day 73: "i am thankful for......12 YEARS!"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SAMUEL!!!!

my oldest son sam turns 12 today....and yes, he is one of the lucky people in this world that get to share their birthday with Jesus!  10 years before he was born, Christmas day 1990, my 43 yr old mom died...so, Christmas was always sad for me,  but since the birth of sam, that has all changed.  i focus on a birth rather than a death.  thank you mom for giving me the perfect gift from heaven.  

sam was born in arkansas while we were stationed at littlerock afb.  sam has seen a lot of the country in the last 12 years.  he is a very resilient, strong, smart and courteous boy.  i am very proud of the young man he is becoming, and look forward to the upcoming years, watching him grow into a man.

here are some birthday pics over the years, leading up to his 12th birthday, today!!:

   



1st birthday!!!!
(new york)

2nd birthday!!!!
(virginia)

3rd birthday!!!!
(virginia- here he is with his favorite person...aunt didi (my sis)

4th birthday!!!!
(montana)

5th birthday!!!!
(montana)

6th birthday!!!!
(montana)

7th birthday!!!!
(new york)

8th birthday!!!!
(lived in new york, but traveled to texas for birthday/Christmas that year)

9th birthday!!!!
(new york)

10th birthday!!!!
(his daddy was in the middle east on sam's birthday.  my husband surprised sam at school 2 weeks after his birthday...to help him hand out his birthday cupcakes!  this was the first time he had seen his daddy in 6 months!  it was a very special day.

11th birthday!!!!
(ohio)








and today......birthday # 12!!!  here is a picture of sam at his birthday party a couple of days ago.

i'm so glad he has made some really great friends here in ohio.  that is always the hardest part about moving away....meeting new people, and making friends.  but, sam is so friendly, and easy to get a long with, he always seems to come away a winner!

happy birthday sam!!!  i love you more......and always will.  
love, mom



........so, what are you especially thankful for today?!