the latest

Ok, I think I'm about caught up. With Troy being gone these past weeks I haven't had time to sit and type let alone stay up past 10 pm. But I will update our latest on the kids.

This week we finally got everyone's Social Security Cards taken care of and one card even came in the mail this week. Yeah! I also was informed that the social security office and other government offices don't recognize the Utah birth certificates. They told me that if I ever had to apply for new ones I would need the Certificate of Citizenship. So I don't know if we'll go through the hassle of getting the birth certificates here.

Ana and Victor had tested positive for TB so we were setting up appointments at the CDC so they can start the medication. When the nurse found out there was another sister. The paper work said she tested negative in the Ukraine so the doctor wouldn't test her again even though I asked. But the nurse at the CDC sent us back this week and Tanya tested positive, good thing we did it. When the nurse was making a circle and measuring the very large bump Tanya told me the same happened in the Ukraine. So I think maybe she tested positive in the Ukraine too or at least that this isn't a false positive. We think Tanya and Victor's father may have died from TB. Anyway... nine months of antibiotics here we come!

Ana doesn't have a heart murmur, she has Coarctation of the Aorta and has to have heart surgery this summer. She has super high blood pressure and the doctors couldn't believe that she had gone 8 years without having this checked/looked into before. They are also assuming this is why she is so teeny tiny. Her poor heart just can hardly keep up.

Next week we find out if Victor needs surgery and Tanya, Victor and Ana have dental appointments! Its starting to sound like Victor and Ana will need to have some dental work done.

So, as for bonding. We've talked a lot about being a family these past two weeks and being nice to our brothers and sisters. For those that don't know, Tanya doesn't like our biological children and has been incredibly mean at times to Morgan. I thought things were getting better and going a little smoother, then we had a little hic up tonight. They were playing a game downstairs and making teams and Grant said something about Tanya having her brother, him, on her team. She turned around and said, "Ethan Grant no brothers". The exchange went on for a few minutes until she took Victor into her room and shut the door. This is the one thing I really struggle with. I just want to shake them and tell them everything that our biological children have done and given up so that they could be here living with us. Is this something that will sort itself out with time and language or are we going to have two families living under the same roof? Victor and Ana are great with Grant, Morgan and Ethan when Tanya isn't around, that gives me hope. So, after I finished putting Ana and Ethan to bed I went down and talked to them about being brothers/sisters and about being nice. Victor really looked sorry, but Tanya just did her little shrug and grumpy face. That was the end for me and I told (I raised my voice and told her not very nicely) that she was really mean and told them to go to bed. How does this kid make me crack and turn into a two year old calling her mean? These are the things Troy handles much better than me, I get too emotional. I guess we'll have a computer talk tomorrow and hopefully I can make it a few more days till Troy gets home.