First Christmas With Cameron

Cameron and I have been home a little over 2 weeks and it has been a great couple of weeks. I have been offering food to Cameron at nearly every meal since we've been home and low and behold, about a week ago, he finally decided he would try it out. And he has been eating at every meal since. We've had our first trip to see the doctor (the drawing of 5 vials of blood and receiving 5 vaccination shots were not fun) and all of his tests came back normal. He is just slightly anemic. A multi-vitamin with iron should help with that issue. We have caroused the neighborhood with Kelsey every day. We have been shopping several times and visited several dining establishments. We managed to make the house appropriately decorated for the holiday and have also survived the Christmas family introductions.

Cameron does very well when we are out. He still only fusses when he gets sleepy and occasionally when he gets bored. He likes to stay on the move. He has become more interactive with his toys and is a pretty happy boy most of the time. I can't believe how quickly the time is passing. He will turn 1 year old in just 7 weeks.

Needless to say, my family and I have had a very Blessed Christmas. I hope all of you reading had one as well.

Merry Christmas!!

Days 33-34 – The One Where Cameron Becomes a Citizen of The Red, White & Blue

First Day Home

Thursday-Friday, December 6-7, 2007

Sorry it has taken so long to update. We have made it home safely and we are now trying to adjust our body clocks to East Coast time.

The last day in Almaty was fairly uneventful. We lounged around and packed. We did go to lunch at a place called Stetson, where Marina, the Almaty facilitator, recommended. She said they had an American menu. I think that description is a little misleading. However, they did have some good sandwiches with good french fries, with regular Heinz ketchup (most of the ketchup in Kaz is this dark red and it doesn’t taste exactly the same as ours). So, it was a pretty good almost-last meal in Kaz.

On Friday, we met Sam, the driver, at 6am to go to the airport. I have to admit, I have never been happier to be on my way home. Cameron did very well on the flights, even the long legs. He had a couple of meltdowns, but that is to be expected during 25 hours of travel. We were able to get the bulkhead rows between Almaty and Amsterdam and on the Amsterdam to Memphis leg. This row gives you extra room and they attach a baby bassinet to the wall in front of you. This was extremely helpful and Cameron did sleep in it.

Cameron became a U.S. citizen as soon as the wheels touched down in Memphis. Of course, he was screaming during one of his two meltdowns. I have to think it was his ears and not the thought of becoming a citizen of our great country. After waiting for longer than I had hoped in the Immigrations office, Cameron received his very important stamp on his Kaz passport that will allow me to get him a U.S. passport.

We arrived in Columbia around 10pm and went straight to Cameron’s new digs. I think he was impressed, but it was hard to tell. Our clocks are a little messed up but not too bad. I am currently working on getting us on a schedule and preparing for Christmas.

This closes my “The One With…” series to chronicle my adoption trip. However, I will update with Cameron’s progress and our transition. Thanks again for all of the wonderful comments. It’s been quite a journey!

God Bless America!

Days 30-32 – The One Where We Plan Our Escape

Monday-Wednesday, December 3-5, 2007

Cameron and I and Mom all arrived in Almaty safely. The plane between Semey and Almaty is so small that you have to drag your luggage yourself from the plane. So, I was a little anxious about getting my two, very heavy suitcases, backpack, stroller, and Cameron and I off the plane and into the terminal to our Almaty driver, Sam. As it turned out, I had a very nice Australian man and two Kazakh men all dragging my luggage for me. Everyone was so nice and I was so thankful. I guess it helps a woman alone with a baby!

On Monday, Cameron and I got settled into the hotel and went for a stroll in the park. It was nice to have a little independence. We both slept well that night, but the heat does not work well in the room and they would not bring a portable heater to the room. So, it was cold but we were both bundled up and had plenty of blankets. On Tuesday, we did manage to get a portable heater, which made the temperature much better in the room.

Early on Tuesday morning, Mom arrived. I was very happy to see her. We went to the SOS Medical Clinic that morning and Cameron was poked and prodded. We also met some other American families. Most of them had adopted from Krygyzstan, which is a fairly new program. But, they all seemed to have positive experiences. All of the babies were so cute.

We three are doing very well. Everyone slept well on Tuesday night. Cameron slept later than I have seen him sleep yet. The crib the hotel gave me for him is put together a little precariously. We were trying to all take a nap on Tuesday afternoon and we heard a crash in the other room with the crib. I went flying in and the bottom had dropped out of the crib. Cameron was fine and actually was smiling and laughing. He thought it was fun. And a man from maintenance fixed the crib for us. But I’m still not convinced of it’s sturdiness.

Cameron’s Kaz passport arrived from Astana late Tuesday night. So, we were able to go to the US Embassy on Wednesday afternoon. This is the last step in the adoption process before we are allowed to go home! So, we then went to the KLM office and booked our tickets. We could have left Thursday morning, but you have to leave the hotel at 6am to make the flight and we thought it would be better to give Mom an extra day to rest and to not be so rushed to pack. So, we leave bright and early Friday morning and arrive in Columbia late Friday night (same day because of the time difference).

I realized at the Embassy that today’s date was December 5, exactly a month after we arrived in Semey and first met Cameron. I cannot complain about the adoption process. Every turn has gone very smoothly. The staff in Semey and Almaty are very professional and they have a very good handle on how to move families through this process. But, then again, we all know who was in total control of this entire journey. And I have to send praises to God for sending me down this path and for making the path a fairly smooth one. I will never forget this month for as long as I live.

Tomorrow, we will hang out at the hotel and lounge around and pack. Then we will head back to the good ole’ US of A. Thank you all for your wonderful encouraging words and prayers. I’ll update again when we get home.

Days 28-29 – The One Where We Say Goodbye to New Friends

Lenin Statue

Larissa, Vladimir, Jennifer Having Fun At Lenin Statue

The Famous Pasha

Vladimir

Saturday & Sunday, December 1-2, 2007

Well, Saturday was not our best day. We met the others for lunch as usual, but Cameron was particularly fussy for some reason. I think he gets bored and he seems to like it more outside than inside. Needless to say, I didn’t get to eat much of my lunch. We then ran some errands and the meltdown got worse. We only had one driver and the others still needed to finish their errands so Larissa called Olga and she and her driver came to pick us up and take us home. Olga has a 7 year old son, German, and he is adorable. He was practicing his English on me and I must say his English is very good.

After an unusual hour long afternoon nap, Cameron woke up happier. We had dinner and played and spoke to Nana on the phone (Well, Cameron didn’t really speak to Nana but he did listen to her.). He went to bed fairly easily around 8:30. He slept through until about 6:00 which is the normal time he is waking up. He still fusses at least once in the night which wakes me up, but he goes right back to sleep. I guess I’ll get used to it at home.

Today, Sunday, was a good day. We were out for lunch, shopping, and one last sightseeing trip for about 3 hours and he was happy the whole time. We went to see some statues remaining from the Soviet years. One is an extremely tall statue of Lenin and other smaller busts of other Soviet leaders. We got out of the car to take pictures and we had to trample through the snow. Cameron thought this was the most fun. He just laughed and smiled the whole time. He also took a much longer (1 ½ hours) nap this afternoon.

