Upon further review...a few more photos

Hi once more

Upon further review, a request has been made to post a few photos from the holidays...here's one with Grandma in Indiana, Grandpa and Grandma in Michigan...and one of the time tested method of how to get down the stairs. Boy-style. Our nephews used this same method when they visited ABUS years and years ago.....remember that Ben and James, and Ryan, and Corey and Nick and 1st Cousin Mike. After all, boys will be boys....in the USA and from Kaz' too.

And oh yes...Daniel met Father Frost on NY Eve at a Russian Celebration we attended. He got to speak Russkie all night long and even managed to stay up till 1 with his new friends.

Kindergarten and SnowMan update

HI All

Here's a few photos taken in the last few days....We had about 6 inches of snow 1/1/08, so Daniel had a good time playing with his new friends. And he even received a New Year's gift from a neighbor...a new sled. Big enough for two to ride. Yippee.

The highlight, and adjustment for the week for Papa and Mama and Daniel has been Kindergarten. Here's a few photos from Monday...he was ready on Monday at 7 and even opened the front door. Plus here's a photo of Mama and her baby's first day in school. She was heard to said .... it just seems like a few weeks ago we got him home, and now he's off to school already. Where has the time gone. LOL LOL

Plus a shot at the playground in our local mall, and another from Day 1 with his new friend....also a Russian speaking new arrival to America. We are hoping to connect with his parents and perhaps help the boys get together outside of school.


Thursday AM...we will try to meet the bus for Daniel's first bus ride to school. Our first attempt this morning did not work out....so try try again. Stay tuned!!!



Enjoy

Mama, Daniel, and Papa

Home with Daniel....Because of Kaz!!!

Greetings from the home front...at long last....we are all together - and adjusting.

Papa and Daniel touched down at O'Hare on Friday afternoon...and America's Newest Citizen became official. Daniel Jake.

What an ordeal...the flight out of Almaty on Thursday was delayed from 2 am to 1 PM...and that was after Papa had to return the cell phone and the local adoption folks had said goodbye. We checked out the near by dump, AKA hotel, but it did not offer a toilet and the receptionist must have been having another bad bad day. Did I mention it was a dump.

So, we headed back into the terminal with Daniel Jake finally dozing off from 1 to 5 am. The terminal is small, and was filled to capacity with Muslims heading to Mecca. Finally, at noon we were able to check in and wait for the departure to Frankfort. But no sooner had we sat down in the terminal, a very older Kazakhstan woman was hugging and hugging Papa. Initially, she seemed to be happy that a child was being adopted....yet it became clear....she was very happy and had had too much sauce with her borsh .... or horse...or pancakes that day at lunch. We were able to find a new spot in the terminal and avoided her entirely.

Again, this was Thursday, the day we were suppose to arrive at O'Hare....but with the delay in leaving, we missed our connecting flight to Chicago. So after getting more papers signed and waiting and waiting for forms to be processed, the airline put us up for the night in a very nice hotel. Some of the photos below include a ginger bread house on display in the lobby. Meanwhile, back at Ohare, Mama thought we were on the original flight and would be home on Thursday. After waiting, with a HUGE balloon for hours, she realized we were no shows. After many calls to our travel agency, she was finally told where we were and about the flight delays. ANd then at 1:30 am Frankfort time, Papa got a call from Mama. We were all ready for Friday's plans and being together soon.

We did finally make it home on Friday afternoon,,,,and have since been adjusting. Especially Daniel with the time changes. He woke up Saturday at 2 am, and we were all up after that for the day. And then Sunday and Monday, it was 4 am. Hopefully, if we can keep him up a bit later here on Monday evening, he will sleep in till 6 or so. Plus we are heading out soon to check out the Christmas lights.

Sure can not thank you all enough for your support and encouragement this year, and especially during our first trip in October, and the final trip this month. It sure means a lot to us...and some day down the road we will share your comments and the like with Daniel.


Here's a sampling of photos...







Daniel studying the safety guide on the airplane...he did this on each flight!!













One of the ginger bread houses in Germany....yummy










One from Uganda and one from Kaz'....not all that different, eh.
















Papa and Daniel with the Big Balloon from Mama











Elf Daniel shopping at Lowes. Mama and Papa are also learning how to shop with Daniel.

