Back to the grind ...

Hello everyone. This has been much harder than I thought ... returning to work after almost 2 weeks off. The update on Molly is she is much better, but not out of the woods yet. We got to bring her home yesterday. She can only eat 1 teaspoon of food at a time and is on an antibiotic.

Yesterday I decided to take off work and get a few things taken care of. I started my morning off at the eye doctor. I felt like I needed an eye exam. I only started needed some light reading glasses about a year ago, mainly because I spend 10 hours a day on computer and then reading for school. I have been having more trouble reading small print lately. Boy was I right. My doctor recommended bi-focals. Yikes! I'm only 39, just turned, so what is the big deal. Between my foot killing me and now bi-focals, I feel like I'm falling apart!

From the eye doctor I had dental cleaning appointments for me and the girls. Then ran to Sarah's doctor because she had an ear ache. She had a right nasty little ear infection, probably from swimming last week in the in-door pool. It was quite a busy day and I'm glad I took off work.

The girls are enjoying their last few days at home before school returns and Almira is already counting the days until the next day out of school. I did find out she made straight A's this time, so I can't believe she doesn't like school. I think she just really enjoys having nothing to do, which I can understand ... I remember those days from many years ago, mainly pre-children.

I'm also trying to plan a birthday party for Sarah, who is turning 10 on January 16th. It's a good thing I didn't wait until the last minute ;-)

Just wanted to drop a note and wish everyone Happy New Year! I just hope this year is as good as or better than last year. 2007 was definitely a memorable year.

Kathy B.

Happy New Year!

Pictures: Fun at the beach, building a sand castle. A yearly tradition in the shark's mouth. The last day, walking back to the car. Saying goodbye was hard.

We arrived home Saturday night late and finally all got to bed about 11:30. It took most of the day Sunday to get unpacked and then into Monday to get all the laundry done. Monday morning started off with a trip to vet. Molly, the kitten, has not been feeling well for a couple of days. Sunday she just wasn't herself. She wasn't eating much and just cried and cried. She stayed curled up next to me most of the day on Sunday just sleeping and purring. A trip to the vet led to major surgery. Seems as though our baby Molly ate a 6 inch piece of elastic string. She had major surgery but is expected to recover.

We are going to have a quiet night this New Year's Eve. Mom and Dad are taking the girls up to my aunt's house in the country to see all my cousins and everyone. I am in the bed with a bad foot. I found out in July of this year that I have plantar faciatis and a bone spur on my left foot. After all the walking I did the last few days, I got up yesterday morning and pulled my crutches back out. Every step is so painful. I am trying to stay off my feet as much as possible, which is okay since I've been studying for a biology clep since yesterday morning. I have some more great pictures of the girls from the beach, that is the main reason for my post.

If you read this, say a little prayer for our baby Molly. I'm sure she is feeling pretty scared, lonely and hurting right now. She can't come home until Thursday, maybe.

Kathy B.

A reunion ...

Wednesday morning, the morning after Christmas we packed and got ready to head out of town. We left a little after lunch, Jon, me, Almira, Sarah and Katherine. We headed down to New Orleans to spend the night. We arrived about 6PM and did a quick drive through the French Quarter for Katherine to see what it was all about. The French Quarter has just lost the magic for me. It is so filthy now, with all bars and other unmentionable places. You want to shield the eyes of your children, especially so on Bourbon Street. We did one quick loop through there and then headed to the Hilton to spend the night. We went to Dragos for dinner in the bottom of the Hilton Riverside. It was the same place we had eaten before back in June of this year with Almira. Jon, Almira and Katherine had their fill of oysters. I can't believe those girls like oysters, raw and charbroiled.

Thursday morning we woke up and headed on east for our final destination. We suprised Almira and booked a condo on the beach at Gulf Shores. I had also been talking to Mary Ann, Nina's mother, who was adopted just a few months after Almira. Nina came home in September and was in the same family with Almira. It was such a sweet reunion yesterday afternoon. We arrived here at the condo at almost 5PM. The sun was setting and we unloaded the truck, with Almira still not knowing anything. Then I said I had to go put a parking pass on Jon's truck. Then I ran up to Mary Ann, Tony and Nina's condo on the 24th floor. I got them to come down to our condo on the 11th floor. I went inside and got my video camera ready. Then they knocked on the door and I told Almira to go get the door for me. What a great reunion. It was so good to see Nina again. She looks so good. She has more color, her hair is longer and she is so happy. They came in and visited and then the girls wanted to head to the beach. I took Almira, Nina and Sarah down to stick their toes in the water. I got some great pictures. Then after a while they came back up and we got ready for dinner.

