE KNEW that you would be a part of our family. He knew you would bare our name. It thrills our SOULS to have you as our son. We adore you...

Love, Mom and Dad

Abel started walking the week of his birthday. He is taking steps all over the place. It's still not his main mode of transportation but he can do it! He loves to eat. We love to watch! It's so much fun to see him try new foods. He is doing the sign language for "more" and "all done". He is CRAZY about his momma... and it thrills me to pieces. He always wants me. I was beyond thrilled when he cried when I left him in child care at our co-op. Attachment is such a gift. I am thrilled that he feels attached to us... we are VERY attached to him! The older kids beg to see him in the morning ... each day it's like Christmas when we go to get him out of the crib. What a gift has been given to all of us in this precious boy. We are grateful!!! TO GOD BE THE GLORY!