This page is designed as a resource for adoptive families who have not yet traveled and are looking for ideas on what to do and bring
Travel
From USA: We elected to fly Lufthansa as we live in Denver and they offered the only 1 stop flight. British Airways, Northwest/KLM were alternatives with additional stops. International flights go to Almaty. You must find other transportation from Almaty if you are not staying there. American, United, Delta and yes even Southwest do not have service to Kazakhstan.
Waiting in Frankfurt Scat Plane unloading in Taraz
Inside Kazakhstan: We traveled between Almaty and Taraz via Scat Air, the Soviet train and the Spanish train. On the Spanish, we had a first class sleeper compartment. This consisted of two fold out beds and a restroom with toilet and shower. It was a comfortable overnight journey, leaving Almaty around 2100 and arriving in Taraz around 0600. There were a couple of very short stops but otherwise the train kept rolling. The Spanish train books fast. Our agency/coordinator seemed more organized than most and booked our train tickets while we were still in the states. There is also turbo-prop service (Russian built AN-24) on Tuesdays and Saturdays via Scat Air which takes about 90 minutes, we used this on all but one occasion and it was definitely our favorite way to go. Air Astana does not offer service at this time between Almaty and Taraz. The Spanish train was approximately $60 per person one way, the plane costs 12500 Tenge or about $95. The Soviet train was by far the least enjoyable experience. While it is about a 10 1/2 hour trip via the Soviet train, one would be well advised to avoid the restrooms if possible. The upside to the Soviet train is that it cost 1500 Tenge for all of us (about $11USD). To imagine the Soviet train, think of how it must have been to ride on the train in the days of the frontier, replace the steam engine with diesel, add electricity, subtract the Dalton Gang and the Soviet train is essentially what you will have.
Taraz Hotel: Hotel Zhambyl is a comfortable hotel in the heart of Taraz. It costs 7950 tenge, about $60USD per night. Tole bi Street 42 Taraz, Kazakhstan 484000, Telephone 7-3262-452552. The rooms are comparable in size to a Marriott Courtyard. The tv has three stations all in Russian. There is a restaurant but the dishes are different than most American tastes are accustomed to. There is a small refrigerator in each room and there is a hair salon on the main level. There is no fitness center at the hotel or anywhere in town to the best of our knowledge. If you bring a laptop you can connect to the internet via the room phone via free local call. Set up a Nursat account for free now. You can get I Cards here which are like prepaying your usage, these can also be used as calling cards. From Taraz the access number is 911911, if calling from a hotel you will need to dial 9 first so the number would be 9911911. The other hotel in Taraz is the Gazovic which is nice according to others that we have spoken to.
Interlink: They are a humanitarian organization in Taraz and one of their functions is to help the orphanages and provide assistance to adoptive families. They have many DVD's available to loan and do not charge a fee which is reason alone to check them out. Very nice people - thanks Beth and Ken!
Favorite Taraz Restaurants:
Cafe Istanbul - Pizza, Durums (Turkish Burritos), kebobs. Menu has pictures and some English. No beer/liquor but food is good and full of locals. Average meal cost with a Coke is 350-400 tenge (about $3USD) Cafe Istanbul had our favorite pizza - either Margherita which was essentially cheese or Doner which had beef, tomatoes and corn.
Cafe Bosfor - similar menu slightly more expensive and upscale atmosphere, full bar Average cost with a tall beer would be $4.50USD Try the Brizol which has thinly sliced beef and vegetables enclosed in an egg wrap with a tasty sauce, served with rice or french fries. They bring unlimited free hot bread which is very tasty.
Cafe Marmaris - Pizza, kebabs, durums - try the Ufa Kebab which is either lamb or beef (we were told both on different occasions) on a skewer with a Turkish tortilla, rice and vegetables. Full Bar and larger tables. Most entrees with a beer or Coke would be about $5USD.
Both Cafe Bosfor and Cafe Marmaris turn into popluar night spots with dancing.
There is no such thing as a non smoking section in Kazakhstan.
What to Bring: toys (the selection here is not as good as in the US), books (for you and the kid), laptop, DVD's (Bring an exercise DVD if you want to exercise in your room), ziploc bags (not available here but wish we had them), camera (and all necessary accessories!), electrical converters/adapters, vitamins, prescription drugs, drain stop for the sink/shower in your room (handy for washing clothes in your room)
What not to Bring: toilet paper (it's provided and comparable to what is offered at public facilities in the US), food (plenty here though with the exception of Coke & Pepsi it will be European or Asian brands), bottled water, extra toiletries, cigarettes, liquor
Monday, June 30, 2008
Timeline
Significant Steps In Our Adoption Timeline
January 7, 2005 - Sign on with Aurora International Adoptions as our adoption agency for Kazakhstan adoption.
January 8 - Sign on with Claar Foundation as Colorado homestudy agency.
January 8 - Submitted I600A
January 22 - Begin Colorado classes with Claar
February 12 - Fingerprinted
March 12 - Completed classes with Claar
March 19 - Completed homestudy visits with Claar
April 11 - Advised by Claar that homestudy was sent to state for approval
April 18 - Learned that homestudy had not been sent to state.
April 25 - Advised by Claar that homestudy was sent to state for approval
May 2 - Homestudy approved at state level
June 25 - I-171H received
July 20 - Dossier translated and off to the consulate in New York
August 4 - Dossier moves from consulate to Kazakhstan
October 27 - LOI received
November 14 - Begin trip one!
December 15 - Bonding and Guardianship completed
December 18 - End of trip 1
January 5 - Begin trip 2
January 18 - Court date (after being postponed twice by court)
February 2 - 15 day post court hold completed (adoption final)
February 7 - Olesya leaves the baby house
February 9 - Say goodbye to Taraz and head to Almaty
February 15 - Olesya reaches Denver
January 7, 2005 - Sign on with Aurora International Adoptions as our adoption agency for Kazakhstan adoption.
January 8 - Sign on with Claar Foundation as Colorado homestudy agency.
January 8 - Submitted I600A
January 22 - Begin Colorado classes with Claar
February 12 - Fingerprinted
March 12 - Completed classes with Claar
March 19 - Completed homestudy visits with Claar
April 11 - Advised by Claar that homestudy was sent to state for approval
April 18 - Learned that homestudy had not been sent to state.
April 25 - Advised by Claar that homestudy was sent to state for approval
May 2 - Homestudy approved at state level
June 25 - I-171H received
July 20 - Dossier translated and off to the consulate in New York
August 4 - Dossier moves from consulate to Kazakhstan
October 27 - LOI received
November 14 - Begin trip one!
December 15 - Bonding and Guardianship completed
December 18 - End of trip 1
January 5 - Begin trip 2
January 18 - Court date (after being postponed twice by court)
February 2 - 15 day post court hold completed (adoption final)
February 7 - Olesya leaves the baby house
February 9 - Say goodbye to Taraz and head to Almaty
February 15 - Olesya reaches Denver
About Olesya
What we know about Olesya - pronounced ah-LYE-syah
Olesya Addison Magoffin was born May 3, 2005 and lives in Taraz, Kazakhstan. She was born in week 38, weighed 8.16 lbs., and measured 21.65 inches. She is a very happy kid and loves to smile and seldom fusses. We are very happy that she is becoming a part of our family.
Olesya Addison Magoffin was born May 3, 2005 and lives in Taraz, Kazakhstan. She was born in week 38, weighed 8.16 lbs., and measured 21.65 inches. She is a very happy kid and loves to smile and seldom fusses. We are very happy that she is becoming a part of our family.
September 14
Due to a slow down in Almaty we have been assigned to Taraz (formally Zhambyl) which is west of Almaty on the Krgyzstan border. We believe we will keep the name Olesya. She was born May 3, 2005 and is scheduled to be available for international adoption on December 1, 2005. At this point, we plan to travel to Kazakhstan in mid November to initiate the bonding period in advance of the court date which we hope to be on or near the December 1 date.
Since we were originally planning for a 3-4 year old, there is much work to be done in changing things to accommodate a younger child. In the grand scheme of things, this is a small problem and one we are happy to work through.
This is good news in the sense that it should allow us to attend Tim and Marci's wedding in San Diego.
Since we were originally planning for a 3-4 year old, there is much work to be done in changing things to accommodate a younger child. In the grand scheme of things, this is a small problem and one we are happy to work through.
This is good news in the sense that it should allow us to attend Tim and Marci's wedding in San Diego.
May 25
We learned today that Olesya is in Almaty which is a large city in the southeast portion of Kazakhstan (a map is available in the upper left portion of this page). Almaty is the main city in Kazakhstan with regards to international air traffic. It will be nice not to have to make additional travel inside Kazakhstan and at this time it is possible to fly to Almaty with only one stop (Denver-Frankfurt-Almaty) on Lufthansa. Not bad when I consider that when I was with GP I once flew to LA from Denver with stops in Salt Lake, Reno and Fresno. We are still waiting for our I171 from the USCIS. Once we get it, it should be about 4 months we learned today until we travel. There is a backup at the embassy in New York and also at the Ministry of Education in Kazakhstan. This means the timing should allow Kim to start with her new class at Asbury Elementary as she had hoped. It also means that it could come close to Tim and Marci's wedding in which Joe is slated to be a groomsman. We will work on getting this squared away somehow.
In talking with our friend Sherri who is also adopting from Kazakhstan and whom we met during the homestudy process, we are at the same point in the process with the USCIS today, with both of us receiving a request for resubmittal of some form. Perhaps we will meet up in Almaty for dinner in the fall.?.
In talking with our friend Sherri who is also adopting from Kazakhstan and whom we met during the homestudy process, we are at the same point in the process with the USCIS today, with both of us receiving a request for resubmittal of some form. Perhaps we will meet up in Almaty for dinner in the fall.?.
March 9
Hello everyone,
Since we are getting overwhelmed by paperwork, and since I can't remember who I've told what to, I've resorted to mass emails. I thought this would be the best way to keep everyone updated with what's going on with things.
We have taken 2 out of our 4 classes. So far we have taken adoption basics part one and two. This Saturday is adopting from Russia and the Ukraine (not exactly appropriate for us, but that's the closest thing and we have to have 24 hours of classes anyway.) Our final class, adopting 3 and older will be rolled into our home study process since we were the only ones that signed up for it.
Now that our fingerprints have finally cleared (thank goodness we're not criminals), our home study can begin. This will consist of three visits with a social worker, at least one of which will be at our house. After this, we will receive a report which will be included in our dossier and also sent to INS. After INS processes more paperwork, we will receive the last form we need for our dossier and will then send it in to our agency. It will then get sent to Washington D.C and then on to Kazakhstan. Hopefully after our home study is completed, we will receive more information about Olesya. We really have no idea when we will be going to Kazakhstan - most likely sometime this summer. For those of you who have seen the movie, The Money Pit with Tom Hanks - remember how everything always took "two weeks" to get done? Well, our motto seems to be 4-6 weeks. It seems like that is how long everything will take.
On the decorating front, Olesya's room is painted (cream, pink, and green) with furniture in it. We have also painted the bathroom (bright blue with rubber duckies). Along the way Joe has demonstrated painting skills that were previously unrealized. :) Now with nothing else to decorate, I guess I have to just sit and wait - the hardest part.
Since we are getting overwhelmed by paperwork, and since I can't remember who I've told what to, I've resorted to mass emails. I thought this would be the best way to keep everyone updated with what's going on with things.
We have taken 2 out of our 4 classes. So far we have taken adoption basics part one and two. This Saturday is adopting from Russia and the Ukraine (not exactly appropriate for us, but that's the closest thing and we have to have 24 hours of classes anyway.) Our final class, adopting 3 and older will be rolled into our home study process since we were the only ones that signed up for it.
Now that our fingerprints have finally cleared (thank goodness we're not criminals), our home study can begin. This will consist of three visits with a social worker, at least one of which will be at our house. After this, we will receive a report which will be included in our dossier and also sent to INS. After INS processes more paperwork, we will receive the last form we need for our dossier and will then send it in to our agency. It will then get sent to Washington D.C and then on to Kazakhstan. Hopefully after our home study is completed, we will receive more information about Olesya. We really have no idea when we will be going to Kazakhstan - most likely sometime this summer. For those of you who have seen the movie, The Money Pit with Tom Hanks - remember how everything always took "two weeks" to get done? Well, our motto seems to be 4-6 weeks. It seems like that is how long everything will take.
On the decorating front, Olesya's room is painted (cream, pink, and green) with furniture in it. We have also painted the bathroom (bright blue with rubber duckies). Along the way Joe has demonstrated painting skills that were previously unrealized. :) Now with nothing else to decorate, I guess I have to just sit and wait - the hardest part.
March 22
Our homestudy is done. Now it is a question of waiting for the I-171 from the USCIS. This will likely take at least another month. We also learned that we need to take another trip to the fingerprint place.
At this point, June travel is a very best case and perhaps too optimistic. We'll see...
On the brighter side, Olesya's room is complete. Her bed is made, furniture and some toys (ee-GROOSH-ka) are in place. We also have a few clothing items at this point, but are trying not to go overboard since we are unsure what size will be required once we do meet her.
At this point, June travel is a very best case and perhaps too optimistic. We'll see...
On the brighter side, Olesya's room is complete. Her bed is made, furniture and some toys (ee-GROOSH-ka) are in place. We also have a few clothing items at this point, but are trying not to go overboard since we are unsure what size will be required once we do meet her.
February 9
Today is our last day in Taraz. It is hard to believe that after almost three months, I am finally moving on in the process. Olesya is still not sleeping in her crib, but I’ve got other things to worry about. We’ll worry about that when we get home. She is already very attached to her mommy though, and refuses to go to sleep if I am not within eyesight.
For lunch today, we went to Café Bosfor to eat with Christa, Pam and Nazym one more time before leaving. The weather was beautiful today, in the fifties (Fahrenheit), so Olesya just had on a light jacket and light hat, while strolling around town in the snugli. She was very happy at lunch and enjoyed the bread. Nazym was holding her for a while and they went to the front of the restaurant so that Olesya could watch the music videos while the rest of us finished eating.
Tonight, Jeanette has invited us out for dinner and then at around 11 pm, the train leaves for Almaty! Who knows how well any of us will sleep tonight.
For lunch today, we went to Café Bosfor to eat with Christa, Pam and Nazym one more time before leaving. The weather was beautiful today, in the fifties (Fahrenheit), so Olesya just had on a light jacket and light hat, while strolling around town in the snugli. She was very happy at lunch and enjoyed the bread. Nazym was holding her for a while and they went to the front of the restaurant so that Olesya could watch the music videos while the rest of us finished eating.
Tonight, Jeanette has invited us out for dinner and then at around 11 pm, the train leaves for Almaty! Who knows how well any of us will sleep tonight.
February 8
Well, I’m sure you’re all anxious to hear how Olesya slept last night. She slept very well once Mommy and Grandma gave up and let her lie in the bed with them. Now I don’t want to hear anything about bad habits I may be starting. It is difficult to let your daughter lie in a crib and scream when it is a hotel room where she may be disturbing the neighbors. Also, since we forgot to ask anyone at the baby house what it is usually like when she goes to sleep, we weren’t sure if she didn’t like the dark, or missed her special blankie or what. Besides, we will be changing rooms several times over the next few days, so I figured it was better for her to get used to going to sleep in the dark and with me rather than a particular bed. Once she finally fell asleep at about 10:30, she slept solidly until 7. When she woke up, she turned her head toward me and smiled immediately. It is nice to see that she wakes up much easier than her mother does. Her father is also anxious to experience this phenomenon.
