2 years...2 YEARS!

Crazy isn't it?  Crazy what time reveals, teaches and grows. Crazy to think 2 years ago we got home with Anya.  Crazy to think where our lives are now...2 years later.

Some things are perfect...other things are not...and many are a work in progress.

Regardless of the curve balls life throws you, the fact remains that Anya is more than a blessing to our lives.  She has a charm about her than forces people to love her. She is a charmer - and will be easily swoon if you play basketball with her or offer to eat ice cream with her (yes, typical 9 year old)

 We are fortunate to have a smart, healthy 9 year old.  A 9 year old who loves all things sports and repels all things girly (um, yes - to those that know me...this is proof that God has a sense of humor).  The only time she likes to put on a dress is when we are playing dress up (with my samples from work).  I will admit, that is a ton of fun! 

She has natural ability playing basketball - and loves it. She is very tall for her age, more like the height of a 12 year old.  I hear that comes in handy in basketball (wink!).

Anya promised me that she will always be my little baby no matter how big she gets...even when she is taller than me (which will probably be any day now!)...but is getting to the age where she does not want to be "babied" when we are in public.  You know THAT age...when kids become way too cool to hold your hand at the mall, or sit close at a restaurant?

I keep trying to teach her how to smile nice when we get our picture taken...we're still working on that.

If you didn't know she has only been in this country for 2 years...well, you wouldn't know. I wonder, however, when I will stop prefacing my comments about her (to teachers etc.) with saying "she has only been in American and speaking English for 2 years". I also wonder when I will stop wondering if every behavior is somehow associated with living in an orphanage for the first 7 years of her life.

...maybe at year 3.