It's been a really difficult week. That stress rash/hives that I've been battling? A doctor visit identified it as a combination of ringworm and scabies, both probably picked up at the orphanage. The headache, vomiting and general listlessness? Probably an intestinal parasite from the same source. I have a full bag of prescription ointments, pills, lotions and potions, and my cheerful doctor tells me I'll be back to normal soon, or a bit longer if some of the medications clash.
I want to publicly thank my lovely and supportive co-workers, who realized how hard the first week of school was going to be for me, and made up a schedule to bring me meals. They have been delicious, and have made the difference between eating well and eating ramen noodles/cereal/Domino's pizza. You all rock!
Vindya is ecstatically happy to be in school. She gets up early, runs to put on her uniform (which she lays out the night before) and makes her bed. Then she follows me around, asking repeatedly if she can put on her shoes yet. I keep adding to her list of morning chores just to get her out of my hair, and she's very enthusiastic about all of them. So far she puts away the clean silverware and plastic dishes, puts placemats and napkins on the breakfast table, and waters my basil plant. She would like to put away the breakable dishes (no- they're breakable!) and open the curtains (no - she can't reach the top with the yardstick we use), but has been satisfied with these. (Maui and Lilly had a caucus meeting, and decided that she can feed them* and put water in their bowl, but is NOT to be the one to walk them. They flatly refuse to go near her if she has a leash in her hand. What can I say? They are bright little doggies.)
LiJun has very mixed feelings about her sister. There are times that she is very loving and supportive, and times that she flips out and wants her dead. The former are becoming more frequent. I'm trying to find ways that she can get individual time without having to misbehave, which helps. She is enjoying fifth grade so far. She gets a real kick out of being called downstairs to explain something to Vindya. (Teachers can be ignored; big sisters cannot!) She has also been very good about loading the dishwasher at night and running it, and unloading the breakables in the morning, and opening the curtains.
Vindya starts classes at SILC (School of Indian Languages and Culture) on Saturday. She will have Telugu language, dance and art. She will invariably lose some or all of her ability to speak Telugu, but I have talked to the people who run SILC, and they are very welcoming of adopted Indian children, and this will give her contacts with other Indian American children. She may not need this right now, but as she gets older, it's imperative that she have this peer group to support as she develops. (It also looks like a lot of fun. LiJun wants to join, as soon as she's done with Saturday soccer.)
LiJun's first soccer game on the Yinghua team is today, and on Saturdays she plays with the team in Plymouth, the suburb where her dad lives. We'll start Girl Scouts in October, and swimming lessons for Vindya later in September. (I'm debating a winter membership at the local community center, so that we can all swim several times a week. Would we have time, I wonder?)
The World's Best Dog Trainer, Robin Sallie, moved to Boston (sob!!), so we no longer have trainning classes on Sunday. That has freed up some time, but also means that the dogs are getting sloppy and less well-mannered. I need to do something about that. It shouldn't take more than 15-20 minutes a day, once I get a training plan down. (Ha!)
What else? Work is really busy, Sunday School starts in earnest next week, I haven't done laundry in more time than I think is probably healthy. However, the dishes are done, the beds are made every morning, and everyone is still alive. Victory!
* By feed them, I mean put the filled food bowl on the floor. I am the only one who puts food in the bowl. Vindya would love to do that, too, but I am certain that she would give the greedy little pigs about four times as much food as they actually need. They would undoubtedly love this, but what can I say? I'm a cold-hearted owner who loves to see them starve.)
I want to publicly thank my lovely and supportive co-workers, who realized how hard the first week of school was going to be for me, and made up a schedule to bring me meals. They have been delicious, and have made the difference between eating well and eating ramen noodles/cereal/Domino's pizza. You all rock!
Vindya is ecstatically happy to be in school. She gets up early, runs to put on her uniform (which she lays out the night before) and makes her bed. Then she follows me around, asking repeatedly if she can put on her shoes yet. I keep adding to her list of morning chores just to get her out of my hair, and she's very enthusiastic about all of them. So far she puts away the clean silverware and plastic dishes, puts placemats and napkins on the breakfast table, and waters my basil plant. She would like to put away the breakable dishes (no- they're breakable!) and open the curtains (no - she can't reach the top with the yardstick we use), but has been satisfied with these. (Maui and Lilly had a caucus meeting, and decided that she can feed them* and put water in their bowl, but is NOT to be the one to walk them. They flatly refuse to go near her if she has a leash in her hand. What can I say? They are bright little doggies.)
LiJun has very mixed feelings about her sister. There are times that she is very loving and supportive, and times that she flips out and wants her dead. The former are becoming more frequent. I'm trying to find ways that she can get individual time without having to misbehave, which helps. She is enjoying fifth grade so far. She gets a real kick out of being called downstairs to explain something to Vindya. (Teachers can be ignored; big sisters cannot!) She has also been very good about loading the dishwasher at night and running it, and unloading the breakables in the morning, and opening the curtains.
Vindya starts classes at SILC (School of Indian Languages and Culture) on Saturday. She will have Telugu language, dance and art. She will invariably lose some or all of her ability to speak Telugu, but I have talked to the people who run SILC, and they are very welcoming of adopted Indian children, and this will give her contacts with other Indian American children. She may not need this right now, but as she gets older, it's imperative that she have this peer group to support as she develops. (It also looks like a lot of fun. LiJun wants to join, as soon as she's done with Saturday soccer.)
LiJun's first soccer game on the Yinghua team is today, and on Saturdays she plays with the team in Plymouth, the suburb where her dad lives. We'll start Girl Scouts in October, and swimming lessons for Vindya later in September. (I'm debating a winter membership at the local community center, so that we can all swim several times a week. Would we have time, I wonder?)
The World's Best Dog Trainer, Robin Sallie, moved to Boston (sob!!), so we no longer have trainning classes on Sunday. That has freed up some time, but also means that the dogs are getting sloppy and less well-mannered. I need to do something about that. It shouldn't take more than 15-20 minutes a day, once I get a training plan down. (Ha!)
What else? Work is really busy, Sunday School starts in earnest next week, I haven't done laundry in more time than I think is probably healthy. However, the dishes are done, the beds are made every morning, and everyone is still alive. Victory!
* By feed them, I mean put the filled food bowl on the floor. I am the only one who puts food in the bowl. Vindya would love to do that, too, but I am certain that she would give the greedy little pigs about four times as much food as they actually need. They would undoubtedly love this, but what can I say? I'm a cold-hearted owner who loves to see them starve.)
If everyone is alive (and apparently relatively content, save for the assortment of dermatological and intestinal visitors), then all the rest is gravy.
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