Monday, January 31, 2005
Not going. Paperwork did NOT all get to Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan and so we were not issued an invitation. Completely devastated. Called Todd at work and told him. Thankfully Abbie wanted to play with me, so I have had to continue to function. I will feel better about it in a few days, but for now I just want to rant and rave and curse all the government agencies that are preventing us from getting our boy.
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
Tentative Travel Dates
If all the paperwork does what it is supposed to ASAP.
It is soooo nice having a date in mind.
We would leave Indy Feb 5th
Arrive Almaty, Kazakhstan Feb 6th
Arrive Ust-Kamengorsk Feb 7th
-=-Sam's birthday Feb 10th
Court Feb 21st
Home to Indy March 2nd.
This is if everything goes smoothly and quickly. All up to Kaz now.
Hurry Kaz, Sam is waiting for his family.
It is soooo nice having a date in mind.
We would leave Indy Feb 5th
Arrive Almaty, Kazakhstan Feb 6th
Arrive Ust-Kamengorsk Feb 7th
-=-Sam's birthday Feb 10th
Court Feb 21st
Home to Indy March 2nd.
This is if everything goes smoothly and quickly. All up to Kaz now.
Hurry Kaz, Sam is waiting for his family.
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
INS approval granted
Got it in the mail today. Woo-Hoo.
Now we wait for Kaz to move the paperwork on their end.
Hurry Kaz, Sam is waiting.
Now we wait for Kaz to move the paperwork on their end.
Hurry Kaz, Sam is waiting.
The New Sam Video
Cara and Inna are impressed that Abbie has matching slippers on to her outfit. LOL. See I told you I took her out of bed.
We sit down and Inna rewinds the video, and it rewinds and rewinds and rewinds. All the while making squeaks and sqeals. Finally get it all the way back. Inna presses play. A child comes up on screen, but I am waiting for it to cut to Sam. Then I realize Inna is watching my face. Whoa!!! THAT'S SAM!!!
Now please realize the last video was of him at 3 months. Now he is over 10 months. But he is not the way we expected him to look. We thought he would look more like Abbie (dark). He is very pale (altho has probably never seen the sun) and has light brown reddish hair. His dark eyes are huge. He is much more eurasian than Kazakh. It's fine with us, but just not what we had expected. From the 3 month video he looked more Asian to us, but not this video. LOL
He was playing and very alert to his surroundings.
They have him a toy that he tried to beat into submission. Only one grunt from him and no smiling-altho there is a small quick grin if you are looking for it. But his eyes are very alert and taking everything in. Tammy says he will love watching the "Abbie show" when he finally gets home.
The video is a little over 2 minutes long. Cara shows me some photos of little boys that she thinks Sam will look like. I tell Todd we need to get home and get the mail because the INS approval is coming today. And believe it or not, it realy did come that day in the mail.
We came home and Abbie fell sound asleep in the car (poor little thing, so abused :-) Todd and I watched the video a few more dozen times. I took photos with the digital camera while it was playing on the TV so I could post them.
Then I had to let everyone know. LOL.
What a great day!
We sit down and Inna rewinds the video, and it rewinds and rewinds and rewinds. All the while making squeaks and sqeals. Finally get it all the way back. Inna presses play. A child comes up on screen, but I am waiting for it to cut to Sam. Then I realize Inna is watching my face. Whoa!!! THAT'S SAM!!!
Now please realize the last video was of him at 3 months. Now he is over 10 months. But he is not the way we expected him to look. We thought he would look more like Abbie (dark). He is very pale (altho has probably never seen the sun) and has light brown reddish hair. His dark eyes are huge. He is much more eurasian than Kazakh. It's fine with us, but just not what we had expected. From the 3 month video he looked more Asian to us, but not this video. LOL
He was playing and very alert to his surroundings.
They have him a toy that he tried to beat into submission. Only one grunt from him and no smiling-altho there is a small quick grin if you are looking for it. But his eyes are very alert and taking everything in. Tammy says he will love watching the "Abbie show" when he finally gets home.
The video is a little over 2 minutes long. Cara shows me some photos of little boys that she thinks Sam will look like. I tell Todd we need to get home and get the mail because the INS approval is coming today. And believe it or not, it realy did come that day in the mail.
We came home and Abbie fell sound asleep in the car (poor little thing, so abused :-) Todd and I watched the video a few more dozen times. I took photos with the digital camera while it was playing on the TV so I could post them.
Then I had to let everyone know. LOL.
What a great day!
2 for 2 most excellent of days
January 11th, 2005. It's a Tuesday. Abbie has pre-school and it is our day to be a parent helper in her class (also know as "Abbie's special day"). Todd is off work -not his usual day off, but they messed with the schedule and he has weird off days this week- so he volunteers to be the helper in her class. Abbie loves that!
They do the preschool thing and I stay home alone. Ahhhhh.
After they get home Todd and I discuss what we might do the rest of the day.
We need to make a grocery run because we do not have much food. Todd decided to run and get fast food salads for us to have for lunch. It's Abbie's naptime, so as he leaves, I head her into her bedroom. We read a book and are talking when the phone rings. Abbie says "put me in bed first mommy" because she is tired. Pre-school days always wipe her out. So I put her down and go get the phone. It's Inna from Kids First. She asks me if I am heading out. I say "no", she says "well go put your shoes on and head out". I say "what?". She says "I have a new video". OK, conversation after this is quite hazy for me. LOL.
I go tell Abbie that she can get up that we are going to go to Kids First as soon as Daddy gets back.
She is vegging on the couch when Todd gets home. I tell him and he says he will stay home with Abbie while I go pick it up. I say "no way we are all going". So we get in car and head up.
They do the preschool thing and I stay home alone. Ahhhhh.
After they get home Todd and I discuss what we might do the rest of the day.
We need to make a grocery run because we do not have much food. Todd decided to run and get fast food salads for us to have for lunch. It's Abbie's naptime, so as he leaves, I head her into her bedroom. We read a book and are talking when the phone rings. Abbie says "put me in bed first mommy" because she is tired. Pre-school days always wipe her out. So I put her down and go get the phone. It's Inna from Kids First. She asks me if I am heading out. I say "no", she says "well go put your shoes on and head out". I say "what?". She says "I have a new video". OK, conversation after this is quite hazy for me. LOL.
I go tell Abbie that she can get up that we are going to go to Kids First as soon as Daddy gets back.
She is vegging on the couch when Todd gets home. I tell him and he says he will stay home with Abbie while I go pick it up. I say "no way we are all going". So we get in car and head up.
