Snowflake Sunday!!!

Yes, you did read that right! There were huge pretty snowflakes falling down from the sky today after my visit at the baby house. It didn't last for long, but it was really pretty!! When Eugene picked me up this morning at 11, he had frost in his windows that had accumulated overnight. It didn't feel THAT cold, but when I prepared to take Leeza for her usual walk after lunch, I got the sense the caregivers weren't too keen on that idea, but they said as long as it was just for a lil while. I mean, I think that is what they said between my English and their Russian. We walked outside from about 5 after 12 until about 12:30, and it was defintely chilly, but Leeza was bundled up tight and helped keep us both warm!

Leeza felt way better today...no crying except when we had to put the dreaded hat and snowsuit on. :) I can't say I blame her, I'd probably cry too! It's rather RESTRICTING. I changed her clothes today and put on her diaper. I love to play with her cute lil feet! I am getting more and more excited to have her home with me!!! We played in the visitation room today and we had a blast. She was VERY busy today, she was stacking her cups and putting stuff away in the toy bag. She cracks me up.
She finds it hilarious when I put a cup on my head. She crawls over and climbs up me to get it off and cracks up all the while. It's really cute! We had a "tender moment" today when she crawled up to get the cup, and I was holding her and she was facing me and kinda leaned in for a second and put her face on my chest like she was hugging me. It was SO SWEET! I wanted to hold her there like that forever, but it only lasted about a minute, before she was off to explore something else. Her nose was still red, but not as much, and it wasn't running today either. I noticed when I put her down for her nap after milk and cookies that they had the vicks out, so that's good. I am still amazed at how fast our visits fly by!










I had a fun night last night. I walked to the coffee shop to meet Tatiana for coffee and dessert, and then we went to the "Central Mall".

Below is the coffee shop, and a picture of my "Dream team" Tatiana and Eugene. Eugene stopped in to say Hi!
However, Ivan is missing and since I spend so much time with him, he is part of my dream team too.






I have been wanting to find some jewerly as a memento of Kostanai, and perhaps something to pass on to Leeza when she's older. I found the perfect thing!! In fact, I found a few things, but I am wearing 2 of my new things today so I took a self portrait for your viewing pleasure.
I loved this when I saw it because it reminded me of Leeza. It's a butterfly, and inside the butterfly is a lil girl, with lil pink stones. Since Leeza reminds me of a butterfly that is just breaking out of her coocoon, I thought it was the perfect momento.

Excuse the obviously bad photo of my hand for the ring...my hands look very old and wrinkly...yikes. I will blame it on the water here...








I also FINALLY found the crest of Kostanai that I've been looking for. It's all over the billboards in town but we couldn't find anywhere that sold it!






I've learned to keep checking back into the souvenir stores (there are really only two of them)because they do get new arrivals.

There was a very sweet lady helping us in one of the stores where I ended up finding a beautiful bracelet, and ring and matching earrings (not pictured, sorry). The bracelet is butteflies made of 3 different kinds of stones, and the ring is a cross, made with a green stone, with matching earrings. It's very simple and very "me" and I found them both to be so perfect to commerate my incredible Kostanai experience! The butterflies represent my Leeza, my beautiful little butterfly, and of course, the cross represents God and his incredible Grace that led us to our daughter. The lady asked Tatiana if I was from America and if I was here to adopt a child. She said that it was a very good thing we were doing and God will bless us. I certainly concur that we have indeed been blessed very much! She was also a nurse at the maternity hospital and said she knew many babies who had been adopted and what a good thing it was. When we leaving, she told Tatiana to wish me well, to have a good life in America, and to always remember Kazakhstan. Of course, I cried. The people here are so incredibly nice.


After our very successful shopping excursion, we met Ivan and a friend of his at the Bier Haus. I met another American guy, as this friend of Ivan's is recruiting teachers to teach English in Kazakhstan. Dennis had just arrived from Portland,Oregon and is a great guy! I gave him the "down lo" on Kostanai and how much he will LOVE IT HERE! He taught for a year in Karaganda before. He is a very neat guy and I really enjoyed talking to him. Ivan and I showed off our mad skillz at our rhyming game, but they were orally dictated this time, so I don't have them share but they were good!!
Tonight, we are all going to the infamous '444' that my previous comarades in Kostanai have all raved about. It's out of town, and has fabulous "shashleek" (shiskabob) and dancers, and music and dancing. Doug, Kelly and Natasha went last week and had a really good time. They had great photo's of these hot babes with great abs belly dancing and also some break dancers! WOO HOOO!

I am looking forward to it! In fact, I have to finish this blog UP because they will be here in an half an hour to pick me up. :)
I guess I didn't need to worry about being lonely when Sean left-I am home a lot less now then when he and Joe were both here! Don't worry Stace-I am keeping my hands to myself in other people's cars!

I am busy making lists of stuff I need to get for Leeza's impending arrival, and starting to get my gifts together for the caregivers, and everyone. I have already given small gifts to Tatiana and Eugene, just because they're so fabulous, but I still have things to give them too. I really like the gifts I got, and I hope those on the receiving end like them too!

I will close with "an original Leeza" creation.....a tower of sorts. After she built it, I had to snap a quick photo because it made me smile. :)