the further adventures

We've moved and with the help of Tomas are blogging from the apt. The phone here is 8-3112-548497. There is a 9 hr time difference- we're 9 hrs ahead of EST. The apt. is two bedrooms upstairs and kitchen and living down. We have satellite tv so CNN, BBC, Euronews, MTV, Discovery, Animal Planet, and a bunch of Russian channels. It's a big improvement over the hotel, tv-wise. The kitchen is ok but no frying pan and a tiny sink. The full bath is upstairs. The beds are ok, doubles not king.
More good, good visits with Sultan. Yesterday he had Susan bring down a big stuffed dog which he proceeded to hit, kick and drive his toy car into. I think this his normal for kids at the baby house. They don't have pets and are afraid of strays. So we'll have to be careful introducing him to all the pets he's going to meet. Sorry Jazz. Sorry Lilah. Sorry other Lilah. We'll work on him some more. Susan started the training immediately by patting and hugging the dog, which left Sultan somewhat incredulous.
We will visit today as usual, then pre-court tomorrow. The judge will then give us a court date, hopefully Wednesday or Thursday. The is a possibility that we could be done then and fly to Almaty on Friday. Our return tickets are for Oct. 13 and we'd love to make that connection.
More fun exploring the big market. Got some nice fruit; pears, oranges, bananas, dates, walnuts, almonds. Tomas said he would make a beef stew tonight. Tomas is Hungarian, works in IT, plays the sax and is a doll. Marie is from the Philippines
and does HR for health care. She's been in the states since she was 7, i think. Tomas came with his mom and sister when he was about 20. We are so glad to have them as friends and roomies. I taught them how to play ____head and that was fun.
Not much else to report here. Words cannot EXPRESS how happy we are to be able to use the computer at the apt. This is a real breakthrough, and it's kind of weird to say, but it's nice to be doing this from my own computer.
The visits are getting a little boring, I have to admit. Playing with Sultan is great, as always, but I think we're all feeling a little couped up and ready for the next thing, whatever that is.
I (Susan, now) can't tell you guys how nice it has been to have a few phone conversations. Spoke with Sandy and Mel briefly yesterday. SO GREAT to hear you voices!, and then to Mom and Dad (Min & Jay, so sorry you were out when I called!), and then Claudia this morning. I am tempted to call when Claudia, Katie and Vara have dinner Monday night, but that would be at 4am my time, and tho I am a committed friend... I don't think I'll be up calling. Our calling card lets us call the US for something like .50 minute, so I am feeling reckless along with my restlessness. Anyone on Kyle's side want a phone call? Seems only fair!
OK, that's it for now. We'll see if we can put up some photos now.
love to all!
S & K

Moving Day

We move to the apt, which is good cause the halls of rhe Pushkin are filled with suited Russkis smoking and armed cops at the door. the computer is down and they let us into the office for a short blog.
I brought a phone adapter, 2 wires that you can pull out and a button that retracts them. Big hit. We also played with the stacking cups and he did pretty well with the colors.
Went to dinner with Gary and Louanne from HI, more our age and nice. Susan emailed our agency at home and they said they knew all about our situation and thought it had been resolved. We hope thats true. We were glad to think they are on the case.
The best news of all is that we have a pre-court date for Monday, that same date that the rest of our group has "pre-court". THat's a huge relief. We figure they wouldn't let us continue with this process if it were all going to turn to dust, so there has to be some hope that we might succeed. Pre-court, as we understand it, is pretty quick and basic. At that time the real court day is set- we're hoping that would be for Wednesday or Thursday. We think the biggest potential hitch ahead of us is that waiting period- that's the 14 days after court that often is waived by the judge here, but because of the grandmother circumstances, may not be in our case. This is pure speculation on our part, but this is the purpose of the waiting period, so that's why we think it could happen. So, one milestone with the announcing of a pre-court date, several milestones to go. We'll keep you posted. THe visitation schedule continues even as we approach and then go thru court.
The apt that we'll go to tonight is more towards the center of town, neared to the Atrium- the supermarket and MacJohn's, as well as to the big Chinese market, which is the BIG bazaar with everything for sale. That should be good, though the various families that are here will be scattered around, and that's too bad, knowing that we are all still here, but nobody seems to know the phone number of the place they are staying in (us included). We'll share with Marie and Tomas, so we'll have companionship that way, which is nice.
Bye for now, all!
Susan & Kyle

