Many of you have been asking how we are managing with the language here and how we spend our time when we aren’t visiting M at the Baby House. We can honestly say that one must always be careful what they wish for. Yesterday after our visit, we walked down to the store to do some grocery shopping. On our way back we passed by a household goods store and noticed that they sold fans. Thinking that a second fan might help to get the air moving to cool down our apartment, we ventured in to check out the price. Of course, no items had prices on them! No problem, we knew we could ask for it with a simple, “Prajalsta, skolka eta stoyeet” (Please, how much is it?) and hand them our calculator so they could punch in the cost, which has worked very well for all of our other shopping adventures. Well, apparently Tammy finally got her wish of not sounding so foreign because the very kind saleslady started to talk very quickly and didn’t bother to use the calculator, thinking that we were fluent in Russian. Our eyes must have widened to the size of dinner plates and Tammy managed to babble out a “Prajalsta, ya nyehz-ni-yoo parooskee” (Please, I don’t know Russian) which is actually a bit of throwback from her Ukrainian family, but seems to work equally well here. But anyway, we successfully found out that the fan was 2800 tenge, but since the handle was cracked, she would sell it to us for 2700 tenge. SOLD!
Other than that, we are managing quite fine with the language. With a few important words (please, thank-you, etc.) most people are very patient with us and appreciate our efforts to learn and use their language. We don’t imagine we will be joining coffee row anytime soon, but with a little forethought we are able to get by quite well. We’ve also done some clothes shopping and have bought a few outfits for M. We have also brought along our PDAs on which we have installed pocket dictionaries, so when we get stuck, we can at least find a word or two to get the conversation pointed in the right direction.
It finally rained here this morning, which cooled the temperatures considerably, at least for awhile and also knocked the dust down. The dirt here is a very fine, black powder similar to wood ash. It gets into everything and is hard to wash off.
Speaking of washing, it would appear that many of the apartment buildings have a central source of hot water, which has conveniently been shut off for a few days for maintenance and will likely be off for the better part of the week. The downside is that we have to boil water for washing dishes and bathing, but the upside is that we don’t have heat pouring off of the towel warmer in the bathroom. Since apartment buildings are heated by water, each bathroom has a set of hot water pipes that twist back and forth and act as a towel warmer/radiator. A brilliant plan, most of the time, but seriously not needed when the temperatures soar to 30+! Again, be careful what you wish for – no hot water, no towel warmer.
When we aren’t visiting M, we spend our time doing a variety of things. We usually do a bit of shopping every other day because things like bread, fruit and vegetables are very fresh and therefore have a very short shelf life, so you don’t want more than a couple of days worth or else it spoils. Over the lunch hour and between visits we catch up on emails and blogs because we don’t expect any calls since all of you are sleeping. After supper and dishes we usually do a load of laundry or two (the washers here are quite small) and then sit back to do some reading, watch some sports or CNN or watch a video that we brought to watch on our laptop.
As for visits with M, they continue to go very well. He is excited to see us and except for with a couple of his favourite caregivers who play a lot with him, he prefers to stay with us at the end of visits. He goes well to both Mom and Dad and looks for us if one of us is out of sight. Today Tammy had to go pick some things up from the coordinator so left her boys together for a little one on one play time. We expected that to not go over too well, but to our delight M’s lip only quivered a little and he quickly returned to playing with Dad, who is the all time party guy. Usually M sits on Mom’s lap and Dad gets to play. When Tammy came back around the corner and M heard her voice, he threw his toys down and sped across the blanket on all fours to be picked up for a hug. After a few minutes of reassurance, he was ready to get back to the party with Dad.
