Packing light?

"Think of giving not as a duty but as a privilege."
John D. Rockefeller Jr.

A few weeks ago I received an e-mail from a woman I have never met. She explained that her daughter had adopted a child from Tokmok and that she felt an incredible bond to the place her beautiful granddaughter came from and a great affinity for the children who remained at the orphanage. Without even knowing me, but through this blog, she asked if she could send me a check and asked me to purchase items for the Children. I was quite surprised and a bit overwhelmed at such unconditional generousity, but quickly agreed that I would be more than happy to bring additional supplies to the orphanage. Within a few days I received a check for $200.00, such an incredible gift. Being the cunning bargain hunter that I am, I matched her donation and made that money stretch! I cleared clearance racks of sweat shirts, sweat pants, t-shirts, blouses, boys' button down (and handsome I might add) shirts, khaki pants, jeans, and sleepers. I got some strange looks the first time I checked out at Old Navy with more than a half dozen of the same pants in all different sizes. The next time I came in to scope out the deals, they brought me out a rack of clearance toddler clothes, a steal at $.97 each, I took the entire rack. Now whenever I go in they direct me to a stash of clearance kids wears and they ask for an update (I've had to promise them to bring Beck in as soon as he comes home). On another shopping venture I found a bin of toddler black velcro sneakers in assorted sizes, I quickly scooped them all up like a Mother with a chronic shoe fetish. I was quite pleased with these since they are fairly unisex, no need for the boys to be wearing little pink girl shoes. Along the way I picked up toys that were deemed educational and ones that the orphanage director had specifically asked for. Then there was the stock-up on school supplies sales! I picked up boxes and boxes of markers, colored pencils and crayons. In addition to the request for clothes and educational toys, the director really stressed the need for vitamins, namely the Enfamil Poly-Vi-Sol with Iron drops. I cleared the shelves of these vitamins at both Walmart and Target.
I have to admit, it's been a pleasure picking out items for the children of Tokmok. I imagine their smiling faces wearing the clothes, playing with the toys or coloring. I am so thankful to this stranger, who has become a friend, for her incredible generousity. She made it possible to double the amount of items I wanted to bring back for the Orphanage. Thank you so much Melissa Taylor for your caring and giving spirit.

Update

I apologize that my updates have been few and far between, but I have a good excuse... or two. First my computer has been under the weather. Let's face it, it really hasn't been the same since it's journey to Kyrgyzstan. Safe to say, my laptop doesn't handle travel well. And secondly, there's been no updates. No word on how he's doing, no travel dates, nadda! Until this week! Marnie and her husband Jeremy traveled to Tokmok last week to meet their daughter who also lives in Beck's house. As you can imagine I was thrilled to receive word that he is doing well, blown away to get new pictures of him and beyond ecstatic to get a video of him! He looks great! Oddly enough, he's still wearing the same red sail boat shirt he wore during our trip. Marnie report that he was out of sorts when he heard the caretakers talking about Mama and Papa and it wasn't us. That breaks my heart, but at least it confirms that he remembers us. I'm going to talk to the IA Dr. soon about what we should do when he gets home to reinforce that we are his family, and will be so forever.

Court, part deux

We received official word today that court went well and we should be traveling in Mid-August to pick up our little guy!

I'm beyond thrilled that court happened without incident. I'm also thrilled that none of the people who made these quotes were present! Enjoy, I know I did.

Q: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?A: No.Q: Did you check for blood pressure?
A: No.
Q: Did you check for breathing?
A: No.
Q: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?
A: No.
Q: How can you be so sure, Doctor?
A: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.
Q: But could the patient have still been alive nevertheless?
A: It is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law somewhere.

Q: All your responses must be oral, OK? What school did you go to?A: Oral.

Q: Can you describe the individual?
A: He was about medium height and had a beard.
Q: Was this a male, or a female?

Q: How was your first marriage terminated?
A: By death.
Q: And by whose death was it terminated?

Q: You say the stairs went down to the basement?
A: Yes.
Q: And these stairs, did they go up also?

Q: You were there until the time you left, is that true?

Q: How far apart were the vehicles at the time of the collision?

Q: Was it you or your younger brother who was killed in the war?

Q: Were you present when your picture was taken?

Q: Trooper, when you stopped the defendant, were your red and blue lights flashing?
A: Yes.
Q: Did the defendant say anything when she got out of her car?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: What did she say?
A: What disco am I at?

Q: And where was the location of the accident?
A: Approximately milepost 499.
Q: And where is milepost 499?
A: Probably between milepost 498 and 500.

Q: This myasthenia gravis, does it affect your memory at all?
A: Yes.
Q: And in what ways does it affect your memory?
A: I forget.
Q: You forget. Can you give us an example of something that you’ve forgotten?

Court!

July 5th is our court date. But since their tomorrow morning is our tonight, I'm starting the celebration now.

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

My Montage 7/4/07

Wednesday, June 20th - My last day with Beck

I'm happy to report I write this blog from the comfort of my own home! After 3 days of traveling I finally made it! My bed felt absolutely heavenly!

