we're here...

First off...if anyone can tell me how to have blogger display in English rather than Russian it would be a great help...please email me at ddavies61@hotmail.com with the instructions!  Either that or if someone could send me some English screen shots at least then I'd have a good guess of where things are....starting with how to do a new post once I am veiwing the blog!
 
I'm sure there is an easy way to do it, I'm just too darn tired to figure it out and my Russian is sorely lacking!
 
So for now I will be blogging by email, and I'm not sure if pictures come thru that way....we'll find out!
 
I'm a few days behind in blogging so please forgive me.....the jet lag, time difference, keeping 2 kids entertained for 4 hours and one for the other 20 is a wee bit tiring, last night Ciera and I were both asleep by 9:00 and looks like tonight will be the same!  I will catch up on the blog over the next couple days.
 

We have arrived safe and sound.  The journey was not all that bad…..Ciera watched tv until about midnight on the plane and then only slept until 4:00 when she declared that sleeping on airplanes was not that comfortable (we had the aisle and window in a 2 seat row, so it was pretty cramped. It was a very full flight.   I slept a bit off and on.  The connection in Frankfurt was great, we only sat at the new gate for about 45 minutes, and I had the agent move us to an empty 4 seater row so we could stretch out and sleep, this flight was nowhere neat full, and you have to LOVE Lufthansa .   Real cutlery,  2 major snacks and a dinner, Ciera's kid meal left a lot to be desired though it seemed like a baby meal, pureed veggies and no meat.  So she ate ½ of mine.  Then I made her lay down and sleep and she got in another 3 hours and I got in another couple.   Went thru the proper departing part in Almaty, got thru customs, got our luggage and the guy from the "hotel" was waiting for us.   He basically just pushed the luggage cart over to the hotel and then we checked in and got our room.  It's the same place I stayed at on my way back to Karaganda to pick up Ciera but this time I knew to ask for a room with an attached bath.  So while we didn't sleep, ok ..I cat napped…we were able to just hang out, Ciera did Lego and then we both took showers, and were ready to leave at 5:00AM.   The same man took us back to the airport and you have to like travelling with a child in a stroller, I got pulled from the line and right to an attendant to check in!!  Our luggage was overweight as I thought but it was I think about $50 to get it on the plane…the legal way! 

 

I had forgotten how beautiful it is on the runway in Almaty, it took my breath away when I saw the mountains.  Funny I was calm the whole way here, but I saw the mountains and I got all teary eyed.

 

 

My sister would have freaked with the plane, it was a 50 person prop plane but new, leather seats and comfy.   Ciera slept the whole 2 hours and I slept about an hour, what a smooth ride it was.  As we were in a prop plane we flew lower than a jet would and the scenery was amazing as we flew over the steppes. 

 

Ciera was totally out of it when we landed, got her sweatshirt on her (hood down) and was telling her she had to walk off the plane when a gentleman reached up took our bag down and told me to go, so I did!  Off the plane the gentleman with him reached over and out Ciera's hood up saying "it's cold out".  They helped me all the way to the terminal and even told some people on the bus to the terminal to move so I could sit with Ciera.

 

In the terminal someone else went a got a cart for me and we caught sight of Marina waiting for us outside of the baggage place. Once outside Marina gave me a huge welcoming hug.  She asked if we wanted to go to the babyhouse now and then to the apartment to eat and sleep or eat and nap first and then go to the BH at 2:00.  I asked Ciera what she wanted to do as I didn't want to take her to the BH if she was going to be a mess, she was so groggy and tired.  She said she wanted to go to the BH, so we headed there. 

  

Karaganda has changed in the past 4 years, lots of new growth, quite a number of very large new houses. But the familiarity of it all feels good.  They painted the fence outside the BH it's no longer green it's now red and purple.   We went in the back door and the familiar smell hit me, it's so reassuring.  It's nice to be so far away from home but for it to be so familiar.   Marina had asked me on the way there what Ciera's name had been and I told her.   The director is different but the head Dr (I think that's her role) is still the same and Marina told her who Ciera was and her face lit up and she reached out to Ciera and tickled her,  that was the first time this morning that Ciera even smiled, let alone laugh.   After she left I asked Ciera if she remembered the baby house, she looked solemn and said yes, I don't know if she really does or just from pictures, but I'm sure the smell invokes some memories.

 

Then someone came in with the baby, I had been told she is plumpy and plumpy is right!!!  For now we will refer to her as Mr. Baby (seeing as that is what Ciera wanted to call her!).  Holy chubby face, she weighs 9 kilos, they laughed and said almost as much as Ciera?  Yep almost!! In fact, they said she is overweight, and that once she starts walking and moving around she will slim out.  I held her and she was not scared at all, she kept staring at Ciera, she seemed fascinated by her.  For 9 kilos though she felt light,  she is short in height though (well maybe not for 8 months, I'll have to check the growth charts) as when they first walked in with her I thought "wow she's so tiny". We only spent about 5 minutes with her, and then we left to come to the apt.  She has dark hair (the little she has) and dark eyes and Ciera asked why she and the baby had the same checks!  She is a pretty cute baby!  We will go back tomorrow for 10:00 and spend some time with her, hopefully get her medical info.  I asked Ciera what she thought and she said "why didn't you say baby this is your sister Ciera"  So I guess barring anything really bad on her medical, I will say yes.  We will be doing the same 10-12 and 2-4 routine which is good.  The clothes I bought will fit but the few diapers I brought I don't think will and I have no tenge on me now to go out and buy some (I used it for the hotel and breakfast at the airport this morning).

 

We are staying in an apt in Stepnoy until Tuesday when we will move to the apt across from the BH, where we will stay for the rest of our time here.  That will make things simpler, we can walk to the BH, downtown, to a huge park, and lots of other places.

 

We drove back from the BH thru downtown, lots of new buildings in downtown, looking forward to doing some exploring!!!

 

At the apt we had some Rice Krispies (which by the way travel very nicley in a Tupperware cereal container filled to the top!) with milk and Ciera was very diplomatic "this milk is interesting…" will try to find some that tastes more North American like. Although we both had a strawberry yogurt drink at airport this morning and it was darn tasty!!!

 

We are just waiting for the cook to bring us our lunch and then I think we will have a little walk outside and then dinner and bed and hopefully into the routine for tomorrow.

 

Ciera wants to play with all the new stuff that is in the suitcases and I keep telling her that we have 5 weeks she does not have to play with everything today!!!  

 

Not sure if the picture will post this way but if it does it's Ciera and I at Pearson just about to board our flight to Frankfurt!