Cameron and I leave Semey for Almaty tomorrow morning, so we had to say goodbye to Jennifer and Marshall and Matt, Shari, and Sarah. I will sincerely miss having our daily lunches together and I plan to stay in touch. We also had to say goodbye to Pasha today, sadly. He was leaving for Ust this afternoon and Vladimir will drive us to the airport tomorrow. He was so sweet. He made a point to come into the restaurant at lunch to tell us goodbye. I will truly never forget these wonderful people who live their lives here in the city where my son was born. Although, it has been a tough month and an even tougher week, I will have fond memories of my time in Semey and I will tell Cameron about it as he grows up. Who knows, maybe we’ll even come back to visit someday.

I don’t know how much internet access I will have in Almaty, so the updates may be sparse from here on out. But, I will try to touch base and I will definitely update once we are home. We hope, depending on how fast we can get an appointment at the U.S. Embassy, to leave by Friday. Fingers crossed!

Days 26-27 – The One Where My Life Flashed Before My Eyes

Thursday & Friday, November 29 & 30, 2007

I had my first very scary moment as a Mommy on Thursday night. I fell in the apartment with Cameron in my arms. I usually have him in the walker in the kitchen with me while I’m preparing dinner. I gave him his bottle and he fell asleep. When I carried him out of the kitchen, I tried to move the walker with my foot and it got caught and down we went. I took the brunt of the fall, thank goodness. I bruised both knees and scraped my elbow and wrist pretty badly but luckily I didn’t break anything. But, Cameron’s head did hit the floor and the wind was knocked out of him. He lost his breath and couldn’t cry for several seconds but of course it felt like forever and scared me to death. However, we are both okay. I feel like I’ve been in a car wreck but Cameron is fine. His head was red but never swelled and was back to normal within an hour. He didn’t vomit and his mood was back to normal after I got him calmed down. I watched him like a hawk all night, waking every couple of hours to check on him. Talk about getting a crash course in parenting. What a week we’ve had!

Tonight, Friday, Cameron got himself up on his knees and his arms at the same time. It was only a couple of seconds but I don’t think it will be long before he is crawling. He is sleeping better through the night, which means so am I. We’re still having food issues because I don’t think the formula really keeps him that full but he still refuses food. But, we’re doing okay.

I’ve never been more ready to go home in my whole life. I leave on Monday morning instead of Sunday for Almaty. I hope to be there no more than a week and then I’ll be home. Mom comes into Almaty on Tuesday morning. I can’t wait to see her.

I wanted to send out a very special Congratulations to the Conley family. They went to court today and were awarded the adoption and the immediate custody of their 16 month old precious, little girl. I also wanted to thank Shari, who talked me through the scary fall situation immediately after it happened. I am so thankful that I was here with these wonderful people. This journey is not only about the children you bring into your lives but the people you meet along the way as well. And thanks to Matt for always carrying my backpack when my arms are full with Cameron.

I also wanted to Congratulate Jennifer and Marshall on getting their court date for Wednesday. To quote a line from one of my favorite movies, Almost Famous, “It’s all happening!”

I also have a funny Pasha story. When he came to pick up Cameron and I for one of our walks in the park, I was getting Cameron into his snowsuit. Remember, I mentioned the multiple layers in which they dress their children. Well, I only had one layer because it is so hot in the apartment and then the snowsuit keeps him very warm while we are outside. Well, Cameron lifted his shirt and Pasha noticed his bare belly. He fussed at me and lifted his own shirt and patted his belly and said “For Pasha, okay. But, for baby, no”. It was so funny. But, I still did not put another layer on him. Whenever we come back from those walks, Cameron’s entire body except for his face, which is the only body part exposed, is very toasty. It was just so typical Pasha.

Day 25 – The One With The Walk In The Park

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

The last 2 afternoons, Pasha has been nice enough to pick up Cameron and me and take us to a nearby park for a nice, albeit cold, walk. The park is just around the corner on the next block. I could easily walk but I’m not allowed to leave my apartment by myself. I can’t wait to be able to actually drive myself somewhere whenever the time is actually convenient for me. But, the staff here takes such good care of us that they want to make sure we get out once or twice a day. The name of the park is Central Park, but it is not even remotely like the one in New York. One thing I have noticed here in Semey is that a lot of people walk to where they need to go. And several girlfriends walking together usually link arms as they walk. This makes them seem very warm and close to each other. I thought it was really nice. Of course, they could just be trying to stay warm.

The walks are interesting since we don’t have Larissa to translate and Pasha speaks little English. But we did manage to have a nice conversation about our respective families. Pasha is married and has three sons. He also told me his youngest son also didn’t want to eat food and only wanted the bottle. I guess Larissa must have mentioned that we have had some food issues. It was nice to get reassurance.

I have resigned to giving Cameron mostly formula with cereal in it until we get home. I was starting to drive myself crazy; not to mention the others at lunch everyday. He does take a few bites of cereal in the morning and I was able to get him to take some of the bananas off my finger instead of using a spoon. But it was still just a few bites. Baby steps (no pun intended).

The pictures above are a few of Cameron in the apartment. The one of him looking at his feet are from the first day here. They really bundle the kids up here in Kaz in 2-3 layers even to stay inside. So, I don’t think Cameron had really had a chance to check out his feet before. He thinks they are the greatest things ever.

Days 23-24 - The One With The Feeding Blues

Monday & Tuesday, November 26 & 27, 2007

Well, Cameron and I are doing well except at meals. He adamantly refuses to eat the food. He will actually swallow some cereal in the mornings but not much. Everything else that makes into his mouth gets spit back out. And that’s if the food even makes it to the mouth because he sometimes starts screaming when the spoon is coming toward him. However, this does not surprise me. I don’t remember if I talked about the way they fed him at the Baby House in an earlier post. They basically had to force food down his throat. I saw him being fed three times and it was extremely difficult to watch. He wanted the bottle but they alternated between spoonfuls of food and the bottle. I think they gave him the bottle mainly to make sure the food went down his throat. Then, he would spend most of our bonding time spitting up. Now, I do want to make one thing clear. The caregivers are not harsh, horrible people. There are typically 2 caregivers for each shift and they are trying to take care of 10-12 babies at the same time. So, unfortunately, the babies have to eat fast. But, it is obvious to me that this feeding experience has traumatized Cameron and is something I will have to work on with him. The formula does not hold him through the night. He is sleeping no more than about 5 hours straight. He goes right back to sleep after another bottle, but I know at almost 10 months of age, I will need to find a way to get food into his system. I am trying to make the experience more pleasant for him. I am not forcing it but I am offering food at every meal even though I know it will probably go to waste. I’m trying to find a fruit he likes first since most kids like fruit because it is sweeter. So far, he did not take to bananas or peaches. These meals are upsetting for us both. It is so hard to see him not eat when I know he needs it. But, we will keep trying. And, of course, he is not going hungry. I keep reminding myself of that point. I have plenty of formula and I have started adding more cereal to the formula. Plus, they give the babies a substance called Kefir here. It is basically drinkable yogurt. He likes it and it is more filling than formula alone.

