Catching up!

So, I admit I've been neglecting my blogging duties lately. Unfortunately, it seems like the entire state of Oklahoma has been plagued by just about every really YUCKY illness this winter - and we've had our share of them in the Cook household. For the last four weeks, either Will or I have been sick every single week - bronchitis, laryngitis, stomach flu, cold, respiratory infection - UGH!!!!! At least no one in our household has had the flu yet - a major accomplishment, considering that it is just flying around town right now. We are really ready for Spring --- a chance to get out of the house, to get working in the yard, and most of all, to get everyone really well!

Illness aside, February hasn't been a total loss. We got to enjoy our first Tet celebrations this year. Tet is the major holiday in Vietnam celebrating the New Year. We've all loved learning more about the Vietnamese culture during this time, as well as getting to know some of the other Vietnamese adoption families here in OKC. We went to a party with lots of our adoption gang at our friends Kerrie & Joey's house. Kerrie did an amazing job of decorating their home for the party, complete with lanterns, New Year's activities for the kids, and even Year of the Rat cupcakes. We also got to enjoy a nice sampling of Vietnamese dishes - pho, grilled pork, traditional soups, spring rolls. You can see lots of fun photos from that party at their site: http://www.zakmakesthree.blogspot.com/. I'm a bit late with this post, so you'll have to scroll down to see the party pictures. Make sure and take some time to check out the pictures of Zak, Cole, and Dylan - three of the kiddos here in OKC that have been home about a year. When I close my eyes and imagine what our lives might be like in a year, I always seem to think about these three fun little boys and their families!

The highlight of our New Year's celebration was attending our first Vietnamese Dragon Dance. Our friends, Mai & Chad, live in our same subdivision and received a referral for their little boy the same day we received our referral of David. We are so excited to get to have an immediate Vietnamese buddy just a few blocks away! :) Mai is Vietnamese as well, so she has been such a fantastic resource for us - always full of patience to teach us about Vietnamese culture, food, lifestyle. We love the fact that the blessings of this adoption process continue to abound, as we not only get to add this beautiful baby to our home, but have added so many wonderful new friends to our lives as well.

So, Mai & Chad hosted us for a Dragon Dance at Mai's insurance office in the heart of the Vietnamese District of Oklahoma City. (By the way, the March issue of Southern Living magazine has a story about the VN District in OKC - worth a look!) A Dragon Dance is a tradition where dancers in dragon costume dance their way through a home or business to bring in good fortunes for the New Year. Will's buddies, Kiley & Kenna Cline, joined us to watch the dance & feed oranges to the dragon. We also experienced our first Vietnamese fireworks, which were quite honestly, the loudest thing I had ever heard in my life! Bill says that for those in the know, you could describe it as roughly 5,000 M-80's being lit off in very rapid progression. It was something to see and to hear! :) Mai also fed us fantastic Vietnamese pork sandwiches - think really tender roast pork with marinated cucumbers, carrots, and soy sauce all served on a french baguette - YUM! I'd definitely order them again in Vietnam. We got to try some Vietnamese sweets too - sesame candy, dried ginger, sweet potatoes, and coconut strings. All in all, a really great day. We can't wait for next year!

Finally, we got some great new news today about David. We received an update on his height and weight. On Feb. 14, he was 4-1/2 months old, 11-1/2 lb. and a whopping 25 inches long. It's so good to know that he is healthy and growing well right now as he is away from us. David turns five months old tomorrow - Happy 26th Day little man! Cupcakes for everyone!