Shaking It Up...

Shaking it up...

Tamara loves her fresh fruit and yogurt shakes. When ever I get the feeling she needs a healthy boost Mommy makes a blender full. Fresh berries, bananas, yogurt.. sometimes ice cream shake. Topped with real whipped cream and a straw. Tamara loves them so much she usually drinks most of mine too. I wonder where she puts it?

Below are a series of photos we look tonight.. oh yes I got a new camera.

Can you tell?

It's faster and has an 18X zoom so I should have better luck sneaking up on her. ;o)

Enjoy the photos

Shaking It Up.. baby

~~

This has been a somewhat stressful few days.

I'm sure by now you've all heard that the Republic of Georgia and Russia are fighting.

This is what all the posturing of Russian troops was all about before we traveled to Tbilisi in May. We were concerned then.. we are concerned now.

We worry about all the wonderful people we had met on our trip. We worry about the Tamara's Foster Family. We worry about the children we had met at the Baby House and Orphanage.

See "We Are The World" post.

We worry about Tamara's Birth Family. Some day she may want look them up... it would be nice if someone was still there to find.

As I've mentioned before things are very expensive in Georgia.. especially for Georgians. I can't imagine how they will survive if this battle turns into a full scale war.

I called our Agency tonight. I asked if they had.. had contact with their staff in Tbilisi since this conflict started. They haven't. I also asked them to keep an eye on the children there. Should the conditions deteriorate I may do another fund raiser to help the orphans. This time I'd like to mobilize all the families who have adopted Georgian children across the USA and abroad.

Yes it sounds like a huge undertaking but one I will have to pursue so I can sleep at night.

One that will be necessary so I can look my daughter in the eye and say we did everything we could to help her little friends when they needed it most.

Should the need arise I hope all of you will rise up and help me meet this challenge.

~

Below are a few new pictures of Tbilisi .. yes we have more ;o)

~
From The U.S. Government today.

Travel Warning - GeorgiaThis Travel Warning updates information on the armed conflict in South Ossetia between Georgian forces on the one hand, and Russian and separatist forces on the other. On August 9, 2008 the Department of State authorized the departure from Georgia of eligible family members. The Department recommends that American citizens defer non-essential travel to Georgia and that American citizens remaining in Georgia review their security situation. U.S. citizens remaining in Georgia should avoid unnecessary travel within Georgia, defer all travel north of Gori and avoid all travel to the separatist regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Private Americans unable to reach Tbilisi should consider transportation available in the Batumi area. This supersedes the Travel Alert for Georgia issued August 8, 2008.
~
The U.S. Government is evacuating some 2000 Americans immediately. Thank God this didn't happen while we were in Georgia. Imagine we arrived 5-21, our court date was 5/22, we had custody of Tamara 5/23 but we couldn't take her home for another 15 days. If this had happen during our visit in May I would have been wearing a bullet proof vest & helmet. We would never have left her so unless the U.S. and Georgian Governments agreed to bend the rules and let her come home early we probably would have been on CNN.

Hi Mom

Well I did say during our 3 year search for our daughter that if I thought she was in Iraq I'd strap on a bullet proof vest and go get my daughter.

~

OK.. so some of you probably still think Tamara is from Atlanta... just kidding but they did ask me at the Dr's office this week if Tamara had ever been out of the country? Ah.. let me think? Idiots.. read the chart... Grrrr.

Gotta love people... ;o)

Anyway below is a little background on Georgia and the situation they're in. Perhaps it will shed some light on yet another war? Of which there are way too many lately. A tab bit scary.

~

Georgia is a country in western Transcaucasia, a region that separates Europe and Asia. It is bordered by Russia on the north and Turkey on the south. Armenia and Azerbaijan are on the southeast. The Black Sea lies to the west. Georgia is a land of great natural beauty. It has majestic forest-covered mountains, deep valleys, and many mineral and hot springs. It also has warm, sunny beaches on the Black Sea coast.In ancient times, western Georgia was called Colchis. It was famed as the site of the legendary Golden Fleece, the prize sought after by the Greek hero Jason and the Argonauts. The Romans named the country Georgia. However, the native people call their land Sakartvelo. Long fought over by competing empires, Georgia was conquered by Russia in the 1800's. It was briefly independent (1918-21) before being absorbed into the Soviet Union. Georgia regained its independence when the Soviet Union broke apart in 1991.

People: The Georgians call themselves Kartveli. They trace their roots back some 3,000 years. The Georgian language belongs to the Caucasian language family.Georgia adopted Christianity in the A.D. 300's. It has its own national church (Georgian Orthodox) within the Eastern Orthodox Church. A small but important community of Muslims (followers of Islam) resides mainly in the region of Adjaria in the southwest. Georgia also has a notable community of Russian Orthodox Christians.Georgians make up about 70 percent of the population. Other nationalities include Abkhazians, Armenians, Russians, Azeri Turks, Greeks, and South Ossetians.