I knew long before I came to Semey that this week in the apartment with custody would be the hardest and I was right. Homesickness has really set in. Now that the stress of court and wondering if I would get immediate custody is gone, I just want to go home. But, we have to wait on his passport to be processed. And I guess I shouldn’t complain too much since waiting on a passport in the U.S. takes months instead of 7-10 days.

I’ve had some questions about when I can leave Semey and when I will meet back up with Mom. Right now, I’ve been told I will probably leave Semey on Sunday. I should be told more definitively in the next couple of days. Mom and I will also decide in the next couple of days when she will leave SC to meet me in Almaty. She will probably arrive in Almaty maybe Tuesday of next week. I’m really excited about seeing her and knowing every day that passes gets me closer to home.

Days 21-22 – The One Where We Blow This Joint

Saturday & Sunday, November 24-25, 2007

I went to the Baby House as normal at 10am Saturday morning (I thought I was done with this schedule?). But this time, it was to pick up my son. I had to sign some paperwork, basically stating I was taking over the responsibility of Cameron’s care from the orphanage, and I had to wait until the director arrived at 11am. But, by around 11:30, we blew that joint and went back to the apartment together. There wasn’t much fanfare at the apartment since Cameron was already asleep for his morning nap. He slept for about 1 ½ hours. Then we had lunch and played for awhile. Then, he was ready for his afternoon nap. Then, we lost electricity. He slept about 45 minutes and then we played some more until dinner. I had to fix dinner without the electricity and we ate by candlelight. Cameron loves his bottle but he’s not real big on the food; maybe because I couldn’t heat it up? He eats the food but not much. I think he’d just assume stick with the bottle.

He really enjoyed his bath but it was short because I don’t have a baby tub or mat in the tub, so he was slippery. He thought it was great to slip and slide but I was afraid I would lose my grip and he’d bust his head open. We’ll have to see about getting a baby tub. Cameron was ready for bed by 8pm. The only time he really gets fussy is when he gets sleepy. He fights it. But, he slept good; just not quite as long as I would have preferred. He woke at 4am. He didn’t wake up crying; he was babbling and blowing raspberries, which he does a lot by the way. I waited about 20-30 minutes to see if he would go back to sleep which he did not. So we got up and had a bottle. According to the Baby House schedule, he usually goes to sleep at 8 but wakes around 10-11 for a last bottle. But he never did wake until 4. After the bottle, he went to sleep briefly but was wide awake about 6:15.

So, basically he slept for about 8 hours. The problem was I could not go to sleep. I think I probably finally fell asleep between 1 and 2 am. His crib is in the same room with me and he is a noisy sleeper. If he’s not outright snoring, then he is grunting in his sleep. I remember the caregivers telling me he does this when I first started seeing him at the Baby House.

Cameron slept good for his morning nap on Sunday. We then met the others for lunch. None of the restaurants have high chairs, so you have to eat with the little ones in your lap. I thought I did pretty good feeding Cameron some juice with one hand and feeding myself with the other hand. The others were amazed at how good and alert Cameron was even since the day before. They all noticed some differences in just one day.

I don’t think Cameron likes the afternoon naps. He babbled and looked at his feet long before he fell asleep. He only slept about half an hour. I have to admit, I was very tired this afternoon with the few hours of sleep I got the night before. But, we had dinner and a bath (Thanks to Jen and Marshall for letting me borrow the baby tub they have in their apartment!). He was really sleepy so he just went down about 7:30. He was asleep before we even made it to the crib. Let’s hope he and I sleep straight through the night!

Day 20 – The One Where I Introduce My Thanksgiving Butterball

Introducing: Cameron Boyd Craft!

Friday, November 23, 2007

It’s a boy! 21 lbs, 27 inches! At approximately 10:30 am Kaz time, (11:30pm Thanksgiving Night EST), the judge granted my adoption of Cameron (fka BabyKaz) and waived the 15 day appeal period. I get to bring him back to the apartment tomorrow morning! God is so good! And the timing is amazing. It brings a whole new meaning to Thanksgiving.

Court ended up being pretty easy. I had a new judge, which had Larissa and Olga (and me, frankly) a little worried. Of course, before court, Larissa said it was nothing to worry about. She only told me that they were worried as we were leaving the courthouse. Instead of having me deliver my speech, the judge and prosecutor just asked me questions. It still covered everything in my speech, but it was much easier just standing and answering questions.

OK, I’m not an overly emotional person, and I thought I would be so focused on what I was saying that I would not cry during court. I was wrong. The judge was about 30 minutes late and I was looking at the photo album I put together as evidence of the bonding period while we waited and I started to cry a little then. During court, the representative of the Dept of Education described how well Cameron has been doing since we started the bonding period and I started to cry then. So much for not being emotional!

I don’t know how it works in every region, but in Semey, the speech has 3 parts. In the first part, you just describe your life, family, job, health, house, experience with children, financial condition, and your reasons for adopting. If you’re divorced like I am, you have to explain. In the second part, you explain the process you went through. You name your agency and how you chose it, when your documents were registered at the Kaz Consulate, when you received your LOI, when you applied for your Visa, and when you arrived in Semey. You also describe meeting the orphanage director and when you started the bonding period. You also describe what happened during the bonding period; how the baby changed and got stronger. This is where you describe some of your emotions during that time. In the third part, you describe what you are asking the court. You ask the court to adopt this baby and give his/her date of birth and you explain how you want the names on the new birth certificate to read. That’s pretty much it.

Now, the way mine worked is the judge and prosecutor asked me questions that are covered in Part I. The orphanage director and Dept of Education representative basically covered Part II and Olga covered Part III. To be honest, I think I got off pretty easy. Sometimes you get hit with a lot of tough questions but I didn’t get any surprises. I didn’t even get asked most of the questions I practiced with Olga the night before. Easy, breezy! All I have to say is Whew!!

I spent the afternoon stocking up on formula, food, and diapers. And I went to Vital Records and signed the adoption certificates. The lady at Vital Records ceremoniously handed me Cameron’s new birth certificate and the adoption certificate. The next step is to get his passport and exit Visa. I should be in Semey another week to ten days. And then I go to Almaty for him to be checked out by the medical clinic and then I will go to the US Embassy for an appointment. This takes anywhere from a few days to a week depending on how quick I can get the appointments set up. Then I can go home!

Better get some sleep. As my Mom said, Now the fun really begins!

Day 19 – The One Without Turkey on Turkey Day

Thursday, November 22, 2007

There was no turkey to be had in Kaz today. But, technically, it was Wednesday in the States. It was just another day that has become very routine. Except today was my last day of this routine, hopefully. It was actually a little sad for me in the bonding room this afternoon when the realization dawned that it was the last day I would be bonding with BabyKaz with the other 2 families. We took a great group photo that I will truly cherish. I will always remember this group of people. I’m glad I was able to share this amazing journey with these particular people.

Between visits today, we went to the bazaar. It has clothing, shoe, and souvenir stores. But, the crazy part is downstairs. It is a huge airplane hangar-size building. Most of this space consists of rows upon rows of raw meat just lying out on tables. It would never pass FDA inspection. But, you can get anything you want; cheese, bread, candy, fish, etc. It was quite a sight to see.

