Friday, January 18, 2008

WONDERFUL DAY

Another wonderful day with Millie. Our 2 hour visits seem to get shorter and shorter. She's so cuddly, which is foreign to me since Ben's NEVER cuddled with me. The only down side is it's REALLY hot here and the poor little thing is sweating her little tail off. It's getting harder and harder to hand her off to the care givers at the end of our time with her each day. The van ride to the orphanage, we and the other adoptive parents are all chatty...on the way back it gets pretty quiet in the van. We left a little booklet full of pics of us and Ben for her to play with while she's in her crib so she'll be that much more familiar with us, even though we have yet to not get a smile from her when she 1st sees us. She already prefers Abby to me, which while a little sad for me, it's awesome that she's bonding to Abby so well.

We had the chance to hang out with a couple of American families who live over here teaching english today. Had a good old fashioned home made southern meal, sweet tea and all, with a Baton Rouge family. It was great to connect with people here who can give us the lay of the land. Jake and Stephanie have been a total Godsend. They're ability to communicate and get around like locals is invaluable to us. Having Eva around the house for Ben to play with has been great too. They're getting along great...(Steve, you getting on a plane yet?) Not really getting used to the air pollution...it gets a bit hard to breathe while sitting in traffic, not to mention half the cars don't have A/C and the other half choose not to use it since it hurts your gas mileage. Also VERY dry here...can't drink enough water and I won't tell you what it's doing to my boogers, ( was that too much info???) Ben's still adjusting to the jet lag. He wakes up at 3am every night, but usually goes back to sleep. Last night, however, he woke up at 3 and NEVER went back to sleep....daddy's tired.

We're still having a great time, just wish we could spend more time with Millie....hard to leave her knowing no one is holding her as soon as we leave. So unfair what these little kids are put through. Not saying anything about the orphanage workers...it's very obvious that they are loved by the care givers....just amazes me that anyone could abandon any of these babies.

Ok....hope you're all well. More to come.
Mike, Abby, Ben, and Millie

10 comments:

Michael and Michelle said...

Hello,
My husband and I are adopting with AGCI too. We are going to Ethiopia. How long did you have to stay in Kaz.??
I love reading about adoption stories, thanks for sharing with all of us!
Michelle

C said...

My husband and I are adoping from ACGI. We are adopting from Ethiopia, we would love any advice, prayers, etc. that your family may have. We are trying to connect with as many people as we can that are walking down the same journey of adoption like we are. As hard as people try they just don't understand what we are going thru. Would love to stay intouch.
You ahve a beautiful family

Keisha said...

I know what you mean...about what these little one's go through. My husband & I traveled this past summer to China to receive our little blessing from God, Faith. We visited 2 orphanages while in China & had the opportunity to really "spend time" with those babies. I just soaked up every minute.. & cried all the way to the hotel because I had to leave them! It was hard, but I know God has a plan for each of them & I prayed that they all would find their forever families soon!

Thanks for sharing your journey! May God continue to bless you & your family on this AWESOME Journey of Life!
Love In His Name,
Keisha
www.myadoptionwebsite.com/ourfaith
www.walkerwalker.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

Hello Mike!

Ok, so it's funny how things happen. I am Robin, and you and I worked together in OKC (way back in 1995), in fact we were both walking into work together the morning of the OKC bombing. Do you remember? I do, because we looked at each other and I think you made a comment about how the wind blows in Oklahoma and since I am from Georgia (and you from Florida) we really did think the noise we heard was "wind". Anyway, I stumbled across your blog and the band's website. I was just telling someone the other day about you and your success. GREAT JOB (by the way). I am going to read your blog now. My husband and I have the most amazing son (Noah) and have often talked about adopting too, so this will be a great read for me. Email me if you get the chance.

Stacy said...

Hello,
My husband and I adopted a little girl from Karakastek in June of 2007 through AGCI. Reading your posts brought me back to the visits to the baby home. It is funny to read people posts it is like everyone that adopts from the baby home feels like it is groundhogs day everyday. Get up drive to baby home (1 1/2 hours away, praying for your life all the way there). Get to baby home, hand them diapers, they yell your babies given name to everyone that can hear, five to ten minutes later your beautiful baby arrives. Visit for what seems like 20 minutes and drive back to Almaty sweating the whole way home in a van that windows open about 2 inches. Funny, funny, just wanted to day congrats and she is beautiful. Our daughter was in the baby home while you were visting, born in August of 2006. Small world. We have a blog if you would like to follow our journey, let me know and I will send you an invite. bssegebarth@aol.com
Stacy

Unknown said...

guess I should have left you my email address...

rydurhorse@excite.com

Our Haiti Adoption Journey said...

My husband and I are going to the Mercy Me concert in Findlay, Ohio in Sept. We are adopting 4 beautiful children from Haiti. I love reading your adoption stories! How good to know the God we serve is always watching out for our beautiful children! We are actually going to the concert with our campus minister and his wife who also adopted all 3 of their children! I love feeling the bond all of us have together as adoptive parents!
God's blessings to you and your beautiful blossoming family.
~with all God's love~
Kim

Scott A said...

Hi Mike!
My name is Scott Athey I'm the new Pastor of Worship and Family at the church your mom serves at (Lakeside). Your mom is an absolutely amazing lady; she is very proud of you and her little grandbabies. I swing into your site once in a while to listen to the cover-tune grab bag... my absolute favorite are "Eye of the Tiger" and "Thriller." I think "Vanilla Ice, Ice, Baby" is long due... ha ha - Christ be glorified!!

Anonymous said...

Mike, god bless you for your adoption!!! I have followed your story and prayed for you and your family, I am sure your blog has gotten a lot of other families going through the same thing the hope that you can only find from above. I wanted to pass along something to you. There is a wonderfull mother on this blog, that is going through a lot right. She had the joy of finding out she was having her second child, but found out into the pregnancy the baby who was destined to be her daughter had a nueral tube defect and would only spend maybe minutes on this earth. Sadly, 2 weeks ago, lil Carliegh McKenna was born still and Holly has gone through it with only the strength we know know the lord could be giving her. One of ya'lls song "Homesick" is helping her dealing with her loss. She will be at your show on Thursday April 16, 2009 in Columbus OH. Something she was looking foward so sharing with her daughter, but sadly she was born early. Could ya'll maybe just say "hey" to her during the show, maybe before yall do Homesick, if yall do that song. It would mean a lot to Holly, and might even get a lil smile on her face. Here is her link to her blog, if you would like to see how wonderfull the lord is and where he truly gives us our stregnth when the trials are laid out before us. http://carleighmckenna.blogspot.com/
Thank You!

Tcnorwood said...

What a beautiful blessing. My husband I adopted a little boy from Karakastek through AGCI in August 2006. I hope your Millie is thriving like our baby. In fact, I think you arrived just as we were leaving. Maybe someday you'll come to Montgomery, AL, and we can meet you.I know the Lord is blessing you beyond what you ever imagined.