So, the day before school started I get an email from Boonie Butt's teacher.  He had her in 1st and 2nd  since she looped.  Her email said something like, "Please tell Boone to stop by my class room in the mornings because I don't know if I can stand not seeing his sweet face."

What?  She is still speaking to us?  Boone was a royal pain in the butt for her, hence the name "Boonie Butt."   First, he came speaking zero English.  Then, there was the problem of him not really knowing her much better than me.  He loved, loved her.  He tested her to prove it.  

  
My confidence was restored.  The teacher doesn't hate us.  But, of course there was the call from the bus driver about a week ago.  She does not think he is as cute as Mrs C did.  So, he had a bad night that night.   I had to let him know this was not going to happen on the bus every afternoon.  




That got me thinking once again.  Wonder how he is acting for his new teacher?  Will she say things like Mrs C said?  Like, "He shows me his puppy dog eyes."  So,  I bit the bullet and emailed his new teacher.  I was expecting the worst.

Me:  "How is Boone doing?"  

Mrs. Allen,

 

Boone has been an absolute joy to have in class! He definitely brings a smile or makes me laugh each day. I love his positive and happy go lucky demeanor. Boone has come such a long way for only being in the US for two years! He has been doing a nice job in class (just have had to get firm a few times J ). Thank you for your email. I will definitely keep you informed of Boone’s progress throughout year. I am hoping to see great academic gains this year with Boone.

 

Sincerely,

What??????   She doesn't hate us either.  Not yet anyway.  I still haven't really told Boone what she wrote.  : - ) 

 

OK, so orphans can come with baggage.  You know because of  things happening like abuse, burns,  sickness, lack of food...   Well, Boone's baggage was a piece of cake.  He sucks on two fingers.  You would too if you didn't have a Mom or enough food in your belly ever.  

Anyway,  we just temporarily had this fancy little doodad put in his mouth to stop  him.  

 




So then the speech teacher called... 

Speech Teacher:  "Mrs A, is Boone allowed to still have speech class?"

Me:  "Yes."

Speech Teacher:  "Well, Boone said his dentist said since he got this new mouth piece he no is longer allowed to come to speech class."

Me:  "He didn't!"

Speech Teacher:  "He also said when I called you he had to be in the room." 









Boone: "I'll take fruit with some hot sauce." 







Me:  "Oh no you won't."  



But, I did let him have it on his hot dog. 




Lael:  "You spoil him!"

Me:  "Well, his teachers think he is cute."  Well, some of them...






Lael, this is what you call breakfast?





Breakfast... 

The anniversaries of the births of two of the greatest kids ever....  Lyric and Boone.    They share the day!  But no, that is not Lyric and Boone in the picture above.  It is Arden and Shepard, Lyric and Boone's big sister and brother.  They helped light the candles on the cakes.







This is Lyric and Boone.






















Didn't take long for a crash, but that's how you learn... don't race your sister. 






We legally adopted Lyric on her 2nd birthday!  This picture was taken the day we received Shi Ya Ni, and like most all Chinese adoptions it is the next day when you legally adopt the child.  And on that day, little Miss Shi Ya Ni became Lyric Ya Ni.  Lyric is with her nanny here.   





Three days later we returned for a tour of the orphanage, so we could visit and so Lyric could see her nanny again.  The nanny met us as we were pulling up to the orphanage.  Lyric was asleep on my shoulder, but when she woke and saw the nanny she lunged for her.  Once inside, Lyric grabbed the crackers from the nanny and started passing them out to the babies. 



Another birthday shared with cousins.  









Lyric in her birthday dress. 



This was a birthday sleep over.  Get it???  : - )  We got Lyric the candles that won't blow out... kind of mean. 







It started out typical.  Blow out the candles...   



Well, this is strange.  They went out, but started lighting up again??  Look at Avery's face (in the pink) and the others for that matter.  Ha!  



What the heck?!



Oh my gosh!   I can't take it!




I mean I really can't take it!!!!!!!!!!! 





Then the year I decided to bake the cake myself...



This isn't the quality I'm used to??????



Yesterday...

Lyric:  "Remember the year I told you my favorite color was blue and you gave me a purple party?"


























Back to better quality cakes.  And, owls are her favorite. 



So, this year is only Boone's 2nd birthday with us.  Orphans rarely have a birthday party, so don't go thinking something like "Wow, they don't have it that bad."  This year he was still in China, but we knew we were adopting him.  I had a Chinese friend contact his orphanage and asked if we could buy him a cake.  China is big on "saving face."  They said they would give him a party, and they did!  Here, Boone is with other orphan boys, and probably most of these boys are still there.  : - ((((









Boone and Pryor had only been with us a couple weeks here, and we had missed Boone's birthday by a couple of weeks.   Pryor's isn't until October, so this year will make his 3rd with us. 



Boone's 1st birthday with us. They shared a cake last year.