My Habesha and her Birth-day celebration

Aregash Faith Dejene turns FIVE!!!

and so we had a little party.

oh. yes. we. did.

 this was a "girls only" party......

 (well, except for daddy, and the brothers were free to hang and paint nails, but they chose the indoor water park instead)

1st time attempt at yarn-braids.....i don't think i did it right, but there's yarn in them-there braids.

this was a "5-year-olds-only-party".....

 (except for those who just previously turned six...and the one who is 4. whoops!)

this was a grand "TUTU-party".....

where tutus were required, but provided.

(and THAT was the girliest thing i've ever made)

this was a VERY "pink-to-the-max-party"..... 

(and we liked it that way. even if it DID look like someone threw up pepto)

 #andyesillforeverrememberthatwassaid#:0)

an "elaborately-decorated (for us)-parte' ".....

where the ballerina herself answered the door for her guests..... 

(well, most of them)

a little cornrowing going on here too.....and maybe just a touch of frosting "glitz"

where dolls were welcome on the cake table.....

(and part of the cake)

and those dolls really got "dolled-up" for the occasion.....

 

the ballerinas turned into fairies with a slip of a wand, some wings, and a head-dress......

fingernails were painted by experts.....

(the best cheapest we could find-ha!)

crafts were crafted.....

(thanks to my friend Deena and Pinterest :) 

(in fact, i need to thank Deena LOTS for letting me copy a many great idea)

beautiful hand-made-canvases were displayed for all to see.....

and proud artists showed their faces.....

and then came the requests....... 

and i quote Macy (2nd from left), 

"i wanna do something else . i wanna cut that cake and eat it".

  

note phoebe under the table (in her party dress)

and so we did.......

not. 

 we never cut the cake.

cause those cupcakes with cotton candy on top were in such high demand.

{and we may never get to see how goooooood that doll cake was, cause it's really hard for me to cut such things that are THAT "doll-ed" up.}

ha

ha

ha

(no seriously. i'm not even joking)

but we "cheers-ed" our friends with pink water.....

(yea, you saw right. pretty can still be healthy)

 ~you're welcome mothers of children who were already sugared- up.~

and then we stuffed our faces full of cotton candy.....

(whoops. sorry to said mothers)

made straight from the pink machine thingy (thanks Dominique!)

and just a little bit of dancing and frolicking happened......

aregash and her ethiopian "sister", yesi.

until it was time to say "goodbye".

and i have to tell you......

this was the quiet-est bunch of ballerina-fairy-princesses i have ever come across.

such well-behaved, sweet little things they were (are)

that we may [most-definitely] have to do it all over again next year.

that smile. is it happy? or sugar?

she loved every single minute of it.

feeling happy and blessed to do it up for this birthday angel.

she was tickled "pink".
thank you for making her day soo special, little friends!

i love you baby girl.

when i went through the pictures and saw how your head stands so far above the counter tops it made me sad that you have grown so much in your two years home, but grateful that you are flourishing as you should be.

such a beautiful big little girl

who seems "tickled" to be "doing" life.

and THAT warms my heart.

happy happy birthday to my 5-year-old habesha on your birth-day.

a bitter-sweet reminder of the gift that god gave me when he gave me you.

kisses from heaven rain down on you.

always.

God, please protect her heart and let her know that she is always loved. 

Always wanted. 

Always cherished.

And may we never waste or take for granted any time.

It' oh-so-precious.

Thank you for showing me that.
Your love abounds and shows us faith.
and Faith.