Tamara's Region

Tamara's Region...

This morning Tamara again woke up early... 7:45 am except this morning there was a twist.

Bruce decided to get her out of the crib as I was still sleeping. Our little precious angel decided to wake Mommy up the way she wakes her doll. She tried to open my eye by poking it. Ouch! OK stop laughing I can hear you all the way from Georgia. lol

I of course jumped out of bed... a first for me getting such a greeting. Bruce was chuckling.. and standing far enough away so I couldn't show him my appreciation. lol Tamara was pleased.. she got what she wanted... Mommy was wide awake. ;o)

Anyway that's how my day began. I did the normal potty, wash, dress , feed routine with Tamara. Then Daddy played with her for a while so I could shower and dress. We were being picked up at noon today. Anna stayed to watch Tamara.

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We had to go to Tamara's birth region. To her family's village to pick up her birth certificate.

This is something I was hoping we could do. I really wanted to see where her family was from. So we headed one hour south of Tbilisi.. to a small town / region. We were pleasantly surprised by what we found. The ride there was a beautiful drive and her town which I can't pronounce never mind spell was adorable. Unfortunately my camera was on a video setting instead of picture.. not sure how that happen so I don't have too many stills to share right now. Hopefully when we get home I can use one of my other programs, other computer and make it work? If I do I' will of course post the pictures and or video. As for the spelling I should get that with the translated Birth Certificate.

Upon arriving to the town we found the office building we were looking for. The certificate was not available until after their lunch break so we went for a walk. Found a sweet little cafe and had some Turkish coffee, really yummy bean bread and some sort of cookie / pastry which had a filling with the consistency of peanut butter but I was told it was boiled whole milk? Don't understand it but they were very good. And obviously no nuts as I am still here.

The people in her town are very nice... seriously nice. I kept looking for someone who might look like Tamara and guess what? Most of them did. I would say 30-40% had wide set eyes and the flatter then usual nose bridge with a longer nose. Most of them had her coloring. The children were all adorable and the adults were pretty good looking and extremely polite, friendly and a little curious in a polite sort of way. I guess they don't get to see many Americans here? It was obvious when we were at their hall of records and they fondled our passports longer then usual. The other employees watched from a far and the woman helping us seemed as if she was trying to breath in the American dream? She too was extremely nice to us.

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I think as Americans we often take what we have for granted. I would recommend that everyone take at least one trip overseas and if possible mingle with the natives. It is an experience that will change you forever in a positive sense. It is also extremely important that you respect their culture, religion , way of life. We are their guests and need to behave that way. Never try to change someone. If you spend enough time with the natives you will find that most are perfect the way they are. More then likely they will have just as many questions about our way of life as you will about theirs. They seem to think that America is as it is portrayed in movies. We too pass judgements on cultures based on what we hear and see in the media.

So close your eyes and spin that globe... find a place you've never considered as a vacation spot. It will enrich your lives and the lives of those you visit.

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OK.. where was I? Oh yeah... after our cafe break we hurried back to the Hall of Records where we soon had Tamara's new Birth Certificate which lists Bruce and I as her parents. ;o)

Pretty cool huh?

Tamara is officially Tamara Katarina K_u_g_r ... Yay!!!

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After acquiring the Birth Certificate we had to hurry back to Tbilisi to start the process for her passport. Got there just in time... it should be ready tomorrow morning.

Then we have to take all our translated copies to the US Embassy for her VISA.

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Below are some pictures of our journey...

Cattle crossing the 2 lane / 2 way high way.

The Rancher? Is that what you'd call this guy? Or is it a Georgian Cow Boy?

2 More Georgian Cow boys.

River running under the highway... very pretty in person

Farmer ... horse and buggy.. waves from a far.

Mariza our facilitator and Nina our translator in from of the Hall of Records building.

We had a very nice day with them today. And watching them in action was amazing... even with the language barrier we could tell they were super efficient in what they do.

Thanks Girls ;o)

Along the way... Georgia has very rich soil... lots of farming in this region.

