Birthday Party

Jack and Daniel are 10 days apart in age.   Essentially twins.

Twins who celebrated together for the first time this year.

We celebrated well.  With an excavator cake!

Our small family party was just right for this year. All of this "birthday celebration" stuff is totally new to Jack.  He wouldn't eat any cake and he had no idea that there were gifts for him or why there were gifts for him. He pretty much just followed Daniel and just did whatever he did.  It was sweet to celebrate these boys with our family (thanks to both of our moms and dads and siblings - y'all are truly the best!)

There is a woman somewhere in China who thinks of her little boy every year about this time.  Maybe she remembers the details about his birth.  There was a big snowstorm in Chongqing late January 2011 so maybe she remembers that.  I don't know.  I don't know her story.  But I know that I am grateful for her choice to give her son life and for the two months she held her son keeping him warm from the outside weather.  She holds a special place in my heart. If I could, I would wrap my arms around her neck.  Adoption is beautiful, but it comes from a broken place.  Much heartache happened before the joy of Jack's Gotcha Day.  I'm especially aware of that as I celebrate Jack's birthday for the first time this year.

I have to end this post with two major steps of progress for Jack -

1.  He slept through the whole night last night without a car in his hand!  He has had a car in his hand every single night we have had him until last night.  It made me weepy.  My boy is learning security doesn't come from a toy car, and I'm so thankful.

2.  He ate his first chicken nugget today!  He has struggled with taking bites of things like chicken nuggets or sandwiches.  Today, he finally choose to take a bite of a chicken nugget.  He must have liked it because then he ate FIVE chicken nuggets.

Happy 3 years, Jack!  I am so blessed to get to kiss your cheeks every day!  Welcome to your fourth year of life, I see many fun things coming your way before your next birthday!