WE GOT OUR LUGGAGE! Well, we’re still missing one piece, but we’ve made progress. We went to the airport today around 1 pm and picked up two of our bags and we leave tomorrow morning at 6:30 a.m. Maybe we should have just left our luggage at the airport! The piece of luggage that we’re missing was a bag full of clothes for the Baby House so if it turns up here they can just deliver it to the Baby House.

We were originally scheduled to leave on July 22, but we won’t get a court date until mid-August at the earliest so we decided to come on home. Believe it or not they had seats available for us and there was no change fee. Hmmm. Maybe the tide is changing.

We also had one of our best days with Robert so I guess we’re leaving on a good note. It didn’t start out good. He did his signature plop-down-on-the-ground when he saw us. They had us take him outside and he didn’t like that either. He just sat there for a long time and then all of the sudden he wanted me to pick him up. Just when we started having a good time his group came walking out and they went around to the back of the Baby House. When he saw his group go by he completely lost it. They had us take him around to his group and then they sent one little girl named Sabine back to the playground with us and Robert was fine after that. Sabine is about five and she helps out a lot with the kids. She’s very sweet. Robert had a great time running around with us and Sabine. I think Russell is going to help Robert feel more at home when he finally gets to Pensacola.

This will be our last blog for the time being. We should start up again around mid-August. Take care everyone. Nancy and Chuck

It’s Sunday so we didn’t get to go see Robert today. Gali, our driver, took us up to Medeo. Medeo is in the mountains and there is an ice rink and about 800 steps that lead to the top of a dam. When we were here three years ago we walked up and down the steps. They told us it was the “adoption test”. Today Gali took us to the top and we just walked down the steps. Going down 800 steps was much easier! The countryside around Medeo is beautiful. It was nice to get out of the city for a little while and take in the scenery and breathe fresh air. A girl from Malta also went with us. She had her 1-year-old baby boy with her that she’s adopting. He’s adorable. She’s been here for two and half months and still has another week to go before she gets to go home. It’s amazing how much the adoption process has changed in three years. I now consider it lucky that we were able to complete our adoption in six weeks last time.

We heard yesterday that they found our luggage and they were suppose to deliver it to our apartment. It never showed up. One of our interpreters is suppose to be checking on it again today. Maybe we’ll have good news yet.

We had an early morning video chat with Russell. He had been to the beach with his aunt, Susu , so he had a big day. He’s having so much fun with Mimi, Poppee and Susu that he’s going to be disappointed when Mom and Dad come home!

When we got to the Baby House this morning one of the workers pointed down the hallway to Robert’s group. They were all down there watching something on TV. Robert was so disappointed when we showed up! He really didn’t want to be taken away from his group. I guess that’s been his family for the last three years. His main caretaker came in and talked to him then she took us up to a room for our visit. Robert sulked for about 45 minutes and then he finally came around. We got him interested in a little guitar that was in the room. He actually had a good time for the last hour of our visit.

We tried a new restaurant for lunch today. We went to a place called Firenze that is right by our apartment. It was very good. We’ll probably be visiting it again before we come home.

Today was not a great day with Robert. He clearly did not want to be with us. As soon as he saw us he sat down and wouldn’t move. I had to go into the hallway and pick him up and carry him into the room. He struggled to get away from me the whole time. Then he just sat there and he wasn’t interested in anything. Finally, we got him interested in a balloon so we played with that for some time. We tried to get him interested in the piano, which he usually likes, but after a few minutes he was tired of it. He sat down and started playing with the photo album and he just played with that until it was time to go. It’s clear that the bonding is only going to happen once we get him home. They keep telling us how active and talkative he is, but we definitely haven’t seen that yet.

After our visit we just grabbed a bite at the fast food chicken place in the Silkway mall. We might go up to the Tsum store later with the people we meet earlier this week to shop for souvenirs. There are some rumblings that they might have found our luggage! Stay tuned!

WE HAVE HOT WATER! Finally! After 10 days with no hot water we finally got to take hot showers again. That was a nice start to the day. Then we headed to the Internet café for our video chat—modern technology is great.

