Chinese New Year -- FCC variety

Chinese New Year officially begins tomorrow, but we've already gotten our celebration under way, with the Families With Children From China CNY dinner last night. The high point for Maya was winning a Chinese-silk bear at the raffle. For Zoe, the highlight was the arts and crafts table. And my favorite part was seeing folks we hadn't seen in a while, and marveling about how our babies have grown into lovely young ladies! A small group of us started Waiting Families Meetings in our area while we waited for our first referrals. We had a better-than-average turnout of those families last night, and it was great to see everyone and take group pictures that we can now compare to the group pictures we took as each child came home.

Each year as the event approaches, I start coming up with excuses -- it's too far away; it costs too much; we'll be going to the Chinese School CNY celebration. . . . But then I think of the value of continued involvement in FCC events, and we go! And we always have a nice time.

Despite the silk dresses and quasi-Chinese food, I don't really see it as a cultural event; what we'll do at Chinese School is likely to be more "authentically Chinese."

At Chinese School, Zoe and Maya get to be "just Chinese" in a way. At FCC events they can hang out with kids who are most like them, Chinese-in-a-Caucasian-family AND adopted. Both groups are important to them, so I'm glad we went last night!