Summer Fun

We got to go to Florida this past weekend and let Anna have her Pensacola debut. She was a hit if I do say so myself. We had a wonderful, busy, fun-packed weekend. Saturday my family threw Anna a birthday party and a lot of family that hasn't seen her yet got to come and meet her. She had a ball. She loved the cake. I'll get some pics on here soon. Then Sunday we went to my home church and many ladies who have prayed and prayed got to see our little miracle. She had a good time at Sunday School. We then got the opportunity to go boating with my sis and her family. Anna had so much fun. She did great. We boated for a little while and then we found a secluded beach and got out and played. It was so much fun and Anna really loved it. We came back home yesterday just in time to get ready for our trip to Chicago. We leave Sunday. Anna's appointment is Wednesday. It is all day like 8-6. Please pray that it goes well, that Anna isn't too upset from having to be seen by doctors all day and that they can do her surgery and do it soon.

4 Month Gotcha Day

Bike riding

Posing for the camera Haha

Today we celebrated having our sweet Anna for four months. That is hard to believe. In so many ways it feels like we have had her since her birth. She continues to amaze us everyday with how sweet and smart she is. She has now learned to jump and that means jumping on the bed :). While the responsible mother in me says she shouldn't do that she might get hurt, the little girl in me remembers how much fun it was to jump on the bed so I sometimes let her do it.

VBS is this week at church and Anna went to her first VBS today. She had a great time. I peeked in on her once and of course she was doing her favorite thing.....eating. We are enjoying our summer. It is going too fast. But it is a blast.

Picture parade

We got a new camera Saturday and we have been having fun figuring it out. I love it because it takes pictures continuously without pausing in between so I can catch all those Anna moments that she won't sit and pose for. Enjoy the pictures.

A lot of news and few pics

I know it has been a while since I've updated. It has been a busy two weeks or so. I haven't been good about taking pictures of Anna these last two weeks so there aren't a lot of pictures but there are a few of her playing this morning with some of her bling on. But there is a great deal of news to share:

WE GOT INTO SHRINERS! That is probably the biggest news. We go for Anna's first consultation with the craniofacial team on June 24. We are going to make a mini vacation out of it and visit some of Chicago's hot spots. We have wanted to go to Chicago and now we have a real reason. We don't know when Anna's surgery will be. We will meet with about 9 doctors on that day and then they assess her case and let us know. I don't think it'll be this summer. I figure more like October. We'll see.

Secondly....I'll be working next year. We have prayed and prayed and prayed about this and once we sat down and really put pen to paper we just felt like the most responsible thing would be for me to work. Our goal is to pay off some bills and really save this year and hopefully I'll be able to stay home the next two years with Anna before she goes to school. We feel this decision will put us in a much better place to possibly start another adoption for a brother in a year or two. That is something we're starting to pray about.

Anna is doing well. Actually that isn't entirely true. The last full week of school she had a cold...which I was lucky to get as well. And this past week she caught a stomach bug. Hopefully we're getting to the end of that and then hopefully she'll stay healthy. We are going to make the most of the summer and have a great time together. She is a blessing and we are having a ball.

Random pictures and thoughts

So sweet

Hey Sweet Girl

Stylin and profilin thanks to Aunt Lorrie

Nana and Anna hanging out

This is my last week of the school year. I'm so excited to be out for the summer. That is almost ten weeks with Anna. I'm not sure yet about Shriners. We are still waiting to hear. We finally got all the paperwork sent off to them last Monday. We haven't heard anything yet. We are hoping maybe to find something out this week.

Please pray that God will give Scott and I wisdom on what I need to do next year. I want so badly to stay home with Anna but with Anna's surgery, not knowing about Shriners, and other cost, I don't know if we can do it or not. We have been praying and praying and honestly we don't have a peace either way and well it is crunch time. Contracts should be coming out any day now and I have to make a decision. Right now I'm leaning toward working. I don't want to but I think it might be the most responsible decision. Please just pray that we both we'll have a peace about what we need to do.

Here are some pictures from last weekend when Nana, Papa, Aunt Lorrie and Izzy were here and some random pictures taken throughout the week. Anna went to school with me last Friday. We had field day. She loved it. She had quite a fan club with all the girls in my class. So on that note I'll say goodnight and thank you for praying.

First Mother's Day ....finally

Today we celebrated Mother's Day. A day I avoided like a plague for the last five years. I was finally able to rejoice in the fact that I was a mother. I have my baby girl. I can hold her and kiss her and rock her and tell her I love her more than life itself. And she can kiss (a pretty wet kiss :) and hug back. My life is full. She is the joy of my life and I cannot express in words the gratitude that is in my heart toward my Savior for this wonderful blessing.

Anna was dedicated to the Lord today. She did great. She looked pretty cute too. She wore her Chinese dress that was made by a lady in China to remember her adoption. It was a very special day to celebrate the desire of my heart finally coming true. HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY.

3 month gotcha

"No more pictures, I'm eating!"

"OOOHH I love the noodles"

"Didn't you hear me, NO MORE PICTURES"

Sweet kisses

Cute dress from Mrs. Cassandra

"Don't I look pretty"

"Bring on the food MOM"

Today is our 3 month gotcha day anniversary. We have had our sweet pea for 3 months today. Some ways it feels like she has always been with us. She continues to amaze us and our love for her grows more and more everyday. She is a true blessing from the Lord. God has been so good to us. We thank Him for bringing us our sweet Anna Banana!!!