Chuck and I were very apprehensive about how Robert was going to react when he saw us today. His main caretaker brought him in and he was fine. He wasn’t ecstatic to be there with us but he had a good time playing with his toys… and eating the treats we brought for him. He does like to eat. We did get smiles out of Robert today, but we think he’s worried about what he’s missing out on with the rest of his group. When our two hours were up his main caretaker came back in to get him. She told him to pick up all the toys. Amazingly he picked up everything! He does pretty much whatever she says! Maybe she can come home with us! After he picked up his toys the caretaker told him to tell us bye-bye and he actually looked as us and said it. We clapped and cheered for him and we got a smile out that.

After we left the Baby House Aliye took us to the art museum. They have a rug store there and we bought a rug to take home. That was one thing I always regretted we didn’t do last time, Then it was to the Chicken House for lunch. We had a good long rain this morning so it cooled things off a little. It wasn’t quit so hot walking around the city today.

We headed to the Internet café about 5:45 this morning for our video chat back home. At first they told us the Internet wasn’t working but we tried it anyway and it worked. Getting to talk to and see Russell was a good start to the day, but it went downhill after that!

Robert didn’t want to have anything to do with us today. At first he came right to us and then he started crying. One of his caretakers calmed him down and he was okay for about 10 minutes then it was more tears. We couldn’t do anything to make him happy and he just kept scooting away from us. Another caretaker came in and lead us outside with him were they were filling up a little swimming pool. We stayed by Robert but he definitely didn’t want us around. After he went swimming he let me carry him back inside with his group, but when I started to go upstairs instead of following his group he started trying to get away from me again. I just put him down and they told him to hug us goodbye. He did hug us but he was glad to see us go. Today was a complete about face from yesterday. We’ll see what tomorrow has in store for us.

On a positive note, while we were outside at the Baby House today, we met two other couples adopting. We ended up meeting one of the couples for lunch. They’re from Dayton, Ohio and they’re adopting a two and a half year old boy. They have a four year old toddler at home that they adopted about three years ago so we have a lot in common with them. Plus, they have no hot water either!

We started off our day with an early video chat to Mom, Dad and Russell. We’ve decided it’s better for us to go to the internet café real early because it’s easier to get a computer with a video camera in the early morning rather than in the evening. If only we could get hi-speed internet in the apartment! As always, it was great to be able to talk to and actually see Russell.

Robert came right to us again today. He did his usual sitting around eating his banana and drinking his juice. We decided to try to get him moving around some so we put him in a blowup pool filled with plastic balls that is in the room. He seemed a little unsure at first but then he decided he liked it and he really started playing. He got in and out on his own several times and he ran around outside the pool, too. That’s the most movement we’ve seen from him! He’s still not talking to us, but they tell us he talks and sings a lot… sounds like Russell!

After our visit we walked to a Russian restaurant that Anastacia had recommended. I ordered chicken stew and I ended up with chilled chicken and eggs mixed with mayonnaise. Hmmmm. I guess something got lost in translation! Chuck wants to stick with Ciao Pizza from now on.

Still no word on our luggage and we can’t reach British Air by phone. Aigul, our facilitator, is going to go to the airport today and check on it for us. In all of this I have discovered that there is life without hair gel! I forgot to get any the first day we were here so I had to do without the next morning and big surprise, my hair actually did okay. Maybe it’s the ice cold mountain water that makes a difference!

Robert actually seemed happy to see us this morning. He came right to us and gave us both a hug. I think he was told to give us hug by his caretaker, but he did seem happy to do so. He sat down with us and ate his banana right away. We got his toys out and he started playing. All the past days Robert will take the toys that he doesn’t have in his hands and hide them under his legs. We guess he has to protect the toys he’s playing with from the other kids. He does the same thing with his food. If he doesn’t eat whatever we give him right away he hides it under him. Today however, he didn’t hide his “stuff” so he must trust us more now. Chuck gave him a ride on his shoulders and he loved it. I’m sure that’s something new for him, too. Another progression we’ve seen is that Robert doesn’t look longingly at the other children who walk through the room going to their speech classes. He now looks at them as if to say, “Hey, look at me”!

After our visit we walked to our regular pizza place for lunch. We walked so much yesterday that we decided to just stay in today accept for running up to the Silkway later for some dinner items. Our kitchen is very, very sparse so there’s not much cooking. So far it’s been pasta and grilled cheese.

