Table for Eight

Opening bday cards this morning--one from her brother on his mission. Happy Birthday Papaya !  We love you so much and can't wait for you to get your drivers permit  to celebrate with red velvet cake and  ice cream tonight! XOXOXOXO This was her one BIG gift--she wanted to pick out new bedding that wasn't from Target. (Because for the last 14 years, her bedding has been from Target. LOL! I pretty much shop anywhere I can buy a head of lettuce AND pillowcases. Woo hoo.) Cards and gifts from the rest of the fam--some of her favorite things: nutella, Reese's minicups, lemonade, nail polish ... and cool elephant pillowcases to match her Indian/African-themed bedroom set.

Tomorrow is our sweet Papaya's 15th BIRTHDAY! We are so excited to celebrate! And I know I say this a lot (and it sounded so cheesy when I heard adults say it when I was a kid), but "TIME IS FLYING." I truly remember every single detail of her adoption as if it were yesterday.  Every detail: --The weather the day we got the phone call from our dear friends at church, telling us they had a family member who was considering adoption for her beautiful bambina. --The movie and scene that were playing on tv when I answered the phone to find out that their family member wanted to meet us ... tomorrow! (PS: It was "You've Got Mail" and the Meg Ryan character was getting a drink of some kind at Starbucks in the fall. She'd yet to begin emailing the Tom Hanks character.) --I remember how nervous I was and that I didn't sleep at all for the whole night. I remember how Dave was able to sleep like a baby the whole night. (Which have become pretty co...