I love this picture of Hannah.

Anyone ask for a ham sandwich?

Swimming with cousins on the 4th of July.


Fun in the sun.

The finished product.

All green and fair the summer lies, Just budded from the bud of spring, With tender blue of wistful skies, And winds that softly sing.

Susan Coolidge

Summer is upon us and so our family is once again instantly busy at all times. It is like there is an invisible threshold between spring and summer and once you pass it your family life kicks into high gear.

This last week was eventful in many ways. The house is finally complete, we celebrated five months since Elainea joined our family, and she celebrated her first 4th of July as an American citizen. Hannah surprises me all the time with her observation skills. She came up to me and told me "I am so glad that we live in America so we can have twelve-hundred and sixty-six children if we want them." I do not know where she got the number from, but I thought how profound that is. There are many personal liberties we have in America that many people have payed the ultimate sacrifice so that we may enjoy them, and in some cases take them for granted.

I am once again reminded of how I felt when we landed back in the United States. Do not get me wrong, China is a beautiful country with wonderful people, but the people still struggle under a communist-like government. I keep thinking of how blessed we are together as a family. I wish there were some way that we could let Elainea's birth mother know that she is so healthy and happy now.

I will write more later....