Celebrating Mahaela's 4th Birthday!!!

That was then...

This is now!

Mahaela is 4 years old today!  This is our first birthday to celebrate with her.  We have been celebrating for a few days now.  She loved getting presents and had priceless reactions to each gift. 

I just received an e-card from her orphanage, the head nurse specifically.  They are thinking of her and I know they must be missing her terribly.  We sent them 2 coats recently as a gift for her birthday and also for her Gotcha day.  They were so kind to send her with 2 coats when we left the orphanage--they said both were hers and they wanted her to have them.  We didn't really need them, but I took everything they offered--from her toothbrush to her tights.  I intend to save everything, because it is all that Mahaela has to remember those first 3 years by.  I hope to send them two coats every year to celebrate her birthday.  I also sent them some recent photos.  I wish they could really see her now!

We know how unbelievable blessed we have been by having Mahaela in our family.  She is really a joy for all of us.  There is something magical about 4 year olds.  We look forward to this next year with her.  I know we have only had her for a  year...but she really is growing up too fast! 

I do wonder what her birthmom thinks of this day.  I pray she just dreams of how well she might be doing and that she believes that she did what was best for Mahaela.  Her birth parents were just part of story.  I thank God that we can be part of her story from here on out. 

Here is a video of us explaining to her that we were beginning to celebrate her birthday a couple days early...

(ya, lately she is doing something very strange with her tongue when she is embarrassed or nervous or very excited in this case!)

I know I have been quiet and I have a little blogging to fill in the gaps, but it will have to wait for another time still.