dis organized

[Updated September 30 to add photos]

Hi all. There are some fun photos but they are on the cameras still.

The Ministry of Education interview apparently went well enough because court has been rescheduled for this Friday. Talk about a quandry. We can leave as soon as court is over but I hate leaving Aigerim.

We've had a good day with her today. Yesterday was good but she was not so well. No one is well. All but one of the Spanish families, I think, have had at least one casualty this week and we are pretty lucky to have skirted the worst so far.

One photo you would see, had I moved it here, is of Aigerim's "neckline" yesterday: three layers of regular clothes. And a hat. For us to go the the neighboring music room and play. All the families are in one playroom now, the sunniest warmest one. The orphanage has had no heat, electricity or water for two days now. Half the city has no water. This is something that was planned but I don't know what. Somehow the caretakers are still making hot formula for the kids.











We also discovered today that Aigerim has been graduated to a new, bigger crib. It was vacated by the little nugget that kept visiting us while Aigerim ate or kept checking out Mitch's watch: he has gone to Astana to be united for good with his family from Spain! So, Aigerim got the bigger (read: taller sided) crib. We are pretty sure it's because someone is not going to keep from standing up for much longer. Go baby!! (Note to self: before returning for Aigerim, lower the crib mattress. All the way.)









I have not paid any fees here yet, nor given any of my papers to Larisa yet, have not seen the written translation of the baby's medical report (so I can ask questions of Dr. Svetlana while we are all still here) yet, and am not sure when it will all happen. I am sure it will happen. I am just not good enough at doing all my own stuff ahead of time so that "the last minute" is available for other people - that's for my own stuff!! Can you hear me hyperventilating? What a drama queen. Just Deal With It.

Packing. Oh boy. I have shopped for souvenirs for nugget which is why yesterday Mitch had a hat with a feather on his head.

Mommy got a little crazy on the shopping. Can you say "overweight charges" for the airplane flight?













Mitch was trying to teach Aigerim the word "auto-didactic". She grinned and blew bubbles at him. Seems right.

Our return flights seem to be also disorganized. We can get to Almaty on Saturday, but not onto the Sunday flight toward ABQ; we can get on the Monday morning flight to ward ABQ but cannot get into Almaty on Sunday. So we will go to Almaty on Saturday, spent 36 hours there, and then go onward. We might be able to get on the Sunday ALA-FRA-DEN-ABQ sequence if something magic happens, but who knows.

So if this trapeze act works, Mitch and I will be back in NM by Monday night. It will be horrid to be without Marie Aigerim, but the earlier court date also means an earlier return date so I will have to keep my eyes on that prize.

Our time at Malutka has been so special. It will be sad to remember their warmth and enthusiasm and dedication and to not see them again. Marie Aigerim will be brought to me in Almaty so I will have no schedule to return to Karaganda.

OK that's what I know and I wouldn't ask anyone to stick by it.

Talk to you later gator
Bobi