Autumn Moon Celebration 2013

This year's Autumn Moon Celebration was extra-special. Once again we went to a beach to spend the evening with our local "Families with Children from China" group and watch the moon rise, but this time, two families from our church body also joined in on the fun. What. a. blessing!

Here's Cherish with her sweet friend:

Our friends' daughters in a moon-pie-eating-contest:

These two precious ones came home from China within months of each other.

How I love them!!

This picture was taken on second base during a kickball game.

Rachel would kick the ball, and Andrew and I would run the bases.

Then Rachel would catch up to us at her own pace.

What fun we had teaming up!

(If you are unfamiliar with Rachel's story and her need of a new heart, you can read it HERE.)

Here's the group of children from our three families

(minus one night-swimmer--Cherish):

Cherish and Andrew getting ready for the moon to rise:

Um. It didn't.
Well actually, we didn't get to see the moon rise.
It got late.

So, we went home and camped out in the living room under the skylights.

We never saw the moon, but we did have a blast!

Here's a picture just before the children woke up:

What a great way to celebrate a Chinese holiday:
surrounded by others who care so deeply for orphans.