FInal Post

First, Happy Mother's Day to all of the mothers in my life that I so love and admire. . .foremost, my mom. . .the best there is. . and my sisters, sister-in-law, and many friends.

It's Sunday afternoon here and we are waiting for Fed Ex to deliver Wynn's airline ticket. We know it's on the truck. It's just a matter of getting it and then seeing if we can get on a flight this evening. The flight doesn't leave until 11:00 p.m. so we have some time.

We did a little sightseeing this morning, just to run down the clock and keep busy. We 're done sightseeing and are very anxious to come home. 3 1/2 weeks is a long time to be away.

Stephen and Debbie, we'll email you as soon as we know what's going on and when we'll be arriving at Dulles. Millie, we're coming home soon!

Thanks to all of you for following along on our incredible journey and for your encouraging posts and emails. They really made our days brighter and we truly felt all of your love and support. We look forward to everyone meeting Wynn soon.

With love,
Kate, Bret, Leah and Wynn.

A Quiet Saturday

Saturday is the holy day in Nepal. Many, but not all, businesses are closed and people are off work. As a result, traffic is light and the streets are significantly quieter. Sunday is back to work. The holy day in Dubai is Friday, and at least according to the Fed Ex tracking system, our package hasn't moved from there all day. Maybe we'll receive it tomorrow. If not then, Monday for sure.

In the mood for neither shopping nor sightseeing, we hung around the apartment and neighborhood this morning. After lunch we went to a mall that a few other families told us about. It wasn't Ross Park Mall but it was certainly the most western thing we've seen since we've been here. It was almost a surreal experience, being in a five story mall, with three movie theaters and western stores, in Kathmandu. We were told that there was an indoor play area for children, which there was but Leah was too old for it and Wynn wanted nothing to do with it. We think he was really overwhelmed by the entire scene. The shining clean floors, the shops, the escalator, and a food court for goodness sakes! This kid was living in an orphanage in the country 2 1/2 weeks ago. We were taken there by a really nice young taxi driver who was recommended by a friend. He stayed at the mall with us and we really enjoyed his company. It was also nice to have him there to talk to Wynn. Ram has two small children himself so he was great with both of the kids. We went to the food court, ordered drinks and snacks and just talked. We also found bubbles for the kids which was a big hit. On the way out, Leah enjoyed a jumping castle set up outside of the mall entrance. Again, Wynn passed, telling Ram in Nepali, "Let's go didi (big sister in Nepali). I want to go in the car." Ram is going to pick us up tomorrow morning at 8:00 a.m. and take us out for some sightseeing.

Photo captions - Wynn today; Leah at the jumping castle; woman in our neighborhood this morning; Hindu baby in our neighborhood; a tuk tuk which is bigger than a taxi but much smaller than a mini bus or van and always jammed with way too many people.

We Have Wynn's Visa

As promised, Wynn's visa was ready at 4:00 today. We also received a large sealed envelope filled with a lot of other papers that we're to give to U.S. Customs when we enter the U.S. So now we're waiting for Wynn's airline ticket to arrive from the States. Last we checked Fed Ex tracking, it was in Dubai.

We had a leisurely morning and then went out to lunch and did some shopping in our neighborhood. We much prefer shopping in Lazimpat rather than Thamel where you're constantly hounded by people trying to sell you things. It's just a much nicer, cleaner,and calmer shopping experience. We also like the idea of shopping in Fair Trade stores where hopefully some of our money is going to help the people of Nepal.

Other than that, we again had the perfectly timed blackout at dinner time. We usually eat dinner out but tonight we decided to stay in, having been out much of the day. Just as the kids were "hungry," which is Wynn's newest word, lights out. Another night of figuring out what can be cooked on a gas stove top. We won't miss the blackouts.

A few more observations. . .

I can count on one hand the number of people we've seen here smoking. Unlike China, where it seemed like everyone smoked, you just don't see it here.

The produce sold in the streets by vendors and at the street markets is plentiful and beautiful. Being cautious to avoid anything washed in the local water, we've stuck to things that can be peeled such as apples, bananas, orange, watermelon and papaya. Otherwise produce must be soaked in iodized water and we decided that we could wait until we got home to eat fruits and vegetables that we like.

