China Reunion Weekend

Brown County State Park in Indiana, Abe Martin Lodge and five families that travelled to China together two year ago. It was hot and muggy, just like China, but I guess we are use to sweating together. The little girls are all getting ready to turn 3 and all are growing and talking and scampering around. Julia was at her 7 year old best. What a joy to see them all plus the wonderful grownups and siblings that the kids are attached to!

As we had to pass through Indianapolis, we took the opportunity to pick up our ShaDiamon and include her in our weekend. It has been a year since we've seen her last and it was so sweet to spend some time with her. Julia especially enjoyed have her "Diamon" to sleep over in the same hotel room, swim, and run around with. I think that ShaDiamon enjoyed herself as well and we hope to make come Christmas vacation plans.

On Saturday morning, after a big breakfast, we headed down to the stables to ride the appropriate sized horses. David and ShaDiamon joined most of the Scotts to go on a trail ride and the little girls lined up to ride the ponies.

This is an unusual pony ride. I paid for the ride at the cashier and then was told to go over to the ponies who were tied to the fence with a trough in front. I can't remember what the name of Julia's horse was but it was something cute like Noodle, and he was a real pain! I lifted Julia onto the horse and tried to get the horse to disengage from feed, head up, and moving towards the oval. When his head came up, he was headed around the oval faster than I was willing to walk him around. I pushed and pulled and slammed myself against that horse to gt him to slow down and go the way that I wanted him to go. LOL. The video would have been very funny.

Other pony riders included Petra with Kim in the lead . . .

Jaden with Momma Traci . . . .

And Jenae with Daddy Calvin.

Meanwhile, David and ShaDiamon were riding the big ones! Traci caught another side of David's ride.

After a great lunch which Becky planned and Jenae's grandma helped with, naps for the littles, swimming for my girls and Tracie's big kids, the group assembled for dinner.

And then outside for family pictures.

Becky did so much great planning for the weekend. She and Calvin and Jenea are waiting for a son and little brother coming home soon.

Kim and Ed and Petra -- oh that pixie Petra.

The Smiths -- Valerie and Kevin played with ShaDiamon and Julia in the pool and around the lodge. By the end of the weekend, Julia was hugging Kevin and telling him that she would miss him. WE miss all of thm!
Angela and Lainey looking happy and doing so well. We missed Lainey's daddy but we expect him next year.

Us!

Craft Time!

We went back to the lodge to make frames for our new Red Couch picture. I brought plastic frames, stickers, jewels and glue and paper. It was not really as cool as the tee shirts from last year but the kids could almost do these by themselves with only a little bit of mommy coaching. Who knew that we have a few craft shy among us?

Julia found time to make a little sculpture with some play dough. .










The girls ran aound and danced around.

While Tracy and I talked.
Next morning, we tried once again to a great red couch picture. Our previous attempts -- 2006 in China and 2007 in Indianapolis -- were not entirely successful. The best picture taken in 2008 can be found here. The out takes are right here!

Now here is a picture in which no one was smiling. You know how hard that is to get????

Julia was the first to advise us that she was finished posing . . . .

But not the last.

And just one more picture of ShaDiamon and Julia.

It never ceases to amaze me how fortunate we were to travel to China with this wonderful group of people. To have gone on this incredible journey for a daughter was our aim, but we came back with China sisters and dear friends. Our family grows.