Honest I am still here and blogging.

So what is going on you ask? Well nothing really. For the past two weeks I have been in a little bit of a sad place. I guess this year I just wanted to be a bit more private. Now that I have that out of the way I want to celebrate life.

I go back to work tonight. After close to 4 weeks off I am wondering if I will know where to park my car at work. Anna has really enjoyed having me home for the last couple of weeks. At about the third week she started to ask me if I could stay home again tonight. I would answer her with a "Yes but soon I will have to go back to work." I am glad that Gerard is off tonight to be home with her on my first night back.

We need to schedule an appointment to have Anna's hearing checked again. In the past 3 weeks she has failed 2 hearing tests. Of course I am worried but I do have a feeling that perhaps she has some wax build up in the one ear. This week (when I have extra help) I will clean her ears. Having limited use of my hand makes me think about things a bit differently. My kitchen floor and bathroom floors has suffered but I plan on getting them done this week too.

I went for my mammogram two weeks ago. The lady thought I was crazy when I asked her to take my picture. My Mother keeps asking if I have gotten it done so now I have proof.



I took Anna and Hans for spring pictures. I think they turned out pretty good but I have made the decision that this year we will get real a family portrait done. I hope to be able to be able to organize it so that I can get my sisters and their families done as well.





I have been wanting to get Anna's picture done in her traditional costume from Russia. I love how these pictures have turned out. I had thought that I lost the hat but realized at the studio that I had pinned it inside the dress. Anna loved wearing it. She said "Look I a princess." I have started to think about the pictures that I will send with my last official Post Placement report. I am a little sad that to know that this part is over but I will also be glad when it is.



Last Saturday was National Passport Day. I was able to apply for Anna's U.S. passport at the regional office without an appointment or travel plans. For those of who have not adopted from Russia this is a big deal. I was given only one set of documents for Anna. One adoption decree and one birth certificate. I applied for Anna's Certificate of Citizenship when she arrived home. I registered her Russian birth certificate but realized that I am not named as her parent on it. She has no parents listed at all. This makes me sad to think that this is how the state of New Jersey deals with this type of birth certificate. In light of this Gerard and I plan on completing the re-adoption process for NJ.

In order to get a U.S. passport I needed to hand over these documents. I tried to limit the variables so I drove to Philadelphia to hand deliver the documents. I also expedited the passport. I had it in my hand in less than a week. Anna was so funny getting her picture done. I am so amazed as to how much she has changed. The black and white photo was from her file at the orphanage, the one of her dressed in pink was for her new Russian Passport, and the most recent one is from her U.S. passport.



I am wrapping up my forth class of graduate school. Only ten more to go and I will graduate which equals 3 years and 1 trimester. So I guess I have been busy and just did not realize it.

Janet-I never knew you were a Birth Mother too! Janet you have brought tears to my eyes. You have no idea how much adoptive Mothers LOVE Birth Mothers. You have given the most precious gift ever. I pray that you will be able to have a wonderful relationship with your daughter.