GAFE 07!

Well we have returned from Parsipanny NJ!

We spent the weekend there for GAFE (Guatemalan Adoptive Family Event)!

We had a fabulous time!

We left out of here on Thursday morning...aka 5am! Took the Ohio turnpike to PA, PA turnpike to NJ, and to our hotel! It was actually a very relaxed trip. Dh was very pleasent on this trip, even stopped to look at a Harley dealer in PA, we stopped for a nice lunch at Perkins at bfe PA, and was very nice about letting me find things to listen to rather than kill me by making me listen to rush and hanity and assorted loonies.

The Sharaton hotel we stayed at was beautiful although a bit odd looking. I saw photos online and laughed that they would not build a hotel to look like that...but they did... It is built to look like a castle. It looks extremely strange but it is very nice inside. It had many meeting rooms, a huge gathering area (with free wireless for those people who's mother board did not go out on them) 2 swimming pools (one inside, one outside), a nice bar, a restaurant (little too expensive for us though) and our room was great!

We took little F with us as it is too soon to leave him....and the GP's spoiled E-man and K-man for the weekend... I'm fairly convinced that little F had a great time! He introduced himself to two older boys by pushing them in the stomach and from then on they were insepretable. They really took great care of him and all three seemed to have a great time. Dh seemed to have a great time also! He really can be a sociable person when he wants to be...and in settings like this, he usually wants to be! I had a great time also...but it was not all play! I was actually there to work and that is what I did for most the night Friday and all day Sat. I had a great time though connecting with people I have met before and I met soo many new friends while I was there!

We are planning already on going to the next one! Next time though we will take all the kids. I think it is a great expierence for them. Not only to see kids like them...but to feel some connection to a far away place.... they had so many activities for the kids and it was all focused around Guatemala and Guatemalan traditions... they made kites, they sang songs, made music, had Spanish lessons... etc. The older kids had talking groups and things like that. It seemed like everyone had a wonderful time...and I'm positive that our boys will totally be in their element when they go with us to the next event. I cannot believe how all three of our boys are soo socialble! I'm soo happy!!! I know how hard it is to be more of an introvert and wishing I could do things like this.... I'm glad to think they might not know that pain. I'm thrilled that they are friendly and open enough that they will have many friends and not feel the lonliness that I have felt over the years. It's great!

I cant wait till next year!