Very snowy weather in Ust-Kamenogorsk..
Woke up early this morning to a new blanket of snow outside – It had snowed heavily all night and everywhere looked very lovely…. We have stopped worrying about driving in the snow as the Kazakhs don’t seem to worry!!! We did however have one scary moment in the maroon bus on the way to the Baby Home this morning.. Somebody stopped in our lane in front of us and Alexei went in to a skid and a slide… We got back on track tho’…
Alex & Daniel both came in to the bonding room wearing ……shorts and tights!!!!.... They spent quite a lot of time filling and emptying two buckets with toys. Alex has started waving at us and will now clap his hands – OK, not a big feat for a 12 month old but maybe for these little 12 month olds it is progress!!! He was in very good form and babbled his way through the morning!!!
The carers have given me back the copybook that I gave them to write to Sasha and Guilya has translated it for us… it is lovely to have those lovely wishes to give him when he is older… they are all so lovely and caring and one cannot fault the care the Kazakh children receive while they wait to be adopted…
Woke up early this morning to a new blanket of snow outside – It had snowed heavily all night and everywhere looked very lovely…. We have stopped worrying about driving in the snow as the Kazakhs don’t seem to worry!!! We did however have one scary moment in the maroon bus on the way to the Baby Home this morning.. Somebody stopped in our lane in front of us and Alexei went in to a skid and a slide… We got back on track tho’…
Alex & Daniel both came in to the bonding room wearing ……shorts and tights!!!!.... They spent quite a lot of time filling and emptying two buckets with toys. Alex has started waving at us and will now clap his hands – OK, not a big feat for a 12 month old but maybe for these little 12 month olds it is progress!!! He was in very good form and babbled his way through the morning!!!
The carers have given me back the copybook that I gave them to write to Sasha and Guilya has translated it for us… it is lovely to have those lovely wishes to give him when he is older… they are all so lovely and caring and one cannot fault the care the Kazakh children receive while they wait to be adopted…
Irytsh River - frozen in places and with a covering of snow on the surface....very very cold!!Aine and I decided to go for a walk to buy internet cards and then continued on a little further to walk by the river…. It is so cold the Irytsh has frozen over in places and there is a layer of snow on parts of the river… At one stage I sank to just below my knees in snow so that will give you an idea of what it is like here today… Our very pleasant walk turned into a two and a half hour trek through the snow… To get away from the wind by the river we took a short cut between two high apartment buildings and were soon in dire need of the Hertz – NeverLost satellite navigation system!!
About two hours later we were laughing wondering were we still in Ust-Kamenogorsk or had we strayed into the neighbouring region…. Nothing looked familiar but we got some nice photos of some nice landmarks enroute (Turkish-Kazakh High School, what we think was a Russian Orthodox Church and a very large war memorial). I tentatively asked Aine the time and she said ’We’re okay we have one and a half hours of daylight left!’ I thought in one and a half hours we will have turned into unidentifiable European ice-sculptures!!!!
Aine feels like we have been here since 1941
Much later, we were frantically trying to remember the Russian word for hotel as we knew if we just said Irytsh we would be directed back to the Irytsh River!! We stopped somebody for directions
Me: Angliski? (speak English?)
Kazakh lady in fur coat & hat: Nyet – (No)
Aine: ….itska? (end of what she thinks is the Russian for hotel)
Kazakh lady in fur coat & fur hat: Ah –Gastinitska or something along those lines…
Us: Da!
She proceeded to point and direct us and sure enough before long we were on familiar territory but…..very very cold!
Headed for the Pancake House and had some very hot Russian Noodle soup….
In the middle of all these worrying sagas this story gave us a much-needed laugh……
Aine has five sisters who have astronomical phonebills since she arrived here and one of whom told her last week that her friend was going to come to Almaty for Christmas as she and her family go away everyyear for Christmas to somewhere different…
Everybody was stunned because firstly how many people would even have heard of Almaty?..
Secondly they don’t celebrate Christmas – New Year is their big celebration with Fr. Frost visiting on December 31st…
Aine’s sisters excitedly went shopping in order to send out a parcel of Christmas goodies….envisaging the delight of Aine & Alex to get a hamper from home…
Fast forward a few days and a phone call arrived to Aine’s sister from her friend saying….’it’s not Almaty we’re going to but….Alicante!!!!
Met Sandy & Frank for dinner tonight which made a nice change!! Will have to change the venue soon….
More Russian…. Still learning!!
Skolka – How much?
Das – Aftra – till tomorrowDas-Aftrax – till breakfast….
9 comments:
Hello. Thanks for your comment on my blog (life with meechi). I am commenting here on your adoption blog because as I looked through it I realized that your Alex is from the same room we adopted our Dmitrii (meechi) from! We were there in March 07 so just a couple of months behind you.
Hi Adrienne
I managed to catch up with your blog last night (we have been away & read up to your post where you were worried that Alma wanted a meeting with you & there might be an issue) .. I said to Adu last night ..this bodes for bad news .. whenever Frank what a meeting about an issue you know it’s a bloody big issue ..
I am so terribly sorry for the huge mess you are in .. your decision on splitting you going back home & Declan staying is very likely the best one .. we were faced with a similar decision when we had court in Taraz & thought we wouldn’t get the 2 week waive we decided Adu would go home to Kyle .. I would stay with Sam ..luckily we did get it waived.
