Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Chinese New Year starts today, and it's Ruby's birthday! Happy birthday, Ruby! Xanthe was really confused all morning, knowing that her Chinese friends were coming over for a party, but that it was Ruby's birthday, not hers. She asked a million questions about the details. (Is it my Chinese birthday? Where is Ruby's birthday?) The fact that she demanded that everyone at the Chinese New Year party say happy birthday to her demonstrated that she never figured out what the deal was. She was smart enough to just go with the flow and have a great time with 9 of her Chinese "sisters" and her cousin, Izzy. (I love Izzy's expression on the couch: "What am I doing here!?" We're glad you were!) If you have ever adopted from China, you have pictures of your child on the "Red Couch" at the White Swan Hotel in Guang Zhao. We tried to recreate the Red Coch picture with the Beige Couch picture this time. The only kids missing from the couch were Eliza's brand-new baby brother, Solomon, who was the star of the party at just under 7 pounds, and Lisa's Tate, who is still in China. (Not to mention everybody's older kids and Crystal's, still in Haiti!! Keep clicking that refresh button!) Tate's absence reminded me of Xanthe's first birthday, which we celebrated at Chuck E. Cheese in Vegas while Xanthe celebrated with a cake in front of her and a garland of leaves on her head, at least for long enough to take a picture, at her orphanage in Changsha.

It was so fun to bring in the Year of the Ox with old friends and new ones, and a whole bunch of China's daughters who share a bond they won't realize they have until much later. It's up to us to keep the red thread strong between them until they can decide whether it has value for them.

Thanks for coming, ladies, and thanks to Nadine for all the planning and help! Literally all I did was open the front door. And thanks to Laurel...I stole your pictures because mine were blurry!