We're Finally Home!

It's hard to believe, but we made it home!
I can't believe how amazing Rylan was on the planes. He's definately a traveller - or he was just so excited to get out of Kazakhstan.
We left for Moscow on the 19th at 3:30 am. Our friends from the U.S. woke up to see us off, we'll sure miss them. What will Rylan do without his personal entertainers at his beck and call?
The flight was less than 2 hours long, and soon we were on the hour long ride to the hotel (traffic was light on the weekend). We had a great time - exploring the area of Old Arbat - going shopping, touring Red Square. Most exciting of all though, was dinner at Mcdonald's. I don't eat there very often at home, but after 2 months, a quarter pounder never tasted so good!
I was worried about the flights home - 3 planes, 2 layovers, and 23 hours of travelling in total. TO make things even more interesting, while feeding Rylan and hour before we checked out of the hotel, I noticed a hole in his bottom gum where a tooth was making it's way out! Perfect - a teething baby on a 23 hour journey. BUt we were so surprised at how great he was! Why couldn't he have been so happy and relaxed at the hotel in Uralsk?
The flights were relatively stress free. Except for the leaky poop incident on the flight from Frankfurt. Now the airplane bathrooms are small enough, but try changing a baby in there who has poop all the way down his leg to his foot, with the bonus of some wicked turbulance at that exact moment. It's a good thing Rylan saw the humor in that situation, although I wasn't laughing as hard as he was!
During our stop in Toronto, my best friend Tanya surprised us by meeting us at the airport! I couldn't believe she did that - it was wonderful to see her and get to introduce her to Rylan (although he slept most of the visit).
Our homecoming in Winnipeg was incredible - a hugh Welcome Home sign and our families and good friends there to greet us (well, more like meet Rylan, but we did manage to get a bit of attention too!)
It's been great having family stop by and help entertain Rylan while we try and unpack and get organized. Rylan is adjusting to a new routine surprisingly well (so far). He doesn't know whick toy to play with first, and is definately not bored with his new surroundings.
It's hard to believe the past 9 1/2 weeks have changed our lives forever. Now we can enjoy our time as a family together at home!

I wish I had known three weeks ago, how many hours of entertainment an open suitcase could provide!

Our FIrst Family Vacation!!

Rylan has been such a good boy this week, we've decided to take him on a little trip - to Moscow! Rylan's passport arrived - finally - and now we can leave the country!
We leave tomorrow morning for Moscow, and will spend 4 days there (because the Embassy isn't open on the weekend). We'll leave for home Tuesday, and take 3 flights (flying for over 15 hours) to arrive home next Wednesday!
I'm not sure what the internet access will be like in Moscow, so this may be the last post for a few days.
Thanks to everyone who has posted comments and emailed - it's helped us through this journey. I'll let you know how the trip home goes!

Reality Check

Now I'm sure that many of you have been thinking "Stacey and Dave have been living in a hotel in a foreign country for almost 9 weeks now. That must be so glamorous!!" Well, I'm here to tell you that there are some great things. I haven't made a bed in over two months, or cleaned a toilet, or washed a floor. There are always clean towels brought to us every morning. I'm sure Dave will jump in at home so that I can continue my break from toilet duty, right?
However, I must admit, the past 3 weeks, living in a hotel room with a baby - has not been as exciting. (I can't believe we've had him with us for 3 weeks!!). First of all, Rylan thinks he calls the shots around here, because we don't want to be evicted. So instead of letting him scream when he doesn't want to sleep, we cater to his new sleeping routine. Let me explain - it's time for Rylan to nap or sleep for the night. We close the drapes, and shut off all of the lights and the television. Dave and I lay on either side of him on the bed, and pretend to sleep. Well, I pretend to sleep, and Dave actually falls asleep. Rylan talks to himself, rolls around, eats his feet, and is amused by his hands until he gets tired and falls asleep. I poke Dave, and he checks the time. We wait a few minutes to make sure Rylan is really asleep, then quickly scoop him up and into the crib. Now, the hotel room has the main room with the bed and the crib right next to it, and the bathroom. Once Rylan is in the crib, Dave and I sneak into the bathroom, shut the door, and finally get some alone time. Today, for example, we ate a bag of potato chips, and they were so good! Get your minds out of the gutter - it's hard to eat in front of Rylan, because he gets upset he can't be eating too!
So you see, it's not all glamorous. Don't be jealous. You too, can always sneak a bag of chips into the bathroom at your place to experience our excitement!