Before leaving Taraz, we knew that we had to go to Daddy’s favorite restaurant – Café Istanbul. The waitresses there were very happy to see Olesya and one of them was even playing peek a boo with her. She was also smiling at the man at the next table, but I’m not sure we should tell her father about this. After she ate a few of her carrot/potato mix. She loved, the pieces of pizza crust that I broke off for her. She knows good pizza when she tastes it. She is so excited to have her first bite of Nick ‘n Willy’s.
This afternoon, Aida took us to the Russian Orthodox church and two of the mausoleums in Taraz. It was interesting seeing them again with Mom, because it has been almost 3 months since I saw them. It was also fun to take Olesya.
Tomorrow night, we will be leaving Taraz to go to Almaty! I still don’t know when exactly we will be coming home, but it should be in about a week. We can hardly wait!
Before leaving Taraz, we knew that we had to go to Daddy’s favorite restaurant – Café Istanbul. The waitresses there were very happy to see Olesya and one of them was even playing peek a boo with her. She was also smiling at the man at the next table, but I’m not sure we should tell her father about this. After she ate a few of her carrot/potato mix. She loved, the pieces of pizza crust that I broke off for her. She knows good pizza when she tastes it. She is so excited to have her first bite of Nick ‘n Willy’s.
This afternoon, Aida took us to the Russian Orthodox church and two of the mausoleums in Taraz. It was interesting seeing them again with Mom, because it has been almost 3 months since I saw them. It was also fun to take Olesya.
Tomorrow night, we will be leaving Taraz to go to Almaty! I still don’t know when exactly we will be coming home, but it should be in about a week. We can hardly wait!
February 7
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Olesya wanted to type the update herself, but she was having difficulty getting her hands to keep up with her thoughts, so she asked if she could dictate to me.
Today was a very exciting day! Mommy and Grandma came to the baby house at 10:00. They gave my caregiver an outfit to put on me and then they got me all bundled up in my snowsuit. A lot of people waved goodbye to me. We went into the director’s office and Aida took a picture of Mommy and I standing with her. On the way out to our car, Mommy’s friend Pam knocked on the window of their visiting room to say goodbye. Aida took a picture of Grandma, Mommy and I standing in front of the baby house.
When we got to the hotel, there were many people there who were happy to see me too. We came upstairs to the room and Mommy took off my snowsuit right away. I like having only one layer of clothes on. I am pretty ticklish we found out. I played with my toys and Grandma while Mommy was talking to Daddy on the computer. I have heard that he is very anxious to see me. I am anxious to see him too.
For lunch I ate baby food carrots while Grandma had a Brisol and Mommy had a Durum at Café Bosfor. I like carrots!
After lunch Grandma babysat while Mommy walked to Gros to get more food for me. Grandma is very good at rocking me to sleep (I’ve been told). As long as I can lay on my side and pull the blanket up to my chin, I am happy.
We will be taking the train to Almaty on either Thursday or Friday, but we don’t know yet.
Olesya wanted to type the update herself, but she was having difficulty getting her hands to keep up with her thoughts, so she asked if she could dictate to me.
Today was a very exciting day! Mommy and Grandma came to the baby house at 10:00. They gave my caregiver an outfit to put on me and then they got me all bundled up in my snowsuit. A lot of people waved goodbye to me. We went into the director’s office and Aida took a picture of Mommy and I standing with her. On the way out to our car, Mommy’s friend Pam knocked on the window of their visiting room to say goodbye. Aida took a picture of Grandma, Mommy and I standing in front of the baby house.
When we got to the hotel, there were many people there who were happy to see me too. We came upstairs to the room and Mommy took off my snowsuit right away. I like having only one layer of clothes on. I am pretty ticklish we found out. I played with my toys and Grandma while Mommy was talking to Daddy on the computer. I have heard that he is very anxious to see me. I am anxious to see him too.
For lunch I ate baby food carrots while Grandma had a Brisol and Mommy had a Durum at Café Bosfor. I like carrots!
After lunch Grandma babysat while Mommy walked to Gros to get more food for me. Grandma is very good at rocking me to sleep (I’ve been told). As long as I can lay on my side and pull the blanket up to my chin, I am happy.
We will be taking the train to Almaty on either Thursday or Friday, but we don’t know yet.
February 6
Well, we were hoping to bring Olesya out of the baby house today, but no such luck. The document that we need from the Ministry of Education will not be ready until this afternoon. So, we have been told that tomorrow morning will be the day. We were instructed to bring a blanket so that we will be able to wrap her up when we leave. We will do that, but as soon as we get to the hotel, we will unwrap her from everything and let her enjoy being in a few less layers.
After our visit to the baby house today, we had lunch with Christa, Pam and Nazym at Marmaris. Mom enjoyed her Adana Kebob and I enjoyed some beer after the disappointment of not being able to bring Olesya home today.
We have been told that maybe Friday or Sunday we will be able to go to Almaty, but of course who knows, until it actually happens.
Hopefully tomorrow, Olesya will be here and will be able to help with the update.
After our visit to the baby house today, we had lunch with Christa, Pam and Nazym at Marmaris. Mom enjoyed her Adana Kebob and I enjoyed some beer after the disappointment of not being able to bring Olesya home today.
We have been told that maybe Friday or Sunday we will be able to go to Almaty, but of course who knows, until it actually happens.
Hopefully tomorrow, Olesya will be here and will be able to help with the update.
February 4
What a busy exciting day today! This morning I went to the central registry office with Aida and Jeanette to sign the papers necessary to order Olesya’s birth certificate and adoption certificate. After that, we went to the airport to pick up my mother. Then after that Mom and I went to lunch and then to the baby house to visit Olesya.
While we were at the airport waiting for the plane to land I met Paula who is adopting a boy just 1 day younger than Olesya. She was waiting for her husband to arrive. I was glad to see that Mom made it safely along with all of her luggage! She was very excited to be here and insisted that we start taking pictures immediately.
After flying over 8500 miles, I was very glad to arrive. I spent a total of 19 and a half hours actually flying, 2 hours and 55 minutes sitting in the planes waiting to take off, and another 6 hours waiting in various airports. The flights were all on time and uneventful. I had a fairly easy time connecting to all flights. The Frankfurt airport was the largest and the signs, though in English, were not very specific. That was the only place I had to ask directions. Taraz is a very colorful city. Many of the buildings have beautiful ironwork and pastel colors. We are taking pictures and will post some of them later.
Of course, the most exciting thing was meeting Olesya. She didn’t know what to think of me at first but quickly warmed up. I brought her some new chew toys, which she immediately checked out. She is just wonderful. We are anxious to bring her home. We should be able to have her with us all the time early next week.
While we were at the airport waiting for the plane to land I met Paula who is adopting a boy just 1 day younger than Olesya. She was waiting for her husband to arrive. I was glad to see that Mom made it safely along with all of her luggage! She was very excited to be here and insisted that we start taking pictures immediately.
After flying over 8500 miles, I was very glad to arrive. I spent a total of 19 and a half hours actually flying, 2 hours and 55 minutes sitting in the planes waiting to take off, and another 6 hours waiting in various airports. The flights were all on time and uneventful. I had a fairly easy time connecting to all flights. The Frankfurt airport was the largest and the signs, though in English, were not very specific. That was the only place I had to ask directions. Taraz is a very colorful city. Many of the buildings have beautiful ironwork and pastel colors. We are taking pictures and will post some of them later.
Of course, the most exciting thing was meeting Olesya. She didn’t know what to think of me at first but quickly warmed up. I brought her some new chew toys, which she immediately checked out. She is just wonderful. We are anxious to bring her home. We should be able to have her with us all the time early next week.
February 3
Happy Birthday to Olesya! Okay, so it’s not her actual birthday, but she did turn nine months old today. Also today, the court decision is final. After our visit to the baby house, we went to the court to pick up a copy of the decision and then we went to the central registry office so that Aida could fill out some paperwork. Tomorrow morning we will go back to the central registry office so that I can sign some documents. These documents will be necessary to get Olesya’s birth certificate and to register the adoption so that I can take her out of the baby house. Aida and Jeanette keep telling me to be patient, but I am hoping that I will be able to take Olesya out on Monday or Tuesday. I think I have been patient enough.
Mom is on her way to Almaty right now! Tomorrow at this time, Mom and I will be watching movies together. Or she might be sleeping off some jet lag. It sure will be nice to have the company. I know Olesya is looking forward to meeting her babushka. We have been talking about it a lot lately.
Today I went to a new restaurant with Christa, Pam and Nazym. It wasn’t a new restaurant, but it was new to me. I don’t remember the name of it, but it has a lot of Uzbek dishes. I ordered something pronounced mon-thee, which was very similar to pirogis. They were dumplings with beef inside and very good. Christa and Pam ordered Ploff which is like rice pilaf and it was also very good. Nazym had a kind of soup with lots of noodles and beef. It looked very good. It is always nice to be able to add a new restaurant to the rotation.
Congratulations to Karen and John! Karen arrived back in Taraz yesterday with her sister, and she was able to take Maeve out of the baby house!
Mom is on her way to Almaty right now! Tomorrow at this time, Mom and I will be watching movies together. Or she might be sleeping off some jet lag. It sure will be nice to have the company. I know Olesya is looking forward to meeting her babushka. We have been talking about it a lot lately.
Today I went to a new restaurant with Christa, Pam and Nazym. It wasn’t a new restaurant, but it was new to me. I don’t remember the name of it, but it has a lot of Uzbek dishes. I ordered something pronounced mon-thee, which was very similar to pirogis. They were dumplings with beef inside and very good. Christa and Pam ordered Ploff which is like rice pilaf and it was also very good. Nazym had a kind of soup with lots of noodles and beef. It looked very good. It is always nice to be able to add a new restaurant to the rotation.
Congratulations to Karen and John! Karen arrived back in Taraz yesterday with her sister, and she was able to take Maeve out of the baby house!
February 2
What an exciting day we had today. Olesya got to go on a little outing! We went to a photo store to have her passport photo taken. First though, we had to get her dressed for her first “official” picture. I brought in an outfit with a yellow fleece top and flowery knit pants. When they brought her back to me, that outfit was on her, but they also put a blue shirt underneath and another pair of pants underneath as well. She also wore her purple snowsuit, a knit hat, and a scarf around her mouth. I didn’t bring the scarf, but the ladies at the baby house insisted on it.
When we got to the first photo place, Olesya was sweating because she was so bundled up. It helped to make her hair stand up though. We couldn’t get the photos done at that store though because they didn’t do the size that was needed for the American Embassy. So, we had to go to another place. Olesya did a very nice job of sitting in the chair, but she wouldn’t look at the camera because there were so many other people to look at. The photographer had to ask everyone else to step outside so that he could take a picture with Olesya looking at the camera. I had spiked her hair for the picture, but they smoothed it down. It was a little difficult, but eventually we did get a picture of her looking at the camera. She looks very serious though. Then, we had to wait forever to have the pictures printed. Olesya was falling asleep in the car on the way back because she was so tired of waiting. She was very well behaved though and seemed to enjoy riding in the car. Even if she was so bundled up that she could barely move. For those of you familiar with the movie A Christmas Story, that is exactly what Olesya was like in her little snowsuit.
Tomorrow we will be able to start all of the necessary paperwork to get this process finished. In less than a week, we hope to be in Almaty!
When we got to the first photo place, Olesya was sweating because she was so bundled up. It helped to make her hair stand up though. We couldn’t get the photos done at that store though because they didn’t do the size that was needed for the American Embassy. So, we had to go to another place. Olesya did a very nice job of sitting in the chair, but she wouldn’t look at the camera because there were so many other people to look at. The photographer had to ask everyone else to step outside so that he could take a picture with Olesya looking at the camera. I had spiked her hair for the picture, but they smoothed it down. It was a little difficult, but eventually we did get a picture of her looking at the camera. She looks very serious though. Then, we had to wait forever to have the pictures printed. Olesya was falling asleep in the car on the way back because she was so tired of waiting. She was very well behaved though and seemed to enjoy riding in the car. Even if she was so bundled up that she could barely move. For those of you familiar with the movie A Christmas Story, that is exactly what Olesya was like in her little snowsuit.
Tomorrow we will be able to start all of the necessary paperwork to get this process finished. In less than a week, we hope to be in Almaty!
February 19
I’m sure many of you have been waiting for a final update, or maybe you gave up hope of ever seeing one by now.
Our trip home was long, but smooth. Olesya has proven to be quite the traveler. She slept through all three take-offs and did not seem to be affected by air pressure. She slept when she was tired and ate when she was hungry. The only crying she ever did on the plane was when she was getting tired, but as soon as she found her thumb, the crying stopped.
As soon as we cleared customs in Charlotte, Olesya became a US citizen and will retain her Kazakh citizenship until she is 18. Since I have spent so much time in Kazakhstan over the past 3 months, I too am pursuing dual citizenship (just kidding).
We were so excited to get to DIA so we could finally meet up with Joe again. He was excited and happy to see me, but I think he was more excited to see Olesya. He took her from me right away and did not give her back. I had to take my own heavy suitcases off of the baggage carousel and drag them through the parking lot while he got to carry Olesya. After being away from us for almost four weeks, I guess he was entitled to that.
Olesya has settled into life at home quite easily. After having to fight with her and her father for the covers my first night back, I decided to put her in the crib the next night and that worked out just fine. She eats everything she tries and after sleeping all afternoon, evening and night on the 17th, she has settled into a fairly regular sleep pattern, and didn’t seem to suffer much jet lag. She has enjoyed the outings we have had so far to restaurants and shopping because she loves to look at everything. We were worried that she might be afraid of our dog at first because although he is gentle, he is kind of big (lab mix), but those worries were not necessary because she was not frightened at all. Every time he gets close she opens her mouth and tries to lean in to kiss him on the nose, but he keeps just out of reach.
We have appreciated all of the kind thoughts and messages many of you sent while we were in Kazakhstan and we are also thankful for the many congratulatory messages we have received from friends and strangers who have been following our story. For those of you who are still in the process, we know that it can be long and frustrating at times, but we are proof that eventually there will be a happy ending.
Our trip home was long, but smooth. Olesya has proven to be quite the traveler. She slept through all three take-offs and did not seem to be affected by air pressure. She slept when she was tired and ate when she was hungry. The only crying she ever did on the plane was when she was getting tired, but as soon as she found her thumb, the crying stopped.
As soon as we cleared customs in Charlotte, Olesya became a US citizen and will retain her Kazakh citizenship until she is 18. Since I have spent so much time in Kazakhstan over the past 3 months, I too am pursuing dual citizenship (just kidding).
We were so excited to get to DIA so we could finally meet up with Joe again. He was excited and happy to see me, but I think he was more excited to see Olesya. He took her from me right away and did not give her back. I had to take my own heavy suitcases off of the baggage carousel and drag them through the parking lot while he got to carry Olesya. After being away from us for almost four weeks, I guess he was entitled to that.
