Lilypie Waiting to adopt Ticker
"No I didn't give you the gift of life, but life gave me the gift of you!"

Friday, February 15, 2008

Great News!


So much great news to share today!

After a little stress and much hope and faith in my team here in Kazakhstan, it is official, we are coming home this Sunday the 17th! Yahooo! How weird is that to say!! After nearly exactly 2 months here (left for Kaz Dec 19 and leaving on Feb 17), we are heading home as a family, us 4 girls! Because the chief judge didn’t count Saturday as the last day of my appeal period, and instead said that it would be Monday, that put us 2 days behind in paperwork. My passport application left Aqtobe for Astana on Wednesday last week, and didn’t get back to Aqtobe until this Wednesday, a week in transport. Yikes! I was stressing! That meant that Wednesday morning Gulnara needed to run my paperwork to get stamped and notarized that day and get it on the plane to fly back to Astana that night; which in turn meant that Thursday our LMI Astana coordinator needed to get the passport application back to the necessary people to have it signed off on and get it on the plane Thursday night to fly it to Almaty; which in turn meant that Marina needed to pick up the paperwork late Thursday night at the airport in order to set up our U.S. Embassy appointment Friday morning for Friday afternoon. Of course, being that it is winter, this all hinged on a bunch of team work from LMI’s Kazakhstan coordinators (in all 3 regions) and the weather, if any flight was delayed at all, or any coordinator ran late on the schedule, this would push back our U.S. Embassy appointment until next week. This would mean more money for an apartment, food, and grandma and Aunt Becky would then need to pay to change their airline tickets. Ugh! But all is good, and we are all set to fly home this Sunday! U.S. here we come!

Great news #2 – As you may know, Kristi in Guadalajara, is flying out Saturday to meet her beautiful daughter in Semey. I had emailed her to congratulate her on her travels, and let her know that I was disappointed that we would be missing each other in Almaty by just one day; Kristi flies into Almaty Monday and we fly out Sunday. Kristi works for the U.S. Embassy in Guadalajara and we have many crazy similarities: both named Kristi / Christy, same age, both single, both middle children, both have an older sister named Becky and we are both from the Midwest. Crazy hu! Anyhow, here comes the fantastic news, we will both be in Amsterdam at the same time on Sunday so we are meeting up at 1:00 in the airport to officially meet. Out of 365 days in the year, God has put us in the same place at the same time to have our chance meeting as friends. Life is great!


Wednesday was a tough day, we had our doctor’s appointment at the SOS Clinic. Why they chose to take blood for the HIV test first I do not understand! Why wouldn’t you schedule the owie appointment as the last doctor the child sees?????? They pricked Zahri’s little finger and squeezed it while she screamed, they filled an entire little tiny vile. I would say that the vile is the size of ½ of a pen’s ink tube, it is about that size in diameter and about ½ the length. It was so terrible, poor little bean! When we got out of that appointment she kept looking at her little finger with the band aid. Ugh! The next 2 doctors we saw there were easy, one just weighed Z and took her height, and the other looked in her ears, throat and such. Again, why wasn’t the HIV test done last??????? Grrrr!

Today the four of us girls visited the Tsum Mall again and spent about 3 hours shopping on our own, it was a great time! We actually found so many fun gifts for our friends and family back home! Z, of course, was a complete trooper, she slept for about an hour in her Kozy Carrier. I love that carrier! She is still snuggled up to me but it frees up my hands and tired muscles = perfect! After shopping we went to an Italian Restaurant on the corner, just about a block from the Mall, I believe that it is called Mama Mia. They have an English Menu and amazing food and service, we were so thankful for the great recommendation by our rockin’ driver Sam. Sam speaks great English too, which was a total bonus; in talking with Sam, we found out that Sam speaks 7 languages. Wow! We love the team here in Almaty too! Marina is the head coordinator for LMI in Kazakhstan, so she takes care of all of our paperwork, setting us up in our stellar apartment, scheduling, etc. Kate, is our translator, and we absolutely adore her too! Kate is totally spunky and a ton of fun! Both Kate and Marina are in the mid-later 20s. The entire team here, during our brief one week stay, has been more than accommodating, they are always saying, ‘You call us anytime, if you need anything we are here.” At the SOS clinic Kate even put on mine and my mom’s boot slippers for us, it felt weird, but how nice of her! She also makes sure that she carries my mom’s shopping bags. Wow! She wouldn’t let us walk 2 blocks with Z to get groceries (no parking near that store I guess), as our interim driver had suggested, instead she had him drive us to another grocery store with curbside parking. The little things make such a difference! I was pretty specific in asking for a nicer apartment here in Almaty, since mom and Beck were traveling ½ way around the world for only a week stay & we had initially wanted to stay at a hotel but the prices for rooms that accommodated 3 adults and 1 child were ridiculous, and Marina did a ton of searching for us. When Kate showed mom and Beck the apartment, as they got here before I did on Monday, she made sure to say that if they didn’t like this apartment she and Marina would make sure to find us better accommodations, no worries! Wow hu! They are really great here too!

On to the best stuff: Zahri!

I shared with Marina that Zahri keeps saying ‘da da da da,’ and it was making me feel guilty. Haha j/k And Marina calmed my fears and told me that da da in Russian means ‘give me,’ so I feel much better now knowing that Z isn’t already asking for a dad. Give your mom some time girlfriend!

Zahri loves bananas, she can eat an entire banana no problem!