Heading back to Tbilisi

This is Tbilisi's Micky D's ... happy to report we haven't seen the inside yet.

Our home away from Home .. below. Nice building with 24 hour security.

As you can see it was an adventurous fun day. When we returned to the apartment Tamara came running with open arms. What a sweet heart.

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A note to international adoptive parents in the process. Make sure that you are comfortable with your agency and in country staff. This whole process is a huge leap of faith. Being in a forge in country you really have very little choice then to trust the in country staff. Prior to choosing the agency check their references and then follow your gut instincts. It has saved us thousands upon thousands of dollars doing it this way. We as it turns out are extremely fortunate. We found a wonderful sweet daughter and have had a great in country experience so far. Georgia as far surpassed our expectations on every level. Yes we still have construction workers banging away from dawn to dusk but so what? I'm happy to put up with some banging so our neighbors have a better, nicer home. A small price to pay for progress.

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If any of you travel to Georgia any time soon you'll be amazed at the amount of construction projects going on. I'd say another 10-15 years and Georgia will attract more tourist.

We hope to be among them

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In My Daughter's Eyes

In My Daughter's Eyes... I am a Hero

This morning started at 7:45 am AGAIN...lol

Little Miss Sunshine woke Mommy up... actually Daddy did.

"OH.. Mommy.. your daughter's awake"

So like every other morning I roll out of bed... pick up my arms stretched cutie pie out of her crib who is already giggling and we head for the potty.

We wash , change, brush and get her ready for breakfast.

Here we are... barely awake.

The morning was spent playing of course.

Then a early nap and we got ready for some running around.

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Our adoption judgement was signed this morning so off we go to get the Official Georgian Adoption decree which will be translated into English as well.

We got it... actually our facilitator has it for translation. ;o)

Tomorrow we will hopefully get her original Birth certificate. Our facilitator is trying to get someone from the region of her birth to get it for us as it normally takes 10 days for it to reach Tbilisi via snail mail. I know what your thinking... FedEx it?.. not an option here.

Once we have her original Birth Certificate we can have the new one issued. Her birth family is stricken from the original and we're added as her parents. Amazing isn't it?

Once we have that... we get her passport and then it's off to the US Embassy for her Visa to the good ol US of A .. ;o)

~

Below Tamara is all dolled up ready for today's adventure. Still sleepy from her nap.

Waiting for the "Go" call we had a few minutes so Mommy feeds Tamara a fruit yogurt.

She loves Yogurt... perhaps it's because they give the babies a yogurt concoction at the baby house instead of the traditional formula / baby food we're used to?

Anna looks on. Hey guys... she's single. ;o) lol ... yeah I know always the match maker... lol

After dinner Tamara plays and finally starts to settle down a bit.

She was pretty pooped out by now.

Hide your remotes... Tamara likes to be in charge.

Mobile phones are also a big hit with her.

You've been warned ;o)

In my daughters eyes... I am a hero.

Several of you have posted & emailed concerns about bonding. Suggesting that perhaps Tamara has bonded more to her Daddy? Concerns about the lack of photos of Mommy?

There are several things going on here. First off I am the author of this blog and the blog is through my eyes. 99% of the pictures tell the story of what I see during this amazing journey. The blog is about #1 Tamara, #2 the international adoption journey, #3 Mommy, Daddy and sharing this with friends, family and other members of the adoption world.

My hope is to document this part of Tamara's life for her. She will always know who much we truly wanted her. How many people helped and followed along. She will be able to relive the excitement we experienced even before she had any idea something was about to happen. She will be able to relive the Baby Showers, the years of shopping, decorating and redecorating. The months of intense screening we went through and the years of research that went into finding her. She will know that Mom & Dad never faltered... never gave up. Even through 7 country changes there was no doubt we would eventually find her. She will know that we hired the best Doctors in the world to advise us and purchased millions of dollars worth of medical insurance just in case until we were all arrive home safely. There will be no question in my daughters eyes where Mommy was... Mommy was working on bringing her home ... silly.