Friday, June 6, 2008
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Day 10 of Bonding
Only a handful of days left until we can go to court to file our petition to adopt. The last two days have included many milestones that we celebrate. First, yesterday M clearly recognized us when we arrived and was eager for us to pick him up. Today, his caregiver tells us that before we arrived, he was constantly watching the door and cried when his roommates’ parents arrived before we did. Usually we are the first to arrive, so he was disappointed when the people who arrived weren’t his people. We would love to know what goes through his little head. Does he understand that we are his “forever people” or are we still just his personal play date? Now it is easy to see smiles and laughs from him, he isn’t quite as serious as the first few days. He also seems to have a bit of a sense of humour. We have been working on giving and taking things, and yes, we say “ta-ta” even though we really didn’t think we would, but give us a break, we’re working with two languages here, we needed something easy! Anyway, yesterday Rod stuck out his hand to see if M would hand him his toy, but apparently he wasn’t quite done with it or it was one of his favourites, so M looked around, picked up something else and handed that to Rod instead!
When we arrived today we met our favourite caregiver in the hallway where she gave us a huge hug and grabbed us by the hand, practically dragging us to M’s room. She was so excited to see us because she said M was missing us. When we dropped M off today we were lucky to have a translator with us, so we got the chance to visit with M’s caregivers. Today’s caregiver said she was so relieved to see that M was going to a good home with good parents. We told her that we were thankful that he had wonderful people like her who loved and cared so much for him until we could find him and that we hoped we could be the parents he deserves. We think he has stolen her heart as much as he as captured ours. Possibly we weren’t paying quite enough attention to M at this point, because when the adults were busy visiting and getting to know a little bit about each other, he picked up his clothes and threw them on the floor, of course with a big smile on his face. It was just his way of telling us to get on with it, put his stuff in his locker and pay attention to him! How could we forget? There is officially a new king in the German household, but he rules with a dazzling smile and adorable eyes.
Yesterday we went to Arzan, which is a Kazakh store similar to Costco, but without the membership. It’s a good thing too, because we were able to finally find some meat that appealed to us. The meat in the grocery stores has been a bit of a challenge for us. First, it often looks to be more fat than meat, and the frozen meat looks like it is freezer burned. Second, to get meat that is fresh, you have to ask for it, which obviously causes a bit of a challenge.
Today we went for yet another trip to the notary and a coffeehouse meeting with our coordinator to prepare our speeches for court before we went to the Baby House. Both of us will need to speak to the judge about our wishes and it was reassuring to have someone walk us through what we need to talk about and what questions might be asked of us. Today was a busy day for our driver, so we were treated to some of his finest slalom driving. We don’t have to wait for the summer exhibition to get our thrill rides in for the year, every day and especially today gives us the opportunity to defy gravity and ride white knuckled through the streets. If we accomplish anything here, Tammy should finally be cured of her tendency to get motion sickness. Rod hopes she will also be cured of her backseat driving habits! (Keep dreaming, buddy!) Hook, if you need some lessons on driving fast, we could probably give you a reference! Rod bets this guy would even give Phil a run for his money on those cross-field adventures, but his Toyota might need a lift-kit.
When we arrived today we met our favourite caregiver in the hallway where she gave us a huge hug and grabbed us by the hand, practically dragging us to M’s room. She was so excited to see us because she said M was missing us. When we dropped M off today we were lucky to have a translator with us, so we got the chance to visit with M’s caregivers. Today’s caregiver said she was so relieved to see that M was going to a good home with good parents. We told her that we were thankful that he had wonderful people like her who loved and cared so much for him until we could find him and that we hoped we could be the parents he deserves. We think he has stolen her heart as much as he as captured ours. Possibly we weren’t paying quite enough attention to M at this point, because when the adults were busy visiting and getting to know a little bit about each other, he picked up his clothes and threw them on the floor, of course with a big smile on his face. It was just his way of telling us to get on with it, put his stuff in his locker and pay attention to him! How could we forget? There is officially a new king in the German household, but he rules with a dazzling smile and adorable eyes.
Yesterday we went to Arzan, which is a Kazakh store similar to Costco, but without the membership. It’s a good thing too, because we were able to finally find some meat that appealed to us. The meat in the grocery stores has been a bit of a challenge for us. First, it often looks to be more fat than meat, and the frozen meat looks like it is freezer burned. Second, to get meat that is fresh, you have to ask for it, which obviously causes a bit of a challenge.
