Happy Birthday Anya!

Anya is 10 years old today! Oh, how I wish she was here today for me to bake her a birthday cake! This picture was taken at my mom's house the night before Anya went back to Russia. We had a celebration. She and Faith had dressed up and performed dances and songs for us. Anya was very excited about the cake and wanted to be able to blow out candles.

Today is a day I have a lot of questions... probably more than Anya does. I wonder if Anya will get to blow out any candles on this her 10th birthday (her 3rd birthday in the orphanage)? Will she receive any gifts today? Has Anya ever had a birthday party? Will she receive the package I sent her? Is Anya's birth-mother thinking of Anya and remembering her birth? I wonder about Anya's birth. Will we ever know the truth about her past and the first 7 years of her life (her life before the orphanage)?

Today's celebration is full of mixed emotions, but the two things I want to celebrate most are Anya's LIFE (God has protected her) and the fact that this is Anya's last birthday in the orphanage. Next year, we will be celebrating with her here at home. In fact, I think we will celebrate her "adoption birthday" as soon as she arrives. I wonder if God celebrates our adoption birthday?

Happy Birthday Anya!