Armenian Reunion 2012

This weekend we took our last big trip of the summer and went to Chicago to attend a reunion of families who have adopted from Armenia.  It was a smaller event, maybe with a dozen families, but we had a great time.  The meet & greet on Friday evening included a bounce house which both of my kiddos really enjoyed.  I was so proud of them for climbing in and out almost with no assistance and handling all the sensory fun a bounce house provides.

On Saturday morning, we went to Lighthouse Beach on Lake Michigan.  We got lost on the way there (we were walking from the hotel) and got to see more of the picturesque campus of Northwestern University than we had planned.  This was the kids' first time to the beach, so I wasn't sure how it would turn out.  After some initial uncertainty both Rex and Emilia decided that they liked the water and the waves.  The water was 78 degrees which is downright balmy for early August and we had some nice sunshine to keep us comfortable.

Emilia was very interested in a couple of beach volleyball games in progress and just plopped herself into the sand to watch for a long time.

After the beach we headed back to the hotel for much needed naps and then joined the group for a delicious Armenian dinner at a local park.  When we arrived there, it was pouring rain, but none of the kids let that stop them from playing and having lots of fun.  The sun came back out soon enough to end our evening on a high note.

Even though it seemed like the weekend was over in the blink of an eye, we had a wonderful time in Chicago and were so happy to connect with other families who have adopted from Armenia, many of them even from the same orphanage as us.  What a treat to be able to keep our children's heritage alive by getting together for gatherings like this reunion.