After the afternoon visit, I made second practice with Olga and Larissa. It took almost 2 hours and we reviewed the court process. This included Olga throwing out questions that she thinks the prosecutor and judge will probably ask. Some of the questions are really crazy. But it was good to practice and I feel better about. I’ll let you all know the results tomorrow. Prayers are much appreciated!

Day 18 – The One Where I Danced Like No One Was Watching (Of course, no one was watching)

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Last night, I needed a break from my speech so I flipped through the songs on my I-pod until I found something I could dance to. Do you know that it is just as easy to dance in the middle of the living room in Kazakhstan as it is in your own home in the U.S.? Have I mentioned how glad I am I packed my music??

Second verse, same as the first. That’s what the days are feeling like at this point. I have a hard time keeping up with what day it is. However, I am in the homestretch and it really feels good. Getting through court on Friday will be such a relief. I realized today that my court time is at 9am on Friday which is 10pm Thursday Eastern Standard Time. Hopefully, I will have my decision from the judge before Thanksgiving officially ends. I have so much to be thankful for this year.

I also want to take a moment to thank everyone for your comments. I enjoy reading them so much. They are so uplifting; especially on the days that I am particularly homesick. Keep them coming!

By the way, I started salivating over the thought of a Bojangles sausage biscuit this afternoon. It’s funny the food you start daydreaming about when you’ve had the same foods for over two weeks straight. I also thought it was ironic that I would crave that particular food since all I’ve had is meat and starch, which of course is exactly what a sausage biscuit consists. Go figure!

Days 16-17 – The One Where I Get My Court Date

Clapping

Mosque

Inside Mosque

Monday, November 19, 2007

Well, today was the last official day of the bonding period and Olga submitted my petition to the court. Evidently, Pasha had to drive to Ust (the capital of the Eastern Kaz region and about a 3 hour drive one way) to drop off my documents as well as some other documents for Olga. I’ll tell you one thing, Pasha is much, much more than a driver. He works so hard and can fix anything.

Today, we went to a small book store. The bookseller was a very nice and enthusiastic Russian lady. She was so helpful pointing out all of the books that were in English. I bought about 4 children’s books that had all 3 languages (English, Russian, and Kazakh). I thought it would be nice for BabyKaz to have his native language in print. The bookseller made a point to thank all of us for taking care of their country’s children. She seemed genuinely grateful and it was very touching. Although, I thought it was a little ironic since I feel like I’m the one who is grateful.

One new skill BabyKaz has begun using the last couple of days is clapping his hands. His hands don’t always meet but he is getting better and better at it. He is also so happy to look out the window. I think he likes the outdoors. I don’t think he has been outside much, if at all, since being transported from the hospital a week after he was born. He’ll get to be outside a lot in the SC sunshine!

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

I received very good news this afternoon. Olga came in during our afternoon visit to let me know my court date. It is Friday, November 23, at 9:00 am. It was very exciting and everyone was very happy for me. This evening, Pasha even dropped off a crib and walker. How’s that for faith?

BabyKaz seemed the most animated I have seen yet today. He was very happy and vocal. He clapped his hands so much and was grasping these stacking cups I brought from home. By the way, all of the babies love these cups. It so amazing; something so simple. It started snowing again this afternoon; huge, beautiful flakes. I was glad to see the snow because there is so much mud when there is no snow on the ground. BabyKaz and I watched the snow fall from the window and he just laughed. It was wonderful to watch.

After lunch today, we visited the inside of a mosque. It was around 100 years old and it was very beautiful. There was a lovely Kazakh man who took the time to talk with us about the Muslim religion. The main point he seemed to really want to get across was how they feel about us adopting their children. Many people in Kazakhstan do not approve of Americans coming to their country and taking their children away. I guess they would rather see them grow up in orphanages. However, this man said he felt it was a very good thing that we were doing. Essentially he said, that we were all children of God and their children were also our children. It doesn’t matter where they grow up as long as they are loved and nurtured. He also stressed that all people, no matter their religion or where they live, should be loving and kind to each other. He was a very open man with very kind eyes and I was very touched by his words. It was an experience I will never forget. I am not a political person and I don’t want to get into a debate about the war in which we are currently involved. However, I will say that I wish more Americans could have the experience we had today and hear this Muslim speak. It really made me realize the difference between these beliefs and the extreme beliefs of terrorists. Unfortunately, I believe too many Americans don’t know the difference between the two. Now, I am a Christian and I admit to knowing very little about the Muslim religion. I do know that we don’t believe all of the same things. However, what we do have in common is that we both care about people in general and believe we should be honest and loving to everyone.

Day 15 – The One Where We Make First Practice

Bonding Day 14 – Sunday, November 18, 2007

Evidently my count of the bonding days was off by one day. The first night counted as the first day and I was not aware of it. So, tomorrow will be the 15th day and Olga will submit my petition to the court for the adoption. Hopefully, I will know my court date a couple of days later. In the meantime, before court, I will continue to visit BabyKaz at the Baby House twice a day as normal.

After the afternoon visit, we all met with Larissa and Olga to talk about how court works and the information to include in the speech. It is a lot of information to memorize. There are certain things that must be said and some things have to be said twice. I don’t know why. So, I’ll be working on that speech over the next few days and the day before I go to court I will practice it (or “make practice” as Larissa says) with Olga and Larissa. Olga is very thorough and she seems very concerned about making sure we get it right. I don’t feel nervous about it yet but I will be nervous that day I am sure. So, if I don’t update every single day over the next week then I am working on my speech.

I am at the halfway point of my time here in Semey. In many respects, it has really been easier than I expected. Kazakhstan is not nearly as primitive as most people believe. You can really get anything you need. Don’t get me wrong, it is not America. However, the people here are really doing everything they can to make their lives better and they are very proud of that fact. The staff here has been even more amazing than I expected. I heard great things about Larissa, Olga, Pasha etc before I arrived but you really cannot get a sense of how hard they work on our behalf until you are here and you see it. I will forever be grateful to them and they really make a point of making sure you have everything you need and you have no problems with your apartment. The staff here run a very well-oiled machine.

With that being said, this is still a very difficult process. So far, it is not any harder than I expected. But, make no mistake, this journey is not for just anyone. You have to really want this baby more than you’ve ever wanted anything in your life. It’s so hard to be so far away from all of the people who love you the most and who you love the most in the world. (And pets for that matter; don’t get me started on how much I miss my dog, Kelsey). And I’m told it can get even harder once court is over and you have custody in the apartment. But, I keep reminding myself how precious that time will be without the distractions of the normal day to day life at home. At this point, I have to say I am happy with the process. But, I don’t want those coming after me to think these times are wonderful and rosy all of the time. But the benefits far, far outweigh the costs!

Day 14 – The One With All The Babies

New Red Shirt

Bonding Day 12 – Saturday, November 17, 2007

Today, everyone had lunch together at a place called Deluxe. This building is purple with a giant hand at the entrance. I meant to get a picture of it but I forgot. I’ll try to take one if we go again but it was a very interesting place. The food was good though. I had the first baked potato since I left SC and chicken rolled in ham and walnuts. I wasn’t able to eat that much because of my stomach. (I know, you could probably do without the bodily function updates.)

