Brian Cannelongo and I have known each other since middle school, although he doesn't remember me since I was a year behind him and the new girl. We reconnected in high school through Young Life. Our separate high schools did club and Campaigners together, so we have been friends for over 20 years. My husband soon joined the picture, and then Johanna, Brian's wife, shortly after that in college. The interesting thing about our friendships is that Andy and I got married on Brian's birthday, and then a week later, Brian and Jo got married on my birthday. If that's not fun enough, Andy and Brian thought it would be fun to surprise Jo and me with an "impromptu"meeting in Hawaii since our honeymoons overlapped. And while we haven't been integrally involved in eachother's lives, when we do get together, it's like no time has passed.
I think we have laughed a half a dozen times at the thought that if you had told us in Hawaii as newlyweds that between our two families we would have ELEVEN children, we would have thought you were crazy. But over the last 16 years, the Lord had plans for us, including the gift of continuing to intertwine our stories.
A few years ago, I got to sit with Brian and Jo at a Young Life banquet. It was so great to catch up on their lives and we had a strange similarity to what was going on in our families. Brian and Johanna were in the process of waiting to go pick up their first adopted daughter from China. Jo had shared how the Lord had aligned their hearts for adoption, but it had been a process because it had not happened at the same time. At the time, Andy and I were going through the same thing. We were trying to patiently and prayerfully wait for God's unifying peace with the same question of whether or not to expand our family. Fast forward two years, and their family of seven is in the process of being a family of eight while they wait for the second adopted daughter from China. And we are a family of seven living in Hong Kong.
As the time got closer for them to pick up their sweet Gianna, Jo and I just kept praying that the timing would work out that they could stay with us. We thought it would have been a cruel joke for them to be here in Hong Kong after we had already left for the US for the summer, but God worked out the timing, and we were able to host this amazing family of 8 (plus two loyal and loving grandparents) for the weekend after they have traveled in China for 2 1/2 weeks. Leading up to their visit, and reading their updates, I found myself so connected to their experience. Not that I believe that adoption is in our future (crazier things have happened), but it dawned on me that what little Gianna is going through as she had to say goodbye to the sweet nannies who have loved her and cared for her over the many months is the same thing that my little Sarah will have to go through when we leave Hong Kong. It's not exactly the same, but my heart hurts for Sarah when I think about leaving our dear Marina, since out of all my children, she has spent the most time with her and has known her all her life.
Finally, our dear friends arrived Friday evening. No worse for wear, everyone got sorted and it was amazing how our children just paired up. Saturday morning was laid back, doing breakfast in shifts, and wondering what kind of day it was going to be since it was raining. Since rain doesn't usually stay all day this time of year, we decided to trek to the Peak. This entails taking the shuttle bus to the train station, taking three trains, then the ferry across the harbor, and finally a taxi up the mountain. All in all, we were successful in not leaving anyone behind and really enjoyed our adventure. We even made it back down to watch the light show at the harbor...then home...ahhhh.
Since Saturday was so late and exhausting, we took it easy on Sunday. The kids continued to have a great time hanging out, swimming and just enjoying each others company. We even had our Aussie friends over for dinner. They "only" have four kids...so dinner was a little crazy, but so much fun.
Monday was Hong Kong Disney...we met the Cannelongos at the park at 10:50 and off we went. It was actually the perfect day as far as weather.. cloudy with some breeze. The crowds were not bad, and considering we had 10 kids with us (Sarah stayed home) we got to a lot of rides. The kids and I left around 5pm so we could get home for dinner. The Cannelongos were closing the park, so we said goodbye and "we'll see you next month" Our weekend was such a blessing. It's always an incredible gift to have people from our "U.S. world" come to our "Hong Kong world". But we also felt that it was such a privilege to be part of this story for little Gianna Lilyfaith and the Cannelongo family. It blessed us so much more than it blessed them:)
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| Sarah and Gianna became fast friends:) |
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| They couldn't get much cuter!!! |
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| Just the Puffs |
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| The Puffs and Cannelongos!!! |
