What a special special celebration of our Panda girl! Family and friends gathered to join us in the festivities...and Belle herself came too! The cold, rainy day made the "soup du jour" all the more delicious and warming...what a neat thing to have worked out that way. We also had lemonade {tea} in keeping with the yellow and hints of red roses theme as well.
As always, my heart was torn between this world and the next...reminders of my first girl and the door her life opened to welcome more daughters...and the days where dressing a little princess were so hard to swallow and a reality I never expected in this life. And, the brave woman who gave my Panda life. How I wish she could have seen her daughter! Laughing, twirling, getting makeovers & devouring every last bite of her sparkly gold birthday bundt cake! What a gift she has given us! Because I know one day she'll ask, I want Andie-Grace to know that every single year in the days leading up to her birthday, I spend precious time praying for her birth mother...and for peace that can only come from Jesus to fill her heart and mind as she remembers these days where she last carried and gave life to her. Because I know the pain of letting a daughter go as well... and, oh how those days leading up to her birth sting my soul. Tears are shed out of both thanksgiving and sadness as I trust in God's sovereignty and pray He makes a way for them to meet again in Glory.
The birthday girl is a miracle in so many ways...and it is nothing but JOY to celebrate her and another year The Lord has given!
Bear was the perfect "Beast" in his blue coat! {He's going to be Francis Marion at his homeschool academy so the Revolutionary War costume was just the right touch!}
Major props to my sister who was the only adult in costume too! She was the Mirror Mirror on the Wall lady! :) Baby Jayne and Ailee James were matching Minnies!
Her face when she sees Belle has arrived!
AG & JJ had Belle read them the world's longest story! And they loved it!
Fun reuniting these two friends!
A sweet group of friends and family! We even had a few that couldn't make it due to sickness. What a great crowd!
Thinking I may submit this for her 5 year post adoption report to China in a few months. HA! I bet they'll wonder how we added a princess to our family!
Twirling her little heart out!
She was SO excited to get some make up! Although I do believe she doesn't need a lick of it and is so beautiful without!
My goodness...this face! She's going to have the time of her life in Disney and I do believe we'll spend more time meeting princesses than anything else!
Making a tiara is hard work! ;). I was a bit concerned over how this little love bug would do with such a crowd. She had a few moments where we had to step away and regroup a little but did so well. She's really good at coming to me and saying "hold you" and laying her little head down.
It was darling to see AJ take right to Evie! Sweet Evie and my Annabelle were just two beds apart in the Peds Card ICU and are just a couple weeks apart in age. AJ is very perceptive and could see right into Evie's heart and just adored her!
The moment I realized that Belle could sing, too! She was quite impressive!
AG's "Miss Katie" and "Mia" came too! She adores them & we are so thankful for big girls who are such sweet influences in her life!
No comments:
Post a Comment