Big day

Today is our 14th day visiting, a milestone, and we are moving ahead step by step.
Yesterday when we were riding in the car I asked Almira if she thought we'd go to precourt with the other 2 couples and she said she didn't know. When we got to the baby house she had papers for Marie and Tomas to sign, but none for Susan, and then she left for the notary. We both were worried, especially Susan, who had an anxious afternoon. When Almira came for our afternoon visit she had papers and we signed them in the car and filed them on the way to the baby house. We told her how worried we'd been and she apologized. What a relief!!! We could have precourt tomorrow.
Two more good visits. We got him a new toy, a cube that comes apart with shapes that fit through holes, a bit of a challenge for all of us. We were playing with it when the local social worker came in, beaming, and said she hoped we would be very happy and we said we already were. Almira said that Sultan is already saying some English; green, blue, cat, meow, good boy, up, car. Susan is persistent on the language front.
She reached into her pocket for a tissue to wipe his nose and he was very curious about what was in there. She started to wipe his nose and he backed away quickly and gave a snort, resolving the issue. Just like his dad. I'm so proud.

Lunch with Marie and Tomas at a place just down the street. We had traditional Kazakh food, noodle soup with meat and veg, meat dumplings, all reminiscent of tukpa and momos from Ladakh. Three tables and packed, order at the counter and bus your table, my kind of place. We also found the big market and will go back when we have more time to explore.
Both couples with kids leave today, one for Almaty and one for an apt. We'll start a yahoo group. We move to an apt tomorrow which we share with Marie and Tomas. Cheaper but no laundry service or free breakfast or internet or workout room. We'll stay there till we finish court and then go to Almaty for the rest, while we get a passport and physical for Sultan.
I think all the good vibes and prayers are working so thank you all. We've really enjoyed all the comments and appreciate them even more.
On a very sad note, one of the couples at the hotel who came 4 days after us and were adopting a child with CP, lost the child when the parents wanted him back. Sad for them, but maybe better for him.
peace
love

No news is good news

Still in limbo, but still moving ahead. We'll file papers today and may be in court by Fri. Another couple at the hotel went to pre-court on Monday and court on Tuesday. They had their 2 week waiting period waived and got their boys, so things are running smoothly and quickly. We can only keep keepin on. I appreciate and solicit any and all prayers.
We had 2 nice visits yesterday, inside and very calm. We fixed his cellphone so he'd stop rushing over to Almira whenever hers rings. We brought some bath toys which he liked too. He took the front end off one of the cars a few time, pushed the lego truck around, etc. When he wants something, he looks at Susan or me and points. If we say nyet he moves to something else. We're thrilled that he looks to us for limits or permission or help. This 14 day bonding period will make the transition from the baby house much easier.
After our morning session, we had our driver drop us at a park by the river. There was a Ferris wheel and a few rides, boats to rent and a couple of cafes. We walked around and sat by the river and talked. Then we walked back through town towards our hotel. Stopped at one restaurant, Ararat, but it was too smoky. The next place had a Chinese sign and someone's version of oriental landscapes on the walls. The menu was in Cyrillic and I was ready to go back to our room and make grilled cheese sandwiches, but S wanted to stay. The waitress pantomimed soup so we ordered one and it was good so we ordered another. Then she said spaghetti and we said sure. After the soup she brought out shredded, boiled beets. Then came pasta with 1 meatball and carrots, followed by tea with lemon. The whole thing cost $3.50 for 2. (Hmm. Veg soup, pasta and beets. A typical Chinese lunch special? In Kaz, perhaps yes!) We had lamb kebob at MacJohns and pizza which were both very good. We're not loosing weight as we had hoped.
Our spirits are good and our friends here are pulling for us and we know you all are too.
peace
love