We walked into this Mexican restaurant just down the road, right behind Mary Ann and her family and caught part of a conversation. The three girls that worked there were all Russian speaking. Two of the girls were from Moldova, where Katherine is from, and the other one was Russian. There was jabbering like crazy and talking. Then Almira and Nina joined in with Katherine. What a truly small world! Katherine was the first person from Moldova that I had ever met and then we walk in a restarant in Gulf Shores, AL and meet 2 more of them.

We had a great dinner and then headed back to the condo. Nina, now called Molly, wanted Almira to spend the night because she had twin beds in her room.

Then the girls all went swimming and after they came back up, Almira showered and put on her pajamas. Then she walked Nina to her room and Nina showered and got ready for bed. All this time Mary Ann is sitting down here with Jon and I getting caught up on things, like our girls. We swapped stories about their lives in Kazakhstan and the miracle of both of these girls ending up with us.

I'll stop writing now and post some pictures of the girls. As I type this all the girls are down on the beach digging in the sand and building a sand castle. Mary Ann, Tony and their son, Adam are down there supervising. Well, I must go now and join the fun. Happy New Year to everyone!

Kathy B.

Merry Christmas to All!

Well this is the evening of December 25th. What an amazing Christmas! We have been so blessed this year. I have finally got the girls in the bed. Almira is still back there listening to her new MP3 player. We've been downloading Russian music and pictures this evening. We started last night with Katherine spending the night with us and going to Jon's parents' house for Christmas Eve. We opened gifts and had dinner together. Then we came home and we let the girls open one present each. It was really tough getting everyone into bed. The threat of Santa passing by our house finally worked. I think by 11:30 I had everyone asleep, even Katherine. I finally got to bed about 12:30 last night. Then Sarah woke up at 3AM and couldn't get back to sleep. She finally woke me up about 6:30 and said she wanted to open presents. I told her to go back to bed for a little while. I let her wake up Almira and Katherine at 8 AM. I barely got a cup of coffee down before the present opening started.

Almira was so funny. She got roller blades from Santa and a couple of movies and an MP3 player. She said she had never seen so many presents. She started rollerblading around the house. I thought we went light this year. It was so much fun watching Almira, Katherine and Sarah open presents. The true gift for parents is the joy we see in our children and the magic of Christmas. This year was truly special..

Then this morning after opening gifts I started some gumbo for our traditional Louisiana Christmas. We started doing this a few years ago, all Louisiana foods instead of turkey and dressing, which is Thanksgiving. We had shrimp jambalaya, gumbo, stuffed potatoes, oven fried catfish, hot French bread and some fried oysters. We had all this at Doug and Katy's house. What fun!

I'll attach some pictures which will tell the best story of all. Tomorrow we leave for New Orleans and then on to Gulf Shores for a few days. Almira doesn't know yet, but we're meeting up with Nina, who was adopted this summer from the same family. Nina lives in Alabama now, with some wonderful parents. We will be spending a few days together in Gulf Shores. I can't wait to see the look on Almira's face when she realizes we will be staying with Nina. The best Christmas present of all, seeing a friend from the orphanage in Kazakhstan. Who would think that a year ago these two lonely little girls were sitting at the orphanage wishing for a family. Now they have Moms, Dads and siblings that love them. They will be spending the holidays together with families at the beach. What a precious Christmas this has been.

Merry Christmas to all and Happy New Year! Let's hope for more precious children to find a family in 2008, that is my New Year's wish!

Kathy B.

Christmas Time is here

Счастливое Рождество каждый!

Hello to all,

Things are buzzing around here, quite busy we are. Just came in late from the mall and lots of Christmas shopping. I think we've just about got everyone finished. Maybe one or two left to finish up. I did our Christmas cards done this year and just had to scan them. We had to do a variety. Almira wanted to make sure Molly (the kitten) was in our Christmas card.

I wish the quality of the scan was better, but my scanner does not do a great job.

I hope all is well. This is going to be such an exciting Christmas this year!

Kathy B.

Happy Holidays!