Regarding our bonding. When Tamara gets a boo boo she looks for Mommy, Mommy is the first thing she sees in the morning and the last person she sees at night. Mommy knows how to make the perfect bubble bath. Mommy feeds her, dresses her and protects her. When we're out she only lets Mom hold her. In the car she's in my lap (no car seats here yet) a little scary. :ol When we come home Tamara runs to me. Mommy and Tamara put on makeup together. Mommy lets her wear a little perfume. Mommy knows how to play dolls. And I can turn tears into giggles with in seconds. There is no doubt in my mind & heart that Tamara is my little girl. The one who was meant to be my daughter. And there is no doubt in my mind that Tamara knows and understands that we are her parents.

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Daddy's little girl. Yes... she is and it's something I encouraged from day one. It is, was and always will be important to me that Tamara and her Daddy have that special Daddy / Daughter bond. It's very good for both of their development. ;o) Seriously... little girls that have good daddies tend to pick better husbands. Are more secure emotionally and thus have better relationships. I also need to know that Daddy and Tamara could not only survive but thrive in the event something ever happen to me.

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Thanks to all those who have left comments offering advice regarding sleep issues, bonding issues and such. It is very much appreciated. And I have been trying out some of your suggestions... so far so good. ;o) Keep em coming... very helpful.

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Special thanks to Bruce's boss Stephen and the rest of the Agilent team. You've all been very supportive through out our Journey to Tamara. It has not gone unnoticed and is so very much appreciated. From advice on car seats and child development. Encouragement, reference letters, to redoing employment letters when they mysteriously disappeared in Tbilisi... to covering for Bruce while we're away.

We are both very grateful to you all.

You're the Best! ;o)

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Airing Our Clean Laundry

Airing Our Clean Laundry...

Tamara woke up at 7:45 am this morning... WHAT?

Yeah... she's a morning person and for some reason she's getting up earlier and earlier every day. Smiley face got up went potty, dressed, we washed and headed for the kitchen.

Breakfast... she's always ready to eat. Cereal and milk, followed with a fruit yogurt.

After breakfast she found her stroller. That little stroller kept her busy for a few hours.

Below Daddy gets down on her level and starts to play with her

Tamara loves hats, pocket books, make up and all things girly. She put this one on herself this morning. What a little fashion Diva she is.
Tbilisi has very busy intersections. A tad bit concerning if trying to cross with a stroller. They do have stairs leading to tunnels that take you underneath these intersections. When we use these tunnels Bruce will pick up the front of her stroller and I the back and carry her up and down the stairs while in the stroller. Tamara giggles the whole time. She loves it. Here she picks up the front of her stroller... Daddy has the back as they give Dolly the same thrill.

I put Tamara down for her nap and Nina, Bruce and I went shopping. Anna watched Tamara for us. When we returned a little later then we had planned. Tamara welcomed me with open arms. What a sweet heart. We bought Tamara a really cute stuffed pink cow manufactured in Tbilisi. Below is the mall. About the size of one of the wings on our larger malls. Didn't buy much as the prices are pretty steep compared to the USA. For example there was a toy car for 140 Lari ..about $100 US. I bought one just like it 2 years ago at BJ's for $9.95 ?

Nice mall though. They have a wonderful cafe in the center of the mall where we hung out.. chatted and drank French coffee with Cognac. Yum. Below is the mall. Nina & Bruce are on the left hand side.

While Nina and I shopped.. Bruce was relaxing checking out some electric fireplaces they had on display. Also had a lot of new cars for sale. Some very pretty different versions from what we're used to seeing. Should have taken a few pictures for you car buffs. Sorry :o(

When we returned home after a half hour of hugs and kisses... It was time to air our clean laundry to dry. Finally got the washer working... kind of. Spin cycle doesn't seem to work and it still takes forever. Tamara loves doing laundry. She helps load the washer and insists on helping to hang to dry.

Below is a succession of photos as I followed Bruce and Tamara doing laundry.

OK.. lets go get some more ...

