Off to Kazakhstan

A New Beginning...

2010-01-27T22:27:00.003-05:00

Time and time again I intend to sit down and blog, to no avail. Life has once again gotten in the way of doing what I think I need to do, or at least want to do. It has been over a year since we brought this remarkable young lady home from Kokshetau, Kazakhstan. Hard to believe. It's also hard to imagine what our life was like before bringing her home. Kathryn has adjusted to her new (or not so new anymore) environment, surroundings, extended family, teachers, and of course, her brothers who absolutely LOVE having her as a younger sister. In going back over the blog and reading the posts I see a fantastic journey unfold and culminate in completing our family of 6. All of the paperwork, planning, coordinating work schedules, school, who will take care of the boys while we were gone, the many families and new friends we met while travelling, our sojourn to Heidelberg; it was all amazing and an experience not to be forgotten. Well, ok, I can forget the paperwork.

Last October, the two older boys and I went to Washington, D.C. for a soccer game and had the opportunity to catch up with a couple we shared the cottage with in Kokshetau. Nothing like meeting someone half way around the world and being able to visit again back home. They were the first family we met there and they were kind enough to bring back pizza from Pyramid Pizza resturant our first night there. A very much appreciated gesture after 15 hours of flying time, a short night rest followed by another short flight and a four hour car ride.

Kazakhstan is an amazing country with a long, interesting history. I think about the people we met there and the varied sceneary. The vast, undulating steppes with their beauty and the untammed wind that swept across them. The fridgid face of winter pressed upon the trees in pure white frost.

To the mountains that traverse the Tien Shen mountain range that frames the Almaty landscape. It is a country whose landscape is as diverse as its people. It was all an amazing experience and ended with us bringing home an amazing addition to our family. The sisters, our driver and interpreter, our friend Makhabbat, and the other adoptive families we were able to share the experience with, they were all positive memories we will cherish. The soccer game, the Viola store, Dombra players, the English students at the university, the green market, and of course, Luba the housekeeper.

Kathryn is a beautiful, engaging spirit who leaves an indelible mark on the heart of everyone she comes in contact with. I can vividly recall the first time we walked into the Children's Hospital in Kokshetau. To that little room with four plain walls, a crib, space heater, and a window that looked out into nothing but an out building, some trees, stray dogs, and a dirt path. Kathryn pushed herself up to look at us with her disproportionately large brown eyes and an even larger smile that greeted us. We instantly knew that this was indeed the child that was meant to be a part of our family. She is exactly where she is supposed to be. Her three brothers absolutley love having her as a part of the family and are helpful in teaching her that there is another way to get around other than rolling. And as brothers do, they have taught her the high five and knuckle touch. Two things she participates in with sheer delight.

And so we begin with our family of six. We continue to be busy with all of the kids activities, including Kathryn's at her school. She attends a school that includes both developmentally delayed children and typically developing kids. She is able to receive her theray at school and has teachers that care for her while she is there. It is no exaggeration to say that when we drop her off at school we don't worry at all about what kind of care she will receive. Her teachers are fantastic and absolutely love what they do. It shows. We are so blessed to have that resource available to us in our community.

She is making remarkable progress and, although there is much work to do, she is either close to or has completed some milestones. Holding a bottle by herself, sitting independantly, crawling on hands and knees. Big steps compared to when we brought her home a little over a year ago when she could not roll over or hold her head up for any length of time. Keep up the great work Kathryn, you're going to do amazing things.

Welcome home Kathryn, we love you!

Pleading Ignorance

2009-08-30T18:28:00.005-04:00

So, I'm sitting here on a Sunday afternoon feeding Kathryn in her high chair. In walks Joseph with a pencil thin mustache and a little spot under his lower lip colored with a black marker. Before I can say anything, he decides to launch a first strike vehement defense .

"I DO NOT know how it happened, Dad, I have no idea how this happened!."

Good thing picture day was last week!

Kathryn is skeptical of his defense. She's caught on quickly.

What's up with that...

2009-07-19T17:10:00.004-04:00

This is what Kathryn looks like when trying to get her to say Mama

This is what Kathryn looks like when trying to get her to say Dada

Feel the love

A Post of Pictures

2009-07-13T16:32:00.006-04:00

Horsin' around with Dad

Quiet Time

Just hangin out

Michael after his school awards ceremony

Ok, so, it's been a while...

2009-06-28T07:35:00.004-04:00

Its amazing how time continues to so easily creep away. It seems like yesterday we were celebrating Kathryn's first birthday and now here it is the end of June. So what have we been up to? Aside from the daily throws of life and work it's been pretty busy.

Kathryn continues to go to physical therapy (pt) and occupational therapy (ot) every week. It is so wonderful to not only see her progress in therapy but also to see just how hard she works during therapy. Her progress is slow but steady. Verbally, she loves to make sounds and hear them repeated to her. She is scooting around the floor and is close to sitting unassisted. She will fully open her hands now and do "clap clap" whenever asked, or whenever she feels the need to make herself laugh. One thing that has been consistant from the first time we saw her laying in a crib in the childrens hospital is her contagious smile and joy to see and be around people.

April brought spring break visitors of Auntie Linda and Claire. The kids had a great time visiting with their Aunt and cousin. Plenty of days at the beach, pool and just hangin out. We had so much fun and can't wait to see them again.

May was the official end of school, sports, and the unofficial beginning of summer. Memorial day weekend was very special as we celebrated Kathryn's Baptism. She has been a complete blessing to our family and its now difficult to remember what life was like without her. The boys continue to be fully engaged with their sister helping out where they can and ocassionally taking turns holding her.

The boys finished their respective sports the end of May. Daniel's baseball team had the same kids in the spring as they had in the fall so they were able to have some continuity and momentum. They did fantastic! Even though they don't officially keep score in his age group I'm pretty sure they won all their games. Michael's soccer team had participated in a post season competition and finished first place. Joseph finished his first season in T ball and just had fun being there.

We will post pictures as soon as we are able to upload them to the computer. Stay tuned!

Kathryn's First Birthday

2009-03-28T13:07:00.001-04:00

Can't believe her first birthday has come and gone. On Wednesday March 11, we had a great family dinner together to celebrate both Kathryn and Michael's birthdays and then took the kids to Cold Stone on the beach for dessert. It was a beautiful night. Kathryn spent the day with Nana so that she would not have to go to day care on her birthday. Thank you, Nana!

Our family celebration was on Saturday the 14th. Everyone came over for a BBQ and swimming. Yes, the kids got in the pool. Kathryn didn't get in because none of the adults did. She is still fighting a small cold but is feeling better.

Michael decorated the cakes for both of them. He drew the pictures and Publix scanned them onto the cakes. He was proud of them and should be! It was so sweet to see him excited about sharing his birthday with his sister! Daniel and Joseph helped with her open gifts and, of course, helped eat birthday cake too! Another first, Kathryn got to see her first shuttle launch.

On Sunday I got in the pool with Kathryn and she loved it! We heated up the hot tub so it wasn't quite so cold. She loved to lay on her back and splash and kick. It will be a fun summer!

Hangin' out at the beach with some Cold Stone!

The Grillmaster. Cooking it up for a birthday dinner.

Michael drew the template for the birthday cakes.

Loving my tasty birthday cake

Michael and Kathryn. Happy birthday you two!

Playing with Nana

Stylin' in my new bathing suit.

Mommy with Daniel and Joseph teaching Kathryn to float.

Kathryn's first Space Shuttle launch. It never gets old.

Sweet dreams, Little Peanut.

Windy City Weekend

2009-02-25T21:24:00.001-05:00

After living in Florida for many years, it's always good to go back home to Northern Illinois in the winter for a reminder of why I decided to live in a warm weather climate. As if spending almost two months in Southern Siberia wasn't convincing enough. Ok, it was Fall so it wasn't really THAT cold but it sounds impressive. Anyway, it's always good to visit with family and this time to introduce Kathryn to the rest of my family. It turned out that we brought along some warm weather with us as the temperatures that weekend reached the upper 40's and even into the 50's after weeks of below freezing temperatures. Much to Joseph's disappointment, much of the snow melted but he did manage to make a few snowballs to toss at dad.

Kathryn did wonderfully travelling and meeting many new faces. Of course, everyone enjoyed seeing her and visiting with funny boy, Joseph.

Busy, Busy, Busy....

2009-01-27T11:15:00.003-05:00

What a month it has been. Dave stayed home with Kathryn until Jan 5th and now I am home with her. Each day I am amazed at how the time flyies by. We are busy just spending time together, running errands and getting Kathryn to multiple doctors appointments. Most of them are just to check everything out and satisfy the pediatrician. We have had to catch her up on her vaccinations as well. She has been given a clean bill of health in almost all areas. We did find out that she is near-sighted and may need glasses. We go back to the otpthamologist in a few weeks to find out for sure. As long as the glasses are pink or purple, Kathryn is agreeable:-)

We continue to feel the blessing of having Kathryn in our family. She has really made the adjustment without any bumps in the road. She has slept through the night since we came home except for the occassional teething incindents. She has 6 teeth now; 4 on the top and 2 on the bottom. Her smile is full of teeth now.

We are trying to make the transition easier for her when I go back to work , so she is now going to day care once a week while I go to work. She will start full time in Feb. Even though she cries when Daddy drops her off (not sure I'm ready for that yet), she is always happy when she is picked up.

She started physical therapy a few weeks ago and is doing great. She is being treated for torticollis in PT one day a week. In the pictures you can see how much better she is able to hold her head up straight then she could 2 months ago! She is a quick learner. For the past 3 days she has consistently rolled herself over from stomach to back when she is not ready to go to sleep or when she wakes up. We are very excited for these milestones. . . as long as she doesn't grow up too fast. I can't believe we are already thinking about her first birthday in March!

Here are a few pictures from this past month. . .

Happy New Year!

2008-12-31T19:53:00.000-05:00

Wow, here we are and it's New Year's Eve. The time has gone by so quickly. Kathryn and her 3 brothers are doing great. We have had a busy Christmas season and are ready for all the great things 2009 has to bring. We took the family for our annual visit to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. Kathyrn enjoyed the cool, beautiful evening outside and all the lights. The boys mostly enjoyed the rides. Joseph took his first ride on Space Mountain!

We wish all our friends and family a Blessed New Year. Thank you for all your prayers and support over this past year. May all your dreams come true in 2009 - ours sure did in 2008!

Daniel, Joseph and Kathryn at Disney 12/19/08

Kathryn in her new room!

Daniel, Joseph and Kathryn at Church

Maddi, Michael, Steve, Daniel, Joseph and Kathryn on Christmas Eve 2008

Kathryn and Daddy on Christmas Eve

Nana and Kathryn on Christmas Eve

Papa and Kathryn with Nana giving her Winnie the Pooh on Christmas morning.

Maddi and Kathryn - Opening gifts is exhausting!

Kathryn all dressed up on Christmas!

Michael, Daniel, Joseph and Kathryn on Christmas night.

