Boy in Blue

That's my boy, lost in playful thought. The thing in his hand is just a piece of cardboard, but in his endless vivid imagination, it becomes a hundred other things. He was frantic when he got home and realized he had left it at the park. Being the nice dad that I am, I drove him back to the park to retrieve it. Now life is good again.

Chess on the Square

An amiable game of chess at Pioneer Square in downtown Portland this past weekend. It's scenes like this that make Portland seem like such a quaint, friendly little town.

Summer Begins

Spring has done sprung--summer is in the air! A perfect weekend for running in the park and rolling down grassy hills--the kids that is. I'm more content to lay in the shade and snap pics of them in action.

Our Little Souvenir

And here's what we went to China for. Like our other kids, she's an incredible joy--who also occasionally drives us bonkers, makes us laugh, and fits right in with our crazy family. The process of getting her was ardous and expensive, but I would easily do it all over again. Welcome home (again)!

Say "gan lao"!

This picture has made my wife and I giggle for a whole year now. Evidently you have to pooch your derriere out just right in order to take a good photo in China. =) Say "cheese"!

On a Bench

A gentle, elderly man plays peek-a-boo with the camera in Yue Xiu Park in Guangzhou, China.

Eliana in the Sunlight

A happy girl--at least for the moment. This shot was taken in the orphanage clinic one morning before she was to receive an IV in her scalp to help her get over a bout of pneumonia.

Heritage

Fingers trace a rich heritage of Chinese culture ages old.

China Smiles

A smile means "friendship" in any language. A group of Chinese children crowded outside our tour bus at a stop in a rundown remote town. Eager to try out their limited English, we heard endless cheerful repetitions of "Hallo! Ha ah yoo?" for a good 15 minutes.

Street Poem

Water and sponge form fleeting words of poetry. (By the way, Happy 200th Post Birthday to the Crossmark Photo Blog!)

Welcome Home

One year ago, Cheng Hai Bo became our daughter, Eliana--forever grafted into our family. Born not of our flesh, but of our hearts. She's a one-of-a-kind joy that I can't imagine being without. Her name says it all: We journeyed across the "waves of the sea" (Hai Bo) to find that "God has answered our prayer" (Eliana).

Bike Town

Portand Oregonians like to brag about how bike-friendly their streets are, but our city is nothing compared to Beijing where entire car-sized lanes are reserved for bike traffic. Riders everywhere--old and young, men and women, white collar and blue. Many bikes were loaded with piles of clothing, papers, or even 55-gallon drums with roasted sweet potatoes available for sale.

The King is Alive!

I guess there's still a niche market out there for Elvis-impersonating street performers with $3.99 wigs and bejeweled sweatshirts. This guy was a real trooper though. Happy to let me take his picture--at least someone around was paying attention to him.

Just remember: No matter how hard your life may get, you can still make a buck or two by dressing like a freak on a Portland sidewalk. There's always room for one more.

Everybody's Goin' Somewhere

Travelers make their way to and from their gates at Portland's airport. Riding the train up to the airport is a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon--free entertainment for restless squidgets. Portland's airport is rather like a mall with more restaurants and shops than many other airports I've been in.

Silver Mime

Throw a dollar in the pewter pot at his feet and this silver statuesque street performer comes to life, doing some stunning feats with silver orbs.

Street Drummer

Clickety-clackin' a stack of buckets and pans to entertain the sidewalk crowd of Christmas shoppers near Pioneer Square. Poor guy had to grab attention away from the Star Wars Storm Troopers across the street, a chrome-painted mime on one corner, and a laddie with bagpipes on the other. How's a guy supposed to make a living with competition like that? Or maybe I'm in the wrong business. I do have a dusty clarinet under the bed. Maybe if I did a street gig people would pay me to stop playing...

It's Beginning to Luke a Lot Like Christmas

The Grinch has nothing on Darth Vader--it seems even the Dark Side of the Force has softened up with some Christmas Spirit. In what has to be one of the more surreal sights of my life, a half dozen Star Wars Storm Troopers stood outside Macy's this weekend ringing cutsey little bells to raise funds for the Salvation Army.

Black Pawn

A black pawn sits vulnerable on the front line of a friendly chess game. Weekends at Pioneer Square in downtown Portland often feature such games played in the midst of crowds waiting for the train.

