This little piggy is having a great summer and so are her mom and dad. We've had a vacation, a reunion, three weeks of swimming lessons and time spent in various pools, two vacation Bible schools, daytrips, and we still have a few birthday parties, including one extra special one, in the near future. I will admit I faced summer vacation with a little trepidation, but it has turned out great, and just like when I was a kid, I hate seeing Back to School signs already.
The reunion we attended was special because we saw a few of the families we met in China last summer. We saw firsthand how well all the children are doing and how they have thrived and changed over the last 11 months. We have a strong bond for having shared such a life changing experience, and it was wonderful to be with them again.
A highlight of the reunion for me was meeting a woman with whom I connected through the internet. Not only have I followed her blog for more than two years, but she was also a calm, funny voice of experience for me during the stressful time between our referral and our trip to China. Her darling daughter shines through pictures and her mother's words, and everytime I read her blog, I feel like I just sat on their front porch in a comfortable chair and enjoyed watching their lives happen before me. When we were at the reunion, I saw that little girl's sweet face run past me, so I called out her name and said, "Take me to your mommy." When I tapped her mother on the shoulder, and she turned around, it was pure delight to tell her my name and witness the look of surprise on her face as she connected the dots. How great to share a hug and marvel at how extraordinary it is that our lives were brought together. We had only bits and pieces of a few short hours to visit, but it was well worth the trip, and I'm sure at the close of day we both smiled remembering how special it was.
