Stimulating the Kaz economy

Steve here. Today the weather bounced back into the 40’s after yesterday’s snowfall. Days like today are the most dangerous as you are more likely to experience gravity’s pull on the slick melting ice.

This morning we were back at the baby house and all was good with Aidan and Liam. Aidan has started showing up in shorts instead of his usual overalls. His caretakers must think we make him do laps around the room because he comes back sweaty. This only happens on the days he falls asleep on us; when he produces enough heat to keep Ust-Kamenogorsk operating for a day. Terri has been having some real good moments with Aidan. Her feeding him yogurt is just a great sight to see—I think they are really starting to get a pretty good bond. Liam was in a good mood and Terri found out how to make him laugh from his caretakers, who say ‘teeckle, teeckle’ while rubbing their thumbs on his belly. We had a good morning. All the toys go across the floor with the fury of a gulf hurricane, but now Aidan helps put the toys away at the end of our playtime. I got Liam squealing by holding him up to nibble on his belly. Both boys were in fine form. Liam was in the walker, traveling at warp speed, disappearing from the camera frame before I had time to take a picture. Aidan was hooked on the music from the walker which is, oddly enough, Jingle Bells. He wanted this played over and over and over. He would shake his hands along to the music until eventually he fell asleep.

 

For lunch we went to Pizza Blues as Terri was having a craving for Beef Karmen and I wanted to have this pork dish that Jason Woods swears by. It was good, but HUGE—like chicken-fried steak back home. I did not finish it all. I did not want our driver and translator to think I was a little piggy. After lunch, Terri and I decided to dump some money into the local economy. We purchased numerous souvenir items to include: matroyshka dolls, a Russian flask, beads, Kazakh national and military pins and Kazakh stamps (not to mention the box of Kazahstan chocolate bars). Our plans for the boy’s shadowbox are coming along nicely. The stamps were really nice and I think we bought more stamps in one visit than most Kaz citizens buy in one year. Next we will look for a small Kazakhstan flag to go in the shadowbox. We really want our boys to not only know their heritage but to be proud of it as well. On the ride home there was a moment I thought was quite funny. We were pulling up to our apartment and there was a lady and a boy walking into our building. Anya suddenly said, “Gypsies!” I detected a slight hint of disbelief or disgust. She warned us to stay away from the gypsies and insisted that Bulat escort us to our apartment door. I know it is probably not politically correct but it seemed so surreal that it was funny. (I, in no way, have ever had an issue with a gypsy—of course, I have never met one or seen one outside of the stereotypes in vampire movies.)

Our afternoon visit was good. Aidan wanted more time with mama in the afternoon which was fine with me. He seemed to be having a really good time with her. Liam was in a good mood and was crawling around like crazy. These boys have changed so much since we first met them. You can tell their caretakers just adore them and dote on them. The kids from both Aidan and Liam’s group are so cute. It breaks your heart to not be able to take them all home. There are two boys in Aidan’s group and two girls in Liam’s group who are especially adorable. You can tell they have a lot of personality.

After our afternoon visit we went to replenish our supply of tenge that was exhausted from our shopping excursion. Then we went to the grocery store to restock on the essentials, which this time included a new type of cheese that we had enjoyed at the Black Bull. And then to the apartment. Tomorrow at 9AM we go to file our court petition! Light is coming from the end of the tunnel.