First Encounter with Santa

2008-12-06T21:07:00.006-05:00

This morning we went to Breakfast with Santa at our church. Daniel and Joseph had a lot of fun with their friends Max and Nina. They did some crafts, had their pictures taken with Santa and made Reindeer food to put out on the lawn on Christmas Eve! We did pictures first since the line was short and the kids were anxious to get to the crafts. We only waited a few minutes and it was our turn. I wasn't sure how Kathryn would do, but . . . she sat on Santa's lap without a fuss. As you can see, she was very curious, turning and looking up at Santa, but not a whimper or a cry. It was fun!

Joseph, Daniel and Nina decorating a paper plate. I think the most fun was the finger stampers! Love the ink all over the hands!

Joseph, Max and Nina making a wreath. The cutting took so much time, they lost interest and barely finished the craft! Good cutting practice for the kids and for Mom.

How time flies!

2008-12-04T22:34:00.013-05:00

Kathryn and . . .

Joseph

Michael

Daniel

Aunt Debbi

Mama Louise (Great Grandmother)

Kathryn eating her first carrots!

Can't believe we have been home for 2 weeks now. It has been incredible and time is passing very quickly. It took us a few days to get resettled and readjusted to the time change, but we didn't have much of a choice. We just jumped right back into the life we left for a month. Nothing was put on hold, it continued without us. It almost felt like swimming in a stream with a heavy current - we just had to jump in and go with the flow.

Over these last 2 weeks, Kathryn has been introduced to the entire family and to many of our friends. It has been wonderful and she has handled it all with grace. At times she becomes overwhelmed, but when we see that happening Dave and I stop passing her around and make sure one of us has her. She then seems to calm down and is happy again. Meeting so many strangers is a lot on the senses.

On Sunday after we returned Kathryn made her first trip to church. She really enjoyed the praise band and then slept through the sermon :-) It was great to see all of our friends again. We really missed everyone. That afternoon my Mom and Debbi hosted a shower for me and Kathryn at our church. Most of those who attended were friends from church. Kathryn did great through the whole shower. We got such wonderful, thoughtful gifts! Kathryn will certainly be the best dressed baby girl in FL.

Of course one week after arriving home was Thanksgiving. What a wonderful holiday we had. My Aunt Carol, Uncle Dick and cousin Abby came into town and stayed at my parents. It was great to see them even though it was a short 3 days. We also had some college friends come stay with us from Port Charlotte. It was a great weekend with them and the kids had a blast together. On Thanksgiving morning, the dads and kids headed to the local school athletic fields for a game of Football. Michael had invited a bunch of his friends and they had a great turnout. Everyone had a great time. This gave me a chance to get started on the mashed potatoes and pies!! Kathryn helped to taste test the mashed potatoes - her first solid food.

Thanksgiving dinner was at our house! I really enjoy having the family get togethers here and this Thanksgiving was no exception. We set up 3 tables in the Living/Dining room and had 21 people for dinner! It was so much fun. Everyone pitched in and brought food. We even ended up with 6 pies for desert. Kathryn had a great day. I couldn't believe she went down for a nap right when we were sitting down for dinner.

When everyone left with full tummys, Kathryn had a rough night. Not because of overstimulation, but because she decided it was time to get her third tooth. The next two nights were a bit rough. She was inconsolable the first night and had a fever the second. But, sure enough, by Sat am the tooth was fully through the gums and she was content once again.

Now that she has 3 teeth, she has figured out how to put them together and make noises and grind them. Hopefully that won't last long. She continues to discover new things. She loves her bouncer and has learned to pull the toy to make the music play - and does it over and over again :-)

Just this week we have taken the kids to two tree lighting celebrations - it is nice to get into the holiday spirit. It is going to be a truly blessed holiday! I can't say enough how great it is to have our family of 6 and it feels so complete. The boys continue to love on Kathryn and have not become bored of her yet. They are so willing to get up in the morning and get ready on time if it means they get a few minutes of holding Kathryn before school. The boys each wants his turn sitting next to her in the car and they are always willing to help me with the bottles and diapers. They are such wonderful BIG brothers.

Stay tuned for more updates!

Homecoming!

2008-11-22T16:12:00.006-05:00

Kathryn and Mommy as we landed in Orlando.

Welcome to the United States.

Our first Family photo at the Orlando Airport!

Aunt Debbi, Nana and Maddi with sleeping Kathryn.

Daniel and Joseph enjoying their new sister!

After over 30 hours of travel from door to door, it was great to be home. We were welcomed in Orlando by The 3 Big Brothers (Michael, Daniel and Joseph), Nana, Papa, Aunt Debbi, Uncle Dennis, Maddi and Steven. It was great to get hugs from the boys while Kathryn fell asleep on Nana's shoulder making her a very happy Nana! Thursday was Debbi's 40th Birthday, so we were able to wish her a Happy Birthday too. Our family of 6 now takes up an entire van with only one seat leftover - Wow - so it took 2 vans to get all of us home. It was a talkative ride with the boys wanted to catch us up on everything that has happened and lots of questions about our trip. With all the activity, Kathryn still slept the whole trip home.

It is hard to believe the entire travel journey is done. The real journey is just beginning as we settle back into a routine. The days seem to be going by so much faster now that we are home and have so much to do. The days in Kaz were quiet and slow, while our daily routine here at home passes the time so quickly.

Thursday night we all slept through the night - even Kathryn. It was great to get some sleep after so many hours of small cat naps along the way. Kathryn woke on Friday with a big smile after a great nights sleep in her crib. I really think she is going to like her crib as the mattress is so much more firm that those that she slept in in Kaz. At least we hope so. After a day of running errands and taking Kathryn to her first doctor's appointment, we went to Mama Louise and Grandaddy's so they could meet their newest Great Granddaughter. We had a great time and Kathryn did really well with all the activity. She continues to look for her Mom and Dad when she is over stimulated or startled. It was a lot of activity that she was not used to, but she really adjusted well.

The Big Brothers continue to want to take their turn in holding Kathryn and playing with her. At Mama Louise and Grandaddy's their was a lot of competition as to who was going to hold her - just about everyone got their turn. Papa had some one on one time at the office earlier in the day since he didn't get a chance to hold Kathryn at the airport. Uncle Dennis, Steven and Aunt Cheryl are still awaiting their chance to hold her. In due time . . .

We will continue to update the blog as we begin our time as a family of 6. Thanks to everyone who has followed our journey. Your thoughts and prayers have meant the world to us! The journey has just begun . . . stay tuned!

Press 1 For English

2008-11-20T16:11:00.005-05:00

I think everyone should learn at least one foreign language. It's a shame that in America most people do not speak a second language because the ability to communicate through a foreign language is empowering. We have had the opportunity to meet people in our travels and have encountered no less than four different languages spoken. The people at Lufthansa need to be fluent in a minimum of two languages and most know at least three or four. For us, of course, the language we most frequently encountered was Russian which I did manage to learn a little prior to traveling and it came in very handy. Nontheless, for some silly reason I was never mistaken for a Russian speaking person. Maybe it's my western European features or maybe my tan sub zero winter coat I got from Land's End. That one really seemed to draw a lot of attention. Almost everyone here wears some shade of black. I would walk into a store or onto a plane and hear either German, Russian or Kazakh spoken only to be greeted with a "Hello".

One time during our stay I was in the grocery store looking for some jelly, not just any kind but I had to have grape. So I'm standing there looking at the pictures to see if I can see any semblance of grapes in the pictures. I did learn the Cyrillic alphabet so I can read the words but am completley reverted to 5 year old status when I try. Ok that letter is a "P", that letter is an "L". After I finally transliterate the letters then I have to break it down to syllables and muster a pathetic effort to pronounce the word. My patience and understanding level just increased for reading with my 5 year old. So I'm standing there with a jar of jelly in each hand intently looking at the pictures when I hear a voice say in perfect English, "Do you need some help?". Now, at first I thought I was hearing things, especially when I looked up and saw a young Kazakh woman standing there looking at me. Up to this point the only people who spoke English with us were the interpreter and other Americans. In amazement, I said, "you speak English!" She was kind enough to ask the clerk for me and told me she learned English at the local university.

After weeks of trying to communicate in another language I guess you could say you get into a mode. I was in Russian mode. Communicating with the driver, the housekeeper, buying things at the store or green market. No one knows English (except for the nice young Kazakh lady at the store). We would even joke around with the other adoptive parents there and try to speak Russian to each other. So we are on our final leg home at the airport in Frankfurt and I'm looking at our boarding passes and the seat assignment just didn't seem like it was a bulkhead row so I head to the closest ticket counter to ask an agent. The closest Lufthansa ticket counter that was open was for a flight to somewhere in Africa that I have never heard of, and my geography is pretty good. So I walk up to the counter and before I could say anything the agent looks up and says hello to me...IN RUSSIAN. Okay, I'm in Germany, at the ticket counter for a flight to somewhere in Africa, and I get a "ZDRASTvuytye". Maybe it was my black shirt. I'm pretty sure I had the same stupid look on my face as I did in the grocery store. So of course being completely out of mode all I could muster was a lame, "Hello". Darn it, I missed my opportunity.

We patiently waitied out the next 5 hours for our flight home and looked forward to not having to hold Kathryn for the 10 hour flight. She will appreciate that too. So finally time comes to get on board which we do and find our seats, right on the bulkhead. As the flight attendants come around to assist people with their seats and luggage one comes by us, notices the infant, bulkhead row, I'm sure she was thinking 'ok these people will need a bassinet'. She says "Sprechen zie Deutsch?" Now I'm really confused and not sure wheather to fish or cut bait let alone figure out which language I'm supposed to speak. Maybe it was because I have already been awake for 24 hours, maybe it was because the lady at the African ticket counter threw me back to Russian mode, or maybe it was because I just wanted to redeem myself for the lost opportunity of being mistaken for a Russian speaking person and this was the closest I could get, I simply answered her, "Nyet!"

It’s Time…We’re Coming Home!

2008-11-19T06:00:00.002-05:00

It’s our last full day here not only in Almaty but Kazakhstan as well. Tonight, Vitali will pick us up at 2330 and head to the airport to begin our 31 hour journey home. Today I went to the Lufthansa office and was able to get Kathryn’s ticket for the flight home. The lap tickets aren’t too bad running just under $300 and we were able to get the bulkhead row so we can use the basinet for Kathryn to sleep. That will be more comfortable for all of us.

Last evening we caught up with another American couple here from central Illinois who are with the same agency. We had Vitali pick them up at their apartment and meet us at a Mongolian restaurant for dinner. As usual, Vitali came through for us and got us settled in and translated our dinner order before he left. Tonight they braved the unknown city and walked over to our apartment for dinner. It’s great to be a part of our agency as they really foster an environment for the families to communicate with each other. A good ending to a great experience in Kazakhstan with new friends. Later we will get ready to head to the airport and say goodbye for now to Kathryn’s homeland. We should arrive home at 640p and Kathryn will become a U.S. Citizen as soon as we land!

Hello Alma-Ata

2008-11-18T02:19:00.006-05:00

We arrived in Almaty Sunday evening after a brief delay leaving Astana and an uneventful flight. The weather leaving Astana was foggy but very shortly after takeoff we were above the cloud deck revealing the last of a blue sky and beautiful sunset out our window.

