VHTL turns two

Vivi Heavens Treasure Love turned two this week.  I don't know why I call her that but I have to call her something and in the effort to try to put into words the crazy many aspects of beauty and joy and delightfulness in this sweet gift we've been given, this is the name that's stuck for her over-the-top verbal mama.  Or sometimes she's just Treasure of Vivi Love.  Regardless of the term of endearment, she. is. dear.  We are profoundly grateful to the Lord to have her a part of our family!

And... we're grateful for packages in the mail and grandparents who spoil our kids to the moon!

I made another tasty, shabby-looking cake... this time chocolate strawberry... but I didn't get any good pics of it since we were at dear friends' house for the evening and I didn't have my camera.   Her party was mostly just cake and lots of good cheer...

These big girls in our building have been coming by our place to play more often lately and Vivi just loves them.  It's so sweet that Chinese doesn't close her down anymore...  she tunes in and is making sense of the words that's she's hearing and she's even beginning to speak more and more at preschool.  Often, from our bike, she'll yell out to people that we pass on the street "Ni hao, shushu" (hi uncle- which is how she should address an older man) or "xie xie ayi" (thank you auntie) if someone holds open a gate for us to ride through.

We praise the Lord for this girl...

and we're super grateful for the Texans that we're blessed to have nearby too... 

... Boots!