Happy Birthday 9 Year Old!

Wow!  I can hardly believe it - she's 9 years old!  Didn't I just receive that call telling me I had a daughter?! Time goes so fast, too fast. 

I have to be honest, I tried to buy her out of a party.  But she was having none of that!  She wanted a party!  So a party it was.  She's been so excited waiting for this day to arrive.  Oh, the planning she did was so much fun to hear.  But there was a little worry in there too, that it wouldn't be right.  Of course I knew it would be all good and fun, but a worry for her.  We decided we will have it at Lion's Park on Saturday, the day before her actual birth date.  It's always fun to go to a park and then there's lots of space for play and running and having lots of fun.

Wednesday we had a Farmer's Market come to work and we can get a bouquet of flowers at a very reasonable price.  Mei loves flowers so it was a good reason to buy some flowers.  Here are some of them.

Grandpa Jack called during the week and told us he's coming for the weekend.  He arrived on Friday during the day. How special to get to have Grandpa Jack help celebrate.  Of course there were presents from Uncle Irv and Auntie Jen too, and those came with Grandpa along with a gift from him.  Friday evening Mei and I went to pick up her lovely 'I love shoes' cake she had picked out earlier in the week.  It turned out so cute!

We decided that we would have Mei open the gift from her uncle and aunt before we go because we knew what was in it and didn't want to take it to the park.  So she opened it and I took pictures as she opened it.  It was a laptop!  She was so happy.  She said, 'It's what I've always wanted.'  And she has.  I don't know how she got that into her head, but for the last year and a half or so she has just wanted a laptop.  She's saved money like crazy and it's always been for a laptop.  Somehow Jen and Irv heard and they said they would get her one. At Irv's work they replace their laptops every 2 years and they just did that so he took his and they cleaned it out and sent it for her.  It is very nice, has all the newest programs on it.  She loves to write stories and she has already written and saved numerous stories she's written.  Needless to say, Bee was a little envious and came and whispered to me, 'Mom, it's what I've always wanted too.'

What's in the bag?

A laptop!

I'm so happy!  It's what I've always wanted.

Calling Aunt and Uncle to thank them.

Presents ready to go to the park, along side the birth family candle.

On Saturday about 12:30 the girls and I, and the neighbor friend went out to the park to get the party ready. We got the place all decked out in streamers and balloons and all the party stuff on the tables, and then the girls ran off to play.  A couple times a big gust of wind came along and blew the gifts off the table, but nothing was breakable so I dusted them off and put them back on the gift table once again.  One time it started to sprinkle just a few drops and I kept wondering if we had been smart in trying to have a party in a park.  But it barely sprinkled and the sun kept on coming back.  Soon guests started arriving and Dad and Grandpa Jack came and the party really started.  As soon as everyone got there we decided to have cake so Mei could open the rest of her presents.  We tried and tried to light the candles, but they would not stay lit, so finally just lit one and she blew it out and we sang happy birthday to her.

Finally after I'm sure at least 1,000 times asking when she can open her presents she got to open her presents.  In the last year she finally discovered the 'brand name' thing.  All her friends have clothes from Justice and she's really wanted something from there.  So I did most of her birthday shopping there.  She was very excited about all of her presents.  She's often shy or self conscious to tell people, but she's always truly thankful and so excited for all gifts from everyone.  I hear so often about how nice it was of so and so to give her such a nice thing.

The kids played pin the tail on the donkey and amazingly most of the tails were spot on! :)  They all got prize bags and went off to play on the playground and at the water pumps.  The adults were able to spend a lovely afternoon in beautiful weather visiting with one another as the kids played.  I really enjoyed the day, and I think the birthday girl did too.

 

Some of the littlest party attendees...

I know there's someone else out there that is thinking of our precious girl this day.  If there was one more thing I could do this day, it would be to pin a message on a shooting star and shoot it right to you to tell you that our daughter is so loved and precious beyond comprehension.  I'd try to tell you that I know what a gift you've given us in this gift of our daughter.  This Mama's heart just aches for you as we light our birth family candle and send our thoughts your way on a green balloon sent away in the wind.  Thank you other mama, for this birthday we celebrate today!