These towels were soaking wet when they brought them out. Some of the bath sheets were so heavy Tamara needed help holding them up. lol

Tamara loved the shopping bag from the toy store... almost as much as her little cow. Here she pretends she's shopping. Very cute!

Tamara learned a new word today... "up" .

We've also been working on "Daddy" after hours of Say Daddy, say Daddy, Daddy, Dad-dy. When we put her to sleep and pretended to sleep hoping that she would too... she started to repeat a bunch of stuff... but what I heard was "Daddy". I think she was checking to see if we were really sleeping?

Tamara is a character. She also brings us our Georgian phrase book if we're trying to tell her something and she doesn't get it. Amazing little girl. So cute, sweet and I'm starting to think it's just a matter of time before she out smarts us. ;o) lol

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Don't Worry... Be Happy

Don't Worry Be Happy ... Now

OK.. 2 nd post today... finally got things moving with the Internet here. Weird day online... must be the connection?

After Tamara's nap our translator and driver picked us up to go toy shopping.

Below is a picture of 3 little figurine wooden dolls we picked up for Tamara.

Hand painted (non toxic paint), wood. Nice but pricey as all extras are in Georgia these days.

A pair of native Georgian dancers and a mini Mother of Georgia for her room ;o) Cute no?

Next stop... a middle upper class mini department store. They sell a little bit of everything.. reminded me of Yonkers in Sturgeon Bay Wisconsin. A favorite during our visits there.

Tamara enjoyed looking at their toy department. She kept looking at "larger" toys... most of which I can buy in the USA for about half the $$$. We finally settled on a umbrella doll stroller which I can fold up and bring home with us. Tamara loves to put her doll and stuffed animals in her stroller and walk around the apartment... so this should be perfect for her.

I'm not sure she understands that we bought it for her so... tomorrow morning she'll find her dolly waiting for her in her new stroller. She does have two baby carriages waiting at home already. Tomorrows pictures should be cute. ;o)

After Toy shopping.. Nina suggested we stop by her place for coffee. We had a nice visit. Met her Mom, Nanny and baby girl Geya. Both very sweet women and the baby is adorable. Nice apartment... we sat outside on the covered terrace.. sipped Turkish coffee and were treated to ice cream and fruit. It was nice to visit her home. When traveling abroad the best way to really get to know and understand a culture is to mingle where they live. So glad we didn't stay at the Marriott ;o)

Something interesting happen with Tamara today. I think she may have become nervous about going to an apartment with a baby? We were sure she would play with Geya but it took her a long time to warm up to her. Odd as we know she loves little people and Geya is a doll and very friendly. I had the feeling that Tamara might have thought we were taking her to another Foster home? Below are pictures of Tamara and Geya together. You can see by the shy worried look on Tamara's face that her wheels were turning.

Here we tried to get them to play ball together. Geya was willing Tamara was leery.

Nina and Geya

Such a sweet baby.. she reminds me of the original Gerber baby in the US.

I nice relaxing visit.

When we left Tamara bounced back as soon as we were headed home and was thrilled when we arrived. It was yet another reminder of how much our little girl thinks things through. We'll have to be very careful the trip home doesn't flip her out. I think she thinks we actually live in this apartment? I can't wait to get her home and settled. Some stability should get rid of the little stresses in her life. I'm sure she's still confused.

Don't worry be happy baby girl.

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Tomorrow afternoon... Bruce will stay here with Tamara while Nina and I do some shopping. It's pretty difficult to shop with Tamara as if I can't take a stroller with us she wants me to carry her. That makes it almost impossible to do any real shopping. Most stores are not set up for strollers here. Bruce is already wondering if Anna can stay after lunch and help in watching her...lol. A little nervous Daddy? lol... Actually not a bad idea as I was going to put her down for her 2 pm nap and then go. She should sleep till 4 pm and so it would be just a few hours without Mommy but she may flip out if she doesn't understand that I'm coming back? Anna can explain that to her. Tamara should be fine in Daddy's care for a few hours. Wish I had a video camera set up to capture it all for me. ;o)

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On the paper chase end. The person who is supposed to seal our court documents wasn't available Friday so we wait for Monday.

