What do these children all have in common?  They are our children from China and they are celebrating being together for the past two years.  The little girl in the orange flowered dress and the little girl in the pink shirt were with Mark in China.  I sometimes wonder if they actually remember being together or will only know it because we keep bringing them together at least once a year so that they will have some connection to their similar stories.  These fine children are attached to some very special parents who consider themselves among the most fortunate on the earth.  Each one has a story and each one is cherished beyond measure.  It is wonderful watch them interact and even more wonderful to meet with other parents who have walked your journey and are equally blessed.  I wonder if Mark will still appreciate these reunions in a few years.  Right now he does not get it that he is the only boy.  In a few years he may hate having to go because they are "girls".  A few years after that he may be more interested, shy or embarrassed to be with them.  We are trying our best to keep them connected so that they feel that someone else "gets it" when they have to struggle through some of the rough patches of growing up.  The efforts are appreciated by the group and we will do our best to keep them connected.  "Blest be the tie that binds".  We are all connected by a red thread.