Ni Hao Yall

We wanted to celebrate Chinese New Year on Thursday – the official first day of the Lunar New Year.

Didn’t happen.

Then we hoped to celebrate on Saturday.

Nope.

On Sunday Chris took the boys to church and I kept the girls home since we had three still recovering from fever/nausea/rash.

And we were finally able to get the party started.

The girls and I began by pulling down box after box of keepsakes gathered during eight trips to China. We looked through it all.

Pearls and jade bought for the girls.

Chopsticks and tobacco boxes purchased for the boys.

Gifts given from orphanage officials.

Silk fans. Wedding balls. Miniature emperor hats.

And teeny tiny socks, shoes and sweaters worn on the day we became a family.

It started as an effort to find some silks to wear on Chinese New Year.

And ended up being the most special part of the day.

Okay, the dressing up was fun. (And funny, too.)

And helping each of the girls pick a piece of jewelry from China to wear was so very sweet.

The dinner from the Red Pearl was delicious – the Sesame Chicken was even good enough to make the boys forget I didn’t have any silks their size.

And the very un-Chinese, but much-appreciated brownies and ice cream sundaes for dessert was met with big grins all around.

Together, it added up to a surprisingly special way to celebrate our children’s birth country and ring in the New Year.

Just a few days late.

Happy Year of the Sheep, my sweets.

I’m thinking it’s going to be a great year.