Sundae's for Samsel!

Saturday this sweet boy turns 1 year old. 

I can't even begin to tell you how tender my heart has been knowing we're missing another first.  Rather than dwelling on the sadness of missing his 1st birthday we are going to celebrate!  He may not have a first birthday party with hats and a cake but we want to celebrate his life and the life here waiting for him; we want him to know when he's older that we were so sad that he wasn't able to be with his family on his birthday and we want to honor the incredibly strong woman that brought him into this world and loved him first.  

Want to join us?  

Saturday we will be eating ice cream in celebration of Samsel's first birthday and we'd love for all of our family and friends to join us in celebrating us and eat an ice cream sundae (or cone, twister or milk shake).  Whatever floats your boat... perhaps a root beer float [smile]. 

We'd love to see photo's of you out with your ice cream celebrating our sweet baby boy! 

And because I can't just share a photo of one of our sweet guys waiting for us... here's our sweet Thomas

Click here for information on our Golf Them Home fundraiser.

Click here to buy a ball for the Golf Ball Drop fundraiser.

Golf Them Home

It's time for our last fundraiser!  

We are super excited for this one and hope ya'll will be too.  You can participate from near or far and help  us bring our sons HOME.  

Golf Them Home!    

What:  Golf Outing to fund-raise adoption costs to help bring home Thomas and Samsel  

When:  Shotgun Start @ 7:30 AM on Sunday, July 27, 2014

Where:  Cherokee Hills Golf Course | 5740 Center Road, Valley City, OH 44280

Cost:  $100/golfer
          • Monies due Sunday, July 20
          • Included: 18 holes with cart, Bagged lunch at the turn and a Picnic dinner following the round.
Outing Extras:
          • Hole-In-One Contest For Par 3’s: Hole 7 offers a grand prize of $10,000!  Holes 3, 11, & 17 include: Sharp LCD Flat Screen TV, Set of Big Bertha Irons from Callaway, and Golf & Round Trip Domestic Airline Tickets for Two
          • 50-50 Skins Action
          • Golf Ball Drop: There will be 500 golf balls available for purchase at $5.00 each.  Before dinner, the golf course will drop all purchased balls onto the 18th green and the ball that is holed, or stops closest to the pin, wins $250.  So purchase one, or ten, and enter to win a chance @ $250!  

Contact Aaron to register or for additional details. lagorga.aaron@gmail.com or 713-557-3278

The Golf Drop

Golf Ball Drop

In conjunction with the July 27^th “Golf Them Home” fundraiser to help us bring home Thomas and Samsel from Ethiopia, there will also be a GOLF BALL DROP. For five dollars you can purchase a golf ball to be dropped onto the 18^th green before lunch.  The golf ball that goes into the hole, or stops closest to the pin, wins $250.  Contact Aaron or Meredith to purchase a golf ball (or a few) for the chance to win $250 and help bring their sons home.

Email amlagorga@gmail.com

Phone number: 440-225-2091

**Winner need not be present to win.

**Maximum 500 golf balls to be sold.

Being Loved Well.

Five years ago I never would have imagined that not only would we selflessly be given a beautiful son but that we'd gain more family at the same time.  Adoption can be hard and ugly.. it comes from loss but it can also be beautiful.  And the last week of May I was privileged to watch the beauty of adoption continue to blossom as Gabe and I spent the week at his Gigi's house in New Jersey.  Gigi is Gabe's maternal great grandmother and as a surprise for her 80th birthday, Gabe's Grandma flew us out.  

The visit was magical.  And yes, I realize how cheesy that sounds but our time there was almost clandestine; a beautiful picture of all of the love that surrounds our sweet Gabriel.  Pictures do a much better job of describing all of the fun and love that were had in New Jersey. 

Gabe knew all about the fun he was going to have seeing Gigi, Grandma and Posey (Grandma's dog).  He approached the week so excited to see some of the people we love so dearly.  What he didn't know was that he'd be reuniting with his Great Uncle Glenn.  After nearly 5 years apart (seriously, is Gabe almost 5?!?!), they seemed to pick up right where they left off.  Not having seen each other since Gabriel was just a few days old, you would have thought that they may have needed a few minutes to get to know each other. That wasn't the case; the bond they forged long ago was found immediately and Gabe anxiously awaited Uncle Glenn's arrival every evening.  And it had nothing to do with the Dunkin Donut munchkins he brought along [Smile].

Words can't express how thankful we are for this family, our family who love Gabe and us so very well.  To live well and love well... they are great examples of both.