Counting Down The Days

Today we visit in the embassy and yesterday we had our doctor's appointment. It went very well. We were an hour late because of our driver, but luckily they waited for us and had us come anyway. The girls were pronounced very healthy, and the only thing the doctor said was that Maria was quite short for her age. I already knew that!!

Afterwards, Aida, our driver/translator (but she really doesn't know english very well!) took us to the big mall here in Almaty. It had pizza (more like American pizza than what we had in Petro), hamburgers, dunkin donuts!, Baskins Robbins, and an ice skating rink. That was fun to be there. We even let the girls try their hand with ice skating. Although Maria had said she had been before I don't think either of them had ever had ice skates on their feet! It was funny to watch. Anastacia scouted around the rink twice holding on to the edge before she gave up, but Maria actually started venturing off to the middle and really skating. She is a determined little girl.

Afterwards the sister missionaires of our church came by and stayed a few hours with us. We took them to dinner and the girls loved them. They taught them a little about the plan of salvation, which they were very surprised at how much Maria knew! She answered all the question right! When they were talking about sin, she said that when you do wrong things God knocks on your heart and tells you you are doing wrong. I thought that was a cute expression! The only thing she did not comprehend or know was the difference between our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. To her they were one in the same instead of two distinct beings. But afterwards when they were asking Anastacia who the picture was of, Maria was quick to say Jesus Christ, not God. It was interesting to hear of her beliefs and when asked where she learned about God she said she taught herself. She said that she was so smart that she doesn't even listen at school because she already knows everything!

Anastacia was more interested in putting on makeup, nail polish and doing the missionaries hair than listening. I don't know if she learned anything. I was wrong about her being our tomboy. She is ALL girl. She puts on makeup, does her nails, and wants me to do her hair about three times a day. She is constantly wanting to put lip gloss on me and brush my hair as well. It is so cute! She also LOVES dresses!

It was a good day. At night we had a little more trouble getting to bed. Maria doesn't like to go to bed and we seem to have a problem there. But we finally go to sleep. Then I heard noises at 2:00 AM and went into their room to find the light on and they were wide awake playing! I had Maria come and sleep with me and know I fing Anastacia on the floor sleeping. I don't know if she feel off or what! It is cute. I guess I won't be having her on the top bunk for awhile!

We have really been blessed. The girls are wonderful and as hard as this process has been I see an end where our family will all be together. I cannot help but express my love and gratitude to God for blessing us so much. I have learned and continue to learn so much and one thing has been my dependence on God and how when I do depend on him, he always has things work out for me and comforts my heart. I guess he is down there knocking on my heart telling me what to do!