Ok, first... HAPPY BIRTHDAY CORRIE! Sorry I can't be there for the party...
2nd... Counting down... only 10 more days. Anyone ready to go out for Mexican food with us when we get home??? Don't even mention mashed potatoes or even cheese for a little while (unless it is melted on top of some chips). :) And, NO soup! I need some real food!
Here's a funny story... everyday we ride the elevator in our hotel... It's a small elevator and the 4 of us just barely fit in it... and it's not comfortable. Anyway, last night... we were "going up" and another guy wanted to ride with us. When he got on... a light and little alarm started going off... we were overweight! Can you believe it?! I've NEVER had that happen. :) Too funny! He was a little guy too... he just very quickly exited and said that he would take the next... no problem... in a Russian accent. :) We laughed all the way to our rooms... maybe you had to be there, but I was entertained. Doesn't take much these days...
Hey Jeff... Brad says... "How about them Cubbies?" :) He made me type that!
Ok. More later... love you all!
Steph and Brad
Monday, October 6, 2008
Friday, October 3, 2008
countdown...
So, our countdown has begun... we come home in less than 2 weeks... fun, yet sad...
We have one more visit today and then 2 more days until our official bonding period is complete. We will continue to be able to go visit though. :)
Court is coming up soon... please keep us in your prayers.
We went yesterday and developed some of our photos (which was interesting because the machines look just like Walmart, but are all in Russian... had to go by memory). :) So, we have our first family photos! What if I told you I was holding them up for you to see right now... ;) Sorry... I couldn't pass that up.
Really... we show Alia pictures of our family and friends all the time. She loves to look at pictures. She might be thinking that the pictures look yummy, but... she enjoys it anyway. We go through and tell her everyone's names and how much they love her and can't wait to hold her and spoil her! The funny thing is that Andrew has been given a nickname by the Greshams... he is Uncle DooDoo because the kids have a hard time saying Andrew. Here though.... he is Uncle CahCah (that's how you say it here... in Russian). Are you ready for that Andrew???!!!!
Ok, gotta go!
Steph and Brad and Alia :)
We have one more visit today and then 2 more days until our official bonding period is complete. We will continue to be able to go visit though. :)
Court is coming up soon... please keep us in your prayers.
We went yesterday and developed some of our photos (which was interesting because the machines look just like Walmart, but are all in Russian... had to go by memory). :) So, we have our first family photos! What if I told you I was holding them up for you to see right now... ;) Sorry... I couldn't pass that up.
Really... we show Alia pictures of our family and friends all the time. She loves to look at pictures. She might be thinking that the pictures look yummy, but... she enjoys it anyway. We go through and tell her everyone's names and how much they love her and can't wait to hold her and spoil her! The funny thing is that Andrew has been given a nickname by the Greshams... he is Uncle DooDoo because the kids have a hard time saying Andrew. Here though.... he is Uncle CahCah (that's how you say it here... in Russian). Are you ready for that Andrew???!!!!
Ok, gotta go!
Steph and Brad and Alia :)
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Daily fix. :) A "toot" to remember.
To all of our addicts... :)
I think that Alia has a bit of reaction to her food. She is pretty gassy and she spits up quite a bit. :) Yesterday I had just given her a bottle. I had her propped up on my legs and she was looking at Brad. She let out the longest "toot" I've ever heard out of a baby! It was stinky too! I laughed so hard that I cried! Brad got a picture of her looking up at me like, "what?" :) Too funny!
Well, we are off to see Alia... I just signed on to dial up at the hotel for a bit (ahhh! It's so slow!)
Gotta go!
Steph
I think that Alia has a bit of reaction to her food. She is pretty gassy and she spits up quite a bit. :) Yesterday I had just given her a bottle. I had her propped up on my legs and she was looking at Brad. She let out the longest "toot" I've ever heard out of a baby! It was stinky too! I laughed so hard that I cried! Brad got a picture of her looking up at me like, "what?" :) Too funny!
Well, we are off to see Alia... I just signed on to dial up at the hotel for a bit (ahhh! It's so slow!)
Gotta go!
Steph
Monday, September 29, 2008
downtown!!
So, Brad and I woke up on Sunday feeling adventurous (well, I did... I had to convince Brad that he did too). :) We went to the front desk and asked what bus #'s would take us downtown. Tina, Marilyn, Brad and I hopped on one! After 2 stops... they made us get off because it was the end of the road... so, we hopped on another one! :) This one took us where we wanted to go.
We went to the "Big Green Bazaar"! Yes, shopping! All I bought was a pair of socks, sunglasses (because Brad broke his), some little washcloths (very hard to find here), and M&M's! Yum! We also found a good place to eat. I got Cheese Pizza... it almost tasted like Sbarros! :) Brad got some spicy pasta stuff. He liked it.
So, now that we know how to get there.... we will be spending many afternoons downtown. It's so much better than the norm here. :) Napping... one can only take so many naps... and we are on our way to figuring out just how many that is...
Today Alia and Lily (Tina's baby) had their first experiences with bubbles! Alia didn't know what to think at first... but she really liked them. She started reaching out to grab them and would eat them if she could.
