The last post...

Hello everyone...I have decided to end this blog and start a new one all about Anna. The new link is http://myblessing1.blogspot.com/

I hope you will come and check out the new one...I will leave this up for a while but probably not for long...

I want to thank each and everyone one of you for all of the great support while I was going through the process to bring my sweet Anna home!

God Bless you.

Jo Ann

POEM...

Today I kissed an Angel
Author: unknown

Today I kissed an angel I knew it from the start

The first time my angel smiled at me I gave away my heart

Today I kissed an angel this angel child of mine

Though not of my creation my child by God's design

Today I kissed an angel my heart is dancing wild,

A family by a miracle blessed by this angel child.

My little Sweet Anna...

Just thought I would blog about my sweet Anna! :-)

She is doing really well. We are still adjusting to daycare and even though when I leave her in the morning and she is not a happy camper...when I pick her up, she is having a blast!

This morning we were getting ready for school and she was sticking her foot out and saying something...it took me a moment to figure out...she had learned her left and right foot/arms! It was sooooo cute! She can count pretty well to 10 and is still working on getting the ABC song down...but it is so darn cute to hear! :-) She knows her name and lots of fun stuff...but it is sooooo cool to pick her up and hear her tell me something new!

I got my first piece of artwork yesterday...it was from St Patrick's day...a four leaf clover, decorated very nicely with glitter and stuff! LOL!!

Anna got her Easter pix done on Saturday and I can't wait to pick them up! They came out sooo cute! We also got some done of her and I and they came out pretty good too!

I have a few of my friends out there that are waiting for their children...and I just want to say with out a doubt it is soooooo worth the waiting and frustration that the process will have...hang in there and don't give up!!

May he give you the desires of your heart...Psalm 20.4

Soooooooo Yummy!!!

What's this...worms in my food???

Driving this car is hard work...but someone has to do it! Oh...yeah...thanks for the pushes!! I guess it helps to have the battery working! LOL!!

The girls with Meme!

They love their Meme!!!

Anna and Sadie and I...so many people say Anna and Sadie look like Sisters! Some guy asked me if they were twins!! LOL!! (there cousins!)

Going Back to Work...

Wow! I can't believe how the time has passed! I am returning back to work on Monday and Anna starts daycare tomorrow...it will only be a half day...but she seems so excited! Not sure that she completely knows what she is going to do...but she is soooooo excited! LOL!!

I think she will do GREAT! I know she will love all the new friends and all of the busy fun stuff they will do. She loves to be on the go all the time!

We have had such a nice time off together and it seems like we have always had each other...it will be so much harder for me to go back to work than her to go to daycare! LOL!!! Everyone says that is how it always is! Welcome to Motherhood I have been told!

All I know is that I am the most blessed Mother around...Anna is such an amazing blessing from God! I could not have picked a better child if I tried. Don't get me wrong...she is sooo stubborn and soooo independent...but SOOOOO cute at it!!!

I will post some of the pix for the month of March so far that we have done or people we have played with.

A Day in the Park with Friends...

Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Valentines Day!!!

Anna and Dogs...

Well Anna is having such a good time in all this nice weather! We went to the school playground on Sunday...boy it was packed! But Anna saw a dog named Sam...she was more interested in the dog than anything else! On Saturday night we went to a friends birthday and again...more interested in the dog than the other kids! Today we went to a friends and their neighbor had 2 dogs - one played catch really good and she was beside herself! She was laughing and having such a good time! It is really good that I have friends with dogs...cause I don't see myself getting another one for awhile!

As you may see in some of her pictures...she carries around a dog in a purse and sleeps with a pink poodle...see the picture attached...so I think she likes them!!! LOL!!!

My Toes are so pretty! Can you believe this stuff stays on even when I take a bath!

Tea Party Anyone...

Anna and Heather having Tea and Teddy Grahams!

Her room is more pink than mine! :-)

Anna and Sadie with all the girls having pizza and playing Barbies!

Getting to know each other...

Anna and I are really enjoying our time getting to know each other! She is such a sweet girl! We are doing all kinds of fun stuff...she loves to play with play-doh, and most of all her babies! She also can't leave the house with out her puppy in the purse! She seems to love dogs and cats ALOT!!! Her eating habits change each day...but when you find something she likes...she is a good eater. So far she loves pancakes, eggs, bread, PEAS, yogurt, chicken nuggets, and french fries...oh and her bananas and grapes! She will eat some other stuff...but these are the things she never says neyet too!

She loves her bike and being Mommy's big helper...no matter what it is!

We painted her toes the other night and she LOVES it! Everytime she takes her socks off...she has this look of surprise...like to say...they are still painted! I see her sometimes just looking down at her toes smiling!

I will attach some cute pix so you can see how well she is adjusting to America!

Thanks for everyones calls and emails about Anna!

Trip to Bring Anna Home!

GOTCHA DAY!!

GOTCHA DAY!!

Sorry I have not blogged yet...but I finally got my Sweet Anna on January 19th! I went to the Passport office and applied for her passport and then we went to the baby home to pick her up! It was awesome! She was so sweet and seemed so glad to go with me...I thought for sure she would cry...but so far she seems to be not missing the baby home...which I am sooooo glad!

Once we picked her up - we went and got her passport picture made and then ran some errands and finally got to the hotel. It was overall a long trip but it also allowed us to do some good bonding!

What can I say...I am so blessed to have received such an amazing girl...she is so smart and funny and it is so neat to see her figuring out everything! I am enjoying her do alot of her "first" things...it truly is an amazing blessing!

Ok...enough about all of this...everyone is waiting for some pictures...so here they are!

These are the GOTCHA PICS!

Leaving in 3 days!!

Wow...I can't believe it is finally here...I leave in just 3 days...so I thought I would blog before I left for what is bound to be the most amazing journey of my life! I am so excited that words can not say how I am feeling...to finally be able to bring my sweet Anna home!

I know this trip will be long and somewhat hard...mostly for Anna. I just can't wait to see her and not have a time limit on how long...this is it! I can and will see her all the time from this point on!!!!

I want to thank all of my Family and Friends that have been so amazing in their support! I love you guys!!!

Pretty soon I will post a picture of Anna for all who have not seen her! She is a beautiful smart little girl that God has more than blessed me with!

Please keep Anna in your prayers for a good transition and a Happy Plane Ride home! LOL!!

Thanks and God Bless!

The Final Trip...

I am traveling for my last time to finally pick up my sweet Anna! I leave on Saturday January 17th to St Petes and then once I get Anna, I will take her to get her Passport. It is now taking 4 days to get this instead of one. Then after I get this, we will fly to Moscow where Anna will get a medical, her Visa and then we will go to the US Embassy and travel home. This usually takes 3 days - but we will be there about 6 days because it is over the weekend.

I am so excited that this day is finally in view...I can not wait to have her home!

Please pray for our travels and especially for Anna - this will be a long trip for her. I will be this person taking her away from the only home she has ever known, then we will be sleeping in hotels and then on this big plane to a totally different country where people will speak weird to her...I can only imagine how strange this will be for her.