It’s cold here! I mean it. It’s 50ish degrees all of a sudden. Unlike at home, you cannot just “turn up the heat”. So, we’re a bit chilly today. For anyone reading this who has drank vodka with Russians or Kazakh people, you’ll agree that a blast of cold is good for clearing the mind on “the day after”. It is considered rude to turn down vodka from your hosts. Suffice it to say, we are not rude. Enough said except THANK YOU Nuprin and I never, ever, ever, never, ever, ever, ever never want to see, smell or even think about vodka again.
Jacob is taking a few steps on his own now. He gets this silly grin on his face, takes a few steps, falls down and claps his hands. We’re pretty sure he’ll be fast on his feet by the time we bring him home. Since it is cold and breezy here, the “big kids” were bundled up and playing outside this afternoon. They looked like little marshmallows all bundled up. But, I swear, judging from the amount of bundling going on, you would have thought we were in the Artic!
Jacob’s peeps and the kids just a bit older were not allowed out so when it was our time to play this afternoon, we barged in on the goings on with the 1 ½ - 2 year olds. It was really fun. Two of the little boys, probably just shy of 2, know us very well now. They go “hiiiiiiiiiii” and come running towards us arms outstretched for big hugs. There is also a chunky-monkey little girl who I swore was a boy until we saw her once in a dress. She loves to be tickled and laughs so loud and hard it makes you happy and sad at the same time. Another little girl, one of the three we’d been shown on our first day, actually loosened up today and let me hold her. Until now, we’ve seen no emotion from her at all. Just a blank expression. Today, something changed and she actually grinned at me and put her arms up for me to hold her. So many of these kids seem so normal, healthy and happy. Given they met our age requirements, our assumptions are they are not available for adoption. Either they have parents who visit them and just cannot parent, mainly due to poverty. Or, their birthmothers may have signed petitions stating they’d be back some day for their child. When you leave, you feel good about hugging them and making them laugh and really, really sad too.
My sister let us know today one of JC’s upper molars broke through. He’d been, shall I say, a little tiny bit crabby for her and has been picking fights with Julia. Now that the molar is in, Jill reports he’s back to being his normal, happy, plays-well-with-Julia self. Let’s see how long that lasts….
That’s about it from here today. Thanks again for the comments & emails. Thanks also to Katie, Susan, Pete & Ernie for calling yesterday. It was great chatting and we cannot wait to show you all 3 hours of tape and 400+ pictures!
Jacob is taking a few steps on his own now. He gets this silly grin on his face, takes a few steps, falls down and claps his hands. We’re pretty sure he’ll be fast on his feet by the time we bring him home. Since it is cold and breezy here, the “big kids” were bundled up and playing outside this afternoon. They looked like little marshmallows all bundled up. But, I swear, judging from the amount of bundling going on, you would have thought we were in the Artic!
Jacob’s peeps and the kids just a bit older were not allowed out so when it was our time to play this afternoon, we barged in on the goings on with the 1 ½ - 2 year olds. It was really fun. Two of the little boys, probably just shy of 2, know us very well now. They go “hiiiiiiiiiii” and come running towards us arms outstretched for big hugs. There is also a chunky-monkey little girl who I swore was a boy until we saw her once in a dress. She loves to be tickled and laughs so loud and hard it makes you happy and sad at the same time. Another little girl, one of the three we’d been shown on our first day, actually loosened up today and let me hold her. Until now, we’ve seen no emotion from her at all. Just a blank expression. Today, something changed and she actually grinned at me and put her arms up for me to hold her. So many of these kids seem so normal, healthy and happy. Given they met our age requirements, our assumptions are they are not available for adoption. Either they have parents who visit them and just cannot parent, mainly due to poverty. Or, their birthmothers may have signed petitions stating they’d be back some day for their child. When you leave, you feel good about hugging them and making them laugh and really, really sad too.
My sister let us know today one of JC’s upper molars broke through. He’d been, shall I say, a little tiny bit crabby for her and has been picking fights with Julia. Now that the molar is in, Jill reports he’s back to being his normal, happy, plays-well-with-Julia self. Let’s see how long that lasts….
That’s about it from here today. Thanks again for the comments & emails. Thanks also to Katie, Susan, Pete & Ernie for calling yesterday. It was great chatting and we cannot wait to show you all 3 hours of tape and 400+ pictures!
3 comments:
Sherri and Tim
Jacob is just too cute! We can't wait to start spoiling him good. We are waithing anxiously to see you all and all 400 pictures. Maybe the same night we can see how ever many pics the Fosters took in San Fransisco. Looking forward to your arrival
Love Aunt Debby
Okay, I would like to take home that little boy in the red sweater in the picture. I would do a month in Kaz for him! He is too cute. I have to say, that I am impressed with the orphanage. Seeing all the kids out and about and playing is so much better than what I think went on in Saratov. I don't think that either of my children ever left their cribs - no exaggeration.
Cannot wait to hear the story about your vodka night. Sounds like it had to have been fun and interesting if nothing else! I think all those stories about Muslims not drinking are not very true from the sound of things!
Just think, in less than a week, you will be sleeping in your own bed, drinking real diet coke and hugging on JC. Yah hoo, I bet you cannot wait.
Katie
greetings (lower case is like whispering -- just in case your head still hurts a little!)
get busy because we have a lot more than 400 pictures of sf!
i love that little toothy grin that jacob is sharing with all of us. we pray this last week goes by without any hitches.
the anniversary celebration weekend was a wonderful successful. i think everyone had a good time -- especially mago and papa. now, we get two minutes rest before bobby's graduation party. go wild, debby, go wild!
love,
aunt jan + 3
p.s i'll call fortel's to make sure that vodka is not on their menu -- tee hee
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