We're Getting There!

Patti and I completed day # 12 of the required 14 day bonding period today! We continue to visit Daniel twice each day, except we have only one visit on Sundays. This coming Wednesday, we will have met our legal requirements. We then hope to meet with the Ministry of Education for a “pre-court interview” on Thursday or Friday. We hope to have our official court hearing early next week. At that time, we will petition the court to allow us to become Daniel’s legal parents. If the court rules in our favor, we will return home to wait out the 15 day “Appeal Period”. My guess is that we will return to Almaty, Kazakhstan, around mid April to complete the final paperwork and medical exams and be able to bring Daniel home by April 23rd (our last date to travel on our Kazakhstani visas).

We have really enjoyed every minute that we have spent with Daniel! We can’t imagine the joy that we’ll feel the day that we finally bring him home! To say that it would be the happiest days of our lives would be a tremendous understatement!! We are also impressed at the conditions at the baby house. Everything so clean and runs like clockwork. The caregivers are fantastic and there is no doubt that they do all they can for the children. You can tell that Daniel obviously has a few of his favorites (in group 2).

Daniel is still battling a cold (that he gave to me). Although he doesn’t have too much to say (yet), he takes everything in. He makes great eye contact with us and he is constantly scanning the visiting room for new and interesting sounds and / or activities! The last few days we have even been able to see a few smiles and is also just starting to learn the concept of waving hello and goodbye (Oh, and did I forget to mention, he is the most beautiful child in Kazakhstan?)!!

Patti and I have been to a few places that have been suggested or we’ve heard about on the blogs. We’ve had pizza at Asotri’s and also went to Mario’s Pizza last night with several other families. We went to the Circus and have visited the City Mall. We’ve done some shopping for baby clothes at the Mickey House and also shopped at the out-door market. On Saturday, we went with another couple and boarded a city bus to downtown to visit a park with a ferris wheel and ate pork on a stick (it was very tasty)! We’ve taken taxi’s, used an internet café, visited the Ram Store and tried to use body language to try to pantomime even the most simplest of concepts (with mixed success).

Some things off the top of my head that I would mention to those of you who have yet to travel; always keep a business card of your hotel on you to show the taxi guy, always have a calculated to give to someone who you are buying something from (you will not understand the numbers when they are spoken), bring your own ketchup from home, give some thought on how you would draw your favorite food item (just because you say it slowly and louder than normal, will not help them understand what you want)!

After being brought a Pepsi and not wanting to appear rude due to their obvious oversight, I asked “Could I have some ice, please”? I never thought too much about this but I received the same exact response from two different restaurants! The waitress, looked puzzled that I would ask such a question, they then rolled their eyes, shook their heads and said “Silly Americans with their ice”!! When they serve you soda or water that is any cooler than room temp, they apologize because it is cold!

It’s time to give this a try on the blog! Wish me luck!! We do have some good pictures to post but it will have to wait until we make it back the internet café!