Thanksgiving in Hawaii

We enjoyed Thanksgiving 2007 in Hawaii this year. Instead of turkey we enjoyed roasted pig at a Hawaiian luau!

The beaches were warm and the trade winds refreshing. It was a nice respite from the drizzle of Seattle.

Eric was able to visit places where he grew up, between ages 8 months and 4 years. Those were years when Pam, as a single Mom, worked hard to give Eric a quality life while dealing with the high cost of living of Oahu.

Sunset shining over Diamond Head

Chic magnet in waiting

Eric & Pam ready for sunset cruise

Pam & John on Waikiki

Trooper Turns 91

Tooper hits the big 91!

Today Trooper celebrated his 91st birthday! That's 13 human years (13x7=91). Trooper's birthday dinner included chicken parmesan, Italian medley salad, and pumpkin birthday pie with Mom, Dad, and his brother Eric.

Trooper's birthday gifts included yummy rawhide bones, a memory box, a new collar, and a doggy bath massager. Misha, of course, ate Trooper's rawhide bones.

Trooper's favorite part of the evening was when his brother Eric scratched his tummy, making his hind leg flail uncontrollably.

Trooper and Misha try on their Halloween costumes

Our Adoption Journey Takes on a New Path

Pamela with adoptive parent and her 18 month daughter

For those of you who’ve been following our adoption journey, it’s been over 13 months since we began the process to adopt a little girl from China. There have been many twists and turns and our journey has taken a new path.

A couple of weeks ago, after months of soul searching, several discussions with our social worker and our friends in the adoption community, and interviews with over a dozen adoption agencies, we know that our daughter is waiting for us in Vietnam. This new path feels so right for us. We have signed on with an agency in Oregon that has been placing children in Vietnam for over 30 years.

Vietnam is a small country with a rich history and culture. This ancient civilization is a combination of Vietnamese, Chinese, Khmer and more than 50 highland minority groups. The long struggle for independence has given the Vietnamese a deep sense of national pride; however, the years of war took their toll on the economy.

The countryside, where a large part of the population lives, is locked in poverty, leaving many infants and children orphaned or abandoned. Birthparents who leave their children do so with great difficulty. Often a large extended family is involved in the decision to place a child for adoption, wanting only the best for them. The Vietnamese people greatly value the lives of all their children and do the best they can with limited means to provide support and education for children, including those in orphanages.

This weekend John and I had the great pleasure of attending an event in McMinnville, Oregon honoring dignitaries and orphanage directors from Vietnam. Many families who have adopted children from Vietnam through our agency gathered to provide thanks and share stories with our Vietnamese guests. After a brief ceremony we were fed a traditional Vietnamese meal. John and I were able to make new friends and talk with other families who have been through the process. We couldn’t keep my eyes off all the beautiful children and are counting the days until we have our little daughter safely in our arms.

The families and their Vietnamese children

Pamela chatting with adoptive mother and her daughter from China

The Vietnamese delegation from Ho Chi Min City.

Families enjoying a Vietnamese lunch

Redoing the flagstones

Much of our Labor Day weekend was spent preparing the ground to enlarge and reset our flagstone patio. It was hard work, but we made it a lot easier by renting a front loader to move the sand and gravel.

Pamela acted as the forewoman of the work crew and Eric helped us for a few hours on Labor Day. We hope to have the job completed in time to have one more outdoor party with our friends.

Farmer John

John's garden was very productive this year. Here you can see one day's picking of green beans and cherry tomatoes. Also still producing are the cucumbers, green peppers, and Walla Walla onions...which are as big as softballs. The lettuce and spinich is done.

This year a deer fence kept those pesky thieves from getting all the tasty leaves.

Seafair 2007

This year Seafair was very fun because we were joined by some very special people. Joining us on our boat were our friends Kelly and Scott Bashinksi and Tammy Durretto. The weather couldn't have been more perfect with clear blue sky and a perfect 80 degrees.

We had a great time talking, picnicing, people watching, and enjoying the airshow. The clear day allowed the Blue Angels do their "high show".

Weekend in the San Juans

This weekend was spent in the San Juan Islands with our friends Tim and Kris. In addition to the general beauty of the islands, we were amazed with the presence of seals, giant jelly fish, porpoises, and sea birds.

Sarah & Hannah Visit

This was a special weekend with the visit of John's sister Sarah and her daughter Hannah from Medina, Ohio.

Our descriptions of Seattle's incredible July weather were abruptly drowned out by a wet and cold front that broke all records. But we had a fun weekend anyway, even squeezing in boating between showers.

Some highlights were the Pike Street Market, a ride on the Duck of Seattle, the Seattle Art Museum, Snalqualmie Falls, boating through the Ballard Locks, and a picnic on the on Puget Sound.

A Child's Right

For those of us who walk up to the faucet or fridge door for a cool clean glass of ice water as the whim strikes, we are in the minority worldwide. Clean drinking water is a dream, not a commodity, in much of the world today. An organization called A Child's Right (headquartered in Tacoma, Washington) is an organization dedicated to bringing vital water filtration systems to the areas of the world that need it the most. They recently completed a project that assisted thousands of children in the hardest hit areas of China. Please click here to visit their website to learn more about their cause, but also to view hundreds of pictures from their time in Child Welfare Institutes (orphanages) in China. If you've ever wanted to see the inside of an orphanage, here is your chance.

When it comes time to make your annual charitable contributions (or the next time you have a nice cold glass of water) consider this cause.

Three wonderful years

Pamela & John celebrate their 3rd anniversary today. We agreed that the last three years have flashed by. It's hard to believe it's been three years since we committed ourselves to each other on the beach in Fiji.

We celebrated a couple days early by going to the Seattle Symphany's wonderful performance of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D major and Orff's Carmina Burana. It was a "Wow" performance--- just like our relationship.

And one day earlier we enjoyed time together on our boat on Lake Washington. We feel so blessed to be living in such a beautiful part of the country and our ability to have such a wonderfully boat that lets us enjoy it.

Barbara & Jolane Visit

Early July was a special time at the Block house. We were visited by Pamela’s Mom Barbara and Aunt Jolane. Barbara lives close to Tampa and Jolane lives near Minneapolis. Barbara and Jolane hadn’t seen each other for 25 years and so that had fun catching up and reliving memories.

Jolane had the opportunity to see the sites in Seattle for the first time.

We celebrated Barbara’s 59th birthday (okay it was really her 65th!) with friends Tim and Kris and good neighbors Sara and Howard.

July 4th we tied up boats with Tim and Kris and their daughter Kaitlyn on Lake Washington and enjoyed the perfect Northwest summer day.

Jolane, Pam, Barbara

Jolane at Pike Street Market

Barbara, Pam, Jolane in Lake Union

Barbara's 65th

July 4th, 2007

Kaitlyn & friend

Tim & Kris

Captain Barbara at the helm of "110%"

A weekend at Lake Chelan

This weekend we enjoyed a beautiful weekend at Lake Chelan. The drive required a 3 1/2 hour drive over the mountains pulling 9,000 lbs. of boat and trailer, but the drive was lovely and the destination was definitely worth it.

The lake is 55 miles long. We went about 35 miles which took us well beyond the areas of summer homes into the unspoiled wilderness.

Trooper and Misha were happy to be included in the weekend.