Summer Retrospect

Summer went by so fast this year. The weather here in Western Washington didn't cooperate much, but on the few occasions that the sun came out we played hard. Our days were filled with trips to the beach and reunions with dear friends. Our family from California came to visit and we went to our adoption agency's picnic. We took a road trip to Eastern Washington and we spent many days at the zoo. Tomorrow we say goodbye to summer as we start our new school year. So here, in no particular order, was our summer:

Ruby at the beach on one of our rare very warm days.

Emily, Katie, and Ellie -- the Hubei "sisters"

U-pick strawberries -- so so sweet and they literally melted in our mouths!

This is what you get when you mix the beach, s'mores, long hair, and really strong wind.

The Washington Coast -- and, yes, this was in July.

Ruby loves the ocean.

Isabelle, Millie, Abby, and Shae -- the Spicy Girls from Loudi, Hunan. We have had an annual reunion with these families from our first travel group to China for eight years now.

One of our many trips to the zoo.

Maddie on the camel ride at the zoo.

We take a photo of Abby sitting in this snake sculpture every time we go to the zoo. She was born in the year of the snake and loves anything to do with snakes.

Our favorite animal on the carousel

Ruby LOVES riding the carousel -- and any other carnival ride for that matter!

With our cousins hiking at Hurricane Ridge

Visiting the Bloedel Reserve with friends

The Bloedel Reserve -- one of our favorite nature walks

Watching salmon jump up the fish ladder at Rocky Reach Dam near Wenatchee.

Most of the children attending the Lifeline/Small World Reunion Picnic in Spokane

It's a Girl!

Introducing Our First Grandbaby!

Serenity Danielle Afsoneh Peterson

Born on July 21 in Honolulu, Hawaii

A healthy and chubby baby!

Our oldest son Rob, the proud daddy

Scooter Babe

This afternoon the big girls moved all the furniture on the deck aside and created a scooter race track around the table. Not to be left out, Ruby claimed the "baby" scooter as her own. She was pleased as punch to be included in the game. As I watched I had such mixed emotions. Seeing her so happy and hearing her giggle along with her big sisters was so wonderful. But my baby just isn't a baby any longer. Yup, they grow up way too fast!

Getting the hang of this.

Oops -- maybe not quite a pro yet.

So proud of herself. Ruby thinks she is one of the big girls now!

Take Us Out To The Ballgame

We ventured into the big city to take the girls to their very first baseball game. It was a special promotions day that the Mariners do every year to celebrate families touched by adoption and foster care. We received free baseball hats, a player poster, and we got to walk all the way around the field before the game. The weather wasn't the greatest (fairly breezy) but at least it wasn't raining.

Country girls having fun walking into the BIG CITY

Walking past the Seahawks football stadium on the way to the baseball field

Annie in charge of the requisite super-sized bag of kettle corn.

Taking our photo at the left field entrance gate along with the Ichiro fans.

Standing in the outfield

High-5's with a real baseball player.

Standing at the outfield wall

Waiting for Mom to hand out sack lunches, snacks, peanuts, kettle corn, and juice boxes.

Oh -- and for the game to begin.

Ruby sporting her new hat. She had it easy all day -- riding in the Ergo on Mom's back to and from the ballpark. Everyone else had to walk the 30 minutes from the ferry to the ballpark, then all the way around the field for the pre-game parade of families, and then back to the ferry at the end of the game. Needless to say, everyone slept VERY well after our long, exciting day.

RubyJane -- One Year Later

One year ago today, RubyJane Elizabeth XiaoJie became our fifth Ladybug Princess. Our lives have never been the same.

One year ago - her eyes so fully expressed her sadness. Little did she know how much she would be treasured by her new family.

Today! Oh how we all LOVE and ADORE this little one!

FIVE Ladybug Princesses

SIX Years Ago Today

Six years ago today Brian and I were sitting in a large reception room at the Civil Affiars Bureau in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Six other families sat there too, nervously chatting, double-checking cameras, clutching stuffed toys, bottles, sippy cups and snacks, knowing that within minutes we would all hold our new daughters for the first time.

Shi Qian Yu - referral photo

And suddenly there she was!! Our Nathalie Tess QianYu - so breathtakingly beautiful and amazing - peering nervously through the door to the room, clutching the bottle that rarely left her hands for the next two years. She was scooped up by one of the nannies and brought to us when our names were called. We were completely overcome with joy to finally have our daughter in our arms but the feeling was definitely NOT mutual! She screamed, she kicked, she struggled with all her might to get away from these strangers who looked funny, smelled funny, and spoke a language she couldn't understand. For the next few days she let us know, loudly and in no uncertain terms, that she was not at all pleased with us and that she wanted to go back to her "Ayi".

Our first glimpse of our wonderful second daughter

In our arms forever!

That scared and sad little baby that we first held in our arms six years ago is now seven years old (how on Earth did that happen so quicklly!?!). She is a strong, vibrant, compassionate, brilliant, confident young girl. She still wakes up every morning with a smile on her face and love in her heart. Part of Ellie's Chinese name means “beautiful”, and that is exactly what she is both inside and out!

Happy 6th Forever Family Day sweet Ellie! Your family loves you to the moon and back. :-)

Missing Our Big Brother

We are missing our big brother Jason around here. He moved to San Diego -- and that is a LONG way from Seattle. Hopefully we will be able to make a road trip down there some time in the next year or so. And hopefully he will be able to come home for either Thanksgiving or Christmas. But until then, we will miss him -- a lot.