Olesya has settled into life at home quite easily. After having to fight with her and her father for the covers my first night back, I decided to put her in the crib the next night and that worked out just fine. She eats everything she tries and after sleeping all afternoon, evening and night on the 17th, she has settled into a fairly regular sleep pattern, and didn’t seem to suffer much jet lag. She has enjoyed the outings we have had so far to restaurants and shopping because she loves to look at everything. We were worried that she might be afraid of our dog at first because although he is gentle, he is kind of big (lab mix), but those worries were not necessary because she was not frightened at all. Every time he gets close she opens her mouth and tries to lean in to kiss him on the nose, but he keeps just out of reach.
We have appreciated all of the kind thoughts and messages many of you sent while we were in Kazakhstan and we are also thankful for the many congratulatory messages we have received from friends and strangers who have been following our story. For those of you who are still in the process, we know that it can be long and frustrating at times, but we are proof that eventually there will be a happy ending.
February 14
Happy Valentine’s Day! Even though Joe and I could not be together, we got the best Valentine of all – Olesya! Our trip to the Embassy was very easy and just involved paying for Olesya’s entry visa to the U.S. and signing a few more papers. We have a sealed packet that we will present when we go through customs in Charlotte, North Carolina. I guess that means I don’t have to declare Olesya on the customs form.
We will have a celebratory dinner with Sheri and Helena and then we will finish our packing and head to the airport in the middle of the night to head for home. This will be the last update that I send from Kazakhstan. We are finally brining Olesya home!
We will have a celebratory dinner with Sheri and Helena and then we will finish our packing and head to the airport in the middle of the night to head for home. This will be the last update that I send from Kazakhstan. We are finally brining Olesya home!
February 13
WE ARE COMING HOME! All of the documents have been approved at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Astana and will be delivered to the Embassy tomorrow morning. We will be leaving Almaty with Olesya on Wednesday at 4 am (Almaty time) or 3pm Tuesday afternoon (Denver time) We will fly from Almaty to Frankfurt to Charlotte to Denver. We should arrive in Denver around 7:30 pm (Denver time) on Wednesday night!
Today was just a lazy day in the hotel room. It was a bit cooler today, so we weren’t that motivated to go outside for a walk. We will probably meet up with Sheri and Helena for dinner in the hotel restaurant a bit later.
While I am typing this update, I have iTunes playing in the background and Olesya is dancing! She waves both hands and wiggles both of her feet and bounces. She is also very excited to get home to Colorado!
Today was just a lazy day in the hotel room. It was a bit cooler today, so we weren’t that motivated to go outside for a walk. We will probably meet up with Sheri and Helena for dinner in the hotel restaurant a bit later.
While I am typing this update, I have iTunes playing in the background and Olesya is dancing! She waves both hands and wiggles both of her feet and bounces. She is also very excited to get home to Colorado!
February 12
Today was a very exciting day! Our friend Sheri arrived from Colorado and she was able to bring her daughter Helena out of the baby house. On her first trip, she stayed here in Almaty, so she was able to tell us how to walk to the grocery store and tomorrow we may go shopping! The girls were not quite sure what to think of each other, but they shared their toys nicely. We all ate dinner together down in the hotel restaurant.
I know that these updates are getting shorter, but Olesya is demanding more of my time, or I would just rather give her more of my time. Tomorrow her passport should get the last stamp it needs and then Tuesday we have our interview at the emabassy and then I should be able to bring her home!
I know that these updates are getting shorter, but Olesya is demanding more of my time, or I would just rather give her more of my time. Tomorrow her passport should get the last stamp it needs and then Tuesday we have our interview at the emabassy and then I should be able to bring her home!
February 11
Today was quite the busy day! This afternoon we went for a ride to the mountains. The highest mountain is 3,000 meters. There were a lot of pine trees with snow on them, so it reminded us of home. We saw a skating rink and also a ski area. Olesya had fallen asleep in the car, so she and I missed the ski area, but Mom enjoyed it. The skating rink was a large arena where a lot of people were skating. There were also some carnival rides going. We saw several wedding parties that drove up to the mountains to celebrate.
The ski area was small, you could see from the bottom to the top. There was one long chair lift and there was also a rope tow. There was a hotel right at the bottom of the slope. The ride up to it was very steep, narrow and winding. There were a couple of times when we weren’t sure if we would make it up the hill, but we did.
Olesya again proved to be a wonderful traveler. The change in altitude did not bother her ears and she was able to sleep in the car even though we were going down curvy roads.
The ski area was small, you could see from the bottom to the top. There was one long chair lift and there was also a rope tow. There was a hotel right at the bottom of the slope. The ride up to it was very steep, narrow and winding. There were a couple of times when we weren’t sure if we would make it up the hill, but we did.
Olesya again proved to be a wonderful traveler. The change in altitude did not bother her ears and she was able to sleep in the car even though we were going down curvy roads.
February 10
Last night at 11 p.m. we boarded the train to Almaty. This train is known as the Soviet train because it is from that time period. We had a four person sleeping compartment for the two and a half of us so that was nice that we had the cabin to ourselves. The toilet was down the hall. Mom and I slept off and on, but Olesya fell asleep as the train was leaving the station, and woke up about thirty minutes before we arrived in Almaty. It is such a relief to see that she can fall asleep anywhere and stay asleep very easily.
Upon our arrival in Almaty we were driven to the Hotel Kazzhol which is where Joe and I spent one night on our very first night in Almaty, three months ago. Our friend Sheri will be arriving on Sunday to pick up her daughter Helena, and she will be staying at this hotel also. We are looking forward to introducing our daughters to each other.
This afternoon we went to the SOS Clinic for the check-up that Olesya needs in order to be cleared by the embassy. It was helpful that the staff also spoke English, so that I could ask questions and understand the answers easily. Olesya weighs almost 19 lbs. and is 69 cm. long.
After that, Bulat delivered our papers to the embassy and they were all approved. On Tuesday afternoon, Olesya and I have our interview at the Embassy. Things seem to be getting done quickly and we are excited to finish this journey.
Upon our arrival in Almaty we were driven to the Hotel Kazzhol which is where Joe and I spent one night on our very first night in Almaty, three months ago. Our friend Sheri will be arriving on Sunday to pick up her daughter Helena, and she will be staying at this hotel also. We are looking forward to introducing our daughters to each other.
This afternoon we went to the SOS Clinic for the check-up that Olesya needs in order to be cleared by the embassy. It was helpful that the staff also spoke English, so that I could ask questions and understand the answers easily. Olesya weighs almost 19 lbs. and is 69 cm. long.
After that, Bulat delivered our papers to the embassy and they were all approved. On Tuesday afternoon, Olesya and I have our interview at the Embassy. Things seem to be getting done quickly and we are excited to finish this journey.
February 1
Well, we still haven’t been out to get Olesya’s passport photo taken, but hopefully that will happen tomorrow. She seems to get happier and happier every day. I think she knows that Babushka will be coming soon for a visit and she will be going home soon. Today, while I was nibbling on her fingers she was laughing. I wish Joe was here to hear it. It was the best laugh she has ever done. Of course it made me laugh too. Aida has taught Olesya how to give high fives, and she did that several times also. Toward the end of our visit, one of the nurses came to give Olesya some medicine. This looked like the capsule we had bought yesterday dissolved in warm water. The nurse gave Olesya a spoonful and she took it very nicely. I hope her calm temperament carries through the rest of her childhood and adolescence. Like her mother, she is a Taurus, so I don’t know if this is possible.
The weather here today was downright balmy! About 8 degrees Celsius. Maybe Springtime is coming to Taraz. With the arrival of February comes the crazy realization that I have seen 4 different months in Taraz. It seems like I have been living here since mid November with a three week vacation to Colorado for the holidays. I am looking forward to being in Colorado for four different months.
The weather here today was downright balmy! About 8 degrees Celsius. Maybe Springtime is coming to Taraz. With the arrival of February comes the crazy realization that I have seen 4 different months in Taraz. It seems like I have been living here since mid November with a three week vacation to Colorado for the holidays. I am looking forward to being in Colorado for four different months.
December 9
We were in the small upstairs room again for our visit with Olesya today and were allowed to feed her again. It seemed to go smoother than yesterday. She seems to be getting bigger and our interactions are very easy and familiar now.
Last night we had dinner with the Interlink folks followed by a game of Mexican Train which is dominoes based. We had never played before but really enjoyed it. The dinner was fantastic, Mexican theme with fresh tortillas, beef, salsa, tomatoes, cabbage (no lettuce here) and sour cream. They offered to help us with our picture problem so we now have all our pictures on a DVD and will send a few off at a time since we are on an ultra low speed connection.
While playing with Olesya today, I was able to get her laughing. I was raising her up and down and then kissing her on her neck (under her multiple chins) and she just loved it! We have never heard so much giggling from her and it was very nice to hear.
For lunch today, we decided to switch it up a little bit and go to Cafe Bosfor instead of Cafe Istanbul. I had a brisol with french fries and Joe had his usual - cheese pizza.
Last night we had dinner with the Interlink folks followed by a game of Mexican Train which is dominoes based. We had never played before but really enjoyed it. The dinner was fantastic, Mexican theme with fresh tortillas, beef, salsa, tomatoes, cabbage (no lettuce here) and sour cream. They offered to help us with our picture problem so we now have all our pictures on a DVD and will send a few off at a time since we are on an ultra low speed connection.
While playing with Olesya today, I was able to get her laughing. I was raising her up and down and then kissing her on her neck (under her multiple chins) and she just loved it! We have never heard so much giggling from her and it was very nice to hear.
For lunch today, we decided to switch it up a little bit and go to Cafe Bosfor instead of Cafe Istanbul. I had a brisol with french fries and Joe had his usual - cheese pizza.
December 8
Today when we arrived at the baby house, Olesya had not yet eaten. They offered to let us feed her which we accepted. This was the first time we were able to see what she was eating. They called it porridge and it seemed like a plain baby cereal with a sprinkling of bleu cheese on top. We would give her a bite and as soon as she swallowed it, she would scream bloody murder until the next bite was in her mouth. This continued until she was about half way through and then she didn't scream anymore. She ate and drank well, which probably explains her good size. One lady commented that she is not a fast eater, but is a good eater. Our visitation time seemed to go faster than normal since we had the added activity of feeding on the front end. I doubt that this will become part of the daily routine, but it was nice to do it once. She still has a little bit of a cough, though it is improving from previous days. The doctor came in and checked her out while we were there and gave us a list of three medications which we bought at the chemist on the way back to the hotel.
Today was probably our coldest day, topping out at about 30. We check the weather on the internet and saw that it was only supposed to get up to 8 in Denver and generally it has been warmer here than in Denver on a daily basis. For the next week, it looks like clear and temperatures steadily rising into the mid/upper 40's. If I had realized that this adoption gig would land us in a far off locale for over a month in the winter, I would have investigated places like French Polynesia instead...
For his first time feeding a baby, Joe did pretty well. I just held her on my lap while he did the feeding. We were using a table spoon, so it was not the ideal size, but that is what they gave us. The juice that she drank was pink, some kind of blend probably and they warmed it a bit. At the end of our visit, we also got to feed Olesya a bottle of milk. It was about 12-16oz I think, and she chugged that too. She was very playful and happy during her "tummy time" on the floor today and started to get tired toward the end of the visit, but didn't fall asleep.
Today was probably our coldest day, topping out at about 30. We check the weather on the internet and saw that it was only supposed to get up to 8 in Denver and generally it has been warmer here than in Denver on a daily basis. For the next week, it looks like clear and temperatures steadily rising into the mid/upper 40's. If I had realized that this adoption gig would land us in a far off locale for over a month in the winter, I would have investigated places like French Polynesia instead...
For his first time feeding a baby, Joe did pretty well. I just held her on my lap while he did the feeding. We were using a table spoon, so it was not the ideal size, but that is what they gave us. The juice that she drank was pink, some kind of blend probably and they warmed it a bit. At the end of our visit, we also got to feed Olesya a bottle of milk. It was about 12-16oz I think, and she chugged that too. She was very playful and happy during her "tummy time" on the floor today and started to get tired toward the end of the visit, but didn't fall asleep.
December 7
When we arrived at the baby house this morning, we learned that our normal visitation room was unavailable. We were assigned a small anteroom that is located adjacent to Olesya's dorm area. This made it difficult to engage in many of our normal activities, but she seemed rather quiet today and did not seem to mind. She was able to see her first snow from the upstairs window. It was actually a good vantage point and we were able to see large flakes float quietly down on a windless day as a few dogs and birds scrambled about for her entertainment. We gave her a new stuffed dog that we got at the grocery store yesterday. She seemed to like it as her other toys are hard plastic rattles (which hurt when she bangs them on you).
Today was our third attempt at the Guardianship Council meeting and under the rouse of "third time is a charm" we actually had the meeting. When we got inside, the panel members and our interpreter engaged in a lively Russian dialogue while shuffling through our paper work. As the minutes passed, I could see that a problem was developing. After about 15 minutes, we were advised that an additional paper was required and that our meeting could reconvene on Monday. There is another family that we know from the baby house who had their meeting immediately after ours. The script was the same. They will also be coming back on Monday with some other paper. Once we have this meeting satisfactorily archived, we can move on to the court date. It is our understanding that December 16 is the magic zero day and our court date is likely to be scheduled for some date beyond that.
When presented with her soft new puppy, Olesya immediately put one of its ears in her mouth - which is a sign that she likes it! When she was starting to get tired, she held the ear of the puppy and sucked her thumb. Usually, she likes to hold onto part of her shirt while sucking her thumb, so the puppy was a nice replacement. We heard her laugh again today when I was making silly faces at her. That always makes Joe laugh too. Since we did not have the CD player that is in the regular visiting room, Joe sang Christmas carols while rocking Olesya. If any of you have trouble sleeping, let us know - Joe should be releasing his first album sometime soon.
We were surprised to actually be meeting with Guardianship Council today because we were told that they only meet on Mondays. I guess today was a preliminary to let us know what paper work we were missing. Of course there is always something missing. Since we finally made it in to the building, we are optimistic that Monday's meeting will occur as scheduled and we will have 1 step of this long process completed.
Today was our third attempt at the Guardianship Council meeting and under the rouse of "third time is a charm" we actually had the meeting. When we got inside, the panel members and our interpreter engaged in a lively Russian dialogue while shuffling through our paper work. As the minutes passed, I could see that a problem was developing. After about 15 minutes, we were advised that an additional paper was required and that our meeting could reconvene on Monday. There is another family that we know from the baby house who had their meeting immediately after ours. The script was the same. They will also be coming back on Monday with some other paper. Once we have this meeting satisfactorily archived, we can move on to the court date. It is our understanding that December 16 is the magic zero day and our court date is likely to be scheduled for some date beyond that.
When presented with her soft new puppy, Olesya immediately put one of its ears in her mouth - which is a sign that she likes it! When she was starting to get tired, she held the ear of the puppy and sucked her thumb. Usually, she likes to hold onto part of her shirt while sucking her thumb, so the puppy was a nice replacement. We heard her laugh again today when I was making silly faces at her. That always makes Joe laugh too. Since we did not have the CD player that is in the regular visiting room, Joe sang Christmas carols while rocking Olesya. If any of you have trouble sleeping, let us know - Joe should be releasing his first album sometime soon.
We were surprised to actually be meeting with Guardianship Council today because we were told that they only meet on Mondays. I guess today was a preliminary to let us know what paper work we were missing. Of course there is always something missing. Since we finally made it in to the building, we are optimistic that Monday's meeting will occur as scheduled and we will have 1 step of this long process completed.
