Audra's 1st Valentine's Day:
Happy Valentine's Day to my little sweetheart! Last year on Valentine's day we were excited about our recent I-800 approval, knowing that we were just a few short steps away from finally going to get our girl. This year, as we hold her in our arms, it is STILL amazing to think about all that it took for us to get to her, and all that has happened since she joined our family. She is a sweet, sweet girl with a smile so bright and a laugh so contagious...she lights up our world!
The cousins all made Valentine crafts together...
Lantern Festival is celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. The 15th day is the first full moon of that lunar year. According to East Asian tradition at the beginning of a new year, when there is a bright full moon in the sky, there should be thousands of colorful lanterns hung. Lantern Festival is the official end of the Chinese New Year celebrations.
To celebrate Lantern Festival, families often dress in white, and lanterns are hung in honor of the moon to shine the way to a happy future. Children go out at night carrying paper lanterns and solve riddles on lanterns. The lanterns can symbolize the people letting go of their past selves and getting new ones. The lanterns are almost always red to symbolize good fortune.
The delicacy of choice for the Lantern Festival is Chinese rice balls, little white moon-like treats. It is believed that the round shape of the rice balls symbolize family togetherness, and that eating them will bring the family happiness and good luck in the new year. I was planning to make these treats today, but got a little side tracked with the day's events. Read a bit further and you'll see why!
We did manage to squeeze in time to decorate lanterns:
January birthdays:
With my brother and his family here to visit this week, we celebrated Maura and Aunt C's January birthdays a bit late. Maura was a little confused at first...was she turning 7 already?! But she was happy to receive presents from grandma and grandpa, Uncle Steve and Aunt Brownie.
AND...
Steve's remission:
13 months ago my brother received the devastating news that he had lymphoma. He endured chemo and radiation that finally finished in July. Two weeks ago he received the amazing news that he is in remission....something to be celebrated!!!
Uncle Steve, Maura and Aunt C
Tatum's arrival:
Our entire family gathered at our house tonight to celebrate these many events. But we were also anticipating another very special event...the arrival of our newest family member, Tatum. My sister went into the hospital early this morning to be induced (she is more than a few days overdue!) Everyone wrote their predictions for Tatum's arrival on a poster:
Some people were generous...predicting a petite 6 pound baby with only 5 hours of labor.
Other were not so generous...predicting an 11 pounder with 15 hours of labor. Ugh!!
We enjoyed a dinner of tater tot casserole in honor of her arrival (she already has the nickname "tater tot")...
Finally...we all got a text at the same time...
Tatum Aline
arrived at 7:07pm
6lbs 7oz
18 inches
and
BEAUTIFUL!
What a wonderful day, full of family and celebration, for many reasons...
that ended with the sweetest celebration of all!
Welcome Tatum!
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