Mom and I went to the baby house this afternoon at 3 to pick up Alina and bring her to the hotel. The car ride back to the hotel was interesting as we didn't have a carseat and we were swerving around all over the place. I was trying to keep Alina from bouncing around too much. She was a bit scared. When we got to our room at the hotel she started relaxing more and playing with her toys. I think she is getting tired though, and so are we=) It will be an early night for all of us.
More tomorrow....
Adults are always asking little kids what they want to be when they grow up because they're looking for ideas. ~Paula Poundstone
Monday, July 20, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Home again!
The girls and I went to visit grandparents in Salt Lake City last week, then took off for our 2 day drive home. We arrived on Tuesday the 14th. I leave for Kazakhstan tomorrow the 17th! I managed to get all the laundry done from our 3.5 month stay in Idaho and everything is put away. I am even packed and ready to go! I am so excited that finally we are bringing our little girl home!
I will try to post while in Kaz, but since I won't have my laptop there this time I will be using the hotel computer. Hopefully I will be able to figure out how to use it=) Not sure if I will get any pictures posted until I am back home again, but I will try. We will be back in the states on July 29th.
I will try to post while in Kaz, but since I won't have my laptop there this time I will be using the hotel computer. Hopefully I will be able to figure out how to use it=) Not sure if I will get any pictures posted until I am back home again, but I will try. We will be back in the states on July 29th.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Back in the USA
We are back. After two really long flights and a short one. The traveling back and forth is really starting to wear on us. Only one more trip to go! Quentin will be staying home with the girls this next trip and I will head back to Taraz with my mother to bring Alina home. We were told that we should be in Taraz on the 18th of July! That is a couple weeks sooner than I had anticipated. We are very happy that we will have our whole family together very soon.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Frankfurt again
We're in the Frankfurt airport. Nothing much new to report other than we're getting to know the airport pretty well. We will be back in the states Friday evening.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Leaving Taraz
It's the morning of June 25, and today we leave Taraz for Almaty. Our flight leaves Almaty at 3:15 AM.
Last night we went to dinner at Sakartvela with the Robeys to celebrate our adoptions. It's been great being here with them. I think it's a lot easier when someone else is going through the same thing you are... you have someone to compare notes with and commiserate with.
We'll go to the baby house this morning to see Alina one more time before we go, and also to drop off all of our gifts and orphanage donation. Then we'll have lunch and probably leave for the airport around 3:00.
It's been a nice and short trip and we're thrilled we got a positive decision. Now all we have to do is wait until we can bring Alina home!
Last night we went to dinner at Sakartvela with the Robeys to celebrate our adoptions. It's been great being here with them. I think it's a lot easier when someone else is going through the same thing you are... you have someone to compare notes with and commiserate with.
We'll go to the baby house this morning to see Alina one more time before we go, and also to drop off all of our gifts and orphanage donation. Then we'll have lunch and probably leave for the airport around 3:00.
It's been a nice and short trip and we're thrilled we got a positive decision. Now all we have to do is wait until we can bring Alina home!
June 24
Today was a fun day. Since the pressure is off now that court is over, we decided to head to the Bazaar this morning. Wayne and Lynda had court today, so we were on our own. We arrived at the Bazaar at 9:30 hoping to beat the heat, only to find that most of the Bazaar had yet to open. So we wandered around and watched the shop keepers set up shop. It seems that they take everything down at night and put everything up in the morning.
We wove our way back and found the household goods again where Quentin found some of the Barf detergent. We bought a box of it so he can put it on his desk at work. Continuing on past more clothing booths, we came to the produce and food area. I got sidetracked watching a guy demonstrate a knife that grates, julliene slices, and does other nifty things. Quentin tried it out and we ended up buying it for all of 250tenge (about $1.67). Next we began searching for the area we found the blankets in last time we were there and came across them at the back of the Bazaar near the shops that have rugs for sale. The blankets are made of a kind of plush material and have patchwork designs that look very Kazakh. I wanted one to save for Alina and found a nice one (not stuffed yet since it needs to fit in the suitcase) and purchased it for 3000tenge ($20). After that we decided to try to find our way out again. On the way we rounded a corner and came upon a huge map of Kazakhstan. It was a nice laminated one in Russian. The girl manning the shop told us it was 500tenge so we bought the map too. She had to climb up onto her table full of merchandise to get it down for us. Not sure yet how we are getting it home, but I think Quentin is going to have to carry it on the plane=)
After the Bazaar we headed back to the hotel and then to Aral to have a little lunch. Finishing up at Aral we spotted our coordinator and found out that we would be able to visit Alina today. We weren’t sure if we would be able to go today since the Robeys were busy in court. So we got our bag of toys and headed to Umit.
Alina seemed rather tired and quiet today. We played a bit then spent some time trying to keep her awake. At the end of the time our coordinator came to take her back to her group and Alina turned away from her and snuggled into me! She had never done that before, usually she will go to whoever holds out their hands. I was surprised and happy that she is starting to prefer me now. If only I didn’t have to leave her here for another month!
We wove our way back and found the household goods again where Quentin found some of the Barf detergent. We bought a box of it so he can put it on his desk at work. Continuing on past more clothing booths, we came to the produce and food area. I got sidetracked watching a guy demonstrate a knife that grates, julliene slices, and does other nifty things. Quentin tried it out and we ended up buying it for all of 250tenge (about $1.67). Next we began searching for the area we found the blankets in last time we were there and came across them at the back of the Bazaar near the shops that have rugs for sale. The blankets are made of a kind of plush material and have patchwork designs that look very Kazakh. I wanted one to save for Alina and found a nice one (not stuffed yet since it needs to fit in the suitcase) and purchased it for 3000tenge ($20). After that we decided to try to find our way out again. On the way we rounded a corner and came upon a huge map of Kazakhstan. It was a nice laminated one in Russian. The girl manning the shop told us it was 500tenge so we bought the map too. She had to climb up onto her table full of merchandise to get it down for us. Not sure yet how we are getting it home, but I think Quentin is going to have to carry it on the plane=)
After the Bazaar we headed back to the hotel and then to Aral to have a little lunch. Finishing up at Aral we spotted our coordinator and found out that we would be able to visit Alina today. We weren’t sure if we would be able to go today since the Robeys were busy in court. So we got our bag of toys and headed to Umit.
Alina seemed rather tired and quiet today. We played a bit then spent some time trying to keep her awake. At the end of the time our coordinator came to take her back to her group and Alina turned away from her and snuggled into me! She had never done that before, usually she will go to whoever holds out their hands. I was surprised and happy that she is starting to prefer me now. If only I didn’t have to leave her here for another month!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
She's ours!
We got impatient last night, so we called our translator. She called the coordinator and called us back. Alina Symbat Docter is officially part of our family! (Barring anything happening during the 15-day waiting period, of course.)
Kara and I will fly back to the US on Friday, and then wait. We think that Kara and her mom will be able to come back here and pick Alina up around the end of July. We can't wait to get her home!
Kara and I will fly back to the US on Friday, and then wait. We think that Kara and her mom will be able to come back here and pick Alina up around the end of July. We can't wait to get her home!
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