Happy Chinese New Year

We had a dumpling wrapping party!  Friends from church came over, and we made the dumplings completely from scratch - dough and filling!  It was very labor intensive, but so fun to talk and work together as the meal came together.

We had three fillings - the two pictured here are both with pork.  The one on the right has silken tofu in it - which is why it is a lighter color.  We also had a shrimpy filling (not pictured).

Lily had a ball "helping" with the dough.

Yummmm.  Look at that chewy goodness.

Little discs of dough waiting to be rolled out into skins for the dumplings.

Whole wheat skins, white flour skins, potstickers, boiled dumplings.  

Lots of fun wrapping with friends!  Dave and I received this dining table as a wedding gift from my parents almost 15 years ago.  It was purchased from an estate sale - so who knows how old it is.  I am so thankful now for all of the wonderful and special times we have had around this table!  When we were first married, it was just the two of us, and we would keep the table small - without the leaves in the middle.  Over the years as we have moved and added children to the family, it has taken on many forms - covered with a table cloth, with one leaf in the middle, then two leaves, used as a school table, a craft table, a kitchen table, and a fine dining table.  When we all wanted to do the dumping party, one of our friends suggested that we roll out the dough on our big dining table :-).

This photo shows Lily and Dave's special relationship :-).

After dinner we had a short time of worship together with everyone.  Matthew wanted to sing "Come, Ye Beloved of the Lord."  I have not sung that song in years.  I was touched anew by the words of that lovely chorus:

"Our God withheld not His own Son, the treasure of His heart,
Poured out for you.
Since He already gave His Son,
What now will He withhold from you His own."

Happy happy Chinese New Year!  I didn't have enough energy to put Lily in her silks this year.  Also, it is the year of the snake - which means that Matthew will be 12 this year, as he was born in the year of the snake - 2001.