There are currently 6 families here but Jayne, Joanie, and Shannon & Derrick leave tomorrow to spend a few days in Almaty before returning home. Jen and Marshall came in last night so there are now 3 of us in the bonding room. I was so excited when opening the van door this morning and meeting Jen and Marshall. We have been reading and commenting on each other’s blog since we both knew we would come to Semey. It was great to finally meet them in person. Their little cutie is in the same room as BabyKaz and they seemed very comfortable with each other. Actually, I think their little girl has a crush on BabyKaz. Of course, he couldn’t be bothered; typical man!

This afternoon, we took some group photos of all of the families and babies in the bonding room. We had to say goodbye to the others and I wish them all the best of luck and I will pray for them all as they close this chapter of new parenthood. The people you meet on this journey are truly amazing and I am so thankful. This is a tough process (an understatement, actually) and to meet people who have gone through the same feelings and concerns really helps tremendously. I think we bond to each other as much as to the babies. For the rest of my life, I will always remember everyone fondly.

I heard Mom made it back home safely. She is hopefully fast asleep at my house as I type this, unless her clock is off, which is a good possibility. Thanks to everyone who prayed for her safe return.

Day 13 – The One With Pizza With Friends

Bonding Day 11 – Friday, November 16, 2007

Today, during our first visit, I realized that BabyKaz was standing for the first time (with help of course). But he has started putting his full weight on his feet. It was very exciting. It’s funny becoming a Mom for the first time, you find the smallest accomplishments so amazing. I’m really enjoying watching him change all of the time.

I know this is probably too much information, but I have been struggling with stomach issues today. I think I got cocky and thought I might get away with not having any issues. Everyone I have talked to has gotten sick at some point and it usually happens after you’ve been here a couple weeks. Well, it has been almost 2 weeks since I left so apparently I am right on schedule.

This evening, all of the families got together for pizza at one apartment. It was very relaxing and so much fun with the babies. The 3 families who are almost done all have custody of their babies and they are all so happy. It really warms the heart to see.

One peculiar thing I have noticed about Semey is that they have so many flower shops. They have entire blocks devoted to these small shops with flowers and it is so weird to see in the middle of winter. I know we have flower shops in America even in winter, but there is something about seeing them all lined up on one block in the middle of the snow that is intriguing. I asked Katya if the people in Semey bought flowers a lot and she said only for the normal occasions like birthdays and holidays. Go figure!

Day 12 – The One Where Pasha Is A Hero

How cute am I?

Bonding Day 10 – Thursday, November 15, 2007

I woke up this morning with no lights, still. No big deal. I figured they would work on them while I was gone all day and they would be back on when I got home. I forgot it doesn’t work that way in Kaz. I got home about 5:00 pm and still had no electricity. Pasha told me he had to argue with the people in the office to get workers to come and fix it. Of course, he actually had to motion this to me. He was also trying to tell me to motion to him from the window while he waited in his car whether I had lights or not. I’m on the second floor and my kitchen window looks down on the area where he parks the van. Of course, he had to go through his hand movements twice for me to understand what he was trying to tell me. I’m not very good at understanding this way. Even when scuba diving, people try to tell me something underwater by using their hands and they usually have to go through it about 3 times for me to finally get it. The lights finally came on around 6:30pm.

Every day is starting to feel the same. I get picked up about 9:45 am to go to the Baby House and get picked up there at 11:30. Then we go to lunch and then we go to a store or museum and then back to the Baby House at 2:00. I get picked up again at 4:00 and either go on some sightseeing adventure or to store if I didn’t go at lunch or back home. I have gone to dinner a couple of times but I usually eat dinner in the apartment. And I usually spend a couple of hours on the computer in the evenings. Then, I either read or watch a movie until time to go to bed. Then, I wake up and do it all over again. I hope to go to the toy store tomorrow because I’m getting a little tired of the same toys day after day in the bonding room. I think BabyKaz gets tired of the same toys too. But, even though it is starting to feel routine, I enjoy every minute of my time with BabyKaz.

At lunch today, I met up with the other 3 families and went to a place about 45 minutes out in the countryside for some pork kabobs. They only serve the pork and onions and bread. That is it. They grill the meat outside on a barbecue, even in the middle of winter. The meat did have a lot of flavor and a lot of fat. It was pretty good but it seemed a long way to go just for some meat. They really like to eat a lot of meat here. I’ve eaten predominantly meat and carbs while here. I can’t wait to get back home to some veggies and salad. I never thought I would miss the green stuff so much.

Except for the first night, I haven’t had cable. The cable line is outside the apartment door and you could see where someone cut the line. But they had it fixed last night but of course the electricity was out. There are a lot of channels but the only English channel is BBC World. They do have U.S. channels like Discovery, Animal Planet, Hallmark channel, some TV shows like Medium and U.S. movies. The English channels are dubbed over in Russian but you can hear some of the English under the dubbing; just enough to make it annoying to try to watch. They have a couple channels with just movie videos and they do show a lot of American music without dubbing over them. I’m watching an Avril Levigne video as I type this. And now Eric Clapton singing Wonderful Tonight is on VH1. It’s nice to hear music I recognize. The best item I packed so far has been my Ipod and the Ipod speakers. It really saved me last night and this morning when I didn’t have electricity. I really haven’t missed the TV even though I probably watch too much at home. I’m missing The Amazing Race and Beyond Everest the most. Amazing Race started after I left and I only got to see one episode of Beyond Everest before I left. Thank goodness for DVR!

I talked to Mom tonight who is still in Almaty. She made it there fine. Please pray for her safe return as she leaves for the States in the morning.

Day 11 – The One Where The Lights Went Out

Nana, See my tiger paws?

Sittin' Pretty

Cackling

Yurt

Bonding Day 9 – Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Well, I am typing this post by candlelight. It would be romantic except I’m by myself of course. I had heard that it is not uncommon for the electricity to go out for no apparent reason although I had yet to experience it. We had a beautiful day here in Semey. The sun shone all day and it was not windy or too cold. So, there is no storm that caused my lights to disappear; it just happens.

Mom left this morning and it was sad to see her go. I’m so thankful she was able to come with me and share in this journey. But I will miss her and so will BabyKaz. The apartment already feels much too quiet. I posted the above picture especially for Nana. She is a Clemson Tigers fan and I am a Carolina Gamecock fan. That will probably be one confused boy.

He sat up by himself for so long today. But, I got a little optimistic and he fell backwards and hit his head when I went about five feet to get a toy. I think it scared him more than it hurt him. But he cried for a few seconds. He really seems to enjoy laying on his back and playing with the keys in his hands. I really don’t like to leave him on his back for long because I think they lay that way a lot in the orphanage. But he was a really happy boy in that position today. He loved it when I leaned over him and got my hair in his face. He thought that was so funny. It was so cute.

Larissa brought me the petition for court today to sign. I had to write down what I want his name changed to (I’m still not telling) and it was so cool to see it on paper that way. Of course, the rest of the document was in Russian and I had to rely on Larissa to translate. Hopefully, I didn’t buy a condo in Central Semey today.

