Summer Reunion, Part 2 ~ July 28th

Sunday morning was hot and sunny again as we packed up and went back to the Friends' home for brunch. (I wish I had a last name as cool as that...) We tried to keep the kids out of the pool until after we'd eaten...

Thomas' sunburn is not so red now...

 Summer stylin'

All the girls are best friends now!

 Catching a mellow moment together~

 A first attempt at a group shot...

 Ai-Li discovers a dead bee~

 Making bead jewelery~

 My sunshine girl, at least when traveling.

 Pretty in pink, the colour of the weekend.

 Thomas helps out, such a nice brother.

 Nadine and Melissa discuss their love of children's books. Check out Nadine's
 new business, Barefoot Books. I've got my order in now...

 Time for a quick hug with Daddy.

  Isabella was well on her way to starting her "Gangnam Style" dancing!

 Pretty hard to get them all focused... just missing Saffron.

 The glare of sun off the pool made it hard for us to all look at the cameras.

Happy and proud Mommies ~ are girls have come so far, and so have we!

 "Daddies' Girls",  who have them all wrapped around their littlest finger...

 Back to the pool before heading home. Once the
 funny faces started, Nora wouldn't stop!

 And just like we hoped, all the activity tired Nora out with minutes of departing. :)

 Around Merritt ~ Our drive home was super peaceful, until we hit a
traffic accident in Chilliwack and crawled along for an hour. Otherwise it was
a wonderful weekend, and we hope we'll be together again soon.

In reflecting on the early experiences of our girls, I feel that they and others around them were "sisters" in a way. With likely sharing cribs as well as the similar experience of international adoption in "finding" their forever families, the girls have much in common and it is a delight to keep in touch with each other. This poem seemed fitting, even though it doesn't necessarily fit our girls' situation exactly.I am also not naive enough to think that if it weren't for me, Nora would not have been adopted. There were many other couples waiting in line behind us, so she may have become a Texan, a Spaniard or Australian, a Parisian or Norwegian. I'm just grateful that God chose her for us, not because I deserved such a blessing but because God is so very good. :)

Nine Little Girls from China~ Virginia Lynne

Nine little girls
All dressed in white
Soft and pretty
In the morning light
Holding hands with giggles and grace
Pausing to glance at your mother’s face
I watch you play with your China friends
Wondering, wandering, together again
Where would your world go?
Where would your heart be?
If I hadn’t sought you
Crying and longing
Who would have kept you?
Who would have waited?
If I hadn’t been there
Waiting and praying
Nine little girls
Growing so fast
What of their future
Comes from the past?
Beauty on beauty
You always will be
Laughing or singing
Or dancing for me
Here in the world is there sorrow enough
To fill and fill my China girl’s cup
But sorrow though wide, is never as deep
As the love our Father, high and steep
Nine little girls
All dressed in white
Loved beyond measure
Treasured pearls.

 Ai-Li, Isabella, Jenna, Saffron & Nora ~ Sept. 2010