We’ve been using Skype to video chat with Russell. He’s been in North Carolina on vacation with family and friends. The video chat doesn’t always work quite right but it makes a huge difference to Chuck and I to be able to see Russell’s face on the screen. Russell’s been so busy with vacation and friends that I don’t think he’s had time to be homesick for us yet. And this week he goes to vacation bible school so that will keep him busy, too. It’s very hard to be away from Russell, family, friends and of course, all our dogs and cat, but once Robert finally joins us it will all have been worth it.

By the way… no luggage or hot water yet.

July 8, 2007

We didn’t get to go visit Robert today because it’s Sunday. Sunday visitation is another thing that has changed since we were over here for Russell. Last time we got to visit on Sundays and it counted toward our bonding period. Since we couldn’t go to the Baby House Anastacia was going to find a church for us. Evidently she forgot and we couldn’t get in touch with her yesterday so, we had a wide open day.

We ended up walking around the city for about three hours. We had a good lunch at Guinness Pub (thanks for the recommendation Shannon). Chuck tried the fish and chips and I had chicken puff pastries. Then we headed to the Ramstore, think Walmart on a much smaller scale, and bought a couple of books in English.

I haven’t figured out how to do photo captions yet so I’ll have to explain the photos today. The first is of the Green Market. That’s the flea market type shopping place. And the other is off a painted camel sculpture. They’ve added these around the city much like Pensacola did with the Pelicans.

July 7, 2007

Our driver and a different interpreter, Aliye, picked us up today at 9 a.m. We had not met Aliye yet because she just got back from escorting a child to the US. We couldn’t believe it when she told us she had escorted the child to Montgomery, AL and the family drove Aliye down to Pensacola Beach to spend a day! It’s definitely a small world. I could have had her go by my house and get some clothes for us. Although, all my favorite clothes are somewhere in this world in my suitcase.

Robert didn’t even shed a tear when he saw us today. He actually seemed like he wanted to go with us. We had a good two hours with him. He even spoke to us today for the first time. One of the wheels came off a toy car and when I put the wheel back on for him he said something. What he said, I have no idea, but he finally spoke to us. We had Aliye explain to him that he would be getting a new name, too. She was very good with him. When his caretaker came to get him for lunch he didn’t jump up and go to her like he’s been doing. The language barrier is definitely the biggest problem. I spent hours before we came over here listening to Russian tapes so I could at least speak a few words to him. It turns out that they speak Kazakh to the children now. When we were over here for Russell they spoke Russian to him. Things are constantly changing.

It’s a rainy day here so we just walked to the pizza place and back. Looks like it will be an apartment day. Hopefully it will let up tonight so we don’t get too wet going to the internet café for our video chat back home.

July 6, 2007

I actually slept until 4:45 this morning! I think I’m finally adjusting to local time. Chuck however, only made it to about 3:30 a.m. Neither of us remembers taking this long to adjust to the time last time.

Initially this morning Robert didn’t want to have anything to do with us. He came in from outside and saw us standing in the hall. At first he came over to us but then he started screaming and crying. Chuck and I went upstairs to our visiting room and they brought him in about 10 minutes later with some cookies. We gave him his juice, a banana and a piece of candy. After he ate it he started playing with his toys and he seemed okay being with us. I finally just decided to pick him up and bounce him around to see how he would react. He loved it! He was laughing and giggling which was really good to see. Then Chuck gave him an airplane ride and he loved that, too. From that point on he was very happy and he didn’t want us to put him down. I think we made real progress. The Director of the Baby House told Anastacia that Robert was telling the other kids in his group that he was getting a Mama and Papa.

After our visit we had lunch at the Chicken House close to our apartment. Then we headed over to the Green Market so I could by another pair of pants and a shirt so I’ll have more than two outfits. Yes, you guessed it, no luggage yet—or hot water.
Later this evening we’ll head over to the internet café to call home for our video chat. It makes it a little easier being away from home. After that it will be an evening of FOX News. I need to find a bookstore that has some English books because the ones I was planning on reading are with my luggage.

July 5, 2007

We had a much better visit with Robert today! He still cried when they brought him into the room, but it didn’t last long and he started playing with the toys we brought. It also helped that we had some juice, a banana and a piece of candy for him! He reacted with us much more today and he made eye contact today without us calling out his name. Yesterday he would just hang his head down looking at his toys unless we said his name. We’ve been calling him Arman Robert so he slowly gets used to his new name. He even initiated a game of throwing balls back and forth to each other. Robert was definitely ready to go back to his group after our two hours, but he gave us big hugs goodbye and waved at us the whole time he walked out of the room. I think we’re making progress!

