“I hungrrree” “Where is the food?” “Where are the water balloons?” These were the statements I heard arriving at the Wabun section of Minnehaha Park in Minneapolis for a picnic on Saturday June 3, 2006.

It was a perfect summer day, a perfect day for a picnic. About 70 people gathered at the annual picnic hosted by the Adoption Ministries of SJA for families who have adopted children.

Many new faces attended this year, including a few that are waiting to adopt. Arriving children, tiny, small, medium and big scattered everywhere, ready for fun and food. No one went too far as they kept checking in to see if the food was ready. Sadly they found the adults socializing, so off they went again to participate in activities, volleyball, jumping rope, hula hooping, building sand castles, using the play equipment, exploring the area, chasing each other, playing with the family dogs in attendance and mingling with other groups who were having their picnics. Finally, the barbequed hamburgers, brats, and hot dogs, became available.

After dinner, the water balloons came out and soon the older children were using water bottles to douse each other. This became a good time to gather up the younger children to take their turns at hitting the piñata.

“I tired” sobbed one little one. “Is it over?” “Can I go wait in the car?” came from an older one. This was what I heard as I picked up the area and prepared to leave. I was tired, too.

and

Nancy Lynch says, "Joy is being a wife, Mom of fourteen, eight with varying disabilities and living at home, Grandma of thirteen, and Great Grandma of three. Serenity is listening and watching the ocean, alone, at our home on Maui. Passion is friends, photography, reading, swimming and children." Nancy can be reached at nalynch@aol.com.

It was a perfect day, a perfect picnic; can you have too much fun?