Whew! Glad that's under our belts!

We've completed a marthan day of medicals here in Tver. I'm so incredibly relieved that's over I cannot tell you. We came back to the hotel and I took the best hot shower ever. I promise...ever.

It wasn't as horrible as I'd feared, but still nothing I relish doing again. We went from doctor to doctor, including a state medical clinic where we saw numerous doctors and each had EKG's done. I literally can't even remember who we saw there were so many.

It was so odd on so many levels. In the state-run clinic, people would just knock on the doctor's door and peek their heads in to talk, with no regard to who was in the office or what the doctor was doing. It is so different than in the states, where a nurse takes you to the doctor's office or exam room and you're safely tucked away. Not so much here. Brian's door got opened while he was having his EKG done and I was so relieved the man hadn't opened it during mine since I was a bit more femininly indisposed (aka the top half open to any viewing eyes who opened said door!).

We didn't have to go into the TB clinic (thank goodness!) but sat in the warm van while our x-rays that we'd had done in the states and brought with us were read. All eight doctors sign and stamp a singular piece of paper for each of us; when you have all eight you have a positive medical conclusion.

When my blood pressure was being taken the doctor said it was a bit high. I said I was nervous and she said, 'That is understandable."

My favorite part of the day was when Brian and Masha, our interpreter, came out of one of Brian's visits - I think it was the neurologist, maybe, who was testing reflexes and having us push against her with our arms, etc. They came out laughing. Poor Masha is so used to translating with us here that when the doctor spoke she automatically translated...except she was translating the doctor's English back to Russian! She said she just automatically started translating and realized part way in that she was speaking Russian, and she wasn't sure to whom!

Tomorrow is our last day in Tver. We go mid-afternoon to the cout notary to sign more official acceptance paperwork and then to have a brief visit with the judge who will preside over our adoption case when we return. Our agency will present her with all of our documents (our dossier, which is about 75% complete - because we shifted to Tver late in the game because of the girls' availability, we didn't receive instructions on our dossier document list until the very day we received our travel invitation, which meant we had something like 6.5 business days to do travel, visas, dossier documents and, oh, yeah, regular work. We did our best to get as many done as possible but have a few to finish up when we get home) and then she will ask us some very brief questions.

Saturday we say goodbye to Tver for now and head to Moscow; we hope to be able to take a tour and will spend Saturday night in Moscow before boarding a plane Sunday and returning home on...Sunday!

That's all for now.

Oh, no pictures today. We figured the state-run medical clinic wouldn't exactly appreciate it. :)