If you order a hamburger in a restaurant, which I have on two occasions, you're eating either yak or water buffalo. This is a Hindu country and the cow is considered a god. A local woman who we flew with yesterday morning over Mt. Everest told us that until very recently, a person would be jailed 25 years for killing a cow but only 6 to 8 years for murdering another person. Go figure.

Photo captions - Wynn shopping this afternoon; Leah in our hotel room in Nargarkot; Hindu women changing a flat tire this afternoon in our neighborhood; Nepali school girls (who I just can't stop photographing. . .they are gorgeous); Nepali baby photographed in Nargarkot.

Mt. Everest and a trip to the U.S. Embassy

We were up and out of the apartment this morning at 6:00 a.m. to board a 7:00 a.m. Buddha Air flight over the Himalayans including Mt. Everest. Bret and I are both big believers in doing and seeing everything that interests us in a particular place because who knows when, if ever, we'll be this way again. We were joined by our new Texas friend, Ellen and a friend of hers who is living here. This being Nepal, we boarded the plane with about 10 other tourists shortly after 8:00 a.m. Our flight was about an hour long and the views were spectacular. Everyone had a window seat and the crew was very accommodating, taking each person up to the cockpit to see great views and to point out specific mountains. This was Wynn's first time in an airplane and he did great. He just wasn't too keen on wearing a seat belt. (Not only are there no such thing as car seats here, there are no seat belts either. He has a huge surprise waiting for him when we get home.) Leah, our seasoned traveler, really enjoyed the flight as well.

In the afternoon we went to the U.S. Embassy to apply for Wynn's visa and to complete our interview with the consulate officer. Things went very smoothly and there were no surprises. They are going to do their best to have the visa ready tomorrow (Friday) by 4:30 p.m. After that, we're just waiting for Wynn's airline ticket to arrive from the States. As an airline employee, Bret, Leah and I flew here for a very nominal fee. In order for Wynn to be able to do the same, Bret was able to have him added to his benefits as a dependent yesterday. Then a friend of his at work got a ticket for Wynn to fly home with us and Fed Ex'ed it to our apartment. It should arrive by Monday. So if all goes as planned, we'll be flying home Monday evening. Fingers crossed. In the meantime, we'll spend the next few days doing final sightseeing and shopping. We're just about at the point where we can exhale.

It will be three weeks tomorrow since we arrived in Kathmandu and experienced that wild taxi ride from the airport to our hotel in Thamel. We've learned a lot, had some incredible experiences, and have gotten fairly comfortable with being here. But naturally we're anxious to get home to family, friends and familiar surroundings. Leah said to me yesterday that she forgets what her bedroom looks like.

Photo captions - Mount Everest; Us boarding our flight; Leah on board with her map of the Himalayan Mountain range; Leah and Wynn with the doorman today at our neighborhood hangout, the Shangra La Hotel where we ate dinner this evening.

Travel Document!

We have it in hand. Actually it looks exactly like a Nepali passport except for minors it's called a travel document. We went to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shortly before 2:00 today and stood in an outside courtyard with several hundred Nepali citizens, all of whom were waiting to receive a passport. Although everyone had a number, ours being 52, there was little order. When the teller-like windows opened at 2:00 people started crowding them. Aruna and her husband listened for our number and when it was called, her husband helped Bret and Wynn work their way to the window. They wanted to see Wynn to be sure that his picture matched the photo on their paperwork. We had a few minutes of panic when the person at the window asked for Wynn's birth certificate, which we didn't have because it's at the U.S. Embassy. Aruna's husband said something to them and we were all ushered inside of the building to an office. There were three or four Nepali people all speaking to Aruna in Nepali. Shortly, someone came in with Wynn's documents, including his adoption decree, our photos, his photo, and his passport. They looked over everything and then asked Bret to sign a paper. Then they handed him Wynn's passport. We were really relieved because believe me, things could have easily gone the other way.

We went to dinner this evening at Mike's Breakfast, which also serves lunch and dinner, and is popular among adoptive families and Americans. We had Mexican food which was good.

Tomorrow we have an appointment at the U.S. Embassy to apply for Wynn's visa. We're hoping to receive that either next Monday or Tuesday. Then we're free to fly home.