Biker

Happened to catch this guy at just the right moment as he zoomed by (and no, I wasn't driving at the time). I have no use for motorcycles personally since half the fun must be feeling the wind blow through your hair--of which I have little.

Just a Swangin'

[After an agonizing week without the internet, we're FINALLY in touch with the world again, with many thanks to our wonderful landlord who fixed our incoming cable when the cable company couldn't figure out the problem. The culprit? A cat/rabbit/squirrel/bucktooth alien had chewed the insulation off a good three inches of the cable. Does it really taste that good?]

Eliana L O V E S the swings--I mean REALLY LOVES them. She's an incredibly happy girl.

Pals

One of the best things a boy can have is a brother--a built-in buddy.

Lazy Days of Summer

Been seein' school supplies at Wal-Mart already, but I'm not anywhere near ready to turn the page on summer. With that sentiment, I present the above photo courtesy of guest photographer Lisa, my wife. This is her version of a perfect summer afternoon, sittin' readin' a book underneath the maple tree, feet propped on the lush green grass. Except that our grass is crunchy brown.

What's your ideal way to while away a summer day?

Yellow Jacket

Zack on the footbridge at Jellystone Campground. The boys were scared at first, but then enjoyed bouncing on the bridge.

Gimme a Hand

Reflecting on the last ten years of marriage and how great it is to have my family.

A Decade Together

Today marks our ten-year wedding anniversary. She's an incredible woman to put up with me that long. I asked her, "Did you think ten years ago we'd have two beautiful boys and a little girl from halfway across the world? Did you ever think we'd have gone through all the difficulties that have come our way?" No, of course not. Life is full of incredible blessings and incredible trials--but we're going through them together. We're buckled up to see what the next ten years will hold.

(That's our shadow on the back fence.)

Crowder

Scored second row seats to the David Crowder band tonight (for free!) thanks to friends in high places. Great concert!

Day Dreamin'

Cameron and Zack looking off the foot bridge into the water at the park.

Cotton Candy

The kids got a thrill tonight when we surprised them by taking them to the Jubilee--our town's week-long carnival complete with rides and all the junk food. Even let them have COTTON CANDY, which earned us the status of Best Parents in the World for the evening. Sometimes it's worth it just to see the look of pure happiness on their faces. Oh, to be like a child, so full of wonder and delight.

Kisses for Sister

The moments that melt a parent's heart. They all actually love each other.

Here Comes the Bride

Found an outdoor wedding at Lakeside Park and Rose Garden in Fort Wayne, IN while taking photos this past weekend. The water and flowers made it picture perfect. Couldn't help but snap a few during the bride's processional.

Spinning Swing

My favorite maple tree recently received the addition of a kiddie swing. Of course, with boys it's not enough to just swing--I have to wind them up and spin them until they end up so dizzy and that they can't walk. Then they beg to do it again. (That's Zack taking his turn in the swing.)

Brown-Eyed Girl

It's true. This girl can't go anywhere without drawing a crowd. She's a real people-lover, too. Smiles, coos, mimics--has the whole world wrapped around her tiny, pudgy fingers.

Eyelashes

I won't have time to post pictures for a couple days, so here's some extras to tide you over. Zack after the sprinkler.

Red Trunks

Today is Zack's third birthday, though we won't have an official party until this weekend. Still, we had to have SOME fun tonight, so the boys played in the sprinkler and shivered in towels while they ate ice cream.

Just thinkin'

Cameron caught in a fleeting moment of thought.

Trainy Days

What do you do with two sick boys on a rainy Saturday? Thomas the Train saves the day!

Happy Trails

Zack scampers along the railroad track.

Best Buds

Cameron and Zack

Tornado Slide

Zack takes a spin down the tornado slide at the park.

Toes in the Grass

Eliana doesn't like to put her feet down on the grass because of how it tickles.

Zack's Eyes

I've always loved Zack's puppy dog eyes. That kid gets away with a good bit just by being cute.

Look, Ma! No training wheels!

Cameron (age 5) just learned how to ride a bike last week. Didn't take nearly as long as I thought it would and he has yet to skin his knee. Why did it take me until age 11 to learn!?!? (Sad, but true.)

Threesome

Zack, Eliana, and Cameron three months ago just after we arrived home from China.

Happy Birthday, Princess

Eliana turned one year old yesterday. She's our princess, complete with crown and loyal subjects.