Summer Happenings.... so far!

Well, I do believe that summer finally arrived in the Northwest. Do I dare say that I think it hasn't rained in a week!!!! So, we've been trying to catch up on all the outdoor fun that we've been missing. Earlier this week, we got to meet the wonderful and ADORABLE Abraham!!!!! What a love he is!!! (not to mention how fabulous his mom and big brother and sister are too!!!) We had fun playing at the park together.... 3 moms, 9 kiddos (4 Ethiopian beauties)-- it was a great time and one that I hope we'll repeat VERY soon!!!
And today... we spent the day with my sister! She lives about 30 minutes from me, but it feels like a world away! She lives out at the beach. Her place is up on the bluff in this small little neighborhood/community and you can walk the million stairs down to the beach. But once there.... you're in a different place. We didn't see anyone else down there the entire time! Jake collected crabs under the rocks while my sister and I chatted and entertained Grace. The next hot day, we're packing more stuff (if that's possible-- and even a small tent for Grace in the hopes she'll take a nap)... and spend the ENTIRE day in our own little world!!!!
On an Ethiopian note.... I met an Ethiopian woman and her darling 10 mo. old little boy at the grocery store the other day and they live in my neighborhood!!!! We exchanged phone numbers and we've already been invited to her son's 1st birthday party!! So sweet! If neither of us move in the next 5 years... the kids will even go to school together-- how great is that!! Meeting this woman, and her mother-- who had the traditional tattooing along the jaw line (Coptic Christianity??)-- well, it made me miss Ethiopia. One thing lacking here in the USA is feeling of community and the strength of the family unit! I could tell the older woman didn't really speak English, but once I said that Grace was Ethiopian, the grandmother lit up and walked over to Grace and smiled, kissed her hand, arm, cheek..... just so loving! I felt that they instantly accepted us as "family" and there's just something about that that just feels like that's the way life should be.... open and loving towards all!!