 | Jeff says:
What a nice day!
Dina let me sleep in a little. After a while, she needed a break, and she
brought Alex in to play with me. We had some fun and then I gave him breakfast. He ate well and didn't
make much of a mess. I guess I have good aim!
He napped a little and then we went out for the
day, We ran to the market to get a stroller and a large, cheap bag to put excess stuff in on the way
home. It was a wise use of $2...for the luggage that is. Go figure. Two bucks for a bag and then three
bucks at SFO for the cart to put it on, only to cut the thing open when we get home.
We hit
the post office real quick. Turns out it costs a whopping 90 Tenge to send a postcard most anywhere.
All of you put me out of a small fortune. (Again, I encourage the use of the "links" at the left to
translate that 90 Tenge into "English.")
Then we drove up into the mountains. There's a
National Park up there. It costs a whopping 200 Tenge to get in. Personally, I think it was worth more
than two postcards! They have an interesting national park system. There are no rangers that I could
find, no real restrictions, political and product endorsements all over the place, and what little park
services I did see were belching noxious fumes into the atmosphere while trying to repair the roads. I
got some pictures of the river and ice rink near the top of the hill,
Then Sasha convinced me
to jump in the river. Seriously. It turns out that he and a friend had found a secluded spot some
months or years ago and moved a sufficient number of rocks and logs in place to create a jacuzzi-sized
protected area where the rapids flow through, but where you won't be swept downstream. As Sasha put it,
"Two seconds in there and you have no problems. All is well with your life."
He spoke
truthfully. After two seconds in that water, you're too numb to think about problems. You can't even
feel the most pressing problem, which is restoring circulation to your legs. But seriously, he was
right. It was amazingly refreshing, and I'm very glad for his and his friend's engineering work. He
claims the water was about 10°C. I'm guessing more like 5°C, personally. I'll never know, I
suppose.
It was cooler up in the mountains than down in the city, but we still dried off
quickly. Sasha shared with me more philosophical meanderings, like how water, air, and smoke are all you
need to clear your mind. Like, namaste, dude. (Look up "namaste" if you need help.) Dina and Alex were
waiting for us in the car when we scrambled back up the hill to the side of the road.
Then we
headed to the embassy. I was a bit worried that the X-ray machine would set off an alarm announcing that
I wasn't wearing any undies (as they were drying in the car). Fortunately, the US Embassy either doesn't
care, or actually encourages such things. (I suppose the latter would depend on the attitudes of the
particular presidential administration currently serving. The pictures on the wall would probably imply
that the former was more operative.)
We got Alex' passport! My little boy is a Kazak citizen
with an American (?) last name. What a cute little blue book it is, with a US entry visa and a Kazak
exit visa and a Kazak stamp identifying him as a citizen living abroad. Wow.
We headed to a
quick Italian dinner at the Ramstore complex. The restaurant was called "Il Patio" (but rendered in
Cyrillic, of course), and shared the seating area with a Chinese place. Still, that was one of the best
plates of bolognese I've ever had! Wow! The Scheblers were there, so the four adults took turns with
the three babies while we munched quickly.
Then we made one last quick stop at the
Pamctop to load up on booze to give our little fellows when they turn 21. Alex is gonna get some
really spicy vodka made with a "twist" (?) of Russian hot peppers (or "papers" as the Schebler's driver
explained it). Given that I expect him to read this at least once at some point in the next few years,
son, given how much that might NOT mellow, I recommend you get used to hot foods now. Try some of your
grandfather's nuclear chili of death. That would be a good start.
During the meal, I was
using our rented cell phone to carry on a text message conversation with Assia. That was fun. We called
her afterwards real quick to say goodbye. We will surely miss her.
We came back and put Alex
to sleep for a few hours. As of now, he hasn't yet woken up for his midnight bottle, which is due in 20
minutes. (Look! I'm actually posting the journal for the 7th ON the 7th!) We're going a bit batty
trying to find corners to pack everything and still stay within weight limits.
Unless I manage
to get online from the Frankfurt Airport, you all have to wait 26 hours for the next report. Sorry.
Course, I can tell you what the next report will be: "We made it home, and Alex is sleeping in his crib, and we have four quivering, pathetic, excited grandparents sitting downstairs, generating enough potential energy sparking to power a small city, e.g., Uralsk. I am now going to take a nap, as I can't remember how to spell my own name at the moment."
|
|
Comments for September 7
Comment from
Jeff | By the way, y'all, Dina regrets being unable to post anything tonight. We just ran out of time. She's still around, honest! We'll see some of you tomorrow, some in the coming weeks, and the rest of you whenever!
Thanks for following along. One more entry to go...
And then I have to decide how to keep this going, and on what schedule, for the next...indeterminate amount of time. | Comment from
Becky | Congratulations again and again to all three of you.
