Meeting Old Friends

Last week, I loaded up my Suburban with food, drinks, luggage and 5 of my 6 kids plus a friend (leaving hubby and teenage son home), and began the 10 hour drive to Illinois. This is the second time in the past 3 months that I have made this trip--a record for me!! Since we live so far away from family, I typically spend my entire time with them---hanging out and catching up. This time, I was determined to visit friends and other family while there.



First stop was a small park in LaHarpe, IL, the town where I grew up. I met a friend from my growing up years there who is quite an amazing artist! She and her husband took several pictures of my brood and we are in the process of creating a picture/portrait for her to paint. I'm excited to have the diversity and personalities of my 6 children portrayed in a work of art that will hang on my wall for me to enjoy for years to come! (Side note: you may also be interested in visiting my friend's blog to find out how her new friendship with Roger Ebert began!)



After the photo session, all 7 of us loaded back up in the 'burb' and headed to my parents house. It was at this time that I gently informed my parents that we would be staying in a hotel and going on excursions to visit other family and friends. They took it rather well---was that relief I saw on their faces?! :)



So, over the next several days, we visited family that I hadn't seen in years. It was good to reconnect face to face rather than just through emails or facebook!!! Some of them met my children for the first time and I met theirs for the first time! Very cool!!



One of my very favorite stops--a highlight of my trip, for sure--was to see an adoption/blog friend, Shelly Roberts.





Shelly and I used the same adoption agency so when she travelled to bring her daughter home, she was able to meet my 2 girls. She was one of those much appreciated blog friends who sent me pictures of my daughters during my wait to pass court! Those of you who have waited know how much those pictures mean to a waiting family!!



It was special, after having watched her family grow up on her blog, to finally meet and watch our girls play together!! If volume (amount of noise they produced) and fun are directly related to one another, then those 5 girls had tons of fun!!! :)






A tribute to the power of adoption.....bringing strangers together to become friends forever!!!