Kathryn was a great traveler and slept most of the way on the flight and about half the way on the four hour car ride from Koksheatu to Astana. It seems to get colder as we went further south to Astana getting into the vast openness of the steppes. There is still snow on the ground and trees that makes you cold just looking at the scenery.

Almaty was the capital of Kazakhstan before they moved it to Astana in 1997. It is a large city that could be compared, on a smaller scale, to New York or Chicago. Lots of new construction going on with their expanding economy and as they are prepare for the Winter Asian Games in 2011 as well as make their bid to host the Winter Olympics in 2014. Monday we had an appointment with the sisters to go over our schedule for the three days and sign some final paperwork. Kathryn had her medical exam as well at the international S.O.S clinic. Nice doctor from South Africa working there and he was thorough with her medical information and answered any question we had. Kathryn did wonderfully and we were finished in about 30 minutes. Tuesday is a free day for us as Kathryn’s passport needs to be registered in Astana so we are heading to the mountains for some sightseeing and lunch. Wednesday I will stop by the Lufthansa office to purchase Kathryn’s ticket and hopefully get us a spot in the bulkhead row before heading off to the American Embassy for some final immigration paperwork.

Today, Tuesday, our driver Vitali took us to the mountains here. The Tien Shen range is about a 45 minute drive from the city and you are quickly in colder weather. The Tien Shen range runs from Kyrgyzstan in the south through Kazakhstan, China, to Tibet in the north. The mountains here host a ski resort that, too, is undergoing reconstruction as well as the skating rink which will be used for speed skating, etc. for the games. Normally we would be able to take a gondola to the top but unfortunately it was not in operation during our visit. So instead we took the opportunity to enjoy the clean air on a cloudless day with the temperature cold enough that the snow does not melt but in direct sun warm enough for us to enjoy lunch outside. Vitali ordered lunch for us which was a Russian soup that resembled vegetable beef as well as some chicken kabobs. Of course, before the soup it is Russian tradition to have a little vodka prior to eating. Who are we to break tradition. It was an excellent lunch at the restaurant at the base of the slopes overlooking the mountain peaks with a blue sky backdrop. Please enjoy some of the sights in the pictures below.

Medeo Ice Arena near Almaty that will be used for the 2011 Asian Games

The view from our lunch table

Last Full Day in Kokshetau

2008-11-14T19:35:00.009-05:00

Today we will begin packing for our trip to Almaty tomorrow. We do so with sadness and joy in our hearts. The sadness because this is Kathryn's birthplace and we have enjoyed our time here. The life here is simple. We have made new friends here. Even our landlady brought us a gift for Kathryn. It is a beautiful hat. Every Kazakh beauty must wear a hat outside during winter or summer. Of course, there is joy in the fact that we will finally be heading on our way home to the rest of the family and our friends. We have missed you all so much! Talking to the boys every day on Skype is no substitute for the hugs and kisses every night! We are excited to begin our life as a family of 6 after our 16 month journey to Kathryn.

Today we will pack and then go out with Makhabbat one last time. This time she is taking us to the local college to meet some students who are studying English. A few weeks ago Dave mentioned that he'd like to meet some of the students. Little did he know that Makhabbat would actually arrange it. She is amazing. After we go to the college, we will take one last trek to the Green Market. We need to find some shoes/booties for Kathryn's trip. I did not bring any with me and we don't think it will be acceptable to the older Kazakhs to have her in socks. Tonight we are planning dinner of take-out Shish Kabobs from The Rainbow Cafe with Justin and Cathie. You have to order them by 2pm, but you can't pick them up until around 8pm. It makes for a late dinner, but boy are they good!

Saying Goodbye to Luba. Kathryn will miss her and I'm sure Luba will miss Kathryn. All the Russian talk between the two them that we couldn't understand. :-)

Saying Goodbye to Makhabbat was difficult. She truly became a friend to us. She is holding an art piece that her 7 year old daughter, Arajan, just finished. Looks like it was made for Florida.

Cathie and Kathryn. It was great to have Cathie and Justin around for the the past week. We wish them all the best with Landon.

Some random facts about Kaz

Mustard and Ketchup come in squeeze packs not bottles.

It is a tea country not a coffee country (which I have come to enjoy).

There are stray dogs everywhere!
People are out at all hours of the night.

People walk everywhere, even across town.

High heel, stilleto boots are the common fashion statement.

The yogurt is amazing - I could eat it every day, and practically have.

You can't find less than 1.5% milk.

A loaf of bread costs .36 cents (45 tenge) and it's really good.

No matter how hard you try to blend in, you will always look like an American.

Black is the wardrobe color of choice.

Children here go to school 6 days a week.

Children are out and about without adults all the time, and it's ok!
Some cars, not all, have the driver's seat on the right.
They sell Chocolate butter - no I did not try it!

They have awesome cookies and torts - yes I did try them!
It gets really cold!
PaKA Kokshetau! We will miss you!

And then there were Three...

2008-11-13T05:53:00.020-05:00

What a difference a few weeks makes.
Picture on left from early October. On right from early November.

It's hard to believe that we only have three days left here in Kokshetau before heading to Almaty to finish out our paperwork and medical evaluation for Kathryn. This place has become as much a part of us as Kathryn has. I guess you could say that we not only bonded with her, but her place of birth as well. We had seen so many blogs from families travelling here that when we walked into the cottage it was already a familiar place, as were some of the people here that appeared in pictures. We have enjoyed our time here and have met other wonderful adoptive parents whose trips have overlapped with ours (six other families) and will leave with many wonderful memories. It's much different when your here, someplace that is new and the places to be discovered like the small shops and markets. The people here have been gracious, especially someone that has had no obligation to us...Makhabbat. She is a translator that almost always works with families that travel to the baby house about an hour away from Kokshetau. She has literally gone out of her way to show us as much of the culture here as possible.

Picture below is Makhabbat in front of Kokshetau Museum

Yesterday, Makhabbat took me and another adoptive family to the Kokshetau regional Museum for a little history while Karie was enjoying some time with Kathryn. The city of Kokshetau was settled in the early 19th Century as a Soviet administrative outpost. One of the early Soviet administrators from the early 20th century actually lived in the house that now serves as the museum. Under Soviet rule the country was used not only as farm lands for cotton and wheat (including the catastrophic failure of the wheat program under Khrushchev in the 1960's) but also as a place where Stalin deported whomever he felt like. Not just individuals but entire races from many countries in which the communist party had control. It was also the place for the Soviets to detonate more than 700 nuclear test bombs over 40 years. The population of this region consists of Kazakh (mostly), Russian, Ukrainian, and German. The cotton fields were supplied water from the Aral Sea via man made canals to Kazakhstan to the north and Uzbekistan to the south. As a direct result, the Aral Sea has been drained and what was once a source for a booming fishing industry for the region is now one of the biggest environmental disasters in history. Towns that thrived on fishing and ports such as Aral City on the northern shore now sit 45 miles from the nearest shoreline of the Aral Sea. The Aral, once the fourth largest lake in the world, has actually divided into two seas and the water has been reduced by two thirds or an area about the size of Ireland.

Below is a picture and replicated armor and weapons of Ablai Khan, a Kazakh leader in the 18th century. He sought to protect and unify the country.

The Kazakh people have suffered tremendous brutality but have shown themselves to be survivors. By the beginning of the 19th century, Russian tsarism had taken hold and eliminated the power of the Khan. Interestingly, the sister city of Kokshetau is Waukesha, Wisconsin.

Below are various items of Kazakh history including minted gold Tenge bills (currency) and the Golden Man, a symbol of the country's strength and independence.

Our guide explains the history of Kokshetau and Kazakhstan.

The Kazakhstan story is one of tragedy, struggle, and recent triumph with the country's independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. They will host the Asian games in 2011 and make a bid for the Winter Olympic Games in 2014.

More Paperwork - This time THEY had to do it!

2008-11-11T21:41:00.002-05:00

Throughout the adoption process it seems the paperwork never ends. Today, however, it wasn't us doing the work. We left this morning at 0930 to head to the "registry" building. It seems that this is where all local government paperwork is done. I guess you could equate it to our government buildings where ID cards, property taxes, licenses, etc are taken care of. We went there to sign for and pick up Kathryn's birth certificate and paper saying our adoption is complete! They had to do all the work - we just signed for it! Everything here is still done in ledger books and on paper - no electronic document files. Not sure which way is better, really.

Next we went to another part of the building to apply for her Kazakh passport. After a good 30 minutes of waiting for our interpreter and coordinator to work with the officials on the paperwork, they let us know of a new requirement. They wanted to see Kathryn and compare her to her passport picture. Inna and I went back to the cottage, where Luba was watching Kathryn, and quickly put her in the snowsuit and headed back. We walked inside, let them see her and then left. Apparently this has not happened in the past, but it does make sense. It was really no big deal!

On our way back to the cottage, Dave ran into the Green Market for a few veggies and bread while Kathryn and I sat in the car. Kathryn decided it was a great time for a little shut eye. While she slept, I enjoyed the view outside the car of the snowfall! It really is pretty to watch the snow coming down. It was coming down so hard, it looked like rain.

Kathryn smiling at Luba

The temperature is going to warm up slightly over the next few days. We are hoping for sunshine when we get to Almaty. We will want to get out and see some of the city while we are there. I think yesterday was the coldest day so far. It was in the teens with a wind chill in the single digits - as low as -1 degree in the am. I think we are surviving ok, considering we've lived in Florida for 20 years.

Introducing Kathryn

2008-11-08T00:50:00.052-05:00

Kathryn was officially welcomed into our family on October 23, 2008- now making us a family of 6! We are so proud of each of our children and cannot wait for her big brothers, Michael, Daniel and Joseph to meet their little sister, Kathryn.

This photo is from our first visit with Kathryn. In the picture is Dr. Victoria and the Ministry of Education Representative. This was a wonderful day!

The many faces of Kathryn.

As of yesterday, Friday, November 7th, 2008, our fifteen day waiting period was completed. The order of the judge to make us Kathryn's parents has now been executed! We were very relieved last night to have this milestone behind us. We will go on Tuesday and apply for her birth certificate that will name us as her parents and for her Kaz passport that will allow her to leave the country. As soon as our plane lands in Orlando on Nov. 20th she will be a US citizen and will be a dual citizen of both the United States and Kazakhstan until she is 18.

Us after court and at Children's Hospital to pick up Kathryn with Dr. Victoria

First car ride......First bath at "home"......What a day,Sweet dreams!

Three Twos for Today

2008-11-06T05:29:00.003-05:00

Today we celebrate the Twos.
1. TWO weeks ago we welcomed Kathryn as a new member of the Ryan family. It seems like she has been a part of our family for so much longer. Tomorrow is the end of our 15 day appeal period. She is doing amazing things every day. It’s incredible to watch her now as compared to when we met her 6 weeks ago! At that time, she was barely holding onto anything. Now, she tries to hold her bottle, grabs at my shirt and reaches for her toys.

2. Kathryn now has TWO teeth! Sometime between Oct 6th and Oct 23rd she got her first tooth. Yes, that was the time that we were not here with her. However, her second tooth came in yesterday on November 5th. She had a few rough nights, so we thought it might be on its way. Last night before putting her to bed, I looked in her mouth and there it was just peeking through the gums!

