Day 2 and 3...2 for 1!

Thursday, June 8 - Friday, June 9

Well we don’t have a lot to report so we decided to combine the two days. After so much excitement and not enough time to do anything we are now experiencing a little more free time and wondering how we are going to make it through the next 3+ weeks. It seems every time we talk to someone else in authority we are looking at a couple more days here. It is hard to gauge with so many variables up in the air. It is a time of perseverance for us. Even the kids are asking, “When will we go to America.” They are ready to go tomorrow and do not understand why we can’t go as if it is our decision. When we tell them we are ready to go they say, “Okay, let’s go!” When we tell them it is not allowed yet because of the procedures they are not happy. Sasha told me the other day that he does not like our judge. He says he is not even Kazakh. He says he is Uzebek. We do not know how he would know that. Nastya says they look very similar and it would be hard to tell the difference. He says he does not like the judge because he delayed us for several days. It is hard for us to understand and explain to him since we do not understand either. But this is part of being flexible. It is hard also when you realize other families have gone through the process without any delay and some that came after us are ahead of us. We are doing our best to stay positive (which is not easy here) and not focus on the negative like Garrett missing his family reunion for the first time in 33 years! We were looking forward to being at home with the kids to meet the family. Garrett and I have decided that with all the people at home praying for us that if we were supposed to be home we would be there and so we are trying to learn to trust God even when we do not understand His plan. We are going to pass this test because we don’t want to take it again. We have heard that you never get to flunk a test with God, you only get to take it over and over until you pass, so it is best to pass the first time.

We have a lot of highs combined with some downers but such is the life of suddenly parenthood. We are praying constantly and asking for wisdom and God is so faithful because I know we have been doing a lot of things that have been working out so well and we did not have the knowledge for this. God is so good to us. We know we will continue to have challenges but God will be faithful to help these “rookie” parents figure it out!

Yesterday the kids were so cute. Stella decided to go and draw in the kitchen so she could listen to her cell phone music since Sasha was taking a little “sputz”(sleep). Garrett and I were sitting on the sofa and he was reading and I of course was writing on the computer. In a little while an envelope came flying through the air and landed at our feet. The little giggle we heard could have only come from our little girl as she ran back into the kitchen. It said “mama and papa” on the outside and inside was a “thank you” note that she had found in the apartment. She had written a big heart and in the middle it said “I love you mama and papa”. It was so cute that she wanted us to know but felt she had to write it down. Later she came and peeked around the corner to see if we read it or not and she was so embarrassed but loving it at the same time.

Later Sasha saw the note and got a big smile on his face and said, “One minute!” Then he left the room and about 15 minutes later another envelope flew in the room and he and Stella took off laughing. There were two letters inside one for me and one for Garrett that said he loved us. It was so incredible for us. They are trying to tell us how they feel and we are all figuring out how to communicate. In so many ways being here is such a positive for how God is knitting us together it is just sometimes it feels like the knitting needles jab us a few times in the process!

Today we went to the Green Bazaar with Marina and shopping with her is a real treat. She knows her way around and has many great suggestions for things for the kids and gives us the history behind different customs and traditions especially Kazakh vs. Russian. We picked up some gifts for the orphanage and she arranged to have a van that was going to Timertau anyways come pick up Garrett and Sasha and deliver them there. Meanwhile the girls did what we do best SHOP! Marina gave us a few lessons at that as well. We had a very good time and still got home after the boys!

She even suggested that we might like to go visit Astana, a town North of us about 2 hours away. She will arrange it if we like. She also suggested a play that is in town. I think she realizes we need a little variety. It is so neat how God supplies just what we need at just the right time.

Anyways that is about it for now. I am sure we will have more adventures for tomorrow as we are getting ready to go to bed and recharge those batteries!!! Good Night!