Here is Z taking a bath in our Almaty apartment. How cute are these photos! Thank you Aunt Becky for taking such great photos and for really washing Z’s hair for the first time. I must add that after the bath, Z was all bundled up in a towel, and we were cuddled………..when I felt something warm on my leg, yep she peed on me!










Today Aunt Beck and Z played a new game called ‘Kickin.’ Aunt Becky holds Z up in the air and says kick, kick, kick and Z goes crazy kickin’ her little legs. This is the best photo ever! I am learning that I need 3 people to raise this little girl. Uh oh! It is such a great help to have the extra hands and entertainment when mixing her bottles, changing her diapers, making her porridge, etc.




Z now officially has 7 teeth! You just have to smile when she smiles, she is so damn cute! Sorry everyone, but I got the best little girl in Kaz, it is official!

16 comments:

Alysa said...

Great news all around! You must be so excited to come home -- CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

Zahri is just incredibly cute. I'm so happy for you.

Alysa

Karen said...

TWO months. Yowzer!!!! That's a long time but it looks like you're having a blast.

Congratulations. You're probably on a plane right now heading towards Amsterdam. Enjoy your time with your friend—it's amazing how the planets align themselves.

We got our LOI today. Hoping to leave MSP on Feb. 29th to arrive in Almaty on the 2nd. Stay overnight and catch a plane to Uralsk in the am.

Stay tuned.

Suzanne said...

Wow, you're almost home! I'm wondering though, if mixed in with your excitement to finally be home, that a part of you will miss your time in Kaz. You've been there so long and have really immersed yourself in the culture and the wonderful people you've met. Glenda the Good Witch is right when she says, "There's noplace like home." But it sounds like Kaz became a home-away-from home for you these past two months.

I'm really quite envious of the long in-country stay and gradual bonding that Kaz requires of parents. I'm trying to find ways to increase my stay in Kyrg, but am running up against road blocs. But I will keep trying. I want some of what you and Zahri had!

But I digress. I'm so excited for you and Z to finally come home. I'm wishing you fantastic travels and at a great layover in Amsterdam!

Big, strong hugs-
Suzannne

Stacy Peters-Walters said...

You are right - she just makes you smile!

I agree - you need 3 people some days to raise kids - but you'll work out your own great routine. There are some days when AJ and I look at each other and wish that one of the grandma's live with us and there are other days, that it is beautiful to be just me and the kids playing together all day.

Glad to hear that you are heading out Sunday. Grandma Shyrlee will be VERY happy - she's been living on pins and needles for 2 months. Have a safe trip! Stac

Susan said...

awesome news. I love seeing the pics. She is precious. I hope there are other equally as precious kiddo's left in Kaz...hey, we still have to travel. :)

Matthew Ruley said...

There is a lot going on there!

Can you send an invite to your blog to Dan & Allison Byrne a byrne1011@sbcglobal.net ? They were just assigned to Aqtobe and they'd love to follow your journey!

Global Girl said...

Congrats on the imminent homecoming! I’ll sure miss your daily posts :)

Regina said...

Yippee!!! You're going home! Z's smile is truly magical. What a heartbreaker she is going to be!

You ladies all look and sound so happy. Love the new photos.

Enjoy your time with the other Kristi and please tell her hello, and to leave a few cuties for the rest of us!

All the best,
Regina

Regina said...

Yippee!!! You're going home! Z's smile is truly magical. What a heartbreaker she is going to be!

You ladies all look and sound so happy. Love the new photos.

Enjoy your time with the other Kristi and please tell her hello, and to leave a few cuties for the rest of us!

All the best,
Regina

Susan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Kelly and Sne said...

Glad that the planets have aligned and that you are soon to be on your way home. Though it sounds like you are having a lot of fun being pampered there in Almaty...

Have a great trip home with your darling sweet little girl!

qmiller said...

Christy: Wishing you a safe and happy arrival in the USA! Enjoy your meeting in Amsterdam, and these last few moments in Kaz.

I'm so happy for you that you and Z have found eachother!

Quaintance

poobail said...

Congratulations! I have been following your blog avidly as I am a single gal in the process of adopting from Kaz. Your experiences just reinforce my desire to get my own child, and that he/she is waiting in Kaz. I can't wait to get where you are! I wish you a safe trip home to the US. Margaret

Patrick & Eileen said...

That is fantastic news. I'm glad that everything worked out for your trip home.

Great to see all the photos. I kept thinking how wonderful it was to have you mom and sis there. Looks like everyone is enjoying themselves.

Take care,
Eileen

Patty L said...

Ditto on the congratulations!!!
I am really happy for you! Your family absolutely glows with happiness in those pictures!

Have a wonderful, safe and ontime flight home!!!
- Patty

Jackie said...

I enjoyed this post and am very happy for you and Z. Your words and pictures really say a lot and you are both truly lucky girls to have found each other.

(it's so nice to read stories from other single moms adopting)

Wishing you an uneventful trip home and I look forward to following more of your story when you are back in the US.

Jackie
(home w/my Little Squirt since Dec. 6th)

Izaak, Elijah & Ty 'Bear'

Izaak, Elijah & Ty 'Bear'
Cousins (Izaak wants to name my daughter (his cousin) Isabella, Sant (for 'Santa') or Hershey (his friend's dog's name.) Hmmmm I told him that if we name her 'Hershey,' that would mean that we get to give her a lot of kisses.

Kolter Matthius Simon

Kolter Matthius Simon
Littlest Cousin......possibly. Kolter may indeed be the same age as his little girl cousin in Kaz. :)