3. TWO weeks from today we will be home!! We leave and get home on November 20th. We are so excited to celebrate Thanksgiving with our family and friends and to have Kathryn home. We leave for Almaty on Nov 16th and take Kathryn on her first plane trip. It is only about a 2 hour flight from Astana to Almaty. This will be a good warm up for the long 8 hour flights Xs 2 to get us back to Orlando.

We are thankful to be celebrating these milestones in our trip. As you have read, it has been a very educational trip as well. Most of all, we believe this time with Kathryn has been very valuable to develop our parental bond with her. She definitely seems to know that we are now her parents and the ones who will meet her basic needs. This will make the transition back home so much easier.

Kazakh Culture

2008-11-05T19:30:00.004-05:00

During our second stay here in Kokshetau, we have had a chance to get to experience a bit of the Culture/Arts. Makhabbat, one of the interpreters that works for the (town of) Shchuchinsk families, has made it her personal mission to help us experience these things. She doesn't work for us at all, but we met her through one of the other families and we have formed a wonderful friendship. She also loves the fact that Dave practices his Russian with her:-)

On the first night we returned to Kokshetau, I went with Makhabbat, Scott and D'Ann to a dance/music recital at the Performing Arts Center (photos by Scott). The performers ranged from around 5 years old to adults. The boys and girls, men and women danced in beautiful costumes to many different types of Kazakh music. There were several singers and musicians as well. It was a great experience of local arts.

On Saturday Oct 24th, Dave and some of the
other families went to the local Pro Soccer game.
It was more like a Semi-pro or Minor league
type game. Lots of activity and excitement and
cooler weather!

As part of the sharing of culture, Makhabbat asked us to go to her daughter's gymnastics class and share some our Halloween traditions. Of course we agreed. So, I went with LeAnne and we watched about an hour of the practice. It was very intense. The girls were between 6 and 12 years old. The coach was very nice, but also very strict and intense. You could tell the girls had great respect for her and what she was teaching them. The coach was a Russian woman and the children were a mix of Kazakh and Russian. They all attend school at the English immersion school, so they all spoke a little English. After practice was over, we gave them a handout in Russian explaining the history of Halloween that Makhabbat put together. When we told them we were going to show them pictures on the computer of children in costumes, they swarmed around me and the computer. They were so cute and excited. I was able to show them pictures of Michael, Daniel and Joseph in their costumes from last year. They got a kick out of it!! When we were done, we passed out candy and they were definitely like kids in a candy store - including the coach!

That night, Halloween night, we had people over to the cottage for a little Halloween celebration. Not that we ever have a Halloween party at home, but Makhabbat wanted to celebrate the "American" holiday, so we obliged. Several people carved a pumpkin; we roasted the seeds and the Kazakh's dressed up in costumes:-)

Lastly, on Sunday night we had a celebration for one of the families who headed to court on Tuesday for custody of their twin boys.

There were 4 adoptive families along with Makhabbat, Oleg (a driver for families several years ago), Vera (his wife) and their family. Makhabbat arranged to have 3 young ladies come over and play the Dombra, their national instrument. The young ladies were about 18 years old and did a great job. They played traditional Kazakh music for about 45 minutes.
It was a lot of fun and everyone had a wonderful time. We had Borscht, a traditional Russian soup, made with beets, cabbage, meat, and lots of veggies and also ordered the local Pork Shish-kabobs - YUM! For desert we had lots of yummy cookies and cakes. The Kazakhs certainly know how to do the pastries - very delicious but not too sweet.

All of these events have added to the enjoyment of being in Kathryn's birth country and has also helped to keep us busy during this waiting period. We have only posted a few of the photos here and will enjoy showing you all of them when we return home. Kathryn will also enjoy them when she is old enough.

Three weeks and Counting

2008-10-30T09:53:00.001-04:00

So, here we are Thursday, October 30th. One week after taking custody of Kathryn. We are now 7 days into our 15 day waiting period. Hard to believe November is right around the corner. We understand that it is unseasonably cool at home. I'm sure everyone is enjoying the cool weather after a hot summer and hot start to Fall. It was actually colder in FL yesterday morning that it was here in Kaz! Keep in mind that we are at the same approximate lattitude of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.Yesterday was a beautiful afternoon here - in the low 50's. Cool, but the sun was shining.

I got out yesterday while Dave stayed in with Kathryn for a little bit. I took a walk down to the neighborhood baby store. It was a newly renovated, quaint shop. They had everything from diapers and formula to clothes and blankets. I got a little toy along with formula and diapers. I might have to take a trip back and get something from them that is traditional Kazakh baby for Kathryn's keepsake.

M and L are our new cottage mates and moved in on Monday. Last night we had another couple over from the other cottage - A and B. It is great to make new friends here half way around the world. They are from NC and SC - so not too far from us. We are certainly enjoying their company. M and L adopted 2 years ago from the same Children's Hospital here in Kokshetau. It is nice to talk to them and to understand how things have changed not only in the adoption process but also in this area of Kaz. We really feel blessed that this is where we were led to adopt from and that we eventually signed on with WPA. Having a great agency really makes all the difference. It is their contacts here in Kaz that make the process all the better.

Kathryn is doing great. She is much more "talkative" now then she was a week ago. She seems to be putting on a little weight and getting much stronger. Yesterday she put her feet flat on the floor when I held her up. She was also sitting against the back of the sofa holding my hands and pulled herself forward. It is unbelievable how fast the little ones can thrive with love and attention. We are so excited for everyone to meet her! We will be heading home 3 weeks from today. Just in time for Thanksgiving. What a Thanksgiving it will be! We plan on having a great family get together at our house. We certainly have lots to be thankful for.

Speaking of being thankful - Michael, Daniel and Joseph are doing great at home. They received their report cards yesterday. We are so proud of them! Even with us being gone most of the time since only a month after school started, they have kept up on their projects and assignments - thanks to their Nana and Papa!

A side note: We think we have the internet up and running again. However, if you are trying to contact us and don't hear back - don't give up on us. If we lose internet, we'll be in touch as soon as we can! I won't go into all the boring details of the internet saga, but it is frustrating.

Reconnected!

2008-10-28T06:39:00.005-04:00

Ok, so we all say we could live without a little technology. . . we get mad at our computers when they don't run right. . . we think, "who needs the IT guys anyway". . . well I'm here to tell you that half way around the world, we need 'em all! We lost internet connection on Sunday morning (or sometime during the night) for who knows what reason. Dave went out to the local stores and managed to buy a new router/modem combo that even had instructions in English. We connected everything according to the instructions, and still nothing. One of the other guys here is an "IT guy". We called on him, but unfortunately it was something in the internet connection itself. He was great though, we went to their cottage and he hooked us up on Skype so we could at least talk to the boys and then we connected to their internet and downloaded some emails. Today one of the local "internet gurus" came out and in less than 10 minutes had our wireless up and running again. Thank you, we are reconnected!

The toughest part about not having internet was not being able to connect with the boys and family at home. They all missed seeing Kathryn on Skype for the past 2-3 days. We will be talking to them in a few minutes and can't wait.

Kathryn is doing great. She is sleeping around 6-9 hours per night. She is not napping much, but seems to be doing fine with that. She has been used to sleeping on her stomach at the hospital and we are trying to break that and have her on her back. However, I set her down for a nap this afternoon on her stomach and she has slept for almost 3 hours - catching up I guess.

We have been enjoying the company of three other adoptive families now in Kokshetau for their bonding periods. One couple is her in the cottage with us. L and M are here for their second adoption. The other two couples are in the other cottage across town. They are both first time parents. It is exciting to see so many families here at once - it is a great thing for these children!

The other families will be heading home the first week of November. We will still have another 8-10 days after that until we head to Almaty. We are 5 days into our 15 day waiting period! We have been gone from home for 9 days. We know this time is long for family and friends at home waiting for us to bring Kathryn home. It is long for us too, as we miss all of you and are thankful for your blessings on our family.

Quick update on the Internet: Still having problems. I am posting this off of dial-up....

Our First Day Together

2008-10-24T11:29:00.006-04:00

So, how is it going? Everyone wants to know. Well I would say that our bonding period was successful, based on the fact that Kathryn has adjusted very well to her new surrounding. Not to mention she also seems to have adjusted well to her Mom and Dad. She slept 9 hours last night . . . took her new bottle very well . . . napped today . . . and was all smiles when she woke up in a new place. We even ventured into giving her a bath last night. She was squirmy, but did very well. Kathryn appears to fall asleep anywhere that she feels like it; in our arms, in her little bouncy chair, on the floor or in her crib. This is a great thing. We had a few other couples, who are in Kokshetau starting their bonding period, stop by tonight. At first Kathryn was a little overwhelmed with all the visitors, but when I picked her up, she fell asleep in my arms while we visited.

Probably the highlight of the day was using the video cam with Skype to talk to family. Especially Michael, Daniel and Joseph thought Kathryn was pretty cool and laughed at her many faces and yawns. Meanwhile, Kathryn didn't have a clue what all the technology was! It was great for everyone to see her in motion rather than just still pictures.

She has not grown much since our first visit. However, a tooth has broken through! We continue to see her get stronger each day.

We will probably not post every day, but will keep everyone up on her progress. We will not post full photos of her until our 15 day waiting period is over. So, stay tuned!

It's Done!

2008-10-23T11:50:00.013-04:00

Having a late afternoon court date is tantamount to having a late afternoon surgery. You can't wake up and go. You sit around all day trying to find things to keep your mind busy and not worry until the time comes. Funny how you worry about the things that you have no control over. For us, fortunately for now, we are using jet lag to our advantage and were able to take an early afternoon nap after our trip to the outdoor market to buy some fruit and vegetables, waking in time to get ready and go.

We got to the courthouse and checked in, then headed to a waiting area. We waited for about 20 minutes or so before everyone showed up and we went in to the judge's chambers for the hearing. The judge was a Kazakh woman in her 40's with a good sense of humor. Although, since we can't understand the language we're not sure if it was at our expense;-). There seemed to be issues with our paperwork as they were searching through our file and then other stacks of papers around the office outside the judge's chambers. Always the paperwork on this trip. We actually had a different judge than our cottage mates, thankfully, as in fact there was more than a few things missing from our file. The judge heard our case (and my so eloquent speech) and we then sat while a discussion took place between the judge and the representative from the Ministry of Education who oversee the adoptive children. We then were asked to wait outside while the judge made her decision. After about 15 minutes or so we went back in and showed the judge pictures of our visitation with Kathryn then were asked to wait outside again. Another 20 minutes and our interpreter comes out and says "It's done!" and we have a favorable decision. She looked very relieved as well. Apparently, they got it worked out. It ALL seems to get worked out, even the things we have no control over.

From the courthouse, we headed straight to the Children's Hospital. We woke her from sleeping and were greeted with a smile. We wrapped her up in a snowsuit and off we went. We are so very happy to have Kathryn with us now as we wait through the next two weeks before we can leave and finally bring her home.

