a few days in almaty

Here are a couple of pix of Stella at our Luxury apartment in Almaty. You do what you have to do...right?? We started out on Monday the 18th, after we left the baby house we went straight to the SOS clinic where they poked and prodded my little sweet pea. They mentioned that she had rickets, vitamin D deficiency...first I heard of that. After that we went back to the apartment to settle in. Stella just took it all in stride. She loved the car ride and later we met up with Galina (interpreter) to walk to Tsum to get more Internet minutes. Seems my phone minutes expired on the same day the Internet expired.

On Tuesday we had such a nice day, we decided to go to the grocery store near Tsum...the minute we walked in Stella started screaming...if you have ever been to a Kazakh grocery store you will notice people following you around, it's a very strange feeling. Do they think I am going to steal something or just trying to be helpful? I still don't know. So there is no baby food that I want there...what I do want is wine...here I am with Stella in the stroller and a hand basket with wine in it...I have to adjust everything to pick Stella up, then she stops crying..... BUT...I have to check out...so I put her back in the stroller and she screams away...we have become surrounded by every Kazakh young girl in the store!! They must think I am a very awful mama, they are touching her skin and saying something....I was trying to explain to them that we were just getting to know each other...they didn't understand a word I said. Oh well.

On the morning of the 20th, we had our "roommates" show up. The French lady adopting from Karakhstek. Stella and I had an appointment that day for the US embassy. We got home and took a nap. We woke to screaming...it was the French lady with her 2.5 year old boy that she just "got" from the Baby house. He was not having it. I guess the poor little guy had thrown up on the long trip home. Later on that night, one of the Mama's of the Taraz 10 showed up to spend a couple of nights also. Our roomy 2 bedroom turned into a very small one room for me and Stella....something I would not do again. Somehow it is NOT fun to make the mistakes with your first child on the first few days of your life together in front of strangers. What was I thinking!? It is also not fun to feel like you are staying in someone else's apartment because they stayed there many times before. However the two kids got along quite well for two babies just barely out of the Baby House.

I think that covers our stay (my 4th trip) in Almaty. Oh, we never got out again....we spent Wednesday and Thursday holed up and poor Galina had to bring us food. It was getting cold and rainy and just not easy to lug everything down the stairs to go out. At this point I have never wanted home so bad in my life!

new blog...Kazakhsam.blogspot.com

I am posting now at my other blog....www.Kazakhsam.blogspot.com and have made it public. I am home now and getting caught up on my posts! thanks for being patient!

buyers remorse

Gothcha there didn't I...just beware, i brought along a 15 dollar stroller and had to pay $85 to check it on KLM. Just saying i now own a $100 unbrella stroller!

No internet yet, at a cafe....don't have custody yet until Monday...running out of minutes. Paka for now!

lsbblues@aol.com

Firsts and lasts

first bonding day of first bonding trip in June

I was thinking about things this morning...today is the first day of my 49th year. While some others my age are grandparents, I will becoming a first time Mama. My 30th class reunion is coming up on the 30th of October and I was thinking of taking Stella and just going for the social hour and dinner. I remember kids being there in years past then I realized that that was 25 years ago!! Really? Am I that old? Or are they that old?? LOL!

Lasts....To start with, this is the last delay, I pray...I was supposed to leave Sunday but my passport/visa won't be back until tuesday. I leave on Wednesday to go back to Kaz.....Tuesday is my last day here without the sounds of a child in my house. That will be my last day that I will be missing my girl and wondering what she is doing in her baby House. That is my last day of being independent. And you know what I say to this?? Bring it on!

what a day....

what a day....

What a crazy couple of days! Fall is in the air and it has been nice and a bit cool at times. My sister hired me yesterday to do some fall decorating shopping for her...fun! It's always nice to spend someone elses money. This morning I went over to put everything together...pumpkins, gordes....wreaths. I realized I had forgotten a pot at my house just a mile away. Jumped in my car and went around the corner only to hear...thump thump....I had forgotten to close my back hatch! Ha ha.....3 pumpkins were rolling down the country road! I managed to save two out of three....and just for effect...I had to leave the one. Now I know how that happens. It's usually watermelons I see on the sides of roads! LOl!

After being over at my sister's house and decorating I decided to go home and get lunch....as I have been doing for months...I checked my email for anything from Erin. It was titled "Good News"!!!! I am going back to Kaz to get my little sweet pumpkin!! Stella's passport should be ready and I have appointments lined up for the International clinic and our exit interview for October 18th and 20th!! We should be home on October 23!!!!!! I can hardly believe it. It is really happening! the longest I had gone without seeing Stella since June was about 20 days....this time seemed so much longer, it's been about 43 days so far. You start to think that it was a dream and that it was never really going to happen. It is and I am going back to get my baby girl!

For those of you who already read this post on "Kazakhsam" sorry, I will be merging my blogs somehow soon or just making then both public. I love my journey that led me to sweet Stella and just as soon as I get her home I will make the story available. It's been a crazy wonderful ride and I think I am in the home stretch!

My name is Lisa.......

Hi, my name is Lisa....I visit this blog often just to get a glimpse of this sweet little star Stella. I can not get enough. I dream of the day that I can whisk her away on a multi colored rainbow to a land that exists of milk and honey...of green grass to roll on, of puppies and kitties to play with, of endless treasures to discover, of love that is never, never ending. I yearn for my life with Stella. My family who didn't exactly understand what I was thinking, asks daily..."now when can you go back and bring her home? She needs to be home....it's time...."

It is time...I have dreamed of this child since I was in my 20's or was it earlier? This child that is not of my loins but of my heart. My heart is bursting to kiss those chubby cheeks and to see that smile explode on her face! I need to be with her.....I wish to go take her away today....is she being shown affection at all...God I pray so. I know that her needs are being met, she is well cared for and well fed....but love......does she know what that is yet? Does she miss the lady that would take her to play, with more toys and attention that she has ever known? Does she miss the attention and the kisses? I miss it all. My heart is with Stella and it always will be.....I miss my girl. God bless my girl and keep her safe. God speed little one.....I am saying this with all my heart...please hear me.....please let her know that I love her and that even though I have left her 3 times already, that I will never, ever leave her again. Love you Miss Stella.......Mama is trying to get back to you....very soon.........................