The Sign Says It All

Need I say more? All of these delays are Kacca!

Got Dave A Job Too!

I got to thinking, if I'm going to run my own business, then it's only fair that Dave work too. We don't want to put all of our eggs in one basket, so to speak, so I went out and found him a job. We went to the local fire station number 2, built in 1815 - after all, he's interested in that at home. The captain spoke enough English to get us through the interview process. There wasn't even a driving test involved. Once Dave confirmed that he could help wash the captain's car in the back parking lot, he was in! Apparently the only thing Dave has to brush up on is his card playing skills. And he's already looking forward to April 17 - a big holiday where all of the firefighters get the day off. I asked what happens if there is a fire in town that day, and the captain laughed and shrugged his shoulders.
Rylan didn't pass the height requirement, so we're still looking for something for him to earn his keep with. I'm trying to think of a job that requires testing how loud he can scream, just to hear his voice, or eating his feet - those are skills Rylan has acquired these past few weeks. Any suggestions?

Angry Rylan

Rylan is mad that we aren't coming home yet.

We've decided to stay!

Since it's one delay after another, we've decided to just buy a little place of our own and stay. I'm looking into starting my own business, and giving the little babas a run for the money. All I need to do is set up a t.v. tray, put a bowl of sunflower seeds on it and sell them by the shot glass full. I could also sell individual cigarettes from packs, individual matches, and push out individual pieces of gum. You see these ladies on every street corner, but what amazes me most, is the number of people walking by who actually stop and buy these things. I'll leave the jars of ?jam to them. Maybe I'll get creative and sell individual squares of toilet paper since I haven't seen that yet.
Rylan's passport arrived Thursday night, but then the real drama begins. The man who was supposed to take it to the Consulate in Astana on Friday is apparently in jail, and the airline he owned went into receivership 2 days ago. That means Rylan's passport did not leave Uralsk yet. We had hoped to fly out of here on Wednesday, but since even if it gets to Astana Monday, there are no flights back until Wednesday night. And everything has been delayed or screwed up in some way, so it's too risky to plan to leave then. So unfortunately, we won't be leaving for Moscow until next weekend at the earliest, and home - well - maybe the following week.
We spend as much time as we can outside, because it's a lot more interesting than the hotel room. Grandma and Baba will be proud of me - Rylan's packing on the pounds and his hair is growing! I'm sure by the time we get home he'll be walking and have his driver's license.
Hopefully this coming week will bring better news.

Still Waiting

Delay after delay - I am so frustrated! We're still waiting for Rylan's passport to return - it was supposed to be here Tuesday, and it's Thursday evening - still nothing. Once it returns, it has to go to another city for some stamp from the consulate, then back to us. So, we're here for another week. It's so hard - there are families that have arrived after us - from both the U.S and Canada - who have already left. This entire process we've had to be patient, but I'm tired of it. I sure hope we get some good news soon, we all need it!

Look for the positives

Well, we're still waiting for Visas and Rylan's passport, and have no idea when we can leave.
I hear there is still a lot of snow and cold temperatures at home. I wish I had packed more summer outfits because the daily temperatures of around 20 degrees Celcuis in the sun feel even hotter than that. In fact, we have to limit our walks because Rylan gets too hot. Just thought everyone at home would appreciate that.