Court Day

2008-10-23T10:00:00.000-04:00

I am sitting here this morning, our day in court, overwhelmed by the feelings of excitement, anxiety and love. I know there are people all over praying for us today. God is so good! Throughout this whole process of preparing for this exact day, we have known that this is God's plan in our lives and for our family. I can not wait for the judge to name us as Kathryn's parents as we know in our hearts that God did that 7 months ago. There is such an incredible feeling in our hearts that Kathryn was our chosen child, just as Michael, Daniel and Joseph were. We were just given the opportunity to bring her into our family through a different journey - an incredible journey. As I spoke with my parents and with Michael this morning, I realized that when the judge names us as Kathryn's parents and legally changes her name to Kathryn Zhadra Ryan, that she has also named our boys as her brothers, our parents as her grandparents and our siblings as her Aunts and Uncles. What a blessing!

Tickets, Please!

2008-10-22T00:44:00.009-04:00

Okay, so, I wasn’t going to blog until after court on Thursday but given the events of today, Monday, I think it warrants a good venting of sorts. I am not superstitious by nature. Cynical yes, but typically I don’t think that things happen contrary to how their supposed to just because you mention otherwise. You know, the whole “knock on wood” thing.

Anyway, things were going very well. Everything our adoption agency told us has been exactly what has happened. Our support network at home has been stellar. Flights have been non eventful and on time. We finally figured out we don’t need 10 bags of luggage. Etc. So we leave for our second trip back to Kazakhstan just cruising along fat, dumb, and happy thinking everything is falling into place. That is until we belly up to the ticket counter in Orlando to check in. “Tickets, please” the nice lady behind the counter says. We happily hand her our printout of our electronic tickets and patiently wait for our boarding passes. After a couple minutes of pecking the computer keyboard with a puzzled look on her face she tells us that we do not have tickets on the flights. None of the flights. Fortunately, I have our travel agency number on my cell phone and call the agent and “calmly” explain that the airline does not have record of us flying anywhere this fine day. I won’t mention any names because, like I said, things have been great so far. So the agent is working on it and tells me he’ll call me back. “I did tell you we’re at the airport trying to check in, right.” I said. About 40 minutes later the phone rings and it’s our travel agent. He says, apologetically, that the transaction was never completed. Meaning the reservation was made but never ticketed. After looking at our options he was able to find another flight that still gets us to Frankfurt in time to make our final connection to Astana.

Just when I thought things were back on track the ticket agent says she cannot retrieve the tickets our agent just booked for us because she can’t “see” it in the computer. A couple phone calls later it was worked out that she would print a hard copy of our electronic ticket and check us in. But wait, she can’t check us in now and give us boarding passes because we don’t have a return flight ticketed. Of course we don’t because we don’t know our exact return dates yet so we only have the reservation. Nonetheless, she stated that since we need a visa to enter the country we need a corresponding return flight and not just a one way ticket. Part of a security thing as I understand it since, at least on paper, it looks like we are traveling one way to a country in which we cannot stay.

Finally, we were able to have our boarding passes issued after being told we would have to go through an extra pat down at security. If they only knew how many times we had to be fingerprinted for background checks just to get to this point. At least that line was short. It seemed as if the norm now was that everything that shouldn’t happen was happening. After a brief delay taking off in Orlando due to the United mainframe computer malfunction (the pilots couldn’t receive their electronic paperwork) we were able to take off.

Thankfully, we finally had some sense of normalcy in Chicago since we were now flying the transatlantic leg on Lufthansa instead of United. Here we are now as I am writing over the North Atlantic looking at the sunrise between an azure sky and a blanket of white clouds on our way to our next stop in Frankfurt. By the time we reach our final destination we will have been in four different time zones, on three different airlines, in three different countries, on three different continents, topped off with a four hour car ride to Kokshetau, all within about 36 hours. Hopefully our baggage will follow suit. Knock on wood.

Unfinished Business

2008-10-18T17:19:00.015-04:00

We have been home only a short while since we received our court date earlier than expected. But who's complaining. We have enjoyed being home with the boys, going to their games, and just being part of their daily activities over the last 10 days. Everyone has been so very supportive of us that there is no other way to describe it but amazing. Family, teachers, coworkers, friends, have all played a part in this and we cannot imagine how difficult this process would have been without them. We haven't been gone two weeks but it seems a lot longer since we last visited with Kathryn. Watching the short videos we took during our previous visits, we love hearing her "talk" and take in all the attention we give her and wonder how she has changed in the time we have been gone. We know she is in good hands with the caregivers at the children's hospital but cannot wait to have her as a permanent part of our family.

Michael and his undefeated soccer team

Daniel behind the plate

So...we have been busy with not only the daily activities of the boys but also gathering additional documents for insurance, visas, pictures of our visits and the like. The New York Consulate received our visa applications on 10/13 and we received them back on 10/14. A hugh relief since we don't have much margin for error. Since we don't have to return to Almaty until after the appeal period is complete we went ahead and booked round trip tickets from Astana and changed our original return date from Almaty to our final trip home. This allows us extra time at home with the boys and also will save us some extra cash since we won't have to pay for another in country flight, and all the extra costs that go along with it.

Joseph enjoying a cool dip in the pool

This weekend we finish packing and spend time with family and friends. And, of course, get prepared for the speech in court which I will give and Karie will also be asked some questions from the judge. There is a new judge that has only heard one adoption case, our former cottage mates and it was a bit tense. Thanks for breaking him in S and A, hopefully things will be smoother the second time around. We leave Monday, arrive Wednesday and have court Thursday and will hopefully be able to take Kathryn with us back to the cottage that evening and begin counting the days off through the appeal period.

Sojourn

2008-10-09T01:16:00.011-04:00

Since we have completed our visitation and began our trek back to the United States we have taken time to enjoy some of the sites along the way. As many of you may know, Karie’s family lived in Europe for a few years while she was growing up. One of the places they lived was near Heidelberg, Germany. Heidelberg is a stones throw away from Frankfurt, the city in which we make our flight connections traveling to and from Kazakhstan.

Being so close to many cherished memories, we were able to take a full day and briefly explore the sights of this magnificent country. Heidelberg sits along the river Necker nestled between two mountains and its' origin can be traced back to the 5th century. It is also home to the oldest University in Germany, the University of Heidelberg having been established in 1386. Upon the side of the mountain sits the Heidelberg Castle overlooking the city.

The small mountains are dotted with different trees that were in full fall colors blanketing the countryside with shades of red, dark yellow, and bright yellow interspersed with the deep green of the pines and evergreens in a spectacular display of Autumn. Houses and buildings that are hundreds of years old with towering roof lines of red and brown paint the town in a story book setting.

Heidelberg was not destroyed in WWII so the rich architectural history lives on today. It is a mix of historic buildings and modern amenities. The main street hosts large crowds of residents, students, and tourists perusing the many stores and restaurants and breathes life until late evening each night.

This was a nice distraction from the pain of having to leave Kathryn but already we cannot wait to return to Kokshetau. We have received word that we have a court date set in two weeks; a little sooner than we expected but we are delighted to complete our journey and the boys are excited to have their sister home.

Below are some pictures of Heidelberg.

We Have Petitioned!

2008-10-06T04:17:00.006-04:00

Yesterday was our last official visitation day with Kathryn. This morning all of our paperwork was taken to the courthouse and submitted with our petition to adopt Kathryn and make her our legal daughter! Although this sounds like something exciting - it is for us, but believe me there was no fanfare or parades. We quietly walked into the courthouse, waited for a lady to arrive, went to this small room with a desk, a computer and a few chairs. We sat down - although the chair was flimsy and I thought it was going to collapse under me, I kept my composure. We waited while Inna and this lady exchanged a few words. Then we got up and left....quietly.

We were able to go straight from the courthouse to the Baby Hospital and visit with Kathryn. This was our last visit before we begin our journey home tomorrow morning. Yesterday and today were wonderful visits. She was very playful and gave us lots of her big smiles with her big brown eyes looking up at us. It is truly amazing how she has grown in just over 2 weeks. Today she was really trying to grab for our hands. She was batting at her Daddy's face. Most definitely she is getting her hand to her mouth much better than she was. Tummy time has been a lot of fun. Kathryn is holding her head up better and giving big smiles when she is on her tummy. She was not real talkative today, but did get a few sounds out. As she looked out the window, we explained that when we come back we will show her the whole world outside!

Today was much harder for me then I had anticipated. I really thought I was prepared. But I guess the reality is that you can never really prepare yourself for something like this. In trying to equate how I felt, I can only think of the feeling I had the first time I left my first born (Michael) at home when I went back to work. I spent a lot of time just telling Kathryn how much we love her and to have sweet dreams knowing that we will be back soon. I told her to dream about all the people back home who love her and don't even know her yet. We believe that the day we first met her, that she already knew who we were and I believe that God will put his arms around her and protect her and keep our love in her heart until we return. She is His and we believe she will be placed in our care to be her parents in a few short weeks.

Sunny Day in Kokshetau

2008-10-04T07:36:00.003-04:00

We just got back from a beautiful walk around town. It is sunny and in the 60's. Nothing like a little sun to change your perspective on things. We saw a different side of the town than we had seen so far. It was wonderful! Everyone was out and about. Lots of families and children playing. Kids were playing in the dried up fountains in Central Square. Many wedding parties getting their photos in the traditional places, like Central Square and the War Memorial.

Please go back and look at the "Life Around Town" post on October 1. We have updated the slideshow with these wonderful photos from today. Many of the photos were taken from on the local Ferris Wheel. It was a great, relaxing ride. The picture posted here was taken on the walk from outside our cottage - postcard picture. Enjoy the photos.

Day of Discovery (12 & 13)

2008-10-04T03:58:00.008-04:00

The past two days we have had wonderful visits with Kathryn. She is feeling much better - the cough is just about gone. Her coloring is better and her eyes are clearer. She was very alert, awake and playful. We were greeted by a soundly sleeping princess and when she awoke, a huge smile of acknowledgement. She is such a joy!

Today was a wonderful day of discovery. While drinking her bottle, she was facinated by the movement of her fingers. She moved them up and down and followed them with her eyes as if she just realized they were hers and that she has complete control over them. She just continues to amaze us each day.

Although we will be leaving here in 3 days, we are hoping that we will return for her in no more than 3 weeks from now. This is exciting to think about! It has been about 8 years since our hearts were first drawn to the idea of adoption and 16 months since we started the entire adoption process. It now comes down to less than a month until we will be standing before a judge pleading our case for why we want Kathryn in our family. We know that the decision for Kathryn to be a part our family was one that we came by through lots of prayer and we believe it is God's will to allow it to come to fruition. In Kaz, however, it is the judge who will make the final legal decision. Once we return to Kaz for our second trip, we will go to court and with a decision in our favor to make Kathryn our daughter, we will take custody of her right away. We will then wait out the 15 day waiting period here in Kokshetau before we go to Almaty for another week to do paperwork and get her official papers. We will then head home to the U.S., making her a legal U.S. citizen. We can't wait!!

