Lots of fun here...

Well, it is Wednesday morning and I'm just getting the girls up. They are staying up and playing every night and sleeping late in the morning. Next week is going to be tough as we are going to be at Vacation Bible school and will have to get up early.

Yesterday Mom, Sarah, Almira and I rode up to Lake D'Arbonne, to my parents' camp. The girls had so much fun. My Dad showed Almira fish that he had caught and she got so excited. She kept making a motion like a fishing pole, I think she really wanted him to take her fishing. He promises he will before long. I then took the girls over to the state park where there is a big nice swimming pool. At first Almira was quite shy and kept her towel on. Of course she has a swimsuit with a tank top and a skirt, but she did not like so many people being there. Sarah and I got in the pool and left her sitting on the side in a chair in the shade. After a little while she finally gave in and came and got in the pool with us. Then she loved it. We played in the pool for about an hour and then headed back to the camp.

After lunch and a nap (for me) Dad took us boat riding. Almira loved it and Dad even let her and Sarah drive the boat. She definitely likes the lake and I think we'll have more fun there this summer. I will post more pictures when I get them downloaded.

I hate to ask this on the blog, but I have Natasha's foot outline and measurements. I'm sorry but for the life of me I can't remember who asked me for these. Can you please e-mail me and let me know who wanted these from the regional and I will mail to you right away?

Also, Boris e-mailed me this morning and sent a letter from Zhenya at the orphanage to Almira. I printed it off and Almira was in her room reading it. She seemed quite excited to hear from her friends. Almira also called Laney last night in California, Jill's daughter and they got to talk for a while. While they were on my cell phone, I had a chance to call my friend Jody and get caught up on her trip to Akkol. I'm so glad she is home safe and sound and I know is ready to get back and pick up Josh, her new son.

That's all for now. I'll update with more pictures later. We're just having a great time.

Good times in Monroe

We had a really good time Almira's first day home on Saturday. The girls slept in and I fixed breakfast, just some fruit and yogurt. We went to the farmers' market and then to the grocery store. Almira got to taste of lots of things and really liked some sausage they were giving samples of. We were grilling last night so we got some and cooked with our hamburgers. After lunch we went to Mom and Dad's and Almira got to see my parents' house. Then we headed out to Doug and Katy's house and she got a tour there. We all ended up outside with the kids playing frisbee.

Sunday morning we took it easy again and I cooked lunch for Mom, Dad, Doug, Katy and the kids. That is the fullest my table has ever been. I think we need to expand. There are now 10 of us. Wow! Almira got her first full southern meal of roast beef, fresh green beans and new potatoes, squash and corn bread. She didn't care much yet for the green beans or corn bread. But I pulled out the potato salad I made last night and that was a hit.

After lunch the girls drew some and just played. Almira motioned to me that she wanted to knit. I didn't have the things to knit or crochet so went headed out to get some. Almira made me a beautiful crocheted doily and brought it to me in Almaty.

We are having such a good time. Tonight my friend in California, Jill, had her daughter call and talk to Almira. They talked for almost an hour in Russian. Jill's daughter Laney was adopted last summer from the Regional orphanage where Almira was. Jill, I hope I got the time right on that. It was so good for Almira to have someone to talk to. I had some questions and some things I needed her to tell Almira and she was able to tell me some things. I think it was really good to hear things from another girl that was adopted not too long ago and has been in the same situation that Almira is in now.

After that the girls got in the hot tub and ate some ice cold watermelon. I just had to send a picture of that. They were so funny. It's like they've been friends forver. I don't know how the communicate, but they talk and play games. Just too much fun.

Kathy

Almira is home

Well, we are home from our long journey. Almira is doing well, but I’m sure she is overwhelmed. When we flew in last night we had a big group of friends and family waiting at the airport last night. She had flowers and people had made her signs that said “Welcome Home”. Thanks to everyone who came to meet us. It was very kind and I think she enjoyed it. It was so good to see everyone.

I've finally got my pictures downloaded and will add a few to the blog. This is the first picture of Almira and Sarah together. We could not take pictures or video in the airport so I waited until they jumped in the van. Sisters together... finally. The other picture is the girls in the hotel room. We had been shopping that morning and they had picked some nuts at the grocery store. Then we came back to the room and they did each other's hair. Then they were sitting on the couch eating nuts, talking about I don't know what and giggling up a storm.

My parents came over after the airport and had brought food and got to visit with Almira. She is hugging my parents and seems really happy to be home. The English is coming very slowly, but I think she understands a lot of what we’re saying. She liked her room and couldn’t believe she had clothes in her closet.

We just had breakfast and I’m trying to keep the foods similar to what she’s been eating. Of course I didn't make cooked cabbage and all those salads like we had at the hotel. She had fruit and yogurt for breakfast. We will be going on the first grocery shopping trip today. That should be very interesting.