I've decided to go back and post my favorite pictures we took of Rylan during our visits at the baby house. I can't possibly post all of them - there are about 500. The card in the picture is from his cousin Livia, who wanted to make something for her first cousin.

Well, it's only taken a week, but we've figured out who calls the shots in this family - and it's Rylan. Last night he had his first full blown temper tantrum. Apparently he disagreed with the fact that he had to go to sleep. There was a lot of screaming, leg kicking, arm flailing, and head shaking involved. And then there was Rylan.... Dave's still looking for the snooze button on him, but so far, no luck. It wouldn't have been so bad if we were home, but in a hotel with other guests at 11 pm, it's not that funny for mommy and daddy. I gave in and put him on our bed, and he settled instantly. Then he rolled onto his stomach and started to play. Just to rub in in, he would look at the crib and shake his head no, then return to playing. It didn't take long for him to crash after that, and to the crib he went. I'm telling you, I'm counting the days until we are home. There will be different rules at home, for sure.

We received good news yesterday - the medical was approved in London. Today we had to go and notarize some more forms, and pay for our Visas into Russia. On Monday our coordinator will apply for our Visas. We should have a better idea by mid week when Rylan's passport will be ready, and then we can try and arrange for our tickets to Moscow. It finally feels like things are moving forward!

Nine Months Old

Today Rylan is nine months old. It's hard to believe we met him more than a month ago - he's made a lot of progress developmentally since then. He doesn't flop around like a fish any more, and can sit unsupported for periods of time. Today is also one week since we got custody of him (although I find that hard to believe - it feels so much longer)!
We're still waiting for his passport to be processed. We also need approval of the medical from London. Once that comes, we can apply for our Visas to Russia. Then, once we get our Visas, we start the journey home!

Murphy's Law

The internet across the city was down again all day Tuesday. So we missed being able to say Happy Birthday to Grandma Carlson. So it's belated, but Happy Birthday!
We've had a learning experience of sorts - apparently we've changed Rylan's diet too much, and it wasn't agreeing with his little tummy. Poor guy was not happy for days, and neither was mommy. We finally had the doctor from the baby house come and see us at the hotel, and she gave us some suggestions to try. I'm crossing my fingers, because he slept well last night - maybe we're on the right track now. In our defense, nobody told us not to try the baby food with chicken or beef in it - that may be the problem.
I can't wait to get home - it feels very isolated when we can't just pick up the phone and ask someone for advise. Here's hoping the remaining paperwork gets done quickly.

Everything is exciting. Well, that is unless you've spent 4 days in a hotel room - that gets boring pretty quick. We've had time to try and figure out each other's routines, only to discover that Rylan is not really following any routine right now. Bedtime varies by 2 hours, naps during the day are fairly consistent in time, but not length of the nap, and poops, well, totally unpredictable.
Dave went out and bought us a stroller today, and we went for our first stroller walk. I don't know if Rylan's eyes blinked the entire hour and a half. He was in awe of everything. I hope the excitement lasts, because it's a nice way to spend some time. The weather here is really nice, 19 Celcius today. That's the only thing I'm not missing about home right now - snow and temperatures where you can't walk around without a jacket today.
Hopefully we'll be able to continue with the paperwork to get out of here soon. We're still waiting for an approval of the medical from London, some re-translated papers for Rylan's passport, and then receiving the actual passport. We're slowly getting there.

Life as a family

Life with Rylan has been an adventure so far. We're trying to figure out his routine. We've discovered that I'm a messy feeder - we've gone through3 outfits today. And daddy discovered that if you take too long to figure out the front vs. back of a diaper, and leave a little boy naked, he'll let loose and pee all over. It was quite entertaining.
That's been the highlight. There are more problems with translations of passports, which means I'm more stressed. We're not going to make it home on schedule - we'll be a week late.
Until then, we'll keep learning more about each other each day.

