Saturday, August 30, 2008

Anhui Angels

Adopting a child is an amazing experience. Adopting internationally only adds to the excitement. When you travel with a group of “strangers” to a foreign country and spend two weeks with them, it’s amazing how fast those strangers become your friends…and very often friends for life. Last weekend we traveled by plane to meet with our special friends to celebrate the one-year anniversary of our adoptions.

Doodlebug with LL and JK

All of these girls were adopted on the same day in the same province, but they are not necessarily from the same orphanage. Oh, how I wish I had “before and after” pictures of these sweeties. The change has been remarkable. They are all so healthy, so lively, so happy and SO loved! Sadly, this wasn't the case one year ago.
The family that hosted the reunion did an OUTSTANDING job. We met at their house Friday night for pizza and fun! LOTS OF FUN!!!
Saturday was filled with more food and fun at a children’s zoo and a beautiful park.

Here's DB hanging out at the zoo with her friends.
A group picture of the girls and their siblings-- unfortunately, CS, the youngest, isn’t in the picture.
LL, JK, Doodlebug and DD on the way to the swimming pool
After a picnic lunch and fun at the park, the girls enjoyed a swim in the neighborhood pool. Then, it was back to the hotel for a much needed nap.
Once the girls had rested, we went back to the host family’s house to enjoy a WONDERFUL cook-out.
Finally, a picture of all 5 girls and DD. Sorry that LL was looking the other way. Getting five 2 & 3 year olds to all look the same way and smile at the same time is no small feat! LOL
This is a picture of the cake that JK’s mother ordered for our little Anhui Angels.
I really think if this picture had been taken from any other angle, you could actually see their wings. lol

4 comments:

Ashton said...

What precious pix! I love the cake! DD & DB are just precious!

Mommy Spice said...

What an awesome time! The girls do look like little angels. You are so lucky your group has stayed together. Unfortunately ours faded. It's been almost 5 years for Spicy Girl, and we've never had a reunion. There's only a few of us who keep in touch.

Beth said...

How fun!! They are all so darn cute!!

We didn't get to have a reunion this year and LMF really missed getting to see her Anhui 'sisters'. I hope this is the start of a wonderful trend for your Anhui angels.

Anonymous said...

MD, what a lovely post. We echo your same sentiments, exactly! Er, well, as far as the wings go...there are days lately when LL's seems to have lost their glimmer, LOL! We are SO thankful you all could come, it would have NEVER been as special otherwise. Good luck being back in school teaching and to DD too. Aren't the fringe benefits much better now?