The girls on the couch looking at Almira's adoption pictures.
Things have been moving right along and the girls have just hit 5 weeks in school. They have 9 week semesters. So far so good with everyone. Almira has done really well with almost all A's and B's. She works so hard and is a really determined student. I've talked to some other friends this week and they've told me that their Russian kids don't really care how they do in school, which must be really hard to overcome. She is very conscientious about her school work.
We have made some more friends here in Monroe for Almira to speak Russian with. We met Anna a few weeks ago after church through someone at the college. Anna is from Petropavolvsk, Russia, which is on the outermost Northern tip of Russia, almost touching Alaska. When Almira met her she was really shy and Anna is very sweet, but a little reserved as well.
We had the CenturyTel company picnic on Saturday the 15th and we took the girls. Almira was a little bit slow getting started because she thought all the rides were for little kids. But she ended up riding a ride that spins you around and turns you upside down. She also did this really tall rock climbing wall. I told her she was my little monkey because she can climb so fast. Right before we left the picnic I found out about a lady that works here that is hosting a foreign exchange student from Moldovia. Her name is Katherine and she speaks Russian. Katherine has only been in town for a month. The lady here at CenturyTel, Karen, said that her host family backed out on her and someone had called her to see if she can help with her. Katherine is at our local university with no car and no cell phone. Karen is taking her most weekends and helping her out, but mentioned she could really use some help.
So on Sunday afternoon, the 16th, I called Anna and Katherine and had them over for a cookout. The girls had such a good time. Katherine is such a delight and so bubbly. Anna is very sweet and almost a little shy like Almira. Both girls were so good for Almira and really pulled her out of her shell. I got some great pictures of the girls together. I'll post later. After dinner Sarah mentioned that she wanted to go out and jump on the trampoline. Katherine got so excited she asked if she could go play too. So, I had all 4 girls out jumping on the trampoline together for about an hour. They really had such a good time. We are so happy that we found someone that Almira can still speak Russian with.
Almira called the orphanage Friday night, she had been bugging me about it for a while. She finally got to talk to Katya her best friend there. I think she was a little disheartened after talking with her and Zhenya. I think Zhenya accidentally hung up on her. She even said "I think Katya doesn't want to be my friend anymore." But the good news is that one of the girls that was in Almira's family is coming home this week. Her name is Nina and Jon and I both really liked her. She is 12 years old. She is coming home to Alabama, maybe Montgomery, but I haven't heard for sure. There is another family there now, the Perry family, I think from Utah. They are adopting two sisters, I think maybe 8 or 10. The older sister was also in Almira's family.
I'm so happy for these kids that are getting adopting and coming home to families that want them so desperately. Almria is really doing well and I can see her coming along every week. She told my Mom one day after school that she really likes school. She has opened up more with me and has told me more things about her childhood and about her past. Things about her mother, it is just heartbreaking to think what some of the children have been through. Hopefully with lots of love and a happy family she can overcome those years.
Well, I thought I had better update since it had been awhile. I'll check back later,
Kathy
