Because we haven't traveled yet...

I'm ready to throw a fit because we haven't received our LOI yet--a lay-down-on-the-floor, flailing-arms-&-legs FIT! It may be a bit age-inappropriate for a 38-year old woman, but dang it I want to meet KK. NOW.

Instead of the fit (which I'm quite sure would make me feel better), I thought it might be more becoming to list 10 good things that have occurred b/c we haven't yet traveled:

1. It is getting warmer in Aqtobe.
2. We've gotten to hang out with our motley crew of nieces and nephews.
3. I've gotten to work on my NCME paper.
4. I'm watching a beautiful snowfall out my window.
5. I spent a nice day shopping with my sister Debbie.
6. We set up the baby bed and decorated it with a sailboat theme, which includes a quilt, curtains, and bumper that my mom made.

...ok, I'm over halfway there. I can do this! (Cue the Bob the Builder music...)

7. I got a new pair of Keen shoes on the clearance rack at my favorite shoe store! For people in the mid-Missouri area, the shoe store is Vincents in Sedalia. (Ben is still wondering why I needed another pair of shoes.)
8. I found a cute down coat at an Eddie Bauer Outlet for half price!
9. I've found some really cool adoption blogs, which I'd post in our list of favorites but they are private blogs. I love reading about the adoption journeys of others who've decided to adopt internationally.

...there must be one more thing... I set a goal of 10 positive things...wait, I know!

10. I got some of the best birthday presents ever this year! (BTW, Mike, I am out of eggs now and could use another dozen.)

I did it! I'm not sure that I feel any better, but the 10 things that I listed do bring a smile to my face. :-D

Birthday Shout Out

Birthday wishes go out to my younger (by 1 year & 15 days) sister, Kathi, and my OLDEST nephew, Steven. They both celebrate their birthday today. Steven came along on Kathi's 4th birthday, and she thought he was the best birthday present ever. The two of them have been extremely close ever since. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Our Adoption: The Timeline

The end-game of this adoption seems to be taking FOREVER. Our families are fairly certain that we are waiting until KK is out of college before we travel for adoption! To put this last wait into perspective, here's our timeline:

• Post-Christmas December 2006: We met with a local adoption agency. Almost immediately, we decided to pursue international rather than domestic adoption.
• January-Feb 2007: Research countries and agencies to use for international adoption
• Feb 26, 2007: Signed on with Little Miracles to adopt from Kaz
• Late April, 2007: Homestudy complete
• Early May, 2007: Send in I171-H
• Mid-July, 2007: Receive I171-H
• Mid-July to early-August, 2007: Finished paper chase
• August 9, 2007: Sent dossier to LMI for translation
• Sept 10, 2007: Dossier is sent to Consulate
• Oct 5, 2007: Our dossier is in Kaz
• Nov 19, 2007: Our documents are in Aqtobe, and LOI process commences.
• Jan 25, 2008: Still waiting on LOI!

So, we've been working on this adoption for over a year. We have wanted to start a family since we married in 2003. While these last few weeks have seemed incredibly lllooonnnggg, we have been waiting for KK for an even longer time. We are beyond ready to meet KK and complete our family.

Brian's Request

A year ago, my sister, Kathi, told my nephew Brian (then 6) that we had started the adoption process. He got very excited. She asked him if he remembered what that meant, since it had been a couple of months since she had explained adoption to him. He said, "Yes! It means they are getting a baby!" She told him that it might not be a baby, it might be an older child. His excitement kicked into high gear. Here were his suggestions, in his own words:

"I want a 6 year old, like I'm 6, with the same kind of hair like me and who likes to do the same things as me. I'll teach him how to do some of my tough moves and cool tricks, and teach him what you can do in the United States of America. I can teach him English words. I can teach him how to be a 6 year old in the United States of America. I want a boy that's really nice and has a very good smile like me. One that can wrestle with me, and one that likes me."

"What will you do if it's a girl?" Kathi asked.

He gasped, slightly horrified at this possible turn of events. This time, after much thought, he replied,

"If it was a nice girl, I'd probably play with her a little bit."

The Cattle Drive

With the long weekend, my favorite husband decided it would be the perfect opportunity to move cattle. Not just any cattle, but smart cattle. We had to round up the 20 cows and calves that had managed to avoid the original cattle drive that had occurred days earlier. To make matters even easier, we had to move them from one side of the pasture to the other. Mind you, this is not a straight line. You must convince the cows to move from their favorite spot, across the pond dam, around the two corners, across the pasture, and into the pen.