A footnote to yesterday's post. . .Bret has volunteered to be my fact checker! He looked on the Internet and discovered that Nepal does have a public school system. However, if they can afford to do so, parents prefer to send their children to private schools as the public schools aren't very good. I'm still not sure about the children that we see during they day who are obviously not in school at all.

I didn't take any new pictures today, which is rare, so I'm posting some pictures from previous days. While some of you may be tired of seeing pictures of our children, grandparents never tire of it! And others have commented on enjoying other photos of life here in Nepal. So here's a little bit of each. Enjoy!

Photo captions - Family photos, old women spinning cotton in Bhaktapur, Moaist the night before last week's strike (taken from our taxi window).

This and That

Well, Wynn's travel documents were not ready today as we had hoped. We're to go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. Hopefully they will be ready then. This means that most likely we won't begin traveling home until next Wednesday. Without his travel documents, we cannot have our interview with the U.S. Embassy and apply for Wynn's visa. And the visa takes up to four business days. I was disappointed because somehow I had it in my head that we had a chance of traveling home this weekend. I really wanted to get home to celebrate Mother's Day with my mom. Oh well.

To shake off our disappointment, we decided to go out to lunch and then head to Baskin Robbins for ice cream. I've always said that while ice cream (and chocolate) don't solve all things, I haven't found either one to hurt any given situation. Typically we go to Thamel, the tourist district, for meals but today we decided to stay in our own neighborhood of Lazimpat. Our new found friends from Pittsburgh had recommended a restaurant so we tried it -- it was very good. After ice cream we did some souvenir shopping in a really nice Free Trade Organization craft shop. Then we came back to the apartment just in time to avoid the now daily late-afternoon thunderstorm. They don't last long and tend to cool things down and clear the air a bit, so it's a good thing. I guess it was our neighborhood's turn for a blackout because we lost power right around dinner time. I was able to cook something for the kids on the stove top. (a wok and some olive oil with leftovers goes a long way here.) Even now, the generator is running but the electricity is weak as is the Internet signal.

Since that was the extent of our day today, I thought I'd share some random Nepali observations. I'll let you decide whether or not they are interesting.

1. We were surprised how many dogs there are here. In such a poor country, the ninth poorest country in the world, we thought, "Who would keep a dog?" Now mind you, these dogs are not living the life of Millie, or any of your dogs. We would venture to guess that 99% of them live outside or on the streets. But they are fed and cared for. I think we've only seen one or two dogs on a leash with a collar being walked by an owner.

2. If you're looking for a place to stretch your tourist dollars, this is the place. The biggest expense is the airfare to get here. Once you're here, everything is really very inexpensive, including food, hotels, souvenirs and taxis.

3. We were also surprised how many schools are here. They are all private schools, including Montessori, kindergarten and up. In our neighborhood alone there is a Jewish school, a French International school, and several grade schools. Sadly, there doesn't appear to be a public education system. Children get to go to school if their parents can afford it. Every day we see kids walking to and from school in a variety of uniforms. I feel sad for the kids that we see during the day just hanging out, knowing that they won't receive a formal education because their parents cannot afford it.

4. This is a very poor country with many problems. As our landlord Arjun said again today, "No petro, no water, no electricity, and no government." Fourteen hours a day of electricity is about the average. We're lucky to be staying at a place with a back-up generator, but even that runs only when they have the energy to run it. Water is brought in to our building by a water truck. We see long lines of motorcycles, cars and buses waiting for gas (petro). And yet, with all of these problems, we continue to be amazed at the gentle, layed back nature of the Nepali people. Despite the horrendous traffic, there is no road rage. People do not seem to be short tempered. I read a sign in a local restaurant that said, "Don't change Nepal. Let Nepal change you."

5. Perhaps it's no coincidence that Bob Marley is very popular here. I've seen his face on bumper stickers and posters in shop windows. The only Bob Marley song I have on my iPod is "Don't Worry, Every Little Thing's Going to be Alright."

6. Young Nepali children drink warm milk. I tried to give Wynn cold milk one day and he wouldn't drink it. Then I remembered him drinking warm milk and bread at the orphanage. I heated his milk in a sauce pan and he drank it immediately.

7. A term of endearment for little Nepali children is babu (pronounced ba-boo).

8. The national greeting to everyone you meet is "namaste," (pronounced nah-ma-stay), which you say while holding your hands in a prayer position at about chin-level.