Land: Georgia lies between the Greater Caucasus mountain range on the north and the Lesser Caucasus range in the south. Mount Shkhara is Georgia's highest peak. It rises 17,063 feet (5,201 meters) on the Russian border. In the west the mountains widen, giving way to the Kolkhida Lowland. The major rivers are the Kura and Rioni.The high wall of the Greater Caucasus shields Georgia from the cold winds of the north. In the west the country is open to the warm air of the Black Sea.

Economy: Georgia's diverse industries include the manufacture of steel, aircraft, and electrical appliances. Its chief mineral resources are manganese and copper. It has some of the world's richest deposits of manganese.Georgia has limited farmland. It produces citrus fruits, tea, hazelnuts, and vegetables. Grapes are grown, chiefly in the Black Sea region. They are used to make local wines and brandies. Livestock is also raised.The cities of Poti and Batumi are Black Sea ports. They make Georgia an important transit point for goods and resources from Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Iran. Tourism has failed to develop. This is largely because the country's primary resort area lies in the politically unstable region of Abkhazia.

Major Cities More than half the people of Georgia live in urban areas (cities and towns).Tbilisi (pronounced teh-beh-LEE-see) is the nation's capital and largest city. It is in east central Georgia on the banks of the Kura River. Founded in the A.D. 400's, it has long been the national center of culture and education. Tbilisi has a population of about 1.1 million.History and Government

The first Caucasian kingdoms arose in Georgia in the 500's B.C. The region was the site of early Greek settlement. Later it became a part of the Roman Empire. Georgia was divided between the Persian and Byzantine empires in A.D. 562. After the Byzantine decline, Georgian monarchs created an independent state. It reached its height between the 1000's and early 1200's.Between the 1500's and 1700's, Georgia was overrun by the Ottoman Turks. It was again divided, this time between the Turks and Persians. A third power, Russia, joined in the struggle for Georgia and the rest of Transcaucasia. It annexed eastern Georgia in 1801 and gradually took over the rest. After Bolshevik revolutions took place in Russia in 1917, Georgia declared its independence on May 26, 1918. However, in 1921, Bolshevik (Soviet) troops occupied the country. It then became part of the Soviet Union. A native Georgian, Iosif Dzhugashvili, who took the name Joseph Stalin, ruled the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953.Georgia proclaimed its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. This was followed by civil war between rival political factions. As a result, President Zviad Gamsakhurdia was ousted in 1992. He was replaced by Eduard Shevardnadze. Meanwhile, great internal conflicts broke out. Separatist movements arose in Georgia's two autonomous republics, Adjaria and Abkhazia. South Ossetia, another breakaway region, sought to reunite with North Ossetia, a part of Russia.

Georgia's constitution was adopted in 1995. It provides for a president, who is elected to serve a 5-year term as head of both state and government. The one-house legislature is the Supreme Council, or parliament. Its members are elected to 5-year terms.Shevardnadze was elected president under the new constitution in 1995 and re-elected in 2000. But in 2003, a weak economy and accusations of political corruption led to a popular uprising. Shevardnadze was forced to resign. The parliamentary speaker, Nino Burjanadze, briefly served as acting president. Mikhail Saakashvili was elected by popular vote in 2004. Shortly thereafter, in an effort to regain control over the entire country, he forced Adjaria's leader from power and imposed his authority in the region. Saakashvili considered this the first step toward reuniting Georgia. In a 2006 referendum, South Ossetians voted to become independent. Georgia's refusal to recognize the outcome led to increased tensions with Russia. Saakashvili was re-elected president in 2008.

~~

On the home front everything is going well. Tamara & Daddy are currently sleeping. Mommy is still trying to plow through her 10,000 emails. So far we still have our health, sanity and sense of humor. Life is Good!

So.. Whatcha Doin?

So... Whatcha Doin?

Tamara loves helping with dinner. She climbs up one of the pub height chairs and sits at the kitchen island while Mommy prepares dinner. She likes to see what I'm making, chopping, cleaning.. putting together. One of her favorite things is to toss the salad. Surprisingly most of it stays in the bowl. She actually is pretty good at it. Here she just finished off a bowl of salad with a honey mustard dressing. She likes to pick while we cook. Something I was never allowed to do as a child (had to wait for dinner) but when she asks for things like vegetables or fruit I don't argue.. if I do.. 10 minutes later she's no longer interested. Toddlers.. Gotta love them. ;o)


Once in a while we open the baby gates and let her explore. She's a very good little girl. She's careful when she picks things up and gently puts them back. So far (knock on wood).. she hasn't broken a thing. Here she poses on the 3 rd step. That's as far as she's allowed to go by herself.

