Went for an ultrasound today...

Here is just a snapshot of our living room. Evidently, we got a really nice apartment. I have to say, I really like it. It was just remodeled and is very comfortable. Stay tuned for a picture of our pea green couch:O) This bathroom floor and I have become close friends. It's basically where I lived for about two days. My knees have the bruises to show for it!! I'm writing an ode to my shower curtain at home. I'm sure all you fellow adoptees will be able to appreciate the humor in it when it's done!
This is considered our toilet closet. When the door is closed, I'm not sure how Warren can even squeeze his knees in there(TMI) lol!!! It's very tiny, but I like that it is a room unto itself!!! The new plaster is still falling from the ceiling....but it doesn't hurt!

Hi All!!!!

We just wanted to give you a little update on how our trip is going so far and the latest on the kidney stone issue.

We met an American couple here last week and they have been a huge blessing to us since the day we met them. Jonathan is an English teacher at one of the Language Schools here in Shymkent and his wife Becky raises her two beautiful children and helps foreigners out with their kidney stone crises':O) Just kidding, when we're not taking up her time, she does have a life! We spent a wonderful evening with them last Thursday eating a traditional Egyptian meal in traditional Kazakh style. We were given the place of honor at the table in the place farthest from the door. Kazakh's traditionally eat at a low table, lounging against pillows. It was a really fun experience for us. Their kids are delightful and had even made a picture to give to us as a present. They helped us with missing our sweet boys. Their littlest one is 6 just like Ethan and their oldest is 7 1/2. She told me all about Kazakh school and her homeschool too! We finished off the evening with questions about the Kazakh culture and people, with Banana splits, American style. The next day is when my kidney stones kicked in and poor Becky initially wondered if it was anything that she had fed me. I assured her that it wasn't her food because it was really good!!

Today Becky came over to take me to her hospital for an ultra sound. It cost a whopping $5 and change!!! They looked at my kidneys and said that I still had some "sand" in them but to keep taking the homeopathic medicine to clean out my kidneys that Becky found for me. They were very nice, it was very clean, and Warren stood guard over me just in case:O) My sweet man!! There was no cause to be worried because Becky speaks such great Kazakh!! She communicated so very well with them and she got everything taken care of.

Since I've been sick, Warren has taken a back seat, but to be fair he's not been doing so great himself. Something happenned to his back when we first arrived and its been tweaked since. Becky decided to talk to the ladies at the hospital about massage and they had us bring him back to work on him. They were all so very cute!!! We just laughed and laughed with them. When they saw Warren's tattoos on his arm they were teasing him telling him that he matched their shirts:O) He has basically a Hawaiian jungle tatooed on his arm. They were in awe that they were permanent and seemed to think that he was VERY BRAVE;o) or maybe just crazy! When it was his turn to go and get his $3 massage, one lady grabbed his hand and led him out of the room, holding his hand all the way. I think that they thought he was cute, or maybe that's just me:O) All he did was just smile at them. We had a wonderful time visiting with them while we waited. We haven't gotten the chance to meet many locals and visit since we've gotten here, and this was a wonderful experience for us. Thank you so very much Becky for taking up most of your day for us!!!

Becky also spent a considerable amount of time showing me around our neighborhood and finding places to eat for cheap. Nothing here is all that cheap, but we found a place today where we can eat for a little under $10 american dollars. Usually it costs us about $15 at least. We were so excited to find this place. She also took us to another restaurant and they wrote on the menu the things that we would like and all we will have to do is point when we go there and they will know. If we just spoke the language this would be much easier:O) Becky and Jonathan have truly been sent to us from up above.

We are missing you all at home like crazy, but we aren't driving each other crazy yet;o) The days have gone by fairly quickly, but we expect that they will begin to slow down here soon. Now that all of our major crisis' are out of the way. Please continue to pray that all of the sand in my kidneys just disappears. I don't want to hurt like that ever again!! Warren's back could use some extra prayers too. Other than that, life is going on. If any of you back home see my sweet angel baby boys(that are not really babies) can you please tell them we love and miss them so very, very much and give them great big hugs for us. Evidently Ethan had a meltdown the other day, and part of it was because he missed us. He's never been away from mommy for this long and I'm sure that his little heart isn't processing it so well. Caleb sounds like such a big boy from this far away. He's holding down the fort for his daddy while we're gone. My mom is doing an outstanding job with them and is seeming to hang in there. She still has it!!! Go mom!!! I love you!!!

Well, now that I've written a book, I will let you go. Talk to you later!

Jenn