9. One driver that we had one day told us that we are only a 90 minute drive from the southern China border.

OK, that's enough for tonight.

Picture captions - Leah at the restaurant where we ate lunch today; additional pictures from our trip to Nargarkot (including water buffalo in case you're like me and have never seen one before).

Our Time in Nargarkot

We returned from the mountains this afternoon and truly enjoyed our weekend there. The weekend was filled with things we have never seen or heard before, such as water buffaloes grazing with birds perched on their backs. It was like a scene straight from the Lion King. As we took long walks we would often hear birds that made the exact sound of a coo-coo clock. We asked someone what the birds were called and were told Qualies.

And of course there were those spectacular views of the Himalayan Mountains from the balcony of our room. As I mentioned in my last post, I set the alarm for 5:15 a.m. to be sure that I saw the sun rise over the mountains. I woke up and dutifully took my camera and went to the highest terrace of the resort where I was joined by a tour group of about 15 people from China and a handful of Europeans. Well, we did see the sunrise but we didn't see the mountains. There was too much cloud cover. (We later learned that you could sign up for a wake up call in which you would only be called on the mornings when the mountains were visible. Oh well.) That evening after dinner, with no effort at all, we walked out onto our balcony and there they were. The cloud cover had lifted after a strong thunderstorm and it was like someone lifted the curtains and threw on the stage lights. Majestic is the only that word that comes close to describing their beauty. Bret in particular couldn't stop looking at them. They changed as the light and clouds changed. It was breathtaking.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, we hope to receive Wynn's travel documents. The Nepali government told us that they would be ready on Wednesday but Aruna tried to get them to have them ready one day early. We'll see.

Leah and Wynn are doing great. Wynn now says, "Thank you, mommy" when I give him something and today starting saying "hungry." When he uses a Nepali word that we know, for example water is panni, we repeat the English word too so he associates one word with another. We're certain that he understands much more English than he can express, but that's natural and the English will come with time. Sometimes he'll just repeat phrases such as, "Just a minute." (Which I'm forever saying to both of them.) When Bret or I were holding him in the jacuzzi yesterday we would say, "I've got you," as he isn't completely comfortable yet in the water. Wynn would them smile and say, "I've got you." Leah continues to be a great teacher and big sister. And after four years of life only with Leah, Bret and I are working on cloning ourselves and growing bigger laps when both want to climb up to be with one of us. Let this be our biggest problem.

Photo captions - Lobby of the resort; Mountain view from our balcony; family photos; women harvesting wheat.

Hello from Nargarkot

This afternoon we checked into a beautiful mountain top resort in Nargarkot. We are at 6,500 feet elevation. Second in the series of "You've got to be kidding me," as we were checking in, we started talking to a very nice couple. The gentleman was born in Squirrel Hill, an urban neighborhood of Pittsburgh and his wife is from the north hills of Pittsburgh (Glenshaw in Shaler Township which is minutes from where I grew up in Hampton Township). They now live in Vermont and Jim teaches at Boston University. They are traveling with their adult daughter who is currently working at an NGO in Calcutta, India.

After we got settled in our room we went out to take a walk and enjoy the fresh air. We didn't walk very far and passed along the way, within feet of us, goats, water buffalo, horses, and roosters. All of the animals roam peacefully along the side of the road or in the nearby fields, munching on grass and other vegetation.

Because this is a resort, there are people here from all over the world. We continue to be surprised, and a bit flattered, by perfect strangers who approach us to ask about our children, and politely ask about the adoption process. I'm sitting in the hotel lobby around 8:00 p.m. as I write (Bret took the children up to the room to get ready for bed) and there are local musicians playing in the background. Just before Bret and the kids left, a woman from Greece approached us and asked all about Wynn and his adoption story. Earlier when we were out taking a walk and shooting pictures, a nice young couple from Bangladesh asked if they could have their picture taken with "our two beautiful babies." Earlier this evening an older, nicely dressed Indian woman came up and hugged and kissed Leah. OK, that freaked me out a bit at first but I quickly realized that it was a genuine and spontaneous gesture of affection.

