Wednesday, March 16, 2005
Packing for Trip
Wow, I think it is really going to happen. Did great with packing, so must have forgot something big. I can't believe tomorrow we are going to say goodbye to out best baby girl and get on a plane and fly around the world. And in just a couple of days we will be able to see and hold our not so baby, baby boy Sam. Have I mentioned lately how awesome Inna and Kids First is? Inna even translated a paragraph for us so we can give Sam's caregivers a book for them to share stories or any information they have about him. Pretty cool. Going to go to bed now.....maybe.
# posted by demicmic @ 11:38 PM 
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Update from Saralee who heard from Michele:
She called from motel/hotel at 2:10 our time (1 am their time). They are in Almaty and staying there overnight. Will be flying out for Ust tomorrow at 4 pm Almaty/Ust time and it's about a 3 1/2 hr flight. It will be too late
to go see Sammy by then so will have to wait till the next day.
Both, of course, VERY tired but doing fine. They were ready to crash in bed until flight tomorrow. Said the airport in Almaty had *really* changed ...
for the better. Todd reminded Michele that they had been doing construction the last time they were there .... now it is finished and VERY nice.
Todd able to get some sleep on flight, Michele read one book and is half way thru another ;-) She *thought* she might be able to stretch out on the benches in Frankfurt during their 5 hr layover and get some sleep. Think
again. Their benches are two-seaters. Said she might have gotten about a 45 min nap.
We talked about 10 min on her calling card. Said she'd give me the number once they get settled "in case". She *might* call in tomorrow night after
seeing Sam, but will possibly be too late ... more likely won't hear until the next day from her.
So, they are soooooo close!!!! All the luggage arrived. They have a nice room and were ready to use it!!
Next update as it arrives!!
Judy
She called from motel/hotel at 2:10 our time (1 am their time). They are in Almaty and staying there overnight. Will be flying out for Ust tomorrow at 4 pm Almaty/Ust time and it's about a 3 1/2 hr flight. It will be too late
to go see Sammy by then so will have to wait till the next day.
Both, of course, VERY tired but doing fine. They were ready to crash in bed until flight tomorrow. Said the airport in Almaty had *really* changed ...
for the better. Todd reminded Michele that they had been doing construction the last time they were there .... now it is finished and VERY nice.
Todd able to get some sleep on flight, Michele read one book and is half way thru another ;-) She *thought* she might be able to stretch out on the benches in Frankfurt during their 5 hr layover and get some sleep. Think
again. Their benches are two-seaters. Said she might have gotten about a 45 min nap.
We talked about 10 min on her calling card. Said she'd give me the number once they get settled "in case". She *might* call in tomorrow night after
seeing Sam, but will possibly be too late ... more likely won't hear until the next day from her.
So, they are soooooo close!!!! All the luggage arrived. They have a nice room and were ready to use it!!
Next update as it arrives!!
Judy
Tuesday, March 17, 2005
News from Saralee:
Michele called at 6:50 our time, talked till 7:25. All is well. They couldn't get a phone line out cause it's their New Years and everything was closed! It's a 3 day celebration that is over tomorrow. The internet is in the library, and of course it's closed. Had trouble finding phones that would take their phone card. Somebody took them to post office to buy different phone card they said would work. Meanwhile, somebody else told them that they had just had the hotel put through their call. That's what Michele did for our phone call. Said she's not worried about cost since a pizza and huge cokes only cost $8.
Then to the important stuff? Sammy!! Her first words were, "He's a little shit,a smart ass". The first 2 days he wouldn't do a thing. They'd put him on his tummy and he'd whine. They sat him up and he'd lean on them. A toy would get out of reach and he'd pull the cover it was sitting on to bring it to him, no way he'd exert the energy to go after it. No moving around, no crawling. They
checked his muscles and found that he was kind of flabby so just figured he needed activity to strengthen. Not worried about any of this. They have given him a haircut, some bangs over his *high forehead* but short otherwise. Said he is BLONDE!!! Only gotten about 3 smiles so far out of the little dickens.
Then this afternoon he and Toddw ere playing ball. Todd would throw, Sammy would throw it back. Once it went out of reach and Sammy just flipped over and crawled after it!!! She said the whole room just broke up. I do believe this is where the "smart ass" designation came from. They had a rattle toy with a flat bottom and they put the "cheese wedge" toy on top of it. He'd knock it over and then put it back, would stack it. Michele says he is an incredible mimic. He spends most of his time watching and watching.
This evening they were all playing when suddenly this care giver came into the room calling his name. He squealed and grinned and headed right for her. He does NOT like his diaper. Pulls at it all the time and doesn't want it on at all. They are to bring 2 diapers a day for the orphanage to put on. With Abbie M&T had to actually put the diaper on after they got there. Orphanage doesn't use diapers, too expensive. Just do a lot of laundry!!
I asked if they are taking a lot of pictures. She said, "Sure, it's easy, he doesn't move". She described the other kids in her group and talked about how talkative, active, strong etc they were. She said that all the group usually says about Sammy is that "he's soooo pretty'. Michele says, "like father like son. He works for food" when she gave him a cookie/cracker he would crawl to get it. Says he also likes to nap like his daddy ;-) He sits unassisted, crawls, doesn't pull up on things, yet. But then again, he may just be hiding his accomplishments.
