Cassie's Bday Party

Cassie enjoyed her birthday party.

I worked that weekend so her party was held at 6:30 at Mom's. This year she wanted a giant cookie with the Disney Princesses on it instead of a regulation cake. I had Mark and Cassie pick up her cookie (and Hy-Vee managed to misspell her name!), and get the paper plates, cups, and napkins - Hannah Montana, Disney Princesses, and High School Musical of course. Sigh.

She was very excited about her gifts: "Uno" card game with Hannah Montana on the design, several books, "Wall-E" dvd, a couple of music cds (Hannah Montana, Jonas Brothers, shudder), and a craft kit to make garden stones (from Uncle Scott). We make and decorate our own stones and then put them in the garden plot in front. Right away Sunday morning Cassie wanted to begin work on the stones.

But even through the excitement, fun, and joy of Cassie's birthday, I always think of her birth parents and the heartbreaking decision they had to make. They will never know how she's doing, what country she's in, and in general what kind of person she's turning out to be. They will never see her smile, feel her hug, smell her hair, hear her laughter, receive her handmade projects, or hear her say, "I love you Mommy." Well-meaning, but ignorant, people say to us that we did a wonderful thing by adopting her. And sometimes they say this in front of Cassie! But in truth Mark and I are the lucky ones.