Making Progress

Today we registered Katya in school! She was hoping to start tomorrow but her TB skin test is positive so back to the doctor we go. We will get a chest x-ray taken and hopefully it will be clear so she can start school on Thursday morning! She is so anxious to start school and make new friends. The doctor in Russia warned me that her TB test may be positive because she was given the BCG vaccine for TB. It used in many countries (not the United States) with a high prevalence of TB to prevent childhood tuberculous meningitis. The vaccine commonly causes a false positive with tuberculin skin test reactivity.

I hired a tutor for Katya who starts tomorrow. Olga is a wonderful young woman from Belarus who has 9 years of experience teaching ESL. Katya is excited and so am I! We are making progress!

NO MORE DOCTORS!

Today Katya had a traumatic trip to the doctor. She had her first doctor visit last week that went pretty well. There were no shots and blood draws! Today was a different story. After examining her immunization record from Russia, the doctor determined Katya needed four immunizations plus a TB test. Katya fussed a little at the doctor but managed to get through the four injections without too many tears. The blood draw was the really hard part. She kept saying, "No Mama, No Mama," and I considered just taking her home but I knew I would never get her back into the laboratory if I didn't get it over with right then and there! She was really starting to get worked up so the four lab assistants (yes, it took four) quickly got to work and managed to take six vials of blood in record time. By the time they were finished Katya was hysterical and I was a nervous wreck! There was no room for me by Katya so I hovered in the corner praying it would be over quickly. Katya was screaming so loud the security guards came into the lab to see what was going on! She hyperventilated and had to "recover" in the lab for 30 minutes after it was over. The lab technician suggested we give her “relaxation medicine” before we come back and I said I would need some as well! The ride home from the doctor was interesting because Katya yelled at me in Russian the whole way but luckily I had no idea what she was saying! (Well, I got the gist of her feelings, and let's just say I'm glad I don't know more Russian than I do!) Next time I think I’ll have Fred take her to the doctor!!

My wonderful Friends

I have the best friends in the world. Jean, Vicki and Darcy hosted a beautiful shower today for Katya. She was showered with love, affection and loads of gifts! THANK YOU EVERYONE! The food was incredible and lovingly prepared by Jean Tobey! WOW! Look out Martha Stewart! The flowers were beautiful, the table elegant and the guests were beyond generous. I appreciate you all attending and showing Katya how many people love her! I am overwhelmed with gratitude and appreciation. Katya will enjoy all of her goodies immensely and thanks you too.

Your love and support throughout the entire adoption process helped Fred and me so much, and your support now is invaluable and so appreciated! Thank you everyone, from the bottom of my heart.

Our Village saved the day!

In Monday's blog I explained that because Katya loves the Disney movie High School Musical so much, I was going to rush out on Tuesday to buy High School Musical 2. I soon discovered that High School Musical 2 wouldn’t be released on DVD for another few months! Oh NO!! Of course I told Katya on Monday we would buy High School Musical 2 on Tuesday and she was super excited! How I wondered, with my very limited Russian vocabulary, was I going to explain to her that Mommy is very uninformed and that HSM2 hasn't even been released on DVD yet!

After posting this problem on the blog, I received a phone call from a friend explaining that her husband is in the television recording business and could help me out of this little jam! My friend's daughter is a huge HSM fan so "John Doe" recorded HSM2 at work when it debuted on the Disney Channel and could make Katya a copy!! (My friend shall remain anonymous in case this was highly illegal!!)

We are now proud owners of High School Musical 2 and Katya could not be happier! The village saved me once again!!

Holy Sacrament of Baptism

Katerina Grace Buoni will receive the Holy Sacrament of Baptism on Sunday, September 30th at 11:15 AM at St. Matthew's United Methodist Church in Annandale. All are invited and encouraged to attend.

I am so excited that my sister and her husband John will be here from California for the baptism as well as Steven and his girlfriend Sabrina. Katya's friends from past visits to Podolsk Orphanage will also be here for this special occasion. Caroline and Adam are coming home from James Madison University for the weekend and will be in attendance and we hope to see Wes and Ken too!! Katya was going through our church pictorial directory yesterday and when she spotted photos of people who have visited Podolsk Orphanage she would point and say droog, which is friend in Russian! It was so cute.

Katya's school enrollment continues on Tuesday, September 25th. She will be tested in Russian to determine her grade level. Because she is 12 she could start 7th grade but I am determined to put her in 6th grade. I strongly feel she needs a year of elementary school before the trauma of middle school! Mama knows best!

What a great day!

I have been dreading this day for a week but it was a great day! Katya's school physical was this morning and I thought it would be a fight from start to finish but she was wonderful. She wouldn't open her mouth or cooperate with the doctor in Russia so I figured we would have a repeat performance here but she was delightful. She was especially proud when she could tell the nurse all the letters on the eye chart! After the appointment I took her to see Katie at work (she always loves to see Katie) and then horseback riding at a friend's house. Katya loves horses! She rode Velvet with the confidence of a seasoned equestrian! Thank you Julia and Christina for your patience and guidance with Katya. You are angels! I am so blessed with the greatest friends. Julia and Christina are now part of the village raising Katya! The village keeps growing and growing.

Tomorrow we begin the school registration process. The school will schedule testing in the next two weeks, and after the testing is completed she can start school. She is very anxious to go to school, but she's made it crystal clear she doesn't want to ride the bus! Once she sees all the neighborhood kids riding the bus she'll probably change her mind.

P.S. I made a discovery today....High School Musical 2 isn't out on DVD yet....no one told me! It won't be released for a few months. I can't believe we have to listen to High School Musical (the original) every day until HSM2 is released....Oh Lordy....

High School Musical!

My sister Anne suggested buying Katya the Disney movie, High School Musical. GREAT IDEA! The lyrics of the songs are displayed on the screen when they are sung by the actors so Katya is learning English while watching the movie. She loves the movie and especially the charater Gabriella! I will be purchasing High School Musical 2 tomorrow! Katya also recieved a CD of Russian music so she is on Cloud Nine!

Tomorrow is Katya's school physical so say a prayer! Katya has had 5 operations and does not like doctors, hospitals or anything medical! Once we have her medical exam we can enroll her in school. The county wants to test her in her native language so we are still looking at starting school in a few weeks. She is anxious to meet new friends.