December 6
Apparently Olesya had not slept very well last night because she had a bit of a cough, so when we got to the baby house, she was sleeping. When she was brought in to see us, she was a bit groggy, but perked up quickly. She was up on all fours a lot today. She did a little bit of rocking back and forth, and a lot of scooting backward - that whole crawling forward thing is a bit tricky. She was very happy and we took several pictures of her with a big smile. Since she had taken a nap earlier, she managed to stay awake for the whole visit.
Christa and her mom, Pam, have the same visiting time that we do. They also seem to be on the same schedule as far as the whole process is concerned. They have been here since November 7, and have not yet met with Guardianship Council either. We are very pleased with the help we have been getting from our agency in the states and the staff here in Taraz.
Pam and Christa told us about the Interlink office. Interlink is a humanitarian organization with an office in Taraz. They don't assist in adoptions, but they do have an English speaking staff and a collection of DVDs. So, Joe and I went there today after our visit to check out some movies and visit with some Americans. On another happy note, the humidity in Taraz is higher than in Denver (what isn't) so I have had delightfully curly hair the whole time. Which is a good thing since my straightening iron was fried by the outlet. Yes we were using an adaptor, but something still went wrong.
Christa and her mom, Pam, have the same visiting time that we do. They also seem to be on the same schedule as far as the whole process is concerned. They have been here since November 7, and have not yet met with Guardianship Council either. We are very pleased with the help we have been getting from our agency in the states and the staff here in Taraz.
Pam and Christa told us about the Interlink office. Interlink is a humanitarian organization with an office in Taraz. They don't assist in adoptions, but they do have an English speaking staff and a collection of DVDs. So, Joe and I went there today after our visit to check out some movies and visit with some Americans. On another happy note, the humidity in Taraz is higher than in Denver (what isn't) so I have had delightfully curly hair the whole time. Which is a good thing since my straightening iron was fried by the outlet. Yes we were using an adaptor, but something still went wrong.
December 5
Olesya was unusually sleepy today. It was a gray rainy day in Taraz and perhaps that was a contributing factor. We did get several nice pictures of her smiling which we will no doubt share in at some point in the future, assuming another technology has not usurped photography by the time we return home. Olesya was disappointed in the outcome of the Texas game and was not amused by the many emails she saw. She is pleased however, at the prospect of redemption against Clemson in their upcoming bowl appearance in Orlando.
You may have remembered that we had a Guardianship Council meeting scheduled today for 1600. This was in place of last week's meeting which was postponed. At 1645 today, we learned that the key individual on the Council was not present and our meeting is again postponed, the date is yet to be known. It is very disheartening that the Council has chosen to act with such disregard for us. It is unclear at this time who benefits from such irresponsibility and to whom if anyone these people are accountable for their failure. We are currently at day 18 of our 14 day bonding period. It appears that the term 14 day implies no indication of the actual duration of this holding period, though it may have at some point in the past. Unlike our friend Bing Crosby, it does not appear that we will be home for Christmas.
Joe is making many pleasant discoveries about the wonderful mysteries of babies. Yesterday he commented that Olesya's skin was so soft that it almost didn't feel like real skin. Although I didn't have any real explanation for this phenomenon besides the fact that she's a baby, I did say that was why I liked giving her so many kissies. We hope that you will all be able to enjoy her soft skin soon.
We are frustrated at yet another postponement. Joe and I are getting a lot of quality time together and we are enjoying our two hours a day with Olesya. However, those of you at home who believe in God, meditate, look for "signs", or read horoscopes, we would all appreciate any good vibes you can send our way. As soon as a return date is known, we will let you know.
You may have remembered that we had a Guardianship Council meeting scheduled today for 1600. This was in place of last week's meeting which was postponed. At 1645 today, we learned that the key individual on the Council was not present and our meeting is again postponed, the date is yet to be known. It is very disheartening that the Council has chosen to act with such disregard for us. It is unclear at this time who benefits from such irresponsibility and to whom if anyone these people are accountable for their failure. We are currently at day 18 of our 14 day bonding period. It appears that the term 14 day implies no indication of the actual duration of this holding period, though it may have at some point in the past. Unlike our friend Bing Crosby, it does not appear that we will be home for Christmas.
Joe is making many pleasant discoveries about the wonderful mysteries of babies. Yesterday he commented that Olesya's skin was so soft that it almost didn't feel like real skin. Although I didn't have any real explanation for this phenomenon besides the fact that she's a baby, I did say that was why I liked giving her so many kissies. We hope that you will all be able to enjoy her soft skin soon.
We are frustrated at yet another postponement. Joe and I are getting a lot of quality time together and we are enjoying our two hours a day with Olesya. However, those of you at home who believe in God, meditate, look for "signs", or read horoscopes, we would all appreciate any good vibes you can send our way. As soon as a return date is known, we will let you know.
December 3
We had another nice visit with Olesya today. We also filled out some more forms in Russian that Aida prepared for us and received another update on the medical conditions affecting Olesya which we need to relay to the Guardianship Council and again at court. It was another pleasant day in Taraz with temperatures around 50 and sunny. The air quality is not so good though as the standard way of disposing of refuse is to pile it up and burn it. There are a myriad of such conflagrations raging about the city at any one time and combined with unregulated vehicle emissions, it creates quite a soup in the air. I have read that the officials recognize that the problem exists and it is their intention to address it at some point in the future.
Happy "Birthday" Olesya! Today she is seven months old. She didn't seem very aware that it was a special day, and spent it the way she usually does, scooting on the floor, pounding on Daddy's chest and taking a short nap. We got some pictures developed today so that we can show the court (whenever it is that we go) that we are bonding well.
Tomorrow is a holiday because it is election day in Kazakhstan. It is a presidential election, so it is a very big deal. At the suggestion of our coordinator, we will be staying in the hotel tomorrow. We prepared for this by going to Gros today to stock up on food and water (we needed to go anyway). Probably no update tomorrow, because I don't think any of you are really that interested in what time I do Tae-Bo or what movies we decide to watch. :)
Happy "Birthday" Olesya! Today she is seven months old. She didn't seem very aware that it was a special day, and spent it the way she usually does, scooting on the floor, pounding on Daddy's chest and taking a short nap. We got some pictures developed today so that we can show the court (whenever it is that we go) that we are bonding well.
Tomorrow is a holiday because it is election day in Kazakhstan. It is a presidential election, so it is a very big deal. At the suggestion of our coordinator, we will be staying in the hotel tomorrow. We prepared for this by going to Gros today to stock up on food and water (we needed to go anyway). Probably no update tomorrow, because I don't think any of you are really that interested in what time I do Tae-Bo or what movies we decide to watch. :)
December 2
We had a very nice visit with Olesya today. She was happy to see us despite the unhappy note that concluded yesterday's visit. During our visit, the doctor came in and talked to us about Olesya, her development, her mental and physical state of being and general observations. We talked about the gemangioma on her left cheek so that we would be able to discuss it at Monday's Guardianship Council meeting and also at court. It is important for us to make it clear at these two meetings that we have been advised of problems that she has and that we are prepared to address them upon return to the states.
After a few chilly days, today was very nice. Sunny and clear with temperatures easily into the 50's. Not bad considering we are now in December. In the car there was a weather report on the radio which Aida translated for us indicating that the weather up north in Siberia was also very mild and that there was no snow yet. It seems that this is really an ideal time to be in Taraz as the summers see temperatures approach the 110 mark.
We had company in the visiting room this morning. A woman from Indiana and her mother are visiting their 7 month old son. It seems that they will be sharing the room with us in the 1000 time slot, so it will be nice to have the company. Olesya enjoyed the extra attention she got and was smiling at everyone. Olesya also spent a lot of time lying on Joe's chest, while he was resting on the floor. She was talking, smiling and spitting. Today I was able to hold her for her morning cat nap and then she spent some time with Daddy, dancing to the Billie Holiday cd we brought.
After a few chilly days, today was very nice. Sunny and clear with temperatures easily into the 50's. Not bad considering we are now in December. In the car there was a weather report on the radio which Aida translated for us indicating that the weather up north in Siberia was also very mild and that there was no snow yet. It seems that this is really an ideal time to be in Taraz as the summers see temperatures approach the 110 mark.
We had company in the visiting room this morning. A woman from Indiana and her mother are visiting their 7 month old son. It seems that they will be sharing the room with us in the 1000 time slot, so it will be nice to have the company. Olesya enjoyed the extra attention she got and was smiling at everyone. Olesya also spent a lot of time lying on Joe's chest, while he was resting on the floor. She was talking, smiling and spitting. Today I was able to hold her for her morning cat nap and then she spent some time with Daddy, dancing to the Billie Holiday cd we brought.
December 16
When we first got to the baby house, Olesya was sleeping. They woke her up and brought her out to us. We got to feed her porridge and juice again. I am getting better at feeding her quickly just like her caregivers do, so she doesn't get as angry with me as she did the first couple of times I tried to feed her. As soon as we put Olesya down on the blanket, she got up on all fours and started rocking. She was very pleased with herself because she managed to scoot backwards. She was smiling a lot. Since she had already taken a nap, she stayed awake for our whole visit. Toward the end of our visit, we fed her some warm milk. She fussed a little when I took the bottle away from her, but she drank the whole thing, so there was nothing more to give her. It's nice to see that she's a healthy eater. Also during our visiting time today, we were invited back into the room where Olesya sleeps. She has a very nice wooden cradle with several blankets in it. There is netting over the top that they pull over when the babies are sleeping. We took several pictures with Olesya in her bed.
Today is Independence Day in Kazakhstan. The square was all blocked off to cars. There were slides, jumping castles, camel rides, carriage rides, a train, singers, and booths selling food and drinks. The camel ride sounded amusing, but we wouldn't have been able to figure out the cost, so we just took a picture of the camel instead.
Since tomorrow is our last visiting day and a travel day, this will be our last update from Taraz. Once we get home, I will send another update to let everyone know we arrived.
Today is Independence Day in Kazakhstan. The square was all blocked off to cars. There were slides, jumping castles, camel rides, carriage rides, a train, singers, and booths selling food and drinks. The camel ride sounded amusing, but we wouldn't have been able to figure out the cost, so we just took a picture of the camel instead.
Since tomorrow is our last visiting day and a travel day, this will be our last update from Taraz. Once we get home, I will send another update to let everyone know we arrived.
December 15
I think Olesya knows that we will be leaving soon. She didn't feel much like playing on the floor today, she just wanted to be held and get lots of snuggles. We didn't mind giving them to her. She is chewing on her fingers and her rattle a lot. I bet by the time we come back in January, she will have at least one tooth.
We made our last trip to Gros today. We needed just a few things to get us through our last couple of days in Taraz. We also went to the photo stores to print out pictures to submit to the court with our other documents. These pictures will prove that we were actually here on the days we were supposed to, bonding with Olesya. For those of you reading this who will be adopting, make sure you know how to have the date printed on your pictures. It is just as easy here as in the states, to print pictures from a digital memory card. It is actually a little bit faster too.
An interesting side note. Apparently on Sunday night there was an earthquake in the mountains between Afghanistan and India. Even though it was in the middle of the night, it could be felt here. I think that was why everyone at the baby house was cranky on Monday - it probably woke them all up. When it woke me up, it felt like someone was shaking the bed. Joe (being from southern California), slept through the whole thing. There are so many new and exciting things happening to us on this trip!
We made our last trip to Gros today. We needed just a few things to get us through our last couple of days in Taraz. We also went to the photo stores to print out pictures to submit to the court with our other documents. These pictures will prove that we were actually here on the days we were supposed to, bonding with Olesya. For those of you reading this who will be adopting, make sure you know how to have the date printed on your pictures. It is just as easy here as in the states, to print pictures from a digital memory card. It is actually a little bit faster too.
An interesting side note. Apparently on Sunday night there was an earthquake in the mountains between Afghanistan and India. Even though it was in the middle of the night, it could be felt here. I think that was why everyone at the baby house was cranky on Monday - it probably woke them all up. When it woke me up, it felt like someone was shaking the bed. Joe (being from southern California), slept through the whole thing. There are so many new and exciting things happening to us on this trip!
December 14
We are coming home!
We will be flying from Taraz to Almaty on Saturday, 12-17 and then from Almaty to Denver (with a stop or two) on Sunday 12-18.
Unfortunately we do not have a court date yet, but it will be at least 5-7 days before we find out when the court date is, and that date probably won't be until some time in January. So, Joe and I have decided to come home for the holidays and then go back when we have our court date. We will miss Olesya very much during this time, but in the long run, we both thought this was the best plan. Joe and I will both come back for the court date and he will leave shortly afterward. I on the other hand, will stay about 3-4 weeks again and then bring Olesya home. It will be hard enough to leave her once, but I don't think I could do it again.
We haven't told her yet that we will be leaving, so everyone was very happy during our visit. Joe is continuing to read to her about General Sibley, and she enjoys listening to her father's voice. She sure does smile and talk a lot now. Her personality is definitely showing through.
We will be flying from Taraz to Almaty on Saturday, 12-17 and then from Almaty to Denver (with a stop or two) on Sunday 12-18.
Unfortunately we do not have a court date yet, but it will be at least 5-7 days before we find out when the court date is, and that date probably won't be until some time in January. So, Joe and I have decided to come home for the holidays and then go back when we have our court date. We will miss Olesya very much during this time, but in the long run, we both thought this was the best plan. Joe and I will both come back for the court date and he will leave shortly afterward. I on the other hand, will stay about 3-4 weeks again and then bring Olesya home. It will be hard enough to leave her once, but I don't think I could do it again.
We haven't told her yet that we will be leaving, so everyone was very happy during our visit. Joe is continuing to read to her about General Sibley, and she enjoys listening to her father's voice. She sure does smile and talk a lot now. Her personality is definitely showing through.
December 13
We had a very nice visit with Olesya today. She was very energetic and only took a very short nap. We were all in good spirits due perhaps to having finally concluded the Guardianship Council portion of this saga yesterday. During our visit today, I brought in a book to read to Olesya when she started to fade. Fortunately, Kim packed a copy of General Sibley's letters from the frontier campaign so I had good reading material for her. Since Taraz is situated in the southernmost reaches of Kazakhstan, and Olesya is one day going to be moving to Colorado, it is no surprise that she has developed an interest in the western deployments of the Confederacy. Her request to fly the Stars and Bars in her baby house group has not yet secured approval from the various authorities overseeing such things.
Olesya was scooting around on the floor a lot and making many noises. We took many wonderful pictures today. Assuming I get home some day, I will have to spend a lot of time working on Olesya's scrapbook. When she started getting tired today, we did not need to sing to her because she was singing to herself. She is so much more vocal and active than when we first met her. She has definitely made a lot of progress.
Olesya was scooting around on the floor a lot and making many noises. We took many wonderful pictures today. Assuming I get home some day, I will have to spend a lot of time working on Olesya's scrapbook. When she started getting tired today, we did not need to sing to her because she was singing to herself. She is so much more vocal and active than when we first met her. She has definitely made a lot of progress.
December 11
Olesya was very sleepy today so much of our normal play time was deferred in favor of an extended siesta. She is sitting up by herself which is a new development. But don't worry Iris, she doesn't do it all the time. I'm sure she will still need a little help from you.