Official Day 10 & 11

2008-10-02T04:10:00.004-04:00

Wow, hard to believe we only have 3 days left of the official 14 day visitation period. The last two days Kathryn decided to mix up our routine a little. Fine with us! Yesterday she was full of smiles but quiet and content. Today she was very energetic and playful. We can really see the difference from 2 weeks ago. Now, when I touch her face to clean her nose (all the Moms understand this tendancy) she even tries to push my hand away. On her tummy she lift her head and looks around and kicks her legs. When we hold her up and put her feet on the bed, for a few seconds she will bear weight on her feet. She definitely wasn't doing this 2 weeks ago! It's amazing how much a 6 month old can grow in such a short period of time with lots of love and attention.

Both yesterday and today, Kathryn played so hard for the first hour, drank her bottle (quick!) and was ready for a nap. Dave was holding her and she just stared off into dreamland:-) She slept for a good 30 minutes. She woke up with about 30 minutes left in our visit and was ready to play some more. We still spend the time stretching her, doing massage, playing with some toys and just cuddling.

The reality of leaving her behind is starting to hit. The caregivers really do take good care of her, which makes the leaving a little easier. However, we keep visioning the day we get to take her out with us and the day we get to bring her home to Indialantic! What a joy that will be!

Life Around Town

2008-10-01T08:38:00.025-04:00

As we spend more time here and get more comfortable with our surroundings we are adventuring out. We have been out to dinner once with our former cottage mates and have been out by ourselves a few times to do some grocery shopping. Most of our outings up to this point have been with our interpreter, Inna. Aside from the "your not from around here, are you" looks we get from people on the street most people have been very nice. A little Russian goes a long, long way here. The sidwalks are paved but are very uneven and in some cases have large openings without the token construction barricade to alert you. The main streets are paved but the side streets mostly not and have many large potholes. Think, Karen and Darryl's street not graded for the last 20 years.

The city we are in has a population of about 126,000 people. Information from the about Kazakhstan website provides the following: "Kokshetau city was founded in 1824 as an administrative outpost when the Russians extended their control over the Kazakhs. Kokshetau became a district administrative centre in 1868 and an oblast centre in 1944, but Kokshetau city greatest expansion occurred in the 1960s following the campaign to open virgin lands in Kazakhstan to agriculture and the construction of important new factories in the region... and is now a substantial industrial center and the junction of the Trans-Kazakhstan and Middle Siberian railways." Yes, that does say Siberian.

Saturday, Yuri and Inna were kind enough to take us on a tour of the city. We took some pictures to one day show Kathryn what her native city looked like when we were here. We have placed them in a slide show format which we hope you enjoy. Edit 10/4- As well, we have added additional photos that we took when we ventured out on our own around town.

Official Days 8 & 9

2008-09-30T04:16:00.010-04:00

Yesterday's visit with Kathryn was great. She was alert and playful. She "talked" alot and we could tell she was really enjoying the visit. She continues to get stronger. We are trying to do all the right things to help her build her strength including having her spend time on her tummy, stretching and putting weight on her legs. She is kicking and moving her arms more freely each day. She is even finding the way for her hand to her mouth. She loves to suck on her index finger!

Today was a very quiet visit. Just when we thougtht she was feeling better, she was not today. She was crying when we got there. She was warm and fussy. She was still adorable! It was just a different side we had not seen over the past week. Kathryn really just wanted to be cuddled and held. So of course, we obliged. She slept on and off for most of the visit. We were able to get a few smiles out of her. Not a big picture day - too busy holding her. Hopefully she will feel better tomorrow.

During our visit we took the opportunity to talk to Inna, our interpreter about a few things. We asked for some ideas for gifts for the doctors and then she also filled us in on some of the court proceedings. There is specific information that we need to put into our speech that will be given on the day we go to court on our second visit. They expect the father to do most of the speaking, so Dave is beginning to work on the speech. I will only say a few words unless they ask me any specific questions. Can't wait for this day to come!!

I finally decided to leave some of the toys in her room, rather than carrying them back and forth each day. She has her blanket, links and bunny in her crib already. The other things I just left in the closet. Yesterday we found out her nickname in the hospital has been "princess frog". One of the toys we have is a frog, so Inna thought that was quite appropriate. Frog in Russian is "лягушка" pronounced "lyaGOOSHka". Kathryn just smiles when we say it - it is a familiar word to her.

Winter is setting in here. We are preparing ourselves for the cold we will experience on our second trip. On Sunday am it was 32 degrees and yesterday was in the 40's. Today is a beautiful sunny day - just cold. We spent time after our visit to do some grocery shopping and go to the green market. We will be doing some additional shopping in the next couple of days to get the additional gifts we need for the caregivers and try to find a warm snowsuit for Kathryn for our second trip. I also hope to find a souvenir book of Kokshetau to have as a keepsake.

We miss everyone at home. We again want to thank everyone who is checking in with the boys and willing to help in any way they can! We could not do this without each of you!

Tomorrow we will post on our brief sightseeing trip around town, hope you enjoy.

Official Days 6 & 7

2008-09-28T04:13:00.003-04:00

Well, we are halfway through our required bonding time, and halfway through our trip as well. One week from tomorrow we will file our petition to the court as a formal request to adopt Kathryn. We will then begin the travel process back home while we await our day in court. Although our visits seem repetitive at times looking at the same plain four walls, Kathryn always rewards us with smiles and an abject joy to see us when she opens those big brown eyes from her nap. Our time with her is never too long. Each day we see improved abilities in arm and leg movement. We continue to work on other exercises to improve her strength to hold her head up and balance in a sitting position, which she currently does only in a semi recumbant position leaning up against one of us.

Kathryn stayed awake most of the visit today until our last 30 minutes together. All the stimulation is exhausting. I think she mostly enjoys the time we spend rubbing her down with lotion and cleaning her up as well as just snuggling in our arms. She lies in our arms and stares herself off to sleep. Just wait till she gets home and has all the excitement of having 3 brothers. She will thrive on all the attention!

Meetings with the Doctors

2008-09-26T05:55:00.006-04:00

Well, we are definitely into the daily routine here. Our visits with Kathryn are going great. Today when we walked into the room, one of the caregivers was playing with her. She said Kathryn woke up and cried because she was used to waking up and having us there. She was in a very content mood. We did lots of stretching and tummy time today. She really likes it and is growing stronger by the day. Her grip in her right hand is much stronger now. When we are streching her legs, we can feel her pushing against them.

Over the past two days we were able to meet with both Dr. Natalia and Dr. Victoria. Dr. Natalia is the head pediatrician at the Maternity Hospital where Kathryn was born. Dr. Victoria is the head pediatrician at the Children's Hospital where Kathryn is now and has been since she was 3 months old. They were both very nice and informative. They both suggested we do massage and stretching with Kathryn and we explained that we been doing this since we got here. Dr. Natalia gave us an idea of some of the questions we would be asked in court. Mostly about already having 3 biological children and why would we want to adopt another one. Well, for us this is a simple answer - because our entire family loves Kathryn and she will bring a lot of love into our family.

Last night we took our first excursion on foot into the city of Kokshetau. It was a nice cool evening - not cold. We walked about 15 minutes to the Next Store to use the ATM ( in English), then another 5 minutes to the Tsum store and on to Pyramid for dinner. The Tsum store is an interesting department store. It has tons of small cubicle like stores. Each store has it's own specialty. There were coats, purses, toys, nicknacks, etc. Apparently many of the "designer" clothes stores are all knock-offs. We were there about 15 minutes and we were ready to head on to dinner. We had salad and pizza for dinner. It was pretty good. I ordered a Sprite to drink. It came in the same kind of plastic bottle we get at home, but when it was opened there wasn't any carbonation. It was still good - believe it or not. I had not had a soda since we left Fl over a week ago.

Tomorrow we will take a driving tour around town with Inna, our interpreter, and Yuri, our driver. We hope to take tons of photos of the city as a keepsake for Kathryn.

Life here in Kaz

2008-09-24T06:38:00.004-04:00

Life is pretty quiet here. We are still not fully adjusted to life 10 hours ahead of FL. We do, however, take a nap in the afternoons when we are tired - not something we are used to. Here is a picture of our cottage. We stay in the one on the right.

In the evenings we have been losing our internet connection. They say it is because everyone gets home from school and work and logs on, so it is flooded with activity, but who really knows??? So, we have watched one Bourne movie each of the past 3 nights - always good entertainment. Our cottage mates are also Bourne fans.

Mona, one of our cottage mates, and I have tried to be creative at night with dinners. Last night we made fajitas by improvising with great Kazakh bread for tortillas. When buying meat, we pray we end up with beef - I think we did. The national dish in Kaz is horse, but I'm not willing to go there.... We have also made chili - or more like a goulasch - which was good. They have the best dumplings here with cabbage and mushrooms which we had the other night. We bought another pack to cook because we liked them so much. So, needless to say, we are not starving here. We have tried the chocolate which is great. The yogurt is delicious! We bought some fruit yesterday and the apples are wonderful. They say "apples are from Kazakhstan".

Tonight we are celebrating with our cottage mates. They had their court date today and officially became parents of a 4 year old boy! We are so excited for them and are looking forward to our day in court!

We are really enjoying our time with Kathryn and passing the time between visits.

Official Bonding Day #3

2008-09-24T05:48:00.007-04:00

After days of stretching and working out Kathryn's muscles, she is now beginning to kick her legs on her own. She is getting stronger each day. She is starting to reach for things using her gross motor skills and she kick her legs when she is happy.

Today we saw her cry for the first time. She was drinking her bottle, more like gulping, and when we would take it away for her to catch her breath, she started to cry. It is amazing how she drinks her bottle, I don't know that any words can really explain it. She gulps and swallows and you can hear it dumping into her tummy. Of course she swallows tons of air! She would make her brothers proud with the burp that follows :-) Here is a picture of the Kazakh bottle she drinks from. Nothing like the ones we see now-a-days with the features to minimize air flow into the bottle.

The translator of our cottage mates, Makhabbat, told me today what they say about raising their children . . . "from 0-3 yrs old they treat them like kings (take care of them and give them all they need, from 3-7 they treat them like 'slaves' (teach them everything they can) and from 7 on they are your friends". We will provide all that Kathryn needs, teach her all we can and will be her friend when she is old enough!

Here We Are...

2008-09-23T03:43:00.005-04:00

It's officially Day 2 of our bonding period. Initially we thought we were two days ahead of schedule and started our bonding on Sat, but that is not the case and we are right on schedule. We are enjoying the time. Our visits go by so quickly and it is getting harder each day to leave her at the end of the visit. She is starting to kick her legs and sort of bats her hands at times. I don't remember seeing her kick at all in the first few days. We spend time stretching her every day. I also massage her when we first get there while I change her clothes. I think this is her favorite time. She just smiles and starts talking to us. She spends some time on the floor on her tummy before she gets her bottle. We are hoping this will help her build some strength in her arms and neck. She is still coughing and congested, but seems better than yesterday. Once again, she fell asleep in Daddy's arms, but was awake when it was time for us to go. We kept kissing on her, we did not want to leave.

After the visit, we went to the Green Market. What an interesting place. Inside there all hundreds of booths. There are vegetables, fruit, cheese, milk products , breads and half the booths are meats. All the meets are layed out, many are fresh cuts of meet and others are fresh whole meats. Very interesting! They also sell clothes and other goods there. Maybe we will have a chance to get some pictures at some point. We can't take pictures AND keep a low profile.