After our visit we walked down to Ciao Pizza and then walked to one of the parks just to get out of the apartment. There’s only so much FOX News you can watch.

Luggage and hot water update: No on both.

July 4, 2007

We started off another day with ice “so cold it hurts” showers. Our interpreter says we will have three days of no hot water because they are replacing some pipes in the city. I've added a photo of our apartment.




Our driver picked us up around 9 am and dropped us off at the Baby House. We did not get a good reception from Robert today! He definitely didn’t want to hang around us today. He cried and cried and then hid under a desk. Some of the workers went and got his main caregiver to whom he seems really attached. He came out from under the desk for her and she talked with him about us. We showed him lots of pictures of Russell and his caregiver explained that he was going to be Robert’s big brother. He finally got a little more comfortable with us and started to play with the toys we brought him. Today we tried cars and a coloring book. Tomorrow we’re going to try puzzles because he seems to like doing things with his hands. When it came time to leave he did give us hugs but I think it was because he was happy to get to be going back to his friends.

After our driver took us back to our apartment we walked to Mad Murphy’s Irish Pub for lunch. It’s a pub that a lot of Americans go to. It’s pretty good and you can get a burger but it’s higher priced than most restaurants. Then it was back home to watch FOX News. That’s about the only English speaking TV we get. Last time we were here we had a sitcom and movie channel.

Luggage update: Anastacia was told that our luggage is in Tokyo!!!

July 3, 2007

After taking ice cold showers this morning due to lack of hot water, we started our day making a run to the Silkway store to find some more toys and snacks for Robert before our visit. Aigul, our facilitator, was picking us up at 9:15 am. After waiting for over an half hour for Aigul we called our interpreter, Anastasia, to find out what was going on. It turns out that Chuck and I have been operating an hour ahead of everyone else in Almaty! When we were here in 2004 there was a 12 hour time difference from CST. However, about two years ago, the Kazakhstan government decided they wouldn’t have daylight savings time anymore. Now Almaty is only 11 hours ahead of CST! Live and learn.

When they brought Robert in today he was upset and cried a little, but it didn’t last long. It’s definitely going to take a little while for him to get used to us. We brought him some Legos and he got interested in playing with them. We also brought him a juice box that he practically inhaled. We’ll be taking one of those with us every day! We did get a couple of smiles out of him when we tickled him, but he has yet to say anything. They have us staying inside with him because if we went outside he would want to be with the other kids. Hopefully, after he warms up to us we can go outside with him and he’ll want to stay with us. We’ll see.

After our visit Anastasia told us they had found our luggage and a man was meeting us at our apartment with it. Turns out they only found one of Chuck’s bags and it was soaking wet. So off we went to the Green Market so I could try to find a change of clothes. Shopping for clothes here is hard. The nice stuff is very expensive and it’s hard to find my style in the reasonably priced stuff. Maybe our luggage will still show up!

July 2, 2007

We finally made it to Almaty on Sunday around six in the morning. We’re 12 hours ahead of CST. However, our luggage, which we have not set eyes on since July 27 is still not with us. Apparently three bags are in London and one lonely bag is still in Chicago. Our interpreter is supposed to call the airport today.

We’ve settled into to our apartment, not that we had much to unpack. Our apartment is sparse but it serves its purpose. It is located pretty centrally. We’re two blocks away from the Silkway. The Silkway is a mall that has a grocery store and internet café. We’ll be spending a lot of time there because our translator said we couldn’t even get dial-up in our room. We would have had to visit the internet café a lot anyway so we can video chat with Russell and that requires high speed. When we went to the café last night the guy that was working there didn’t speak any English so we couldn’t figure out how to switch the computer from Russian to English. Hopefully someone will help us with that today.

And finally, best of all, we met Robert today! He was very shy around us, but at least he didn't cry. We couldn't get him to smile or talk, but he did come to us when the caregiver told him to. We were only with him for about 30 minutes but tomorrow will be longer. He did give us hugs goodbye when the caregiver told him to. I'm trying to upload pictures on the blog, but the computer at the internet cafe is in Russian so I can't read anything. I'll keep trying.