It may be my fault !

When planing our trip to Minnesota and California, I suggested that we should return home through Ohio to meet with friends there , as well as a team that will be travelling to KG with us in March .. Julie was not sure if that might be pushing it, and when the Airlines said we did not have the points for that ,I just dropped it , and planned that we would drive down in a couple weeks .  Yesterday when we landed in Detroit for a 30 minute connection  we were told that Toronto was closed and our flight was cancelled   In fact we would not be home until late Sunday night , and we would be flown to Cincinnati first then connect from there .  So we spent last night in a hotel in Detroit, and this morning we flew to Cincinnati for the week end ... as I had originally tried to plan... and that ladies and gentleman is why the eastern seaboard is shut down... so that I would get my way , or at least that's the way it is playing out in Julie's mind. .  We are so Blessed to be able to spend some time with some great friends , and tomorrow after church we will meet up with the team travelling with us in the spring .  

Our time in California was so great and such a blessing .  

beautiful Scenery  along the way 

first day in CA with long time supporter  of  everything Kyrgyzstan , the Brotherton Family 

 Then it was of to Suzanne B's for la luncheon and an overnight .  It was so great to see her again and to see her amazing Daughter .. they are such great Hostesses .

This was a special meeting for me .. Tina's father sent the very first unsolicited donation we ever received for our work in Kyrgyzstan .. I still remmeber the feeling when it arrived.. It was then that we realized that it was bigger then just us ..that we were just the ones that got to go but so many where behind us making it possible  

The next day , after stopping for a visit with Mr Hank from SOC, we went to the home of Bill and Ivy Lee ., where we met up with Cindy Lajoy and her kids . together we hosted a Kyrgyz/Kazhak open house.  

it was such a blessing for us to see old friends again, as well as meet some new ones in person that we have known on the Internet for so long 

lunch on the deck 

a couple more Ladies we have known for a long time, but have just had the opportunity to meet in person 

We knew Dylan from the Tokmok Baby orphanage , and it was so cool to spend some time with  him in his home ."Done my Chocolate .. now to just relax "

We got to meet Ivy's Family..Times like this I am reminded that adoption is not just about  the kids or the new parents, but there are entire family networks that can be part of the process, and are blessed by it 

they even had a birthday cake for Julie 

Cindy taking a moment ....