Thinking of Home

2008-09-22T07:04:00.005-04:00

Just sitting here having thoughts of home. It was almost a week ago that we were having our last day of work and getting ready to take the Boys out to our Family Night dinner. Hard to believe how quick a week goes. It is so great to be able to have internet access and cell phones to keep in touch with everyone. We look forward each day to checking emails and catching up with everyone.

I was also thinking today about Kathryn's room. Well soon to be room. She will stay with us in our room for a while till her room is built. I know this is the ongoing question, where is Kathryn going to sleep in our 3 bedroom house? We have just about decided to build a room in our living room for her. This is the best option so that she can have a room outside of ours and we still have plenty of room in the house with the family room. We rarely use the living room anyhow. This is a picture of the crib set we picked out for her room. No, her room won't look exactly like that but... It is pretty in pink just like Kathryn. Her great grandparents gave us the bumber, skirt and sheets at the Bon Voyage party last weekend. Can't wait to put the crib together and get her home.

Our thoughts and love go out to everyone at home. We have felt the prayers and love sent with us the whole time we've been here. There are so many people who have been a part of making this possible that I won't even try to start naming you - if you are reading this you are one of them. Our thoughts and hearts are at home with you all while we spend this time with our new daughter. This bonding time is so important in the journey of adoption.

Capturing our Hearts

2008-09-21T07:42:00.005-04:00

Today was a little quieter than the past two day's visits. Kathryn wasn't feeling very well today. She has quite the cough. From what we have read for the past year on many blogs, these colds are very common. It was so hard not be able to just give her some medicine, though we were told she is getting cold medicine. They told us "there are lots of viruses around". Even with the cold, she was not fussy, just tired.

We still got several smiles and managed to stretch her out a little. She was definitely happier being held! This is just fine with us for now! When we got there, once again she was just waking up. She looked right up at us and gave us a big Kathryn Smile! Of course, that grabbed our hearts right away. It occurred to us while Dave was giving her the bottle today, that he was the first man to feed her the bottle! That was special for Daddy. You can already tell she has captivated Daddy' heart and will be Daddy's little girl.

We started taking our MP3 player and the speakers with us and playing some nice soft music. Today was Pachabel Canon with ocean background. She seems to like it and it gives some background music to an otherwise pretty quiet room.
Speaking of technology... wow life is not bad here since we have so much technology. Dave and I sit and watch a few episodes of Seinfeld or Frasier when we can't sleep - like at 4am this morning. We play on the internet, look up local news, and right now I'm also listening to Z88.3 compliments of zradio online. There is local free wifi, but we do not use if for security reasons. We have DSL wireless access in the cottage for a fee. We have settled into a routine after our visits of doing some daily shopping for whatever we need, having lunch, internet time, nap and then get dinner ready, visit with our cottage mates, more internet and reading. It is pretty quiet, but the time passes. Nothing to complain about because the cottage is very comfortable.

We enjoy starting our days by talking to the Boys at home. We miss them so much! They are doing well. We missed talking to Michael this morning as he was at Brian's house. Thanks to all our friends and family that are taking care of and checking in on the boys. We are so blessed to have such wonderful people in our lives.

Sleep and Smiles for our Second visit

2008-09-20T10:56:00.009-04:00

We are getting into a routine here, which happened faster than we had anticipated. It's amazing what a good night's sleep will do. We went to see Kathryn a little after 1000 wondering what her reaction would be to us today. Maybe yesterday was a fluke. She proved us wrong. When we arrived she was sound asleep in her crib and did not want to disturb her. She awoke about 15 minutes later, turned her head and smiled at us. The time flew by and before we knew it it was time to leave. She continues to be semmingly intrigued by us. We played, stretched her out, fed her another bottle and she fell asleep just before we left. She is easy going and playful. We will keep working on getting her strength increased a little at a time.

Life here is fairly quiet for us. Not in the sense that there are no kids, but in that we don't have the constant input of things like work, television, driving. Honestly, I don't miss the television much at all. Yesterday, after our visit with Kathryn our interpretor, Inna, took us to the grocery store for a few things. I'm a little rusty on my Cyrillic so I was happy to have her help in selecting the correct tortellini, the one with cabbage and mushrooms, and not horse meat. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

On that note, Karie and our other house mates went to the store to purchase some beef to go in the chili we were making for dinner. To get their point across in making sure they were getting what they wanted, they were "mooing" at the lady behind the counter. She laughed and said "Da"(yes). The chili turned out pretty good, more like a Gulasch though. Other than a couple trips to the store, we have not ventured out. It really isn't that cold to be outside during the day. It's the fact that you cannot blend in anywhere. Most people are very nice, but I would rather not have the attention. We are trying to keep a low profile and all we have to do is speak English and they know who we are. We will venture out a little more in a few days to see what kinds of Kazak items we will want to take home.

How Beautiful…

2008-09-19T13:04:00.007-04:00

How Beautiful…

What a great way to start our visit but to be greeted by a beautiful young lady! Kathryn. From the moment we entered her room and saw her she greeted us with a steady stare from those big brown eyes and sometimes a smile. But mostly a look of curiosity and a look of content just to be held. We were told that we would have two hours visit with her and that would be the norm for the duration of our visits. She is small for her age (a little over 6 months and 12 lbs. Not bad for a preemie) but is well proportioned, nourished, has big brown eyes, and a calm disposition. She is very expressive with looks of content, interest, and delight. She does seem to lack some muscle tone for this age like holding her head up unassisted. But I’m no expert. There is even a slight showing of dimples when she smiles. She is already a joy and we know she will be a blessed addition to our family. It seemed like we did a lot during our visit; she looked at us and cooed, played, napped, drank a bottle of formula (kifer actually, like a yogurt) in record time, about 8 oz. in <4min.>

The Meeting

2008-09-19T13:04:00.005-04:00

Our day began after a much needed good night sleep. The temperature here is cold and, since the heat is centrally controlled by the government (more on that later), it was for me at least, good sleeping weather. We spoke to the boys and Karie’s parents this morning via our cell phone since we could not connect with skype. We think we have the issue resolved with skype so we should have the ability to talk and video with the boys Saturday morning. At about 945 we were picked up by our driver, Yuri, who speaks only Russian but some how we still communicate, and interpreter, Inna (pronounced EENnah) a very professional bright young woman who majored in English at Kokshetau University and is wise beyond her years, and headed to the Ministry of Education. There, we spoke with the Deputy Minister, a Russian woman in maybe her late 50’s ish. With a stoic expression but polite tone she asked us, through Inna, to tell her a little about us and what we were looking for in terms of a child to adopt. After that brief discussion she asked us a few questions including “Do your boys treat each other nicely?” Of course, we said yes;-). Interestingly, she mentioned that Kazakhstan law provides for a parent to take off work until the child reaches their 3rd birthday. Regretfully, we told her that there are not the same provisions in the United States but we are taking as much time as allowed by law. She was pleased with our responses and allowed us to visit the baby house, which we did very shortly after our meeting.

Добро пожаловать в Кокшетау...Welcome to Kokshetau

2008-09-18T21:55:00.022-04:00

We finally setteled in arriving last evening (Thursday) around 7pm. So although the post says 9/18, it's really the 19th...I'm pretty sure. It's cold here with highs in the 40's and 20's overnight. We are now at the "cottage", a three bedroom, two story place that we are sharing with another adoptive family. The 4 hour ride from Astana to Kokshetau was long, especially after not having much sleep in the previous 48 hours. The countryside here reminds me mostly of the midwest, without the farms. There are rolling hills and wide open countryside that seem to go on forever. We passed through a few small villages and two gas stations but for the most part there is nothing but open space for the almost 400km we traveled between the two cities. There is lots of road construction going on to improve and widen what is here now. The main road we took here consists of some new sections, some old, and sometimes there is neither. Just an unfinished new section that requires you to veer off to the side onto a dirt "road" until you reach another paved section.

The driving here is reminiscent of Chicago taxi drivers. The roads may or may not have lines defining lanes but in any case, there is always the option of creating your own, which is a frequent occurence. Even on the "highway" if the car in front of you isn't moving fast enough for your liking, just go around, apparently it's ok to take your half of the oncoming traffic lane, even with traffic coming! However, the oncoming traffic doesn't seem to mind since they tend to stay on their half of the lane.

Looking forward to our meeting with the Department of Education Director (they oversee the baby houses) and our subsequent visit to the baby house!

Journey to Kaz ... the long Silk Road

2008-09-18T11:27:00.001-04:00

Well, once we were on the plane to Frankfurt, it seemed the travel would not end. It was a long road but well worth the time. We basically were in transit for what seemed like 2 full days. An eight hour flight to Frankfurt, a two hour layover, 6 hour flight to Almaty then a quick rest in the apartment in Almaty. Lufthansa does a great job with their flights. The US airlines could learn a lesson or two. We were served meals on each flight (two on the first). Free drinks/sodas the whole trip. It was strange to see the flight attendants coming up and down the aisles throughout the night serving wine. On the first flight we had personal TV sets and could watch TV or movies or listen to music.

Once in Almaty, Dema, our driver, brought us to the apartment. I could not believe the number of people out at 1230 in the morning. The city seemed to never sleep. The apartment was nice - 4th floor. We didn't really plan for carrying 4 suitcases and 4 carry-ons up 4 flights of stairs - but we did it! We barely slept 3-4 hours. We had a great wakeup call by the boys at 6am Kaz time. Daniel's first question was "Have you seen the judge yet?" We will see the judge after our 14 day visitation period which starts on Monday.

At 0845 on Thursday am we went to meet with the Sisters. They were very efficient and professional. We signed all the application forms and took care of the financial side of things. It went very smooth. At 1100 Dema took us to the Almaty airport. We took off at 1230 and headed for Astana. It was a quick 1 1/2 hr flight. Once in Astana, Yuri, our driver, took us on the 4 hour ride to Kokshetau. We arrived in Kokshetau around 7pm. It was a very interesting drive. Lots of flat land with small villages.

We arrived at the cottage and got settled in. Our room mates brought us a pizza - boy were we hungry! We got logged onto the internet and off to bed at 1030!

And We Begin.....

2008-09-16T17:47:00.007-04:00

Actually, it's not really the beginning, but the culmination of many months of plannning and preparation. Maybe it's the beginning of the end, of this part at least.We are finally off to the airport and patiently waiting for our boarding from Orlando to Frankfurt, then on to Almaty, Kazakhstan. We will arrvie in Almaty near midnight Wednesday. The following morning, or sometime shortly thereafter, is when we will fly to Astana and then our 4 hour drive to Kokshetau. What's a little more time after months of preparing for this. It always seems like the last few hours (minutes) are the longest. Fortunately, the boys are in their usual routine at home busy with homework and practice and being well cared for by their Nana and Papa. Hopefully, this will keep some normalcy to their schedule. We miss them already but know they are in great hands with family and friends.

Family Time

2008-09-16T17:24:00.011-04:00

Before we left on our journey we were able to spend some quality time with the family. My Mom and Debbi planned a Bon Voyage party for us on Sunday. Maddi did the great poster shown here. It was a lot of fun and we really appreciated the great time with the family. Nana and Maddi had gone shopping for some clothes for baby girl Ryan and gave them to us on Sunday. Mama Louise and Grandaddy gave us the crib set from Pottery Barn for baby girl Ryan. They are all adorable. The party was lots of fun.

