Distinguishing marks!

So.....I've wanted a tattoo for over 20 years.

Apparently, I am having a mid-life crisis.

Or....it is just the combination of crazy Brandi and crazy Noelle.

Not really.

I finally decided on the perfect location and the perfect tattoo.

I am sure it will look fantastic when I'm 90.

And, if it doesn't I probably won't be able to turn around to see it:)

Thanks, Joe at Living Art in Colorado Springs!

Brandi...FINALLY!

We decided to adopt in May 2007. We applied to adopt from Liberia in August 2007.

That fall I began to "meet" some amazing people via email and blogging.

We later changed our adoption plans from Liberia to Ethiopia, but I have

stayed in contact with some of the people I originally met.

One of those people was an amazing young woman who has grown to be very

important not only in my life, but in the life of my daughter, Noelle.

We figured out that Brandi is exactly half way in between our ages!

We finally decided that almost 4 years was too long to go without actually meeting!

So the girls and I drove from Boulder to Colorado Springs to finally meet Brandi and her family!

Is this not the cutest?

Davis is was born in Liberia:)

We are hiking in the "Garden of the Gods".

Brandi and her kids were definitely more experienced hikers than we were.

Not that many mountains to hike in Iowa.

The boys were crushing a little on Noelle!

Colorado Springs Zoo

Free Face Paint!

The last night we got a hotel room so we could go swimming.

This is the view from the pool.

SOOOO AWESOME TO FINALLY MEET YOU, BRANDI!

Colorado or bust!

Sabrina, Noelle and I took a few days and went out to Colorado. We finally got to meet my "new" nephew Hudson. He came home from China in December and had surgery for hip dysplasia in May. What a great kid!!

First trip to Noodles. I had some awesome Pad Thai. Sabrina was a little grumpy:)

I totally love this picture. That's my girl.

Doing it all...playing with Sabrina and texting her friends.

We were able to go swimming twice, but I was too busy swimming to take any pictures. Thank you Rachel and Kevin for your great hospitality.