The fourth phase of Operation Guardianship Council was launched this afternoon and all were cautiously optimistic it would not be remembered alongside Barbarosa, Market Garden and other similar ventures. We were very pleased to leave this afternoon's meetings with an affirmation of our perceived parental potential and as today marks our 25th day of the 14 day bonding period, we will eventually turn our sights towards the equally elusive court date. Our Hoosier friends also concluded their Guardianship this afternoon and to celebrate we all went for dinner at Cafe Bosfor.
For all of the build-up that has been taking place over the past month, a successful Guardianship meeting is actually rather easy. They did not ask us any questions and we did not have to sign any papers or anything. We just have to send in annual reports - I think we can handle that. We all enjoyed our celebratory dinner at Cafe Bosfor. Since we were celebrating, and since he had pizza for lunch, Joe decided to branch out a bit and try something new - spagety! (that's how it was spelled on the menu) I think Aida might be a little bit apprehensive of the crazy Americans who talk a lot and like to drink beer, but she had fun too.
Olesya wanted to make sure that we wished Auntie Tracy a Happy Birthday. Even though we didn't have as much play time today, it was nice to snuggle during her nappie, and when she was awake and happy afterward, we exchanged plenty of raspberries. I'm sure she will be excited tomorrow to hear all about the Guardianship Council.
The fourth phase of Operation Guardianship Council was launched this afternoon and all were cautiously optimistic it would not be remembered alongside Barbarosa, Market Garden and other similar ventures. We were very pleased to leave this afternoon's meetings with an affirmation of our perceived parental potential and as today marks our 25th day of the 14 day bonding period, we will eventually turn our sights towards the equally elusive court date. Our Hoosier friends also concluded their Guardianship this afternoon and to celebrate we all went for dinner at Cafe Bosfor.
For all of the build-up that has been taking place over the past month, a successful Guardianship meeting is actually rather easy. They did not ask us any questions and we did not have to sign any papers or anything. We just have to send in annual reports - I think we can handle that. We all enjoyed our celebratory dinner at Cafe Bosfor. Since we were celebrating, and since he had pizza for lunch, Joe decided to branch out a bit and try something new - spagety! (that's how it was spelled on the menu) I think Aida might be a little bit apprehensive of the crazy Americans who talk a lot and like to drink beer, but she had fun too.
Olesya wanted to make sure that we wished Auntie Tracy a Happy Birthday. Even though we didn't have as much play time today, it was nice to snuggle during her nappie, and when she was awake and happy afterward, we exchanged plenty of raspberries. I'm sure she will be excited tomorrow to hear all about the Guardianship Council.
December 10
Olesya was a little more sleepy and cranky than she has been for a while. At one point when she was really screaming, one of the caregivers came out and said a bunch of stuff in Russian to Aida. Aida later told us that she was saying it was normal for her to be crying and that we shouldn't worry. She also said that normally Olesya is such a good girl. I think they thought it was funny that she was behaving that way with us. I was glad that they weren't accusing us of doing something wrong anyway.
It is clear and cold today in Taraz. Because they make absolutely no attempt at snow removal, the sidewalks are now packed with slick and uneven ice which is extremely slick and dangerous. I can only assume that the liability standards of the States do not apply here.
We just wanted to let Olesya's grandpa know that she is very fascinated with the plants in the visiting room. She likes to look at them and we told her that when she gets home her dyedushka will show her many more plants and flowers.
To all of my teacher friends, "Happy last week of school." To the Sheas, "Happy moving." and to everyone else, soak up as much Christmas spirit as you can because I am really missing it.
It is clear and cold today in Taraz. Because they make absolutely no attempt at snow removal, the sidewalks are now packed with slick and uneven ice which is extremely slick and dangerous. I can only assume that the liability standards of the States do not apply here.
We just wanted to let Olesya's grandpa know that she is very fascinated with the plants in the visiting room. She likes to look at them and we told her that when she gets home her dyedushka will show her many more plants and flowers.
To all of my teacher friends, "Happy last week of school." To the Sheas, "Happy moving." and to everyone else, soak up as much Christmas spirit as you can because I am really missing it.
December 1
Today Olesya started crawling backwards. She got up on her hands and knees right away when placed on her stomach and tried to reach for her rattles. Unfortunately, the harder she tried, the further away she got. Perhaps in the next few days she will learn how to go forward. Hopefully she won't have the same sort of difficulty in about 16 years when she first gets behind the wheel of Dad's then vintage Mercury Sable. We have started to bring music in to play on the CD player and we enjoyed having Dean, Frank, Rosie and Elvis in the background. Not sure who her favorite is, but she seems to like music or at least sound. She likes to be held in front of the stereo so that it can be studied.
At the end of our visit today, for the first time, we took her upstairs and into the room where the babies are staged and fed. When Kim laid Olesya down, she instantly began to cry. This was probably more difficult for us than for her. Normally, we give her to Aida or one of the caregivers and are out of sight/ear shot before she is laid down. The caregiver came over right away and tried to distract her, perhaps this is the regular routine, hard to know. It was very upsetting, and not a word was said by anyone the rest of our time in the orphanage nor on the drive home. In one sense we are glad that she is attaching to us and does not want us to leave, but still...
...We will NEVER lay her down in her crib (at the baby house) and walk away ever again. From now on, we will just hand her off to someone else. This bonding period is rough on all of us. :)
On a happier note, we are very excited about how quickly she seems to learn new things. All of you parents out there are probably thinking this is normal. But for first time parents like ourselves, we think this is downright spectacular! We are sure she is brilliant!
At the end of our visit today, for the first time, we took her upstairs and into the room where the babies are staged and fed. When Kim laid Olesya down, she instantly began to cry. This was probably more difficult for us than for her. Normally, we give her to Aida or one of the caregivers and are out of sight/ear shot before she is laid down. The caregiver came over right away and tried to distract her, perhaps this is the regular routine, hard to know. It was very upsetting, and not a word was said by anyone the rest of our time in the orphanage nor on the drive home. In one sense we are glad that she is attaching to us and does not want us to leave, but still...
...We will NEVER lay her down in her crib (at the baby house) and walk away ever again. From now on, we will just hand her off to someone else. This bonding period is rough on all of us. :)
On a happier note, we are very excited about how quickly she seems to learn new things. All of you parents out there are probably thinking this is normal. But for first time parents like ourselves, we think this is downright spectacular! We are sure she is brilliant!
November 8
Well a lot has happened recently. We are booked to travel on Monday 11-14. We are taking the Lufthansa flight from Denver so there is only one stop in Frankfurt. We arrive Tuesday night just before midnight and then get on the train for Taraz Wednesday afternoon which arrives in Taraz early Thursday morning.
We still have a few things to square up before we head out. It seems like we have benefited from our agency and coordinator's experience as it seems that we are progressing faster and more smoothly than some others who have been greatly delayed due to the administrative slowdowns in Kazakhstan. Thanks Ruben and Bulat.
We spent the last weekend in San Diego at Tim & Marci's wedding. It was great to see everyone again. Thanks to all for the positive thoughts and encouragement.
Kim has finished getting the last of the necessary apostilles and we should have our medicals updated and the last of the paperwork finished up just in time. I am hopeful that there will still be room to squeeze a shirt and pair of socks in my luggage after all the paperwork and stuff we need to take with us is secured.
Looks like everything is under control at Nick N Willy's, thanks to Jess, Amanda, Em, Tracy, Erica, Kristina, Stephanie and of course my mom. Kim has things under control at Asbury with a long term sub in place and there is even a page on this site named Room 102 just for the kids to keep up with our progress.
Last but not least, it looks like Coach Barnett has things under control up at Folsom. At 7-2 the Buffs look good in the Big 12 North. I see early predictions showing them matched up against UCLA in the Holiday Bowl. I am still thinking they will beat Texas again in the title game and end up in the Sugar Bowl against West Virginia. Of course I am not sure how interested young Olesya is in college football. All we know for now is that she is a big White Sox fan and enjoying the World Series victory.
We still have a few things to square up before we head out. It seems like we have benefited from our agency and coordinator's experience as it seems that we are progressing faster and more smoothly than some others who have been greatly delayed due to the administrative slowdowns in Kazakhstan. Thanks Ruben and Bulat.
We spent the last weekend in San Diego at Tim & Marci's wedding. It was great to see everyone again. Thanks to all for the positive thoughts and encouragement.
Kim has finished getting the last of the necessary apostilles and we should have our medicals updated and the last of the paperwork finished up just in time. I am hopeful that there will still be room to squeeze a shirt and pair of socks in my luggage after all the paperwork and stuff we need to take with us is secured.
Looks like everything is under control at Nick N Willy's, thanks to Jess, Amanda, Em, Tracy, Erica, Kristina, Stephanie and of course my mom. Kim has things under control at Asbury with a long term sub in place and there is even a page on this site named Room 102 just for the kids to keep up with our progress.
Last but not least, it looks like Coach Barnett has things under control up at Folsom. At 7-2 the Buffs look good in the Big 12 North. I see early predictions showing them matched up against UCLA in the Holiday Bowl. I am still thinking they will beat Texas again in the title game and end up in the Sugar Bowl against West Virginia. Of course I am not sure how interested young Olesya is in college football. All we know for now is that she is a big White Sox fan and enjoying the World Series victory.
November 30
Olesya is getting closer to crawling each day. She is trying to figure out exactly what legs do and at times gets part way up on one knee. She seems stronger and more determined with each new day. After about an hour of hard work she started to get tired and got angrier and fussier than we have seen before. This evolved into a short nap after which she was back to her happy self.
Today was a colder day in Taraz. Probably in the low 30's with very light snow, but no accumulation. After our visit with Olesya, Aida took us to her sister's book store where we got a few books on the area and some children's books.
I think there is a very good chance that Olesya will be doing a little bit of crawling by the time we leave. She actually rocked on her hands and knees very briefly today. She also figured out how to stick out her tongue and do raspberries. She did this for several minutes today. I'm sure once we get her home, she will do this at a very inappropriate time and we will be incredibly embarrassed, but today we were quite entertained by it.
We had a very nice time in the book store. I was pleasantly surprised by the selection. I even found some children's books written in both Russian and English. I am excited to share them with my class upon my return.
Today was a colder day in Taraz. Probably in the low 30's with very light snow, but no accumulation. After our visit with Olesya, Aida took us to her sister's book store where we got a few books on the area and some children's books.
I think there is a very good chance that Olesya will be doing a little bit of crawling by the time we leave. She actually rocked on her hands and knees very briefly today. She also figured out how to stick out her tongue and do raspberries. She did this for several minutes today. I'm sure once we get her home, she will do this at a very inappropriate time and we will be incredibly embarrassed, but today we were quite entertained by it.
We had a very nice time in the book store. I was pleasantly surprised by the selection. I even found some children's books written in both Russian and English. I am excited to share them with my class upon my return.
November 29
Today we had our first morning visit with Olesya, however aside from the clock there were very few differences. We played the usual games and such in the first hour. She then began to fade and by 1130 she was asleep. She awoke a few minutes before noon for a little more play time before going back upstairs to suite. She seems to be getting stronger and more alert with each passing day. She is a little closer to crawling as we play the reach for the rattle game and she is happy to see us from the moment she comes in the room and seems to recognize that we are the two people that she gets to have a couple hours of fun time with each time we show up.
At this point, we believe the first trip will go 1-2 weeks longer than originally forecast. This will likely put us right on top of Christmas, but hard to say exactly. Bulat is doing what he can to keep our trip as short as possible. After our morning with Olesya, we had a nice lunch with Aida. It was at a cafe near the hotel, but all writing was in Cyrillic so I cannot speculate on the name.
While Olesya was having "tummy time" this morning she stuck her tongue out and let out a great big, long raspberry. We were quite surprised by it and I think she was too. Joe and I then spent the next several minutes doing our own raspberries, to try to get her to do it again, but she didn't. I think she has just recently discovered her tongue and she enjoys making bubbles, sticking her tongue in and out and having me try to grab it. She sure is entertaining.
Our lunch with Aida was very nice. I have discovered that I love hot tea with lemon and sugar. We also like sharing similarities and differences about our countries. Mom, Aida told me that she loves reading Barbara Taylor Bradford. Maybe when we come back in January, we can bring a few for her.
At this point, we believe the first trip will go 1-2 weeks longer than originally forecast. This will likely put us right on top of Christmas, but hard to say exactly. Bulat is doing what he can to keep our trip as short as possible. After our morning with Olesya, we had a nice lunch with Aida. It was at a cafe near the hotel, but all writing was in Cyrillic so I cannot speculate on the name.
While Olesya was having "tummy time" this morning she stuck her tongue out and let out a great big, long raspberry. We were quite surprised by it and I think she was too. Joe and I then spent the next several minutes doing our own raspberries, to try to get her to do it again, but she didn't. I think she has just recently discovered her tongue and she enjoys making bubbles, sticking her tongue in and out and having me try to grab it. She sure is entertaining.
Our lunch with Aida was very nice. I have discovered that I love hot tea with lemon and sugar. We also like sharing similarities and differences about our countries. Mom, Aida told me that she loves reading Barbara Taylor Bradford. Maybe when we come back in January, we can bring a few for her.
November 28
Our Guardianship Council meeting was postponed until next Monday. Based on the recommendation of our coordinator, we suspended the website but are continuing to update the entries so that once it can be reinstated it will be a full record.
Instead of going to the Guardianship Council today, we visited Olesya. She seemed very happy today and seems to be developing nicely since we first met. We have had a number of people comment to us that they see improvement in her overall abilities since we started working with her. This is of course very encouraging to us. We had fun playing our usual games like reach for the rattle as she is not quite ready to crawl, but clearly giving the idea serious consideration. She took her usual 15 minute nap towards the end of the visit but rallied so that we could play for a few more minutes before saying goodbye. We will be moving to the 1000 slot we learned after our visit since it was vacated by another family who has cleared all the necessary holding periods and has transitioned to Almaty before the final leg out.
The thought of having to be away from home longer than expected took some of the wind out of our sails today, but we are trying to look at it as an extension of our vacation and a chance to spend a longer period of time with Olesya. Of course our visits are the highlight of the day. Iris, she is getting very close to sitting up, but she still might need a little help once she comes home. Olesya is already a Daddy's girl. I think he gets the biggest smiles, and a walk around the room with Daddy seems to be the preferred pre-nap ritual.
Instead of going to the Guardianship Council today, we visited Olesya. She seemed very happy today and seems to be developing nicely since we first met. We have had a number of people comment to us that they see improvement in her overall abilities since we started working with her. This is of course very encouraging to us. We had fun playing our usual games like reach for the rattle as she is not quite ready to crawl, but clearly giving the idea serious consideration. She took her usual 15 minute nap towards the end of the visit but rallied so that we could play for a few more minutes before saying goodbye. We will be moving to the 1000 slot we learned after our visit since it was vacated by another family who has cleared all the necessary holding periods and has transitioned to Almaty before the final leg out.
The thought of having to be away from home longer than expected took some of the wind out of our sails today, but we are trying to look at it as an extension of our vacation and a chance to spend a longer period of time with Olesya. Of course our visits are the highlight of the day. Iris, she is getting very close to sitting up, but she still might need a little help once she comes home. Olesya is already a Daddy's girl. I think he gets the biggest smiles, and a walk around the room with Daddy seems to be the preferred pre-nap ritual.