Weather has been great. Sunny and in the 50s. Michele is just wearing a long sleeve shirt. Says it is really really hot in the orphanage and in the hotel. They have the windows open in the hotel. Said it was at least 85 in the room when they arrived. Room is VERY small. Not sure where they would put Sammy since there is hardly room to turn around without running into each other. One
couple they are with actually rented a second room just for their luggage. This couple brought their daughter that is Abbie's age and the daughter is miserable. Michele feels much better about her decision not to take Abbie.
Their routine goes like this: up and breakfast in the hotel. They all meet up in the lobby around 10 and head for the orphanage about 15 min away. They stay there interacting with the kids for about 1 ½ - 2 hrs. They are all in the same room with the kids. Then they go out to lunch. After lunch around 2:00 they go back to the orphanage for another 1 ½ - 2 hrs. Usually back to the hotel by 5pm their time.
They aren't sure about the process of when they actually get him. They think that they will get him a day after the court proceedings. That will probably work better since the rooms are so small. They have twin beds with a pallet that is a bit over an inch thick. Sleeping pills help a lot in dealing with the hard surface, small room and hot temps.
Their group consists of 2 gay women adopting a boy (about 3) and a girl (about 9 mos). The girl has a big leg deformity, one leg a lot shorter. The couple lives near Boston and plan to have her followed there. There is Charlotte and David adopting a boy (10 mos) and a girl (8 mos). A single mom, Ingrid, adopting a boy about 2 yrs old. Rick and Beth (with their daughter Sidney) adopting a boy about 1 yr old.
I think that does it. She is confident that Sammy is fine, not worried about him at all. Sounds like they may have their hands full once he connects with them!!
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News from Saralee:
Michele called at 6:50 our time, talked till 7:25. All is well. They couldn't get a phone line out cause it's their New Years and everything was closed! It's a 3 day celebration that is over tomorrow. The internet is in the library, and of course it's closed. Had trouble finding phones that would take their phone card. Somebody took them to post office to buy different phone card they said would work. Meanwhile, somebody else told them that they had just had the hotel put through their call. That's what Michele did for our phone call. Said she's not worried about cost since a pizza and huge cokes only cost $8.
Then to the important stuff? Sammy!! Her first words were, "He's a little shit,a smart ass". The first 2 days he wouldn't do a thing. They'd put him on his tummy and he'd whine. They sat him up and he'd lean on them. A toy would get out of reach and he'd pull the cover it was sitting on to bring it to him, no way he'd exert the energy to go after it. No moving around, no crawling. They
checked his muscles and found that he was kind of flabby so just figured he needed activity to strengthen. Not worried about any of this. They have given him a haircut, some bangs over his *high forehead* but short otherwise. Said he is BLONDE!!! Only gotten about 3 smiles so far out of the little dickens.
Then this afternoon he and Toddw ere playing ball. Todd would throw, Sammy would throw it back. Once it went out of reach and Sammy just flipped over and crawled after it!!! She said the whole room just broke up. I do believe this is where the "smart ass" designation came from. They had a rattle toy with a flat bottom and they put the "cheese wedge" toy on top of it. He'd knock it over and then put it back, would stack it. Michele says he is an incredible mimic. He spends most of his time watching and watching.
This evening they were all playing when suddenly this care giver came into the room calling his name. He squealed and grinned and headed right for her. He does NOT like his diaper. Pulls at it all the time and doesn't want it on at all. They are to bring 2 diapers a day for the orphanage to put on. With Abbie M&T had to actually put the diaper on after they got there. Orphanage doesn't use diapers, too expensive. Just do a lot of laundry!!
I asked if they are taking a lot of pictures. She said, "Sure, it's easy, he doesn't move". She described the other kids in her group and talked about how talkative, active, strong etc they were. She said that all the group usually says about Sammy is that "he's soooo pretty'. Michele says, "like father like son. He works for food" when she gave him a cookie/cracker he would crawl to get it. Says he also likes to nap like his daddy ;-) He sits unassisted, crawls, doesn't pull up on things, yet. But then again, he may just be hiding his accomplishments.
Weather has been great. Sunny and in the 50s. Michele is just wearing a long sleeve shirt. Says it is really really hot in the orphanage and in the hotel. They have the windows open in the hotel. Said it was at least 85 in the room when they arrived. Room is VERY small. Not sure where they would put Sammy since there is hardly room to turn around without running into each other. One
couple they are with actually rented a second room just for their luggage. This couple brought their daughter that is Abbie's age and the daughter is miserable. Michele feels much better about her decision not to take Abbie.
Their routine goes like this: up and breakfast in the hotel. They all meet up in the lobby around 10 and head for the orphanage about 15 min away. They stay there interacting with the kids for about 1 ½ - 2 hrs. They are all in the same room with the kids. Then they go out to lunch. After lunch around 2:00 they go back to the orphanage for another 1 ½ - 2 hrs. Usually back to the hotel by 5pm their time.
They aren't sure about the process of when they actually get him. They think that they will get him a day after the court proceedings. That will probably work better since the rooms are so small. They have twin beds with a pallet that is a bit over an inch thick. Sleeping pills help a lot in dealing with the hard surface, small room and hot temps.
Their group consists of 2 gay women adopting a boy (about 3) and a girl (about 9 mos). The girl has a big leg deformity, one leg a lot shorter. The couple lives near Boston and plan to have her followed there. There is Charlotte and David adopting a boy (10 mos) and a girl (8 mos). A single mom, Ingrid, adopting a boy about 2 yrs old. Rick and Beth (with their daughter Sidney) adopting a boy about 1 yr old.
I think that does it. She is confident that Sammy is fine, not worried about him at all. Sounds like they may have their hands full once he connects with them!!
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