Today we went for yet another trip to the notary and a coffeehouse meeting with our coordinator to prepare our speeches for court before we went to the Baby House. Both of us will need to speak to the judge about our wishes and it was reassuring to have someone walk us through what we need to talk about and what questions might be asked of us. Today was a busy day for our driver, so we were treated to some of his finest slalom driving. We don’t have to wait for the summer exhibition to get our thrill rides in for the year, every day and especially today gives us the opportunity to defy gravity and ride white knuckled through the streets. If we accomplish anything here, Tammy should finally be cured of her tendency to get motion sickness. Rod hopes she will also be cured of her backseat driving habits! (Keep dreaming, buddy!) Hook, if you need some lessons on driving fast, we could probably give you a reference! Rod bets this guy would even give Phil a run for his money on those cross-field adventures, but his Toyota might need a lift-kit.
Monday, June 2, 2008
8 Days Down, 7 to Go
…well, at least for stage one of mission Kazakhstan. Today marks the midpoint of our bonding time with M. It has gone remarkably well and we see great gains in him each and every day. Yesterday, M was very content and enjoyed some time sprawled out on Mom’s lap just taking everything in. We are starting to see a little more of his personality every day and he is starting to see get great enjoyment seeing what exactly we are willing to do for him. His favourite game today was a little pick up and fetch with Dad. He would pick up a toy, toss it, and then look to see if Rod would fetch it. When it became clear that Rod would get it, M decided to test out his aim and started throwing the toy in different directions to see his Dad move. It’s cute and encouraging now, but we don’t know how much our fellow passengers will like it on the flights home! M has a pretty good arm and aim for a 14 month old! Good thing his dad likes to play baseball. Another first today was M started to express himself a little more. At one time, Rod was holding one of M’s books and didn’t hand it back as quick as M would have liked. M gave a little coo and patted himself on the chest, as if he was grabbing the book. He was very happy when Rod gave him the book and continued to do this whenever he wanted something, which we were happy to provide. Again, cute now, not so much when he’s 16 and looking for a car!
The weather is considerably cooler today. Right now it’s only about 27 degrees, which feels down right cool compared to the past few days. It looks like we will be treated to temperatures in the mid 20’s for the next couple of days. We will certainly enjoy them!
Today when we picked M up for his visit, the caregiver handed him to Rod, which we thought would certainly cause tears and wails, but it did not! The little guy sat in his Dad’s arms like he’d been there his entire life. That’s good, because Tammy was getting a little tired of being accused of hogging the little guy. (I think Dad was getting a little jealous.) The cooler temperatures allowed M to be a little more active today. He played with and quickly figured out a set of stacking cups, and then began to look for anything that would go into those cups. The lid off a water bottle, his book, his foot, and he even tried to pull the button off his shirt to put into the cups. He was also content to sit on the blanket by himself today, which was a first. Up until now, he would only sit on one of our laps and was quite distressed if we tried to put him down. M also started to give and take things with us today. Dad put his hand out to M and to our surprise, M put a cup right into it. When Dad handed the cup back to M, he turned and put it straight into Mom’s hand. If you would have told us 8 days ago that we would have gotten this far, this fast with M, we would have politely smiled and said, “We sure hope so,” but would have never thought it would be possible.
Yesterday after our visit, we decided to take a stroll along the river. Along the way we came across a children’s playground that has many interesting things to do for all ages, but we noticed quite a few things that were more suitable for M. Once he is here with us, we will likely make many trips to that park. There are many playgrounds scattered amongst the apartment buildings, but most are quite run down and definitely wouldn’t pass safety standards back home. We continued on and ended up at the Strelka war memorial which on the banks where the Irtysh and Ulba rivers meet. Silly us, we got all the way there and they realized we forgot our camera, but I’m sure we’ll go back one of these days. While we were there, a wedding party arrived and we were treated to a rather neat scene. The bride and groom danced in the middle of the circular cobblestone area in front of the memorial while their wedding cars sped around them in a circle, honking their horns (of course, why else would horns be installed in a car?) while a videographer taped it all from the upper level of the memorial. We’re not sure if it is a tradition, or just a really neat idea. One of these days we will find someone who can tell us.
