For those who could not make Hannah's adoption party, Here is a link to her 30 min video presentation.

http://www.photoshow.com/watch/Sa9uX4uZ

Christmas Letter 2014

This year has had many changes and lots of memories for our family. 

 Hannah turned 1 in January, and has been such a joy to our family!!  She's changing a lot, and beginning to use words and sounds.  Her giggle and her smile are contagious!!  She loves to play with her baby dolls, Legos with her brother and watch Sesame Street. 

 

  

 
 
 

 

This Spring we moved from Ramona to Descanso to live closer to Jim's work.  We are living on the government compound, so there's a lot of things that happen here, that our kids will have memories of years from now.  It's great having Jim walk 3 minutes to work, come home for lunch and walk home after work.  During the summer, the kids & I would put on our shoes and walk down the road to meet him when he got off of work.  Thomas would meet the firefighters at the volleyball court, and hang out with them while they played volleyball.  They all know his name and love to joke around with him.  The only traffic we see in front of the house is an occasional Forest Service pick up, or when the Engine turns around in our driveway.  Life on the compound is great!!! This community is really safe, quiet & family friendly.



Our new house!!!  So happy here.

 


Hannah watching the firefighters do a hose lay drill

 


Thomas riding his bike down the hill with some of the firefighters!!

 

Some of the Hotshots came up to help Jim doing the Cold Water challenge.

 
 


Making Memories!!

 

Checking out Daddy's truck

 

Walking down the driveway.  One of my favorite pictures.

 


Wagon rides



Down at the station with Daddy checking for mail.

 


"Look at me, Mom!!"

 Jim & I celebrated our 17th Wedding Anniversary in April.  What an amazing 17 years!!!  Wouldn't trade anything for everything we've done together. 

 

 

 

 

Fire season was a bit slow this year, but we were happy to have Jim home more in our new home anyways.  Funny thing is he had more overtime during the Winter/Spring months than the Summer.  In Southern California, fire season is always unpredictable!!  The nice thing is we took our first summer family vacation, ever!!  We went to Colorado to visit Trish's family.  It was a quick trip, but a nice time to see cousins, Grandma, Aunts & Uncles, too.

First Summer vacation EVER!!!  Colorado June 2014

 


 

 

     

 


















Thomas started Kindergarten at Descanso Elementary in the Fall.  He made a bunch of new friends, and even mentioned a few girls!!  He sure is a smart little boy.  He has nice hand-writing and is learning how to read.  At the Fall conference with his teacher, she showed us how he's "off the charts" when it comes to his knowledge.  She said most kids (at that point of the year) are about halfway to the high scores.  He's already there!!! He loves the freedom he has living in Descanso, too.  He enjoys riding his bike around here and has made friends with the neighbor boys, too.  They hop the fence between our properties and play with each other.  It's really fun watching them play "as boys" in the mud, climbing trees and chasing each other.  What a blessing to have such close friends!!  It'll be fun watching them grow and play together, too!! 

 

 

 
 
 

This month we finalized the adoption of Hannah.  So officially she's a Huston now!!!!  We feel so blessed to have our complete family now.  Our Social Worker doesn't want to believe us, but we are done with our journey of Foster Care/Adoption of any future kids.  A boy and a girl, just 4 years apart is perfect for us!!

 

 

 
 

We have been blessed this year with good health and many good memories. 

 
 

 

 
 
 

 

 

As we celebrate this Christmas season may we not lose focus on the real reason for the season....The birth of our Lord & Savior!!  We hope 2014 has been just as good to you and pray that you'll have a great New Year, too!! 

                                                                                        With Love,
                                                                             Jim, Trish, Thomas & Hannah

Accomplishment!!

Today was a great day and another success for our miracle baby, Hannah Lynn.  She was at risk for certain things due to the exposure to many drugs before birth.  But we have a God who protected her little developing body and she has not had any side affects from the exposures!!  Due to the "at risk" status, she was doing therapy, to make sure she hit all the normal milestones a baby should.  Rolling, crawling, walking, climbing, running.....etc.  Everytime we went to therapy, she successfully accomplished milestones and made the therapist so happy.  Well today, was graduation / completion day!!!  She has had no problems and the therapist sees no reason to continue with therapy.  Hannah truly is a miracle baby and we are so blessed to be her parents. 

Happy Therapist (Miss Jenn) with Hannah!! 

Making Memories!!

I promise my goal is to blog more......

We made the move to Descanso in May and are adjusting to the new lifestyle pretty well.  The kids each have their own rooms, and love it.  Thomas is quite the expert in airplanes, specifically fighter jets......the P-51 mustang and the P-38 Lightning!!  He loves to watch documentaries about them online......soaks up the information.   The amount of family time we have, the freedom Thomas has to play & the memories we are making are so wonderful.  Still trying to get through the last few boxes.....ugh never moving again (well we will have to when Jim retires...LOL)!!  Almost every afternoon, the kids & I will put on our shoes, grab a snack and head down the driveway to greet Daddy when he gets off of work.  I have captured many of these moments on camera, but here's a few recent ones.  After our vacation to Colorado, Thomas is ALL COWBOY now.  I must say he makes a pretty darn good lookin' one.  He is the best big brother, and he loves helping with Hannah. 



 



Headed down the driveway to see Daddy



Waiting for Daddy, with anticipation.

 

Daddy is spotted.  Both kids go running to him, with big smiles on their faces!!!