Summer break is over for me.  I go back to work tomorrow and I'm not ready!  I feel like I haven't had enough time with Maria...granted I have been with her almost every minute since picking her on on June 25th....still doesn't feel like enough time.  My mom keeps telling me how this is my summer with Maria, that once she goes to school she will want to be with friends and activities during the summer.  I'm sure she is right, but secretly hoping that it's not completely true.  Anyway, Maria doesn't start school until the 22nd....so she gets to hang out with my mom while I'm at work.  I'm wondering if this will mean she will start talking more with my mom.  Right now she is very quiet around other people.  Will say a few things, but not a lot.  As soon as it is just the two of us, she just lets it all out!

Maria continues to make good strides with her physical abilities.  She is walking faster than when I picked her up from the orphanage.  She is doing lots of things independently now that she didn't do when we first came home.  She is able to do all her bathrooming and showering on her own.  Which I was quite surprised by her doing the other night.  She and I did some talking a few days ago about not having to wait for me to get her out of bed in the morning....now she is getting out of bed on her own and talking her personal items to the bathroom to get ready in the morning.  I'm so proud of all that she is doing, but also a little sad she doesn't need my help at times.  Yes, I know she needs to do these things for herself to continue to gain the independence she needs in life. 

We also got to Skype today with a friend of hers from the orphanage that was adopted about a year and a half ago.  It was good for these two kids to get to see each other.  I have a feeling we will be traveling out to Ohio or Indiana at some point this year to meet up with the other family so the girls can spend some time together.  If Alexis had her way I would be driving 10 hours one way next weekend!

Working on doing a donation give away for Z....will have more details soon.