Pictures: Mom and Dad at school with Sarah for Grandparents' Day. Meme and Almira at lunch this same day. Molly and Simon, playing in the kitchen. Molly was about 6 weeks old in this picture.

I cannot believe it has been so long since I posted. It is not from lack of activity. We have been running around like crazy people. Almira and Sarah are doing well. The girls had a great Thanksgiving. It was so much fun to have Almira and Katherine here for Thanksgiving. Katherine made a wonderful fruit salad for all of us, her Russian/Romanian/Ukrainian offering. On Thursday we all went to my mom and dad's and had such fun. Then we went to my company, CenturyTel, which was built on a pecan orchard. The kids picked pecans for about 30 minutes, but it was really cold. Then we headed to our house. I took all three of the girls to the movies on Thanksgiving night, a tradition of mine and Jon's. We went to see Enchanted and it was so good. The girls loved it.

Then we headed home and the girls had a fun sleep over. On Friday morning we were packing up to go to Natchez, Mississippi for the day and night. Katherine was speaking to her mother on Skype and using the webcam, so I got to see her mother and talk to her. What a precious woman - she must be to have raised such a wonderful daughter. We shopped and walked around the city of Natchez, which is a great old city on the Mississippi River. The next morning it was cold and raining and we decided to drive north along the river to Vicksburg, MS to hit an outlet shopping mall. We did some shopping and then drove home that night, on Saturday. It was cold and storming really bad on Sunday morning and slept in and played hookey from church. We woke up Sunday morning to a bad storm, booming thunder and then a hail storm. It was so loud, I had forgotten what those sound like.

The girls are both doing well in school and Almira is about to wrap up soccer for the season, just 2 more weeks. Sarah is starting off with basketball season and they have already started practicing. Everyone is so excited about Christmas this year. Sarah and Almira are painting Christmas cards for our front yard and I'll post pictures when they are finished.

Almira has only asked for Russian books so far, but we have so much more planned for her. I can't wait for Christmas morning and to see the surprise on her face. She told me in the past she might get some sweets for Christmas, that was the standard birthday and Christmas presents. I think they tried to give them a little something at the orphanage. I know they did the best they could.

Molly the kitten is doing well, just growing so fast. I'll check on Almira at night when she is sleeping and Molly is right next to her, sometimes sleeping right on her neck. It never seems to wake up Almira and she just loves her.

We did have a hamster tragedy the weekend before last. We went to Walmart and picked up an extension for Almira's hamster cage, because I was worried her hamster (Tisha a/k/a Mousie) was going crazy from the small cage, she just ran back and forth along the front most of the time. Putting her in her ball for some time didn't seem to help much. We got home from Walmart and I went to help her do the cage and she was dead. It was horrible for Almira and she just cried and said it was her first pet. It was awful and we had a hamster funeral that afternoon. Sarah cried as hard as Almira. The next day Sarah had cleaned out her hamster cage and was putting it together when she broke it. We went back to Walmart and got her a new cage. She was in the process of putting her new cage together when the section of tubing that Simon (her hamster) was in, fell off the chair and hit the wood floor. I was standing there washing dishes and I heard them say, I think he is unconscious. I knew something was bad right away. I grabbed a paper towel and went and picked him up. He died shortly thereafter and I kept him covered up so the girls wouldn't see him. Two hamsters in two days. It was a very sad weekend. Two hamster funerals in one weekend was just too much. Almira immediately wanted another hamster, but Jon vetoed any pets for a while. Sarah cried so hard that night and then Almira got started again and Jon just couldn't take it. So we are back down to 2 cats, one kitten and a big black lab. Almira has mentioned several time she wants another hamster, but we've convinced her Molly is enough right now.

I have some pictures to post, but don't have them loaded right now. I'll try and post them before Christmas, but the way things are going who knows. I will finish my current class on December 17th and then I'm off until January 8th. Then I have 3 classes left to graduate!! I can't wait.

Kathy

Almira's First Halloween

Tonight we had such a great time Trick-or-Treating for Halloween. Katherine (from Moldova) went with us and we went to the church for a little while for the Fall Festival and then we headed out for real trick-or-treating in some relative's neighborhood. I am about to crash for the night, but I just had to post some pictures.

These are some friends of ours children, Kellen and Kaysen (scarey scientist and little lamb princess). The girls had a great night and got quite a bit of candy.

The picture of Almira with the big man is her math teacher from school.

Kathy

Kathy