Guangdong Gals reunion (day 1 ~ July 10)

Anticipation flowed higher as the miles to our reunion diminished. After 5 hours (that should have been only 3 ½ thanks to traffic on I-66) we finally arrived at Mike and Wendy's house. Five of our “China families” were already there and we were the last to arrive that night. I still find it amazing that so many families with such diverse backgrounds and stages in life have come together to become family despite no blood relation. Perhaps it is because we all realize how completely and without question we have come to love our girls. Perhaps it is because we all (even coming from different denominations of the Christian faith) have personal relationships with Jesus Christ. I suppose that actually it is a combination of the two. Whatever it is, I am so glad that it is there! I have come to love each member of our travel group 121 Guangdong group ~ now even more.

I only got my camera out one time that night as we were hungry on arrival and quickly sat down to eat. The rest of the night we sat around in small groups catching up from the last time we'd seen each other and laughing as our girls fell into playing (or fighting) together as if 17 months had never passed. I'm still not sure how they fit, but at one point there were four girls in the car. They sure were cute fighting over the steering wheel...

Clown car training? Sarah tries a Dukes of Hazard approach into the car as Grace drives, Kylie shuts the door and Darby tries to find her way out of the trunk. Caroline seems to question what the commotion is about!

We discussed jobs, raising two year olds, the dumb adoption related questions that we've heard, our churches, and our vacations. We were excited over accomplishments of one another's kids and grieved over family losses that some of us have faced. As wonderful as it was to begin catching up, someone wisely suggested around 11pm that we had several more days to talk...