Today my granddaughter Nadia turned two. We celebrated her birthday on Sunday in Madison, Wisconsin. The guests were just her closest relatives and closest friends, but it was still a little bit overwhelming for a two-year-old. Anna created an airplane birthday cake, which took a lot of designing and planning, and lots of decorating effort.
After all the presents were opened and enjoyed, my daughter, Anna gave a short speech, in which she said that she is so thankful that through all two years of Nadia’s life there was not a moment, when she wasn’t loved and taken care of. And that she, Anna, is thankful for that.
That was one of many recent moments when I thought to myself: how fortunate it is that I decided to go to America twenty-three years ago! How lucky Anna is that she came along! How fortunate Nadia is that she was born to such a loving family, with so many relatives adoring her. And how this all might never happen, and I wouldn’t even know that something had not happened!
Happy birthday Nadezhda! Happy parenting, John and Anna!
Hettie's Reflections 
Congrats and best wishes to the birthday girl, her parents, and grandparents! Many, many happy returns!
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Thank you! Also, I forgot to upload a picture – it is here now!
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Поздравляю!
Пусть будет здорова и любима! 👨👩👧😊
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Thank you!
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Congratulations!
But why do you think that nothing would happened in Russia?
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“Something” would definitely happen, because we live our lives, and thus things happen. But Nadia definitely won’t happen, because Anna won’t meet John. (That’s what Boris always says about “the best thing we did – was for John” 🙂 ). Anna definitely won’t be a person she has become, definitely won’t have all the experiences she had, if we won’t come to America. And looking back, knowing what I’ve planned for her back in Russia, I know that both she and I would be completely happy with “that” outcome, and would never know it could be different.
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