So here's the short of it, 
This is birthday week for Liga and Valdis. 

And here's the long.

There could be so many things to post about tonight, but I think birthdays are going to take precedence.

Liga was born in 1987 and Valdis in 1988 - a year and 3 days apart. This was at the beginning of the events that would lead to Latvia declaring itself once again a free and independent state in 1991.  What a time to be born! It was an exciting time just to hear about it here in the United States, and that was before we had any idea that our children were living there in an old hunting castle that had been turned into an orphanage.

It was the summer of 1994 before they became our children, and it's been a great adventure.

Tonight we celebrated birthdays by going out to eat with grandmothers, girlfriend and boyfriend, and Aunt Myra!  It was a great evening for us to be together and have a chance to visit a bit.  I love to reminisce about those first days and months and share stories I remember with the kids.

So the kids celebrated birthdays 23 and 24!
They've been with us now for 18 years!  Wow, what an amazing time that's been.