This afternoon, Katya took me to another museum. This was the Abay museum in honor of a Kazakh writer, philosopher, and “thinker” (Katya’s word, not mine). This museum had a full size yurt inside. A yurt was a mobile house/tent that the Kazakh people lived in when they were nomads and moving around the country. It was made of wood lattice and covered with felt and was round with a dome, felt roof. The yurt for the wealthy was elaborately decorated but the poor had a plain felt with no decoration. They had a small, low table where the men would sit and eat out of one large wooden bowl. They loved meat (still do) and they would eat sheep and horse. They would save the sheep eyes for the most highly respected man in the family. Eyes of a sheep are still a delicacy today. Tasty!

Day 10 – The One With The Mean Notary

Bonding Day 8 – November 13, 2007

We woke up this morning to the most beautiful trees. I guess it snowed again last night and it was so cold the snow just froze to the branches of the trees. So, all of the trees were white. It was so pretty. I could not capture a picture to do it justice. Today, around lunchtime, it was 5 degrees Fahrenheit. Luckily, though, we are only in and out of the car so we are really not cold for long.

We ran into the other 3 families at lunch who finished court and now have custody of their babies. They all seem to be doing very well. After lunch, we visited the art museum. We had an English speaking tour guide who spoke very good English. It was mostly works by Russian and Kazakhstani artists. The museum was in an old house owned by a man who is still alive and is 93 years old.

BabyKaz was in a good mood today. He must have gotten in a good nap. There was a lot of spitup though. I think they fill these kids up and then hand them over to us to play and bounce them around, so we end up with most of lunch on our clothes. Oh well, it was worth it. Nana had to say goodbye to BabyKaz (temporarily). She leaves to go back to the states tomorrow. Because of when flights go out of Semey, she has to stay in Almaty a couple of days before heading back to SC on Friday. She’ll meet us in Almaty at the end of the trip. So she had to get all her kisses in this afternoon. Every day, I see more improvement in BabyKaz. He has more control of his arms and grips things for longer periods of time. And he seems to really enjoy watching the new family too.

This afternoon, we had to go to the notary to sign some paperwork. Larissa and this man got into a short heated discussion in very fast Russian. Larissa just rolled her eyes and said that he was good but he was mean. To me, he just seemed all-business. It took a full hour for him to print about 9 forms each for myself and the other couple because the man could not type. He pecked at the keyboard. Meanwhile, a long line formed outside his office.

We decided to eat dinner in the apartment tonight so Mom could do a quick load of laundry and pack. We had pb&j sandwiches and Pringles potato chips. Tasted just like home! I had Kaz chocolate for dessert. They have very tasty chocolate here. It has a slight raspberry taste to it. I’ll have to make sure I bring some home.

Day 9 – The One With The Birthday

Bonding Day 7 – November 12, 2007

So you say it’s your birthday? Yes, today is my 3_ birthday and I can’t think of a better present than that cute munchkin you see in the picture above (ok, I know he’s not a munchkin but I can nickname him anything I want; especially on my birthday). He is a precious gift and I thank God every night that he put me on this path. I can’t believe we have already been here a week and the bonding period is half over. Olga told me yesterday that she would petition the court for the adoption next Monday. Hopefully, I will get a court date about a week later. She asked me if this was the baby I wanted to adopt. Duh!! I mean, really, look at that face.

Another couple came into the bonding room today after having arrived last night. They are from Florida and are here with their 3 year old daughter, who was adopted from Russia. They are adopting a 15 month old, very tiny girl. It was fun having more people in the room today and BabyKaz really seems to enjoy watching people. He sat up today for the longest I have seen yet and is really catching himself more when he starts to topple over. He also gripped some toy keys I brought for longer than I have seen him today. He got more Oragel today and fought me at first but then decided he kinda liked it as he smacked his lips. He is fascinated by these sheer drapes they have hanging in the bonding room and he loves for us to get lost in the drapes and have them in his face. He just cackles. I just hope we don’t bring the whole thing crashing down. When we picked him up this afternoon, he seemed tired so I don’t think he got his nap. And he did fall asleep in my arms for the last 20-30 minutes of the visit. It was very sweet.

Until today, we only had been taken to a small mini-market to buy groceries. Today we got to go to their version of a supermarket. It was much bigger than the mini-market but still much smaller than what we are accustomed. It was no Super Walmart. But it did have almost everything you would need.

The Irtysh River divides the city of Semey. And instead of calling each side East or West or North or South they say Left or Right. The right side is older and is the side where we are staying and is also the side where the Baby House is located. It is more crowded and noisy. The left side has less people, newer buildings and is more quiet. The buildings looked the same except newer. They still had that Soviet look about them. We saw a women’s monastery there where nuns still live today.

Day 8 – The One With The Bottles In The Trees

Wedding Tree

Irtysh River

Dostoevsky Museum

Dostoevsky Apartment

Bonding Day 6 – November 11, 2007

Well, I’m finally feeling more like myself. My head is congested and I still wake up tired even though I am sleeping well at night. But, I no longer feel like I am walking around in a fog. It’s a wonder people aren’t sick more often because it is very cold outside but the buildings are very warm inside. So, your body goes from one extreme temperature to the other.

Today, BabyKaz turned 9 months old. He weighs 20 lbs 15 oz (okay, he weighs 21 lbs) and he is 27 inches tall. He is starting to sit up by himself for longer periods of time. He still loves to look at his hands and stick out his tongue. He also blows lots of bubbles. He was a little fussy because he is cutting a tooth and his gums seem to be hurting. The look on his face when we tried out the Oragel was priceless. It was quiet again in the bonding room since the other couple arrives today but they have not come in yet.

Between visits today, we visited the Dostoevsky Museum. He was the Russian author of Crime and Punishment, among other novels. He was born in St. Petersburg, Russia but was exiled to Semey for about 5 years with his first wife. He lived in an apartment while in Semey and had to work for the military. His apartment is still standing and is attached to the museum.

Katya has been our translator for the last couple of days while Larissa works with other families. She is 21 years old. She is a very sweet, pretty Russian. She is also extremely knowledgeable of Semey history and culture. She has made a great tour guide.

In the afternoon, we went out to the pine forest outside of Semey to see the Wedding Trees. These trees are on the bank of the Irtysh River and the best friend of the groom has to climb the tree and hang two bottles tied together with ribbon in honor of the couple. Some best friends look pretty lazy to me because their bottles were hanging low in the tree. Also in this area is a spring that the people consider holy. They come and swim in the water and fill water jugs and believe that this water will cure all illnesses. It was so beautiful driving through the forest and along the river with the trees and the snow on the ground. It’s definitely a view you would rarely get in Columbia.

For dinner, Mom and I ate at a very good Chinese restaurant. We basically had sweet and sour chicken and fried rice. It was really delicious. Interestingly, Katya had not heard of an eggroll, so we never found out if they had it on the menu. Most of the restaurants only have menus in Russian so the translator always reviews the menu and orders for us. This particular restaurant was in the same building as a bowling alley, which seemed pretty popular. Bowling anyone?

