I'd like to say a special "Happy New Year" to our dear friend, Tony (Chief Anton Barte), who is stationed in Iraq and will coming home this year, finally! This is his second tour of Iraq; he has been so dutiful in serving in our Navy and has sacrificed so much. The countdown is on for his much anticipated return in 2010!
I met Tony through his wife, Alaina, and their son, Jordan. Jordan and Josh spent the first couple years of their lives growing up together and whenever we took the boys out in public, whether it be the park or a store or a restaurant, people would always come up to us and ask us if the boys were twins! They were born only 9 days apart and they look so much alike!
Even though the Barte family has had to move around every few years due to Tony's station reassignments, they have been like family to us and we miss them so much. Josh and Jordan are like brothers! Tony is like a big brother to me. (This may sound strange, but he was the first Korean adoptee that I've ever befriended--heck, he's technically my only Korean friend at this point, which could be considered even stranger. It's hard to believe, but in my lifetime I just haven't met many Koreans out in the "wild," let alone another Korean adoptee; so, meeting him was very special to me. Most Koreans usually reject me, because I can't speak Korean and I don't act "Korean.") And, Alaina is like a nurturing mother, a compassionate sister and a trustworthy best friend all combined into one. She helped me through some of the hardest stages of Josh's colicky babyhood and she tolerated me in my sleep-deprived, tired, moody, frantic, delirious, hormonal-clueless-new-mother phase. I doubt I could have made it through all that without her help and unconditional support. She was the first person I could trust to watch Josh, so James and I could go out on a date and see a movie together.
Anyway, I'd like to share one of my favorite photos of the boys that Tony took when we visited them at their previous station in New Orleans.
Tony is a very talented photographer and has been taking countless photos while in Iraq. I am sure when he returns, he'll be shooting at more events and photo sessions. Check out Anton Barte's website to see some of his other work!
2010 will be a very Happy New Year, indeed, because we get to have Tony back!
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That is a WONDERFUL photo of Josh and his friend. If I were you I'd want a big copy to frame and hang on my wall.
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