Anna's Antics

Anna has had a pretty odd few days around here. I have caught her doing soooo many things. Things she shouldn't be doing. One was the fact that I went to "find" her and she had found an old cassette tape and took much of the tape part out and attempted to make her own spider web all over the house. It was everywhere. I wanted to take a picture of it, but that would only justify the naughty deed, right?

Lately she thinks she does not need to ride in a cart in ANY store. Well, sometimes I do let her walk, but sometimes it just isn't an option! Mommies are quite busy these days and some days we have such limited time and riding in the cart at lightening speed through Walmart is a MUST. Still, I get the "I AM TOO BIG FOR A CART" cry.

Anna also needs to come with a "I DRESSED MYSELF" button this week. I am to the point where keeping clothes on her is my only requirement. This is actually a quite difficult thing. Anna likes to be naked or in just her little undies. She really comes up with some really interesting combinations this week on what her outfits should look like. I really should have taken pictures.

With all of Anna's antics this week, I still can't help but notice how rapidly she is growing up. She really amazes us sometimes at the things that she knows or the fact that she could actually sit still and cut anything for an hour. She doesn't usually sit still long, but LOVES to cut..anything. She keeps growing taller and leaner at lightening speed and has been eating nonstop this week. This girl can put away food at supper time if she can sit still long enough. My baby is no longer a baby.

Yes, I am still here.

I know...it has been a while since I have posted. We have just been SOOOO busy lately. It has been one thing after another. Science Day, Scout Party, Trivia Nite at our parents' church, our church party.... you name it! Plus add me working a couple of days one week and bammmmm....here it is 2 weeks later.

Here are the costumes this year. I haven't gotten Logan's picture yet. Why is it that the 11 year old is hardly around these days??? He stays so busy with Scouts, Honor Choir and youth group!

In other news.....
Great baby news for 2 of my friends!
A couple at church is trying to adopt a baby that will be born in late November. They have been waiting for about one year and are very anxious to become parents to baby Noah. We pray for a healthy delivery and that the birthmom is at peace with her decision to give the baby a life that he cannot get with her.

The other news is about the Biehl Family. They went to China with us. They have a daughter they adopted from the US and she is 4, Julia is from China and is 3.5 like Anna and their SON is waiting for them in Korea. He is 5.5 months old and we hope that Jill can travel to meet Maxwell in a couple months. I would LOVE to go with Jill to Korea to get Maxwell, but the plane fare is just too much for me. So, if I win the lottery, I will go for one week! HA HA! It would be a wonderful trip and of course it would be hard for me to not come home with another sweet little one, too.
Check out Baby Maxwell on the links section on the side. He is so cute.

Oh...and last but certainly not least.....I leave with Michelle, Robin and Heidi for Marco on Novemeber 7. We all went there last Novemeber to Michelle's parents' condo. So, we decided we needed to go back. Thank you, Mackey's!!!!We will get home pretty late on the 12th. WOO HOOO...Sunshine and warm weather here we come! Can't wait! I am missing Logan's first big concert for Honor Choir, so I am going to try and go watch him before I leave. I hate missing that.

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YIPPEEE! NO CAVITIES!

I am still in shock! Brandon and Anna went to the dentist for check ups this week and neither one had any cavities! Logan went a couple months ago and was not so lucky! I was mostly shocked at Brandon. He was unlucky enough to inherit poor teeth from me! I have spent too many hours and too much money on my teeth. The latest was 2 crowns and one root canal. Of course those both started out as such minor things and got worse. Brandon has had 5 crowns and 2 pulpotomies on his teeth (baby root canal). And Anna...well, I guess I just have no idea what to expect. She still sucks her fingers, so I am sure we are in for braces in our future. Plus, I would imagine that there was not a lot of prenatal care with her, little flouride, and spending 14 months in an orphanage could not have helped her teeth a whole lot. Bottles were given to the babies and often left in the crib for who knows how long, causing decay of teeth. Other little ones in our travel group have had some icky dental work, so we just have no idea what to expect. But...could it be???? GOOD TEETH??? We brush daily, of course, and both floss, too. Plus they get extra flouride in the Prevident Tooth Paste. YIPPEEEE...no cavities! Aunt Elaine, who is a hygienist, would be proud!

Time Sure Does Fly! 2.5 years with Anna

This weeks marks our 2.5 year anniversary of having Anna home in America with us. It hardly seems possible. This once shy, scared, teeny tiny little 14 month old is now an active, thriving and sweet little girl. She is growing up so fast and gets taller every day! Still a skinny one, of course, but WOW....has it really been 2.5 years since we met Anna in China? We cannot imagine life in the Schmidt family without her.
She met her brothers on April 14, 2005 at the airport and I am not sure she knew what she was getting into! She adores them and even just on the first morning after meeting them, she was already smiling at them, as if she had always been here. Anna has touched many lives and hopefully has inspired someone else to choose adoption, too. It has been a wonderful way to complete our family.

Feeding the Ducks Columbus Day!

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Road Trip! NO SCHOOL!

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Back from Mexico

Barry and I recently returned from Cancun. We celebrated our 15 year Anniversary a little bit early. It was a wonderful trip! Thanks to all of you who helped out with our children while we were in paradise! We stayed at THE ROYAL and it was just beautiful! It was so nice having uninterrupted conversations! It was good to see the kids when we got back, but we sure enjoyed every minute of our trip! We left Tuesday night and stayed at Barry's sisters before flying out on Wednesday. We returned Monday afternoon.

Oh My!!

It is no secret in our town that we have our hands full with our handsome boys. However, the mom's among my 8 year old are always saying how they will keep Brandon away from their daughters when they are older. Brandon is in 3rd Grade and has never really been all goo goo eyed over a particular girl, but...TIMES ARE A CHANGIN'!

Last night I was making dinner and he announced to Barry and I that he wanted to be a KISSING BOOTH for Halloween. OH MY....only Brandon!

Of course, I googled and actually found a picture of one.