2 Years Ago...

September is special for our family because two years ago on September 5, we arrived home with our second beautiful son, Elias, from his birth country of Ethiopia.  And, when I say beautiful, I mean total ladykiller.  He is just an amazingly beautiful human.  I am in awe that God has allowed me the privilege of parenting him.  Here are a couple of pics from our first few days home.

See what I mean?  I love him fiercely.  It's hard to believe that it has been two years, yet it also feels like he has always been with us.  I had to work really hard to get that first smile out of him when we were in Ethiopia, but it was soooo worth it!  And, he has been charming everyone with it ever since. 

He was such a little peanut when we first met.  He was 19 months old, but he was just beginning to fit into 12 month clothes.  He was walking, but it was slow and guarded.  In Ethiopia, the children are carried most everywhere for most of their early lives.  Many of the children we met, including Elias, had very weak leg muscles.  Since he has been home, he has grown by leaps and bounds.  He will always be small in comparison to the rest of our rather giant family, but as you can see he is as healthy as can be.



Showing off the fort he made.

 

A couple of chuckleheads.

I love you, Elias!  Thank you for two years of those heart melting smiles!