Mama and Daniel for his first hamburger in America...the happy meal toy was the best part!!!

Daniel wants to take a spin around the block and check out the young babes in the neighborhood. Mama and Papa can wait a few years while his legs get long enough to reach the pedals...and is also able see over the dash. Look out Ladies!!!


Love to all, Becky and Steve

What a Christmas this will be!!!!!

Daniel Jake...America's Newest Citizen

HI All

A note here just to let you all know that America's Newest Citizen, Daniel Jake, touched down on America soil about 1:30 Central Time with Papa. What a great day. What an adventure it was!!

Will post some photos and some of the details on the ordeal we had getting in...and the ordeal Mama went thru here waiting for us. Stay tuned.

Daniel is sleeping the night away already...and Papa is soon to follow his lead. We were both up this morning at 1 am, Chicago Time, to catch our plane.

Thank goodness we live in the USA. And Thanks to Kaz too...more on this later.

Daniel and Mama and Papa

Touch down at Ohare Int'l on Thursday....

Wednesday AM here in Kaz'....that makes it 9 pm in Chicago and the Heartland. On Tuesday that is.

Got the flights changed to leave here on Thursday at 2 AM...and should be at Ohare on Thursday afternoon with America's newest citizen in tow. It will be exciting time...getting there, and then once we are home.

There are lots of Christmas trees and Santas around time. Sorrta surprised me there are so many, and I know understand they do celebrate...but there is no day off...and I have not seen any religious displays either.

Daniel and I enjoyed some Chicken wings for dinner. BBQ style. Plus some French Fries...he enjoyed those too. And this morning for breakfast, he seemed to enjoyed his pancakes with Chocolate...and then a couple with Sour Cream...and a few more with Molasses. Papa tried 'em all, but does prefer the Molasses by far over the other two toppings.

We should done at the embassy by the time the sun rises over the heartland. Then off to the airport to wait a few hours...and spend the rest of our tenge. It takes 12,000 tenge to make $100 US. Food and beverages are very inexpensive, and the meals have been good. Quite the variety of dishes and assorted fresh veggies and such. Plan to celebrate our last meal in Kaz with a Banana Split for lunch...along with a couple of bowls of borsh.

Thanks all. Do keep a look out for Lufthansa 430 out of Frankfurt at 10 AM and due to fly over Motown and or Fort Wayne around 2 pm Eastern. Papa and Daniel will belooking down and waving bye bye.

Daniel Jake and Papa

Tuesday afternoon in Almaty

Hi All

Enjoyed a good breakfast with Daniel here in the hotel. They have some sort of Molasses side dish and a thick chocolate pudding. Both of us loved it...Daniel more the Chocolate...and Papa the molasses. Yummy.

And I just finished my first, and last, dish of horse. Even Daniel ate a few bites. Some of the slices tasted like beeef, other slices....not so good. Plus there were pieces of fat in there too. I left those behind. The borsh soup is very good...and seems to be enouyght to fill up Daniel. He is a good eater.

Will get some more shopping in here later. Even after just three days, I have experienced the sadness of my son at Papa not buying him everything in the toy store. I know this has been experienced by many readers of our blog. My frustration was furthered by the fact that I could not get him to understand that NO meant Mama and Papa would get him a few toys in America.

We are doing well. Keep those posts coming!!!

Love, Daniel and Steve

In Almaty...with Daniel jake

Hi All

No photos here for the first posting from Trip 2. I have Daniel Jake next to me right now...our second day together. It is going well. We have taken two walks today, and he got his physical. Plus Papa signed more papers than one does for a mortgage....seemed like it anyways. WOW

We have Tuesday off.....And Wednesday, we should be at the Embassy. Hopefully we will be able to leave on Thrusdya AM...that would mean American's next citizen would land on Thursday the 13th. Stay tuned.

I will try to let ya know as best I can. This hotel does not have the internet stability that the hotel did in Ust Kamenogorsk. And traffic....it worse. Still those Kaz drivers that put all my commuter friends to shame.

Daniel did enjoy his airplane ride....no fears. He even managed to take a few photos out the window. And the best par t of the day was when we landed an hour or so after takeoff...he said....Chicago and Mama!

Only two more flights....on thursday...i pray and hope


Papa with Daniel"s head on my left hand. Time to wrestle

bye bye