Our First Full Day

Well, we officially made it through our first full day with both girls and largely on our own. I will have to say that it is going surprisingly well so far - much better than I expected, and way better than I had feared. There have been a few growing pains and setbacks as we learn to get along together, but nothing that can't be overcome in time. Once again, Maggie provided some wise counsel and wonderful support this morning, and life is getting better all the time. So far, the language barrier has not been as big a problem as I expected. It is harder with Emily Cate than with Madelyn since she is used to communicating verbally, whereas Madelyn still uses a lot of the non-verbal techniques toddlers use to compensate before they learn to talk clearly. We learned a couple of important phrases yesterday (how Madelyn communicates that she needs to make a restroom stop, and how Emily Cate asks to go to the playground). There were a couple of interesting language faux pas today, but we worked through them. Important safety tip, never use the word for yes in any language with a 7 year old without fully understanding what is being asked. We were walking back to the car after lunch and Emily Cate started saying that she wanted something. Based on the context of the moment, I thought I promised her ice cream later in the afternoon, but from her reaction, I may have promised something way bigger. I didn't actually even say yes, I just said later, which often gets her off of a subject, but she got so excited about it that I may have promised her a new BMW on her 16th birthday or something. She also apparently thought later meant in a few minutes, not later in the afternoon. She kept repeating over and over in the car on the way back to the hotel for naps that she wanted whatever it was and it was obvious from her heartbroken tone that, in her mind at least, I had failed to keep a promise. Another interesting moment was this afternoon when we thought it would be a good idea to get them to ask to use the bathroom in English as soon as possible. With our kids, we have always used the word "potty" when they first start training, so that was what we tried to tell them to say. Unfortunately, there is apparently a Bulgarian word for party that sounds very much the same as in English, and so Emily Cate got confused and thought we were going to a party when I thought she was talking about going potty. She happened to repeat her request as we passed through the hotel lobby, and the desk clerk was able to tell us what she was saying. When we figured it out, the desk clerk was then able to explain the confusion to Emily Cate, but that brought more disappointment. Other than those two instances, however, we seem to be communicating pretty well despite using two different languages, and the girls are both being very obedient and cooperative.

Our day started with breakfast in the hotel restaurant, and it was surprisingly quiet and subdued. I think both girls were still half asleep. After breakfast, Maggie met us in the lobby and we went to get the medical examinations necessary for US immigration. The doctor's visit went very well, although it took quite a bit of convincing for Emily Cate to realize that she wasn't going to get an injection of some sort. The visit to the clinic went reasonably quickly. We had to see an ENT, an ophthalmologist, and a pediatrician. We didn't have to wait on the ENT at all, and the exam took all of 3 minutes for both girls. We waited forever (probably 30 minutes, but in a somewhat crowded corridor with no air conditioning and two children, it seemed like forever), then another few minutes on the pediatrician. The pediatrician was superb in the way he handled the girls and in the way he communicated his findings with us. Both girls got a clean bill of health, although Madelyn has a little congestion and there are a couple of minor follow-ups we will need to do with Emily Cate once she gets settled at home. There were no conditions that we didn't already know about, however, and it was overall a god visit. The hospital and the process reminded me very much of getting a military physical at a Naval Hospital.

 

After the hospital visit, we went to the city center to do a little shopping, take Maggie back to her office, and get some lunch. Shopping was a bust. The girls needed to take a restroom break, so we went with Maggie to the Family National Association office and got a chance to meet some of the rest of the staff who have done such a wonderful job throughout this process and who have pulled out all the stops to get us out of here on Saturday. Because of the uncertainty about making it back to Sofia in time for the passports yesterday, FNA was able to work out an arrangement where we can have or visa interview tomorrow without the completed passports and medicals (which can't be completed without the passports either), and then someone from FNA will pick up the passports as soon as they are ready on Wednesday afternoon, get the completed medicals on Thursday morning, and get the whole package to the embassy so we can get the visas back on Friday. Everyone we have dealt with in this process has really done everything they can to make everything work out smoothly, and I can't adequately express our appreciation for there efforts.

We enjoyed a lovely lunch at a cafe in the city center, then headed back to the hotel for what was supposed to be afternoon naps. Madelyn fell asleep on the way back, then woke up when I took her out of the car. That was the end of the nap concept. Emily Cate was upset that she had not gotten whatever it was that I had promised her on the way back to the car, so Carolyn spent some time trying to comfort and entertain. I at least got to lie down for a few minutes, but we left about mid afternoon for an "outing" to try to make good on what I thought I promised Emily Cate. We walked up to the gas station where they have a little playground the girls have gotten to like very much. They also have a restaurant with outdoor seating near the playground. We got some "drumstick" type ice cream cones and sat outside to eat them. Then the girls got to spend some time on the playground. For the last few minutes, they started wanting to jump off the slide platform into my arms so I could catch them. I can't believe what a huge step that was for Emily Cate given her extreme caution and lack of desire for close physical contact last winter. She is a totally different child in that respect. This trip, she has wanted to be hugged, held, carried, and generally have as much contact as possible. After the playground, we went to a nearby department store to get Emily Cate some new shoes since the ones we brought for her turned out to be too small. It was probably the first time in that child's life that someone has taken her into a store and bought something special just for her. She was so excited and kept hugging my hand enthusiastically every few minutes as we walked back to the hotel. I tear up every time I think that she and so many other children like her have not had the opportunity to experience something so simple yet so profound. I think that sort of experience, when you are not used to it, provides a special sense of worth and value for the child, but it wasn't until after the fact that I realized how significant it was; beforehand, it was just another task on the list, a trip to pick up a pair of shoes.

After we got back to the hotel, the girls picked up where they left off at the playground and invented a game I'm going to come to regret eventually because it wears me out, but their laughter and squeals of delight make it worth the effort. They hop up on a pair of ottomans and take turns jumping off. I catch them as they jump, let the swing down a little, then use the momentum to swing them way up high. They absolutely love it. I'm tired. It is all they want to do now.

Tonight was a much smoother bedtime. Both girls laid down in bed quietly, I got down between them just to be there, and Carolyn sang them to sleep. All in all, it has been a very good first day. Tomorrow morning we go see Natalia at the children's museum, then off to the embassy for the visa interview. It is shaping up to be a very busy day. The hotel Internet is still down, but the gas station where the playground is has wifi, so I should be able to catch up on the posts.