Day 5 waiting - Vroom, Vroom..(double click for pics)

Monday, July 24--- (Day 5 waiting period)

What a difference a day makes! We got back on schedule with the visit to see Landen and everything seemed to fall back into place. We started the day with the routine of talking to loved ones back home, cooking a little breakfast and doing some exercising. I had a chance to make one of my special Kazakh omelets (What I think was ham, onions and tomato) and everyone had grits. We have again been asked about our variety of viewing options, so they are: Euro News, CNN-Europe and a version of VH1. Needless to say we do not spend much time watching TV, and even less time channel surfing. What little TV we have watched has been focused on the crisis in the Middle East. What a mess that is!

Lena went with us on the visit today as we were asked by the baby house staff to assist them with pictures of some children that are available for adoption. Needless to say we were honored and willing to assist in any way we can with these precious children. It will touch your heart in a way you can not imagine to see into the eyes of kids waiting for a Mom and Dad. We have grown a little immune to the challenges facing other kids over the past few weeks as have been caught up in a race to get home. This few moments shared with these kids made us realize our wait is nothing compared to what they are facing. God bless everyone one of them!

Kim went to get Landen from his room where he was in his swing. When he saw Mom, he started trying to talk and was holding his arms out for Mom to get him out, and she did! Kim also got to take a look at the “bathroom” for his group and we will share this photos with you. Our visit was “fast paced” to say the least. Landen had his wheels again….yes, Lena borrowed a walker from one of the rooms upstairs and gave it to Landen for him to enjoy. Since this was the first day back in his group (yeah, he’s out of the infirmary), he had built up energy to burn. Kim and I wanted to take a lot of pictures of him since we did not have a visit yesterday, but he did not want any part of that. He ran around the room looking at every little, and sometimes big things he could find. A caretaker came thru the room with a huge stuffed animal. The type you see someone winning early in the morning a six flags, then having to haul the enormous thing around in the heat all day. Yes, one that large…All you men out there remember those stuffed animals. Well, Landen was not afraid of it at all. He was trying to touch it and even pull it closer to him. He had a funny moment when I had a smaller stuffed animal that favored a hedge hog in my hand and was touching noses. At first, Landen did not want to have any part of the hog. He would make a face and turn his head. Being the persistent Dad I am, I kept doing the nose thing until he was comfortable with it. He then started slowly sticking out his tongue like a little baby kiss. What a cutie. Of course, the only thing that will slow him down is the 1:30pm hugging and singing with Mom. He is learning the song and may be singing it when we get home. Depending on how long it takes to get home, he may be playing it on the guitar J. Just kidding, it’s gonna happen soon enough.

After the visit, we came back to the apartment for some lunch and this allowed me a little time to download the children’s pictures on a flash card for Lena. Kim had prepared some re-fried beans and they were even better than last time. Lena came to pick up the flash card at 5pm and also wanted to take Rylee to the park again with Leeza to ride a bike. This was great for Rylee as she has missed the little things like that this summer. This was also great for Kim and me as we did not have to shop at her store today!

When Rylee arrived back home, we planned out our week with Lena. We figured the busier we are, the easier our stay will be. Just to note: we’re going to an outdoor market and having dinner with Lena tomorrow, we’re going to the big Mall on Wednesday and to Church with Lena on Thursday. We should have some interesting photos coming up this week.

PS. Rylee will be losing a tooth very soon and the “tooth mouse” may come to visit her. Correct, appears the tooth fairy has a mouse that helps her in Kazakhstan. More to come on that later. Poka, poka….