New Day ... New Friend

The "2007 Meet and Greet Tour" continues! Yes, we've been busy introducing Owen to our friends and neighbors and the last week has flown by.

My friend (and soon to be fellow adoptive mom!) Amy came to the house to visit last Friday. We had a great time chatting and playing with Owen; and hopefully I was able to share some Kaz wisdom with her along with the travel items I lent her. I know she and her husband Dave will have a wonderful trip and can't wait until they are home with their son and we can set up some play dates.

On Saturday our neighbor (and mom to 10 month old Garrett) Jill hosted March's Ladies Game Night - but made it a brunch so everyone could meet Owen. I was so touched that the neighborhood women wanted to come and I loved showing off Owen, who of course was all smiles because people were paying attention to him.

My dear friend Audrey and our god daughter Jenna stopped by Sunday after a trip to MD to see her family. They brought Owen the cutest bear that benefits the "Make A Wish" foundation. We are looking forward to visiting them in Virginia soon and introducing our little water lover to their pool!

Finally we wrapped up this leg of the tour with a visit to my friend Vicki's house and lunch at McDonald's with her and her daughter Lindsay.

We've also been to the playground with Kim, Casey and Emma; had a visit with Sherry (GiGi), taken walks around the neighborhood - loving this nice weather! - and completed a few more shopping excursions.

Owen is still doing great; although he often thinks that he doesn't need his naps! But he almost always sleeps through the night so I can't complain too much. He is so close to crawling - every time he is on his stomach now he gets up on hands and knees and rocks. That will add a whole new dimension to life (his and mine). And Uncle Rich ... he eats his Cheerios all by himself now and gets about 3 out of 5 into his mouth.

Wishing everyone a great weekend!

Home Two Weeks!

We've now been home two weeks - hard to believe. But even more unreal is that it is getting harder and harder to remember that we were in Kaz for six weeks; I'm afraid the memories are fading too fast in our efforts to adjust to life now. Many other families have said they miss their time in Kazakhstan; and while I don't think I can say that yet, I do now understand how one could feel that way. Luckily we have lots of pictures, this blog, and our travel partners to help us keep our journey half way around the world alive.

Of course life at home is great! It has been a challenging two weeks ... just as Owen was feeling better I got very sick and Bob's business trip was extended another four days. My mom came to my rescue (as did Kim who showed up at my door with chicken soup, jello and meds) and stayed with Owen and me a few days. Once I was back on my feet we drove up to PA to surprise my dad, visit with Aunt Cathy and Uncle Rich, and introduce Owen to his great aunt Sue and cousins Bev and Nicole. One of the sweetest moments for me was seeing my beloved Nana finally hold her newest great grandson. Two of my favorite people together at last.

Owen had an appointment yesterday with Dr. Mike and was pronounced healthy and happy. He now weighs 18.9 lbs ( he has gained more than two pounds since we first took custody of him in mid February, but I think at least half of that went right to his cheeks!), and is 28 inches long (that's the 75 percentile for height folks). Poor thing emerged with four bandages on his thighs from the vaccinations - we have to catch him up - and one on his toe from a blood draw, but he handled it all like a trooper, even smiling at the nurse who stuck him once it was over.

He continues to love his baths, he sleeps through the night 90% of the time, and eats anything we offer him. Owen likes to meet people and he adores the cats, he laughs whenever they come into the room or get near him. We are so very lucky - Owen is a smiley, pleasant, easy going kid who just lights up our life! Enjoy the pictures and we'll see you again soon!

Owen is Home!

HOME ... one of my favorite four letter words; along with love, life, Owen, and C-bird!

(And speaking of four letter words, how about twin? The news from Virginia is that Jackson Douglas and Madison Elizabeth have arrived and are doing great! We are thrilled for Amy, Jack and Joshua and can't wait to meet the newest Bornhofts!)

On our last day in Kazakhstan we had a few more details to take care, including a trip to the US Embassy to get Owen's visa, where we were reminded again of what a small world it is. Earlier in our trip on our flight from Kokshetau to Almaty we met a very nice gentleman who had a cousin that lived in Ellicott City (the location of Bob's office), and during our interview at the Embassy we found out that the agent was originally from Baltimore! He asked us if Owen was going to be the newest Orioles fan and we replied "of course, but he'll be an even bigger Ravens fan"! We signed a few papers and were given a sealed packet to give to customs upon our arrival in the US. Of special significance to me is the fact that all Owen's visa paperwork (and visa) is dated March 6th.

We then met up with Maureen, Sean and James for a meal at the Stetson Cafe and finally got our cheeseburgers which weren't bad considering that they had cole slaw on them. Back to the apartment to give Owen a bath and pack up; then Kirill picked us up at 12:15 am to head to the airport. It took a while but we made it through security, got checked in, passed through customs, and joined about eight other families in the waiting area. After a short time we were aboard a Lufthansa jet headed for Frankfort, Germany! While we were obviously thrilled to be heading home, there was also a sense of melancholy leaving Kazakhstan - after all this is the country that gave us our son.

After more than 24 hours total travel time, two flights and a five hour layover, we finally arrived at Dulles Airport on the afternoon of March 7th, and as soon as the plane's wheels touched down Owen became a US citizen! Because the flight was a half hour early there were no lines in customs and we breezed right through, collected our luggage and joyfully reunited with Jodi's mom (Nana) and dad (Pop-pop), Uncle Rich, Aunt Cathy and our dear family friend Courtnay. They were wearing "custom made" t-shirts, holding balloons and signs, and smiling from ear to ear. Seeing my parents welcome their newest grandchild was a dream come true.

Finally we loaded into the van and headed for our house. The first thing I did upon arriving was greet my fur babies - they all looked great and I was so happy to see them. Our wonderful neighbors and friends had decorated our house with balloons, signs, flowers, and gifts for Owen and me; and stocked the refrigerator and pantry with yummy food and drinks. We are truly blessed to have such caring people in our lives - thank you so, so much: Mom, Dad, Aunt Cathy, Uncle Rich, Aunt Sue, Sherry, Bruce, Kim, Chris, Casey, Donna, Nelson, Jill, Vicki, Ashley, Alison, Eric, Chuck and anyone else who helped (but did so without my knowledge!); you are all incredibly special to us.

Our first full day at home was filled up by more fun with Aunt Cathy and Uncle Rich; then Nanny, Uncle Todd, Aunt Maria, cousin Hannah, Sherry and Kim came to visit, and again, Owen was welcomed home with lots of love and attention. I loved seeing the joy in Nanny's eyes when she first held Owen. On Friday, Owen, Nana and I had an outing to Target (obviously the first of many) and I got a huge surprise when I opened the front door to see my brother in law Jeff unloading a car ... Kris, Jeff, Samantha and Mackenzie had flown all the way from Wisconsin to visit!! I was so touched that they came to see us and I loved meeting our newest niece and spending time with them all and my parents. Thank you again Bruce for acting as their airport shuttle and helping to create such an incredible memory for me.

Owen is adjusting very well - he's sleeping through the night and seems to be very comfortable in his new home. He likes to pet the cats; he likes his new toys; and he gets a good daily workout in the Jumperoo. The last two days he had been fighting off a cold, (thank you Dr. Mike and Krista for putting up with this nervous new mom and fielding my call on Sat!) but he's improving and is almost back to his usual happy, adorable self.

I'll do my best to continue to update the site with pictures and news on Owen; check back about once a month. Thank you all again for your support, friendship and love. Your comments and emails helped us tremendously while in Kazakhstan and will be a treasure we will share with Owen. Bob, Cearra, Owen and I wish you health and happiness.

Ahhh Almaty!

We’ve made it to Almaty and it’s like coming to the big glittering city after camping in the boonies. It’s wonderful!

On our last Friday in Kokshetau we woke up early to get everyone ready and finish packing. Once we arrived at the airport we met up with the other families, got checked in, and paid $50 in overweight baggage charges. Although I was very happy to be moving on, it wasn’t easy to say farewell to Rada and Oleg. When we thanked him for all his help, Oleg gave me a hug and said “Now he (Owen) is with his parents and that is what’s important”. Rada cried when she said goodbye; we will certainly always remember these very special people and all they did to unite us with our son.

Three fairly uneventful hours later – Owen was very good and cried just a bit when he was fighting a nap - the Yak 40 touched down in Almaty (and I finally took a breath again). The guys unloaded our many bags from the plane and as a group we met up with our drivers and headed off. First our driver Kirill took us to get Owen’s visa picture taken, then we went to the Sisters office to complete some more paperwork. Next, a trip to the SOS medical clinic for Owen’s required physical. He got blood taken from his finger for an HIV test, and was weighed and measured, poked and prodded. Our boy is now 17.6 lbs and 26 inches long and the doctor said he looked fine. Owen didn’t like the finger prick at all but was a champ the rest of the day.

We made a quick stop to pick up some essential supplies (water, diapers, and Diet Coke) and finally arrived at our apartment for the next several days; a very nice one bedroom near the Ramstore (upscale mall and great grocery store). Yes, Scott and Susan – we are in THE apartment and having fond flashbacks of you guys! The view out our window here is of the Rolex building and a Marriott Residence Hotel; we have a kitchen with new cabinets, a full size frig, and a stove that works on all four burners; nice (fake) wood floors; a clean and stink-free bathroom; a kitchen table with four matching and sturdy chairs; and a bed that is somewhat more comfortable than a cardboard box. Quite a difference from Kokshetau.

Our second night in town the “Hamster Gang” met up at Mad Murphy’s for dinner. This Irish pub is a tradition among visiting American families offering an English menu and good “western style” food. Owen fell asleep in the car on the way there and took a nap before waking up and having some fun with his old buddy James. The next day we again met up with Maureen, Sean and James, plus Jill, and went to the Green Market to buy a stroller – perhaps the best purchase so far – and then on to the third floor of the Tsum (zoom) store for souvenir shopping. Having worked up quite an appetite we then headed to the American Bar and Grill for lunch where we tried to order cheeseburgers, only to be told they didn’t have them at the moment! But we were all pleased with our second choice and just as importantly Owen enjoyed his teething biscuit and bottle and was, once again, a very good baby. As you can probably surmise, we are enjoying the freedom of being able to take Owen out in public, and the weather here is warmer too so it’s great to go out and see some sights – like a giant red tulip!

Today we will buy Owen’s return airline ticket, and tomorrow we have our “interview” at the US Embassy for the rest of the paperwork he needs to come home. We’ll probably try to get the whole group together for a last dinner to celebrate our successful journey (and my birthday!) then we’ll pack everything up and head to the airport again around 1:30 am Wednesday morning.

So this is our last post from Kazakhstan . It’s been a long trip. Some days (and nights) were incredibly rough, but the amazing moments were worth any tears. It’s been frustrating, tiring, maddening, and confusing, but most of all it’s been a journey we will never forget for the people we’ve met, the things we’ve seen, and most of all for the little boy we are bringing home as our son. Owen is truly a joy – we can’t wait for you all to meet him!

Almost Done in Kokshetau!

It’s official … the waiting period is over and our little boy’s birth certificate now shows us as his parents and gives his name as Owen Edward Mechem (in Russian of course)!

This incredibly important step happened the way many things here do; we followed Oleg into a government building, sat around for a while, then walked into a small office where we signed several documents as instructed. The woman handed us Owen’s birth certificate and with a big genuine smile wished us “Congratulations, grow strong and be happy”. Then we went to a teller style window in another part of the same building and waited for about twenty minutes for more paperwork; I think it will now all go to Astana (the country’s new capital) to be processed and we’ll get it back along with his Kazakhstan passport once we are in Almaty.

Speaking of which, we are now into our last full day in Kokshetau! We just got haircuts, and will now head back to start packing up. Not looking forward to dragging all the suitcases down the stairs or boarding the Yak again, but we are so looking forward to Almaty and getting closer and closer to coming home. Once in Almaty we’ll meet again with the sisters, go to the US Embassy for Owen’s visa, get his required medical done, and hopefully do some shopping!

It’s actually a little hard to believe that we are finally wrapping things up here. This has been a good trip; we’ve met some incredible people, learned a lot of interesting things about Owen’s birth country, and of course received the greatest gift in Owen, but we can’t wait to be home. I know Bob is most looking forward to seeing Cearra, and also getting back to work, and I am so ready to:

- See friends and family at the airport
- Talk to more friends and family on the phone
- Give my furry babies lots of love
- Take a real shower
- Wear some different clothes
- Enjoy the comfort of our house again
- Finally put Owen to sleep in his crib, in his room, in his home

There are a hundred other things big and small that I will appreciate about being back in the United States. We are very fortunate to live as we do and traveling certainly makes you appreciate our quality of life and freedoms.

Once again, thanks to you all for following along and for all your wonderful comments and emails. And a huge thank you to Alison for making it possible for me to keep you all updated! I don’t know if we will be able to post in Almaty but I promise to try. Please continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we travel and we hope to see you each of you soon.