Wednesday, October 29, 2008

"A Whole Hand-Full"...

Miyah's 5th birthday (14)

...that's what our just-turned 5 year old is telling us she is today! I can hardly believe it. How do the years sneak up on us so quickly? It seems like yesterday she was that little 12 month old who could barely sit up. Now she's a strong, healthy, happy, outgoing little girl.

And SWEET! Anyone who knows her well can tell you they don't come any sweeter than our Miyah. She has a way about her that is so endearing and kindhearted. We are blessed beyond belief to have this little girl in our lives.

I can't help but think about her birthparents on the anniversary of her birth. Surely the day doesn't pass without them thinking about her and wondering...

As Miyah blows out her candles I can't help but breath the silent prayer for her birthparents that chokes at the back of my throat. Surely God will grant them peace on the anniversary of their loss. Joy. Sorrow. Pain. All intermingled for them those five years ago. I sense it as they must certainly have sensed her sweet spirit the moment they held her.

I'm sometimes made uneasy by the fact that one woman's profound loss has become one of my most incredible blessings. But I know God's hand is in it all and Miyah was destined to be ours even if I don't understand why loss had to be a part of that plan.

Which then leaves the question of how I got to be the luckiest mommy in the world to have these four incredible children?


God is good in his providence...in his plans that confound the most spiritual and the wisest among us.

So we continue to count our blessings in minutes, days, years spent with these precious children. Every bit of it is a gift beyond measure.


And what better way to celebrate such a milestone than with a chicken nugget and waffle fry? When we asked Miyah what she wanted to do for her family birthday meal, she said, "Chik-Fil-A* chicken nuggets!" Which is easy (and cheap) enough. It also happened to be Chik-*Fil-A's Family N*ght during the week of Hallow*een, so there were clowns and prizes, along with the usual cow, balloon guy, and free kids meals and ice cream (orange). A ready-made party!

We celebrated a night early because everyone had somewhere to be on her actual birthday. As it was, on the night we did celebrate, Matt had to get to his college class and Megan to dance, so they were only able to join us for a little while.

I know you're not accustom to all these words, so here's the overabundance of photos as usual....


Miyah's 5th birthday (32)

Miyah's 5th birthday (42)

Mei Lin ran up to give the cow a hug.
Miyah's 5th birthday (10)
Miyah got a lot of animal dress-up stuff this year (perfect)...
Miyah's 5th birthday (52)
And she shared with Daddy...
Miyah's 5th birthday (56)
and Mei Lin.
Miyah's 5th birthday (62)
And she got a new big girl bike she LOVES!
Miyah's 5th birthday (76)
Birthday Breakfast
Miyah's 5th birthday (114)
The Sweet Birthday Girl
Miyah's 5th birthday (120)
Mei Lin is upset that she can't wear the "Birthday Girl" pin. This face is often seen on Mei Lin these days. Those lips are what first caught my eye in her referral photo...I saw them and knew I needed to kiss those lips.Miyah's 5th birthday (144)
H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y, S W E E T G I R L ! ! !

8 incredible comments!:

Wife of the Pres. said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIYAH!!! What a great party idea! ;) Hey, it looked like a ready-made party and the family n*ghts at CFA are loads of fun!

Beautiful WORDS Cindy! AND I love the photos too as usual. Sorry i haven't commented; I am trying to catch up as I settle into the new routine with a 3-year-old! So fun and BUSY! I am going stir-crazy so a play date soon is in order. I just don't know how much longer I can follow doctor's orders. He said 6 weeks for sure, so we are less than 2 weeks away from that. Plus, she'll have her flu shot behind her by then.

About the last photo, our K girls sure do have some looks don't they? Even still, they are cute!

Les

mommy24treasures said...

Happy birthday to your sweet girl.
I love your journaling about her. Lovely thoughts. I know what you mean about ones loss being one of our greatest blessings... I too think about it so often. I am reading Heavenly Man right now about China and it brings them to my heart so often through the day...

Mommy said...

Precious Precious girl! Happy Birthday! Tag, you're it...see you at the Womble Times...

RamblingMother said...

happy belated bday. what sweet pics even of the pout.

Carla said...

Oh what a fun birthday it looks like it was for Miyah! Happy 5th Birthday sweet little one.

and Mei Lin and Katie have that look in common. ;) Poor thing, and I just want to give her a special pin to wear on that day too. Sometimes it's hard being the little sister.

Beautiful thoughts that you were able to put into words to describe how I felt when Katie turned 2. It's so hard to think of the loss her mother had to have endured, then thinking of her foster mother as well. So much loss in her short life.

Carla said...

took me a minute to figure out who Cindy was on my comments! LOL To add to the "what we have in common" we have a girl from Kunming, we both know Leslie (and Leslie can tell you where I live), and yes I can tell you all about where I learned photography sometime. I can talk your ear off about it. ;)

Jenn said...

Happy Birthday Miyah!!!!!!! You are such a beautiful young lady with a sweet and gentle spirit! We are so glad and blessed to know you!!!

Thanks for the kind words on my blog Cindy and sorry I forgot to write you back about the field trip...I had three kiddos that day and it wasn't possible; but I appreciate the info!

Happy family/Adoption week!

Anonymous said...

I woke up on Andrew's birthday last week feeling sad that I didn't have any stories to tell him of his birth. I couldn't tell him about how excited we were or how everyone was so happy. Then my sister-in-law sent Andrew a card that said, "God danced on the day you were born!" What a great reminder for a sad mommy to remember that her son's true Father celebrated when no one else did! Miyah - God danced!

Love Pam