November 26
Big news today. John & Karen (the couple that shares the room with us at 1500) had some extra banana today and gave it to us for Olesya. Kim broke it into small pieces and fed it to Olesya. We are reasonably sure that this was her first solid food. She made a lot of faces as she tried it, but as soon as it was gone she clearly wanted more. Since it was such a big hit, we will be sure to buy some bananas on our next trip to the market so we will have more available the next time we see her. Unfortunately, this won't be until Tuesday since tomorrow is Sunday and then on Monday we have the Guardianship Council. Olesya had fun today checking out the stereo which has a LED equalizer type display and also looking out the window at all that was going on in the courtyard. It was another beautiful day in Taraz, probably in the mid 50's and sunny. So far, the weather has been very mild and we have enjoyed walking around outside extensively with just a light fleece coat.
In addition to having banana today, Olesya also took her first nap in Daddy's arms. The overprotective mother in me wanted to snatch her away as soon as she started getting fussy, but Joe proved up to the task by walking around the room with Olesya until she fell asleep. At that point he did a very graceful sit down slowly without waking the baby move. He has taken to fatherhood quite nicely.
In addition to having banana today, Olesya also took her first nap in Daddy's arms. The overprotective mother in me wanted to snatch her away as soon as she started getting fussy, but Joe proved up to the task by walking around the room with Olesya until she fell asleep. At that point he did a very graceful sit down slowly without waking the baby move. He has taken to fatherhood quite nicely.
November 25
We had another nice visit with Olesya today. She decided she needed a short nap at about 1615 which lasted about 15 minutes. When she came back, she was ready to go again, but unfortunately our time was just about up. A lady from the Guardianship Council came by today to see the other family that shares the room with us in the 1500 slot. After meeting with them and taking a picture she did the same with us. She checked out how Olesya interacted with us and asked a few questions. She made a comment that she thought Olesya looked like me which I was happy with since that would suggest she thought we were a good match. I am sure, however, that the day will come when Olesya will not greet such an observation with enthusiasm.
Our meeting with the Guardianship Council has been set for 1600 on Monday. This means we will not have our regular visit that day. After tomorrow's visit, we will have to go two days with no contact as Sunday is a regular off day.
Olesya's favorite game is "airplane to Daddy". This game is always good for lots of smiles and a few giggles. She will play as long as Mommy's arms hold out. No worries about not getting my regular work-out, I just switched methods.
Spent the earlier part of the day like many of you probably did - shopping. We went to the Green Market - a huge outdoor bazaar. I guess kind of like a flea market. There were booths with food, electronics, fabric, clothes, shoes, toys... It seemed very crowded to us, but that was the norm. It is very confining because all of the booths are so close together. There is very little space in between. We were glad to have Aida with us, because we probably would have gotten lost inside if we didn't have an experienced guide. Again, more Christmas shopping was done - something for Dad, something for us.
Our meeting with the Guardianship Council has been set for 1600 on Monday. This means we will not have our regular visit that day. After tomorrow's visit, we will have to go two days with no contact as Sunday is a regular off day.
Olesya's favorite game is "airplane to Daddy". This game is always good for lots of smiles and a few giggles. She will play as long as Mommy's arms hold out. No worries about not getting my regular work-out, I just switched methods.
Spent the earlier part of the day like many of you probably did - shopping. We went to the Green Market - a huge outdoor bazaar. I guess kind of like a flea market. There were booths with food, electronics, fabric, clothes, shoes, toys... It seemed very crowded to us, but that was the norm. It is very confining because all of the booths are so close together. There is very little space in between. We were glad to have Aida with us, because we probably would have gotten lost inside if we didn't have an experienced guide. Again, more Christmas shopping was done - something for Dad, something for us.
November 24
Happy Thanksgiving to all. Thanksgiving is not recognized in Kazakhstan as the Quaker influence in this part of the world has yet to catch on. We had a very nice visit with Olesya again today. More and more she seems to know us and is comfortable in our presence. She took about a ten minute nap in Kim's arms towards the end of the visit. She did not have much interest in the juice we offered her, but the main feeding time is just before we arrive at 1500. Aida mentioned that another family that used to visit during the mornings has completed the process and left today so it is possible we will have our time slot switched. What ever time we go is fine as we are able to maintain a high degree of flexibility in our daily calendar.
While Olesya was not too clear on the concept of Thanksgiving, she definitely knows what comes the day after. It is clear to her that Nebraska will go the way of all things Big Red and just fade away. Unfortunately, the satellite feed will not be picked up at the baby house since kickoff is in the wee hours of the morning.
We didn't celebrate by eating turkey, but instead eating something Turkish. My new favorite food, besides corn on pizza is durum. Which is like a Turkish burrito. I'm not sure what they do to the meat, but it is seasoned nicely. We'll see if I can figure out how to make one by the time we get back to the states.
We have many things to be thankful for this year. Today was also the day that we heard little Olesya laugh for the first time. Just like everything else she does, it was absolutely perfect and wonderful. She laughed when her tummy was tickled and she laughed when I was flying her towards her daddy. We also enjoy sharing our visiting time with Karen and John because they can share their tourist experiences with us since they have been here about a week longer. We look forward to sharing our insights with others who will be coming after. Did I mention that Olesya is just wonderful and perfect?!
While Olesya was not too clear on the concept of Thanksgiving, she definitely knows what comes the day after. It is clear to her that Nebraska will go the way of all things Big Red and just fade away. Unfortunately, the satellite feed will not be picked up at the baby house since kickoff is in the wee hours of the morning.
We didn't celebrate by eating turkey, but instead eating something Turkish. My new favorite food, besides corn on pizza is durum. Which is like a Turkish burrito. I'm not sure what they do to the meat, but it is seasoned nicely. We'll see if I can figure out how to make one by the time we get back to the states.
We have many things to be thankful for this year. Today was also the day that we heard little Olesya laugh for the first time. Just like everything else she does, it was absolutely perfect and wonderful. She laughed when her tummy was tickled and she laughed when I was flying her towards her daddy. We also enjoy sharing our visiting time with Karen and John because they can share their tourist experiences with us since they have been here about a week longer. We look forward to sharing our insights with others who will be coming after. Did I mention that Olesya is just wonderful and perfect?!
November 23
We had a very nice visit with Olesya today. She seems to recognize us more now when she first sees us and is completely at ease in our presence. She seemed especially happy today and we had a lot of fun playing and took some pictures which we will hopefully share at some point. Since we do not have the cord to upload the pictures, we are trying to be careful with the pictures we take and deleting all but the best as we have a limited amount of memory. There is another family from California that shares the room with us during the 1500-1700 slot. Their girl is a few months older, but Olesya knows her and they enjoy watching each other and seeing what is going on.
She seems to have a bit of chest congestion as do the other kids that we are familiar with. I suppose it is hard to control such things in such an environment. They seem to be careful about keeping the kids warm and taking necessary precautions so I am sure problems are minimized as possible.
Our meeting with the Guardianship Council has been set for Monday. This is a preliminary step to the actual court date which should be the following week.
Joe changed his first diaper!!! Actually, he didn't change a diaper, he put one on. He needed a little reminder to tell the front from the back, but once that was figured out, everything went smoothly. The diaper stayed on the whole time.
We have not heard Olesya laugh yet, but she has shown some very big smiles. When we lay her on her tummy and put her rattles nearby, she kicks up her arms and legs at the same time, so it looks like she is swimming. She hasn't quite figured out how to go forward yet. It is truly amazing how we can just sit and watch her for two solid hours and be entertained by anything she does. Or just her mere presence if she's not doing anything.
She seems to have a bit of chest congestion as do the other kids that we are familiar with. I suppose it is hard to control such things in such an environment. They seem to be careful about keeping the kids warm and taking necessary precautions so I am sure problems are minimized as possible.
Our meeting with the Guardianship Council has been set for Monday. This is a preliminary step to the actual court date which should be the following week.
Joe changed his first diaper!!! Actually, he didn't change a diaper, he put one on. He needed a little reminder to tell the front from the back, but once that was figured out, everything went smoothly. The diaper stayed on the whole time.
We have not heard Olesya laugh yet, but she has shown some very big smiles. When we lay her on her tummy and put her rattles nearby, she kicks up her arms and legs at the same time, so it looks like she is swimming. She hasn't quite figured out how to go forward yet. It is truly amazing how we can just sit and watch her for two solid hours and be entertained by anything she does. Or just her mere presence if she's not doing anything.
November 22
It was nice to finally see Olesya again after a two day hiatus. She had a bit of congestion, but otherwise no sign of the malady that interrupted the visit yesterday. Lots of excitement as one child got to leave today for Florida and another boy will head to Florida tomorrow. We all had a lot of fun in the main gathering room playing with toys, taking pictures (perhaps the cord is on its way to us?) and such. Tracy (Kim's sister) sent us an outline of things to expect developmentally for someone Olesya's age and she appears to be largely on track. She is pretty close to sitting up on her own (sorry Iris) and can support some of her weight with her legs in a standing position with help. She grabs and holds toys and when dropped will look for them. She is not crawling yet.
We tried to give her some baby juice we bought today, but she wasn't very hungry and drank very little. She did have fun playing with the bottle though. The two hours went by very quickly and we are already looking forward to tomorrow.
Olesya is always happy to see us when we first arrive, but as soon as the camera comes out, she gets a very serious look on her face. Auntie Lin, you will have your work cut out for you with this one! We haven't really heard her laugh yet, but we have seen lots of smiles, and heard lots of babble. She is a very happy baby and just like any new parents, any little thing that she does is the highlight of our day, and indicates her ongoing brilliance!
We tried to give her some baby juice we bought today, but she wasn't very hungry and drank very little. She did have fun playing with the bottle though. The two hours went by very quickly and we are already looking forward to tomorrow.
Olesya is always happy to see us when we first arrive, but as soon as the camera comes out, she gets a very serious look on her face. Auntie Lin, you will have your work cut out for you with this one! We haven't really heard her laugh yet, but we have seen lots of smiles, and heard lots of babble. She is a very happy baby and just like any new parents, any little thing that she does is the highlight of our day, and indicates her ongoing brilliance!
November 21
Just before we were to visit Olesya, we learned she had a slight cold and they asked us not to come. Instead we were taken to the mausoleum of Balkokhand Ihgbalkhan, the great leader who died in 1267. This completed our tour of the great mausoleums of Taraz. The weather was beautiful again, much like what would be expected in Denver.
We have been assured that Olesya would be available for our visit tomorrow and we are hopeful that this will be the case. We completed our application for the Guardianship Council which will be translated by Aida (our translator) before our meeting with the council at some point next week. The council is made up of a group of persons charged with protecting the interests of the child. We are hopeful that they will find us suitable and refer a favorable disposition to the court.
Thanks to all who have contacted us offering to help with the camera cord. At this point we are hoping to get it to Larry who runs the DHL operation in South Denver and beyond.
It is a bit frustrating to not have daily visits with Olesya, but we are trying to make the best of it. We thought we would do some more exploring today. We even wandered in to a couple of electronics stores in search of a camera cord. We did see some cameras, but no accessories. If anything happens to our cell phone though, we won't have any problems finding a suitable replacement. Those are quite plentiful here.
While out sightseeing, Aida showed us pictures of her friends and family. It is good to get to know someone you will be spending so much time with over the next few weeks.
We did purchase a couple of baby bottles from the drug store because they only have cups at the Gros Market and are looking forward to feeding Olesya some juice just as soon as we can see her.
We have been assured that Olesya would be available for our visit tomorrow and we are hopeful that this will be the case. We completed our application for the Guardianship Council which will be translated by Aida (our translator) before our meeting with the council at some point next week. The council is made up of a group of persons charged with protecting the interests of the child. We are hopeful that they will find us suitable and refer a favorable disposition to the court.
Thanks to all who have contacted us offering to help with the camera cord. At this point we are hoping to get it to Larry who runs the DHL operation in South Denver and beyond.
It is a bit frustrating to not have daily visits with Olesya, but we are trying to make the best of it. We thought we would do some more exploring today. We even wandered in to a couple of electronics stores in search of a camera cord. We did see some cameras, but no accessories. If anything happens to our cell phone though, we won't have any problems finding a suitable replacement. Those are quite plentiful here.
While out sightseeing, Aida showed us pictures of her friends and family. It is good to get to know someone you will be spending so much time with over the next few weeks.
We did purchase a couple of baby bottles from the drug store because they only have cups at the Gros Market and are looking forward to feeding Olesya some juice just as soon as we can see her.
November 20
We were able to visit Olesya on Saturday though we did not have access to the main visitation room and stayed in a lobby area. It was clear that Saturday visitation was not the norm and it is unlikely that we will have further weekend visits. We went to the store and bought some Pampers so that the difficulty experienced on our first visit would not be repeated. We also got a couple of rattle style toys which amused her, though thumb sucking and looking around at everything are her primary interests at this point. She seems like a very happy kid and really doesn't fuss at all. The orphanage authorities have assured us that this behavior will continue well past adolescence. Today, we purchased a couple pair of socks that she can wear when roaming around on the floor.
Most anything you could want or need for your visit, with the notable exception of a camera cord or USB adapter, is readily available in the stores or markets of Taraz. Many products are familiar American brands. There are also a wide variety of European, Asian and of course Kazakh brands. Most products are labeled in several languages including English and most non see through packaging has pictures identifying the contents. The internet has been the biggest problem, but has now been solved as our new friend Patty who is staying in the same hotel advised us on how to connect to Nursat from our room.
Today, Sunday, we visited the mausoleum of Aisha-Bibi who was the lover of the great Kazakh ruler Karahan. We visited his mausoleum previously. We also visited the Russian Orthodox Church of Taraz and the Museum of Taraz which had many items of interest bridging this city's 2000 year history. Our hotel, the Hotel Zhambyl is actually located on the Silk Road which is a main avenue in the city center. The weather has been very nice. Today was a beautiful sunny day much like we would expect at this time of year in Denver.
Not much to add about the sightseeing. At Aisha-Bibi, we did a bit of shopping, some for them, one for me. :) We met another woman from America today who is almost done with her one long trip. We will be having dinner with her and are anxious to hear about her experiences.
Pizza has become the staple of our diet (some things never change). Although pizza is a bit different here than in the U.S., it is usually easy to find on a menu and a "safe" food to order.
Of course enjoyed the visit with Olesya yesterday. Since I forgot to bring any books to read (I feel like a horrible mother and teacher) I just told her what is bound to be her favorite story: Emily's Moo. She loved it and even smiled at the part when Emily asks Brown Cow how to moo. Olesya also smiled when I told her that the tickets have already been purchased for her first baseball game. When she sucks her thumb (a favorite pastime), she likes to hook her index finger on her nose - so cute!!
Most anything you could want or need for your visit, with the notable exception of a camera cord or USB adapter, is readily available in the stores or markets of Taraz. Many products are familiar American brands. There are also a wide variety of European, Asian and of course Kazakh brands. Most products are labeled in several languages including English and most non see through packaging has pictures identifying the contents. The internet has been the biggest problem, but has now been solved as our new friend Patty who is staying in the same hotel advised us on how to connect to Nursat from our room.
Today, Sunday, we visited the mausoleum of Aisha-Bibi who was the lover of the great Kazakh ruler Karahan. We visited his mausoleum previously. We also visited the Russian Orthodox Church of Taraz and the Museum of Taraz which had many items of interest bridging this city's 2000 year history. Our hotel, the Hotel Zhambyl is actually located on the Silk Road which is a main avenue in the city center. The weather has been very nice. Today was a beautiful sunny day much like we would expect at this time of year in Denver.
