Journey to My Sister

Pictures of My Sister

2008-09-10T00:01:00.000-07:00

My mom said I could be the person who gets to post the first pictures of Ellie for everyone to see. So, here she is . . . TADA!!!! My sister ...

This is her most recent picture. I think she looks like a boy in this picture. My mom said she looks sad because we are not there.

This is her at four months. What is she looking at?

This is her at three months. She has chipmunk cheeks.

This was one of the last pictures of me holding her. It's my mom's screensaver on her computer.

She's sleeping here -- she did that a lot.

Mom says this is one of her favorite pictures of her.

This was my first peek at her.

Mom kept kissing on her.
This is daddy holding her the first time. She sure is little.

My mom said she will post photos on her blog tomorrow so that everyone could see them here first.

So, that's her.

Stay Tuned . . .

2008-09-04T19:29:00.001-07:00

... for a surprise on my blog on Wednesday, September 10.

My Sister

2008-06-04T01:26:00.001-07:00

Mom said I could post this picture of me holding my sister since you can't see her face. Mom's writing this: Isn't Josh a great big brother????

Burana Tower

2008-06-01T01:58:00.000-07:00

After we went to Ellie, we went to Burana Tower. We walked up about 75' of stairs. On our way up, it got darker and darker and was pitch black. On our way down, there were people trying to get up and they wouldn't go back down so we had to go back up.

When we got to the top, it was a big, round circle. I looked down and it was a long, long way down. I could see mountains, people farming, and people standing in holes on the mound of dirt where a palace once was. I told my mom I wanted to be the last one down. I was the second to last. Daddy was the last. On our way down, there was a little kid who was sitting in a window (alcove) waiting until everyone got around him except for daddy.

When we got to the ground, every body's legs hurt. Then we went to a little museum and there was a little bench with gifts you could buy. Mama asked how much it was to take pictures inside. It was 200 som, which is about $6.00 USD. Mama didn't take pictures inside.

After I came out of the museum, I went on top of the mounds of dirt with daddy. I went into a little cave, but daddy said someone had used the bathroom in it.

We came down from the mound and had our pictures made in front of the tower. Then we all left. It was one of my favorite things we've done so far!

Day at "Disney World" - NOT!!

2008-05-30T03:16:00.000-07:00

Today we went downstairs and ate breakfast. When we came back up, we asked the hotel front desk if we can get a taxi to drive us to Flamingo World and back to the Beta store. They didn't say he could bring us back. We waited downstairs for our driver. We got in the cab and daddy asked the driver if he could pick us up at 3:00 and he said he could. He only spoke a little bit of English and a lot of Russian.

At the park we got our tickets and they were 250 som ($6.90). My ticket included 10 rides. We were going in and they had little booths with toys. I asked my parents if I could have a play gun. My parents said, "No, on the plane, they'll think it's a weapon."

We went in. There used to be a lake with a bridge over it. There's no water in the lake now. We get in and I rode a pirate ship. It goes back and forth. Two little girls were on the ride with me and when the ride gets high they start to cry and saying things I can't understand.

Then we went to this BIG ride and I asked daddy if he could ride with me. We had to go buy two tickets to ride it (100 som each - $2.76 USD). I had no clue what the ride was going to do. Me and my dad got on. The seats were so small, I said, "Why don't you get in the one in front of me?" and he moved. The ride started slow. You barely get up halfway in the air and then you get a little higher and a little higher and higher. Then you start to flip in the air. It got so high it stopped upside down on the top. I started to fall out of my seat. I was just holding on to the bar. Here comes the scary part: it goes faster and faster. It's not over yet. Then all of a sudden, we start flipping in the air back and forth, round and round. I kept falling out of my seat.

After that we went on a boat ride. I had to pay the ticket for daddy to ride (but I got my money back). The first thing about this boat is that the seats are black and you know dark colors attract sun. Boy, oh boy, was it hot. I'm starting to have some fun and then daddy bumps me with the bumper and I start to spin out. I wanted to hit him back but our boats ran out of time. It dies in the middle of the water so other boats have to come to push me to the dock.

I got to do some target shooting. My dad shot a little bit. He hit a 4 on the target. The very last shot, I hit a 6. That was fun.

When we were leaving, I was walking over and they had bouncy's and one was a mechanical bull. It was already deflated though, so I couldn't ride it.

My parents said that the taxi ride, tickets, soda, shooting, presents and everything cost 915 som or $25.27 for a day of fun. They said we couldn't go to an amusement park back home for that.

Our taxi came back to pick us up and took us to the Beta store. I bought a felt baseball cap and a plastic baseball bat and ball. Now, I'm one-ninth of a baseball team. I really miss my "real" baseball team.

That's it for today. Tomorrow we get to go see Ellie again.

