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.

Another Milestone

We were told by the people at the orphanage that Wynn was ready to leave and they were right. After a brief meeting and tea with the orphanage director, his didi (nanny) sat on the floor with Wynn (Bishwa to her), wrapped a large towel around his neck and fed him a bowl of noodles with vegetables. Then we all went downstairs to the room where he's lived his entire life and passed out lollipops and coloring books to his 'roommates.' Then they all waved goodbye to him. There wasn't a bit of sadness from his little friends. It was as if they were wishing him well. He walked out the front door of the orphanage, with only the clothes on his back, and carrying his photo album and letter. He never looked back.

Aruna reminded us how small his world has been. Other than a car trip to the clinic when they're sick, the kids rarely having outings. He sat in the van and looked out the window, saying nothing.

When we got back the apartment, we showed him around and then we got the idea that he really wanted to go outside. So we all took a walk around our neighborhood, which he loved. This is a boy who will want to be outside. Once we were back inside, Bret and Wynn were on the outside terrace when Bret called us outside to see a double rainbow. . .surely a sign of good luck.

The rest of the evening was ordinary to any parent with young children, dinner, baths and a little playtime. Now, amazingly, both Leah and Wynn are asleep together on a mattress on the floor. I said to Bret, "Not bad for the first day."

Oops -- Photos from the Daily News

Photos from yesterday --- For some reason they didn't upload.

The Daily News

Yesterday, Monday, was another adventure. As promised, Leah and I took a rickshaw ride after breakfast through the streets of Thamel, which is the tourist district of Nepal. We both loved it. Funny how age makes a difference. Leah hadn't a care in the world, chatting the entire way and pretending to be taking pictures as I did the same. She was oblivious to the cars, taxis and motorcycles weaving in and out around us. I'm happy to report that our rickshaw driver did a fine job.

Then we checked out of our small, not clean-enough-for-the-Cunninghams, hotel room yesterday and checked into a beautiful apartment. This gives us some much needed space for our extended stay here and especially with young children, will make breakfast and lunch so much easier. Included in the deal is a woman who will clean for us daily and also wash and iron our clothes, and a young 'grocery boy' who expertly walked us to the neighborhood market yesterday so we could buy some essentials. We will take a taxi to a bigger grocery store within a day or two.

After dropping our suitcases we went back to the Children's Home to visit Wynn. He was lead down the hallway to meet us by one of the older girls, clutching his prized photo album and letter, and then softly kissed each one of us on the cheek. Now of course he did this because someone told him too, but still. . . He and the other children really enjoyed the bubbles and the candy-filled plastic Easter eggs that we brought. It seemed that Wynn was determined to finish the entire bottle of bubbles in one sitting, patiently and expertly dipping and blowing.

During each visit his didi (nanny, but the word also means big sister) brings Bret and me hot tea. Yesterday they also served Wynn and Leah warm milk and slices of white bread. His didi dunked the bread in the milk and Wynn gobbled it up. Leah politely tried a few bites but decided that she would pass. The older girls translated for us as I asked his didi questions about his bedtime and nap routines and what he likes to eat -- bananas, apples, rice. . .really anything we were told.

After awhile we were on our way. I think the plan is to visit today and bring him back to the apartment with us. . .oh my. Our first official appointment is this Friday with the Ministry of Women and Children, the Nepal government branch that handles adoptions. We will adopt him on Friday, the first step to making everything official.

Thanks to everyone for your posts and emails. Both are wonderful connections to home and much appreciated.

Our Big Day

We were picked up at our hotel around 1:00 p.m. today by Aruna, our adoption agency's in-country representative and our caretaker for all meetings and appointments while we're here. Aruna took us to the Children's Home so we could finally meet Wynn (Bishwa). We were asked to send a small photo album with pictures of our family, house, yard and a letter to be read to him before our arrival. We were waiting in a playroom upstairs and we watched as Bishwa was lead upstairs to meet us, clutching his photo album and letter in an envelope.

The pictures speak for themselves. He is beautiful, with the most gorgeous hair. Of the three of, he couldn't take his eyes off of Leah. It was almost as if he was studying her and taking it all in. We sat on the floor with him and he just kept flipping through his photo album as Leah explained who everyone was. We also bought small Nerf balls for all of the kids which were a big hit. (Thanks, Lynn and Susan!) We played catch for quite awhile and eventually we went downstairs to see where he sleeps and then outside for a bit before leaving.

