a 1 year reunion

The first week in May we made a trip to Michigan to visit some very dear friends. We hadn't seen them in a year...and we'd never seen them in America! We went to visit the families that we met in Ethiopia while we were there getting the boys. We spent 10 days together there, experiencing something life changing, and we became fast friends. They are people that I will always cherish, and it was so wonderful to see them again! We were so blessed that they opened their home to us and welcomed us like family. We spent 4.5 days together, making new memories, and enjoying the ones from Ethiopia.

At Lake Michigan! It was freezing, but we had to see it!

We also got to meet another AAI family! Wendy invited us over to her home for the afternoon. It was so neat to meet someone in real life that I have talked to over the phone and email for the last year!

The Pastoor kids, Redburn kids, and Dewey kids.

We were also able to meet up with the Beart's while we were in Michigan. Our four Ethiopian kids were good friends at Layla House and came home to America just weeks apart. I am so thankful that they took an evening out of their busy work week to drive and meet us!

What a fantastic family!

I'm pretty sure Tinsaye and I have a picture just like this in Ethiopia. I fell in love with her while we were there...and I can't describe the emotions of seeing her here, healthy and thriving with her new family that God designed just for her!

Brian, Solomon, Joan, Meredith, Thomas, Silas, Blake, Tinsaye, Graysen, Ashley, Hunter, and Lincoln.

These four were good friends in Ethiopia at Layla House!
Blake, Solomon, Silas, and Tinsaye

The Silvers joined us on Thursday and spent the night. It was surreal to see how much our Ethiopian kids had grown and changed over the last year. It was also amazing to see all of our kids together! Before we left we had to take some group shots...

The four Ethiopians that we traveled to get together...
Blake, Silas, Mintesinote, and Eliza

All of our kids together!
Jake, Blake, Eliza, Silas, Hunter, Graysen, Mintesinote, Nick, Abebaw, and Solomon

Does this picture look familiar?
Yup, it's the "fab four" back together again, this time state side!

We so enjoyed our one year reunion with our travel buddies!
I can't wait for them to come here in 2012!!!!