Mai-Mai's Wild Birthday Party

(invitations. don't read too closely, there are two grammatical errors.)

Our baby is two years old as of July 18th! He's a tall, thick guy, too good at climbing. He's only beginning to piece together two word sentences like, "Mommy bao" "Tai-de go!" He loves taxis, dogs, books with flaps, being naked, a particular toy car from Mandie Gu-gu, legos, steamed buns, toothpaste, Babu (that's Bob the Builder in Chinese) and splashing in water in the bathroom. He never wears diapers, not even while sleeping, though I can't say he's accident-free! Mai-mai often has a serious-content expression, but when he smiles it's a scrunchy-nosed, giggly, flirty, squinty-eyed, tiny-toothed grin that flashes, 'I dare you not to adore me!'

Mike is lovely yet all boy. Once he spotted a cat sitting on a wall and very sweetly identified, "Mao mao" then without blinking those beady browns, he raised a little hand in the shape of a gun, pointed to the cat and fired, "phkew! phkew!" (ALL boy.)

His birthday started with happy birthday wishes from grandparents and Jen Gu on skype. 

We love you! We miss you!

Then arrived

Le-le

Niu-niu

another Le-le

Wan-wan

Ze-ze

Zhe-zhe

Ting-ting

Dong-dong

Tong-tong

Long-de

Long-ting

to join our boys

Tai-de

Chu-chu

Mai-mai

for a party. 

Our apartment was crawling, wildly, with little people.

This grandpa and grandma are not neighbors, they are a family from church who have adopted us, especially Mai-mai, he's their special boy. They traveled a long way to join our party.

We played musical spaces with prizes. Kids went crazy over the classic carnival fishing game. They did a super job painting ceramic figures with no paint disasters!

We sang happy birthday to the man of the hour and ate my specialty -- deflated chocolate cake.
(I am the worst baker ever Mandie get over here.)

Michael Isaac, you are not allowed to get any bigger!!!

At the end of the day we felt so loved. Our neighbors soaked us with warmth and kindness. I get a little emotional thinking about what an honor it is to live beside these people, as outsiders accepted into their world. 

counting the graces

thank you Father for

one of life's most amazing gifts, a child, a soul, an image-bearer-- Michael Isaac

neighbors who accept us

being adopted by a grandpa & grandma 

little kids squirming and squealing about fishing!