Visiting Ellie

2008-05-30T03:13:00.000-07:00

On my last trip to the orphanage to see Ellie, I got to hold her. She sucked on her pacifier.

On the way there, we stopped to get diapers and cokes. We got one for our driver, Vladimir and some for us.

We didn't get to go see Mr. John because we were asked not to by the people who are helping us to get Ellie. I was so sad because I really wanted to go see the mountains and eat at the burger place.

My mom got to feed her.

Meeting My Sister

2008-05-26T16:59:00.001-07:00

The last time I talked to you was a day ago. I was about to leave to go see my little sister. I wish I could show you pictures, but I'm not allowed to until her adoption is final. I saw a cow on a leash mowing the grass. I took a picture out the window. Here it is:

On the way there, I saw a toy store and a plantation. I also saw people farming and the mountains which had a lot of snow. Our driver talked a lot in Russian. I had no clue what he was saying but after he pointed to stuff I knew what he was saying. Our driver was a crazy driver who drove really fast. A guy was standing outside our car door at one place begging. He had a patch on his eye.

When I got to the orphanage, it was unbelievable. I didn't expect the way it looked. My mom did the same ole' same ole' and took a lot of pictures. I had to wait for a few minutes before my mom brought out Ellie (and took more pictures). I was surprised that I got to see her on the first day. I thought that she had too much hair; she has a lot of hair. She was cute and adorable. She had a red mark on her eye. I am excited that I got to see her.

This is me at breakfast. This is my first hot tea. I said it was a tea party. Mom says I need to get used to tea parties because Ellie will make me play with her - yuk!

(as dictated by Josh to his mom)

PS - My mom says it's ok for people to leave comments because she types all my stuff and reads all my comments.

Off to Meet Ellie!

2008-05-25T17:31:00.000-07:00

Today where going to see ELLIEEEEEEEEEEE THE PRINCESS.

At home in Bishkek

2008-05-25T09:24:00.000-07:00

The last time I talked to you, I was in London. The plane ride from London to Bishkek stunk. I was behind a guy on the plane who laid his seat back and hit me in the head. When I was trying to take a nap, he hit my knee. At the end I asked the lady if I could sit in business class and she said, "No." But she called and showed me the cockpit. I met the pilots and they gave me some gum. The best part about the flight was I slept like a baby.

This is Kitty -- he goes everywhere I go.

Then, oh my gosh, I got pretzels, a diet Pepsi, cheese and crackers, chocolate and I got to watch movies.

When I got to Bishkek, I went to get the luggage and the guy took our luggage, but he wasn't supposed to, he just wanted a tip. So, I took it away from him and gave it to our driver. Our driver got in an argument with those men because they didn't get a tip. Then I was freaked out and nervous because I thought someone would kill us.

This is me and daddy coming into the room

We drove to our hotel. We got to our room and BOY! was the bed big! The lady brought MY bed up and I came in and took a nap until 4:00.

We got to see a statue and my mom keeps on taking pictures. Here's a picture of the statue. I don't know who it is at all. He looks like an old man.

Boy was the food awful -- except for fries. I had a cheeseburger and the cheese stunk. It was GOAT cheese, I think. The burger tasted HORRIBLE. The fries STUNK with ketchup, but when you didn't eat the ketchup, they tasted wonderful with salt (and a lot of it).

I went swimming tonight. The pool was freezing cold, but I got used to it. Then we started to throw a water baseball. When daddy threw one at the water, it bounced up and I caught it with my neck.

Tomorrow, I get to see my sister -- maybe.

(as typed by mom and dictated by Josh)

London

2008-05-24T02:47:00.000-07:00

We just got to Europe. We are in London at the airport. We got to eat breakfast then we met mama's friend Elizabeth. When my daddy gave the waiter the money, he came back with a different kind. They use pounds here instead of dollars. Daddy said the exchange was twice the money here. Daddy collects foreign money and saves it. He got a twenty pound note, two one pound sterlings, a fifty pence and a twenty pence.

The plane ride was very, very, very, very, VERY, very, very, very boring. We watched movies. I
watched National Treasure and Disney Channel.

clouds from airplane

Josh boarding the plane

Next, we are going to Kygyzstan. The plane ride is eight and a half hours long.

(as typed while Joshua dictates)

Getting Ready to Go

2008-05-23T10:32:00.000-07:00

Today we came to the airport with Mrs. Iris. We had our own personal chauffeur. I had to take off my shoes to go through security. I brought my PSP (playstation portable) and my DS Lite and my Gameboy Advance. We went to go get my food. I had pizza and water. And then, we walked through the airport for about two hours. We went to two gift shops. We are about to get on our plane to Dulles in Washington, D.C.

(as dictated by Josh to mom)