Short update today, exactly 1 week to go until court. I'm about to write a short speech which we have to address to the judge explaining why we wish to adopt from Kazakhstan and our commitment to look after Leah, etc. I'm going to deliver the speech in exchange for Amanda changing all the smelly nappies for the next 12 months!!!
Leah was great again today though we are all beginning to feel the effects of the relentless routine of the days here, the adults as well as the children!
Thanks for all who are continuing to pray for us, we will need it especially in the coming days as the court date approaches, pray that the whole process will go smoothly and that the passport, visa, entry clearance, etc stage after court will also go well.
Philip, Amanda & Leah
Monday, 11 February 2008
Saturday, 9 February 2008
Bonding - Day 12
Another day of bonding over, at this point we are in a bit of a daze, trapped in a seemingly endless cycle of visiting Leah, eating and sleeping, we have pretty much lost all track of time, its still 2008 isn't it?!?
Let me review our day for you,
Woke up at 8.30am, enjoyed a weird breakfast of cereal followed by minced meat wrapped in pancakes along with bread, sausage, cheese, cucumber, fried potatoes with onions and lots of red sauce, all washed down with fizzy water, fruit juice and a couple of cups of coffee. My typical breakfast at home is a slice of toast and peanut butter around 10.30am!
We leave the hotel at 10am and visit Leah from 10.30 till 12.
Back to the hotel, snack for lunch and catch up on the mountain of emails that have arrived the previous evening.
Picked up again at 2pm and visit Leah till around 4pm, hand her back and head home to the hotel.
We usually stop somewhere for dinner on the way back to the hotel then once we arrive back catch up on the rest of the emails, skype some family and friends, update the blog, do a little reading then watch a DVD then go to sleep.
Wake up at 8.30am enjoy a weir........ You get the idea, its all a bit 'Groundhog Day'!!!!!
Back to Leah news, we made her cry today!!! We are pretty excited about it!!
OK, I know that's usually not something to brag about but when we were leaving after our afternoon visit she was handed back to the carer as normal but when we did our usual waves from the door and she realised that we were leaving her she started to cry, woohoo!! That's the first time that has happened, I think she may be starting to realise we are something more than just very nice carers with fun toys!!
Philip, Amanda & Leah
The doll that fascinates Leah
Winter Wonderland.
Manhole cover, 8" under the ice!
Let me review our day for you,
Woke up at 8.30am, enjoyed a weird breakfast of cereal followed by minced meat wrapped in pancakes along with bread, sausage, cheese, cucumber, fried potatoes with onions and lots of red sauce, all washed down with fizzy water, fruit juice and a couple of cups of coffee. My typical breakfast at home is a slice of toast and peanut butter around 10.30am!
We leave the hotel at 10am and visit Leah from 10.30 till 12.
Back to the hotel, snack for lunch and catch up on the mountain of emails that have arrived the previous evening.
Picked up again at 2pm and visit Leah till around 4pm, hand her back and head home to the hotel.
We usually stop somewhere for dinner on the way back to the hotel then once we arrive back catch up on the rest of the emails, skype some family and friends, update the blog, do a little reading then watch a DVD then go to sleep.
Wake up at 8.30am enjoy a weir........ You get the idea, its all a bit 'Groundhog Day'!!!!!
Back to Leah news, we made her cry today!!! We are pretty excited about it!!
OK, I know that's usually not something to brag about but when we were leaving after our afternoon visit she was handed back to the carer as normal but when we did our usual waves from the door and she realised that we were leaving her she started to cry, woohoo!! That's the first time that has happened, I think she may be starting to realise we are something more than just very nice carers with fun toys!!
Philip, Amanda & Leah
The doll that fascinates Leah
Winter Wonderland.
Manhole cover, 8" under the ice!
Friday, 8 February 2008
Bonding - Day 11
We have a date for court!! Unfortunately the courts in Ust seem quite busy at the moment so the earliest date they could give us is the 18th February. The first date we could have had court would have been the 12th so its a bit later than we had hoped for but as long as it goes well we don't mind.
