One year ago

One year ago today we stepped foot on Canadian soil with our little girl in our arms. With friends and family at the airport to great us with flowers, signs, hugs and tears of joy. We then stepped outside into -30C for a short ride home to a happy dog and a long overdue birthday cake for Annika. Over the past year we have enjoyed many firsts with Annika and discovering her likes, dislikes and wonderful personality.
Her first Christmas was spent mostly at home with family visiting us. We spent most of our time just bonding as a family of 4. The next few months doctors appts. (eye, ear, pediatrician and physio) took up many of our mornings. Since her immunization records did not have dates given attached we had to re-do all of them plus extras like the latest H1N1. She has C.P. and has lots of help with Wascana Rehab with her right side of her body most effected. Her speech is on track at 2 years old has more than 40 words to her vocabulary and tone of voice is already showing her attitude. She is emotionally and socially on track, she is very extraverted, charmer and comedian. We now know what it is like to have 2 totally different kids in so many ways I can't list them all. It is shorter to list the ways they are alike; happy, smart, outgoing, love swimming, love watching cartoons, love music and toys of course. At first Annika thought of Nathanael as a hero and was completely amazed by everything he did. These days she has no problem picking a fight and even hitting him is now a problem at times. Although she can't walk yet she is pretty quick at army crawling and gets herself locked in the bathroom on purpose and calls for Mom then Dad with little fingers wiggling out from under the door... so cute. Then if we don't answer her tone changes to a "ohh, Mommm hewo Mommm" she says.
Summer vacation was wonderful with a trip camping through Baniff to Nainimo and back through Jasper on our way home. I was a great 2 weeks seeing the mountains, ocean, family and friends along the way. Celebrating her 2nd birthday was a moment I tried to capture in pictures as much as possible not that I would forget... Being that I had to go back to work I was unable to be home for her "Gottcha Day" so we celebrated it on Birobidjan time.
This Christmas is looking very hopeful too as we are expecting another little girl in February. With the help of a naturalpath, vitamins, a special diet and acupuncture we have been able to get and stay pregnant. God does work in wonderful ways and we feel very blessed to have the amazing children we have, and the special ways they joined our family makes our story one we are proud to share. We hope to help others considering international adoption in some small way as others have shared their lives with us.