The return of Granny

I guess the cat is out of the bag and we need to explain.
Sultan's granny showed up and wanted to take him. The baby house told her to get her daughter and go to the Ministry of Education and file some forms. She hasn't done that yet and we're hoping she'll drop the ball. We are still visiting as normal and our coordinator will file our stuff tonight if she hasn't shown. Our translator said this has happened before. There has been no hint of a further inducement.
If she does come back and take Sultan, we'll be shown another 2 1/2 yo healthy boy. But that would be so sad for us and him too. The family have all the legal rights, which is as it should be. We have the utmost confidence in our translator and coordinator and the people at the baby house. I don't suspect them of trying to manipulate the situation. They are advocating for us as best they can. Igor said that today he will go to the Ministry of Ed. and talk to the social worker and psychologist there to ask them to evaluate the grandmother's home situation.
Susan and I are guardedly hopeful. We've cried and walked and prayed. The serenity prayer has been especially helpful. Mostly we're trying to ask for whatever is best for Sultan. Whatever happens he will always be in our hearts and we'll treasure the hours we've spent with him.
Yesterday we visited as normal. Susan read to him while he snuggled in her lap. I showed him how to take apart Almira's pen, Almira fed him peanuts which she had in her purse for her son, he rummaged through her purse wanting her cellphone, We'll stay indoors again today I'm sure.
We're OK, so if you pray, pray for him. Stay calm and cool the anger. It doesn't help.
If everything falls through, we'll probably fly back to Amsterdam and visit my friends in Denmark, Tine and Hussain, or Siggy and Murray in Zurich.

Comment-alles vous?

I know its the weekend and y'all are taking a break from your puters, but there was only 1 comment this am, thank you Crissy, and I'm disappointed. This is a 2 way street and we're totally dependent on your feedback and questions. So if you read this, take the time to figure it out and puleeze say something. It helps us feel connected in this bizarre, boring, lonely process. (Susan here- I'm not of a mind to upbraid anyone. Do what you do, it's no big deal, but it is fun for us when we hear back...)


We got the word from the MD not to give our boy anything. He had the runs, so that's that. Yesterday we had a quiet day playing with the trucks inside. He likes taking the front end off one of them and playing with the screw and nut. The legos are good too and Susan is teaching him colors by saying the color of whichever one he picks up. He was pretty calm and cuddly. We pick him up and give him a squeeze every once in a while, hard to resist, and he laughs and squirms delightedly.
For the last few days he's been crying when he leaves, not in front of us, but when he's back with his group. Susan had a glimpse of him on the pot with his group crying. So we're trying to make the transition smoother. Yesterday was easier, no tears, just that backward hand with the fingers waving. We say baka-baka and he waves. We're glad he can cry, but hate to think of him being sad.

He did have a mini-meltdown when Calvin started playing with the lego truck. He went to get it back and we said nyet and he stopped and a few big tears came. No whimpers. Calvin's parents managed to distract him and we averted the flood. Whew!
The doc said he was good with the other kids even helping the smaller ones and sharing just fine. I can't wait to see him with Emma and Cara, and Lily and Matt-Matt. And by the way, Crissy, botox??? He's a bit young for that surely.
We are so in love with Sultan it's scary. You'll have to forgive our foolish doting and the minutiae.

The party was really fun. They made chili, chicken stir fry, rice, and found tortillas, chips, beer, wine, coke, M+Ms, and a great cake. S and I brought cheese, salsa and watermelon. Josh, a young Marine, talked some about Iraq. He'd done one tour there early on and is now stationed with a reserve unit in Chicopee. He is the first and only person I've had the luck to talk to who's actually been there. He's smart, thoughtful and well spoken. We hope to see more of him and Saige, his wife, back home. We'll probably start a yahoo group.
Watched Pirates of the Caribbean last night while we played scrabble. Susan rocked-368 to 236. I was lucky to break 200. Long walk today between visits.
Don't forget to comment. Slackers, you know who you are. Don't make me beg.
love
peace

