Celebrating Our Country's Freedom!

Yesterday we had a fabulous time with our good friends celebrating our country's freedom. We enjoyed a dinner together, complete with BBQ and apple pie! Thanks Stephanie!! You are the bestest!! :) And then we headed out to watch some fireworks! I think Karleigh Mei thought we were crazy...as we left early, set up our chairs in an empty parking lot, and sat and waited for what I'm sure seemed like nothing to her! And I should mention it was HOT!! When we headed home at 10:00pm I noticed that it was 95 degrees. It had to have been at least 100 when we were sitting in that parking lot.

Here are some pictures of us as we waited for the fireworks to start. Can you tell Karleigh Mei looks confused!? :)

~Karleigh Mei and Nathan

~Lexie and Karleigh Mei
~Waiting with Gannon

~My beautiful youngest American Girl

~The boys...Garrison, Andrew, Gannon, and Nathan in the back
~Beautiful girl
~Waiting for the fireworks to begin
~The best shot I got of the fireworks and Karleigh Mei. She enjoyed it so much she is STILL saying, "More fireworks!"

This night also reminded me of the last 4th of July. Last year I was still dreaming of the day that I would look into the face of my darling girl. I had had a feeling that we were getting REALLY close to getting a referral---as two of my friends with our agency who were LID about the same time as us and had been on the waiting child list for about the same time, had already received their referrals. I remember feeling so anxious this night, thinking that more than likely the next 4th of July we would be sharing it with our Karleigh Mei. And that THAT 4th of July, she was somewhere in China waiting for us. Six days after the 4th...my hunches were right...and I saw the most beautiful little girl with the most precious little lips on July 10th. 

More to follow on that beautiful day, July 10th 2008.