Wondering where I’ve been?  Well, for the past week, at least, my usual blogging time was taken up by this:

We had a great week at VBS!  Two of our little cousins (you remember Ellie, right? And also little Morgan, who is June’s age) were able to attend this year, plus the overall attendance was up about 25% over last year’s.  So much to praise God for!  We are thankful to each and every person who helped make it possible.  The kids who can talk will tell you it was THE.BEST.WEEK.EVER!!!

It was a rough week for us in some ways, though.  I was thrilled when our children’s ministry leader offered to have a designated person to stay with Delia at VBS so that I would be free to teach in the Memory Verse Room as I have done in previous years, but in hindsight it was probably a little too soon for Delia to spend that much time in one week in the care of others.  Her behavior for me during the days was more difficult than we’ve had in a while, and I wasn’t exactly at the top of my game either.  I’ve had a bad cough for over three weeks now, but I did finally go to the doctor to get something for it, so hopefully I’m on the mend.  Hopefully Delia is, too.

Hot on the heels of VBS was Miss Delia’s 8th birthday, this past Sunday!

There is something so very precious about celebrating an adopted child’s birthday for the first time when they are home. It is bittersweet to have missed so many, especially knowing that they may or may not have been acknowledged at all, but it is a delight to watch her experience it all anew.

Our two birthday party girls:

Delia absolutely adored being sung to.  They sang to her in church on Sunday morning, and she loved it, and then she loved it all over again at her party on Sunday afternoon.  I love seeing the delight on her face when she truly connects with something and enjoys it:

She didn’t make quite as much of the gift-opening, but she has been enjoying some of her presents today, away from the craziness of the unwrapping.

I should try to remember for next year how much Delia enjoys unwrapping actual paper-wrapped gifts.  There are just too many gift bags nowadays.  Thanks to Gran and Grandad in England for providing her one properly-wrapped gift.  She loved opening it!

I’m hoping to get a proper Delia update posted later this week.  Things have still been difficult in some areas, but there are definitely things to be excited about!

For tonight, I’ll leave you with her first official “bear” photo (we bought her a dog instead because she loves dogs, though she has so far shown exactly zero interest in any soft toy ever including this one).  We usually begin this tradition (and so many others) in babyhood, but at least we shall start as we mean to go on.

Happy birthday to our beautiful Delphinia Mary!  We all love you so very much.