the adoption club {it's fantastic}

when you adopt, you are automatically enrolled in the membership of a new club
a club that you didn't even know existed before-hand
it's like pregnancy, motherhood, marriage...
you can't get in until you're in
and once you are? you find something so fantastic...you didn't even know you were missing it in your life.

(eek!!!!! my favorite photo!! look at those trampoline smiles!!)

yesterday, we had the pleasure of meeting a club member who's been a blog friend for a while.
honestly, it sounds a little strange to me to say "i'm meeting up with a blog friend" but you know what?
blog friends are real friends. today proved it :)

when i say it was a blessing to spend the day these sweet friends, it was truly a blessing
what could be better than sitting on the floor, surrounding by sweet and loving kids...
and marveling at our sweet china girls as they bop around in such a similar manner
not only are they nearly the same age and size, but even the sounds their voices make and their cute, quirky mannerisms are so similar

 sweet, gorgeous Tahlia is so delicious, i wanted to scoop her up and kiss her all day.

but knowing she isn't so keen on strangers smooching her, i exercised a vast amount of self control and refrained from totally freaking her out :)

tahlia is the youngest of 5, and what a loving bunch they are.
everywhere i looked, there was someone holding one of our girls, playing with them, or helping them up when they fell. they spoke with kindness and sweetly embraced my three with such love.
truly, they make a family of 7 look easy

 my boys had never before been on a giant trampoline (gasp)!  they (meaning foster) thought it was the best thing on earth. within moments he already taught himself to do front flips and flying leaps.
rowan, however, was not enthused. see his lifeless body flopping around?? you can't see it in this picture, but he was sobbing and screaming. seconds later i saved him from tranpoline terror. he's a "second try" kind of a kid. i bet next time he'll be doing front flips with the best of them.

miss emery has newly overcome her stranger anxiety in the past month

she surprised me by letting any and all of the CanneLongo's hold her
she was also quite liberal with her saucy smooches, much to the chagrin of Tahlia who wasn't so sure if she wanted a big slobbery kiss :)

it's a small world
blog friends are real friends
and we are all so similar, even in our uniqueness
it was a pleasure to spend time with you my dear friend.
i can't wait until our next play date...
it's incredible to know we are in life together :)