We're setting our alarm for 5:15 a.m. tomorrow in hopes of seeing the sunrise over the Himalayans so I best get to bed. (I'm having trouble including photos with this post and will try to post them separately or later.)

A Rather Quiet Day

We spent most of the day doing some domestic chores, including grocery shopping and laundry, and then just relaxed watching movies on HBO while we took turns dozing off. . .that would be Bret and me, not the kids.

In the evening we met four other U.S. families who are here to adopt children. We met at the Shanker Hotel, not far from our apartment, where three of the four families are staying. The grounds and pool were pretty and we all had a nice evening, sharing notes on where to eat, where to buy bubbles for the kids (very important and difficult to find), play areas and sightseeing suggestions. Under the category of 'You've got to be kidding,' one of the families is from Mineral Wells, Texas, which is the very small town where Bret was born. Bret and his fellow Texans actually know some of the same people. The world just keeps getting smaller.

Picture captions - Leah wearing her new Nepali outfit at dinner this evening; Wynn this evening; The Shanker Hotel; the view from our kitchen window this morning. (We still can't figure out where these cows are coming from in the middle of a very crowded city.)

The Latest

As threatened, yesterday the Maoists (communist party) held a strike. We were told that it was the first strike in 9 to 12 months. It really didn't impact us other than there were no taxis to take us anywhere. Fortunately, we were able to keep Wynn's scheduled medical exam. We just had to walk. It was actually a treat because without cars, taxis, scooters and motorcycles on the road, it was a relatively easy 3/4 mile walk. Wynn's exam went well. It was really basic and we'll have him examined more fully when we get home. He weighs 33 pounds and is 39 inches tall.

The rest of the day was rather quiet but mostly frustrating because we didn't have Internet service all day. Since this is our only connection to family, friends and the outside world, it was really annoying. It was finally restored late this morning.

Today we spent some time at the Shangra La Hotel. We took the kids swimming at the hotel pool and they both had a ball. Actually we waded up to our knees in the baby pool because the pools are not heated here and the water was cold. This was Wynn's first time in a pool and he seemed to really like the water, even though he was only willing to sit on the step and splash and play. Maybe it was because the water was so cold. It was the only time I didn't have my camera with me so I don't have pictures. I'm sure that we'll go back another day. This evening we went back to the Rum Doodle in Thamel for dinner because Leah wanted to see more of the Nepali dancers. It was fun.

We've seen so much progress in Wynn in the brief time he's been with us. Bed time and bath time are now no problem. . .no crying. He's shy and quiet when he first meets someone but with us, he's constant motion, energy, talking and he's loaded with personality. He appears to be bright. Our challenge will be getting him to sit still and focus.

We don't have any appointments until next Tuesday when we're hoping to receive Wynn's travel documents. If that happens, we have an appointment at the US Embassy next Wednesday for our interview and to apply for Wyn's visa. Our goal is to be able to travel home next Friday or Saturday.

We're planning on going back to Nargokot (the mountains) for a few days this weekend. We'll stay in a hotel and hopefully enjoy some fresh mountain air and get a better view of the Himalayans.

Photo captions - Leah, Wynn, buying bananas from a produce vendor in our neighborhood, Nepali woman.

A Busy Day

Today was filled with ordinary and extraordinary moments. The day started with Wynn experiencing his first time out. I figured that he had been with us long enough and that he needed 'a little extra feedback' from me as he ran around the apartment pulling Kleenex out of the box and then playing in the waste basket. I knew that this behavior was never tolerated in his old life and it wasn't going to fly in his new life. So I picked him up and firmly plopped him on his bed. Some things transcend all language. He knew he was in trouble. So he cried for awhile and then emerged from his room a much calmer boy. Unfortunately for him, my day started with spoiled milk ruining my beloved morning coffee. And now I can almost hear a collective and knowing nod from friends who know me well. . .nothing good can come of a morning when Kate's morning coffee has been ruined. We both got over it and the rest of the day was more than fine.