Who knows what we'll do tonight. Rumor has it... we might be able to play outside again. :) Bring on the layers!
By the way... Pat, Brad thanks you for the sports updates. He's been wondering. Oh, and Ryan... Brad says you could go ahead and send that Meximelt this direction... an interesting science experiment... like the milk in college. :)
Oh, and Winston... no Magnums yet... I still have lots of time though. :)
Love ya all! Keep the comments coming... we're getting VERY homesick!
Steph and Brad
We went to the "Big Green Bazaar"! Yes, shopping! All I bought was a pair of socks, sunglasses (because Brad broke his), some little washcloths (very hard to find here), and M&M's! Yum! We also found a good place to eat. I got Cheese Pizza... it almost tasted like Sbarros! :) Brad got some spicy pasta stuff. He liked it.
So, now that we know how to get there.... we will be spending many afternoons downtown. It's so much better than the norm here. :) Napping... one can only take so many naps... and we are on our way to figuring out just how many that is...
Today Alia and Lily (Tina's baby) had their first experiences with bubbles! Alia didn't know what to think at first... but she really liked them. She started reaching out to grab them and would eat them if she could.
Who knows what we'll do tonight. Rumor has it... we might be able to play outside again. :) Bring on the layers!
By the way... Pat, Brad thanks you for the sports updates. He's been wondering. Oh, and Ryan... Brad says you could go ahead and send that Meximelt this direction... an interesting science experiment... like the milk in college. :)
Oh, and Winston... no Magnums yet... I still have lots of time though. :)
Love ya all! Keep the comments coming... we're getting VERY homesick!
Steph and Brad
Saturday, September 27, 2008
One more... (save the date)...
I know... I've got lots to say today... :)
Brad and I were hoping that the internet situation would be such here that we could send out an invitation by email, but... no such luck.
We are hosting a benefit dinner on October 25th at Oakridge Baptist Church. There will be food, entertainment (including Brad and I), and we have special speakers coming to share with you. The speakers are our friends who 's baby just came home from the same region (and room) as Alia.
We are very excited and hope that all of you will be able to attend. More news to follow soon! If we do get internet in our hotel, we'll be sending invites, if not... this will probably have all the info. The dinner will be donation based and all the money that is raised will go to the "Bring Alia Home" fund. :) Stay tuned... and save the date. :)
Love you all!
Steph and Brad
Brad and I were hoping that the internet situation would be such here that we could send out an invitation by email, but... no such luck.
We are hosting a benefit dinner on October 25th at Oakridge Baptist Church. There will be food, entertainment (including Brad and I), and we have special speakers coming to share with you. The speakers are our friends who 's baby just came home from the same region (and room) as Alia.
We are very excited and hope that all of you will be able to attend. More news to follow soon! If we do get internet in our hotel, we'll be sending invites, if not... this will probably have all the info. The dinner will be donation based and all the money that is raised will go to the "Bring Alia Home" fund. :) Stay tuned... and save the date. :)
Love you all!
Steph and Brad
An opportunity...
So, each day when we pick up Alia... there are 10 other beautiful babies (that are not coming home with us...). We have the coolest opportunity to be able to play with them each day also. Brad and I have decided that we will bring as much as possible back on our next trip (which will actually be Anita and I). We can take as much as we can carry/pack with us. These babies share pacifiers, toys, clothes (mainly sleepers and jogging pants), etc... The babies are between 6-18 months (mostly wear 3-12 month clothes).
The items will have to be small and light. I know that the Dollar Tree and Burlington (in the .99 section) are great places to buy toys for cheap. Please let us know if you'd like to take an opportunity to help us bring a little extra back for them. Space will be an issue, but I have some ideas... I'll bring as much back as I can for these little babies. I wish you could see them... they are all beautiful, fun, and sweet babies.
The items will have to be small and light. I know that the Dollar Tree and Burlington (in the .99 section) are great places to buy toys for cheap. Please let us know if you'd like to take an opportunity to help us bring a little extra back for them. Space will be an issue, but I have some ideas... I'll bring as much back as I can for these little babies. I wish you could see them... they are all beautiful, fun, and sweet babies.
Ha! I sure do wish the pizza here tasted like pizza there! :)
So, the lock costed us $10! Not a huge amount... just annoying...
Today is hard...I am tired, hungry and ready to go home... just not without my baby. I am SO torn, because I can't wait to get home but then I will want to come back because part of me will be here... :(
We decided to be adverturous today and went to a little food place with our Russian for Dummies Book. We basically pointed and ate... so, how did that work out? Well. Brad's tummy is happy (at least for right now).. the rest of us??? Well... not so much. Oh well... worth a try.
Ok, I have a lot on my mind today... so I'm going to do another post...
Steph
Today is hard...I am tired, hungry and ready to go home... just not without my baby. I am SO torn, because I can't wait to get home but then I will want to come back because part of me will be here... :(
We decided to be adverturous today and went to a little food place with our Russian for Dummies Book. We basically pointed and ate... so, how did that work out? Well. Brad's tummy is happy (at least for right now).. the rest of us??? Well... not so much. Oh well... worth a try.
Ok, I have a lot on my mind today... so I'm going to do another post...
Steph
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