One more thing from Alina's birthday...

Alina's music teacher sent me this photo today... It was taken on her birthday while Alina was singing the Stevie Wonder song "Isn't She Lovely" to her class during the "talent share" portion of the week. She learned about Stevie Wonder through her teacher, and had been listening to his songs at home. She asked me to print out the lyrics.

Once she learned the lyrics, she would sing to anyone who would listen. I heard her on the phone talking to her Aunt Carolyn, and she was singing the song. When I picked up the phone, my sister was crying.

I told Alina that the sentiments expressed in the song about a beautiful newborn baby girl were exactly the ones I felt when I saw my eight month old girl for the first time in Baby House #3 in Almaty, Kazakhstan, which this Fall will be nine years ago.

McP

Celebrating Alina's 9th!

We started Alina's big 9th birthday weekend on Friday, her birthday. At school she was honored with a special birthday prayer.

After school, Alina was joined by her good friends Larkin and Kate. They rode from school with Alina and her mother to the mall, where they spent a couple of hours getting Alina's ears pierced and picking up some new clothes for her birthday. Then they all were delivered to Little Khan Tengri for the festivities to begin!

Aunt Nancy agreed to help chaperone the all-nighter that Alina had asked she could have. Before lights out, however, we were joined by lots of family and friends to give our girl a great birthday party!

After the all-nighter, I took Alina, Mac and Cal to Sir Goony's and we all enjoyed a round of miniature golf. It was a great weekend!

McP