If they changed the rules 9 days ago why didn’t Frank tell you before you flew out ? In your case specifically you have the right to be angry .. but all in all you have at least a few days extra with your son before returning home .. and he will be home with you soon to spend a lifetime together with you ..
Please keep us posted on progress & what happens ..
Thinking of you & sending lots of love to you both
Ashley
Adrienne, you guys are doing awesome. I'm so sorry to hear of the new "news". It's bad, but not as bad as I had imagined, to be honest. Though I did get teary eyes at your present predicament. You'll have to have a big New Year's/Welcoming celebration when Alex and Declan get home.
When will you take off for home?
Praying a safe journey for you and that Declan doesn't get the lonelies too bad without ya'll!!
Love, Cherilyn
Hi Adrienne and Declan,
We've just been reading your latest reports, what rotten luck about the passports,
It's dreadful stuff. We just dont know what to say, we feel so sorry for you
guys. It all beggars belief. You seem resigned to coming home alone, not the
ideal, but at least the girls will have you back. Michael says you will probably
be laughing about it all before long, and the one other plus, you are avoiding
all the Christmas hype. I think they thought you and baby Alex might appear
at the Christmas play in Dromindoora, looks like the show will have to go on
without you. I had a panicky situation with Uncle Holly during the week, the
tape got scrambled. Was thinking of ringing Kazakhastan for help! Luckily, the
Dromindoora elves rumaged through your things and found another copy. Now we're
back on track. We donned the red hats and went carol singing in Super Valu,
Gort yesterday for Beagh Community Centre. Susie provided the music on Violin,
Siobhán O Halloran was on guitar and I played recorder in impossibly high keys.
I think the adults nearly strangled themselves singing those high notes, they
wont ask me back again! You'll laugh when you hear Susie was mentioned as a
candidate to sing solo at mass on Christmas Eve, following her Performance at
the Christmas concert. This is gone beyond a joke!
All the Lurga angels will be praying for you tomorrow and for the next few days.
Keep up the heart and soon all the setbacks will be a distant memory. God Bless
you all, Bridget
Adrienne,
I'm so sorry things are being so difficult for ye, Ye must be exhausted. things cant get much worse for ye, but in the end, when ye have alex home with ye, it ll be all so worth it. Ye were faced with such a hard decision, I dont know how ye worked through it. I do think at least one of ye needed to be with the girls at Christmas, as I'm sure ye talked at length about..Where will you be then for Christmas? Would love to see ye in Beagh at some stage and I'm assuming and hoping, u wont brave it out on your own in E.... Would love to have a lengthy chat Christmas night with a few glasses of vino, either in Beagh or Woodmount when the poker game begins. Ye are welcome to stay with us Christmas night if u feel like a break....see how u feel.
Poor Declan. Will have to have a Christmas for him when he gets home. He is great to stay., Will get Val to arrange another poker game in our house Deccie!!
Winding up at school this week, had 'You're a Star' competition on Friday, with great judges, so great excitment. Tests this week so lots of corrections. Hope all will be settled with u by then.
No other news, Have all shopping done, but doesnt seem right celebrating so soon after Grandads passing, but I guess thats life...must go on and all that. Will be very subdued Christmas Day I'd imagine in Portumna this year.
However the New Year is always full of hope, new diets and so on!! Same as any year!!
Cant wait to catch up Adrienne, give me a shout when u land and if I can help in any way let me know..
Lots of love
Kellie xx
Hey Y'all!!
We pray for each of you every night. I can't believe you are still there and no definite date of departure. I know by Easter all will be forgotten of the long time away from home. I just can't imagine.
Adrienne --- I am so glad that you know how to make a good situation out of difficult times. Seems like you had a fun, albeit cold, adventure in the snow. I can't imagine snow that deep!! It's been in the seventies here in Nashville...
We will continue to pray for God's will, because He always has an amazing plan that hopefully we will understand when all of you are back in Ireland.
Much Love
Diane
Hi Adrienne
Cant believe that all of the below and other e-mails is going on, crazy situation and particularly annoying given that ye went back when ye did. Hopefully it will all work out for the best.
Is there anything we can do on this side? Still have the presents that Dec left in our loft, could we wrap them or anything, leaving a name badge on outside to identify. Let us know, no problem.
Will await further updates
Regards
Liam & Ruth
Hi Adrienne,
I cannot believe this saga?????? I am reading this thinking that there must be a punchline....somewhere......You poor ,poor things....I know that drama always appears to be close behind you but this beats Banagher!!!
All this certainly gives Kieran plenty more reasons not to return to Kaz!!!
Adrienne...am I dreaming or did I just read this ??
HANG IN THERE....it will all certainly make great fodder for the novel!!!
Love,
Maire
Hi guys
O my god! What an eventful/disastrous return journey back to Kaz - This will definitely be some Christmas to remember jetsetting back and forth trying to keep everything together. It is a pity about the delay with the passport and unfortunate that Declan won't be with you for xmas but you know it will all be worth it.
Gave Ruth the next pickup last sunday when herself Liam & Cian were down visiting - he will put it with the rest of your xmas goodies
Safe flight home and try to relax Xmas day where ever you end up be it B.......... or E..... -
You know Declan's stay will be well rewarded and he will have a huge bond with Alex
Theresa
Post a Comment