Not much to add about the sightseeing. At Aisha-Bibi, we did a bit of shopping, some for them, one for me. :) We met another woman from America today who is almost done with her one long trip. We will be having dinner with her and are anxious to hear about her experiences.
Pizza has become the staple of our diet (some things never change). Although pizza is a bit different here than in the U.S., it is usually easy to find on a menu and a "safe" food to order.
Of course enjoyed the visit with Olesya yesterday. Since I forgot to bring any books to read (I feel like a horrible mother and teacher) I just told her what is bound to be her favorite story: Emily's Moo. She loved it and even smiled at the part when Emily asks Brown Cow how to moo. Olesya also smiled when I told her that the tickets have already been purchased for her first baseball game. When she sucks her thumb (a favorite pastime), she likes to hook her index finger on her nose - so cute!!
November 17
We have arrived in Taraz and just got back from visiting Olesya for the first time. She was very sociable and seems to be agreeable to the prospect that inspired the journey in the first place. Regrettably, Chaco (our dog) took the camera cord out of our bag so we are unable to get the pictures from the camera to the computer. We are working on a solution and hopefully pictures will be available at some point.
Everyone has been very nice so far and aside from the misplaced camera cord and a bit of jet lag, things are going very well. The flight from Denver to Frankfurt was about 8.5 hours and the Frankfurt to Almaty leg was right around 6. We stayed at the Hotel Kazzhol for the day and left on the 2100 train to Taraz which arrived at 0600 this morning. This was the Spanish train, as opposed to the Soviet train. Here in Taraz we are staying at the Hotel Zhambyl.
Olesya really does exist, and she is perfect! Within just a few moments of our first meeting, we heard her voice and saw smiles. She took a little nap in my arms, then peed on Joe's shirt. Apparently, she won't start wearing diapers until we bring them in for her (that will be tomorrow).
Iris, Olesya is looking forward to meeting you so that you can help her sit up, she can't quite do it herself yet. She doesn't have any teeth, but it looks like she's about to get some. She likes sucking her thumb when she sleeps.
Everyone has been very nice so far and aside from the misplaced camera cord and a bit of jet lag, things are going very well. The flight from Denver to Frankfurt was about 8.5 hours and the Frankfurt to Almaty leg was right around 6. We stayed at the Hotel Kazzhol for the day and left on the 2100 train to Taraz which arrived at 0600 this morning. This was the Spanish train, as opposed to the Soviet train. Here in Taraz we are staying at the Hotel Zhambyl.
Olesya really does exist, and she is perfect! Within just a few moments of our first meeting, we heard her voice and saw smiles. She took a little nap in my arms, then peed on Joe's shirt. Apparently, she won't start wearing diapers until we bring them in for her (that will be tomorrow).
Iris, Olesya is looking forward to meeting you so that you can help her sit up, she can't quite do it herself yet. She doesn't have any teeth, but it looks like she's about to get some. She likes sucking her thumb when she sleeps.
January 31
Finally, I got to visit my daughter! Of course she was very happy to see me. She is in the isolation ward right now, which is normal procedure upon return from the hospital. This is where she was at the beginning of the month when we first started visiting her again. I was hoping to go into the large visiting room with Christa and Pam, but since Olesya is “sick”, we had to stay in the isolation ward for our visit. I also had to wear a white coat which is supposed to keep me sanitary I guess. I look very official don’t I? Olesya was very happy to see me. We talked a lot about all of the people back home who are very anxious to see her. Any time another caregiver would walk by, Olesya turned to look and make sure that they said hello to her. Once they did, she smiled back and was very happy. Hopefully tomorrow we will have an outing to the photo store to get her passport photo taken, but who knows. As you all have learned by reading this website, everything is a maybe until it actually happens. When our visit was over, Olesya did not want to go with the caregiver. She did not fuss or anything, but she didn’t reach her arms out and smile either. She knows who her mother is. Today, one of the caregivers actually said that Olesya looked like me! Maybe she was just saying that to be polite. It doesn’t matter really, but I got very used to everyone saying she looks like Joe. She loves being with me-that’s all that matters.
January 30
Well, it will be a short update today. I thought all of you who are following the ongoing saga would like to know that Olesya did get released from the hospital today, but I was not able to see her. Apparently there was some sort of inspection going on at the baby house, and we were not permitted to go. I will be going to see her tomorrow morning though, and I can hardly wait. I have not seen her since Saturday and that makes me very cranky. I guess it’s a good thing I’m here by myself. Hopefully this week we will be taking her out to get her passport photo taken and I am also trying to get a definite answer as to when I can take Olesya out of the baby house. I’ve had just about enough of other people telling me when I can and can’t see my little sausage. I’m ready to be her mom right now.
January 28
At first I thought I wouldn’t be able to go for a visit today, but as it turns out, I was able to go. Olesya was even happier today than she was yesterday. I see this as a sure sign that she is ready to be released on Monday. Hopefully her doctor will agree with me. One of the other mothers borrowed the baseball book to read to her son while we were there. He didn’t seem to appreciate it quite as much as Olesya did, but we were still happy to share. Aida also explained to them why I am not allowed to stay with her all the time. Before leaving today, Aida took some group pictures for all of us. I will get prints made of these to take with me to the hospital on Monday. Hopefully that will be a good farewell present from Olesya.
Earlier today I had a nice lunch with Christa, Pam, Nazym and Alexander. It was nice to get out and socialize. I probably talked more than anyone else did, but those of you who know me well won’t be surprised by that. I think it was just because I was making up for all of the quiet time that I have spent in my room.
I am hoping that today is the halfway point. I have been in Taraz for 3 weeks now, and will hopefully be heading home in another 3 weeks. It has also been one week since Joe left and it is one week until my mom comes. I am halfway through my alone time and can’t wait for it to be over!
Earlier today I had a nice lunch with Christa, Pam, Nazym and Alexander. It was nice to get out and socialize. I probably talked more than anyone else did, but those of you who know me well won’t be surprised by that. I think it was just because I was making up for all of the quiet time that I have spent in my room.
I am hoping that today is the halfway point. I have been in Taraz for 3 weeks now, and will hopefully be heading home in another 3 weeks. It has also been one week since Joe left and it is one week until my mom comes. I am halfway through my alone time and can’t wait for it to be over!
January 27
Okay, so Olesya is still in the hospital, but what a great visit we had today! As soon as I entered the room where a nurse was holding her I got a very big smile from my very happy daughter! She was so happy to see me. She asked if I could smuggle her out, but I told her that the officials might not like that too much. As always, she was quite the social butterfly. If one of the other mothers walked by or said anything to Olesya she would look at them and smile. Olesya enjoyed talking to me, getting lots of kissies and trying to reach for the camera while I took pictures of her. I didn’t want to set her on the bed because I thought she might get upset with me or fall over, so I held her on my lap with one hand and took the picture with the other. In one of the pictures, you can kind of see the room in the background. Although Olesya looks very serious in the pictures, she would smile right before and right after I took them. Such a tease she is.
When Aida came in to take me home, the other mothers were talking to her. They told her that Olesya recognizes me and always cries after I leave. They did also say that they talk to her too. That made me feel better knowing that everyone is looking out for her. I haven’t heard any new updates, but I am still hoping that she will get to go home on Monday. It has been snowing all day today and the temperature when I was walking home from dinner was –14c. Aida said that she would call me tomorrow about a visit. If the weather is too bad we might not go. Being a new mother who is a Colorado native and is used to driving a 5 year old SUV in the snow, I can’t think of any type of weather that would be too bad to go to the hospital in, but I will have to yield to the other driver in this case. I sure couldn’t drive on these roads in the old Mazda in the snow. I am still hopeful that we will go because the snow seemed to be lightening up, but if not, at least I had a wonderful visit today.
When Aida came in to take me home, the other mothers were talking to her. They told her that Olesya recognizes me and always cries after I leave. They did also say that they talk to her too. That made me feel better knowing that everyone is looking out for her. I haven’t heard any new updates, but I am still hoping that she will get to go home on Monday. It has been snowing all day today and the temperature when I was walking home from dinner was –14c. Aida said that she would call me tomorrow about a visit. If the weather is too bad we might not go. Being a new mother who is a Colorado native and is used to driving a 5 year old SUV in the snow, I can’t think of any type of weather that would be too bad to go to the hospital in, but I will have to yield to the other driver in this case. I sure couldn’t drive on these roads in the old Mazda in the snow. I am still hopeful that we will go because the snow seemed to be lightening up, but if not, at least I had a wonderful visit today.
January 26
I did not do an update yesterday because I was not able to visit Olesya. The doctor from the baby house needs to accompany us at the hospital and she had to appear in court yesterday, and was not able to go with us.
Thank goodness the doctor was available today, and I was able to visit Olesya at the hospital today. The doctor at the hospital said that he would like to keep her there until Monday which will be one week that she spent there. When I got to the room that she was in, a nurse was holding her and Olesya smiled at me right away. I brought in her baseball book this time so that we could do some reading. She liked that.
While I was visiting, Aida had to buy some more diapers for me because the nurse said that the ones I left last time were too small. It doesn’t sound like the little sausage is very sick if she is outgrowing her diapers. I think the stage 3 ones that I bought will work when she is with me, but at least I have some stage 4 diapers that meet with everyone else’s approval.
Olesya only coughed once while I was holding her and her cough does sound “looser” than it did before. She is not running a fever, and she is still very alert and interested in everything that is going on.
For the next couple of days I will be visiting Olesya in the afternoon, and then hopefully next week I will be visiting her at the baby house again. I am very grateful that the doctor from the baby house is taking time from her busy schedule (she really is very busy there) to escort me to the hospital.
One week from today the court decision goes into force and we can get moving with the rest of the paperwork!
Thank goodness the doctor was available today, and I was able to visit Olesya at the hospital today. The doctor at the hospital said that he would like to keep her there until Monday which will be one week that she spent there. When I got to the room that she was in, a nurse was holding her and Olesya smiled at me right away. I brought in her baseball book this time so that we could do some reading. She liked that.
While I was visiting, Aida had to buy some more diapers for me because the nurse said that the ones I left last time were too small. It doesn’t sound like the little sausage is very sick if she is outgrowing her diapers. I think the stage 3 ones that I bought will work when she is with me, but at least I have some stage 4 diapers that meet with everyone else’s approval.
Olesya only coughed once while I was holding her and her cough does sound “looser” than it did before. She is not running a fever, and she is still very alert and interested in everything that is going on.
For the next couple of days I will be visiting Olesya in the afternoon, and then hopefully next week I will be visiting her at the baby house again. I am very grateful that the doctor from the baby house is taking time from her busy schedule (she really is very busy there) to escort me to the hospital.
One week from today the court decision goes into force and we can get moving with the rest of the paperwork!
January 24
Today was a bit of an adventure. When I got to the baby house, I found out that Olesya had been taken to the hospital last night because they think her pneumonia is coming back. The doctor did say that I would be able to visit her at the hospital though. So, the doctor went to talk to the director of the baby house about visiting the hospital. The director said that I couldn’t go and she wanted to talk with me. Aida, the doctor, and I went into the director’s office. She said that Olesya has pneumonia and bronchitis and they wanted to take her to the hospital where they could treat her with better medicines than they have available at the baby house. The director also said that they just want to make sure that Olesya is healthy for when I take her to Almaty and then home. They don’t want her sick for such a long journey. She said that the stay in the hospital would only be for a couple of days.
I don’t know if it was the thought of not being able to see Olesya for a few days, or the thought of spending those days alone in the hotel room with nothing to do that got to me. I started crying in the director’s office. Aida told me not to worry, that everything would be fine. The director also said that she was being well taken care of and that I had nothing to worry about. I explained that I wasn’t worried about her care, I just wanted to see her. If she was in a hospital in the States, I would be able to visit her. As much as I make fun of girls that turn on the tears to get out of something, I don’t think I will be doing that any more because it works. The director said that it would be okay if I visited Olesya in the hospital.
When we got to the hospital, the doctor from the baby house went upstairs first. When she came down, she had a white coat that I needed to put on. Aida had to wait downstairs in the waiting room while I went upstairs. In the room there were about 6 full size beds and 1 crib. In 4 of the beds were mothers with their babies who looked to be about Olesya’s age. In the crib was the little sausage. She was very happy to see me. Normally, I think mothers (who have full custody of their children) stay in the hospital with them. Since Olesya is from the baby house, she has a nurse who is with her full time. The room is very warm and the nurse was in there the whole time. Apparently, Olesya is getting IV treatments, and those cannot be administered at the baby house. They will check her tomorrow to see if she is better and she might be returning to the baby house tomorrow afternoon. Olesya is congested, I can hear some rattling in her chest when she breathes, but she is not coughing and does not seem to be running a fever. As always, she was very happy to see her mommy today. Hopefully, things will be back to “normal” soon. I am very appreciative for the doctor taking time out of her busy schedule to accompany us to the hospital. I will be going back to the hospital to visit tomorrow.
I don’t know if it was the thought of not being able to see Olesya for a few days, or the thought of spending those days alone in the hotel room with nothing to do that got to me. I started crying in the director’s office. Aida told me not to worry, that everything would be fine. The director also said that she was being well taken care of and that I had nothing to worry about. I explained that I wasn’t worried about her care, I just wanted to see her. If she was in a hospital in the States, I would be able to visit her. As much as I make fun of girls that turn on the tears to get out of something, I don’t think I will be doing that any more because it works. The director said that it would be okay if I visited Olesya in the hospital.
When we got to the hospital, the doctor from the baby house went upstairs first. When she came down, she had a white coat that I needed to put on. Aida had to wait downstairs in the waiting room while I went upstairs. In the room there were about 6 full size beds and 1 crib. In 4 of the beds were mothers with their babies who looked to be about Olesya’s age. In the crib was the little sausage. She was very happy to see me. Normally, I think mothers (who have full custody of their children) stay in the hospital with them. Since Olesya is from the baby house, she has a nurse who is with her full time. The room is very warm and the nurse was in there the whole time. Apparently, Olesya is getting IV treatments, and those cannot be administered at the baby house. They will check her tomorrow to see if she is better and she might be returning to the baby house tomorrow afternoon. Olesya is congested, I can hear some rattling in her chest when she breathes, but she is not coughing and does not seem to be running a fever. As always, she was very happy to see her mommy today. Hopefully, things will be back to “normal” soon. I am very appreciative for the doctor taking time out of her busy schedule to accompany us to the hospital. I will be going back to the hospital to visit tomorrow.
January 23
When I first saw Olesya this morning, she did seem to be looking around for Daddy. I explained to her that he was just getting home and probably very tired from his extensive traveling. She was disappointed that he could no longer stay in Kazakhstan with us, but she understood. She was in a very good mood and wanted to read her baseball book immediately. The caregivers suggested I not put her on the floor because it gets too drafty. I don’t really agree with this, but didn’t want to cause problems, so I just held her on the couch with me. When it was time to take pictures, I sat Olesya up in the corner of the couch and she seemed to really like that. She is very proud of herself and all of the new skills she is developing. When Olesya was almost asleep for her midmorning nap, the nurse came in to give her a shot. Olesya of course did not want to go with this woman. They took her into the other room to get her shot and then gave her back to me. She still needed to cry for a few minutes, but then as soon as she was calm, she fell asleep for about 15-20 minutes. Apparently, nothing feels better after a shot than a good nappie.
