Febuary 18th - Finalization!

Before

Nathanael standing outside the courtroom doors, just before we all went in to finalize his adoption.

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After!!!!

One of us, forever!
You can see how excited Missie was when we told her that Nate was going to be her brother "forever and ever".

I want to take a little survey..... I really want to celebrate Nate joining our family, yearly, but I don't know which date to use. There are 3 possibilities;

1. December 14 - The day he moved in with us.

2. August 14 - The day we got legal custody, and his name changed, officially, to Nathanael Josh James Santo

or

3. Febuary 18 - The day his adoption was finalized.

I'd love it if people could post comments voting which day I should use. They are all so important. Thanks!

Buddies

These two trouble-makers have a blast together! It's so cute to see them having fun, and playing. Nate adores Micah. And Micah is so great with him.

'Who so poor,' asked Anna Kingsford more than a century ago, 'so oppressed, so helpless, so mute and uncared for, as the dumb creatures who serve us -- they who, but for us, must starve, and who have no friend on earth if man be their enemy?" - Christian Vegetarian Association Newsletter

All animals, including often overlooked farm animals, deserve to be treated with as much love and kindness as the chickens at Little City Farm.

Justin Douglas Neufeld

I think these pictures speak for themselves. Justin is so adorable, peaceful and precious. Michaela adored him! It was so wonderful to meet him before he was even a week old. We're so thankful to Josh and Heather for allowing us to barge in on them 2 days in a row. And thanks Mom and Dad for bringing us to Kitchener with you.

Pickles, I Think!

Little City Farm has 6 or so dearly loved chickens. The owners were so nice, and brought Michaela to collect their eggs, and she got to hold one of them (Pickles, I think). Michaela was beyond thrilled! It was an amazing experience for her.

Little City Farm, Bed & Breakfast

Michaela and I went to visit Josh, Heather, Jamie and Justin this weekend with Mom, Dad and Meghan. We stayed at a cute little Eco-Friendly, vegetarian Bed & Breakfast. It was very nice, the couple running it were very friendly, and the food was awesome.
Michaela sneaked into Grandma's room, and found her favorite sweater that Grandma wears often. She put it on, then came running into the breakfast room to surprise us. It was really sweet.

Welcome Justin!

Well I guess I can't say that Micah is my favorite nephew anymore, because now I have 2 nephews! I am so pleased to welcome Justin Douglas Neufeld into the world, and can't wait to meet him! We're so happy for you, Josh and Heather, and look forward to many more years of passing along little boy hand-me-downs! Love you all, you are a beautiful family.

Growing

I often look at the kids and wonder where the time has gone. Last night I lay awake in bed, thinking about how in 9 short months, Michaela would be off to school. I can't imagine my days without her. How will I bear to send her by herself on the school bus? Will she be liked? Will she be happy? Will she behave? Will I have prepared her enough? Will the thought of her being gone all day, day after day ever stop hurting? Sigh.

Wheeeeee!!!!

The kids had a blast using Michaela's new sled. The fun lasted for almost a week before the rain started, and the snow hill melted....so sad.

Finished just in time!

I built this for Michaela, and we gave it to her before we left for Kingston, because it was too big to fit into the car.
One of my biggest worries was whether or not she would appreciate it, but she really loved it!
Right away she got all of her favorite animals and people, and lined them all up in the house. Her auntie Heather helped us out with some great furniture for it as Michaela's Christmas present.

King of the Hill!

Jon Michaela and I shoveled all of the snow in our back yard into one corner, making an awesome sled hill for Michaela once she gets her Christmas present (shhhhh!). The snow almost reaches the top of the fence. So far, Michaela's favorite thing to do is stand at the fence and talk to people walking by, in her typical, friendly way.

Last Flashback, I Promise!

Santa!

This was the first year Michaela and Nathanael both went to see Santa! They were so good, and we had to pull Michaela away to give other kids their turn. She was her usual chatty self, and wouldn't let Santa get a word in! As we were driving to go see Santa, I asked Michaela what she was going to ask for, and she said, in a "Duh" kind of voice, "I don't know....a sled, I guess". Well our next stop was a rush into toys'r'us to pick up one of the last two remaining sleds left in the entire store. This was the first year Michaela had even asked for anything, so I had to get it! In this picture, Nathanael is wearing a reindeer sweater which is special because it was one of the very few outfits that came with Nathanael when he was brought to us, in fact he wore it the first time he visited our home, before he moved in with us. I can't believe it still fits!

December 14th

December 14th, 2007

One year of our lives has gone by, one very special year! Nathanael, we love every bit of you! Thanks for making this past year so full of excitement, joy, happiness and laughter. Thank you for being our son, and for being such an awesome sibling to Michaela. I love watching the two of you play. On December 14th, 2006 you moved into our home. I had the flu, you were sick, and teething, and Jon was working overtime to get stuff done before Christmas. I didn't know how we were ever going to make it through those first few difficult weeks, but we did, and you have grown into our handsome pride and joy. We love you!

December 14th, 2006

My Son

December 4th 2006. This is my favorite picture from the day we met Nathanael. It was one of his few smiles, and in the months that followed, crying far out-numbered smiles, but this special smile was caught on film, to be remembered always!

I Can't Believe it's Been a Year!

Yesterday, December 4th (above) marked one year since the day we went to go meet Nathanael for the first time. We were so nervous and stressed. We questioned whether we were doing the right thing. It was scary. Then we met him, and he was so small and sickly, with a horrible chest cold. It made us even more scared! So much has changed in a year! I can't imagine life or our family without him. Thank you little Nate for joining our family. Thankyou for one exciting year of milestones, ups and downs, and cute little kisses. I even forgive you for learning to say "Amma" (Grandma) before learning to say Mommy!
Missie and her brand new brother, Nathaniel.

Snow Wonderful Snow!

The kids are having so much fun playing in the backyard. It just reminds me of how glad we are to have moved out of the apartment. When we lived in the apartment we never went to go play outside. As soon as there was snow on the ground, within a day it was covered in dog droppings. It was horrible, and in the summer it was even worse, because you couldn't see it as well, and it didn't freeze. People can be so disgusting! Now, with our fenced-in backyard, we know the kids can play poop-free! It's awesome!

Great Minds....

Micah (5), Michaela (4), and Elizabeth (3). 300km apart, and still so much alike! And amazingly, they were all a different Ninja turtle. When I saw that picture on my Mom's blog, I had to steal it to put them all together. If Halloween had been on the weekend instead of a Wed. we might have done Halloween all together. Now that would have made for a cool picture! (and Nate could have been the 4th turtle!)

Happy Halloween

Michaela decided to go with a cyclops pumpkin this year.
Michaela went as Michaelangelo, the teenage mutant ninja turtle, and Nathanael wore Michaela's old Bumblebee costume. They both went out and had a great time.

Painting up a Storm!

My little Picassos. Although Nathanael was more interested in eating the paint and tearing the paper, Michaela has begun to produce real works of art.

The Beautiful Wedding

The Neufelds!
Michaela was so excited to see her first wedding!
Exchanging vows

What a Pair!

Sorry to the vegetarians out there, but Dad and Michaela like to fish, and eat fish. I just love this picture.

A Touch of Creativity

The cake I made for Cait and Sharons wedding (pictures to follow).
The painting I did of their house.

Micah!

Micah came for Michaela's Birthday party last weekend. The kids had a blast.

I Can't Believe She's 4!

Look at the pretty flowers!