Gung Hay Fat Choy

We had the privilege of celebrating Chinese New Year with some new friends.  Lucy's Mom and I have visited each others blogs and have had intentions of meeting over the past several years.  Dawn & Dawn started this party one year ago for the family and friends as a way to celebrate their daughters heritage. 

Posing before the party while all the prep was going on. Thank you, Lucy for lending Liliah one of your beautiful silks to wear at the party. 

Lucy is 8 and from the province of Hunan, Liliah is 5 and from the province of Guangxi, Faith is 5 and from Hunan

 

The Year of the Snake - cake!  It was so good that we missed our chance at a taste of it, but we did love the red velvet cupcakes

The spread was beautifully displayed. I wished I would have got a picture of the 3 mommies together.

 

I had two fortune cookies that read: 1) You should have a talk with a friend today! and 2) Good news of long-awaited event will arrive soon!  The first one came true at this party, I'm HOPING the second one comes true, that China calls and that we are matched with Miah this year!!!

  

Happy and hungry girls

Liliah has been gaining skills with these. She has been using them at home for some dinner meals, used them to eat her pancakes this week and do some counting with paper hearts.

 

We had local dragon dancers entertain us.

 

I asked about the story of the lion dance and it goes like this: One of the Emperors asked his advisors, what animal is the most powerful.  They answered the Lion.  The Emperor told them that since he was the most powerful of all, he wanted the lion to come and obey him at his command.  The advisors were afraid both for the Emperor and their lives if they truly introduced him to the lion.  It is said that the advisors solved this dilemma and brought the"lion" to the Emperor.  They told the Emperor that the lion must be at a distance because he was shy and afraid.  When the Emperor commanded the lion to bow, the lion bowed.  He commanded him to dance and he did and to eat, and he (the dancers in a lion costume) gladly did!

  

Liliah adored this dragon whose eyes lit up as it fluttered his lashes.  Lucy was so sweet and such a good hostess at the party.

 

Liliah LOVED Chinese New Year and was so excited to receive this gift bag from Dawn's mother.  She received her first red envelope gift as well.

Getting a lesson of how that lion works.  She told me later, what I want to know is how that lion wags his tail - that's my favorite part.

 The end!

Our Beach Vacation in Collages

Our beautiful days together the first week of January 2013.  I relax and smile when I look at these pictures. The birds posed  for us on the Huntington Beach Pier.  Miah, thoughts and hopes of you. We named our sandcastle The Great Wall.  We peddled our hearts out. A mommy/daughter moment. We watched the surf from the Pier.  Caught the girls in perfect pose.  Morning sunshine. Afternoons bathed in sunshine. Last night at the beach

Playing in the sand . . .wish we could dig our way to China!

Holidays with Family

Holidays are for . . . spending time crafting . . .

So proud of their 8 point stars.  They look pretty hanging in our winter windows.

Nana has a passion for golf.  She loves to play, compete in her women's league, and pass on the game to her grand children!

My parents graciously let us use their RV for the first week of January.  We pulled into Huntington Beach, CA on New Year's Eve.

 

Taylor (left) and Katherine (right) joined us. We played games and then they got busy making their tents for the evening.

They lasted through the New Year!

Beautiful Katherine

New Year's Day, we spent the morning at the beach. 

I sat for awhile and admired this view!  Not a bad way to spend the first day of the year, on the beach!!!

This is Liliah's chance to spend time with her cousins.  She loves them and they sure dote on her.  They had fun running from the water.

The Pier a Huntington Beach, CA. Ruby's the burger joint sits at the end of the pier.  We ate there a couple of times.

 Doing cartwheels . . .

Dancing . . .

and leaping for joy!  Happy, New Year.

Christmas at Papa & Nana's

Christmas at Papa & Nana's was lots of fun . . .

Happy Forever Family Day

Liliah, Happy 4th Forever Family Day!   
You danced in your first recital today.  This is a first for both of us, but we did it.  You are part of the twinkle toes team.  You were dance warriors encouraging those with cancer that they are strong! This is your first time on stage and you loved it.  You weren't nervous one bit.  I loved sharing this day with you backstage.  Daddy got to sit in the audience and cheer you on.  

I couldn't help but reflect that we were in Nanning, China on this day.  I became a Mother and you certainly danced yourself right in to our life and heart that day.  We love you so much and thank God for the gift that you are to us.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year! We are back from the holidays and vacation.  We had a great one and I need to document them soon!

Our Christmas

A lovely mermaid appeared at our Christmas tree.  We celebrated on the 23rd after church service.  We head home to California every Christmas Eve morning.

Liliah asked for simple gifts.  A special night light, silly slippers, a ballerina dress and a scooter.

We threw in a few extra things!  She got Mouse Trap and Trouble.  Those were games I loved.

 

Her scooter

How she was excited to open a BIG present! She spotted it when we were shopping one day. She asked if I would remember to write it down for us and Santa so we wouldn't foget :)

 

This is the night light that she has been asking for since summertime!  It was at the top of her list.  She showed the most excitement when she opened this one.

  

Discovering the game, Mouse Trap

Having fun putting it together

We had a blast playing

 

You love helping daddy figure things out.  You later rode your scooter (in the house - the wheels don't scratch the floor).  You then stopped in mid stride and came over to say, I love you and thank you for all my gifts, I love all of them!!!

 

Helping me open all of my gifts.

We hung a new ornament while we wait for Miss M.  We are at 16 months milestone of her adoption.  We are 9 months paper-pregnant (with a Log In Date with China.  That means the next step is matching us with our daughter!) Oh how we pray that you are with us next year at this time.  We can't imagine it any other way.