Sunday, March 12, 2006 Today was an exciting day for all of us. Matthew was a VIP in his classroom this week and today our family was invited into the class for an informal visit. Matthew’s teacher has a child each week become the VIP and the child can bring mementos and photo’s from home. The items are placed on a special shelf in the class and the VIP gets a lot of special individualized attention for the week. Matthew has been waiting to be the VIP for a very long time. Before Brooke came, he wanted Snappy, his thirty year old box turtle, to be his surprise visitor. Fortunately Brooke has taken over the role for Snappy the turtle and she became Matthew’s special visitor today. I am glad for that because I would much rather carry my beautiful baby to school than the turtle any day. All the children were excited to see Brooke. They had followed our journey to Brooke along with Matthew in school. In the class each day while we were in China, Mrs. M and Mrs. H made sure to go online and read our entries on this web site to Matthew and the class. Not only did Matthew get to feel the experience through the internet, so did the entire class. From what I understand so did many of the other teachers in school too! How wonderful for everyone to be able to share this experience from so far away. It was also wonderful for Matthew because it made him feel extra special, especially while we were gone. The class circled around Brooke and she had no problem handling the crowd. She enjoyed walking around their circle and letting the girls and boys play with her. Matthew was very proud to have his sister, Mom, Dad and Papa June all there with him on his VIP day. We brought snacks of juice and fruit and cupcakes and doughnuts. We gave all the girls pretty combs that we found in China. They were made of wood and painted with Chinese ladies dressed in beautiful robes. All the boys got coins for the Year of the Rabbit (the year they were all born in) tied onto red thread so they could wear them as pendants. We brought in card stock and glitter glue and stickers and each child got to make a book mark for their book box in class. If we would have had more time we would have read our favorite book, “Tikki Tikki Tembo” a Chinese folk tale but we ran out of time. All in all it was a wonderful VIP day and both Matthew and Brooke had a great time. After VIP day, it was off to the shoe store to get Brooke’s first walking shoes. I have been trying to get shoes for Brooke for the longest time but every store has had trouble fitting her foot. It seems my little Brooke has a very long but very narrow foot and all the American and European brands are too wide. One of our local stores was going to a shoe show in the city today and was on a lookout for a good first walking shoe and a sandal for our vacation. We are planning a little mini vacation the end of the month. Unfortunately Howard will not be able to come with us because of tax season but Papa June, Matthew, Brooke and I are traveling to Scottsdale for a family wedding and a little R & R. Matthew is so excited he wants to start packing already. Poor daddy will be stuck here on the wet, cold east coast while we party it up in Arizona. Hopefully after tax season Howard will take a week and we will go away together on a family vacation. He will certainly deserve it after the crazy hours he has put in this tax season. I guess the next post will be from sunny Scottsdale. See you then, Mandee, Howard, Brooke and Matthew.

I am getting sleepy. Where's my story? OK, now we are both waiting for that story! Yeah that's the story I want to hear! Today I am a VIP! Hey guys over here! Who wants to build Lego's with me?

Trying on shoes is a lot of fun. Got any Jimmy Choos?

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