June 20th, 2007

Every day Beck's greetings become more and more enthusiastic. Today was no exception as he ran to us with open arms and collapsed into my arms with a gigantic bear hug. Then immediately gave the same warm treatment to Daddy. Again we were invited to take the kids off the property so our wonderful translator suggested we go to a nice restaurant that she said we very unique. Beck was nervous about getting in the car but quickly stopped crying and began taking in all the sights. The restaurant was unlike any I've ever seen. There was a man made lake with floating gazebos which contained a table each and cushions to sit on. Beck has probably never seen a lake and he was about to take his first boat ride to our table. The small craft rocked at we stepped aboard which made him cry, but as soon as we started moving he was very entertained as we skipped across the water. He sat on my lap as we waited for our food. It was an incredibly relaxing experience, sitting out in this quiet, peaceful lake with the snow-capped mountains as a back drop. I wasn't sure what he would eat so we got some rice and a beef and vegetable dish. He eagerly ate the entire plate of rice, an adult portion of the beef and veggies (I have to admit it was incredible feeding a child who ate anything and everything you put in front of him, without protest. I'm hoping he can teach Morgan a thing or two when it comes to eating!). Even after his meal he still seemed to want more so Tim shared a dish of lamb dumplings. After about 6 dumplings (and a half a dish of ice cream) I thought it would be best to stop there before he exploded. I wasn't sure if he was eating because it was being served and perhaps he felt it was expected of him to eat whatever was being served, or if he was really that hungry.

It was hard knowing that this was my last day with Beck, but it was a wonderful way to spend it. He was content to just sit on my lap quietly taking it all in. I don't know many 2 year old that would be so easy going. I didn't want to leave our little oasis of tranquility, but knowing that he was a little boy who was so accustomed to routine I felt it important to find a bathroom for him. So we boarded the little boat and made our way back to shore. I brought him into the main restaurant and into the ladies room. Let me preface this story by stating that I have a little girl and I have never had to bring a little boy to the bathroom, but I thought no problem, he's potty trained, he sits of the little 'pots' at the orphanage, how hard can this be. I opened the bathroom stall door and much to my horror there was NO TOILET! Just this odd sink-like hole in the floor. What the heck do you do with that?! I started to panic, I knew the clock had started ticking and this little guy needed to go to the bathroom NOW! I tried my best to hold him, hovering over this odd fixture, we were contoured in this small stall and I think it dawned on him quickly that I had no clue what I was doing, and any moment we were both going to get soaked! Seeing that I was having a bathroom meltdown, our absolutely fabulous translator took charge and effortless held him in the apparently correct position and he did his business. And with that, I failed my first bathroom test.

It was time to return him to the orphanage. I tried to keep reminding myself that I would be back in 2 months and hoped he would not forget how far we've come. There was comfort in the fact that Joe would be staying behind and spending another week with him, but still I wondered what he would think when I disappeared. I asked the translator to tell him that I would be back and to continue to remind him, every time she saw him. I developed pictures we had taken together throughout the week and put them in a photo album for him and hoped it would keep our memories fresh in his mind.

By the time we got to his house the other kids were sleeping. He burst into the room and immediately shouted about the tales of the day and the caretaker rushed to quiet him. She asked him something about his newest adventure and he spun around and pointed at me and answered her "Mama!". That was a good feeling. He ran back to me and gave me a hug and rushed off to his little bed. I waved "pa ka" from the doorway and he waved back, with a big smile. It was a good last moment and one that has to keep us both until next time we meet.

Tuesday, June 19th

I'm STILL at LaGuadia! Note to self: next trip, pack a sleeping bag!

Tuesday June 19th

Today the orphanage director said we could take Beck and Anara to a local Amusement Park! We were thrilled at the opportunity to take our children outside the confines of the orphanage, but we were nervous since this would be Beck's first car ride, and moreover the first time he had left the walls of the orphanage since he was 2 months old. His caretakers told us that while other children were interested in sitting inside a car when the had to chance, Beck would never go near it. We had purchased a toy truck for Beck and put it inside the car. When it was time to go to the park I scooped him up and went swiftly to the car. As I opened the door he began to cry in shear panic! I sat down in the back seat and Joe handed him his toy and tried to distract him. After only a minute he stopped crying and was looking around, but when the car started to move it terrified him. But as we continued down the road we talked to him gently and waved "pa ka" to everything we passed. He quickly settled down and watched the scenery pass in pure amazement. He pointed out things he had probably never seen; horses pulling carts, big trucks, busy streets, markets, he watched it all with great intensity.

The amusement park is located only mile or so from the orphanage. It is very old and most everything in the small park with in dire need for repair and a good coat of paint. I quickly decided he wouldn't be riding on any of the rides, just for safety sake, never mind that he just survived his first car ride and probably wasn't ready to ride some pre-cold war era rollarcoaster. We walked around the park and finally just decided to sit on the swings ride, but asked the lone attendant in the park to NOT turn it on. Beck enjoyed sitting on my lap while Daddy gave us a little push. By this time the sun was pretty intense and the temperature was reaching over 100 degrees so we went and got Beck his first Ice Cream. He immediately bit into it and was quite surprised by it's coldness! But soon figured it out and devoured the entire thing! After his cool treat he was content to just sit on my lap and observe this new world around him.

On our return to the orphanage I asked if we could stop to get him a new pair of shoes. The shoes he was wearing were at least 2 sizes too small so we found a little shop. I pantomimed to Beck to sit on a little stool while I hurried to find a pair of shoes that would fit him. I was so proud that he would sit quietly, a remarkable feat for any 2 year old, moreover a 2 year old in a toy store for the first time! Every time I came back with another pair of shoes try try, he'd lift his feet, you'd think he had gone shoe shopping before. We finally settled on a very cool pair of leather sandals, I asked the translator to ask him if he liked them and he said yes. I can imagine they must have felt so much better than the tiny shoes he had been wearing.

Each time we got in the car, he would cry, but each time for a shorter duration before he would look around, engulfed in all the new sights.

When we returned to the orphanage he greeted his caretakers with quite a story! He excitedly spoke to them. I wish I knew exactly what he was saying. He joined his group who were already sitting down for lunch. We didn't mention the ice cream. He turned and gave me a hug and sat at his little table with the others. We waved "pa ka" and left. Another great day!