Happy Birthday Katya!

Today is Katya's 12th birthday! Happy Birthday Katya! It breaks my heart that she isn't with us to celebrate, but I'm sure she will be celebrating with her friends and teachers at summer camp. Currently, she is at Camp Dream, located about 20 minutes from the orphanage. I went to Camp Dream a few years ago in the dead of winter to experience a Russian Banya. What an experience that was! Svetlana said it would rid our bodies of jet lag, and it did! I can't say I was eager to be beaten with eucalyptus leaves while sitting in a sauna, but it did "promote circulation". The cold plunge in the pool, after what seemed like an hour in the sauna, was refreshing and just what our tired bodies needed.
In a few weeks, Katya will be heading to the Black Sea for another summer camp experience. Katya loves swimming, whether it's in a swimming pool, lake, river or ocean. She told us she especially loves the ocean, so I see a lot of trips to the beach in our future. When we were together in Moscow last week, she wanted to swim in a swimming pool, but pools are a little hard to find in Moscow! We assured her there were a lot of swimming pools in America, so she could have her fill of swimming soon!
The photo above was taken last July at Podolsk Orphanage. She's grown so much in a year! Katya voiced much concern and unhappiness about her hair. She does not like her current hairstyle but the caregivers at Podolsk insist the kids keep their hair short. She asked me if she could have long hair and of course I said yes. She was overjoyed. I had to make a point of asking Svetlana not to cut her hair this summer! Katya told me she is "even more beautiful" with long hair! No self-esteem issues there!
Happy Birthday sweet Katya, you'll be home soon!