The Kevins

We had a picnic in the park with the girls birthfather and family on Sunday, and it really was just a pleasant day. We've been getting together each year with them since the girls were first adopted and it's nice to see how everyone changes/grows from year to year.

I know a lot of people fear open adoption, but it's really worked beautifully for us and I was remarking to Rob the other day that it really feels more like we are friends than birthfamily/adoptive family.

And as I always say to other families who are on the fence about openness, the best way to see who is the "real" mom or dad is to have an open adoption. The children draw those boundaries very clearly.

So yesterday we traveled down to Delaware and spent the afternoon picnicking and flying kites and talking and laughing with Big Kevin, Little Kevin and Grandma Kevin. Here are the pictures...
Kevin brought two kites and had the kids running around for at least an hour trying to get them to fly. They did fly with the running, but there wasn't enough wind to sustain them. And once, that big shark kite that Kevin's holding dove from the sky right onto my head. Yes, the LAND SHARK tried to get me. (Saturday Night Live, anyone?)
Lizzie helps supervise Kevin's putting together the shark kite:
Hannah gets ready to launch the shark:

Here's Grandma Kevin, Big Kevin, Rob, Lizzie, Little Kevin and Hannah. As most of you know Little Kevin is Brandy and Kevin's first child. The bio resemblance is quite clear in this picture, I think: This is probably my favorite picture from the day. I love the smiles and I love the way Hannah is looking at Big Kevin. So sweet:

Hannah took this picture. Suffice it to say that Hannah and Liz took lots of pictures and in nearly all of them someone is sticking their tongue out:

Lizzie took this picture. As you may have noticed the girls changed shirts partway through the afternoon. Grandma Kevin gifted them many clothing items and, you know my girls, they had to put them on to model:

There was a tiny gazebo with three seats made from tree stumps in it, so of course the kids had to try it out before we left:Here's the whole gang. I had the camera set on timer and nearly missed getting myself into it. I was supposed to stand in the space between Kevin and Hannah and between the cane and the distance I barely made it. But here we all are: