Category: Adoption

  • Year of the Bunny Rabbit (Chinese New Year)

    Year of the Bunny Rabbit (Chinese New Year)

    Xin Nian Kuai Le! Lunar New Year came early this year, so on the heels of the Christmas holidays we opted to keep our celebration super simple. I figured decor would be a snap with Easter right around the corner (bunnies everywhere!), but sadly that falls late on the calendar this year and bunnies were…

  • On Turning Ten

    On Turning Ten

    In our house, when a kid hits double digits they earn a trip with Daddy to somewhere special, fun, and top secret. When Firstborn turned ten she flew to Texas to ride roller-coasters and eat cowboy grub. Two years later, Center Sister spent her birthday trip mermaiding in Oahu. Most recently, it was [not-so]Little Man’s…

  • Eye (Year) of the Tiger

    Eye (Year) of the Tiger

    Chinese [Lunar] New Year heralded the Year of the Tiger, and our family celebrated with a traditional themed feast featuring Tiger Shrimp, Orange Chicken, Sweet & Sour Pork (heavy on the ORANGE bell peppers), Broccoli Beef, lo mein noodles, and fried rice, alongside a bevy of orange beverages and jasmine tea, with orange mango mochi,…

  • Ballpark Birthday

    Ballpark Birthday

    For his ninth birthday this year, Little Man enjoyed a few of his very favorite things: Sushi, swimming, panda bears, and BASEBALL. After church in the morning and a chill afternoon, he took our extended family “out to a ball game” on a late summer evening where we first tailgated in the parking lot (cake…

  • Year of the Ox (Chinese New Year)

    Year of the Ox (Chinese New Year)

    Last weekend we rang in Lunar New Year, Chinese-style: ’round the table with a great big family feast. Threat of freezing rain caused several guests to cancel last minute, and our power to go out mid-meal, but we had a memorable and tasty celebration nonetheless. Leaning into this year’s zodiac animal –the Ox– Husband woke…

  • Global Celebration (Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2020)

    Global Celebration (Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2020)

    I’m pleased as punch to participate in Multicultural Children’s Book Day again this year. Little Man was tickled when our friendly mailman delivered this vibrant picture book– and just in time for Chinese New Year! (We received it as a complimentary gift in exchange for our honest review.) An inclusive, celebratory tome highlighting a cornucopia…

  • Party of Five

    Party of Five

    We’ve just mailed off our final post-placement adoption report to our agency and China. Five years ago we became a family of five. Accompanying a thorough update on Little Man’s growth, adjustment, development, and attachment we included the requisite eight photographs to document his life here in America, in our family. In truth, limiting the number…

  • Year of the Pig (Chinese New Year)

    Year of the Pig (Chinese New Year)

    Xin nian kuai le! For the first time in our six years of celebrating the occasion, we didn’t cook or clean for Chinese New Year. Still, we feasted… to ring in the Year of the Pig we hosted a festive family dinner at our favorite local Chinese restaurant and let the professionals do the heavy…

  • Multicultural Children’s Book Day, Part 2

    Multicultural Children’s Book Day, Part 2

    It’s here, it’s here! Multicultural Children’s Book Day is today! I was grateful to participate in this movement again this year, as in past years. The mission behind the movement is to reflect a broader spectrum of cultures and heritages within the pages of children’s literature and libraries– something I can get on board with! I already…