Celebrating One Year With Ashi!

 

It’s already been one year since our little buddy Ashenafi joined us from Ethiopia! His mama Erin asked Asher and I to join her, Christian and Ashi  for a little celebration of his special  anniversary with some yummy treats at Mallard Ice Cream. Of course we obliged…you’ll never catch us turning down an invite for Mallard’s cool creamy goodness! Never mind the fact that we both absolutely adore Ashi and would never miss an opportunity to celebrate his presence in our lives : )

  

  

  

I just looked through the first photos I took of Ashi last April and I cannot believe how much he has grown since he arrived! I get such a kick out of hearing his developing language skills and his emerging personality. He’s quite entertaining : )

Big brother Christian shows us his mad cone-eating skills

   Biggest brother Asher gets some love from Ashi : )

 

Asher had instructed me to keep him out of the pictures (hence the faux scowl) but I’m glad I didn’t oblige him because I love this picture of him and his monkey-on-the-back little bro : )

 

  

So close this time!

LOTS of love for Mama from her boys!

Congratulations on one year together… what a happy little family : )

National Adoption Day 2009

Last Friday was National Adoption Day and I was invited to document the court proceedings that completed the adoption process of our little friend Ashenafi.  Ashi’s mom Erin decided to save the final paperwork for this annual event so they could join the celebration with court staff and other adoptive families, as well as big brother Christian and their grandparents Willow & Rob. Ashi was one of twenty-five kids adopted by twenty Whatcom County families on Friday, many of whom were also from Ethiopia! Here are some photos of their moment with the judge and the celebration that followed…

Blowing kisses to a cutie-pie fellow adoptee … this kid’s a FLIRT!

Congratulating another adoptive family. Everyone is pretty happy at the court house on adoption day!

Ashi was far more interested in the fun stuff on the table than  anything the judge had to say. Papa spent most of the proceedings attempting to keep the wiry two year-old contained : )

Each of the adoptees received a teddy bear as a gift, while siblings received stuffed rabbits.  I was standing next to the photographer from the Bellingham Herald, who shot the newspaper’s photo of the day within a millisecond of the one I took above!

You can read the Herald’s  full story about Adoption Day here.

The balloon man was full of silly jokes. 

  Celebrating adoption day with a fierce balloon battle!

Ashi found the perfect spot for balloon sword storage!

Congratulations!

I Can’t Believe He’s a Senior!

My friend Charity called me a while back to schedule an appointment for her son Logan’s senior portrait shoot.  I had to pick myself up off the floor when I listened to her message because I couldn’t believe it was time for that already! With our own kids we’re constantly aware of their growth but, for some silly reason, when we don’t see a friend’s kids for awhile it’s always a surprise  to see  that they’ve been just as busy growing and changing as our own. Seeing Logan as a high school senior made me realize it won’t be long ‘til it’s time for Asher’s senior portraits. *sniff*

         Enjoy the rest of your senior year, Logan!