Day 7 – The One With All The Spitup

Nuclear Memorial

Wedding Car

Me in front of Wish Tree

Bonding Day 5 – November 10, 2007

How much can one baby spitup in a 2 hour period? A lot!! I don’t know how BabyKaz has gotten so big. The first 2 days Mom and I picked him up from his room in the afternoon, he was being fed and refusing every spoonful. I can’t blame him. They feed these babies some mishmash that looks very unappetizing. And today he had to have spit up all of the lunch he did eat. I smelled it on my clothes all afternoon. Now, I’m starting to really feel like a Mom. Actually, Mom got it worse than I did; way to break Nana in, BabyKaz! OK, Michelle, now I understand about all the bibs.

We went to the History Museum between visits today. It was very interesting. It included pictures of people affected by the nuclear testing. The Soviets held nuclear testing right outside of Semey. The pictures were very sad. We visited the Nuclear Memorial in the afternoon. There was also a Wish Tree where people tie ribbons to the tree and make a wish. Couples, on their wedding day, take flowers and lay them at the foot of the memorial out of respect to the victims of the nuclear explosions. There was a bride and groom there when we arrived. Where we use mostly white, they use a lot of color when decorating the wedding car. The History Museum was like every other museum of history I’ve visited before except it was smaller. It included dinosaurs and cavemen, and different items from the 1800’s, and World War II.

It was very cold today. When we left the memorial, we noticed a sign that read -9 degrees Celsius. That is 15.8 degrees Fahrenheit, folks. Brrrrr!! And that was about 5:00pm. Evidently, they had been experiencing warmer than normal weather until it snowed yesterday. Good thing I brought all my snow gear.

Day 6 – The One With The Snow

Bonding Day 4 – November 9, 2007

This morning we woke up to snow. The above pictures were taken from my apartment windows. The apartment buildings look very old and institutional and the hallways are not very nice. But they look better on the inside.

I only slept about 3 ½ hours last night so I struggled all day. I also got off to a rough start this morning when the shower faucet came apart and the curtain rod came crashing down. But I fixed both and managed to shower and get dressed.

BabyKaz continues to do well. He has a good disposition and has not been fussy much at all. When he does get fussy, it doesn’t last for very long at all. The other 3 families had court today (all were successful) so we had the bonding room all to ourselves. It was nice to have some quiet.

We had lunch today at a fairly new hotel (the name escapes me at the moment). It was very Western and very nice. The restaurant was good as well and the bonus was we got to watch some CNN. The cable in the apartment has only worked the first night and the only English-speaking channel was BBC. It was nice to hear some news in English. They play a lot of American music here in public stores and restaurants. We listened to Pink at lunch yesterday and Staying Alive today.

Several people have asked about posting a picture and BabyKaz’s name. Since this blog is private right now, I probably will not wait until court to post a picture. I will, however, wait a few more days. I’m more comfortable getting a little further along before posting. I probably will not post the name until it is official after court.

Day 5 - The One With the Gate to the City

Russian Orthodox Church

Mosque

Gate to the City

Bonding Day 3 – Thursday, November 08, 2007

Today Ladimer picked us up at 9:45 sharp to make up some of the time we missed yesterday morning. He doesn’t speak much English at all and I figured he was just driving and not paying attention to us until I was pointing out to Mom a very large, old building that had been gutted and he said “School”. Guess we need to be mindful of what we say in the car after all.

The morning visit went well as usual. All of the babies were tired like they normally are in the morning. BabyKaz was so tired he fell asleep for the last 20 minutes and was snoring. Sounded just like my late father.

We had lunch at Istanbul Picnic and I had chicken kabobs and rice which was very good. So far, knock on wood, neither Mom nor I have had any issues with the food. After lunch, Katya, another translator, took us sightseeing. We saw the Russian Orthodox church, several mosques, and an old gate. Semey is about 280 years old and there is an old gate that led into the city. Outsiders had to literally knock on the gate and a gatekeeper would have to let them in. Pretty cool.

We also saw the rail station which has a statue of a soldier on a horse in front. Evidently, Kazakhs were originally Caucasian with fair skin, blonde hair and blue eyes. This soldier would guard all of the Kazakh women from the Mongolian men. Eventually, he was unable to stop the Mongolians and the two ethnic groups mixed. And of course, the Kazakhs now look very asian with dark hair, and eyes and almond shaped eyes.

The afternoon visit with BabyKaz was fun. I can already tell he’s getting stronger. All of the other families also commented today how much progress he has made in just 3 days. He is so much more alert and active. He’s starting to sit straighter and grip toys for longer periods of time. And he loves that ball.

Afterwards, we went to the Bazaar, which is an open air market. They have everything you can imagine there from clothes, to souvenirs, to meat, to toys, etc. I bought a musical toy for when I have BabyKaz in the apartment and it cost about $6. We also visited the Kaz version of the mall. It was a pretty typical mall but smaller. We then ate pizza at Sam Yang. It was very good.

I have found so far that you can really get anything you need in Kaz. We worried over what to bring that you can’t get here but it really wasn’t necessary. A lot of their products are brought over from England so they have anything you need. The only catch is they don’t buy big quantities of items and once something is gone, it is gone for weeks. However, I am still glad I brought my Peter Pan peanut butter; they have Jif.

Day 4 – The One With The Vodka

Bonding Day 2, Wednesday, November 7, 2007

We had a small snafu this morning. Larissa forgot to tell Ladimer to pick us up this morning. So about 10:10, I called Larissa and she sent Pasha, another driver to come pick us up. She was horrified that she had forgotten to tell him. Pasha is quite a character. He replayed the phone conversation with Larissa in his very limited English. He drove very fast (a little too fast if you ask me) to get us to the Baby House as quickly as possible repeating “No Problem” and pointing to his watch over and over. They are coordinating 4 families at the moment so I understood, but I did lose about 35 minutes of time with BabyKaz.

All of the babies were a little quiet this morning including BabyKaz. I think the time cuts into their morning nap time so they always seem a little tired during our morning sessions.

We went to lunch at a place called Koffeeman today. It had a pretty good selection there. I got chicken fingers with a sweet and sour sauce and chicken soup. It was pretty good. A funny thing happened at lunch. There were six of us at the table with only one man since 2 of the other 3 families are also single women. Two men were sitting across the room and sent over a bottle of vodka with the waitress. We thanked them and expected them to come over and try to talk to us since we all know what it means when men send over alcohol to a group of women in the U.S. However, shortly after sending it they got up and left without talking to us. We were perplexed and mulled this over throughout lunch. When Larissa came to pick us up, we asked her to ask the waitress what the men said when they sent it over. She said they just said to send the bottle over to the Americans. Apparently, they were just welcoming us to their country. A bunch of single women, we always think there is an ulterior motive. By the way, we did not crack open that bottle of vodka. It was noon, after all. I’m sure Pasha is enjoying it as I write this.

This afternoon, I finally felt like I was starting to come out of a fog. I particularly enjoyed this visit with BabyKaz. We are working on his muscle tone by doing some baby exercises. I’m particularly working on getting him to sit up by himself. I don’t think it will take long.

After the afternoon visit, Mom and I went back to the apartment since we really didn’t need to run any errands. The other families along with Larissa and Olga are busy preparing for court on Friday. It will be an advantage to me to be able to watch them go through this process. You have to stand in front of the judge and prosecutor and give a speech which must cover certain areas and must be memorized. It sounds pretty nerve-wracking but my agency has not had a family be turned down. I think it is mostly formality. I guess I’ll start working on mine sooner rather than later.

