Gonna be like his Daddy

Thomas loves his Daddy. He told me the other day "Topas (that's how he says Thomas) be Hotshot like Daddy".

Visiting Papa at the Airport with Cousin Luke

Thomas & his cousin (and best friend) Luke got to go visit Papa at the airport. Both boys were ear to ear smiles when they saw the airplanes. Not to mention, Papa loves to do this for them :)

Cousin Luke (age 3)


Thomas (age 2 1/2)

The boys loved to help Papa feed the fish in the little fish pond at the airport, too.

Annual Family Day picnic

Every year when Jim's crew finishes their training and is ready to go fight fire, they have a Family Day picnic so the family members can meet and hang out with the crew. This year was the biggest turnout for families. Plus, there are now 6 children so they have a pinata and a playground, too. We have been teaching Thomas the correct terms for the Hotshot crew. Thomas loves saying "Guna Hotshots (Laguna Hotshots)". He likes to tell people his daddy is a hotshot. When the crew carriers pulled up and the hotshots came out, Thomas' eyes got big and he said "wow BIG hotshots."

Our little blessed family



The Laguna Hotshots 2011 & their families




Some of the Hotshot Daddy's spending quality time with their children




The Captain's daughter (Taylor) & Thomas playing chase

Thomas told me he was "just takin a break"

This morning we went to a parade in our town. The parade brought back many childhood memories that we spent with cousins watching the parade. The neatest thing is we sat with my cousin & her husband today at the parade. Their two kids (Luke & Mary) are not only Thomas's cousins but his best friends, too. So happy that we have family who live close by and have kids the same ages.

Tonight Jim & Thomas decided to setup the tent and have a camping party. Upon their request, they ate their dinner in the tent and played with trains & read Dr. Seuss books, too.

Nothing feels better than being a family at home!!

God Answers Prayers!!!!!!!!!!!

Today we had the adoption telling, where the Social Workers provided more information on history of the birth mom, police reports and other important information.
As we were reading this information with them, I kept hearing God whisper, "I put him in your home because I chose him." We will keep most of the information private, as it's pretty lengthy and we just feel like that part of his special story and our way to share his testimony of how God blessed him by removing him from that horrendous situation and put him in our family.
I almost get goosebumps, when I think how much of this picture God personally laid out piece by piece. What we went through as we waited for a child, was nothing short of sadness and the feeling of emptiness. Every tear we cried to God, he held in his hand. No prayer we prayed went unanswered. Looking back through the years, I never would have imagined us here. But looking back over the years, also I know we never lost trust that God was in control. Sometimes we wondered why or where he was, but we never quit trusting him. Now as we prepare to sign finalization papers to officially make him Thomas James Huston, I am so so so thankful for every day that went by and we didn't have a baby. I thank God for the reminders to just trust him, even when it seemed scary. I am so thankful that I know that little boy sleeping in his bed tonight, was the baby God created and brought into our lives. I am so sad for his birth mom that she never experienced the love of a family, the gentleness of a hug or the safe arms of her parents. I pray that someday she will know the love of God and how he can heal wounds. He can be everything and more than what she didn't have.

Thomas currently has 3 other half siblings living in San Diego county. None of them knew him as a baby, but it's nice to know we will have information on some of his relatives. Due to the family history, we don't want any visits with any of her family. No information has been found on a birth father.

What we do know tonight is we are almost ready to SIGN ON THE DOTTED LINE!!

PS- For any of you wondering, we will have a little celebration ceremony sometime this fall at my parents. It is nothing short of joy for us to have you share this special part of our story.

God found us you

I found this book a few months ago. **Story about the gift of adoption**

Little Fox cuddled up to Mama Fox one night and said sleepily, "Mama, tell me again about the day I came home."
"Oh yes," Mama said with a smile. "That is my favorite story of all. When God found us you, it made me the happiest mother in the whole world."
"Just by coming' home?" Little Fox asked with a yawn.
"Especially by coming home," Mama said. "For so long, I dreamed of you," she said snuggling closer.
"Bout me?"
"About you. I dreamed of how you'd look, smell, even what you would sound like. And every day I thought of how wonderful it'd be to hold you in my arms. I started seeing you everywhere, in the leaves of the giant oak and in the bark of the pine. Even in the stars!! Oh, how I longed for the day that you'd arrive, when God would find us you."
"And then I came?"
"Oh no. No matter how much I prayed it would happen, I still had to wait."
"You waited and waited and waited?"
"And waited. But I knew that someday, you'd arrive when God found us you. It made it hard to see other mamas with their children," she said, like she was telling a secret.
"You were lonely for me?"
"Very. I couldn't wait until the day you'd come, the day when God would find us you. I'd go up to the cliffs and watch for you. I stood there day.....after day......after day."
"Did you ever want to give up?" Little Fox asked.
"Sometimes," Mama said, rubbing Little Fox's cheek with hers. "But I trusted that God knew you, and knew me and knew when we'd fit perfectly together."
Little Fox paused. "How come I couldn't stay with the mother who had me?"
"She must have had very big reasons to give you up. She must have thought it was best for you."
"Did she have fur like mine? Eyes like mine?"
"Most likely." Mama smiled softly. "She must have been as beautiful as you are handsome. I think she prayed like crazy that you'd be safe, Little Fox. I think she prayed for me as much as I prayed for her." Mama's voice got all whispery. "And God answered both our prayers!"
"I came then? To you?"
Mama nodded, happy tears in her eyes. "You came then. When God found us you, you made me the happiest mama in the whole world."
Little Fox smiled and then thought for a moment. "Mama, will you be mine forever?"
"Always and forever. No matter what," she promised. "This is where you belong. Here. With me, my sweet child. You are mine. The best gift in the whole wide world. I will always love you and treasure you and celebrate the day you came, the day God found us you."
Mama Fox tucked Little Fox into bed and he giggled through her last kisses. They said their prayers and whispered. "Nightie-Night" just like they always did. Little Fox was glad that he had a cozy home, and good food and a mama who loved him very, very much. And he went to sleep dreaming about the day he came to the big woods......
and first smelled his mama....
and knew he was loved.....
and finally home.
"When God found us you." Mama Fox whispered in his dreams, "you made me the happiest mama in the world."

There's a new Sheriff in town!