Court Day

Well, today was the big day. I hardly slept, mainly because last night our coordinator called and told us she had found a missing document. The other documents are on their way from Canada and should arrive any moment.
We had court at noon. We went into the judge's chamber, and he explained the process. Dave had to give a speech, and I had to give a speech. The Director of the Baby House read out the medical history, the Director of Guardianship and Care reviewed the documents we had signed, and reported our visitations. A representative from Vital Statistics read the information she had from the maternity house, when Rylan was given up, and how long he has been on the adoption registry. Our lawyer gave a speech as to why we should be granted the adoption. Then the prosecutor gave a speech. Everyone was in agreement with immediate expedition (immediate not meaning immediate enough for me). Since it was lunch time, we were told to return at 3:30 for the verdict. We went for lunch, then returned to the court house. In a 5 minute hearing, we were granted custody!
Little did we know, but we were able to bust Rylan out of the baby house today!!!
He was so good - didn't make a fuss at all. He was in awe during the ride back to the hotel. Everything is so new to him - his little head can't stay still - he's checking everything out. We survived a supper meal - more ended up on his face than in his mouth I think. We played, and even had a bath. I couldn't believe it. He was always sponge bathed at the baby house, and another couple at the hotel said their daughter didn't enjoy baths when they first got her. We filled up the bottom of the shower - I stood in it, Dave outside, and we sat Rylan down. He loved it! He sat so well, and didn't make a peep. He had a bottle, and settled to sleep like a pro. I don't know what we're in for tonight, but we couldn't have asked for a better start to our lives together as a family!

Pre - Court

Well, we had pre-court today. We went into the judge's office and sat with him, our translator, the baby house director and the representative from the Office of Guardianship. The judge went through the papers, asked a few questions, and set a court date for tomorrow (Thursday March 27).
We're still waiting for some documents to arrive from Canada - talk about stress! We're so ready to come home, but without these documents, the remaining paperwork will be delayed for weeks! That would not be good at all. I'll let you know how court goes tomorrow.

Happy Festivus

Happy Easter to everyone at home. Here in Kazakhstan, today is the New Year. It's a celebration of spring - where there is 12 hours of daylight. It's a big holiday, and of course, another delay for us. They go all out - decorating buildings like the University. Dave thinks everyone will get the Festivus reference from Seinfeld - I'm not so sure. We'll be having our Festivus celebration tonight. Dave says there's some wrestling involved and a big shiny pole is used. Looking forward to it!
A great big THANK YOU to everyone who posted a comment on our blog, or sent us an email. You really have no idea how much it helps us to hear from friends and family. We laughed so hard at some of the comments - it was great.
We have some news to share. We have a pre-court date - it's Wednesday March 26! It's where the judge meets with us, our coordinator, the Department of Education and the Orphanage director (and perhaps other various representatives). They ensure all of the documentation is in place, that there are no outstanding issues, then set a court date. Unfortunately, it appears that some of the required documentation may not arrive in time, and one item may not arrive at all. This would mean more delays! So please pray for us that all of the required papers will arrive, and in time for pre-court this week!
If all goes well, we may be able to post pictures of Rylan next weekend!
Since the Top 10 list appears to have been a success, we're working on other blog entries to try and match the popularity of that one. Any suggestions?

Top 10 Things We Miss About Home

It would appear that the popularity of the blog is dwindling now that you know about Rylan. Comments are down, and drastic measures had to be taken. I have been forced to try my comedy routine to get a response from somebody. Anybody.

Since we're been immersed in a new culture, in a new country for so long now, we thought it was time to share our thoughts on the things we miss most about home.

Number 10 - The Young and the Restless

I wonder what old Jack is doing? Are Nick and Phyllis still together? And what about that darn Victor - what's he up to these days? We only have 3 English stations on television, and our choices are limited - Discovery channel (American Chopper and Mythbusters - repeated all day and night), BBC (but no Coronation Street), and the Hallmark Channel (all sap, all the time).