Leah was a bit grouchy today, her mouth has been giving her a lot of bother recently and she spent most of the time with us today trying to get everything into her mouth for a good old chew! She still managed to smile everytime she saw the doll though.
We have come to the conclusion that Victor is an ex-tank driver who still thinks he is in his tank! The places he takes his little grey mini-bus is quite unbelievable, we thought he had managed to get it completely beached on a snow bank but he still managed to come out the other side with all four wheels more or less on the ground!!
Also in 'red coat news' I'm sorry to report that its still pretty warm out here (by Kazakhstan standards) so don't expect to see a reappearance anytime soon!
Keep praying, especially with court looming, we fully expect to get paranoid and crazy in the run-up to our court appearance!
Philip, Amanda & Leah
Leah was a bit grouchy today, her mouth has been giving her a lot of bother recently and she spent most of the time with us today trying to get everything into her mouth for a good old chew! She still managed to smile everytime she saw the doll though.
We have come to the conclusion that Victor is an ex-tank driver who still thinks he is in his tank! The places he takes his little grey mini-bus is quite unbelievable, we thought he had managed to get it completely beached on a snow bank but he still managed to come out the other side with all four wheels more or less on the ground!!
Also in 'red coat news' I'm sorry to report that its still pretty warm out here (by Kazakhstan standards) so don't expect to see a reappearance anytime soon!
Keep praying, especially with court looming, we fully expect to get paranoid and crazy in the run-up to our court appearance!
Philip, Amanda & Leah
Thursday, 7 February 2008
Bonding - Day 10
Good news for all you red coat fans out there!! Its been a balmy minus 10 for the last few days here in Ust but the temperature is forecast to plummet over the next few days, possibly as chilly as minus 40!! Not only will I be wearing my awesome red coat again, I will probably have the entire contents of my wardrobe underneath as well!
.
We had a bit of a scare with 'missing' documents last night, we suddenly got the news that documents we will need over the next few weeks were somehow gone! We got in touch with home right away and were on the phone up until 1.30am our time trying to arrange for new copies be made, making arrangements for these to be notarised and legalised, and DHL'd over to Ust, etc. We were also praying that God would provide an answer. After a few hours of sleep and picking over breakfast at the hotel we got the wonderful news that just as mysteriously as they had vanished the documents had re-appeared! A great relief and a speedy answer to prayer! It served as a good reminder to us who is really in control of the whole situation!
.
We had a bit of a scare with 'missing' documents last night, we suddenly got the news that documents we will need over the next few weeks were somehow gone! We got in touch with home right away and were on the phone up until 1.30am our time trying to arrange for new copies be made, making arrangements for these to be notarised and legalised, and DHL'd over to Ust, etc. We were also praying that God would provide an answer. After a few hours of sleep and picking over breakfast at the hotel we got the wonderful news that just as mysteriously as they had vanished the documents had re-appeared! A great relief and a speedy answer to prayer! It served as a good reminder to us who is really in control of the whole situation!
.
Leah was her usual wonderful, happy, nosey, smiley self again today, we can't wait to get her back home to Ballywalter.
.
It also appears Leah is going to be a 'girly' girl, there is a big doll in traditional Kazak dress in the bonding room, each time Leah's eye catches it her head snaps round for a closer look and a big smile appears on her face. When we lift her up close to the doll she gently reaches out her hands and strokes the dolls face very carefully with her fingers and then pulls a strand or two of her hair with her finger and thumb, all very slowly with a real look of wonder on her face... its very cute!
.
I've also added a few pics from the window of the mini-bus on our way to the orphanage, we are so wrapped up in what we are here to do its easy to forget what a beautiful country this is.
.
Philip, Amanda & Leah
.
Tuesday, 5 February 2008
Bonding - Day 8
Can't believe we are into our second week of bonding, we can already see big changes in Leah, whenever we arrive at the door of her room she greets us with a hugh smile which is lovely to see! The carers also told us that she is getting to know the times of our visits, when we are due to arrive she looks out for us and cries if she is put down into her playpen.