We were told that he talks a lot, although he didn't say anything while we were there. Maybe tomorrow. We were also told that he is easy going by nature, which we're very grateful for as it will make him a good fit for our family! While by the rules, we're suppose to visit him for seven days before he can come with us to the hotel, today they told us that he could come with us much sooner, maybe in two days. Secretly, this has put me in a bit of a panic. I'm probably worrying needlessly (?) but it just seems so soon. We were told that Bishwa knows that he's leaving and he's ready to go! So I guess we better get ready too.

By the way, we were really pleased by his environment and surroundings. The Children's Home is very nice and sits in a calm, pretty valley surrounded by mountains. It's very lush and green -- the only green we've seen since we arrived in Kathmandu.

Bret, Leah and I celebrated this evening by going out to a firewood-oven pizza restaurant. . .a nice taste of home. Leah has been begging me to take her on a rickshaw ride so that's on the agenda for tomorrow morning.

We're Arrived in Kathmandu

After an eight hour layover yesterday in Doha (our flight was delayed by two hours leaving), we flew four more hours and arrived in Kathmandu around 9:30 a.m. local time. After getting our visas at the airport we took a 'life altering' taxi ride to our hotel. There's no way to prepare yourself, or completely describe, the sights and sounds of Kathmandu. If there are rules of the road, well, we can't figure them out. Motorcycles, cars, and taxis all jockey for position, constantly on their horns, in hopes of moving forward. Any driver here makes a NYC taxi driver seem like a Sunday driver. We also dodged a large black bull standing in the road and Leah called out chicken sightings as we drove along.

We are settled in our hotel which is right in Thamel, the tourist district. The street where our hotel is located is quiet and has beautiful gardens in the back. But if you walk just two blocks down the street, as we did to try to find a place to buy adapters, it's chaos. . .street vendors, traffic, and lots of westerners (mainly Europeans, it seems)here to trek.

Tomorrow is a free day, to rest and adjust to the time change. That's all for now. It's 8:30 p.m. and sleep is calling all of us.

Hello from Doha, Qatar!

We have arrived safely in Qatar. Time zones completely confuse me so I can't say that I know what day it is. . .I'm guessing Thursday. We left Dulles Airport at 10:50 p.m. Wednesday evening and had a 12 hour flight into Qatar, where we arrived at 6:30 p.m. Leah traveled like a pro. . .although we now have a six hour layover here and I can see signs of hyperactivity and general fatigue setting in. (Bret just took her to a play area here in the airport.) She loved having her own TV screen and remote on the back of her airline seat so she was entertained, and even slept quite a bit. When we first entered the airport here in Qatar Leah saw several men wearing the traditonal Middle Eastern garb of long white robes and clothes (sorry, I'm not sure of the correct name) on their heads. She whispered to me, "Look Mommy, it's Joseph!" Well at least she had the correct part of the world.

Once we get on our next flight, we will fly five more hours to Kathmandu. If all goes well, we will arrive at 5:00 p.m. local time on Friday. (Nepal is ten hours ahead of EST.) Then we will have Saturday to rest and adjust to the time change. The plan is to visit Wynn at the orphange for the first time on Sunday.

Back on Schedule

So the government didn't shut down afterall, so we're going with our regular plan which is to leave on Wednesday, April 13. We're checking things off of our (multiple) to-do lists this weekend and may not post again until we arrive in Kathmandu.

Many have asked, and I did too before we started on this journey two years ago, "Where is Nepal?" So I've included a map. I've also included a picture of the Children's Home orphanage where Bishwa (Wynn) is currently living.

We'll try to keep up with this blog and will look forward to reading your posts. You can also reach us via email at kathrynbc48@yahoo.com (kate) or cbretc@yahoo.com (bret).

We're TRYING to Leave for Kathmandu

Our current plan is to leave on Wednesday, April 13th. As we're going down our (many) to-do lists, we're also keeping an eye on the news. . .waiting to see if our federal government will shut down. If that's the case, we'll need to wait to leave. The U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu will be closed and they won't be able to process our adoption. Nothing like an Eleventh Hour Curve ball.