if you’re a long-time follower, you’ll remember samantha and michael from their very fun st. augustine portrait shoot back in 2009. mike, our cousin on eileen’s side, and sam were married during our family’s “wedding rush,” when all the cousins who grew up together seemed to be getting married off within a few months of each other. just a couple years later, it was “baby rush” time — and although they held out a few months longer than the rest of us, mike and sam finally announced their good news last summer at one of our crazy family reunions, adding to the hysteria of everyone’s BlumeBooth antics. a girl. little abigail!

eileen and i have been so excited for these two ever since! not only because we now know what incredible joy their first child will bring into their lives, but also because these two are going to be such terrific parents! i can already envision mike performing a goofy standup comedy routine in front of little abbie’s highchair (after she’s born and actually in the chair to see it, of course — although i can also envision him performing to an empty chair for practice), and sam — who is already a grade-A, world-famous elementary teacher — is undoubtedly going to be the sweetest, most nurturing mother a kiddo could hope for (as long as that kiddo doesn’t follow too closely in mike’s footsteps, in which case sam will be forced into the role of severe disciplinarian).

living so far apart, we never get to spend enough time with sam and mike during our visits. so it was a real treat to spend this afternoon with them after their atlanta baby shower. “and what was the best gift given at the shower?” you might ask. in fact, it was a gift sam and mike gave to us! we were pleasantly shocked and deeply honored that we will play an important role in little abbie’s life, as her ninong and ninang (a relationship similar to that of godparents). we love you guys, sam and mike! and we can’t wait to meet abbie. we love you already, too, our little inaanak!

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