Firsts

There are many "firsts" that we will probably remember forever - first day of college, first kiss, the first time you conquered a fear... Over the past few weeks I have had a blast enjoying many of Baby M's firsts that he will more than likely not remember, but will hopefully all contribute to a deeply rooted sense that he is loved. On September 10th we celebrated his first birthday with friends and family in a Monsters Inc. themed party. I cannot express to you how blessed I was to share this day with loved ones who were equally sharing it with us. Zach's brother showed up as Mike Wazowski and was a great sport as three of the kids chased him around the yard. It meant so much to me as family jumped in to help without us even asking and even though M probably didn't have a clue what was going on, he was loved.

Then a few days later M and I took his first airplane trip to Colorado! It was definitely a new experience flying with a little one, and don't think I didn't see those looks of, "Oh great, a baby!" as we passed down the aisle :)  But thankfully both trips passed without incident and we had a wonderful time visiting my parents. We again celebrated his birthday with extended family and it was a joy to see my grandparents love on their first great-grandbaby! I loved that M was finally able to spend more time with his Omi and Opa. Phone calls and pictures are great, but they are no substitute for the real thing! I loved seeing my dad get right down on the floor with him and the smile that my mom immediately brought to his face! At the airport I had to keep a close eye on M so that my dad didn't sneak him under his jacket! Thank you to everyone who made our trip so special!

So what's next for us? Zach is loving teaching 7th grade math to his students at Synergy Kinetic Charter Academy. I feel honored that I get to stay home with M. In just a few short weeks, Lord willing, we will be moving to Bellflower! As much as we love our current home, it's time to move to a bigger place. We continue to pray for wisdom and clarity as we get closer to M's next court hearing in November. We have fallen so deeply in love with this little boy, and more than anything, we want what's best for him. We covet your prayers as we continue to seek God in everything we do and we are so blessed that he has given us our little family.