Happy Birthday, Aliya!

Today is Aliya's 5 year birthday. We went to Cracker Barrel for Aliya's birthday dinner. Our present to Aliya this year was a small fish tank so that she could bring Peter home (see The Story of Peter for details).

After dinner we rushed over to Petsmart to find Peter. We only had about 20 minutes to look before the store would be closing. I helped Aliya search for Peter. I went through the top two shelves without finding him. About halfway through the third shelf, I held up an orange Beta fish and asked Aliya if this was Peter. SHE SAID, "YES"! I showed her a few more fish just to make sure she was sure... and she was. This orange Beta fish was Peter!

We took Peter to the cash register, and Aliya paid for it with her birthday fish gift card. She had a smile from ear to ear. When we were walking to the car, she held Peter underneath her coat so that he wouldn't get cold.

When we got home, Niah helped Aliya get her new tank set up. They washed everything and then decorated the tank. Finally it was time to put Peter in his new home. I poured him into the tank, and we all watched him for several minutes just swimming around in his new home. I think that Peter is going to be very happy--I know that Aliya is!!!

Happy Birthday, Aliya! We love you very much!

--Daddy, Mommy, Niah, and Kiahna