Day 10 - The Easy Button

God must have pushed the EASY button for us today. Everything went so smoothly. Traffic parted. The weather was great. Nina Deanna was perfect again. Oh, and we learned that we get to come home from this first trip early! Instead of December 5, we are heading home November 27 which is the end of the bonding period. Our regional coordinator Natalia is trying to expedite our application so we can get the court date as soon as possible. We are praying for a mid-December court date so we can be home from our second trip before Christmas. The end goal of course is to bring Nina home on the third trip in mid-January.

On with the day. I promised an updated picture of our driver Adil and here is the way we most often see him.

He may be reminding you of the neighbor from Home Improvement by now.

Maybe things aren’t so good. It is our last protein bar which has served as our breakfast staple.

In the category of knowing-your-Kazakh-culture, we learned that it is the responsibility of the youngest son to take care of the parents, and he must live with them their entire lives. The older siblings have the opportunity to move out. I don’t think Jomama wants me moving back in though. We should leave the responsibility thing with the firstborn which is a fine US tradition.

In other Kazakh culture news, the parents have the right to claim their son’s firstborn child (their grandchild) as their own son or daughter. Can you imagine the resentment the daughter-in-law must feel giving up her child to her husband’s parents? However, the father has the right to break tradition, and this is exactly what Adil did with his baby girl. He told his parents that he and his wife are keeping their daughter and his parents where ok with it.

Scattered through the city and countryside are monuments to Kazakhstan’s great warriors. We pass this guy daily. He must have drawn the short straw or been off grabbing goats when they were handing out memorial plots. He is 78 km from the city with very little traffic coming his way. Poor lonely dude.

We received independent verification today from USA Today (courtesy of our friend Rob Nabb who tracks such things - picture at top) that goat grabbing is indeed all the rage in Central Asian countries. In the Afghan version, they use a (headless) calf instead of a lamb. But it is the same general idea in Kazakhstan.

Moving on to the reason we are here, we arrive ½ hour early at the baby house as today’s good fortune allowed. We go through the normal routine and decide it is time for some exercise. She could move very little during our earlier visits, but today she is raising and holding up her head much better. She also figures out that her legs can go straight up in the air. She likes learning about these new bodily functions. She is getting stronger and happier each day.


We see some serious movement while listening to Mississippi Queen. Instead of laughing at Toucan like yesterday, today is all about imitating his behavior. This is our first attempt at posting video. Check it out. (Mom, before you panic, you must hit the little arrow on the lower left of the picture for the movie to play - good luck!)

Nina can handle about one hour with us before she is tired and ready for a nap. Daddy has the great idea that she needs to have her new outfit on before the nap. It is a good idea but poor execution. Apparently, he is not very good at putting baby shirts over baby heads. Nina starts waling so much that Nurse Goldtooth comes in to ensure everything is ok. Nina finally calms down with Mommy and Goldtooth tending to her, but gives Daddy the evil eye for about 10 minutes.

Note: no one has actually captured Nurse Goldtooth’s defining feature on film. Fleeting like Sasquatch and more elusive than Nessy, her smile vanishes when cameras are present. But this writer has seen it and is committed to securing the footage before leaving the country

Mommy calms her down; coordinating outfits help. Nina keeps an eye on bad Daddy.

Nina soon gets over it.

Other observations:

Back at the apartment, Monte observes that our shower resembles Austin Powers’ cryogenic chamber prior to the infamous “evacuation phase” at the urinal.

I observe that some (not many) of the things in Kazakhstan are better than in the US. Here is the prime and possibly only example – a miniaturized version of my favorite candy bar. Lots of them in a big inexpensive box.

They are so small they have no calories (or so it seems).

While you ponder these things, we are heading out to dinner. One more video before we go.

Day 9 - Her Name - Nina Deanna

Last night was laundry night in our apartment since we have been here for over a week. We have a washer in our apartment. I think it is big enough for 2 or 3 shirts at a time. Here is Monte doing her best impression of a The Price Is Right model. Note the tiny broom which is the principle cleaning tool here for inside apartments, restaurants, and even sweeping the street.


