Thursday night we stayed with Andy and Laura Gall in Grand Forks, Colorado. They adopted both Sam (12) and Mira (9) from the little children's home when they were little. Andy's a dentist, so we remember him checking Deborah's teeth while he was with us in our home.

Sam and Mira are doing so very well, developing confidence and skills that seem almost impossible when you remember them the way they were when they left us.

Sam is in a military phase--at least, their parents hope it's a phase. Everything is guns and battles. From computer games to a trench dug in their back yard. He's a little quiet and reserved, but not lacking in gusto.

Mira is anything but reserved. She met us at the door and fell in immediately with Aubrey. We played a lot of soccer--silly games we made up in their hallway--and talked and laughed late into the night. Well, late for parents anyway.

The kids all took various 'supplies' out onto the back porch and 'camped out' for a while in the cold. And in the morning they took us hiking out in the desertous hills. We had so much fun, it was hard to leave and we were late getting to our next destination.