I have mentioned that you just can't go out to talk a walk in Kathmandu. There are no sidewalks and traffic is horrendous. This creates a real challenge for families with young children who need to be kids, and for families like us that love to walk and be outside. I had learned that other adoptive families who had been here before us found refuge in a few of the nicer local hotels. They have beautiful gardens and grassy areas making almost a park-like setting, and people are welcome whether or not you're a guest at the hotel. There's a beautiful hotel, The Shangra La, within walking distance of our apartment. Leah, Bret and I ate dinner there one evening before we received Wynn. So this morning we decided to walk to the hotel and enjoy the grounds. We sat outside under an umbrella, ordered a cappachino, a latte and drinks and snacks for the kids, and enjoyed a beautiful sunny morning. We found out that families are even welcome to use the swimming pool so we'll go back later this week so the kids can swim.

After lunch we took a taxi to the historical city of Bhaktapur for some sightseeing. Our guide told us that most of the buildings were over 500 years old. But since Nepal uses a completely different calendar than we do (they just celebrated new years day in the year of 2068, I believe) I'm not sure that his dates were accurate. Things looked much older. We were told that the city is often used as a movie location because of the dramatic setting. It was really interesting. I love architecture and I love to take pictures so I was in my element. Afterwards our taxi driver talked us into visiting a shrine not too far away. I could have done without it but it did have a small playground and the kids enjoyed that part making the side trip worthwhile. In general, we're not shrine people, if there is such a thing. I sat at dinner last week and listened to a man go on and on about the shrines he had visited, "where they still do cremations and animal sacrifices!" I politely told him that it wasn't our scene. (Bret uses the words "creepy and pagan.")

We then had the taxi take us to Thamel where we ate at a fun restaurant, Rum Doodle, which was recommended by some other families. There was a stage and Leah and Wynn were enthralled when four dancers performed traditional Nepali dances as we ate.

We have an appointment for Wynn's medical exam tomorrow afternoon. I hope we're able to keep it. Our taxi driver confirmed what we had heard last week which is there will be a one day strike tomorrow which will shut down many things. Driving to Thamel this evening we passed a group of men marching in the streets carrying sticks that were on fire. Our driver told us that they were practicing for tomorrow. Just another day in Kathmandu.

The Daily News

Today we went to the Nepal Ministry of Foreign Affairs to apply for Wynn's travel documents. I'm not exactly sure what is included in these documents. All I know is that this is what he needs in order to be able to leave with us. Aruna spoke with a few men, handed them our paperwork and we paid a fee. They told us to come back NEXT Wednesday for our travel documents. Not exactly what we wanted to hear. We were hoping that they would be ready sooner. . .but this is Nepal. Aruna was going back to the Ministry later today to see if she could get them to hurry things along.

The scene at the Ministry was something right out of several foreign films I've seen. We were inside of a very 'rustic' office with several men sitting at metal desks, speaking Nepali to each other and handling a lot of paper. Outside of the window were several hundred people, mainly young men, applying for visas, hoping to be able to leave the country to find work. (It's not clear to me whether or not that long line is impacting our 10-day turnaround for our travel documents.) Unemployment is very high here. Many people leave Nepal, going to Malaysia, India, etc., to find work. We were also told at the U.S. Embassy last week that Nepali citizens receive so many visas a year (a lottery is held to award them) to permit Nepalis to immigrate into the U.S. as it's considered an under represented minority in the States.

We left the Ministry and went to the U.S. Government-run medical clinic. Today they only took a blood sample to test Wynn for TB. We will go back on Wednesday to have the results read and for his medical exam, as we were told that they don't do medical exams today. This is truly a lesson in patience. . .particularly for impatient Americans.

The rest of the day was fairly uneventful. We had a thunderstorm along with some much needed rain in the afternoon so we stayed inside. Nepal has a dry season and a wet (monsoon) season. The wet season begins in June. There is a chance of rain in the forecast for the next several days but I think it's too soon for the official wet season. Blackouts are also a daily occurrence. . .and I'm sitting in the dark as I write this because the power just went out. I can hear the building security people starting the back-up generator. . .there it is. Better. If you're visiting Nepal, the key is to stay at an apartment or hotel with a generator. If not, you'll be spending at least several hours a day without electricity. We had a blackout this afternoon during the thunderstorm. Of course no one was going to go on the roof during the storm to start the generator. Thankfully we had some daylight. The four of us layed on our bed as the kids had a light show for us with two flashlights that I brought from home.

Photo captions - Leah, Wynn, beautiful Nepali girl, our neighborhood market (It's no Giant Eagle but it will do in a pinch.)

Weekend Highlights

Happy Easter and thank you to everyone who sent us Easter wishes. Being mainly a Hindu and Buddhist country, we're certainly the minority here. It's 9:00 p.m. Sunday evening as I write and I know that it's only 11:00 a.m. at home so please enjoy some ham and Easter egg hunts for us. We've missed celebrating with our families today but know that there are many holidays and celebrations ahead of us once we get home.

We've had a full weekend. Yesterday we hired a driver for the day who took us far up into the mountains to the town of Nargarkot. It was about a 90 minute drive and a much welcomed escape from the city. Lots of green trees covered enormous mountains and the air was fresh and clean. I don't know the exact elevation but believe me, we were up there. It was really something to see how the Nepali people live in the rural areas. We saw women and children on their hands and knees, pulling potatoes from the ground and other women with huge bushels of freshly cut wheat strapped to their backs carrying it out of the fields and then thrashing it along the side of the road. Come to think of it, I'm not sure where the men were.

First we ate lunch at a nice restaurant high on top of a mountain. Outside was a small playground where Leah and Wynn had fun. (picture included) It was so nice for them to have a place to run around and play. We've decided that we'll most likely go back again because we all enjoyed it. Because of the lack of rain this past week, the sky was not very clear. We also want to go back to get a better view of the Himalayan Mountains. We had planned on stopping at a historical city on the way home but both of the kids fell asleep by the time we got there. We'll save it for another day.

Today we ventured out to the grocery store again, which was much less exhausting than our first visit there. There are rumors of a strike this coming Wednesday (a common occurrence here) which will shut down 'everything,' or so we've heard. Since we didn't have other plans this morning, we thought we would get some shopping done. In so many ways this trip is completely different than when we traveled to bring home Leah. In China, it was very much like being on a guided tour. We traveled with ten other families and a guide was always with us. He arranged everything, from our hotels to when and where we ate dinner, etc. Here, we do have Aruna to take us to our official appointments. But other than that, we're very much on our own. Our cleaning person took two days off to be with her family (she returned today) so we've also been doing laundry and dishes. Just like home, except without a dishwasher or clothes dryer. I'm hanging laundry outside on a clothes line with everyone else in the neighborhood. Not so bad, really.

Late this afternoon we took a taxi to Thamel to walk around, window shop and have dinner. I told Bret that either I'm getting used to the crazy streets of Thamel or I've learned to relax and enjoy it. I think it's a bit of both. We enjoyed the day a lot. It was only a matter of time before Kate and her tourist dollars were separated and today was the day. I had heard from other adoptive families that this was a great place to buy Tibet rugs. We went into a few shops and looked at several rugs. After some bargaining, we walked out with a very pretty runner. It looks like Nepal, which I wanted for Wynn, yet it will also look great in our Spanish style house.

The latest on the kids. . .Leah is a wonderful big sister and is relishing her new role. She's really stepped up to the plate on this trip and has grown up in many ways. It's hard to explain but really neat to watch. She's a great teacher, she's maternal, and the jealousy hasn't been too bad. All of that may change once we're home so for now, it's good that we all have this concentrated time together.

Her brother is B.U.S.Y. The apartment is very nice but there's not a ton of room. We can't wait to get him home and turn him loose outside! (Debbie, I'm reminded of all of those years when you would say, "We have to take Kyle outside so he can get his wiggles out!") We can't take our eyes off of him for very long. After years in a fairly sparse environment, he is intrigued with everything. The phone. . ."Ello?" The buttons on the clothes washer. Really, just about everything. We also can't figure out if he has OCD or is just fascinated with washing his hands and brushing his teeth. But he is certainly charming and smiling as he runs from room to room. The toughest part is that he wants to be outside, or riding in a taxi, all the time. Last night at dinner he continued to repeat the same thing again and again. Finally we asked the security guard downstairs what he was saying and he told us, "I want to go outside." He says it at least 20 times a day. He also shouts, "Mommee!" about 50 times a day and then proceeds to rattle on and on to me in Nepali. Who knows what he's saying? I figure if it's important enough, we'll figure it out. He eats well -- scrambled eggs, rice with lentils, surprisingly pasta, chicken, momos and above all, bananas. We introduced him to pizza and ice cream. He didn't care for the pizza but loved the ice cream. He learns at least one if not two or three new English words each day, and he's teaching us a few Nepali words each day. So we're getting by. He doesn't like to take a bath. . .cries as soon as I run the water. . .and also cries when I pull out his pajamas. He just doesn't want to go to bed. He repeats again and again, "I want to go outside." But because of where he's come from, he's very obedient. I'm sure that not listening wasn't tolerated. (I'm sure he'll get our number quite soon and stop listening.) Finally, I told myself from the beginning that I wasn't going to ask him to hug or kiss me. I wanted that to come on his terms, not mine. Well today when I was holding him (something he's too used to and wants too often -- not used to walking long distances), he just starting kissing me and smiling over and over. That was enough for me. We'll keep him.