Above: "Tamara whatcha doing?"
"Nothin Mama"
Yes .. she's starting to call me Mama.
Thank God.. the Dada (Georgian for Mama was rough..lol)

She looks like a doll doesn't she? Getting cuter every day.


Wild hair day.. Tamara has probably never had a hair cut from what Karen (our hairdresser) told us. We're trying to let it grow in so we can see what our hair style options are. It's filling in very nicely. She has pretty little gold highlights, wispy curls and a wonderful shine to her hair now. We'll probably attempt a cut / trim next month when Mommy has an appointment .. if she lets us? I kind of hate to cut it as I can tell Tamara is starting to really love her hair now.

Too cute.


Wild hair picture but I love the look in her eyes. She is playful and will definitely be a flirt when she grows up. It's amazing how friendly she is by nature. Before we got Tamara all the reports said "extremely shy" I fully expected to have to work with her for years. Teaching her how to get along with others and yes I had even planned on flirting lessons. No need. Tamara is a natural born charmer. She waves, says Hi, blows kisses... amazing little girl.
~~
We had another appointment at the pediatrician's this week. She had her TB test checked.. she's fine. Her Doctor was amazed at how well she's doing and the entire office staff and room full of patients in the waiting room took notice of her bubbly personality.
Tamara also measured in at 35 & 1/2 " tall. That's 1-1/2 " growth since her 1st Dr's. visit in the USA and has gained 4-1/2 lbs. She's now 29-1/2 lbs. Mommy was relieved.. for I while there I thought I was getting weaker and shorter. ;o)
Next stop.. Pediatric Neurologist.
~~~

Where's Grandma?

Where's Grandma?

For the past 3 weeks Tamara has been helping Mommy & Daddy tend to my parents gardens and house. For those who know my mother ..you know she has an incredible green thumb when it comes to plants. The amazing thing is that even in her absence they thrive.

Below are some pictures for your enjoyment of her garden.

~

Tamara looks for Grandma & Grandpa at every house sitting visit.. pretty cute.

Pretty flowers...

Took a lot of self control not to pick any.

What are these things?

Tomato anyone? Jersey tomatoes are supposed to be some of the world's finest...
Did you know that?

Tamara waiting for Daddy... time to feed the fish Daddy.

Flowers every where...

the sky is the limit.

pretty pretty

cool shot..no?

OK after our house run we decided to stop by my brothers. He, Olga and the kids returned from Croatia on Saturday... Oh yeah.. these pictures are from Sunday.. oops.. sorry..lol

They had a wonderful time and after the normal 15 minute warm up Tamara was playing with her cousins again.

Time for the Hallway races to begin...

Cousin Katie counts...ONE....
TWO...

Three!!!

Tamara loves to run and her muscle tone / mass has improved so much in the past 2 months.

Cousins Nicky and Katie showing Tamara how their video games work. OK.. I should know what these things are called ..but I don't...lol. Olga help me out here... what are these things?

Tamara & Katie
A fun visit. It's nice to have them state side again. It was fun hearing all the stories about their trip. Cousin Martina's wedding .. which I hear was amazing. And catching up on all the family gossip from the old country.

One plane down.. one to go.. Grandma & Grandpa will be back shortly. ;o)

Monday we took Tamara to the NJ state fair at the Sussex Fair grounds. A fun event. Tamara once again people watched the whole time. She drank fresh fruit smoothies, ate chicken fries.. chicken fries.. who knew?

Tamara.. loves horses.. she's fascinated by them where ever we go.
She looks like Elton John here doesn't she? My girl loves her glasses.. too cute.

OK.. I don't get it.. ever since I told her where milk comes from ... she drinks it?

Tamara... a cow... can you say cow? Moo... moo .. for those of you in California that would be Oom...Oom ;o)

~~

Today... Wednesday we took her to the Doctors again. This time to get her Chicken Pox vaccine. The only one she needed. Everything else is perfect so far. We also are doing a TB skin test.. not required but a good idea to double check. The Embassy Dr. in Tbilisi did check and he was confident that she was fine. We got a copy of her test results today. It's kind of weird we have more information about her body then our own. Also having some genetic testing done. The preliminary results are perfect. The extensive results will arrive in 2 weeks. This should make up for the lack of family medical history in the future. Oh yes.. she now weighs 29 lbs.

Tamara was a trooper at the Dr's. office. Yes she cried when 3 people held her down so she could get her chicken pox shot in her thigh.. but wouldn't you if 3 people held you down? As soon as it was over she was fine. Waving bye bye to the nurse and then blowing kisses on her way out.

That's my girl ... I think Daddy might have promised her a pony?