Also note Monte’s red house slippers which were a gift from Natalia, our Russian regional coordinator. Monte has been clicking her heels together but we are still here.

The dryer is not as advanced as the washer or the broom. Where do we plug this in?

Apparently, dryers have not yet made it to Kazakhstan.

Today we are without our interpreter Anna. She is available via cell phone if we need her and calls twice a day, but we decided to try it on our own today. We have only our driver Adil who speaks no English but knows how to get us where we need to go.

Adil is 21 years old, has a wife and small baby, and lives with his parents. He is Kazakh and Muslim and drives his Nissan Maxima really fast. He has a nice smile and kind spirit. He is shy of the camera but I will get him yet.

Yesterday, we learned from Anna that Adil has even played the national sport of Kazakhstan. Of course, it involves horses and is a bit like polo with a few local twists. There are riders on horses but no sticks and no ball. The substitute for the ball is a dead lamb. The riders try to pick up the carcass and carry it over the goal line while the other riders try to steal the lamb from him. We are told it is great fun for everyone except the lamb.

A more innocent traditional Kazakh game is called Kyz Kuu or “Run Down a Girl.” I was a little concerned to hear about this one when they told me the name. The fellow and girl mount their horses, and the girl takes off at full speed. The object of the game is for the boy to catch the girl within a limited time or distance. If the boy catches the girl, he gets to kiss her. If the boy cannot catch the girl, she uses her whip to hit him for being such a wimp. Adil has never played this game. He says the girls always chase him instead.

The drive is much quieter today without Anna in the car. Monte rests her eyes. She cannot stay awake in a car. On our first date, she fell asleep on the way home so I am used to this. In the city, we are stuck in a traffic jam but get a chance to witness the morning commute. Do they have a maximum seating capacity on this bus?

This one is for my uncle, UT. Here is the Almaty trolley. Made in Russia?

I play Sudoku on my iPhone while Adil speeds through the countryside to make up for time lost in the city. We arrive on time as always. We walk into our room and find a group of residents. I think they are all boys but it is difficult to tell with these haircuts and attire. There are plenty of babies here.

The group is escorted out of the room and our ray of sunshine arrives. It has been tough getting smiles from this little girl. She is very sweet and interested in us. She looks and studies our faces with her big, deep chocolate brown eyes. But she rarely smiles. That’s what makes today so special.

We go through our routine of holding her, stripping her down, massaging her legs, and putting a new outfit on. She does a better job of eating the puffs today and seems to be catching on with this eating thing. She rests on my leg, sucking her two favorite fingers after eating some puffs.

Monte puts her in the jumperoo. Her feet touch the floor but she has no interest or ability to push or jump. However, she likes being up-right, is holding her head up much better now, and touches and spins the ball. Deanna especially likes looking at the flying banana and Toucan above her head. She gets a big kick out of the Toucan as Monte makes it fly around. And all of a sudden, she starts laughing and smiling like we have never seen before.

She lights up the room and warms our hearts. I am sure it is Monte’s love that is bringing her to life. Maybe Deanna is starting to realize that she has a family, that we love her, and someday soon she will have a home. She doesn’t know about Nick and Natalie yet. They will make quite a crew.

We notice she takes a lot longer to drink her bottle than she did the first few days when she ate almost in a panic. She is beginning to relax and take her time eating with Monte holding her. They are very happy together.

All is going well but the big question remains: what is her name? We have decided to keep Deanna as her middle name, and have chosen her first name that is regional and means “little girl” and “pretty eyes” and "full of grace." We have given her the name Nina Deanna Lockwood. We think she will fit in well with Nick, Natalie, and our dog Nala. Natalie has been campaigning for this name so she should be very happy her parents have complied.

After 2 ½ hours in the baby house, we wake Adil from his afternoon nap and head home.

Other notes and FAQ:

- What is her name? What is her name? What is her name? Now you know.

