Happy Chinese New Year !

Happy Chinese New Year everyone!

This year is the year of the OX (my brother in law Chris is an OX). Chinese New Year is the biggest and most important of all Holidays in China. The preparations for all the festivities begin well before the actual holiday. People plan travel back to see family in parts of China that are more remote from the urban city's that we see on the news as the "boom town" of China. Many people work in city's far from their homes and see family only once a year during Chinese New Year. This celebration is all about reconnecting with loved ones, family and friends. It is a 15 day celebration of visiting, food, parades, parties and fireworks. We celebrated with our local FCC group this weekend with a lovely outdoor picnic. The kids all had a nice time playing and eating some of the traditional Chinese dishes of Chinese New Year including Dumplings (for prosperity), long noodles (for good luck) and oranges to signify wealth. I reflect today on Sophia's Biological mother and her foster mother. I know that even though Sophia has no memory of these two women, they do have a memory of this child that one gave birth to and the other cared for, for 10 months. I hope that if they are thinking of Sophia they somehow know that Sophia is safe and loved by a family and friends that cherish her beyond words. I think about China and these two women everyday some days more then others, today is one of the more then other days...If I could I would thank both of them for giving Sophia life and a chance for a future and for giving Sophia the best possible care we could have prayed for during our wait..These women will always be an important part of our Chinese New Year Celebration....

Gung Hei Fat Choi!!!!

Come back later for "Meal Plan Monday"

and Check "Simply Sophia" tomorrow for new pictures....

Susan