On Titus' birthday we threw a big rocket-launch party outside the university stadium. A few weeks back I looked into acquiring a rocket for our boys, since they've been into space and aviation. We bought an inexpensive rocket + launch gear online, and after testing it out, were inspired to invite his friends to a big blast-off for his 5th birthday!
It was certainly the BEST party we have ever thrown -- by far the happiest, most delighted guests and perfect entertainment.
We had 18 rockets and an equal number of children, mostly Titus' classmates plus a couple other friends, and their parents. The gig kicked off in the shade of the stadium veranda.
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Titus is smiling and announcing, "谢谢大家" "Thanks everyone!"
Friends snacked on cake, fruit, bevies and rocket-shaped peanut butter and jelly sandwiches while the paint dried.
In the photo below, please observe the Italian Stallion casually gripping a dolphin bubble gun.
(heheheheheh)
Dolphin Bubble Gun Wielding Italian Mafia?
Anyway.
Commence cake distribution for 45.
Glad we had that heavily-armed guard supervising the allocation of desserts. ;)
To the adjacent launch field!
Uncle Drew and Uncle Jared were the launch pad controllers.
By the way -- thank you so much Jared, for launching, for slathering peanut better and jelly, for hauling stuff. Seriously, thank you. I hope you don't mind me teasing about that bubble gun thing...
And -- thank you to Niu Niu's dad and Ke Boyang's dad, guys who wielded cameras to shoot all these beautiful pictures.
Finally -- thank you to my dear husband for spending two late weeknights meticulously assembling and spray painting 18 model rockets.
OK, to the launch already!
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The kids thought it was INCREDIBLE!!!
They were completely surprised, when the first rocket blasted into the sky they were jumping up and down, spontaneously exclaiming,
"哇！太棒了! 太棒了！"
"WHOA! AWESOME! AWESOME!"
It was that wonderful, unrestrained expression of delight that you know is genuine because it's coming from a child. All the parents were beaming watching the kids' excitement. We also laughed as they sprinted off in packs across the green field to retrieve the rockets after they drifted down to earth on parachutes (or plummeted back down due to undeployed parachutes...ha.)
Video below is from the third or fourth of approximately 30 launches on Titus' 5th birthday!
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counting the graces
thank you Father for
adorable sons in raincoats and rainboots today (gear which was cute and made getting them to and from school much easier)
really enjoying a girlfriend chat, comfortable in Chinese: laughter and life-seriousness with Zeng Ting and Xu Kai
jazz, coffee aroma, and academic progress in Starbucks
studying alone and thinking that meanwhile, my boys are happy, safe, having fun, and in good hands at preschool
waking up in Drew's embrace and it seemed romantic to discover that we were alone; no kids had found their way to our bed during the night (as one or two usually do)
How fun was that! Loved it, especially the video so you can hear as well as see the excitement! You two (or three counting the mafia) rock! I've been wondering about the women you befriended in the brothels. Any interaction with them Rachael?
ReplyDeleteWow--loved loved all those photos. What a great memory you have made for your boys and so many other families too. I also really love how you still do the counting the graces at the end of the blog.
ReplyDeleteLoved this blog Rachel & Drew! I can't believe Titus is 5 years old already.
ReplyDeleteWe were just going through some of my childhood things recently and came across my model rocket stuff. There was some brief discussion about getting rid of it. Thank you for convincing me otherwise.
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