Oct. 22, 2005
I feel guilty that I haven't written in my journal all week. So much to do. Working more long hours to try and keep up at work, then I don't get home until late.
Mother found a lady to drive her back and forth to therapy appointments, so that burden is off of me, thank goodness. I've lost a lot of time from work taking her, and then I have to stay late to make up the time. The therapy is too important to not go, however.
We went to dinner the other night and met Danny Griffin, a missionary who was instrumental in the adoption. He was in town, though he lives in Ohio. Danny sang in the choir with me in 2003 and since his church contributes a lot to Topolevo, Alesia's orphanage, he had suggested we go sing there, and the rest is history. He had just returned from Khabarovsk and brought Alesia photos and messages from her friends there. She was happy to see him, and they spoke Russian together. He is fluent. He also brought her a mug, and a comb from Russia, which pleased her greatly.
We got back her grades yesterday for the second term. She made 1 C [computer class], 1 B [science], A's in everything else except Math. She made a 62 in Math. She has been getting tutored at school, so I was surprised. I will speak to her teacher. I told her I was very proud of her and gave her a big hug and she just beamed.
I am praying the Open House that John is holding tomorrow will help sell the condo. I really want that monkey off my back. If I could just get that done and get the boxes out of the garage I will feel a huge burden lifted.
We went to the Cobb Galleria this morning, to the Misteletoe Market put on by the Junior League. Lots of cute crafts items there. Mom found a grabber to get down things from shelves, and a watch. Alesia got a cute light winter coat. Very productive. We saw cousin Jan and her son Charlie and had lunch with them, which was pleasant. Jan is the Hasty family genealogist.
Mother met a man who lives down the street and he and his wife are adopting a baby from China. I called and talked to him tonight. Nice guy, Andrew Carlton. Is a computer guy for Bellsouth. He says he knows one of the guys at the adoption agency adopted 2 little girls from Russia and they are about Alesia’s age. He is going to give the guy my contact information. Maybe I can get Alesia a couple of new friends.
I got the photos copied for the second post-adoption report and I am going to pick it up Monday. Then I have to get it apostilled and Fed-X’s to Alaska and that will be a relief, for one more year at least. I have to file 2 more, next year in Oct. and in 2007, then I'm through.
I posted the following today on my Yahoo board for adoptive moms:
Boy, I can really relate to Barb and Angie's e-mails, although I try not to work more than 8 hours, and my commute is only about 30-45 minutes. Even though Alesia is a big 14 year old there still aren't enough hours in the day. She started a new class last week - basically home Economics, but they call it something politically correct like "Home and Family" or something along those lines, because they do cooking, sewing, household budgeting, etc. Sounds like fun. But Alesia had an assignment to write a little autobiography and she made up the cutest little booklet and illustrated it herself. It has pages like "My favorite movies" "What I like to do" etc. One page is titled "My Wish" - and she wrote her greatest wish is for Mom to spend more time with her. God that just about killed me. I have been working long hours at work, and she never complains, but it obviously bothers her when I walk in at 7:30 or 8, after being gone 12 hours.
There are just never enough hours in the day. Even with Mother living here and helping, and starting supper, there's NO time for me. I actually left Alesia here this afternoon watching TV and ran to see a movie with my friend Dana, that I haven't seen in ages, and I felt GUILTY the whole time. I couldn't enjoy the movie. I came home and turned off the TV and made Alesia go with me to do errands, just so I could spend some time with her.
Those of you with little ones - just because they get older, there won't be the break you think there will be. She still gets almost all my free time, and I wish I could give her more.
My dreams of adopting #2 are pretty distant now. If I can just sell my condo, I might could get that done sometime in the next year or two. Then I will REALLY have to learn time management... Dee