Almira did eat a hamburger in Almaty and really liked it. We met the Colemans for dinner on Wednesday night. They are missionaries in Almaty that are from here, where we live. They have 2 daughters that are 10 and 14, Hannah and Missy. Such sweet children. They took us to this restaurant that was abut 2 blocks from the yellow Russian Orthodox church called the American Bar and Grill. I swear it looked like a Lonestar or something similiar on the inside. Almira and Kcensa, the 12 year old that belongs to Allison, had chicken fingers for the first time. Then Almira tried my hamburger and she loved it. In fact she finished it.

We went back there the next night with some more adoptive parents and got all the kids together. This time Almira ate a hamburger.

When we got off the plane in Memphis we went to eat at this barbecue place. Almira didn’t think too much of barbecue. Almira ordered a hamburger and potato chips. She ate the whole thing.

We were all really tired this morning and slept until close to 10AM. She was in her room reading her book that we had bought her when we were there the first trip. Jon, Sarah and Almira are about to go to the vet and pick up Star our dog. Jon thinks she got bit by a snake or something. He said the side of her face was swollen and she has been at the vet for several days.

I can’t seem to get Almira used to the clothes. She did put on a cute outfit that was a skort and a short sleeved shirt. Then she put on thick socks and her shoes she brought from Petro. I call them the librarian shoes. I think the more she’s here we can keep working with her. People, especially girls dress very casual here. You have to when it is 90 degrees outside.

I've also got to break her of the habit of washing her clothes out in the bath tub. I just happened to see her doing it last night and took her to the front of the house and showed her the washing machine and the dryer. She showed me a scrubbing motion with her clothes and I told her the washing machine does that. I'm not sure it got through.

So far clothes are the only issue we've got right now. I know clothes are so different here from what she is used to. But she will melt, it is probably going to be 90 degrees today.

I had better go now. I have to get a cable for my computer from my mother so I can down load all the pictures I took. I took her camera and it was great. It is so tiny and holds so many more pictures than mine.

It's so good to be home.

Kathy

Back in Amsterdam...

Hello all,
We are in Amsterdam on the way home. Everything went fine with the passports and Sarah, Almira and I will be home in Monroe tonight. Here it is 12:15 p.m. and in Monroe I believe it is 7:15 a.m. on Friday mornng.

I will post more when we get home. I have some great pictures of the girls in Almaty.

Kathy

Coming home

We are done here. We had our embassy interview earlier this afternoon. Then we left and went to the KLM office and got our tickets changed. We are flying home at 8:30 into Monroe on Friday night, June 1st. I just can't believe it. Almira and Sarah were both jumping up and down when I told them we were really coming home tomorrow. They are so excited. Almira keeps saying tomorrow, tomorrow we will be in America.

Things have been going great and I've made some good friends here. I hope we can all keep in touch. I can't believe it is almost over with now. Maybe I will sleep tonight. We have to leave for the airport tomorrow mornnig at 4AM with 2 other American families. I will post more tomorrow from Amsterdam if I get a chance. I just hope we don't have flight problems like we did last time coming out of Astana. We can't take Almira out of the airport in Amsterdam, she is still a Kazak citizen until she steps foot on American soil.

Well, I better go upstairs and check on the girls in the room. We'll see you soon.

Kathy

Thursday in Almaty

Everything is going really well. I did an update to the blog on Tuesday, but I don't see it on here. Sarah and Almira are getting along great. We have met several other American women adopting from here and we've all been hanging out together. We all went to dinner last night with Jeff and Teresa Coleman from West Monroe. We had such a good time. They have 2 daughters, one 14, Missy and one 10, Hannah. Sarah and Hannah were inseparable and holding hands by the end of the night. They are just precious people and were so kind to us. Teresa speaks Russian fluently and had a nice long talk with Almira and Allison's daughter, Kcensa (sp). She even prayed with them and told them that God loves them and has a bright future for them.

We are waiting to hear if we have an embassy appointment today. If we do, I may try and get flights home tomorrow. We will just be sitting around the hotel today waiting to hear from someone about appointments. Once we go to the embassy and they give us Almira's visa and medical package, we are done. There is a lady here from Austin, TX and she is from Shreveport and Monroe. She is alone here adopting a baby boy. She will be on the flights home tomorrow, if we get to make that flight. I will try and post from Amsterdam if we can get on the flight tomorrow morning.

Everything is going great and the city is really beautiful, with some wonderful views of the mountains. If we don't fly home on Friday, tomorrow, we may take a tour up into the mountains and see the big ice skating rink or we may just go to the mega mall, which has an ice skating rink and I heard is really nice.

Hope all is well in Monroe. I'll post again soon when I know something. HOpefully this post will show up. I have a lot of great pictures of Sarah and Almira and just the city. We'll be home soon.

Thanks,
Kathy B.

We made it to Amsterdam .... again

Sarah and I have done the Van Gogh Museum this afternoon. We are back in the airport killing some time until we get on the plane. We are both pretty exhausted since we have not slept much since Friday night.

This time tomorrow we will be with Almira and I am so excited, as is Sarah. We are going to try and crash on the plane tonight and get some sleep if we can stretch out at all. Last night was a packed airplae.

I'll try and post more later this week after we get some things accomplished.

Talk to everyone soon,

Kathy B.