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.

Just one more day ...

Hello all. Sarah and I are preparing to leave for our 1/2 way around the world trip. We are very excited and Sarah can't wait to meet her new sister. I received an e-mail from Boris last night with lots of pictures of the girls' outing. I also received an e-mail from Masha with more Almira pictures with some of the folks at her school. I just wanted to post some.

We've still got to pack tonight, but since the plane doesn't leave until 4:30 tomorrow afternoon, we've still got some time.

This is a picture of the girls at the Donner Cafe on Thursday. I think Almira must have been taking the picture. They celebrated Vika's birthday which was April 6th, right before we arrived. Katya is on the end (laughing) and Roza is in the middle. Katya just turned 14 in February and is desparately wanting a family. I think she is having a hard time with Almira leaving her. She is a very sweet and affectionate girl and we would love to find a family for her here in the U.S.

The other picture is Vika with a kitty at the orphanage. I don't think the kitty is very happy in this picture. The last picture I posted was Almira and Katya hanging out in a tree. It looks like they were having a great time. I'll post more pictures from Masha later.

I received a message from a friend that I wanted to send out. I will just post it below. I wanted to see if anyone is going to Petro sometime soon or knows someone adopting from Kazakhstan and wants a great little boy to adopt. I've also posted her e-mail address if anyone is interested. Maybe between everyone on the Petro list and that reads this blog, we can find him a way to America ... a way to a home and a family.

Plumbago39@aol.com
For two years we've been sponsoring a (just turned) eleven year old boy through Antares. Grisha is my daughter's half brother. Through a bureaucratic snafu, this boy has never been listed on the adoption registry. We now have him listed and represented by Adoption Ark. We aren't able to adopt him, but are paying the agency fee to in the hopes of finding him a good family. He's a handsome, healthy boy and Boris and Svetlana speak very highly of him. Perhaps in the circle of people reading your blog, you'll come across someone who would like more information. They can contact me or Adoption Ark directly.

Thanks to everyone for their kind comments and support this last few months. I'm so glad I started this blog. It has been wonderful sharing this experience with so many friends. It also makes it easier for my friends still in Kaz to keep up with us.

Thanks,
Kathy

Just 4 days until our return ...

Yes, Sarah and I are counting down the days. Sarah gets out of school tomorrow morning after her awards day and then will spend the next day or two with Mom and Dad. It is strange to think that I will be gone from work for another 3 weeks or so. I plan on coming in and working some while the girls are at camp and busy with other things this summer. That is the only way I can make it this summer with no income. I am grateful for the Family Medical Leave Act which allows me to have a job when I come back, but taking 7 weeks without pay is tough, especially due to our adoption expenses. I'll just continue to pray that God will provide for us and we'll be okay this summer. We may just have to live on bolonga sandwiches -- okay just kidding. Sarah and Jon would never go for that.

I heard from Masha, this morning and she had come from seeing Almira. I got some more pictues of her at a program at school, in her uniform. She said Almira is starting to get nervous, but is very excited about coming. Almira had found some English books and was learning some English expressions. I just wonder what kind of book it is. :-)

The first picture is Almira at a concert today at the orphange for several children that had birthdays today. She explained it was similiar to when they had a concert for her. Looks like her friend Katya sitting next to her. The other picture looks like Almira was in her gym clothes.

Masha told us what a great daughter we had and that in her eyes she sees a kid and an adult that understands everything. She said that Almira made this decision to come with us after seriously thinking about it and being honest with herself. Masha also said that "we have a daughter that will never make us sad and will make us very proud".

Masha also mentioned the two little boys that hung around Jon all the time, Maxim (the little blond) and Viktor. They are now spending time with Almira and Masha and giving Masha flowers. She said that both little boys want to be adopted very badly. Jon agreed they would make someone wonderful sons, especially little Viktor, who had a ready smile and just loved being around Jon. I can almost see the wheels spinning in a few of my friends heads, like Nanci, Apryl and Jody. We're done with travelling for a while, ladies. Unless of course we win the lottery in the next few months or find some generous donors. :-)

I'll make sure I've posted a picture of them. I think I did while we were there.

I'll post again when I hear from Kaz. Boris is taking some of our girls on an outing Thursday for Vika's late birthday and Almira's going away party. I wish I was there for it. Those girls are so precious and such fun.

I can't say enough wonderful things about the Antares Foundation. I have never given to an organization where you see the results so quickly and personally. This is a great foundation and you don't have to make a large monthly committment. I can't say enough how much difference it makes in the lives of these children. Even Sunday school groups or businesses can sponsor an entire family, which is like 25 kids. Even if it means just sending school supplies or Christmas presents. Jon and I personally witnessed how much it meant to these children to know that someone cared about them enough to put something in the mail, just for them. Can you imagine what it would do for your kids here in America to have a friend that is half way around the world that they can help and send packages to? The kids can write back and Boris takes pictures and sends updates on your kids that you sponsor. Sarah loves going and picking out things to send to the orphanage. It helps her understand that other people are not as fortunate as we are. We have already selected another child to sponsor since Almira is coming home. I will never forget those children. It would be impossible to forget them.

Kathy

Something about that smile ...

