5.

5 years ago today, Rob and I walked into the delivery room of a 15 year-old girl in Virginia and met YOU, our long awaited son for the first time! After 3 LONG years of heartache, God gave you, Samuel Arnold, to us! Oh what a joyous day it was! One I will never forget! And it was just the beginning of a journey in parenting that has held many ups and downs, but one I would not trade! Samuel, we have watched you grow in so many ways and we are so proud of the boy you are becoming and we anticipate the man of God you will some day be! We love your smile, your deep sense/need for justice, your protective heart, and your imagination that knows no bounds! Happy 5th Birthday son! We love you, and Jesus loves you best! ~Mommy & Daddy

Our first meeting!

4 days old on Christmas, still in Virginia!

3 months old at a baby shower given by friends!

My arms are full!

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(ignore the date on pic; see pic in background)

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10 Memories for 10 Years of Marriage!

So here it goes...10 memories of our 10 amazing years of marriage! They are in no particular order (primarily b/c I uploaded the pics in the wrong order and don't have time to redo/fix them)! I love you dearly Rob and can't believe 10 years have flown by so fast! You are my best friend, closest confidante, Prince Charming, and knight in shining armor all wrapped into one amazing man...And YOUR MINE!!! Oh I can't get over the grace and kindness of the Lord in YOU!!!

#1

You on one knee singing, with words in hand,

Stephen Curtis Chapman's "I will be here"

song before proposing marriage! What an amazing day!

The first of many!

#2

I remember our first year of marriage and how much

we fought. Broken closet door, and red Miate

taillights speeding down the road...my, by God's grace, how far we have come!

#3

I remember, and can now laugh about, living in seminary

housing and enduring roaches in our bed (on me, of course) 2 times!

Then we bought thoseplug-in bug repellent thingys and they worked!!!!

#4

The night we came home from the hospital after

I lost our first baby and I had surgery...I remember you

carefully walking me into our house (the parsonage in Kopperl)

and a bird that was nesting under the ledge flew INTO the house!

Makes the memory funny and less painful! You closed me

into our room and then shooed it out with a broom! My hero!

#5

Boy #3's birth: Asher Stephen

It was the best delivery yet!

#6

Birth of Boy #2: Joel Aaron!

My water broke in bed the night before and we drove

the 1 hour to Ft. Worth to welcome Joel the next morning!

Long night but so amazing to have you by my side!

#7

Our rainy day in DC visiting the Holocaust Museum.

Memorable b/c the museum was amazing and because

it was probably the first time I wanted to read as many

of the exhibit as you did! ;)

#8

Trip to Gettysburg...

I completely surprised Rob on his birthday weekend the year

we were in MD. He never saw it coming! Babysitter all

set up, gas in the car, navigation system for his gift, and bed and breakfast

room reserved and awaiting!

And we drove a covered-bridge tour on the way! So fun! So memorable!

#9
April 8, 2005...Samuel's adoption day!
So cool to share in such an event with you!

#10

Samuel's birthday...quite a memory indeed!

This picture was taken the morning we left the hotel

to go to the hospital where Sam was to be born THAT day!

I'm surprised we didn't look more tired...not much sleep was had

the night before!

Oh how I love you Rob!

And yes, Jesus still, and always will,

love you best!!!!

photo shoot!

At the end of November my dear friend, Christi MacNelly, was kind enough to endure 2 hours of photo taking with our rambunctious family of 5! She took over 200 pictures and ended up with about 46 good shots! Below you will find a few of our favorites! Enjoy and yes, family, you are getting a print for Christmas!

November trip to G & G's!

The first weekend in November (sorry this is so late) we made a quick trip down to see Grandma and Grandpa's new house in the country! Boy is it country, but boy is it nice! We had a blast and the boys even more so! They got cowboy boots from G & G and didn't want to take them off! So cute! They loved all the animals and all the room to explore, dig, and just be boys! Can't wait for our Tombrella Christmas there in just a few weeks!

Waiting for breakfast at Grandma's...pancakes, of course!

Assuming the stance, even at Grandma's...fingers in mouth and
other hand down pants...ah, boys!

The neighbors' horses, come for some mornin' carrots!

Joel, too scared to climb on the plane, poses

with G & G!

TOO cute!

Up on the jet (Sam & Daddy) while G & G

hold Asher!