Every year, Doug has a trip to Washington, DC for a legislative conference. Every year, I go with him. The first two years, it was by ourselves. Two years ago, I dragged a reluctant Matt along with me. Last year, Becky came - and this year.....both the girls and I tagged along!

The flights yesterday went well (well, except for the very bad case of airsickness that Katie had as we were in initial descent into Dallas...I've now joined the very exclusive club of mothers that have caught throw up in their hands...). The girls did great on the planes, and Becky certainly has got her groove going when she flies. I guess two trans pacific trips in as many years gave her good training

As has become our tradition, we had dinner last night at Legal Seafoods - it was great - as always!

Today, we took the metro out to the suburbs (I love the suburbs on the east coast - 15 miles form the city and there are huge lots with lots of trees and great,big gigantic from yards...sigh - yard envy here..) to visit one of our travel families, Ben & Sandi and their kids - all 6 of them that are still at home! Their daughter Leah and son David were adopted when we adopted Katie. Leah especially loved Katie - and it was so wonderful to see them. It's a little hard to explain - but it feels like a safe place to be with our children. We have seen our children at their worst, have held one another up, have rejoiced over a word spoken or a hug given and have generally all walked together down a quiet and private road that is known to few - but blesses all who travel it. It was nice to be back on that road with them for a few hours today.

The little girls just loved the attention from the big girls - Emma's helping Becky learn to steer (not sure she ever really got that concept today) and it looks like Leah and Katie are playing bumper cars!

Burning off some energy before heading back to the hotel

Al the kids (except Ben & Sandi's oldest) - Leah with Katie, Matt holding onto brother David with brother Kevin in front, and Emma with Becky - a fine looking group of kids!!

Someone asked me if we were doing a lot of sight seeing in DC -and we are..but the sights we are seeing are the best ones - people that mean so much to us!

Where is Dog Heaven?

I believe that somewhere it is posted that dog heaven is at our house. At least for one little chihuahua terrier mix it is. Two weeks ago Friday, after dropping the girls at school, Sailor & I headed out to meet friends for a walk and breakfast. As I turned the corner onto the very busy street - two little dogs had 4 lanes of traffic stopped in all directions. Long story short - I was able to catch one of them - who was in pretty bad shape. We put up the posters and on Monday, got a call from a woman who thought she knew the owner - but wouldn't tell me who it was because of how poorly this person treated their pets.

Off to the vet for a teeth cleaning (poor thing needed 6 teeth removed they were in such bad shape!), some responsible pet owner surgery, a flea dip and vaccinations.

"Duke" as we now call him - has landed in doggie heaven as far as he is concerned!

Sailor is adjusting rather well to yet another intrusion on her formerly serene life....she just wishes that Duke was a little bigger so that he could enjoy some of Katie's "love"!

Spring Photo Shoot

Last February, our dear friend Kim asked me if she could photograph Becky & I for a school project. She did such a wonderful job that this year I asked her if she would do a photo session with the girls & I when she was home form college on spring break. I think the results this year are even better than last year (warning - there are a lot of photos!)

It warms my heart to see all those wonderful pictures of my girls together; I know that God must be smiling too ~

Memorable Dates

This week has been filled with a lot of stuff - both physically to do and mentally to work through. Combined with all the Easter activities, I didn't get a chance to write about an important date that we celebrate this week. Celebrate is the wrong word - because we don't do anything special really, but I will always pause on this day and remember.

On April 4, 2008 we received a call that would fundamentally changed our lives. I answered the phone call from our agency, conference called Doug in and heard Mei tell us "You have a daughter". It was both the end of a three year odyssey and the beginning of an amazing journey.

On April 5, 2008 - we saw our daughter for the first time. This picture is from February, 2008 ( I wonder if the UPS man has recovered!)

Same baby girl - two years later.....

I can not look at these two pictures side by side and not fall on my knees in gratitude to the One who makes these transformations possible. It is through His strength, mercy & grace that we have walked this journey. Who would have thought that the serious, solemn shut down baby we saw that day would be come the feisty imp that inhabits our world and rules the roost!

Becky was His child long before He entrusted her to us for the time being - and she will be His long after we are gone. He held her in His hands for the 14 months that she lived without her family, and He brought her exactly where He wanted.

I believe that God has redeemed my daughter's life through the miracle of adoption. I believe that while she had a less than perfect start in her life, He has risen beauty from the ashes. How can I look at this precious, adorable child and believe otherwise?

There is no better time than Easter Sunday to celebrate our own resurrected lives - changed through Jesus Christ. This Easter, our family got to share, for a brief moment, the resurrection we've experienced because of the Resurrection.

We invite you to watch

I can see clearly now.....

...my glasses are here!

Yes - we didn't think it was possible, but she got even cuter with the addition of her spectacles! When Katie had her eye exam, I also scheduled one for Becky - Katie's eyes are perfect- Becky is extremely near sighted with an astigmatism - just like her mom...go figure!

She keeps them on fairly well - and so far has only thrown & broken them once....

Easter Joy

Easter was filled with a lot of festivities for us that began last Monday - but it was hard for me to write about the fun things until after we had celebrated the Risen Lord.

The week leading up to Easter is hard for me - remembering the sacrifice made for me always leaves me so sad until we actually enjoy the Resurrection. This year, I felt led to fast from after communion during Thursday night church to sunrise Easter morning. I fasted not just from food, but from my computer - no email, no blogging (reading or writing), no Google, no Facebook - didn't turn it on once. It was easier than I thought (although making 4 dozen chocolate covered strawberries while fasting should be recommended to the CIA as a form of torture!). When my headache started on Friday afternoon from caffeine & chocolate withdrawals, I thought of the crown of thorns and it didn't hurt so bad. When I felt cut off from my "social network" - the words "My God, my God, why have your forsaken me" made me realize my separation was inconsequential.

Sunday morning, while the food tasted good, the words

He Has Risen Indeed

taster even sweeter!

So - on to the festivities! Last Monday, Tanya hosted on awesome Easter party for the Lucky Mommys - some of the originals shown here!

After an awesome lunch, it was on to the official Easter egg hunt; for it being her first Easter, Katie figured out the "egg hunt" concept pretty quickly!

Becky tends to get sidetracked from collecting eggs by seeing what's inside of each one!

The China kids - what an awesome looking group! It is getting slightly easier to get them all to sit still for a picture - next step will be to get them all looking up & smiling at the same time!

Friday afternoon we had an egg dying party at the house - messy...very messy...but fun! We had Vincent & Paloma and our very special friend Hannah who was visiting her grandparents (our good friends Art & Linda) who live across the street from us

(some were more interested in eating the eggs than dying them!)

Sunday morning - the aftermath of the baskets..they needed to check all under the grass to make sure they saw everything! (this made daddy just a little nuts!)

We went to early service this year (early being 9 am!) because we had and egg hunt & lunch planned for 11:30 for 8 kids and 18 adults - so I dressed up the poor children and dragged them out front at 8 am in the chilly morning to get our Easter pictures - I'm thinking it was worth it - they are awfully cute!

And the hunt is on!

once again - more interested in what's inside the eggs....

We had a lot of people, but a lot of great food and great fellowship!

What a wonderful way to celebrate the Risen Lord!

Alleluia!