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Say Hi To Tamara

Say Hi to Tamara

"1211 n7wXfro mmc tttttt8uiiiiiii=

aqsq11hux nbnnnbcbg 5reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee"

That's Georgian Baby Talk for "HI world.. who are you?"

While Daddy is in the shower I thought I'd teach Tamara how to blog.

Shhhh... don't tell Daddy ;o)

It also occurred to me this morning that someday it would be interesting for Tamara to know who followed along on her adoption journey.

So I'm sending a shout out to all you secret admirers ;o)

Please send Tamara a message via blog comment.

Name... first is fine, location and anything else you'd like her to know about you.

As you know I plan on turning this blog into a bound book for her.

It will become part of her history, her past, her baby book, her life story.

Won't you be a part of it?

Where in the World are you?

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We're going out in a bit.. Tamara is now napping so I have to get her up. Yeah... I started this post after breakfast... 5 hrs ago. Mommy hood gotta love it. :o)

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Mother of Georgia

Mother of Georgia

OK... I know you're all wondering where I find the time to do this.

And why there are so few pictures of Mommy. Well I'm a night owl and have been running on fumes since we got here. Interesting part of it is ... When I wake up before Tamara all I can think of is that first cup of coffee... think of until Tamara wakes up. The amazing thing is once I see her I wake up QUICK ;o) Suddenly I turn into wonder woman. It's really weird.

No aches, no pains, no need for sleep.

Tamara seems to think her mom is the Energizer bunny. She keeps me going and going and going. I really need to take a count of her potty breaks. Some are real potty breaks and some are "if a tinkle a tiny tid bit.. mommy will wipe my bottom and I get to play with the water when I wash my hands" potty breaks. Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference until we're in there.

She usually has a pretend potty break when Mom sits down and puts her feet up for more then 30 seconds. lol.

So as you can imagine I have very little down time right now while she's awake.

When she sleeps I get to have adult conversation with Bruce. OK... stop laughing. When Daddy goes to bed I hit the computer and try to stay on top of things. Sometimes it's fairly smooth and other times it can take hours. Like last night trying to get the video loaded was a nightmare that kept me up till 5 am. Tamara decided to wake up at 8 am..... Let the games begin.

~

Our typical day starts around 8 am.

Tamara is supposed to sleep until 9 am.

I change her, wash her, do her hair, brush her teeth. potty break

Breakfast with Tamara finished 10 am... potty break

Play Time co mingled with potty breaks until 12 pm

Anna arrives at 12 noon ... potty break

Lunch until 1pm...potty break

Tamara Nap 2 to 4 pm or Power nap 2-3pm (if we're running out)...potty break

Dinner 6 pm-7 pm....potty break

Play time 7 - 8 pm ... potty break

Bath Time 8 pm and prepare for bed... potty break

8:45 in crib if Mommy timed it right? ... potty break

Tamara asleep by 9-9:15 pm.

Adult conversation... lol... can't believe I have a schedule for this ..lol 9:30-11 pm

Daddy goes to sleep ... 11 pm

I blog and try to keep up with my emails. 1 am - 5 am depending

Shower and Go to bed 1:30- 5:30 am depending

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Now I am in awe of my friends who have been doing this for years.

Most for multiple children.

Now I appreciate why one of my friends when asked what she wanted for her Birthday said "all I want is to shave my legs" hence the late night showers. Certain things I refuse to give up.. but now I can understand how it could happen ;o)

I guess I'm really starting to feel like a Mom the last few days.

Wiping, washing, feeding, wiping, washing, feeding.

There was a moment yesterday when I looked in the mirror after putting her to bed and I noticed a food stain on my shirt along with some baby cornstarch. I remembered where the food stain came from. I had taught Tamara how to spit (yeah I did...lol) for tooth brushing purposes.

