Last day in Kazakhstan

Had a lazy day playing, eating and packing. Josie's already taking big steps away from the insecurity of needing Mama within touch ... crawling around after me and Grammy, and pulling herself up to standing ... mostly on her favorite people. All ready for bed soon, and planning a 6:00 am pickup tomorrow for the airport. Hoping for as smooth a trip as can be expected with a baby. Keep the good thoughts going : )

As a last thought from Almaty, I'm posting a few photos. Josie and I leaving Baby House No. 2 ... and with the goofy Mama and Grammy.

paka paka
K, J & M

Last day in Almaty

Well, we're down to the last day, here in Almaty. It's sad, in a way to be leaving the place of Josie's birth, and one day she may want to visit here, but I'm ready to go home and get started on our life together : )

A little update on the sweet thing ... hopefully I'll get another post in with a few photos before we head home, too.

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Yesterday we were all suffering from J's lack of good sleeping during the night and tried to nap with her every time she slept. I guess this is what everyone told me about - the lack of sleep is killer : )

Got the Embassy paperwork filed on Tues. and had a quick meeting with Emb. official yesterday. I have all her adoption/birth certificate papers, along with a translation into English. Also have the ultra secret sealed envelope that I can't open - it goes to the immigration officials at the first US airport, where she touches the ground and becomes a US citizen.

She's a very good baby ... a little clingy - won't let me leave her, even to play on a blanket. That's getting better by the hour, though, and she's exploring a bit of her surroundings. I think she'll be all over the place at home, once she gets secure, but for now, doesn't go far. Except for some "staying asleep" issues, she goes down for sleep pretty easily and enjoys all her food.

Lots of playful smiles and interaction. She's a real character, and repeats sounds and kissy noises and all right back at you. A little charmer, she has Mom and I wrapped around her finger already : )

We are family ...

The only description I can give for today is "busy, busy, busy." The trip to the grocery to buy cakes and candies for the caregivers and officials at the baby house was rushed and crowded, due to today being the "unofficial" holiday of "Men's Day." Apparently May has a "Women's Day," and this one was needed to balance it all out. Everyone and his sister was out buying cakes and goodies for home and work to honor the men. But we succeeded in the end and made our way to the baby house.

Josie came in, dressed in the outfit I brought for her to leave in. Cute as a button, still, of course! Both she and Maigul, her head caregiver, were obviously sad to part, and there was a rush to give us a happy send off. Some tears from Josie that dried up very quickly as we made our way back to the international clinic and had our doctor's appointment.

The timing on this was a bit unfortunate, as it forced Josie to miss her scheduled nap! We returned to the hotel to hang out for the rest of the day. Little Miss J then refused her next nap (loudly) and spent the afternoon playing with Mom and Grammy and eating. For such a little peanut, she has quite the appetite. That bodes well for the future!

Got her down (hopefully for the evening, unless she wakes for a bottle). Mom and I are heading off to bed to shore up our sleep, just in case.

Tomorrow is the US Embassy paperwork, then Wednesday the Embassy interview. Friday a.m. we head home. Can't wait!

hello, from Amsterdam!

The long-awaited day finally arrived. Our final leg in the journey to Josie : ) Very soon she and I will begin our life's journey together, which is one of the best trips anyone could make.

Mom and I are in Amsterdam, having completed the first 2 flights smoothly and safely. In four hours we leave for Almaty, arriving at 6 am. We'll have one day child-free (Sunday), and then go to Baby House No. 2 on Monday morning to pick up Josie.

It's still so unreal to me that I will go home changed as a person and family. I remember when I started calling my mom and dad "grandma and grandpa" after their grandchildren began to arrive 17 years ago, and now I'll be "mom" instead of just me. Unbelievable.

This past week is a blur, filled with so much to do, and the anxious, overwhelming feeling that I left so much undone! My friends assure me that that means I'm already a parent, "so get used to it!" Oh, my.

I'll probably get in a few blog updates while in Almaty, maybe Josie and Grammy will do some, too : ) But, once I get home you'll have to be patient while I price out and get the cable and internet connections set up. Can you say "welcome to the 21st century?" (yes, I'm still watching analog tv, too)

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8 more days ...

One week from tomorrow I leave for the final trip to Kazazkhstan. Will I miss the long flights over and back? No. Will I miss the interminable waiting between visits? No. Will I be so excited and nervous that I can't sit still or sleep? YES! (But save your pity for my mom, who'll be traveling with me : )

One more week and I'll officially be a "real" mom. 24/7 ... all day, every day. Diapers and new teeth and no sleep ... All the experienced moms out there can laugh, but I am really looking forward to the day-to-day, routine, boring, take-it-for-granted stuff. It means I finally got to that "prize" that I've had my eye on all this time.

In celebration of the countdown, I'm sharing a photo of the beautiful quilt my friend Karen made for Josie. It arrived yesterday from California, where the great artist resides (check out the artinthegarage.blogspot.com link to the right on this page).

I've known Karen since we were 18. She's a former math teacher who went on a mission several years ago to find her creative self. And did she ever! Karen is not only a painter and mixed media artist, but a talented writer, photographer and quilter, also. Check out some of her art quilts on her blog. THANKS, KAREN!