Veeka's official in Virginia

February is a month of anniversaries for us; Feb. 10, 2007, being the date the adoption papers were all signed, making it official Over There - and Feb. 17 being the day we arrived back in the USA, turning Veeka into an American citizen. And now on Feb. 12 of this year, Veeka's birth certificate was recorded in the state of Virginia. It's known as "re-adopting" one's child in the home state and because I began the process while we were Virginia residents, her birth certificate is filed there. We just got a copy of her Virginia birth certificate today. I also have copies of her Kaz birth certificate, translated from Russian, but everyone tells you to get it re-recorded here in the States so that should she need copies for official purposes some day, she can order them from here. It's hard to explain but apparently it makes a big difference in the grand scheme of things which is why I did all the paperwork starting last May to get it done.
So here is a photo of the little one trying out my hairdryer. She is growing every day and for the last month has developed a love for the TV. Her first 2 years with me, she didn't care much for it. Now she is glued to the thing and that's all she wants to do. So when I took off today for a chiropracter's appointment and to see "Slumdog Millionaire" (what a grim film), she just sat in front of the TV. Whenever the sitter tried to get her to walk to the park, The Child shrieked. Hmmm.
The other news here is I've been told I need to get shoulder surgery in the next few months, so am trying to figure out just when I can be off work for several days and not driving for 2 weeks (one is not supposed to drive while wearing a sling). Would like to get a lot of that behind me before the weather turns warm and I want to go swimming. The shoulder injury stems from either lifting Veeka or repetitive motion reaching back toward her car seat - whatever caused it, two years of on-and-off physical therapy have not healed it so, after looking at my most recent MRI, the orthopedist thinks there's a tear there some where. Great.
So I am also trying to figure out who can come nurse me and take care of Veeka for several days. Cannot say candidates are exactly lining up at the door.
Things are quiet other than that, except to say there seems to be a newspaper closing every week somewhere around the country these days.