She has been swallowing the rinse water and I didn't think that was such a great idea. Anyway.. she my little 5 star princess spit while I was feeding her some fruit yogurt. I was more concerned with her lack of table manners at that moment then the stain on my shirt. Yeah... welcome to Motherhood. I'm pretty sure I nipped the spitting issue as she's only doing it in the sink now. Thank God!!! ;o)

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As for the pictures... I'm usually the one who takes the pictures. I've always liked photography... when I see a Kodak moment and go for it. There's also the issue of quality of the photos others take. Yes... I'm vain. I'll admit it. If it's not semi flattering it's not going to be seen.

This is the first trip ever that I didn't over pack for. I was told everyone wears dark colors in the former Soviet countries. Mostly black. True they do wear a lot of black here but I really could have brought better more interesting, more flattering clothing. Georgian woman for the most part dress tastefully. Sometimes I feel under dressed. A first for me. I don't like it.

My advise to the future adoptive Moms or tourist going to Georgia is wear what you're comfortable in. Make it tasteful and don't worry too much about it.

No matter what you wear they will be able to tell you're not Georgian and honestly I don't think it matters much to them.

~
Below... Tamara and Daddy.

It's official... he's in ;o)

Tamara loves her Daddy and as you can see in this photo she has him wrapped so tightly around her little pinkie it's really cute to watch her in action with him.

Today we went to the GOLD Market.

I bought Tamara a "Queen Tamara" Georgian Cross pendant and chain.

Still haven't figured out what the Kt. quality is. I asked but they don't seem to understand the concept of 14,18,24 kt. here? One person said it's 999 , one said 555?

Looks like 24 to me? Everyone claims it's the best in the world?

Anyone out there have any knowledge of Georgian gold?

I also picked up a ring and earring set for Mommy. Very pretty.

I was interested in several other pieces but when we asked everyone of them said $500 US ?

I think that was the price for being an American? Maybe... maybe not but that's the feeling I got. I found it interesting that they didn't give me the price in Lari? Were they hoping for US dollars? I really didn't want to go over budget on this trip. If I knew what our return date was I could perhaps justify another bobble or two?

The Gold Market is a fascinating place. I was going to try and sneak a photo but then I noticed the guards holding some sort of riffles and I thought better of it. I imagine they have rules about photography in the Gold Market.

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Yes we're still waiting to hear when we can leave. Apparently we're waiting for the official judges decision in writing and it was supposed to be today? Then there's some official that needs to sign it. Since today is Friday we may not know until early next week.

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The thought of leaving Georgia is bitter sweet for us. The people we have met have all been very nice to us. And the staff has become sort of an extended family. So as much as we know we have to go home and need to go home to start our new life with Tamara..

leaving Georgia will not be easy.

~

After the Gold Market we decided to go visit "THE MOTHER OF GEORGIA"

She sits high up on a hill. A traditional wine cup in one hand and a sword in the other.

The wine to welcome her guests and the sword to warn her enemies.

I like her... she reminds me of what I have always said.

"I can be your best friend or worst enemy ... the choice is yours."

A Happy Hostess and protector of those she loves. lol

Neat concept, smart choice.

Below is the view from up above.

This is what The Mother of Georgia sees while welcoming and protecting her children.

Here's The Mother... she's pretty big as you can see.

Very nicely done.

Unfortunately I was unable to get a shot from the front as I wasn't willing to hang off a cliff to do it but I think you get a pretty good sense of her.

In this picture you see the sword she uses to warn her enemies in her right hand.

Wine cup in her left.

Lee, Tamara, Anna and Geo (not sure of spelling) our driver.

Found out today he's a retired cop... no wonder he's so protective. ;o)

These two happen to be a Father / daughter team. They're sweet together.

We enjoy their company... even though Geo don't speak English.. Anna has been able to translate enough that he even laughs at our jokes..lol.

Tamara eating AGAIN.

