Happy 1st Birthday, Anelya!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BIGGEST HAPPIEST GIRL!!!

Anelya's big day was spent with Baba and the with Hoovie who took over at the end of the day. Play, play, play was the name of the game! Unfortunately, I had to work, but Anelya's birthday celebration will be on Sunday when 15 family member will celebrate her during lunch at the Wolfeboro Inn! We can't WAIT!

In the meantime, we have an exciting breakfast planned with our friend Victoria tomorrow at the Diner. Hoovie will be out of town for our usual date. Then Anelya's cousin Margot and her friend Maggie are coming to spend the night and get to know Anelya a little better. How fun!

Today has really moved me in mores ways than I ever imagined. I love this baby so much more than I ever though I could and watching her grow like a weed is an amazing experience. She is already out of her 12 mos clothes and walking EVERYWHERE.

At one year of age and only 9 weeks in the U.S. Anelya's vocabulary consists of: Mama, Baba, GUH-NUH (Gunnar), banana, night night and the sign language for more food and more drink. She also blinks her eyes, claps her hands, and nods her head when verbally prompted. She's brilliant.

Today I find myself not only consumed by thoughts of Anelya's first birthday, but of her birth mother, who one year ago today made probably the toughest and most selfless decision of her life and as a result, gave me my life's greatest joy. Thank you, Aigul, whoever you are. I'm not sure you can even imagine how happy you have made us here across the globe. Tonight, like every other night, you are in our bedtime prayers.