Happy Chinese New Year!

Our electricity came on after 1 3/4 days, which was just plenty for all of us. We are also pleased that we have electricity in time to enjoy the Winter Olympics. Pearl and I plan to devote school time to learning about the different sports and the countries competing in them this week.







I took the girls to meet their newest cousin. They were very well behaved, though Pearl wanted to eat her up and Sapphire just wanted to wrestle her, I think. 


Sapphire has her own brand of refinement, of course. At the grocery store this week I put her in the basket of the cart while Ruby sat up front. As we made our way down the soup aisle, I had to maneuver deftly around several people, including an elderly couple, and Sapphire hollered out, "Don't hit the old people!"

Pearl tries her hand at the big drum, and Sapphire chats

We joined our local Families with Children from China group to celebrate Chinese New Year, and wow, they put on a big night. We saw a lion dancer/drum group from Johns Hopkins (and Sapphire sidled up to them, probably trying to work her way onto the team).









They also invited a local Chinese dance troupe, a kung fu school with very impressive weapons (Pearl loved that one), and a man who played a Chinese instrument made from a gourd and bamboo. It was almost too much culture even for me!

CNY & Valentines

Three celebrations this week have kept us jolly: a birthday, Chinese New Year (Sunday) and Valentines Day.  Our adoption agency families met in Blue Bell for a CNY lunch. The girls enjoyed crafts, noodles, and a magician. Pearl assisted with the very first trick, which made her day. Sapphire sat with Nana and kept hollering at the magician "How did you do that?!)"

When we chatted with other families, we compared memories about the epic trip to China.

Here is Ruby checking out the money envelope typically handed out for CNY. The girls were thrilled to each get a "lucky penny" that is really a dollar coin.

We really appreciate our agency, and all the prayer and care that they have put into our family. We were able to at last meet the social worker who stayed up late one night to match us with Ruby at last.  The families were clearly a special group of people, and it was a very positive experience.  

Maybe when the girls are older we will travel to a big city to see how Chinatown celebrates CNY.  We'll have to see real dragon and lion dancers at some point.  

The night before we got the aunts, uncles, and dogs together for an amazing meal. Warning: grown ups just can't manage to blow out their own candles any more, especially now that there are three big helpers. 

And finally, a special message to all our friends and family: