AMY & BRIAN UPDATE

This is not a Caroline update but very worthy news and I thought by posting it on the blog it might be the quickest way to spread the word.

AMY AND BRIAN ARE ENGAGED! YEAH! He asked her last night and of course she said yes. We are SO happy. They are an incredible couple and will have a life full of love and joy.

I'm sure she will keep everyone posted on the details.

Here are a couple of pictures from last night. They went to dinner and he proposed at dinner then he had arranged for her family and friends to be at the Hyatt hotel as a surprise after dinner so that we could all celebrate.

FUN AT THE PUMPKIN PATCH

Mom and I took Caroline to the pumpkin patch today, very quickly. She did not want to stay for long but we got some cute pictures. She's had a rough week of some doctor's appointments - chest x-ray on Monday and blood work yesterday. Very hard for me - I had to hold her down for both - the blood work was rough. They tried to pull from her right arm first and could not find her vein - they then worked on the left arm and finally found it - thank God. I did not want to have to go back to try again another day.

Caroline and I are heading to Austin on Monday to spend Halloween with the McMahan's. We are looking forward to it - yes I am crazy to get on a plane with her again but we are looking forward to spending time with our friends.

WE ARE DOING GREAT

Tummy Time
Mommy & her girls
Mommy & Caroline

Love my floor mat

Clean baby

Caroline & Grandpa

Caroline & Emma (my god-daughter)

We are doing great. Almost been home 2 weeks now. We are getting into a routine and loving each other more and more each day. I have been showing her off - I am so proud. We have had a lot of visitors - I have such amazing friends who love her.

Here are some new pictures.

SHE IS GROWING

Caroline had her first doctor's appointment yesterday - poor thing got 4 shots - 2 in each leg. I think it was harder for me than it was for her. She is doing fine now but she was pissed. She is growing as I knew she was - she weighed 13lbs 6oz and is 26" long. That is over 1lb weight gain since our appointment in Kazakhzstan 2 weeks ago. I knew that the love and nutrition she would get would get her growing quickly.

We are settling in at home. Her days and nights are still mixed up but getting better. I'm trying my best to keep her up most of the day with only a few naps - she wants to sleep all day and then be up all night which is killing me. We will get there.

She is so incredible. Aunt Amy had been blowing raspberries at her and now she tries to do it herself. She is eager to learn. It is the cutest thing.

Everyone home in Arizona is in love with her. She is meeting new people each day and greets everyone with a smile. I am so proud of her.

I'll post some new pictures soon - have to get them uploaded onto my computer.

Love,
Gretchen and Caroline

WE ARE HOME!

New babies - Mia, Caroline and Kaleb

Mommy's favorite picture

Kazakhzstan mountains

Kazakhzstan mountains

Almaty Kazakhzstan

Napping with mommy

Caroline & Aunt Amy

Sweet baby

Heading out for dinner

At the mall - 1st of many trips there and when we get home

Love my stuffed kitty from Joyce

1st full day together

I love Aunt Amy

At the Embassy for her passport and visa

Kisses from mommy

First bath ever - scared baby

Caroline's favorite pose

Introducing Caroline - Gotcha Day

1st Introduction - Gotcha Day

Here I go into the orphanage

We are home safe and sound and SO glad to be here. Made it home on time last night and were meet at the airport by family and friends. We were so excited to be home. Caroline is doing great - her sleep patterns are off since her body feels like there is a 13 hour time difference but hopefully after several days she will get on track because mommy is very, very tired.

Here are some of my favorite pictures.

Thanks to all for your kind words and thoughts while we were away - we needed them - there were some rough times but all was worth it.

5 MORE DAYS AND WERE HOME - CAN'T WAIT

We made it to Kazakhzstan and that was an adventure of a lifetime that I hope I never have to experience again. We are safe and that's all that matters at this point. The driver spoke no English, drove about 90 mph - no seat belts, no car seats, no locks on the doors which was very scary for the hour that we sat crossing the border. Once we got here at 11:30pm and made it to our "apartment" after being lost for awhile we couldn't believe our eyes. The projects in Chicago look better than this place. Lugged all the bags up to the 5th floor to discover there is no heat. Kazakhzstan government does not allow heat until late October and let me just say it is very cold here. Amy and I bought a portable radiator yesterday but it is not helping too much. We are staying in a 2 bedroom with one of the other families because we were scared to death to stay alone. Tomorrow we were lucky enough to find a hotel that we can check into for the remainder of the trip. Thank God. The good news is the place where we are staying is directly across the street from the US Embassy. There is a nice mall a half block away which is where we are right now - internet access here obviously.

Caroline is doing great. She has become accustomed to being held and loves it. She cries when you put her down. It doesn't last long but we will have to break that habit when we get home - I love holding her but can't do it during all waking moments. Amy has been so helpful with everything. We had her doctor's appointment yesterday and she checked out just fine. 12.32 lbs - doctor said she is too small which I already knew - she will fatten up. She likes her new formula but the change has given her a hurt tummy and constipation. Got some medicine from the doctor yesterday and it already worked at 5:30am this morning. Hopefully the tummy will continue to get better so she doesn't scream on plane ride home. We are all very tired - have been running on adreneline but Amy and I both feel it has caught up with us today. We need some serious sleep.

She smiles and laughs whenever we talk to her and is responding so well. There is definetly no doubt that she is my daughter - the bond is getting stronger each minute.

Still not able to post pictures - I know if I tried right now it would crash my computer. I know that everyone is anxious to see them and I will post some when we get home to Phoenix and will put all of them on Kodak Gallery so that you can see all of them.

We have nothing official we have to do the next several days - next appointment is the final appointment at the Embassey on Tuesday and then we are done and out of here at 2:40am on Wed morning - awful time for a flight but so ready to come home.

Love to All.
Gretchen, Amy and Caroline

FINALLY AN UPDATE

So sorry. We have had so much trouble with the internet in our room. I have tried to post many times with pictures and it keeps kicking me off. I'm posting from the hote business center so this is just a message - no pictures. Those may have to wait until we get home - believe me, there are some good ones.

We are doing GREAT! Caroline is absolutely amazing. We are on day 3 together and we are really connecting. I had no idea I would love this much this soon. She is the sweetest baby - very funny. I am quickly learning her personality and little traits. She loves her Aunt Amy and her mommy. We have her smiling and laughing a lot. I wish I could post pictures - I will as soon as I can.

We are heading to Kazakhzstan in about 4 hours for the remainder of the trip. Everything is final here in Kyrgyzstan but we have to go there for the final paperwork and a few appointments tomorrow. We are very ready to come home - one more week. The people here are nice - a little hard to communicate as they all speak Kyrgyz or Russian but we are getting by. There are quite a few people who speak English and we have two facilitators who are with us whenever we go out so that has been a blessing. Our money is going far - $1 USD = $35 Kyrgyz money. Had to buy Caroline some warmer clothes today - it is cold here.

We had a slight delay in getting here - spent 24 hours in the Turkey airport - not fun a little scary! Turkish Air oversold the flight to Kyrgyzstan and by the time we got to Turkey from our flight from Munich it was only about an hour before the plane left and all the other passengers had checked in and they did not have seats for me and Amy. We were very upset and angry but nothing we could do about it. They got us a room at the airport hotel, gave us each $250 USD and paid for dinner and put us in first class on the same flight the next day. Thank God we had the extra day built in. By this time Amy and I were so tired we each took 2 Tylenol PM and fell asleep at 9pm until 11am the next morning - good 14 hours of sleep. I'm sure I won't get that again for quite awhile. Guess it was a blessing in disguise.

We made it to the hotel in Kyrgyzstan at 3:00am on Monday and left for the orphanage at 11am. I had Caroline in my arms by 12:30 on Monday October 1st (Gotcha Day).

I can't wait to post pictures - she is so cute.

Kyndra,
Tell your mom she loves the stuffed kitty - I have some cute pictures of her with it.

Chris and Brian,
We miss you!

Mom, Dad and Kathy,
We miss you two. Caroline can't wait to meet her grandparents. I have told her so much about you. You will love her!

Love,
Gretchen, Amy and Caroline