Daily routine

We go for our 1st visit at 11 am and, since the weather has been great, he's outside with his group, lately in the opposite corner from where we walk in. We walk around the building, he sees us and comes running over. We go to another corner and sit at a little picnic table.
Sultan starts going through our packs until he finds his pack, which he then pulls out and opens. He goes for the water or juice 1st and we try to make a game of it with the caps of the sippy cup and the water bottle and pouring and putting away. He's really good with it all.
Then it's on to the crayons, which are more about the box then about coloring. He did the dump the 1st time and now carefully takes out one at a time.
He really likes Susan's lipgloss. Turning the top carefully, and applying to Susan's lips. He'd like to do mine too but I guess I'm not ready for that. We have a chapstick we got in Amsterdam {it's the best!!}, and he pulls the top off, which is hard for him, and plays with screwing it out. The thing I like so much about this particular chapstick, besides the flavor, is that with 1 turn it's all the way out. So he plays with that and then puts it on our lips and we put it on his. Susan got him to understand that when applying it should only be out a little and he carefully screws it back in so only a bit is showing.

We play with the ball for a bit, bouncing it to him. He throws it back wildly and we chase it down for him. He like the zippers and the plastic clips on the packs. The favorite is the one on the camcorder case which flys about 2 ft if taken off the strap. He puts it on, I shoot it off, he goes OHH and puts it back on.
The pen is still good fun; top off, put on bottom, put back on top. The legos are good too but the little truck is his new fav cause he can zoom around inside with it.
He's not so much into the bigger cars now that he's found the little truck.
The afternoon couple, Alaina and Andrew, have flavored cheerios. Banana, apple and I'm not sure what else, but they are great. We all like them, especially Sultan and we need to work on limits in this area. Also he's started tossing toys and we don't want to let him get away with that. He doesn't seem angry or upset, just kind of casually hurling the legos or the little truck. Almira knows what to say to him and we told her we'll be calling her cell and putting him on so she can straighten him out.
Almira is a godsend. She's 29, lovely, fair skinned, reddish dyed hair, has a son, Islam, who's 18 months. Her husband is an accountant for a bank. Islam stays with her mom who lives nearby. She lived on a farm with her grandparents when she was small while her mom went to college. She's very calm and collected and I have every confidence in her. She is happy to go with us to the bazaar or shopping for pants for Sultan. She is great with him too. She started potty training her son at 1 month!!! and says that most Kazakh kids are out of diapers by 1 yr. I'm so grateful we got her and Igor and our drivers too.
Today is Sunday and we'll probably try and go to a park on the River that we heard about. Rent a boat, have a picnic. There's a birthday party here at the hotel for Ryane, Counsel's mom.
peace
love

An Apple a Day

In an email Katie B. asked whether we had any quiet times with the boy to read a story or sit together, and whether the trip has been really emotional.

We have had some relatively quiet times with Sultan, but our visiting times are always scheduled for when one of the other families is there, so there is always some distraction, though occasionally we have colored together, or worked on something together. It's really nice.

Lately I haven't been so emotional. More just grooving up for the next day: the next snack, the next set of clothes, etc. We have been asked not to feed him apples or juice anymore because the peeing has turned into pooping, and I have just learned from the new mother here at the hotel that I should have been diluting the apple juice all along since, he probably hasn't had it before. duh. If Sultan lives thru his first few weeks with me/us as parents it will be a miracle.

I am getting a little bored here. The computer is a lifesaver, but there's usually a line and the connection is slow, etc. I've been spoiled by fast connections at work, and I can't even imagine what this would have been like without the blog and the email and all the communications back & forth!

Here are some answers to last issue's comments:
Ma, the court thing works this way-insofar as I really understand it. On Day 14 (next Thursday), they will submit the paperwork to the court for "pre-court". A date gets set a day or two or three days later (probably Monday if we are lucky). Then we go to pre-court for a 15 minute appearance and answer some basic questions. At that time the real court date gets set (Thursday? Friday?), also for a few days later. Almira has a hand in submitting the paperwork, as does Igor. Almira comes to court with us and interprets, which is something one of the other agencies does differently (using a different, unrelated translator than you have been using). I like our way better since we have a relationship with Almira. Court is supposed to be long, maybe 40 minutes of straight questioning by the judge. All three of us couples working with Frank here in country will have the same schedule. I'll appear alone, as before.

