This year she chose to go to Goodberry's for some frozen custard.
A week or so before, we were able to reminisce about this momentous day with the other folks who experienced the day with us. There is a group of people that we will always have a special bond with. These couples had their lives changed for the better, along with us, that day in hot Chongqing, China. We get together each year to reestablish those bonds between the parents and the girls. This year we went to the Aron's house in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. We made the 10 hour trip by car.
stopped for lunch amid the mountains.
It always is such a special time. John and I both "click" with all these parents and Abbey loves seeing her "China Sisters". They will always share a special bond. They experienced their earliest days together.
l-r front-Gabrielle(hasn't attended the reunion.) Lacy, Hannah, Abbey. Backrow-Esther, Ellie and Kai.
Two of the girls were at a different orphanage, but they were picked up at the same time, so they are part of our yearly get togethers.
This was my baby....
This picture makes me so sad... I just want to pick her up and love on her.
as does this one. Knowing Abbey as I know her, I bet she is plotting her escape out of that crib
I love this one...I wonder about the kids that have slept there since.
This is what the outside of the orphanage looked like
For this weekend the girls spent time reconnecting over card games,
Crafts
Funny pictures...
Swimming and pool activities,
eating out
and just being girls
We lined them up according to age. With the exception of Dorina and Jody, (who were from a different orphanage), they all celebrate birthdays in September.
It was a long, long trip but this makes it all worth it....
That smile...that smile says it all. This is a wonderful thing for Abbey and the other girls.
Elijah doesn't share the same type of extended family. China had changed the way they did things when we got him. But, he has a special friend among the group. Emma is Esther's little sister who was adopted years later. She and Elijah have been special friends for years. This year, as the previous ones, they missed not a beat and hung out in their special little world.
They went off to eat by themselves. It was so cute, Elijah put down a towel for them and had Emma sit on it. They were inseparable the whole weekend.
It was an inspiring, wonderful, fellowship full weekend. Such a special time with a special group of people!