Speaking of the Strelka Memorial, it is actually a really good landmark to give you an idea of where we are staying. If you find a satellite image of Ust’-Kamenogorsk, find this memorial where the Irtysh and Ulba Rivers meet. Then, follow the Irtysh to the west about 1.5 km until you see another memorial which looks like three bent square poles in a U-shaped stone area that is at the dead end of a main street. This is the Afghan War Memorial, dedicated to the Russian invasion of Afghanistan (pictured below). We are across the street and just a little to the west of this memorial, about a block. In fact, if we stick our heads out the window of our apartment, we can see it through the trees. In fact, in the picture, our apartment is second row of windows from the right, third set of windows down. So if you’re in the area anytime in the next 7 weeks, be sure to stop on by for a cup of coffee, we’ll be here!
The weather is considerably cooler today. Right now it’s only about 27 degrees, which feels down right cool compared to the past few days. It looks like we will be treated to temperatures in the mid 20’s for the next couple of days. We will certainly enjoy them!
Today when we picked M up for his visit, the caregiver handed him to Rod, which we thought would certainly cause tears and wails, but it did not! The little guy sat in his Dad’s arms like he’d been there his entire life. That’s good, because Tammy was getting a little tired of being accused of hogging the little guy. (I think Dad was getting a little jealous.) The cooler temperatures allowed M to be a little more active today. He played with and quickly figured out a set of stacking cups, and then began to look for anything that would go into those cups. The lid off a water bottle, his book, his foot, and he even tried to pull the button off his shirt to put into the cups. He was also content to sit on the blanket by himself today, which was a first. Up until now, he would only sit on one of our laps and was quite distressed if we tried to put him down. M also started to give and take things with us today. Dad put his hand out to M and to our surprise, M put a cup right into it. When Dad handed the cup back to M, he turned and put it straight into Mom’s hand. If you would have told us 8 days ago that we would have gotten this far, this fast with M, we would have politely smiled and said, “We sure hope so,” but would have never thought it would be possible.
Yesterday after our visit, we decided to take a stroll along the river. Along the way we came across a children’s playground that has many interesting things to do for all ages, but we noticed quite a few things that were more suitable for M. Once he is here with us, we will likely make many trips to that park. There are many playgrounds scattered amongst the apartment buildings, but most are quite run down and definitely wouldn’t pass safety standards back home. We continued on and ended up at the Strelka war memorial which on the banks where the Irtysh and Ulba rivers meet. Silly us, we got all the way there and they realized we forgot our camera, but I’m sure we’ll go back one of these days. While we were there, a wedding party arrived and we were treated to a rather neat scene. The bride and groom danced in the middle of the circular cobblestone area in front of the memorial while their wedding cars sped around them in a circle, honking their horns (of course, why else would horns be installed in a car?) while a videographer taped it all from the upper level of the memorial. We’re not sure if it is a tradition, or just a really neat idea. One of these days we will find someone who can tell us.
Speaking of the Strelka Memorial, it is actually a really good landmark to give you an idea of where we are staying. If you find a satellite image of Ust’-Kamenogorsk, find this memorial where the Irtysh and Ulba Rivers meet. Then, follow the Irtysh to the west about 1.5 km until you see another memorial which looks like three bent square poles in a U-shaped stone area that is at the dead end of a main street. This is the Afghan War Memorial, dedicated to the Russian invasion of Afghanistan (pictured below). We are across the street and just a little to the west of this memorial, about a block. In fact, if we stick our heads out the window of our apartment, we can see it through the trees. In fact, in the picture, our apartment is second row of windows from the right, third set of windows down. So if you’re in the area anytime in the next 7 weeks, be sure to stop on by for a cup of coffee, we’ll be here!
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