Our morning visitation time coincides with Marie and Tomas (and Baby Benjamin), and they are the Portland area couple we met up with (also using Frank Adoption in states). We will be sharing the apartment with them when that happens. In the afternoon, we share with the other couple who came in when we did: Alaina (sounds like Elena) and Andrew, from Indiana. They are adopting two infant boys: Murat/Patrick who is at baby house 1, and Calvin (I forget his Kazakh name), who has a cleft palate that needs to be repaired, but who is an absolute doll. So, we are with one couple & baby in the am and one couple & baby in the pm. But that is no hardship. We like them both and all the kids are great.

Scott, I think I agree with you on the liquid aspect. Once we are not totally overloading his system with rich items he's unused to, I think we'll be set to let him drink as much as he likes, and eat way more too. That's AFTER the long plane ride home. You are definitely right that the staff isn't real happy with the latest developments in Sultan's bodily functions. I can't blame them with so many children to watch over.

I'm sure Kyle will update this posting more in the morning, as he's taken the lead on the blog lately, but I just thought I'd post this for now. Are there other questions we can answer?

Sarah, Mom tells me that Alice broke her ankle playing soccer. Poor kid! Give her a kiss and a hairy eyeball stare for me! And best to Aunt Anne & Uncle Henry.

xoxo, bye all,
S

nuts and bolts

We were playing with the other toy car and we noticed that there was a small bolt and nut where the steering wheel should have been. I started to back the nut off and Sultan pushed my hands away so he could do it. He got the nut off and we took the machine screw out and he happily worked with that for a while. He's very serious and focused when he's working and he gives these little gasps and ahs that are adorable. He worked with the nut for quite a while the we showed him how to put it back through the shaft where the steering wheel should have been. The next day we had the car upside down and took off the front end, played with it for a while and then back on, off, on. It's so interesting watching him learn and figure stuff out. His curiosity is amazing and a joy to encourage and enable.
He's good about limits for which we are grateful and hope will last. When we say nyet he lets it go and move on happily. He gives us these looks, asking for permission or to get something for him. He saw me throw some water from a cup into the sandbox and when he has a tiny bit left he'll look at Susan and gesture with the cup. So he is communicating effectively already. He talks to us in Kazakh and we think he's starting to say a few words in English like "good boy", "cool!" (we think) and "no no". Sally, he speaks Kazakh, though there are some basic Russian words he has been exposed to.
We've cut way back on the fluids and haven't had any moisture events, fingers crossed. We're learning. Today we'll bring s few cookies for him along with the apple and juice. When we get there he goes right to his little pack and pulls out the water or juice and his cup.

The weather has been really warm and sunny and his group has been outside when we get there, so we wander over and he sees us and asks one of his caregivers if he can leave the group and then comes running over. Yesterday one of the ladies was playing accordion and the kids were rapt. We find a spot away from the group and settle in. There are little roofed shelters in each corner of the lot with sandboxes and stuff to climb on.
We had lots of fun with a dumptruck full of legos. Thanks Mary and Thomas for the legos back home!! He mostly liked putting them in the truck and dumping them out rather forcefully. He zoomed around the room pushing the truck and steering around the furniture. I brought a balloon and blew it up and let it go and he was scared and got as far away as possible so we won't be doing that again. Otherwise he's pretty brave.

Susan and I are feeling grateful and so in love with him and each other. He is bringing so much joy to our lives and you all are going to adore him too.
OK, last thing. Susan brought him into the baby house when we left yesterday to start working on the potty issue and he went into a bathroom and pulled down his pants and peed into a red plastic pan he held in front of himself and put it on the floor when he finished. So now we know how he does it. Up come the pants. His caregiver signaled that he had to rejoin his group and he started crying, big fat hot tears. Susan rejoiced and felt sad that he felt so sad.