I hope you have a completely uneventful trip home.
I love the photos, especially with the Taylors. Having chatted with all of you by email and followed your journals, it feels like i know you all.
Enjoy your new life together with Alex.
Becky | Comment from
Uncle Dan | Many expletives have been deleted because I just hit enter or something and lost 5 minutes worth of laborious typing. This is one time I'll sit her and do it again!
I thought the new picture on the opening screen was a heart stopper until I say the photo of the notorious Kai kiss. How poignant! These tykes have been raised as some sort of virtual siblings in the babyhouse. Where will Kai's US home be? It would be meaningful if the families stayed in touch.
Jeff, they told you to expect one poopy diaper per day? Yes, you are right. They lied! And Murphy's Law applies. There may be one a day during a quiet weekend at home, but not when he's polished and dressed to the nines for 'show' purposes at church, a party, or just for a shopping trip. Wait until your boss meets him. He'll really deliver for that occasion! The good news is that no one seems to mind. Poopy babies are a great equalizer. Everyone has been there, done that ... or will.
Alex's personality is growing in the pictures. I can only imagine what it must be like in person. It's obvious that he's cast a spell on his parents and a veritable army of new victims are awaiting his magic! One Uncle Dan included!
Didn't make it on line yesterday. Thanks to Ms. Hurricane Frances, we were without power most of the day. We made it into the early evening with candles, but must confess that we'd be miserable failures as pioneers. It went like, "Well the stove is out of commission, so we'll just have to microwave something!" Reality therapy in action is not a pretty thing. The saving grace is that the temperature was moderated a great deal by the storm so being without air conditioning in Florida was much less an ordeal than it might have been. Much damage about, but we and all the family lucked out again and have no scary stories to tell. Our biggest problem is 'cabin fever'. Samar and Daniel have gone to Costco to buy things that we likely don't need just to get out of the house.
Jeff and Dina, do not even consider the demise of this website after tomorrow! There are those of us out here who need a slow gradual withdrawal period. Besides, Alex will need a record of his first couple of weeks in the world for which God intended him. A bit of a circuitous procedure, but all's well that ends well!!
CAN NOT BELIEVE that you'll all be home tomorrow. That's just a day away. I pray for an uneventful trip and I know there's going to be a happy landing with all those weepy eyed grandparents and other new relatives there to meet the wonder boy! If I could be there, I'd have a giant banner that said:
HELLO ALEX!!
WE LOVE YOU!!
WELCOME TO AMERICA!!
Bon Voyage,
Unka D
| Comment from
Nana Nina | So you went swimming in your underwear and then posted it on the Internet? Hoo-boy! I can't wait to see where you appear next ...
I can't speak for Grandparents K, of course. For all I know, they're sitting there in Danville nice and relaxed (ha ha ~ just kidding, Connie and Fawaz). But, yes, Gramps and I are VERY excited ~ and want to leave for the airport right now. And yes, we'll keep watch while you sleep tomorrow. That's the whole point of life now, isn't it?
Oh, yes ~ I forgot. There's also work.
Well, I'll sign off, because as near as I can compute, you 3 are on the airplane flying slowly off into the sunrise (or is it sunset the way you're going?) away from your fond memories of Almaty, as ukeleles strum and hula dancers sway ~ oops, forgot ~ they don't do that in K-land, do they? | Comment from
Jerry Huang | Have a safe trip back! Thanks for sharing your adventure - it has really only just begun! | Comment from
Uncle Dan again | Just went back to enjoy the new opening photo again. I can sit here and grin at it all afternoon. I must look like a 'possum on the garden gage eating green persimmons!
Two set of grandparents within commuting distance!? Ho boy. I trust that you have worked out some sort of lottery system for baby sitting privileges, otherwise, there will be war! When Samantha and Daniel were small, we seldom needed baby sitters. If children weren't included, we seldom went anywhere. Fortunately, most of our friends had kids of their own so it worked out well for everyone. You think Alex belongs to you? Ha again. You belong to him and will be in his service for a long time. You won't mind, usually. Just train him to be kind to the servants!
More love
Unka D and Aunt Samar | Comment from
Julianna | Yippee! I can't wait to see you guys! I hope we're in the "in the coming weeks" category for seeing you!! :)
-Julianna | Comment from
jeney | So...um...I mean...do you have any idea when I might be able to..I don't know...visit the new baby? I don't mean to be pushy, but...I want to see the new baby!!
:D
Let me know when you're settled in and ready for pests, I mean visitors :D
| Comment from
Angie | Congratulations to the little one. Can you imagine? A passport at his age? Sleep and rest up as much as you can. But I'm sure when you return to the Bay Area, all of the grandparents will baby-sit while you sleep for 20 hours or so. I am so happy for all of you. | Comment from
mairesue | I can not believe you will be home tomorrow! Have a safe journey!
|
|