I don't know where so puts it but she's been eating more then we have. She loves trying new flavors and textures. This little 25 lb peanut can really pack it away. She always finishes everything on her plate. Will ask for more and snacks constantly. Could it be an orphanage thing? Children who come from an environment where food is scarce do over eat initially and do hide / hoard food for a while. Unsure where or when their next meal is coming from? Or is she about to have a growth spurt? They say children will binge eat just before they have a growth spurt? Hum... Guess we'll figure that out when we get home? One trip to Costco should convince her we won't run out anytime soon. lol.

Here she's eating the last piece of Anna's Mom's Bean Bread. Shouldn't have left the plate on the table. Anyway... she loves this stuff. I have to get the recipe so I can make it for her at home.

Tamara is doing very well... She has changed so much since we got her.

Even her hair is now shinny... when we got her it felt somewhat dry and brittle?

Change in diet? Or change in hair products? Must be the LOVE!!!

~~~

Tbilisi

Tbilisi

I thought I'd post a few pictures of sites in Tbilisi we took while driving around yesterday.

We never made it out of the house today. Just as we were getting ready to leave a wicked storm kicked up. Very very windy, rather chilly and rain. ;o(

Tamara didn't seem to mind.. she was happy to have us stay home and play.

I'm in the process of trying to upload some adorable video footage.. for some reason we're having real issues posting video from Georgia? Hopefully we'll figure it out.. if not we'll try again from Home (stateside).

Anyway... Tbilisi

A very interesting place, nice people. We tried the wine last night. One of the things Georgians are known for is their wine making. Excellent wine! Seriously if you find it locally grab it! If not ask your local liquor store if they can get it for you. It's that good.

Unfortunately I doubt we will be able to bring any home with us. With all the FAA security / customs regulations and the risk of breakage it would be a real challenge.

Below is a Georgian wooden balcony.. something else they're known for.

Beautiful.

The New Church

Can be seen from most points in Tbilisi.

The Georgian people are very religious and take great pride in their many wonderful churches.

When we visited "the Mothers" church. I was told it was made for women but man are allowed. Tamara had a rather odd reaction. When we walked out of the church she really really wanted to go back in. It was as if she had a magnet in her tiny tush?

More of those pretty balconies

Fountains every where. I'd love to have this one in our front yard. lol

The veggie market at yesterday's Bazaar.

Hopefully we can go back before we leave? I'd love to see what else they have. I especially loved the fact that it was for the locals. Not a tourist trap. It was odd seeing things like a woman selling bras and whole chickens. On display together? I guess you sell what ever works?

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I'd just like to clarify something as I did get several emails regarding the conditions at the orphanage. Over all the condition, cleanliness of the facility was better then I had expected. The baby section was very clean as were the children from what I could see.

The 3-5 year olds area was less sterile of an environment. Yes I really wanted to give them all a bubble bath. But we need to understand that although the conditions are not perfect the staff is limited due to lack of supplies and lack of staffing. All the children had at least one nanny assigned to their room. What these children need is one on one time for that you need staff or volunteers. In the orphanage and baby house there are children who have parents and are not available for adoption. This is due to lack of financial stability in the birth parent home. Several have regular visits from Mom, Dad or both. Some have parents that placed them there for safe keeping and have not returned to sign the papers giving up their parental rights.

This problem is not exclusive to Georgia. It happens in all countries including the USA.

Aside from adopting one yourself. The best way to help these children from a far is to keep the donations of supplies coming. Get involved .. whether in Georgia or some other country. The needs of the children are all alike. They all need a safe enviroment and someone to love them.

Working with an agency that has a constant flow of parents going over seas is often times the most secure way to donate. They are familiar with the orphanage staff and their needs. The adopting parent can usually provide some documentation in the form of video and or pictures upon their return. If going over seas.. why not volunteer your services? Help them with repairs, offer to cuddle babies, play with toddlers and older children. Make them feel loved .. wanted.

If you think charity starts at home? Do something state side for our children. There are many that would be thrilled to get to know you.

Remember there is no shame in being poor, ill or an orphan. But there is shame however in knowing you can help a child and choosing not to.

~~~