We had another interesting walk back to the Hotel. Stopped at a beautiful church, went in and took some pics. Met a wedding party and Viktor, handsome blond student with some English. Wandered down the main drag, into various shops and had lunch at the Cafe 24, mystery meat sandwiches, diet Pepsi and a pastry, while catching a good chase scene from the Bourne Identity on the cafe's TV. I always did like Matt Damon. There were some guys who were having what looked like potatoes, cabbage and meat and I might try that. We also discovered the Ararat Restaurant and that looked good, but again your choices are limited to what you can see on someone else's plate. Also a Chinese place, so our horizons are expanding. Went into a video casino/billiard hall, very swank, gorgeous tables 5'x10', white balls and a dark red cue??? There is a bowling alley in the Atrium and we are definitely going there en mass.
Off to breakfast and another beautiful day, day 9 of 14!!!!
peace
love

Images

The Uralsk River


Here are a few images running thru my head. If I can get some pictures to post, maybe they'll run thru your head, too.

MacJohn's



The last 2 or 3 days in a row, we have had lunch at a mini mall, The Atrium, about halfway home from the baby house. Mac John's is a fast food American restaurant with burgers, shish kebab and decent pizza in an atmosphere that is very McDonald's. The chef couldn't be more enthusiatic to be serving Americans. He is Egyptian and has told us that he cooked at a Pizza Hut in Egypt and then in Lebanon. Now he finds himself cooking for Mac Johns in lovely Uralsk in Kazakhstan. We have signed the guest book, and are grateful for simple, easy, familiar food. See a face thru the window? That's Kyle.


More of the Atrium




The Apartment
They took us to see an apartment tonight after our afternoon visit to the Baby House. From the outside, it looks like the usual run down beige buildings that they have perfected here and according to Claire (college chum reading this blog who lived in Moscow for a time), all Russian states have in plentiful supply. Inside it's not bad. Two floors, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, living room, kitchen with a nuke. No internet, yes washing machine. I'll try & take a picture. We move in Friday the 29th, and will spend the rest of our Uralsk time there.

Meeting with the Doctor
We met one of the physicians who has cared for Sultan, and we have learned more of his history. I was looking for history and medical history, and found out a little of both. Medically, he looks good. He's has all his immunizations, tested neg for all the hepatitis series, for HIV, and... Something else (my notes are upstairs). It seems (and this is the same story for the future child of another couple that is here), Sultan was found wandering the streets with a note in his pocket. It's unclear what the note said, but it gave his weight at birth, and some marginal info about him. We know his mother named him Sultan, so somehow, they must have deduced who his mother was, and matched that up with birth certificate information from the hospital (presuming he wasn't born at home). It's all so sketchy, and it really crumples me to think of him wandering a street for an hour or a day until he was taken to the baby house, but like I said, maybe that scenario isn't completely uncommon. He is very healthy, though, short (but sweet!), and they expect he will grow once he gets a better diet, etc.

Greeting him
Twice recently, we have arrived at a time when his group is playing outside. Today he noticed us as we were walking up and he shouted Mama and Daddy and came running towards us.

Cold feet
While we were changing his pants this afternoon (guess why), Almira the translator noticed how cold his feet were. She explained that this, no doubt, was the reason that he peed. I told her that I had never heard that cold feet make you have to go. She was incredulous. Parents out there, your thoughts?

And baby makes 11
The couple farthest along in their adoption went to final court today and in celebration we all had dinner at the hotel restaurant together. The new baby, a boy named Counselor, after Jesus, is 11 months old and absolutely perfect. We bought his parents a card with the picture of a baby on it with text in Russian, which turns out to be a birthday card, but who cares? Now we are 5 couples and one baby. When all is said & done, we will be 5 couples and 7 children.

To top it all off
So I also bought the group some celebratory pastries for our party tonight, and to go with it a cake topper figurine of a baby in a blue bassinet... the obvious choice in pastry toppers. Of course, I could have chosen the cake topper of a champagne glass next to a nearly naked buxom woman in a see-through black negligee. Although that certainly was a special sentiment, too, I went with the baby one.

