Our Journey to Carson

Fun Day Sunday!

Sunday started off with the preschool choir (also known as the 4 and 5 year olds) performing in big Church! This is a big deal for the kids...probably a bigger deal for the parents, to tell you the truth...and I was worried that Carson wouldn't cooperate. As they lined the kids up, he ended up front and center. Front and center??!! What were they THINKING?!

First a picture of the whole crew....awwwwww! See Carson, in the sweater vest?
But the close-up picture actually gives the real story:
Carson scowled through the entire program! He sang when he was supposed to and, while he didn't do the hand movements with the other kids, he DID tap his right foot to the music through both songs. But that mean face...it cracked us all up!! I think the lights were too bright and he was trying to focus his eyes so he could find Mommy and Daddy in the crowd. When the kids came back to the preschool area (it was my week to work at the preschool desk), he saw me and yelled, "Mommy, I danced!" Yes, you tapped your toe Little Man...but why didn't you smile?? Thank goodness he didn't break out in his tap dance routine...

Sunday afternoon, we went to a pool party at Chelsie and Alan's house. Chelsie and Alan adopted Max from Tongling, which is in the Anhui province very near where Carson lived in China. Chelsie and I "met" through the Yahoo groups and have tried to get the boys together for playdates. While I was in school, though, it was tough to find the time. Chelsie got tired of waiting on me to find free time and just invited us over...and I'm so glad she did.

She also invited Lou Ellen and Doug and two of their soon-to-be seven children. I've also "met" Lou Ellen through the Yahoo groups..."the famous Lou Ellen," I like to call her. They are hoping to head to China to adopt that seventh child, a girl, early next year. Since most of the Chinese cultural events we attend are geared toward the girls (with lots of dancing and crafts), Chelsie has made it her goal to try to get our China boys together as often as possible. Lou Ellen and Doug brought their adorable Elliana and Wesley along for the party as well as Syris, their exchange student from Hong Kong.

While I was changing out of my swimsuit after we all got finished swimming, Chelsie got these pictures of our China darlings all together. I couldn't choose just one favorite...so I'm posting 'em all. From left to right we have Carson, Max, Wesley, and Elliana.Then I got my camera out. Carson really enjoyed the refreshments...especially the Kool-Aid, which we rarely buy. (That's Lou Ellen and Syris in the background.)
Doug (minus the top of his head...oops!) having dinner with Elliana and Wesley. That's Max closest to the camera.
Max with a mouthful of cookies. (Goodness, now Doug has lost his ENTIRE head!)
Meggie wasn't originally coming to the party because she had plans with her friends. Those plans fell through at the last minute and Kevin went home to get her. The kids had been kinda subdued all afternoon. That changed when Meggie arrived!

Meggie and Elliana, thick as thieves from the moment they met! (Does Meggie need a sister or WHAT??)
That is the WORST fake sleeping I have EVER seen!!
Wesley was so shy at first...by the end of the night he was climbing off Lou Ellen's lap and onto mine. What a sweetheart!
Max and Elliana crushing Meggie while they all pretended to sleep. (Their acting really isn't improving...)
I can tell you that getting a picture of these kids cooperating was just NOT gonna happen! I gave up and decided candid shots were more fun anyway!
A very sad attempt to get all the kids in a picture with Ollie. The only part of Max that made it in the picture was his left foot!!
Carson doesn't see dogs very often, but he loves to pretend he IS a dog. Here he is, showing Ollie how to sit like a good doggie. Notice, Ollie is completely ignoring Carson.
And here we have Carson running away when Ollie looked in his direction! Oh, yeah, you're brave when Ollie's looking the other way!! Too funny!!
We were trying to wind the evening down...feeling we had overstayed our welcome since it was getting dark outside...but the kids were just getting started. Meggie got the brunt of the over-sugared enthusiasm of these wild children! (Who brought those cookies anyway??)
Meggie and Elliana giving me one more silly picture before we all said goodbye.
We had SUCH a great time at the pool party and really appreciated Chelsie and Alan opening their home (and their pool) to us. Dinner was awesome and the company was even better! Lou Ellen and Doug are so sweet...and it's funny that we are nearly neighbors but met through Chelsie, who lives in a neighboring city!

Looking forward to our next get-together...and watching these kids grow up to be great friends!