Happy Birthday, Sami

In Australia today, my niece, Sami, celebrates her 12th birthday.

Happy Birthday, Sami!

These first six photos of Sami were taken during my longer-than-expected sojourn back home in Australia (May 2006-January 2007) as I awaited the completion of my application for U.S. green card status.



Above: Like her Dad, Sami knows a thing or two about drums! (For more photos of Sami the drummer, click here.)




Above: Sami with her sister, Layne, parents, and grandparents.



Above: One of the last photographs I took when I was in Australia in January 2007 was of Sami and her goldfish.

Because I knew I’d be returning soon to the States and would accordingly miss celebrating her 11th birthday with her, I took Sami shopping at a pet store and asked her to choose a new goldfish - one that I would buy for her as an early birthday present. Sami chose a beautiful black goldfish, which can be observed in the photo above.

The mirror that can be seen in this same photo, and which contains on its surface a frosted image of a deer drinking at a stream, belonged to Sami’s great-grandmother and my paternal grandmother, Nanna Smith, who died in October 2005.



Above: My Dad, Sami’s Grandpa, sent me this photo of Sami celebrating her 12th birthday, just hours after it was taken on the evening of February 13 in Australia (February 12 in the US).


See also the previous Wild Reed posts:
Happy Birthday, Layne
Happy Birthday, Brendan
My Brother, the Drummer
Like Father, Like Daughter
A Rabbit’s Tale
The Bayly Family - July 2006
Catholic Rainbow (Australian) Parents
Gunnedah
Remembering Nanna Smith