Today Olia, Dasha and I went to get  pedicures at a nail salon with Olia's friend Amber and her mom.  The pedicures felt so good.  They are given in massage chairs.  Each of us had our toenails painted and had flowers painted on top of the polish.  Olia wanted me to buy toe rings for them at the shop.  I told her that I had already spent enough money and I was not buying toe rings.  But I told her that she could buy it with her own money as long as she bought one for Dasha.  Olia is very generous; she bought a toe ring and told Dasha to pick one out.  Amber's mom and dad are seriously considering hosting at Christmas and/or adopting an older child.  They have spent time with Dasha and they really like her.  And they really enjoy having Olia over to play with Amber. I hope they adopt Dasha; she really wants a family.  She actually looks very much like Amber. They have one child, Amber, who is almost 10.  She was in Olia's class at school.  They are a really nice family.  They have three dogs.  Olia and Dasha went over to play at AMber's house after we had pedicures and lunchat McDonalds.  Dasha was thrilled because she loves dogs.  She kissed the dog goodbye on the lips! 

   After the girls came home, Renee asked them if they wanted to go to the movies.  Olia told Dasha the word for movie in Russian and Dasha kept saying, yes, yes.  Both girls were excited to go with Renee. They both ran out to the garage to get in Renee's car.  They both wanted to sit in the front so Renee told them they had to take turns.  Olia was NOT happy that Dasha got to ride in the front on the way to the movies.  What I find out from Renee today was that the girls snuck downstairs last night when Renee came home with her "friend" Josh.  The girls kept running into the room making kissing noises and hugging themselves!  Renee sent them to bed after awhile.  She and Josh thought it was funny!  But I didn't!  I told Olia that if they get out of bed again that I will separate them into two rooms for sleeping.  Olia did not like that plan so I think they will stay in bed.

  I got an email from Olia's original tutor Lena.  She is going to visit us soon because she is finished her nanny job and is taking some time off.  Olia is excited to get to see Lena again!

   I also heard from Vera's mom Cathy. Vera was adopted from Olia's orphanage about a year before we adopted Olia. Vera looks like a typical Ukrainian beauty; light colored eyes, petite and blond hair.  I didn't know that Cathy had not been able to access any of the photo links on the site.  I emailed her some photos of Olia so she can see how much she has grown.  A year really makes a difference in the life of an orphan who has been adopted. 

   I also got an email from Esther, the missionary who worked at Olia's orphanage.  She sent a picture of Olia from a few years ago.  Olia didn't like how she looked in the picture because her hair was so short.  But Dan and I were thrilled with the photo and we thought she looked adorable.  Esther told us that we can feel free to have Dasha call and talk to her if she wants to speak Russian to someone.  Dasha seems to be quite the social butterfly at her orphanage.  Two boys from her orphanage have called her. One is being hosted in a state that is about seven hours from where we live.  He wanted Dasha to come over and play with him!  Another family called today and left a message that their host daughter wanted to talk to Dasha.