Go Flyers!

On Tuesday, I put Annika and Amelia to bed and waited until they fell asleep to turn on the Flyer's game. I was lying in bed enjoying the game, thinking all was well and everyone was asleep, when I heard loud cheering coming from the crib next to me I looked over to see Amelia standing at the corner of the foot of her crib watching the Flyers play Montreal. She actually stood and watched for about half an hour, yelling daaaaa, daaaaa. Looks like we've got a new Flyers fan in the making!

We Are Home!

Elena, Amelia and I spent a wonderful week relaxing at the Hyatt in Almaty. WE enjoyed the hotel, took some little adventures outsoide the city, took care of our Almaty business, but mostly relaxed. After a great week in Almaty, we arrived home on April 3rd at 5 pm. Amelia was fantastic on the plane rides and the 7 hour layover. She slept on each flight and only cried for about 15 minutes on the second flight! She was a trooper! Brian, Annika and Gina met us at the airport. Annika was overjoyed to see her new sister. I was overjoyed to see Annika! WE rode and everyone spent the evening enjoying the new baby!

Returning to Kazakhstan!

My plans are now made to return to Kazkahstan and bring Amelia to her new home. I will leave the US on March 27, arriving in Almaty on the 29th. Amelia will not arrive in Almaty until March 31st but the airlines ahve a rule a Saturday stay overr, so I had to leave on March 27th in order to be home by Easter. WE will do our appointments in Almaty on the 1st and 2nd of April and then leave to return to the US on April 3rd. If all goes smoothly, we will be home Saturday night before Easter.

Officially a Family

Yesterday, the 15 day waiting period ended and today my coordinator picked up the court decree making Tansholpan an official member of our family. Her new name is Amelia Edolie Tansholpan Demshock. Now we are waiting for her passport and other paperwork, then I can return to Kazakhstan to bring her home! WE are aiming to travel the last weeek of March and maybe arrive home for Easter.

Court

Today was my Court day at 10:00 am. I woke up at 6am! I was afraid I would oversleep ad I overcompensated. Court went went well and now Amelia Edolie Tansholpan Demshock is my daughter! Of course there is the 15 day waiting period and that will be over March 12, 2009.

3 weeks In Astana

It has been 3 weeks in Astana and things seem to be going well. I visit Tansholpan every day from from 10 am to 12 noon. She is doing well and getting brighter and more interactive every day. She is a very happy baby and giggles and laughs and loves to be held.

My court date is scheduled for next week on February 24th! All seems to be falling in to place, so I hope I will be coming home soon.

This past weekend I spent time in Karaganda, the from which I adopted Annika. I stayed with my friend Elena, who was my translator on my last trip. It was a great weekend. We talked all weekend. She arranged for a massage for me and then had a dinner party for me and invited my friend Yuriy and his family! It was so good to see everyone again and like time had not passed. We were friends on my last adoption trip and we picked up where we left off last time.

Tansholpan