Good night everyone!
xox

Outside at last

We were able to take Sultan out to a play area today. Stuff to climb on, sort of a ladder about 8 ft high, and he climbed right to the top! A dirt yard where we could throw a ball around. Susan would bounce it hard and he would laugh and run towards it and I would catch it and give it to him to throw back. He'd throw it as hard as he could and I have to say he's got a pretty good arm, not accurate but strong. Susan had him balancing on a curb and there was a soviet slide, not to our standards. Can't wait to take him to the playground in WH. He's gonna freak out.
Again he was avid about his beverages, an apple juice box and 12 oz of h2o. We put the juice in his pack for him to discover, which happened immediately. He loved the straw, knew all about it, and that juice was gone in 2 minutes. He kept trying to get a little more out of it, like it might be the magic juice box that never ended. Then to the water, which is more of a game; top off the sippy cup, top off the water bottle, pour, drink, repeat. We also had an apple cut into slices which he liked and I almost forgot about the banana in the am, which Susan was hoping to share with him. He thought that banana was the best and would have crammed the entire thing in his mouth if we'd let him. Our translator said apples, water, juice, and cookies are ok, but no more nanas. ?

All the liquids had the expected effect as you parents will understand. We should have had a clue when he wasn't wearing the same pants from the morning visit. So he looks up at Susan, points to his pants and she notices the spreading stain. Almira takes him off to get changed. We felt bad, but he didn't seem embarrassed. So we're cutting back on the beverages, needless to say. Almira says all the kids are thirsty and love water.
Today we'll see the MD and we have a list of questions, but honestly nothing she could say would change our minds at this point.
Really good pizza for lunch yesterday and I made meat ravioli with a sort of puttanesca sauce, fresh tomatoes, onion, garlic, ham, olives, pepper. Not bad. Chocolate cookies and Grey's Anatomy for dessert.
The 3 new families are hooking up with kids and today the couple who've been here the longest go to court and may get custody tonight!!! We loaned them the carseat/stroller last night. They're from Georgia, really nice and been through the wringer. The child is 11 months old, a boy, small cause he was premature and they've decided on Councilor for a name. We're all excited to have a baby here.
We'll move to an apt. when Putin comes and stay there for the duration. The hotel is kind of nice but hopefully the apt will be nice too.
Our people here are great. Almira is a doll and Igor seems very competent and really warm too. They keep us informed and answer our questions. And are pretty prompt too. Our drivers are Vadim, a Tatar, and Farid, maybe Tatar too. Both look less Asian than Igor and Almira, and I would guess they're Muslim cause there aren't any crosses. The cars are a VW Passat and a Mercedes, both well used and not real posh. The traffic is a bit scary.
That's all I can think of for now.
peace
love

Drinking, driving and talking on his cell

We sure he'll fit right in.
Susan brought some water and a sippy cup and he loved it. He likes taking things apart, so the bottle cap and the top of the cup were good fun. So open the bottle, open the cup, pour some water into the cup, drink the water, put the cap back on the bottle and top on the cup and repeat about 5 times. (Then pee in your pants, which this new H2O regime has created).

Susan's glasses case was another huge hit. It has a very satisfying snap to it and opening it is a bit of a challenge. So open, snap, open, snap, you get the picture.
We found a toy cellphone for him as he was raiding another families phone. First press all the buttons, then take off the cover for the batteries 20 times, then figure out how to take out the batteries and put them back in correctly. I was surprised when I figured out that the voice on the phone is speaking Russian, duh.
We also found a toy like a koosh?, but bigger with a ball inside that lights up and flashes if you drop it. He liked it ok, but I really liked it and will be sure to bring some home.
The car is cheap plastic that you can ride on. He was pushing it around, bumping into stuff, not really getting the steering concept. At one point he backed up to me and I gave him a push and he backed up again, etc. Soon we had it figured out; he'd back up, I'd push him to arms length and say"one", then pull pull him back, then "two" and push him out and then the big push on "3". He would be very serious until the big push and then his face would light up and he'd squeal and laugh. Susan was half way across the room and would give him a little extra as he went by. Good fun.

