Gong Xi Fat Cai

Gong Xi Fat Cai – Happy Chinese New Year! Welcome to the year of the Rat which actually began yesterday, but I fell asleep while putting Julia to bed and woke up this morning. Perhaps a very good new year celebration!

According to the Chinese Zodiac, Year of the Rat is the first in the cycle of 12 Animal signs. Rat Year is a time of hard work, activity, and renewal. It is a good year to begin a new (I hope so), get married (maybe now), launch a product or make a fresh start (Here we are in lovely Madison). Ventures begun now may not yield fast returns (what else is new?), but opportunities will come for people who are well prepared and resourceful (I hope that is us!). The best way to succeed is to be patient, let things develop slowly, and make the most of every opening you can find (Okay, I am ready).

Or so says Wikipedia with a few of my own snide comments.

We have not begun to celebrate CNY. We need too much regularity in our house right now. Maybe in a year or two. We are planning to go to a CNY party in another week put on by our local Families with Chinese Children (FCC). It will be our first venture into the Chinese adoption community here although we've met some families with Chinese kids.

Just yesterday, Julia was looking at the travel pictures in the sunroom. David was setting up a computer program for her and she pointed out the pictures from China. She told him that they were of China. I have pointed out these pictures before – months and months ago – and didn't think that Julia took notice.

The dress that Julia has on in this picture is the biggest dress that we had made for her while we were in China. I thought it would be more than two years when she could wear this, but it is 17 months from when we came home. The kid grows! I could not get her to wear the other two outfits that we had made in China and I am hoping that she will wear this one for the CNY party and then when we go down to Florida for Marta's party and to visit the grandparents. I don't want to force her Chinese heritage on to her and Julia has shown only slight interest in Chinese things apart from the food. So the only plan is to go very slowly.

Gong Xi Fat Cai