11/11/04-Good news...

Our big news today was that we got status on our paperwork. We found out today that our paperwork will be completed a day earlier. So, we will be going down to Almaty on Tuesday, November 16. On Wednesday, the kids get medical exams. On Thursday, we have an interview and complete the paperwork. Then we should be able to leave. This doesn’t necessarily mean we can leave Kazakhstan early. That is yet to be seen. But, it gives us an extra day unless any issues come up. This will make sure we can get out of here on Saturday.

Gma and I have been discussing the trip home and are getting a little nervous. One of the flip-sides of all this talk about the kids blossoming is that they sleep less and are more active. The kids Mary Jo and I met at the beginning of October would probably have been easier to travel with. We are not sure how these kids are going to act on the plane. This is especially true of Jack, who seems to be getting bigger and even more active. Grace will be fine being held as long as her biological needs are met – feed me, clean me, let me sleep. Mary Jo has arranged to get us seats that will have some room and we will have bassinets for the kids to lie in.

I got the cutest picture of Jack today when he was in his crib this morning. When I went in, he was just sitting there with his fingers in his mouth. He just looked at me, but didn’t rush to get up. Take a look at it.



The kids felt the “wrath of Gma” today. They were both put down for their naps, but she could here them in the room talking and giggling, but not sleeping. So she went into their room, shook her finger at them and said, “You go to sleep.” Grace’s lower lip began to quiver and she rolled over and went to sleep. Jack just sat there with a blank look on his face as if to say, “What?” He never did go to sleep. We expect him to go to bed early tonight.

Here are today’s pictures.