Hey Everyone! I am so sorry I have taken a couple of days to post...Jim and I caught a terrible virus on the way home and we are both so sick! I have no voice, my ears hurt and can't talk without having a major coughing attack. Poor Ellie probably wonders what happened to mommy's voice. I went to the doctor today and got a steroid shot, a B-12 shot, a steroid pack and a z-pack. I should be feeling better soon! I coughed the entire flight home. Jim is as sick as I am. Thank God Ellie is fine, we may have caught it from her...her first gift to mommy and daddy, haha! My mom is here helping us, she is spending the nights at our house until I get over the worst of this bug. This is a picture of our sweet baby on the plane. She did so well! Thank you for your prayers! Jim and I couldn't get over how well-behaved she was. She only whimpered a couple of times because she wanted to get out of the seat and couldn't because of turbulance. It was so neat, there was another family who just adopted a little boy and they sat in the seats next to us, so we had the whole 5th row of the plane! We gave each other tips, shared toys etc. It was great. Ellie was such a little trooper, I know she was scared but she never melted down. I gave her cheerios to chew on during take off and landing and it must have done the trick because she didn't cry...she did tug at her ears a little, but no screaming, thank goodness! The other picture was taken at the Moscow airport, they actually had a cake for those of us flying out on the 4th and this man's costume was hilarious! It was funny to see this as they were all speaking Russian in their american costumes. They also had a cowboy and an indian walking around in costume. They must think that relates to the 4th of July...didn't have the heart to tell them it really didn't! When we landed in Chicago we had to go to a special immigration booth where they reviewed Ellie's papers and stamped her passport, at that moment she became a US citizen, yeah! We eventually will do an officicial readoption here in Texas to get her a US birth certificate.

Ellie is adjusting great! She slept through the night last night. She is drinking, eating (and pooping) regularly now. She seems very happy, not fussy like she was in Moscow...maybe she knows she is home. We gave her a bath and she loved it! Some children get very upset...they give sponge baths at the orphanage, no tubs...but she didn't. She loves to splash her hand in the water, it was funny to see her face the first time the water hit her in the face from her splash. She scrunched her nose and then started laughing. She has learned to use the sippy cup, thank goodness and her new favorite food is green beans! Spencer and Sadie love them too and between the green beans and the cheerios on the floor the dogs are in munchy heaven! They have done great with Ellie and she enjoys watching them. She isn't scared of them at all. Sadie follows her everywhere trying to mother her and Spencer likes to take her toys and run off with them. He was a bit upset when she rummaged through his toy box, but then got over it and had fun picking up the toys she threw out of it. We have had fun playing together, she imitates everything we do...so cute! I love to watch her sleep...I peek in at night to make sure she is okay...and in a way to make sure this is really happening...that it she really is in her crib. What a miracle she is! One last thing and then I must go to bed so I can get well. They say orphanage babies sooth themselves at night because there wasn't anyone there to do it for them. I have watched Ellie and when she is tired she starts sucking her thumb, she rubs her head, then her face, then her arms, then stomache and then legs. It made me cry thinking of all the nights she did this alone. Not anymore. I am teaching her that I can do that for her. She fought it at first but each night gives in a little more. It is amazing. I hold her next to me and we rock and I rub her head, arms, stomache and legs. At first I tried to give her a sippy with milk and she refused. Now she takes a few sips...each night she takes more. She looks me in the eye as she does it...it's as if she is making up for lost time. It is my favorite time of the day...rocking my sweet baby girl...the one we have prayed for...the one God gave us...our answer to prayer. It is all so amazing...and as I say that I feel the word simply doesn't come close to describing how I feel.

More soon, and more pics!