July 4 2012 Laurels forever family day

Each year on July 4 we celebrate not only the independance of the US but at ou house we celebrate the adoption of our daughter Laurel Sage JiaWen Raymond,and her independance that she will experience now that she lies her in the USA. The kids and Dad marched in one parade the night before juky 4 with Laurels gym team and then the kids and i walked another parade the morning of July 4 with laurels gym team.  Ater that we were off to a july 4th/combo birthday bbq with one of our friends family from the gym. Then.....after that to Discovery Kingdom as we do each year for fireworks with another family who adoted their daughter a month after we got home with Laurel.

As many of you will recall the picture that we posted from China of Laurel as a tiny 9 month old baby girl being held for the first time by her daddy,they stared at eachother,it spoke many many words and feelings. Each year as she has grown we have retaken that pose to post,this year,at age 7.5 yrs,she should be nearly holding him but never the less,the love is still in the stare.