Today we met our son, Aidan!! We were put up in a small apartment we will home for the next 2 weeks before Court. We went to the orphanage first thing this morning. The orphanage houses about 60 children, ages 1month-5years. At 5 years they move to another orphanage, where unfortunately, they have little chance of being adopted. We were shown into the orphanage directors office upon arrival, and just a minute later this cute little Eurasian boy was brought down to us!!! In pink!!! We laughed so hard. Clthing is scarce and very worn, and as it would turn out we would see Aidan in pink many times during our stay!! We were introduced to Arman Erimbetov, soon to be Aidan Fleming, age 8 months. I held Aidan on my lap and he jumped up and down over and over and smiled. Our friend, Kristen Adams, met her daughter Chloe, who is only a week younger than Aidan, at the same time. We took the kids to the family visiting room to play for about an hour. We then went to an apartment where our cook and another family is staying to eat, and to sign a form indicating we in fact wanted to adopt Aidan so it could be filed with the Court. Are you kidding? We LOVE this kid already!!!
January 8, 2005
So we start the daily visits. We will go twice a day, from 10-11:30am, and from about 4:30-6:30p.m. We bring toys because there really aren't any for the children to play with, and we bring diapers because the orphanage doesnt use diapers, at all. There just isnt the money. We are allowed to feed Aidan in the evening, and he takes porridge and sometimes formula, most of the time hot tea. The children are dressed in no less than 6 layers of clothes, and they are so "puffy" with these layers they have trouble moving, and they sweat profusely. However, it is -30F outside without the wind chill, so its no wonder the nurses worry about the children being cold. There are a total of 4 children and their families visiting right now: Seda (Kellie), who is 5, and the Shelton family (Penni and Lewis), Aida (Tessa) and her mom Donna Young, Aiazhan (Chloe) and her mom Kristen Adams, and Arman (Aidan) and us. We have already all become good friends, and eat meals together at the Sheltons/Kristen's apt. Donna has her own apt as do we. Donna and I will be staying the entire time, and everyone else is doing it in 2 trips (Kyle has to leave right after Court to go back to work). Thank goodness Donna will be here. We really like our coordinator, translator, cook, and driver alot. We feel we are in good hands!!
January 15, 2005
Well, we have been visiting for a week now. The weather is still so so cold, try -25F!!! The electricity goes on and off as does the water, but we are in good company. Our coordinator, translator, cook and drivers are fun to hang out with, and we play alot of cards/games. Each day we travel to the orphanage for our visits. Aidan has gone from now being able to sit up at 8 months to already trying to pull himself up and sitting well in just a week. Amazing. We are getting a few more smiles; he was so serious at first. He crawls everywhere and loves to be rocked and held. A bit about Kyzylorda: we had WONDERFUL Shaslik (BBQ). I mean out of this world. Also, local fav dishes our cook makes are manti, blini (blintzes) and all kinds of fried meat or fried fruit pies. We went dancing after Shashlik and watched some terrific breakdancers, a blast from the past for sure!
January 20, 2005 GOTCHA DAY!!! A short hearing, about 15 minutes, we really werent asked much of anything except are we changing his name, and from the Judge, do we promise to raise him to be an attorney? (we are both attorneys). Decision was granted in the afternoon along with the other families. Court was easy and very friendly. We went back to the orphanage and took some photos as a family!!!
Feb 10, 2005
Well, alot has happened. Kyle left a few days after court to go back to work, as did everyone except Donna and I who are going to stay the whole trip. We had a scare that the kids' passports were going to be delayed 30 days, but now it looks like just a 3 day delay, nothing in comparison to the total time over here. Its been tough being here without Kyle, but lots of good time with Aidan and learning about the Kaz culture. We have gone sightseeing and done alot of shopping at the bazaars, and learned some Russian card games. Today I was allowed to pick up Aidan from the orphanage and bring him home to the apt!!! I had been trying to get him to clap forever, and when we got in the apt, he started clapping like crazy, smiling, and playing...it was like he knew he was not going back! In fact, he was so excited he woke up all night long with big smiles wanting to play. It was wonderful and I didnt mind being tired at all.
Feb 18, 2005 We arrived in Kansas City today! We stayed 10 days at the Hotel Kazzhol in Almaty. We flew from KO to Almaty (a 2 hour very cold flight). We shopped at the Tsum Store, went ot the Ramstore, ate pizza, went to the museum and hung out with other families. After a delayed flight, missed flight and alot of crying, we were greeted by our HUGE family at the KC Airport! There is no place like home!!! We love to help others interested in adoption, so please feel free to email me at [email protected]. God Bless!