The high point was when Susan was packing his stuff up. We have a little backpack where we keep his toys, crayons, coloring book, water bottle and cup. She asked him to put the phone in the pack and he gave her this look which said "Oh please let me keep the phone". of course she said ok and he was relieved and happy. He'll probably have it in pieces today. (next day: phone WAS in pieces, created a fight downstairs in his living quarters, and we have been asked not to send him back with toys again.) We gave him a little car the 1st day and the translator said he keeps it in his hand. I wonder if he'll share with his pals.

We had a nice walk by the river, very quiet and natural except for the litter. Went to a local market and bought beets, carrots, bananas, apples, dates, peanuts in the shell, good grapes with seeds. Today we'll get a phone card and figure out how to call for less than 5 bucks/min. We got the battery charged so we can post more pics. Should be a lovely day, 70's, clear, calm. Susan worked out on the treadmill while I blogged. Blah, blah, blah,
peace
love

Day 5

This is Kyle typing slowly. We've drained the battery for the camera, lithium ion, and will go to a camera store today to get another or figure out how to charge this one, our converter clearly says not for chargers. So we may not have any new photos for a while.

There are 8 American couples here in this hotel adopting. We've possied up with the ones we came with and the ones who were here. We like them alot and its great to have their support. Everyone is very bright and committed and really full of love and brave too. It's such an adventure. So we talk about everything and have created this mini-universe. I really expected to be on our own and am relieved.

Today we'll shop for some toys; sunglasses, a play cell phone, a belt {cause all the pants we bought him are too big}, maybe a car. He keeps raiding the other parents' bags of goodies and I feel a bit awkward although they don't seem to mind. He's the oldest in our little mini group.

The food is a problem, not a huge one, but there. We have a little fridge and stove so we have the capacity; we know where the market is and today I want to go to this small bazaar we pass on the way back from our visits. It looks like it might be locals selling their own produce. There are some interesting melons, but the veggies are limited and not very inviting. Good bread, cheese, sausage, cookies, etc, but I'm craving a salad and some Moosetracks!

We've had good walks around town. Today I want to walk to the river and go by a mosque. Yesterday we walked to an orthodox church, the golden domes. Inside it was busy for a Monday morning. Quiet, dark, pictures of Saints on the walls, quite unlike anything I'd seen before.

Please take the time to figure out how to comment. We're loving all the comments and the idea that we're all sharing this together in real time. Time for breakfast in the hotel.
peace
love

Photos of anything but you know who...

Here they are, photos from the area around the hotel, and, when I can, from the playroom at the Baby House








OK, Here are two experiences from today:
When we went for our afternoon visit (Did I tell you we have a regular schedule- a 1 hr visit from 11a-12p, and a second from 5-6p daily, a schedule that should remain consistent thru this 14 day visitation period)... OK when we went this afternoon, Almira, our translator, went downstairs to get the boy from the living space, while we waited up in the play room, per usual. According to Almira (and witnessed by others so we've decided this is true) when he was leaving the living area his friends followed him to the door & he turned around and proudly told them he was going upstairs to play with his parents. Our hearts sang.
Second memorable, and completely different experience: It's night here now (we're 9 hrs ahead of EST), and the couple in the room next to us has brought a cache of DVD's. We've borrowed the first season of Grey's Anatomy, and we're sitting in front of the tube, eating cookies, playing scrabble and watching American tv. Completely surreal since we're in Kazakhstan, a million miles away from our living room, here in this Asian country, adopting a child, and we're hanging out, watching tv and eating snack food, feeling like it could be any other normal night in our lives. We're living parallel universes simultaneously.
Posting photos is tough on this computer. I'll try again another time...
Also, have I told you that the keyboard I'm typing on has both English and Cyrillic letters on it? And on many of the most-used keys, the English printing has worn off. I have realized, again, what I always knew. That I don't really know how to type... that is without looking a the keyboard, which, in this case, doesn't help a lot. Which is the best excuse I've ever had for all the typos you'll encounter.
Good night all. Good Night Moon.