Happy 10th Birthday, Esther!

Friday, March 5, was Esther's 10th birthday. I had been praying that she'd be home before this milestone, but I truly didn't think it would happen. But you all know how God works.

After we picked up Charis from school, we went to lunch/play with friends. We then went home to nap (moods dictated that, plus I knew we'd be up late). We met Daddy at Red Robin after he got off work.

I wasn't quite ready with my camera when the waitstaff started singing, and I'm not really sure Esther knew what to think of it. But they brought her ice cream, so it couldn't be bad, right?




Sharing with her sisters.

After dinner, we went over to the mall to have the girls' ears pierced (they've been asking for it ever since they arrived home). Both girls had had their ears pierced (probably at birth), but the holes were uneven and closed up.

Esther was to go first, so Mark had to walk Zoë around the store to keep her "in the dark" about the process.


Speaking of "in the dark," check out these shades!

Esther shows off her new earrings (with Kinderbear). She didn't flinch during the piercing.

As I had mentioned earlier, Esther had previous uneven piercings. In fact, the previous hole in one of her ears is so high, it looks like a piercing for a second earring now.

Time for Esther and Charis to flash the shades!

Zoë and her new piercings. She didn't flinch either. You have to wonder how much these girls have gone through that this was no big deal to them.

We told Zoë this was her belated birthday gift (her birthday was in December).

(After much discussion in English and Creole about the importance of her not playing with or removing her earrings, she took one of them out the next day. It was several hours later, but I found the earring (not the back), and it took several attempts to get it back in. Hopefully she'll obey now.)

When we got home, Esther opened her presents from Mark's family. Auntie Kim got Esther a bear from Build-A-Bear, with a voice box in it. Esther had taken over Charis' bear, so I know this will be a much-loved gift.

Esther holds up the fleece blanket made by Grandma Eyberg. Esther had picked out the fabric a few weeks ago. (Yeah! Now Mommy gets her blanket back!) Grandma and Grandpa Eyberg also gave Esther money toward her ear piercing.

On Saturday, we planned a get-together with the other families at our church who adopted Haitian children. It would be the first time in seven weeks that Esther and Zoe have seen some of their friends. We also used this opportunity to have a birthday party for Esther. We were missing some families, but we still had a great turnout, and talked about getting together like this on a regular basis.

My friend Charity donated the cake!

Esther and V.

Charis and her party blower.

Esther and her cake.

The candles were the "sparkler" kind and were quite difficult for her to blow out.

One of the families brought balloons to make things for the kids. Great idea!

Princess Esther and her crown.

Little Miss Sass.

Charis and her rose.

Esther and Y.

Zoe and her rose.

R., Esther, M, Y, and W.