Sunday Snapshot {Non-related family}

Here they are.

Four of the "Guangdong gals" as we moms of the girls tend to call them.  They simply call themselves "China sisters."

Some people get caught up on the "technicality" of family relation.  But these four girls were "born" to their forever families in a hot, crowded room in Guangzhou, China on the 5th of  February, 2007.  In our eyes ~ and much more importantly ~ our hearts, that makes them sisters.

And therefore their parents and siblings, along with the parents and siblings of the other seven girls of the Guangdong section of AWAA's travel group 121, are our family too.  Even if none of us are "related."

Three of our families are blessed to live within twenty minutes of one another.  Kylie attends weekly play dates with Lottie and goes to church with Darby.  And while Caroline and her family live in Indiana, we get to see them at least once a year when we go visit Grandpa Curly.  This time though, we got to see them for a "mini-reunion" in NC as they were on their way home from the beach.

For about four hours time stood still while we enjoyed "just being" as four families brought together by an amazing bond.  There was corn to be shucked,

and a NC summertime BBQ feast to be consumed.

In the 3 1/2 years that the girls have been home, our four families have grown from 17 to 21 in number.  Henry and Caleb became the little brothers of Darby and Kylie on the same day in October of 2008.

"Baby Corrie," who joined Lottie's family in June, found a new friend in Caroline's sister Abby.

And our Darcy, who came home in March, asserted herself as "one of the girls" while they ate dinner.

We ate, took a few pictures, caught up on lives, discussed future dreams and simply enjoyed the few hours we had together.

The NC girls may not get to see Caroline often, but it was heartwarming how they picked up right where they left off the last time, whether it was just in May when we were in Indiana,

or last October at the AWAA national reunion.

At one time I thought that we'd continue to visit with these folks "for the sake of our girls."  But somewhere along the way they simply became family.  And now I couldn't imagine my life without any of them in it.

As one of the girls recently said (after having her first "mean girl" encounter), "Mama, my China sisters would never treat me like that."  You're right sweet girl, they wouldn't.  And you've got a really big extended "China family" that has got your back as well!


We're already looking forward to the next time we can gather to share a little bit of life together!

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