BUSY BUSY BUSY

I don’t want to bore you with a big novel, so here are the highlights of the last couple of weeks:
- AnnaMaria finished her third antibiotic and is finally her sweet self again. She goes back to the doctor on the 31st for her annual checkup, so we’ll be able to know for sure that the ear infection is all cleared up. She is really a pretty pleasant sick kid, so it’s hard for people to understand why she has been less friendly.
- We are nearly settled and decorated in the forever house. It’s been raining like crazy, so the drive is a little muddy, but it’s really not that bad for a new road.
-We met with our adoption social worker for the last time!
- AnnaMaria was baptized on the 14th. We had a big crowd of family with us at church to cheer her on and promise to help raise her in a Christian environment. She was so pretty and behaved quite well!
- The baptism was followed by a birthday lunch at our house with our extended family. AnnaMaria got some really neat toys as gifts and truly enjoyed everyone.
- Mom went back to work (just a little)! AnnaMaria is staying with Ms. Marsha two days per week. She cried a bit when I left her and was a little sad during the day, but I think it’s going to work out well. There are usually two other toddlers there and they wear AnnaMaria out! She couldn’t get enough sleep when she got home. It reminded me of Claire and Ollie at that age.
- We had another meeting with First Steps (they are all about meetings!) and finally our first Physical Therapy (PT) visit. AnnaMaria’s motor skills have already advanced a lot. She can get where ever she wants by scooting in a sitting postion, but we are trying to get her to crawl. She is showing some interest in pulling up and loves to walk when we hold her hands. We will have PT visits 2-3 times per month.
- It’s party central here…we had a church hayride and Southern Living at Home party this week. On Monday, the girls and their friends are hosting a Pampered Chef fundraiser party. AnnaMaria takes the crowds very well.
-We had house guests from MT for 3.5 days last weekend. We had a big time! The boys are 7 and 10 and AnnaMaria thought they were so fun. They managed to shoot a couple of squirrels and Jeff fried them up for breakfast one day….OK I like the country, but that’s a bit much!!!!!
-We had dinner guests from IN (Sharon’s distant cousin and family). I hadn’t seen her in about 15 years, so it was nice to reconnect. I later asked the kids about the visit and Claire said that she always likes the “miscellaneous people who show up at our house!”
-Sharon’s sister and family hope to travel to Kazakhstan in November to bring Eli home!
-And…Cousin Joseph will be getting a sibling in early June!