Internet

Not only do I now have internet, it is a DSL connection so it is almost as fast as cable. I was able to call home last night using Skpe and it was a great connection. My international cell phone was nice, but there was a delay of a second or two that was annoying when you were talking. Skype is like you are calling next door. And it was only $2.95 for unlimited calling to the US for a month. I did have to pay to hook the building up to DSL, but that was only 2000 tengey which is about $12.50. Unlimited access for a month was 4000 tengey or about $25. So much better than dialup!

Day 3

Here they are. More pictures. When you are done looking, come back and read this. The girls are wonderful. I had my third day with them today. I get to see them from 10am to 11am each day M-F with no weekend visits, but the weekends do count in my bonding days for court. Monday was bonding day 1. The first day we were outside and sat next to their regular play group. It rained the next night so we were inside Tuesday. Outside is much cooler, but inside is nice as you have more of their attention. Big sister and Little sister play very well together. When you set them down to play, they spread their legs and scoop all the toys they can reach up close to them and then defend them. Little sister got tired toward the end of the hour and began to cry. I held her and she went to sleep. She is still very much a baby. Big sister is very smart and know how to stack cups by size. I can’t even express how wonderful they are and how lucky I feel. Big sister knows me and smiles when she sees me. Little sister is still not 100% sure, but she is warming up to me. Given this is day 3, I am very happy with how things are going. I have to start learning Kazah as they speak Kazah instead of Russian.
My apartment is very nice. It is one bedroom with a sun porch which also has a day bed in it. He bathroom is very modern and very nice with a tub and shower and wash machine in it. The apartment was just redone so almost everything is new. I have cable TV with 95 channels. Only 3 of them are in English, but they have many American TV series and movies dubbed in Russian on it. I have a lot of DVDs, but so far I have been too busy or too tired to do much. AND I HAVE AIR CONDITIONING. YEAH!!! It keeps the apartment around 78, but that feels great compared to outside where it is super hot. The climate reminds me a lot of Arizona. My apartment is in the center of Shymkent. I have banks on each side of me. There are lots of ATMs here. The one bank has 3 of them out front and there are still lines for them. There is a small grocery store behind my apartment building and 2 big grocery stores about 2 blocks away. There are money exchange places all over. I’m not sure who is exchanging all of the money, but there seems to be one on every block. I am working on getting DSL internet in my apartment, but no one in the building has it yet so I have to get it ran to the building. I had hoped I would have it today, but I am back at Abby’s (another mom adopting here) and using hers. Maybe tomorrow, probably for sure by the end of the week.
I have been lucky to have Abby to help me. She got here 2 weeks before I did so she knows all the ropes. She is taking me to all of the good restaurants and knows which ones have pictures on their menus. We have gone to 2 malls, one very modern, the Mega Mall and one that was more traditional and had some souvenir type shops. Monday night was the first time I really slept, but I am hopefully over the worst. It is not that you are that tired(I actually could never go to sleep), it is just like your brain is in a fog and working very slowly. My coordinator here is named Balzhan. She is always available by cell phone which is nice. She drives me wherever I need to go, but I have yet to see her drive in a single lane. Why use 1 lane when you can drive in 2? Although I do have to say, traffic is not as bad as I was expecting and all the streets I have to cross to get anywhere have lights so I don’t have any good traffic stories-YET.
I'll post more details when I get internet, So far I have been very busy. Time is going very fast, but I think once I get into a routine, it will slow down.

PICTURES!!!!

Big sister showing how smart she is.

Little sister just checking out what else is going on.

Isn't she sweet?

My girls!

Well, I finally posted some pictures. More to come tomorrow. Things are still going well. Still no internet connection- maybe tomorrow

Things are going great

Sorry I haven’t posted much. I have gotten about 10 hours sleep since last Tuesday so my brain isn’t functioning all that great. I should be getting internet in my apartment tomorrow. Then I will post some pictures and more details. I promise! I am at another family’s apartment using their internet and I forgot to bring my camera.
I was finally able to sign the papers today to start the bonding process with 2 adorable sisters. Big sister remembered me from the 15 minutes we had together Friday and came running to me from her group when I arrived at the baby house. Little sister let me give her a toy and we walked around the baby house together. The highlights of the day were I got a smile and a laugh from both of them and when it was time to go in, I got to carry Little sister back to her group and she gave me a hug. Overall, a very good day.

Progress

I have a secret that it is too soon to reveil. I need to have a few more things check out before I can tell my secret, but it is a really good one. Here is a little hint. If you can figure out what the picture is saying, shhhhhhh- remember it is a secret!

Time

I left work early to have time to finish up last minute things. The hardest one was taking my fur baby, Frosty, to the kennel. As I left her there feeling guilty, I looked back in the window and saw her tail held high and wagging. She was having a great time without her mom. She does stay at a really good kennel, but I miss her already.
I guess I didn't have that many things to get done because I am packed and everything ready to go and it isn't 6pm yet. I think the next few days are going to seem like forever. So so close, but not quite there yet.

Packing Day

It looks like it is nice and warm in Shymkent this week. At least it means I can pack lighter weight clothes. I am trying to decide what clothes to bring. Today is packing day. I have my carryons packed and everything fit. This is amazing since I had to get a new smaller carry on. I guess European airport rules require smaller carry ons. I have my first check in bag packed and it weighed in at 47 1/2 lbs! As long as it is under 50 I am happy. However, it does not have any clothes for me- only toys and clothes for the baby and some gifts for people there. Now I am off to pack the second bag. Maybe I will even be able to fit some clothes in there!

For my blog friends-Just a reminder- please do not post anything about my travels on your blog or on any board as Shymkent is a region VERY sensitive to this. I know you understand this already, but I just wanted to remind everyone. Thanks for understanding.