Number 9 - Shoveling Snow

I know - it's sick. But it snowed here last week - a lot. The city crews are out every day shoveling the sidewalks and streets by hand, and moving snow around so it will melt faster. Every day we go for a walk, and I feel like those workers are taunting me with their shovels...

Number 8 - Having Stuff To Do

Aside from our routine visit with Rylan, our days are, well, often boring. At home there is always something to clean, something to fix, and just something to do. Here, after our daily walk to the market, we eat. Then we wonder what we can do all evening. Sometimes we read, watch shows on the IPOD, or play Yatzee or cards. Often we just pass the time staring lovingly into each other's eyes.

Number 7 - Children's Clothing That Makes Sense

They don't have clothes labeled with sizes here - it's a guessing game. And to make it more interesting, the items are one of a kind - if you see it hanging, and it's not the right size, you're out of luck. No checking the rack for a larger or smaller one.

Number 6 - Understanding The Language

We don't understand what people say to us. I think I've been complimented on my charade playing skills while shopping many times - either that, or they called me an idiot. And reading menus written in Russian - always a gamble, even with our dictionary.

Number 5 - A Clothes Dryer

The towel warmer in the bathroom is better than the clothesline across the shower, but it just isn't the same. Our socks and underwear will never be the same. And just try fitting a pair of wet jeans on that towel rack - someone is going to break it before we get out of here!

Number 4 - Reliable Phone Lines and Internet Service

Need we say more? It never fails - the internet never works when we have important things to check. Where else can the entire city lose internet service at the same time (yes - it happened here).

Number 3 - Real Food

We miss real food. It's not that they don't have food here, but it's different. I miss fresh bread - even in the restaurants it's always day old - never fresh. They don't have crackers - who doesn't have Ritz crackers? I haven't had milk since we got here (but we eat a lot of cheese and yogurt every day for calcium). Dave misses beef (you can never really be sure what type of meat you're eating), peanut butter, jam and real coffee (not that instant stuff).

Number 2 - COSTCO

I must admit - I was tempted to put this as Number 1. I miss wandering around the store, seeing what's new from when I was last there (2 days earlier). I miss buying things in bulk. I miss the greeters at the door. I miss the sound my credit card makes as they swipe it at the cashier... Dave says the store's profits must be down since I've been away. He is also sure my picture has been posted as a "missing person" at the store entrance.

and the Number 1 Thing We Miss About Home...

Our family and friends!

It's true that you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone. We are so blessed to have such unconditional support and love. We can't wait until we can see everyone again.

One month done....

Since we had a free day on Thursday, we decided to check out the museum. For a mere 100 tenge each (84 cents), we bought our admission tickets and walked around. It is a beautiful building - and although we couldn't read anything, looking at the artifacts was nice. We had to laugh - there was always someone turning on the lights for us when we entered a room, and then they would turn off the lights when we left. And talk about a small world - the only other couple in the museum happened to be another adoptive family that we had met through our blog - and they recognized us from our picture. It was an interesting way to spend some time.
As for an update on our progress - the medical has been completed, and now needs to be approved in London England. We have received provincial approval, and completed our mandatory visitations. Some other documents have been sent to Astana for registration. This coming week, we need all of the necessary paperwork to end up where it needs to be, in order for our coordinator to apply for a court date. Since this coming Friday is a holiday I believe, I'm not holding my breath that it will occur until the following week.
Rylan is adorable - I love his giggle. He thinks Dave's eyebrows are the funniest things - and he doesn't like to let Dave out of sight for long. Dave and Rylan seem to have the same sense of humor - they laugh at wrestling with a rainbow colored stuffed heghog, burps, farts etc. I'm already sensing a power shift once we get home - me vs. the boys. I just hope once we get custody of Rylan that we can learn to coordinate the afternoon nap time (Dave naps at 4pm, but Rylan sleeps at 2pm).