I came into work this morning and had a wonderful suprise in my e-mail. Boris saw Almira yesterday and took her a copy of our court papers and her new birth certificate. He said she seemed very excited. She was wondering if her last day at the orphanage would still be May 28th and he told her he thought it would be.

As my grandmother used to say "If the Lord's willing and the creeks don't rise" honey, that will be your last day at the orphanage. Of course you have to consider the era. They used to cross the creeks in horse and buggies when she was a little girl and to come into town, they lived in the country, they would put the horse and wagon on a ferry and cross the big rivers.

Well I digress. Anyway, I wanted to share my newest photo of our beautiful new daughter. I love to see her smile. She is sharing her good news with her friends. Or the real truth is the kids see Boris and mob him because they love him and he brings them suprises from their sponsors in America.

That's all for now. I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Kathy B.

Almira is now officially our daughter!!

These are our official documents that we received.

I received an e-mail yesterday afternoon from Masha's dad, Sasha. It was a scanned official looking document ... completely in Russian. I could pick out enough to see that it had Almira's birth date, the date we went to court and yesterday's date. I also figured out where it said father it was Jon's name and under it I recognized the same last name and saw a K. I guess that was me. I forwarded it to Boris yesterday and he confirmed that it was a new birth certificate for Almira and our final adoption papers. We are waiting on an English translation so I can get Almira on my insurance here at work and everything.

We are so excited. I booked our travel and Sarah and I will leave Monroe on Saturday, May 26th at 4:30 in the afternoon and fly to Memphis. Then from Memphis into Amsterdam on Sunday morning. I am still considering whether I want to take Sarah out and about around Amsterdam. I hate for her to miss seeing the Rembrant museum. We do have about a 7 hour layover and Jon and I didn't have any problems last time we went there.

We will then continue on Sunday evening and land in Almaty at 5AM on Monday morning. Then Masha and Almira will arrive on Monday afternoon or evening. I'm not sure of the schedule for the week, but now I've heard we might be finished up in 3 days. If that is the case and I can get seats on the plane, I hope to fly us home on Friday, June 1st. My tickets right now are return on Monday, June 4th, but it would be great to get home on Friday and have the weekend to battle the jet lag.

I spoke with my friend Apryl yesterday and it was strange but I found myself missing Petro. When I was there I couldn't wait to get home and now I can't wait to get back. Even though we're not going back to Petro, we will be in Almaty. I don't miss the mud or the crazy driving, but I miss the laid back days, walking the streets, our daily trips to the orphanage or weekends spending them with Boris and Almira. There is a different pace of life there. Besides Almira, there are several girls that we met there that I am missing too. Now that we're home I can't stop thinking about the little girls there like Vika, Roza, Katya and so many others. I wish we could have brought more of them home. Now I understand more of my friends that tell me "Adoption is addictive, especially international. Once you come and see these precious children, you just can't forget about them." How can anyone with a heart ever forget these children? Even though the orphanages are clean, the children have food and clothes, they just need a family. Their needs are being met in the most basic of ways, but there is still an empytiness there. The Antares Foundation helps a lot with doing outings with the kids, helping the ones that have sponsors celebrate their birthdays, getting them glasses, dental work, but there is so much more.

I couldn't imagine being a kid and not having someone waiting for me at home, to give me a hug or a kiss when you've had a bad day. Someone to tell you "Good job" or "It will get better". Someone to cheer for you in the stands or standing in the audience at the awards day snapping pictures and bursting with pride for your achievements, always there to support you, to love you ... That is the most heart breaking part of this entire process, the ones that you must leave behind. I'm not sure I'll ever stop thinking about them.

But Almira is almost home and she was the one we were sent to bring home. I'm so glad I listened to God when he was continously pointing me back to her. She is truly a gift from God. I'll keep everyone posted, but like Boris said "It's 90% over with now." Yeah!!!

Hope everyone has a good day,
Kathy

Counting the days ...

Even though last week seemed to speed by, it still seems much too long until we can return to pick up Almira. The appeal period ends tomorrow and I will be holding my breath on Wednesday as we find out if everything is final. I was quite happy to get a picture this weekend from the DeBolt's who are there now adopting. Dale snapped this picture of Almira with Masha in the hallway at the orphanage. Almira is still in her school uniform, so it must have been right when she got through with school. I think Masha told me that Dale is a professional photographer. You can tell it is definitely a better picture than anything we took. Thanks again for sending me a picture of Almira, Dale and Bonnie. We offered to adopt Masha while we were there as well and bring her to the U.S. She is just darling. We are hoping she can come for a visit. She just turned 24 and is a sweetheart.

At the Regional Orphanage the children have school 6 days a week, Monday through Saturday. I believe they start at 8AM and then go until 1:30 or 2:00. Then the children have lunch at 2:30 in the afternoon. We would arrive every day at 3:00 p.m. for our visits with Almira and she would be out of her school uniform and into her regular clothes. We would then stay until 4:30 when the kids would have a snack. We usually left at this time. Then I think the kids had supper at 7:30. Almira was thrilled she didn't have school on Saturdays.

Just 2 weeks from today, Sarah will meet Almira for the first time. Please pray that nothing will get in the way of our return trip for Sarah, Almira and I and that we have an uneventful return. I don't think that Almira can leave the airport in Amsterdam, so I am hopeful we won't have any delays or missed flights.

Enjoy.

Kathy B.