Happy One Year Home!

Last year on this day, we arrived home with our sweet seventh child Eli Tesfa.

It's crazy that it has already been an entire year since Eli joined our family.

He has brightened every day since he's been home (I can't say he's brightened every night, as he's been a challenging sleeper, but there have been many nights that I have cuddled and kissed this sweet boy even through my weariness and marveled at how lucky I am to get to be his mommy).

He is absolutely pure joy!

I've said it before, but it is the only way to put it.  He has brought such joy to our family and we can't even imagine not having him.

It's interesting to think about life without him as we were SURE we were done adding children when we went through the adoption process for Rahel, our sixth child.  I have often said to Nick, "What if we would've said no to Eli?"  We would have missed out on so much.

His funny personality

His cute litte voice

His nicknames for everyone (Ra Ra-Rahel, Bru Bru-Caleb and Colton, La La-Hermela, Moan Moan-Meron, and Line-a for Caroline)

His muscle flexing

His nightly round of kisses as he screams "Nigh Nigh" to everyone in the house and proceeds to kiss each one of us and then turns his cheek to get his kisses

The way he rocks it out to a beat in the car and points out EVERYTHING to us so we can see it with him

His under bite grin

The way he pats me when I rock him

How he covers his eyes with his hands and says, "hide"

And most recently, the way he raises his hand and says, "meeeee" anytime I'm passing things out to the kids---he wants to make sure he is included in everything

He is such a treasure and loved dearly by all.

We have been given a gift and we are truly blessed!

Happy one year home!