There were six posse members in five different vehicles: Amy and Courtney rode together, Chip, Uncle Butch, Ben, and me. Each driver's job was to keep the cattle from running back to their favorite spot. Sounds easy enough, right?


Butch and Ben drove the cows up to the main pasture where the rest of us were waiting to drive them into the pen. The original drive went swimmingly. The cows marched right up to the main pasture around both corners. It looked like they would go right into the pen until they started to run.


Running cattle is the signal that all posse members should use their vehicles to keep the cows from going back to their favorite spot. To put it mildly, chaos ensued. It was like a demolition derby in that pasture as my crazy friends and relations were flying across the field to stop the errant cow or calf.


I was in my precious XC-90 SUV that was purchased with the understanding that it was not to do farm work. So, I was trying to look like I was participating while at the same time staying completely away from all other posse members.


My husband caught onto my ruse and pulled me into the game. I was to follow him in his 1984 Brown Ford POS (I'll post a pix) as closely as possible. At this point I could have cared less about the cattle, I was completely focused on the front end of my car. As I followed Ben, a cow went out of line. I only see Ben's reverse lights come on... I'm hyperventilating that he will back right into me. Luck prevails and he doesn't hit my car, but the cows did get away and we started over again (4th time).


On the 5th try, we managed to wrangle 15 of the 20 cows. Five are hanging out hoping that we'll forget about them.


I have learned that despite my farm upbringing, I am NOT a cowgirl. I have no desire to be a cowgirl. After this, I'm thinking of putting cows on my list of animals that I have no desire to see up close and personal. Currently, the list includes anything that flies or lives in the ocean. [Flying things can dive bomb you, peck at you... shuddering at the thought of them. As for ocean-going creatures, I get sea sick.]


I also learned that Ben's twin sister Amy is quite the cowgirl. She was obvious pumped after the harrowing experience of the demolition derby. [She's also a fan of both flying things and sea-going creatures!]


Finally, I learned that Uncle Butch is the man to call when moving cows. He probably could have moved the cows in by himself on his first try if the rest of us yahoos hadn't been trying to help him. :-)

Filler posts and an update

As we wait for THE phone call, you will be seeing filler posts. We want to keep our most dedicated readers entertained. ;-)



We did hear that our paper work is in Astana awaiting the last signature. There is no way of predicting when it will finally reach the top of the Kaz to-do pile it is currently in. The current predicted timelines have us receiving THE phone call in a week or two. If any of you have contacts in Astana, feel free to work them for us.


After we get the phone call, that means we have all the signatures and we will receive an LOI (letter of invitation). This allows us to get our visas. Visas take about a week. During that time, we will see how many times we can repack four suitcases. We will also be talking to a travel agent who specializes in adoption travel. Our tickets will basically be open ended since we will not know when we will be coming home.


The "unknowing" has been the main theme in this adoption process. This has been the most trying for me, Ben. I am not a patient person and I like answers (real answers). We have had a good experience so far with our adoption agency, but if you obsess about when and how long something is going to take, you will learn (like me) that you won't get those answers. Everything has been very organized and tasks are done chronologically. Each task has a certain timeframe, such as one to two weeks. You finish that one and then move on to the next one which might take three to six weeks. Not to mention, you are dealing with two different governments and lots of different offices. Which brings us to where we are now, waiting on our LOI. This process takes four to ten weeks. We are in the eighth week, but the holidays usually slow things down, so who knows.

Capricorn Birthdays

It was a weekend of birthday celebrations for those of us with the good luck to have been born in January. The weekend kicked off with my 5-year old nephew Gavin's (pix to the left) bowling b'day party. My main goal at the party was to beat my nephew Lance's (also 5) bowling score. Lance scored 100. I scored 108 without bumpers. Ben really stomped me with a score of 110. I don't think that the PBA will be calling anytime soon.

We celebrated Ben's granddad's 91st b'day on Sunday with fried chicken (my favorite) and chocolate sheet cake (again, my favorite). The highlight on Sunday was time spent with Keely and Gage. They were down from KC. For those of you who've known us since high school, you will notice that Keely looks exactly like her mother Aly (Ben's sister). There are some strong genes in that family.

