Small get-together

Sunday evening, we had a few people over for BBQ chicken dinner. Ben Eastwood, the guy in the picture below with his hands in the air, was staying with us. He's from Australia, but has been living and working in Peru on and off for the last few years. He helps run a business there that puts together groups of volunteers that help build and/or maintain housing for the locals in Peru.

Sam and Ben eating on the front steps.

A few of the group, from left to right, Lee Ellen (standing up), Glenda, Mark, Meridith, Sarah, Robert, Laura, and Jolyn.

More Kirby...

He's just so cute, we keep taking pictures...

After his bath, Brian likes to style his feathers.

Kirby loves hoodies.

And keys...

And being a complete goof.

Sue's birth parents

Three weeks ago today, I received a phone call from Alice, a lady that runs the 'Canadian Adoption Registry' web site, telling me that my birth mother wanted contact. Two days earlier, I had put all known info on her web site search page in hopes that someday, I'd get a call or e-mail. So when the call came only days later, I was very shocked and excited. She then got some basic info from me; was I married, did I have any pets, what I like to do, etc. The next day, she called me back and asked, "Are you sitting down?" and proceeded to tell me that my birth parents had gotten married three years after my birth and that I had two full siblings. Since then, we've been e-mailing back and forth like crazy and finding out anything and everything. It has been thrilling for all of us, mom and dad want me to forward all our e-mails to them so they can get to know them too. And Joanne is excited too, when I told her, her jaw dropped, gave me a big hug and said, "That's kinda weird, you have, like, different parents than me...!"
There are no plans to meet yet, but we have talked about the possibility of when it might be time, and ok with everyone. This part is also very exciting because we've gotten over the initial shock and excitement of finally connecting and now thinking about meeting...it's a whole new set of feelings and emotions and an all new exciting. :)

These are my birth parents, Bruce and Mona. I don't know when this picture was taken but I believe within the last three years.

And these are my full siblings, Jenn and Mathew, taken three years ago at a graduation.

1st Anniversary trip

On the weekend of our 1st anniversary, Brian booked a surprise. It was a weekend at a tiny cabin right on the water near Southworth.

This is us starting to haul all of our stuff down a very steep little trail down to the cabin.

Isn't it cute?!

There was a rope swing but I never did try it out.

They had a canoe on the deck which was fun to take out. Brian took it out fishing a couple times.

Or not, if you can fish from the front steps why go out in the boat?

Lake Twentytwo hike

Us as we set out on our hike. It was so beautiful.

Once at the top, we sat on the board walk that went around the lake for lunch.

The stream coming from behind us in this picture was from the snow pack on top of the mountain. I filled my water bottle here and it was the best water I've tasted in my life.

That little valley on the other side of the lake is where we came up.

Another water fall on the way down.

Ohio trip - June 2007

We took a week trip to Kevin and Robins place in Ohio, the middle of June.

On our way to Ceder Point (only one of the biggest roller coaster amusment parks in the states), we stopped at a park on Lake Erie for a bit of fun in the sun.

Alayna yelling, "Fishy....fishy!!, you stink!" at a dead and very bloated fish.

At that same park, we went 'bird watching'...or rather bug swatting.

Back at Kevin and Robins, Troy and Raelynn came for a few days. Hence Troy becoming the human horse.

Went to watch one of Amanda's games. Everyone one was a winner, score was fun-to-fun.

Little Thea, cutest baby ever! I claimed her for the week.

Met Merlin, Tina, and Erika for icecream on their way to Kevin and Robins, after the baseball game.

Not a bad little pingpong player for her size.

Memorial Day camping trip

A group of us kids planned a camping weekend out on the WA coast at the Mora campground near Rialto Beach. There were about 17 of us total.

This is Justin's truck before we left, BBQ and all!

Gina showed us all the proper attire for a coastal camping trip, big socks, head band and all.

Rialto Beach looking north.

Some of us, on a log, at Rialto.

A cool tree on the hike out to Second Beach.

Large rock on the north end of Second Beach, Sarah and I in the foreground.

Cool starfish in the tidal flats, which were pretty awesome. Some pools were quite a few feet deep and teeming with sea life.

Sarah, Caroline (her first time to a beach), and Laura exploring the tidal pools.

Serious game of ultimate frisbee.

Melania wanted to play too!

Second beach.

Having lunch at Second beach.

Tiana and Robert.

Our camp, and cook Wanda.

She didn't like this too much but it was SO cute.

Justin's trying to shake the popcorn popper without getting burnt.

Some of the group had left already but here's most of us right before we packed up.