Day 3 – The One With The Future Professional Ballplayer

Bonding Day 1 – Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Well, I managed to sleep 9 ½ hours last night, with the help of my friend, Ambien. I had a nice bowl of Kaz oatmeal with blueberries for breakfast, which was yummy, and then we were off to the Baby House. I’ll get to visit BabyKaz twice per day; from 10-11:30 and from 2-4. There are 3 other families here, one couple and two single women, who all just completed the two week bonding period. They all three received their court dates for this Friday. It was a very festive afternoon in the bonding room.

When I picked up BabyKaz from his room this morning, the caregivers gave me a little insight into his personality, via Larissa of course. He loves to look at this hands and he rubs his fingers together. The caregivers joke that he is counting his money. Larissa thought this was funny since I am an accountant. And little does BabyKaz know that I spent most of it coming to get him.

I met with the orphanage doctor this morning and she gave me his medical history. He was hospitalized once for two weeks for a respiratory infection at 1 ½ months but hasn’t had any illnesses since. He is mildly anemic and has some developmental delays which all of these kids do. At 8 months he weighed a little over 20 lbs and was almost 27 inches tall. He’s a big boy. He’s even bigger than all 3 of the other babies in the bonding room and they are all 1-2 months older. He’s a big hefty Russian.

All of the families and their babies bond in the same room. The morning bonding went well. They are usually a little tired in the morning so BabyKaz wasn’t quite as animated as the night before. But he is a happy baby. He is quite ticklish and smiles real big everytime I touch him on his face, even if it’s just to wipe something from around his eye. He can’t quite sit up unassisted yet but I don’t think it will be long. He loves anything that lights up and/or plays music. He has the chubbiest cheeks ever and dimples. Cutie Patootie!

After the morning bonding, Larissa took me to exchange money and set up internet service. Then Mom and I had lunch with the other families at a place called Royal. I had pork with sliced bananas and pecans on top with rice. It never would have occurred to me to cook bananas on top of pork but it was actually pretty good.

After lunch, we went back to the Baby House for the afternoon bonding session. BabyKaz got very excited when we started to play with an inflatable ball. I would place the ball on his chest and roll it down the front of his body and he just cackled away. He loved it. He especially liked it when we played music in conjunction with rolling the ball. I don’t think I’ll have trouble getting him to play baseball or soccer. Maybe a professional ballplayer? (If he doesn’t want to be a marine biologist that is!) Of course, he also really liked this toy that has water and fish in it, which also made me happy

Days 1 & 2 – The One With The Lawn Chairs Bolted To Floor

Saturday - Monday, November 3-5

Well, we are finally here in Semey. And it only took nearly 36 hours. Note to parents getting ready to travel: Of all you have to pack please make sure you pack your sense of humor. You will need it!! I had it but lost it somewhere while waiting in the Almaty airport for 8 hours for our flight to Semey. But, I have it back now and we did make it safely which is what matters most.

The flights were uneventful. Just a lot of typical waiting around then crammed in your seat for anywhere from 2-8 hours. We did go into Amsterdam on Sunday during our layover there. There is some beautiful architecture there but the buildings don’t seem to be very well maintained. We went into Central Amsterdam along the canals. It was very easy taking the train to and from the airport. The city reminded me slightly of Venice but dirtier.

By the way, for those planning to go into Amsterdam for your layover and if you plan to use the luggage lockers in the airport, please be aware that customs does go into those lockers to search bags. When we went to retrieve our luggage, about 5 security officials had just opened Mom’s locker and started to search her bags. When she let them know it was hers they did not search it. I mainly wanted to let families know who have to carry over a lot of cash (which is very nerve-wracking by the way). Just be aware.

Also, the flight from Almaty to Semey did, in fact, include a small, cramped, smelly, old Soviet plane. The seats have been described by others as basically lawn chairs bolted to the floor. Some people have said that it was not that bad. They must have been on a different plane. We definitely sat in lawn-type chairs. It made for an interesting flight. But I was so exhausted at this point, I managed to sleep the entire flight.

Once we arrived in Semey, we were met at the airport by the coordinator, Olga, the translator, Larissa, and our driver, Ladimer. As soon as we were whisked into the van, we were informed we were going straight to the baby house. What?? I was very happy to be able to see BabyKaz so soon but we were so tired and felt so grungy. But, straight to the orphanage we went.

I met with the orphanage director who asked me several questions about me, my family, and my life. They then brought in 3 boys all around or under 12 months of age. They were all very cute, but of course, BabyKaz was the cutest of them all. And let me say, he is a big boy. We were given some of his medical information and some very basic information about his birthmother. They did not have any information about the birth father.

I then got to spend about 30 minutes with BabyKaz. His personality emerged immediately. He was smiling and babbling. Of course, he was babbling DaDaDaDa. I thought oh no, he’s already asking for a daddy? Oh well, I’ll have to work on that later.

He is absolutely adorable. He has the same coloring as me; fair skin and blue eyes. He has no hair yet but it will probably be blonde but it looks a little reddish sometimes depending on how the light hits his head.

We had a good visit then went back by the store to pick up a few things and then went to the apartment. We paid extra to have a second bedroom so Mom and I could have our own space. The apartment is clean and pretty spacious.

I decided to start these daily posts like the episodes of Friends were titled; “The One With…” or “The One Where…”. I hope I can be creative enough to keep it up the whole time I’m here. We’ll see how it goes…

Semey Bound

Just a quick note before I leave. I think the last 10 days have been the most stressful of my pre-child life! It's been such a whirlwind finishing up at work and at home and finishing packing. I'm exhausted and I haven't even left yet! Anyway, I leave Columbia for Semey later this afternoon. Of course, I have to go through Memphis, Amsterdam, and Almaty first to get there. We have an 8 hour layover in Amsterdam so we plan to take a train into town for a few hours. I've never been there before so I'm looking forward to it. Then I can go meet BabyKaz!!

I just wanted to take a moment to thank God for the blessings in my life that allow me to go on this rollercoaster journey. And it has been a rollercoaster. But, the last 18 months of considering, researching, praying, paperchasing, waiting, then waiting some more, then scrambling at the last minute have really come down to the next couple of days. I am also grateful that my Mom can and wants to go on this journey with me. Thanks to all of you for your support and your excitement for me. I love all of the people I have in my life so much. You're all awesome!

And as several people have reminded me over the last 10 days, Boy, is my life getting ready to change big time!! I say, Bring it on!!

Next update: Semey!!

Nursery (Finally!)

Here are pictures of the nursery. The first 2 pics are of a quilt that Mom made by hand. It is the cutest thing I have ever seen! She did an amazing job and it is something I will treasure forever.

For those that don't know, I am an avid scuba diver. So, I adore marine life and this would explain the fish theme in the nursery. (Is it wrong that I want BabyKaz to be the next Jacques Cousteau?)

By the way, I couldn't post the best picture of the crib because I have BabyKaz's name above the crib. I don't want to give it away yet.