I just have to pay tribute again to the staff who look after the children here, they are wonderful with them all, so kind and caring, considering the sheer amount of kids they have there the attention they give each one is amazing!
We will hopefully be given a court date soon, we expect it to be around Wednesday of next week. We can't wait to get it out of the way then we can start thinking about home and also put up a few pics of the cutest girl in all of Kazakhstan. She is actually 23.5% cuter today than she was yesterday!!!!
We are thankful for all your prayers and praise God that he has led us to Leah, keep praying that the rest of the process will continue to go smoothly.
Philip, Amanda & Leah
With Jeremy & Elaine from SA
I just have to pay tribute again to the staff who look after the children here, they are wonderful with them all, so kind and caring, considering the sheer amount of kids they have there the attention they give each one is amazing!
We will hopefully be given a court date soon, we expect it to be around Wednesday of next week. We can't wait to get it out of the way then we can start thinking about home and also put up a few pics of the cutest girl in all of Kazakhstan. She is actually 23.5% cuter today than she was yesterday!!!!
We are thankful for all your prayers and praise God that he has led us to Leah, keep praying that the rest of the process will continue to go smoothly.
Philip, Amanda & Leah
With Jeremy & Elaine from SA
Sunday, 3 February 2008
Bonding - Day 6
Short update today, the visits with Leah went really well again, she is definitely teething now, everything she manages to get her hands on goes straight into her mouth for a good chomp! Items which have been chewed today include, her teddy, her rattle, my thumb, her own fingers, her dummy, the clip which holds her dummy to her bib, her book, packet of hankies from Amanda's bag and finally her teething ring!!
We would like to take her home now thank-you very much!
Also we just started watching 24 for the first time tonight, WHY DID NO-ONE WARN US !!?!?!
Philip, Amanda & Leah
Typical Ust 'road' 10% tarmac and 90% ice!
Lot warmer than when we arrived, only minus 12 now!
Out for a snack, mmmmmmm
We would like to take her home now thank-you very much!
Also we just started watching 24 for the first time tonight, WHY DID NO-ONE WARN US !!?!?!
Philip, Amanda & Leah
Typical Ust 'road' 10% tarmac and 90% ice!
Lot warmer than when we arrived, only minus 12 now!
Out for a snack, mmmmmmm
Saturday, 2 February 2008
Bonding - Day 5
Leah has a new friend! A very nice couple from South Africa arrived yesterday and met a beautiful boy called Luke. They are staying in the same hotel as us and we will travel together each day to meet the babies. For those who were asking we spend 3 hours in total per day at the orphanage, from 10.30am to 12.00pm and from 2.30pm to 4.00pm. This is loads of time for them, they are ready for sleeping after 1 hour with us.
Leah would also like to take this opportunity to extend her greetings and best wishes for her Auntie Mairead and big cousin Caitlin's birthdays today, she regrets she will not be able to be there in person but hopes you will both understand!!
Her cold was a LOT better today and she was much happier, she is also starting to put a lot more weight on her legs. She can't quite get the hang of this crawling business yet, she can get onto her hands and knees but then can't work out where to go from there! She'll get the hang of it before long, she is already doing better than her Uncle Gary who spent his first 2 years shuffling around on his backside!! God has really answered our prayers in a wonderful way with Leah's health and development, we can already see improvements in the 5 short days we've been with her.
Philip, Amanda & Leah
Leah would also like to take this opportunity to extend her greetings and best wishes for her Auntie Mairead and big cousin Caitlin's birthdays today, she regrets she will not be able to be there in person but hopes you will both understand!!
Her cold was a LOT better today and she was much happier, she is also starting to put a lot more weight on her legs. She can't quite get the hang of this crawling business yet, she can get onto her hands and knees but then can't work out where to go from there! She'll get the hang of it before long, she is already doing better than her Uncle Gary who spent his first 2 years shuffling around on his backside!! God has really answered our prayers in a wonderful way with Leah's health and development, we can already see improvements in the 5 short days we've been with her.
Philip, Amanda & Leah
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)