My last week has been pretty busy. My Dad has had some downs lately on this up and down roller-coaster of his luekemia treatment. He has had to have his last two chemo treatments cancelled due to complications. He developed a stomach virus that needed to be treated--he wasn't able to eat for over a week and lost 13 pounds. That treatment has caused his blood counts to be too low to do chemo and he has needed more tests and more precautions. He and my mom are spending about half the time at my house for his medical care and half the time at their own house in between just to feel normal. He was able to enjoy a wonderful weekend with his brothers and sister that really helped bolster his spirits.
I am glad to be here for him while he is going through all this. However---It has dug into some of my PTO (paid time off) as I take time off to go with him to treatments and appointments and they have occupied future daughter's room for most of the time so I haven't been able to transform it into a lovely girl room yet. I feel selfish just saying that outloud.
We are still hoping for a good recovery by summer so that he can enjoy the summer.--After all, he has to be healthy for his 50th Anniversary Party in August!
On the adooption front--my agency is hopeful that things will open up in Kazakhstan more this summer but no other definite news. I have also heard that Kaz is closing adoption to those over 50. I'm not quite there yet but it hits close to home and I feel very bad for anyone affected.
Congrats to the Pere familiy that have just returned home to Minnesota with the fantastic Garrett and to Matt and Suzanne who are in Kaz with their two children and to all other families who are there now, are leaving soon, or have recently arrived home.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Ya gavaryoo pa-roosky plogha
That's the phonetics for "I speak Russian badly".
I was very lucky and found a Russian Interpreter at work that was willing to give lessons and I had my first one last week. Wow--it is going to be difficult to learn. I am so looking forward to being able to use it when I am in Kaz--I am hoping they will speak Russian where I am going because I don't know anyone to teach Kazakh.
My teacher, Olga, reviewed the language books she found at Barnes and Noble and picked the one she thought taught the language the best. It is called "Beginner's Russian" by Rachel Farmer and comes with a CD package so you can actually hear how the words are pronounced.
The first lesson was learning the alphabet and memorizing some easy words--that means words that are similiar sounding to English. My biggest problem is that I can not roll my r's--my tongue just won't do it. Olga says you have to roll your r's to sound Russian. Oh well--if I can sound like an American that speaks the language, that will be good enough. Wish me luck as I continue on this endeavor.
Matt and Suzanne spoke about the time in a restaurant when they mistakenly told a waiter he was handsome--who knows, maybe I'll be better at flirting in Russian than I am in English. That would be a bonus!
Here is an address for a great on-line lesson site.
http://www.russianlessons.net/lessons/getting_started.php
I was very lucky and found a Russian Interpreter at work that was willing to give lessons and I had my first one last week. Wow--it is going to be difficult to learn. I am so looking forward to being able to use it when I am in Kaz--I am hoping they will speak Russian where I am going because I don't know anyone to teach Kazakh.
My teacher, Olga, reviewed the language books she found at Barnes and Noble and picked the one she thought taught the language the best. It is called "Beginner's Russian" by Rachel Farmer and comes with a CD package so you can actually hear how the words are pronounced.
The first lesson was learning the alphabet and memorizing some easy words--that means words that are similiar sounding to English. My biggest problem is that I can not roll my r's--my tongue just won't do it. Olga says you have to roll your r's to sound Russian. Oh well--if I can sound like an American that speaks the language, that will be good enough. Wish me luck as I continue on this endeavor.
Matt and Suzanne spoke about the time in a restaurant when they mistakenly told a waiter he was handsome--who knows, maybe I'll be better at flirting in Russian than I am in English. That would be a bonus!
Here is an address for a great on-line lesson site.
http://www.russianlessons.net/lessons/getting_started.php
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Safe and Happy?
My nephew Luke is seven years old but so grown up. I recently had the chance to spend 90 minutes in a car with just him and I. We had the best conversation the whole way--he asked me so many questions about myself like what do I like to do when I am not working, etc. It was like he was really trying to get to know me better.
He doesn't know about my adoption plans yet but he was checking out my car and deciding just where I could put a husband and two kids (that is the perfect family to him). He decided they would fit just fine in my car and then he asked me a most insightful question--
"Mary, if you had children, what would you do to make sure they were safe and happy?"
It blew me away and I had to think. I said a few routine things and then I said "The most important thing would be to always be there for them and to love them no matter what." to which Luke seriously responded "Well that"s a pretty good solution".
Forget the homestudy--that is the best endorsement for Motherhood I could get.
Can seven year olds write our recommendation letters?
Now I pray for my daughter to be kept safe and happy until we are brought together.
He doesn't know about my adoption plans yet but he was checking out my car and deciding just where I could put a husband and two kids (that is the perfect family to him). He decided they would fit just fine in my car and then he asked me a most insightful question--
"Mary, if you had children, what would you do to make sure they were safe and happy?"
It blew me away and I had to think. I said a few routine things and then I said "The most important thing would be to always be there for them and to love them no matter what." to which Luke seriously responded "Well that"s a pretty good solution".
Forget the homestudy--that is the best endorsement for Motherhood I could get.
Can seven year olds write our recommendation letters?
Now I pray for my daughter to be kept safe and happy until we are brought together.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Good News
Wow--really good news came my way today.
I was communicating with my agency and found out that my dossier was registered at the MOE on Nov. 30th, 2007. This is the last Ministry and they are the ones that assign you a region. It was some how overlooked in getting that information to me and my agency is very sorry about that. All this time I was thinking that it was still stitting at the MOFA so it means that I am further along and closer to the finish than I thought. No--don't be upset with my agency--they have been very good in communicating with me and answering all my questions and this is just a simple oversight and it is very exciting to know that I am at the MOE!!!
I know that I still have quite a wait but there is light at the end now.
I was communicating with my agency and found out that my dossier was registered at the MOE on Nov. 30th, 2007. This is the last Ministry and they are the ones that assign you a region. It was some how overlooked in getting that information to me and my agency is very sorry about that. All this time I was thinking that it was still stitting at the MOFA so it means that I am further along and closer to the finish than I thought. No--don't be upset with my agency--they have been very good in communicating with me and answering all my questions and this is just a simple oversight and it is very exciting to know that I am at the MOE!!!
I know that I still have quite a wait but there is light at the end now.
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