Adoption Day

Today we made it official. We went to the Nepal Government's Ministry of Women and Children and adopted Wynn. At least 50 times today I heard him calling, "Mommee! Daddee!" I guess he too knew today was the day. (Disclaimer on the family photo documenting this event. . .Leah actually IS happy about all of this. She just wasn't happy about having her picture taken at that moment. I'm guessing it was her bad hair day.)

In the evening we met about a dozen other American families for dinner who are also in the country adopting their children. The place is called Garden of Dreams. (photo included) There are beautiful gardens, outdoor sitting areas and two nice restaurants. It was a bit chaotic inside of our private dining room but nice to meet other families who have been on the same crazy journey. The food was very good and the gardens were beautiful.

We're on our own for the weekend so we're planning on doing some sightseeing. Our next appointments are next Monday and Tuesday.

Daily Life and Thoughts on Kathmandu

Sorry to disappoint but every day here, just like at home, is not inspiring or miraculous! Yesterday was an ordinary day. . .relatively speaking. We made our way to a grocery store/department store where Wynn experienced his first ride on an escalator and in a grocery cart. He wasn't too sure of either experience.

He's been so brave since leaving his old life. But this morning he was whimpering and was upset. Since we couldn't understand what he was saying, I took him downstairs to our apartment building security guard -- a really sweet man -- to ask him to translate for me. He told me that Wynn wanted to go back home. I assumed that he meant back to the orphanage. The guard spoke to Wynn and basically played up all of the perks and benefits of being with us. As the conversation went on, the guard assured me that he was fine and this is where he wanted to be. Sometimes it's nice not to understand the language. If his interpretation was only for my benefit, I greatly appreciated it. Wynn was fine for the rest of the day.

It's amazing how much we can communicate with him and he with us. Already, after only two days together, he's learned several English words and we've learned several Nepali words. It seems as though the most important things, hugs, carrying him when he asks to be carried, and meeting his basic needs of food, etc. really need no words at all.

We're learning every day from each other and each day we're seeing more of his personality. Currently, he's obsessed with brushing his teeth, washing his hands, using the bathroom and eating bananas. (Yes, as I'm writing this, I'm perfectly aware that this is not riveting copy.) He's also very sensitive. . .visibly upset when Leah cries. Also, because he's never owned anything, he's very possessive of everything we've given him. The first day, he refused to put down anything. He walked around with his hands full, carrying his new toothbrush, coloring book, crayons and car. Today he seemed a bit more relaxed. He also beams when I open his suitcase and show him his new clothes.

As far as being here, well it's a challenge. Bret and I have both traveled considerably --- to China, Russia, Brazil and Chile to name a few places, and we thought we had seen Third World living. Not true. This is Third World living. You can't go out to take a walk unless you're prepared for trash and garbage along side of the road. The dust and dirt are constant. Walking anywhere includes being constantly aware of the cars, taxis and motorcycles that all come within inches of each other, and you too if you're not careful. We took a cab to Thamel this evening for dinner and spent a lot of time answering Leah's questions about the street beggars, the very old and the very young, that approached us on the sidewalks and came up to our taxi window as we waited at traffic lights. We have appointments tomorrow (Friday) and next Monday. After that, we hope to get out of the city a bit and experience some of the natural beauty of the area. As not to end on a negative note, the Nepali people are very kind and have a wonderful calm way about them.

Picture captions - Leah and Wynn checking out the view from the roof top terrace of our apartment building. Our apartment building where we're on the top floor.