- How is Monte’s wrist? It is better but still sore after typing or lifting anything other than the baby girl.

- Are we in a routine yet? Last week was a mess, but this week is good. Here is the outline:

9:30 a.m. – Adil picks us up
11:00 a.m. – We arrive at baby house
1:30 p.m. – We depart from baby house
3:00 p.m. – We arrive at the apartment and explore the city a bit. We usually go through some grocery or baby stores, and find a restaurant for our one big meal a day.
The rest is a mix of work and minimal sleep.

Monte shops for cleaning supplies. Nesting already?

Rich eats at local coffee house. Tastes like chicken. Thankfully, it is.

- Did we get Hulu to work? Yes, Rob’s Hotspot Shield suggestion solved our regional problem and we can stream TV episodes to our PC now.

- Did we really eat horse or was that a joke? I am sorry to say it was no joke. Horses are a triple-threat in Kazakhstan: transportation, entertainment (see games above), and dinner.

More questions? Comment on our blog or write monte10@charter.net or rich.lockwood@atheros.com. We will do our best to answer.

Day 8 – Horses, Elmo, and Chef Boyardee

Deanna is delivered by this friendly nanny on Bonding Day #5. The nanny is a local Kazakh with a warm smile and fun hat. I think she is training for the Iron Chef in her spare time. We like her because she loves Deanna and thinks Monte is a great mother which means her judgment is very good as well.

We’re happy to be together again today.

The babies are fed a bottle three times a day which means they are always hungry. We ask if we can give Deanna some food, but it is mildly discouraged. However, a special friend shows up to sneak some strawberry apple fruit puffs.

“Elmo says baby needs to eat!”

Daddy takes the lead in feeding this little one. She hasn’t figured out the tongue and mouth thing yet except to suck, but finally learns to chomp down and enjoys her new treats.

“Elmo says that’s my eyeball. Aaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!”

Deanna loves her mommy and getting cleaned up.

My 2nd new outfit. Thank you Mommy!

We turn our backs for one moment. Elmo over-indulges and has to be carried out.

We can't take him anywhere.

After kissing Deanna goodbye after our 2 short hours together, we have a special treat waiting for us. Our interpreter Anna prepared a picnic of traditional Russian and Kazakh food. She is so sweet. We pull over in the countryside and have a picnic on the trunk. No one eats in their car in Kazakhstan, but eating on your car when it is 25 degrees out is perfectly acceptable.

The sun is out, the food is great, and it turns out to be a very nice and memorable experience.
The menu for the day is:
- Chicken
- Russian pancakes
- Vegetable plate
- Ukraine and Kazakh chocolates

Plus one traditional dish that might surprise you. I apologize to my niece Tara for my actions, but here is the big hint.

Doesn’t taste like chicken but tastes exactly like roast beef! Remember this the next time you head to Arby’s.

Another great experience in Kazakhstan. We are wondering what will be on the menu for tomorrow.

Day 7 - Guns, Christ, and Sugar Cubes

For those of you wondering what happened to all the sugar cubes when they were replaced by Monsanto-produced substitutes, we have the answer. They are alive and well and still the rage in every restaurant in Kazakhstan.


Back in the USSR! Panfilov Park.


Here is beautiful Zenkov Cathedral which is even more beautiful inside. It is an active place of worship. We lit a candle and prayed in memory of our son Clint. He would have been seven today. We miss him.


Here’s us on the road to the baby house today. It is Karakastek (or Karakactek). Not Kapakactek. Signs may be misleading.



At the baby house, Deanna takes over the blog entries (she is very advanced).

I like it when Daddy does the airplane with me.

Time for a quiz. I am aggravated because:
a) the sun is in my eyes
b) the heavy layers of clothing
c) my mis-matched outfit
d) the fact that I cannot straighten my legs in this infant suit they put me in. Hello! I'm 7 months old!
e) all of the above

Answer: All of the above.

Quiz question #2. I am better now because:
a) my first fresh outfit from mommy
b) I am pretty in pink
c) a move to the shade
d) I like this odd-looking couple who speak strange words but keep coming back to love on me each day

Moving on to other highlights, I had my first cry when they took my bottle away. I was sure there were 2 drops left. For some reason, this pleased mommy and daddy very much. They had never heard me cry before. Also, these new duds allow me to move my legs all around, and even roll over from my back to my stomach. I am becoming an active girl and full of little surprises each day. It seems to make them very happy. Mommy is pouring her love into my soul. Daddy says I am a closed flower that is starting to open. He ain’t seen nothing yet!

One last question, am I supposed to play with these or eat them?

I hope to see them again tomorrow. Have a nice day and night. Love Deanna

Other Notes from Daddy

Carver Nabb – thanks for the news on 50 Cent’s new album. Only 2.5 out of 4 stars in the US? I can assure you it will get at least 4.5 out of 4 in Kazakhstan. I may download it to win new friends here. Thanks for the tip.

Rob Nabb – thanks for the Hulu suggestion but we need you to do some additional groundwork. I have been informed that:
For now, Hulu is a U.S. service only. That said, our intention is to make Hulu's growing content lineup available worldwide. This requires clearing the rights for each show or film in each specific geography and will take time. We're encouraged by how many content providers have already been working along these lines so that their programs can be available over the Internet to a much larger, global audience. The Hulu team is committed to making great programming available across the globe

Day 6 Sunday- Moving on up!

Highlights of today are the big move to the apartment in the city, a wonderful meeting with our adoption agency’s country manager who we really like and who outlines our adoption timeline, and the discovery of very friendly people and great food! Here’s the story.



This is bonding day #3 with Deanna, but no visitors are allowed on Sundays. Instead, we are moving from our MC Hammer suite at the hotel into the long-awaited apartment in the city. We also get big news about our timeline, but let’s start with the move. The drivers don’t seem to mind the amount of luggage but they cannot be happy since we average 50 lbs per bag.




This country is definitely in need of training in the trades. Here is the wiring over the door at our new apartment and the plumbing in the shower at the new hotel where we just stayed. Also, I have not found a faucet that isn’t in desperate need of tightening.


The new apartment is great with high-speed Internet, a washer, and shops and restaurants within walking distance. Note to self and anyone else who must come here: STAY IN DOWNTOWN ALMATY. Also, many of the people speak some English. We are very happy with this new place!



We also have the pleasure of meeting Marina who is our agency’s country manager. She is very kind and sweet. Monte and Marina hit it off and the bond is advanced with the revelation that both worked as flight attendants in previous lives.





We learn that Marina’s agency hosts about 3 or 4 parents a month (30-40 per year), and they work mostly with an Amarillo, Texas-based agency called Little Miracles. Click here to learn more http://www.littlemiracles.org/ This year has been a tough year as more than 15 Texas families dropped out of the process for economic reasons.



We also learn more about our timeline and here it is:



First Trip

11/10 – Arrive in Kazakhstan

11/11 – First meeting with Deanna

11/13 – Official bonding period starts

11/26 – Official bonding period ends

11/27 – 12/4 Additional paperwork and bonding

12/5 – Trip home (exact date TBD)

Wait for Court Date



Second Trip

Court Date (usually ~ 4 weeks after 1st trip) ~ end December

Spend one week in country; both parents must be present

Process includes 14 appeal period after court date and 7-10 days for child paper preparation



Third Trip

Bring baby home (approximately 4 weeks after 2nd trip) ~ end January

Spend 2-3 days in country

One parent must be present; other can send a note



We head out to dinner and this place just keeps getting better! We find the American Grill and Bar with a nice, friendly waitress who loves 50 Cent (he is huge in Kazakhstan!).



The food is delicious! I had pork something and Monte had a hamburger and fries. It was all so good. What a difference a day and a move to the city make!

This afternoon was the most enjoyable of the trip outside of seeing baby Deanna of course. We look forward to seeing her again tomorrow for bonding day 4.