yet another birthday party

Today was Alia's actual birthday, so we decided to have a little party for our neighbors. I know what you are thinking - didn't she just have a huge birthday party? Yes, but that one was mostly for Westerners as birthday parties here are quite different than what we would be used to.

It was a great opportunity for us to build deeper relationships with our friends and neighbors and learn loads about culture at the same time.

We are so thankful for our little sunshine God has blessed us with. 

A year ago we were holding this tiny little being who we instantly fell in love with. 

Today we look back on a year full of changes and we are thankful for a baby who has handled all of them so so well - what a treasure God has entrusted us with!

Sorry that most of the pictures are not very good quality, they were taken with a camera phone in a dark room....

 birthday girl proudly presenting her dress that she got one year ago from friends (thank you Mike and Annemarie!)

our diligent helpers and I prepared a traditional birthday food - yellow rice with chicken

we packed about half of it in little plastic containers for the guests to take home after the party

 Alia enjoyed all the attention 

 if there are not enough seats for everybody, the furniture is taken out of the room and mats put on the floor 

                        you can't tell from the pictures, but all together we had 33 guests today

 she ate so many snacks (by herself), we had to shower her after the party