Happy Birthday!

Today is Anyssa's birthday. 6 years old already...WOW! They grow up so fast. Seems like we've only known her 6 months! OK...c'mon...you have to let me get that joke off every so often!

Anyway, as I mentioned, today is Anyssa's birthday. From we can gather, she's never had a "party" before. We are going to have something at the "Jump Zone" in a few weeks. The Jump Zone is a kids party place with inflatable slides and climbing things...just like the places we DIDN'T have as kids, but would have loved! We are also planning a family party. I'm sure that by the time it's all over, she will be sick of parties and gifts. (yeah, right!)

But, today is her birthday, so we had to do something to celebrate. She got a special Happy Birthday banner and some balloons (which she loves.) Laura and I took her out for a special dinner...at the Golden Chopsticks restaurant. The waitress commented that "she looks like she's Chinese." It's funny that we had to tell her that she was! I guess it's still not that common for Chinese folks to see white people with Asian kids. Anyssa had her favorite...RICE! And some chicken, of course. She wore her little paper birthday crown that she got at school. When we got home, she opened a present that she received from Carlson's all the way from Wisconsin. This is no exaggeration to say this, but SHE LOVED THE CLOTHES AND JEWELRY!! It was the kind of honest outburst that only a kid can pull off. No lie. She got a beautiful coordinated top and short/skirt with a matching bracelet and hair clips. From owning absolutley nothing 7 months ago until today...I have no idea how she can process what has happened to her. We just enjoy the fact that she enjoys it.

Here are a couple of pictures from the restaurant. More will follow shortly!!

Such a shy little girl!

Coming home

It's funny...as you get older, your priorities do indeed change. Used to be that when I would travel for work, way before I got married, when I walked through the door upon arriving home, the first thing I wanted was a beer. Oh, how times have changed. I had an over-nighter in Toledo and Fort Wayne. On my way home yesterday, as I approached the house, all I could think of was walking through the door and having my little girl run to me and give me one of those oh-so-tight hugs that only she can give. Let's just say that I wasn't let down.

People thought we were crazy to be adopting "so late in life" but all I can say is that as far as I'm concerned, this is the perfect time. I don't look at Anyssa as an obstacle to my happiness, I look at her as PART of my happiness. Maybe I'm vicariously living a second childhood through her. That's OK...I know what to expect now.

I checked the weather today and it finally looks like it's gonna be nice...maybe we can all take a nice walk tonight. Or maybe we'll walk while Anyssa rides her bike. So many choices... Or MAYBE she and I will go out and buy Mothers' Day cards for mommy!

LIfe keeps rolling along

I'm sitting here by the computer so I thought I'd drop a message here. Laura and Anyssa took Ducky to the vet. I was supposed to be watching Anyssa, but at the last minute she decided she wanted to go with. In Anyssa's quest to calm Ducky (who was less than pleased to be going) I think she might have freaked him out even more. But hey, when you're 5, that's what you do, right? I am pleased to report that with the weather getting better, Anyssa becoming more aclimated and the cats getting used to her, they are coming upstairs more. Since her arrival, they've relocated to basement and only venturing upstairs once the pitter-patter of small feet has quieted for the night.


Anyway, here a couple of the swing-set pictures I promised you...I think her smile shows that she's happy with it. Thanks to Mike, Dawn, Connor and Evan for the set.

My own swingset?

Yes, it's true. Our little girl has inherited a playset from the neighbors who were no longer using it. We set it up yesterday. When she got off the school bus today, she bolted towards the house yelling "slide!" I'll go out and snap a couple of pictures of her in a few minutes. She is changing into her "play clothes" to head out. A swing, a glider, a slide and a playhouse...all for you!! I cannot possibly imagine what is going on in this little girls mind. She doesn't seem to remember any Mandarin...everytime I point to some Chinese characters and ask her what it says, she simply says "ni hao." However, she IS talking more about China, which she refers to as "my China". She remembers who Tao Ji Yuan is (her) and even corrected us on how to pronounce it...Tow Jee Yen...not WEN. We need to make notes because she's not gonna remember any of this in a year or so.

We are getting a package ready for our translator Evelyn who lives in Beijing. There is another group from our agency heading there in 2 days so one of the case workers has agreed to hand carry something to her. We got her a picture book on Chicago. We told her that when she gets a visa to come here, she can stay with us. Laura said she could be our nanny!

OK...I will add playset pictures later. In the meantime, here are some Easter pix.