January 21
Well today was my last visit but we had enough time to post one more update before taking me to the airport. We were able to feed her again today which she certainly enjoyed. Instead of giving her a shot, they gave her a couple of spoonfuls of what looked like a very oily pesto sauce. She did not protest the taste too much, so maybe it wasn't so bad. Certainly not as bad as the needle.
It's hard to believe I am actually leaving Kazakhstan for good. I have been here so long that I hardly remember what Denver looks like. I wonder if Colonel Fremont ever got that crazy railroad surveyed?
I, on the other hand, will still be spending a few weeks in lovely Taraz. I will explain to Olesya that Daddy was very sorry to leave, but he had to go back to work so that he could recoup some of the costs of the trip and begin working on her college fund.
It's hard to believe I am actually leaving Kazakhstan for good. I have been here so long that I hardly remember what Denver looks like. I wonder if Colonel Fremont ever got that crazy railroad surveyed?
I, on the other hand, will still be spending a few weeks in lovely Taraz. I will explain to Olesya that Daddy was very sorry to leave, but he had to go back to work so that he could recoup some of the costs of the trip and begin working on her college fund.
January 20
Olesya was somewhat cranky today. She seemed sleepy but never actually took a nap. She does have a second tooth coming in and that probably played a role. I will only see her once more in Kazakhstan so that is getting tough too. It's definitely time to turn the page and get everyone back to Colorado.
I was very surprised to see how quickly her second tooth came through. It seemed like I was waiting for that first tooth forever and then while I was still excited about the first tooth, the second one came shooting up. I just can't believe how quickly she grows and changes.
She and I are both sad that Daddy will be leaving tomorrow, but glad that Mommy doesn't have to leave too. We are also very excited for Grandma to come in a couple of weeks.
I was very surprised to see how quickly her second tooth came through. It seemed like I was waiting for that first tooth forever and then while I was still excited about the first tooth, the second one came shooting up. I just can't believe how quickly she grows and changes.
She and I are both sad that Daddy will be leaving tomorrow, but glad that Mommy doesn't have to leave too. We are also very excited for Grandma to come in a couple of weeks.
January 19
We had a nice visit with Olesya today, a little longer than the last few days and not the burden of the court date looming over our heads. She will be getting shots for another couple of days and of course this can't come too soon. It is hard to hear her scream so when they give her the injections.
It is about 10 degrees Celsius colder today than yesterday and expected to drop further in the next few days. A Siberian front is coming down and bringing with it temperatures fabled in Siberian winters. While we are too far south to be considered in Siberia, we will still get a pleasant winter chill.
When Olesya was handed to us today, her hair had been wetted and combed down in front. We were also told that the hairdresser would be coming by in the next couple of days to give her a trim. I don't think the people at the baby house appreciate her crazy hair as much as we do. I guess we'll just have to let it all grow back once we get her home.
It is about 10 degrees Celsius colder today than yesterday and expected to drop further in the next few days. A Siberian front is coming down and bringing with it temperatures fabled in Siberian winters. While we are too far south to be considered in Siberia, we will still get a pleasant winter chill.
When Olesya was handed to us today, her hair had been wetted and combed down in front. We were also told that the hairdresser would be coming by in the next couple of days to give her a trim. I don't think the people at the baby house appreciate her crazy hair as much as we do. I guess we'll just have to let it all grow back once we get her home.
January 18
Court went smoothly today.
Perhaps the most challenging part of our court experience today was navigating the ice field in front of the building in dress shoes. The room was smaller than courtrooms in the States. In one corner is a cage of rebar where more questionable characters are exiled during their proceedings. When the judge decided not to have Kim sit in the cage I realized that our prospects were good for a favorable disposition.
We are attempting to upload a 20 second movie today. The four minute version from yesterday we abandoned after 2+ hours. Hopefully it will be successful. Olesya was modeling a new outfit we brought from the States. It is size 6-9 months and she may never be able to get into it again. The pants were snug and she cried when we pulled the top over her head as the opening was too small for her head and was hard to get over her nose and ears. She will be 8 months on February 3.
Present at the court hearing were: a prosecutor, court secretary, a woman from the Guardianship Council, Olesya's doctor from the baby house, and of course Aida. The judge asked us questions about our date and place of birth, jobs, salary and who will take care of Olesya. He looked through the pictures we submitted of our home and that we took during the bonding period. After Joe and I each answered questions, the doctor from the baby house spoke and then the woman from Guardianship Council spoke. The prosecutor did not ask any of us any questions. After about 20 minutes, we all stepped into the hall to await the judge's decision. We waited for about 5 minutes and then went in to hear him read it. Thank goodness it was a favorable one.
Now we will wait 15 days for the appeal period and then all of Olesya's final paperwork can be done and we can bring her home!
Perhaps the most challenging part of our court experience today was navigating the ice field in front of the building in dress shoes. The room was smaller than courtrooms in the States. In one corner is a cage of rebar where more questionable characters are exiled during their proceedings. When the judge decided not to have Kim sit in the cage I realized that our prospects were good for a favorable disposition.
We are attempting to upload a 20 second movie today. The four minute version from yesterday we abandoned after 2+ hours. Hopefully it will be successful. Olesya was modeling a new outfit we brought from the States. It is size 6-9 months and she may never be able to get into it again. The pants were snug and she cried when we pulled the top over her head as the opening was too small for her head and was hard to get over her nose and ears. She will be 8 months on February 3.
Present at the court hearing were: a prosecutor, court secretary, a woman from the Guardianship Council, Olesya's doctor from the baby house, and of course Aida. The judge asked us questions about our date and place of birth, jobs, salary and who will take care of Olesya. He looked through the pictures we submitted of our home and that we took during the bonding period. After Joe and I each answered questions, the doctor from the baby house spoke and then the woman from Guardianship Council spoke. The prosecutor did not ask any of us any questions. After about 20 minutes, we all stepped into the hall to await the judge's decision. We waited for about 5 minutes and then went in to hear him read it. Thank goodness it was a favorable one.
Now we will wait 15 days for the appeal period and then all of Olesya's final paperwork can be done and we can bring her home!
January 17
We tried making a movie today. It is about four minutes and is of Kim and Olesya reading. It is not real high quality, but the best we can attempt over this connection. It will also be posted on the photo gallery page. This is a good sampling of our daily visits. Notice the ongoing screaming in the background. They were giving shots and Olesya was also displeased when it was her turn (which was after this movie was shot).
Our court date is still schedule for 1500 tomorrow. We are certainly hopeful.
Olesya's doctor came in today and told us that she will get six days of injections because her breathing is getting a bit raspy again. I don't know if they are worried about the pneumonia coming back or about her getting a different ailment. The doctor did say that she is sure Olesya will get much better when we take her home. So are we. I do not agree with the way these "illnesses" are handled. Just wait until she gets into the clean air of Colorado.
Our court date is still schedule for 1500 tomorrow. We are certainly hopeful.
Olesya's doctor came in today and told us that she will get six days of injections because her breathing is getting a bit raspy again. I don't know if they are worried about the pneumonia coming back or about her getting a different ailment. The doctor did say that she is sure Olesya will get much better when we take her home. So are we. I do not agree with the way these "illnesses" are handled. Just wait until she gets into the clean air of Colorado.
January 16
Olesya had a quiet day today, she wasn't too much for playing. We held her a while and she took a nap. She had just received an injection prior to our arrival as follow up treatment and perhaps that had her a bit down. As a result, today's pictures are not as good as some.
If you have been following our story at all, you may remember that tomorrow was our rescheduled court date. Today we learned that it has been pushed back another day to Wednesday. This is our third assigned court date, hopefully this one will stick.
On a happier note, Olesya is getting her first tooth! I know that I kept saying that I thought she was going to get one soon, but this time I mean it - it has just broken through. That could be another reason why she was not her usual cheerful self today. That's okay though. After hearing the frustrating news that our court date was postponed, we all needed the extra snuggles.
If you have been following our story at all, you may remember that tomorrow was our rescheduled court date. Today we learned that it has been pushed back another day to Wednesday. This is our third assigned court date, hopefully this one will stick.
On a happier note, Olesya is getting her first tooth! I know that I kept saying that I thought she was going to get one soon, but this time I mean it - it has just broken through. That could be another reason why she was not her usual cheerful self today. That's okay though. After hearing the frustrating news that our court date was postponed, we all needed the extra snuggles.
January 14
Olesya had a good camera day today as hopefully you will agree once you see her pictures. She also had fun riding the car and sat up by herself for a long time before getting tired and slumping a bit. We are one week into trip 2 at this point and starting to think of Denver as some far off exotic locale famous for the unlikely trio of Kit Carson, Norad and Dealin' Doug. Olesya is very interested in the first two, but not too sure what to make of the latter.
Each time we read the baseball book, Olesya gets more and more excited about her first baseball game in April. Whenever she runs her finger over the astroturf page she just can't believe that people really play on that fake grass.
Since she likes riding on the car so much, we are sure that she will really enjoy walks to the park and jogs with Mommy. If Mommy still remembers how to jog that is.
Each time we read the baseball book, Olesya gets more and more excited about her first baseball game in April. Whenever she runs her finger over the astroturf page she just can't believe that people really play on that fake grass.
Since she likes riding on the car so much, we are sure that she will really enjoy walks to the park and jogs with Mommy. If Mommy still remembers how to jog that is.
January 13
While we were visiting today, one of the staff brought in a plastic riding car for Olesya. It was of the fire truck variety and she had lots of fun riding it back and forth and sounding the bells and whistles associated with any proper vehicle of this sort. After a while she began to tire and started to slump in her seat, but when we took her off she continued to eye the truck in the corner for the rest of the stay. I am sure she will be interested in riding again if it is still there tomorrow.
We spoke with doctor today and she indicated that the reason Olesya had been hospitalized was pneumonia. No small diagnosis to be sure, and although she seems to be over the worst part it was still troubling to learn that she had to deal with such a serious ailment. The doctor said that we should do our best to keep her warm during our visits and they brought us a space heater to help keep the visiting room extra toasty. She was attired in a shirt, sweater, vest, hat, two pairs of pants, socks and fuzzy shoes essentially everything sans a buffalo robe. The burden of clothes restricts her movement, but is probably best for now.
There are two things that I am very excited to do with Olesya when she gets home: put her in a warm place where she can get by with one layer of clothing and give her a bubble bath. I can't wait to see her splashing around in the water.
Since she had such a fun time with the fire truck this morning, I'm sure her father will buy something similar for her as soon as she gets home!
We spoke with doctor today and she indicated that the reason Olesya had been hospitalized was pneumonia. No small diagnosis to be sure, and although she seems to be over the worst part it was still troubling to learn that she had to deal with such a serious ailment. The doctor said that we should do our best to keep her warm during our visits and they brought us a space heater to help keep the visiting room extra toasty. She was attired in a shirt, sweater, vest, hat, two pairs of pants, socks and fuzzy shoes essentially everything sans a buffalo robe. The burden of clothes restricts her movement, but is probably best for now.
There are two things that I am very excited to do with Olesya when she gets home: put her in a warm place where she can get by with one layer of clothing and give her a bubble bath. I can't wait to see her splashing around in the water.
Since she had such a fun time with the fire truck this morning, I'm sure her father will buy something similar for her as soon as she gets home!
January 12
Olesya was very talkative again today, it seems she has outgrown her laconic stage and will be continuing in this direction for the next 100 years or so. It would be nice if we could take her out of the baby house and do some different activities. It would also make these updates easier to write and probably read too.
Olesya is already demonstrating early reading skills. At this point, she's not sure whether it's more fun to read the book or eat the book, but I'm sure she'll get that straightened out soon enough.
My favorite thing about her is her crazy hair. It is a bit longer now, so it doesn't stick up on top as much as it used to, but it still sticks every which way. From one crazy-haired girl to another I guess. It didn't take long in Taraz to get my humidity hair back again.
Olesya is already demonstrating early reading skills. At this point, she's not sure whether it's more fun to read the book or eat the book, but I'm sure she'll get that straightened out soon enough.
My favorite thing about her is her crazy hair. It is a bit longer now, so it doesn't stick up on top as much as it used to, but it still sticks every which way. From one crazy-haired girl to another I guess. It didn't take long in Taraz to get my humidity hair back again.
January 11
Olesya is still in the isolation ward, though more likely due to the absence of medical staff who are observing the continuing holidays than any noticeable ailment. She was much more vocal today than anytime in the past and at seemed to utter sounds that sounded like words at times, though this was certainly by chance. Today is the date that our court appearance was originally scheduled, but has been postponed until the 17th for observance of a new holiday. The snow stopped this morning and gave way to sunshine, though temperatures aren't likely to climb past 20.
We learned that our original driver is moving to Holland later in the month and we have been assigned a new driver. Our car has changed from a brown Nissan to a red Mazda which is the equivalent of a 626 though I am not sure if that is what it is called here as much of the back end was sheared off some time ago.
I showed Olesya a new book today called, Touch and Feel Baseball. Her favorite page was the one with the astroturf. Even on the other pages though, she especially enjoyed pointing to people's faces. She seems to be much more inquisitive than in the past, and she enjoys rolling to get wherever she wants to go.
We learned that our original driver is moving to Holland later in the month and we have been assigned a new driver. Our car has changed from a brown Nissan to a red Mazda which is the equivalent of a 626 though I am not sure if that is what it is called here as much of the back end was sheared off some time ago.
I showed Olesya a new book today called, Touch and Feel Baseball. Her favorite page was the one with the astroturf. Even on the other pages though, she especially enjoyed pointing to people's faces. She seems to be much more inquisitive than in the past, and she enjoys rolling to get wherever she wants to go.
January 10
Olesya seemed to know who we were today right away. She was smiling and full of energy as shown in the pictures. She seems to be using her legs much more than she was in mid December and seems a bit more plump too. We were both concerned yesterday by her relative lethargy and lack of recognition. Fortunately this appears to have largely corrected itself.
Another snowy day in Taraz. Since there is no attempt at snow removal here, even the most modest expedition to the orphanage leaves one mindful of the Donner Party and the difficulties they incurred. As we were finishing up our lunch at Cafe Istanbul, a pig was brought in through the front door minus head, skin and feet. While diners in an American establishment may find such an entrance to be indiscreet, it seemed perfectly normal here.
Happy Birthday Katie!! We tried to tell Olesya who you were, and where Illinois was, but it was hard to explain without pictures and a map.
Olesya did seem to remember us today. As soon as she was handed to me, she smiled. When I held her in a standing position, she enjoyed bouncing up and down on her legs. She was also making a lot of noises. She was quite entertaining today.
Another snowy day in Taraz. Since there is no attempt at snow removal here, even the most modest expedition to the orphanage leaves one mindful of the Donner Party and the difficulties they incurred. As we were finishing up our lunch at Cafe Istanbul, a pig was brought in through the front door minus head, skin and feet. While diners in an American establishment may find such an entrance to be indiscreet, it seemed perfectly normal here.
Happy Birthday Katie!! We tried to tell Olesya who you were, and where Illinois was, but it was hard to explain without pictures and a map.
Olesya did seem to remember us today. As soon as she was handed to me, she smiled. When I held her in a standing position, she enjoyed bouncing up and down on her legs. She was also making a lot of noises. She was quite entertaining today.
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