Finally, Monday was all about me! This was a rather exceptional year in terms of gifts. I've already mentioned the Barclay chocolates. I also received my favorite Bath & Body Work lotions (thank you Angie), a homemade pie (thank you Selma), curtains for my kitchen (thank you Mom), and a dozen eggs (thank you Mike)... yes, you read correctly--my b-i-l gave me a dozen eggs. Upon seeing the eggs, my nephews Gavin and Tayt (also 5) were disappointed that they didn't get eggs for their birthdays. Since they eyed my eggs most of the night, I don't think that they were trying to make me feel better.

Capricorn birthday wishes also go out to Aunt Doris who managed to miss all the festivities by escaping to the Lake for the weekend. Happy birthday Doris! We missed you!

BARCLAY CHOCOLATE!!!

I got an early b'day present--BARCLAY CHOCOLATE! Thank you Dedushka David! For those of you not from Marshall, MO and who do not know about our local chocolatier, Barclay chocolates are only the best chocolate truffles in the world. I have been doing a happy dance all night. The picture does not begin to do justice to the delectable, melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness of these truffles. These truffles are only available twice a year. This is a total score!

Grandma Donna Makes a Quilt

KK's very talented Babushka Donna made a quilt for him this weekend. It is adorable. He will love it. No pressure Babushka Janice! ;-)

In memory of PK

It is with an extremely heavy heart, we have to tell everyone that our adorable little peke-a-poo died this weekend in a freak accident. He got ran over by a speeding car. He had only lived with us for two months, and he had completely stolen our hearts. We loved him as unreservedly as he loved us. We miss him terribly. We are grateful for the joy that he brought to our lives.

You are adopting from where?

Over the years that we've been together, we have heard a lot of incredulous questions mostly of the variety "You married who?" The question of the past year, has been "You are adopting from where?" Like most of our fellow Americans, we had never heard of Kazakhstan before a year ago... ok, we're not the hippest people on the planet b/c it took us awhile to make the connection to Borat. Now, within the month, we will be going to Aqtobe, Kazakhstan to meet our child.

So, how did we decide to adopt our child from this country on the other side of the world? Truth be told, it took a lot of time and research to find this country. In the end, it was the rigorous in-country adoption process that made us choose Kaz.

Kaz requires a two-week bonding period that allows us to visit our child in the orphanage for 14 days. This bonding period is a bonus for our child and for us. It allows our child to become accustomed to us in their own environment.

Once we found the program, we started looking at the country. It is the 9th largest country in the world (according to the CIA it is just under 4x the size of Texas). It has an amazing history and culture. The silk road went through Kaz. The best news for Kaz is that oil has been discovered (and China wants to be their new BFF). The best news for us is that we get to spend 2 months in this amazing country and learn about KK's culture so we can pass it on to him.

Happy New Year!

For those of you who were lucky enough to score an invite, welcome to our blog! We are (fingers crossed) a few weeks away from traveling to meet our child in Kazakhstan. Since we thought that we'd be in Kaz before Christmas, we are packed and ready to go as soon as we get the phone call. (Truth be told, we have to re-do some paperwork but that is the story of international adoption.)

There have been a few bonuses that have come our way since we didn't travel before the holidays: we got to go sledding with two of my nephews, we were able to hold a spur-of-the-moment New Year's Eve party at our house (pictures of the revelers are posted to the right), and we got to hang out with my three nephews from Carbondale, IL!

The time spent with the Carbondale boys (who are 4, 3, and 1) was very informative for us. We learned a couple of things that will come in handy once we pick up KK. We learned that spaghetti is best eaten after you turn 3 (and then only if you take off your white shirt first). Here's a picture of Cole (the 1-year old) eating spaghetti with a spoon. He enjoyed his food (as did the dogs who hung out under his chair)!

We also learned that you should have the diapers and jammies ready BEFORE you put the kiddos in the bath tub. So, duh, we should have known that one, but we must claim inexperience (as well as desire to put the little guys in the tub before red sauce got all over our carpet and furniture). Here's Uncle Ben bravely holding two diaperless boys while Aunt Karla dressed the only potty-trained one.

I finally broke down and bought KK some new clothes (with all of the boys in our families, KK could wear hand-me-downs through most of his childhood). The Carbondale boys tried on the hats and mittens that I bought for KK. (I knitted the blue and white mittens myself-yea for me!) I bought 3 hats, but the 3rd hat was too small for all of their heads.

I hope everyone had a good holiday!