On Monday after school and soccer, we took the boys to Fujiyamas for dinner. It was a lot of fun. The boys enjoyed having their dinner cooked in front of them. Michael tried some new foods and they all enjoyed it. It was just an enjoyable night out with the boys before our we off on the journey.

Family time.... we will look forward to our new family of 6!

We have them all - documents that is...

2008-09-09T20:55:00.005-04:00

Just a quick note to say that all our documents are in our hands. FedEx came through with a week to spare. It is great to not have to worry at the last minute if they will get here. It has taken lots of hard to work and coordination to get most of the documents redone. But... we did it! Yeah.

6 days and counting....

Happy Grandparents Day!

2008-09-07T08:19:00.003-04:00

Today is Grandparents Day. What a great day to think about bringing home my parents 6th grandchild ( second grandaughter). This will be Dave's Mom's 5th grandchild and also her second grandaughter. We are blessed to have my grandparents here to experience this adoption as well. They have all been so supportive of this process. Our children are so blessed to live so close to their grandparents and great grandparents.

My parents will experience staying with the boys for the time that we are gone. We are so thankful that they are willing to do this for us. Knowing that they will be staying with the boys has made the planning so much easier. Thank God for Grandparents!

8 days and counting....

P.S. I found a coat for our little girl for the cold weather!

The Countdown is On!

2008-09-03T20:05:00.005-04:00

We are in the countdown mode. We have less than 2 weeks. We are still awaiting some of our apostilled documents to come back from the Fl Dept of State. I do feel better, however, that we have a back up plan if they do not arrive:-)

Between now and the 16th we have plenty to do. Not only are we getting ready for the trip, but the kids are starting up all their activities. School open houses are this week and next week. Soccer games start this weekend and baseball practices should start next week. Homework is in full force with projects starting all ready. Busy, busy, busy....

On Friday we will be going to Nana and Papa's to go over all the details of the boys' schedules. I think we have everything pretty organized for them. They will be busy, but they will have lots of fun and create lasting memories.

I have a to do list that is still incomplete.... we have added getting a winter coat for our baby girl to the list. It is starting to get cold over in Kaz. There is a custom/rule that when babies go outside they have to be wrapped and dressed in very warm clothes and hats - no matter what the outside temperature is. No exceptions. We are unsure exactly when we will take her outside, but we want to be prepared.

12 days and counting.......

Flights are Booked!

2008-08-26T18:39:00.000-04:00

It's official, we have our tickets to Kaz. Today, we also received our Visas with our passports!! We are just about ready to head from the sands of Florida to the blue mountains of Kaz. Well . . . almost. Still have lots to do. We are starting the packing process, waiting for our apostilled documents from the Fl Dept of State and getting the boys ready for our departure three weeks from today:-)

We have been so blessed with our friends and family who have offered their assistance in helping with the boys while we are gone. My Mom and Dad will be living in our house and caring for the boys. From the beginning they said "yes", without a question. Many friends have offered to help in way they can: carpooling, taking to practice, babysitting, house repairs, etc . . . whatever is needed. What a blessing to have such great friends. Thank you all! It definitely takes a village, or at least a church, to raise kids. We would not be able to make this journey without each of you.

Sunshine Through the Storm

2008-08-20T16:26:00.000-04:00

Through all the clouds and rain we received word today of our long awaited travel dates!! We are leaving for Almaty, Kazakhstan on September 16th. There, we will meet with our agency partners and go over some paperwork. The following day we will then travel to Kokshetau, via a flight to the Capital, Astana, and a four hour drive north. Not the direct flight we were hoping for but yet another page in our travel log. From what we have read, it will be an eventful ride. Finally, then, we will have the opportunity to meet our daughter.

Fortunately, we have almost all of the paperwork we had to update completed and ready to send for apostille. Still waiting on some travel supplies from Magellan's which was supposed to arrive yesterday but is appearantly delayed. Hats off to Fed Ex and the USPS for coming through with our other stuff yesterday.

We continue to endure historic rainfalls from Tropical Storm Fay (one unoffical account says over 20 inches) at the very least it's over ten inches in the last 24 hours. We have gotten the worst of the storm being in the northeast quadrant initially, it has now stalled over us just turning and dumping rain. Hopefully she will move on over the next few hours and we can begin to dry out.

Still much to do.

Good News Today

2008-08-07T21:46:00.000-04:00

We received our LOI today! This is our letter of invitation from the government of Kazakhstan to travel. It is in Russian, so we have no idea what it says. We do not have our travel dates, but we know our LOI is good from 9/15/08 - 12/15/08. We can now submit our application for our visas. Yeah! We still hope to get our actual travel dates at the end of the month. Short post, but wanted to post the good news for the day:-)

Busy, busy, ...

2008-08-05T19:49:00.000-04:00

This past week has been extremely busy. We go from feeling like we are drowning in paperwork, to confident that we will get it all done and back again. While getting lots of the paperwork updated we found that most of it is easier the second time around. The one page update for the home study seems to be the most difficult. We have to get our full security clearance one more time - Brevard county background check, abuse background check and FDLE background check. So, when we are done, everyone should feel confident that we are pretty safe:-)

Anyway, we are feeling very blessed and excited. Everything is moving along. We are now waiting for the LOI and travel dates - we expect to hear by Sept 1st. Please pray that all the paperwork updates will be complete prior to that date.

Today, Joseph and Daniel had their school physicals. It is hard to believe our little boy Joseph is heading off to Kindergarten. He is pretty excited and feels like the "big boy". I think Daniel is excited to have him at the same school so Daniel can play big brother:-) School starts in less than 2 weeks. I am glad that we will be home for the beginning of the school year and get Joseph off to a great start in his new school.

Today I also recieved our first hand knitted sweater for our daughter! It's beautiful - pink and purple. It will come in handy in the cooler Kaz weather and she will be beautiful in it. It was made by a wonderful friend and colleague at work, Rosina. Thank you!!

I'm getting off the computer and going to relax!

Happy Birthday Joey!

2008-07-30T22:20:00.000-04:00

Today was a busy day. First, and most important, it was Joseph's 5th Birthday. We went out to dinner, had ice cream cake and opened presents! He had such a blast. The one thing he really wanted was a subskate for the pool - so he got it, how could we resist that enthusiasm. He had such a great day rock climbing that he was exhausted and went to bed.

Once Joey was in bed, we started making our way through the list again. We realized that there is paperwork that needs to be redone and re- apostilled. For those unfamiliar with the term apostille (I was too), this is a certification at the Dept of State validating the notary information on a document. It is needed for documents going to certain foreign countries. Some states like Colorado only charge $2 per document and others like Florida charge $10 per document. So any way... we are getting these documents done one by one. I feel like we could literally drown in the paperwork with as many original copies as well as multiple copies of almost every document we did the first time!

One of the most difficult documents to get was from our mortgage company. I think it took us something like 3 tries to get it right the first time around. That was only after calling the CEOs office and asking for help. Well, the document we sent in with our dossier expires in Oct. The good news is that tonight we came across a copy of one we actually received after we submitted our dossier, dated Dec 8th. We are going to use that copy, send if for apostille and call it quites on that one. We are so glad we don't have to go through the mess of requesting another one!

We also completed our 2 photo albums for the trip. One is for the Children's Hospital staff to show them about our family and home and then one for the judge. Many of the pictures date back more than a year ago, but are fun pictures of the boys and family events. The boys will enjoy looking through this as well.

We don't have any additional updates on travel, but will keep posting on our progress along the way. At this point I am on a countdown of 48 days to possible travel - but not holding my breath for that specific date.

Where the Heck is Kokshetau?

2008-07-27T16:52:00.000-04:00

Kokshetau is in the northern part of Kazakhstan approximately 90 miles from the closest Russian border and about 170 miles North-Northwest of the Capital of Astana. China and Mongolia lay East, Caspian Sea to the West. It has the same approximate lattitude of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Checking off the "To Do" List

2008-07-17T22:13:00.001-04:00

We have been told to be prepared to travel in Sept!! Wow. We have the dry erase board out and filled with a list of "to dos". We started checking things off the list. So many things seem so insignificant in and of themselves, but each one puts us closer to getting out the suitcases and packing.
We loaded Skype on the laptop and the PC last night. Tonight we tried it out. It is pretty cool - don't know why more people don't use it for everyday use. It's easy and it's free!! The sound quality is great. The boys thought it was pretty neat too. I think they were happy to know they were going to be able to talk to us and see us on the webcam. It didn't take Daniel long to figure out that he would be able to see his sister on the computer from across the world.
Visa pictures are done. We just need to fill out the application after we get our LOI - letter of invitation - from Kazakhstan. This is the official invitation to travel for adoption purposes to this great country half way around the world. Once we receive the LOI we can send off for the Visas.
What's next on the list? We will be buying gifts for the caregivers and those in country that will help us get around, the translator and the driver. It is customary to take small gifts as a token of appreciation. We will also be around town looking for donations for the Children's Hospital. Back at the end of winter we bought some winter clothes for donation. However, we would like to get some additional items to take. Hopefully we can check some of this off the list this weekend.
So, as you can see, we are making our way down the list. Lots to go, but getting there. All the "to dos" help to pass the time as we wait for our exact travel dates.

What's in Kaz?

2008-07-09T19:00:00.000-04:00

Although there is no real news to report, I know friends and family will be reading this and wondering what's in Kaz? I wanted to share a few interesting facts about Kokshetau, Kazakhstan that I have found since finding out our region. Let's see... Kokshetau means "green/blue mountains" - it is really in a valley between two hills. The real mountains are many miles/ kilometers south of the city itself. The settlers from Russia were told to go to find the green/blue mountains and thought they had gone far enough..... It was founded in 1824. The city has a population of about 125,000+. It is the administrative center of this northeastern region of Kaz. There is a beautiful mosque and several museums in the city. This website has some great photos of the city entrance and it's architecture. You will get a real sense of the city http://aboutkazakhstan.com/Kokshetau_city.shtml.
From what we hear, this is a great region to be assigned to. We'll keep you posted on any other exciting facts we know. Hope this helps get you get acquainted with the home of our daughter.

Moving Forward....Slowly

2008-07-07T22:08:00.000-04:00

We haven't posted in a while during the "waiting-mester". We are happy to know that there is progress within the red tape as we have made it through two governmental agencies in Kaz and will know the area of the country to which we will be travelling.

Not too many detail as of now but we will post them as we get close to travelling, which I'm sure is still several weeks away.

Off We Go

2008-02-23T21:04:00.000-05:00

Off We Go
Welcome to our blog. We have been hoping to adopt for several years and now that our kids are a little older (if you can call 4, 6, and 10 older) feel that the time has come to begin this wonderful, stressful, exciting, unknown journey. We submitted our dossier in early December and hope to adopt a child from Kazakhstan. We have three beautiful boys and are expanding our family through the adoption of a baby girl.

We invite you to follow with us on this journey. Please feel free to post your thoughts as well.