Astana

What a crazy day!!!  I don't know where to even begin, I could be blogging for hours just describing everything we did yesterday!  We've been resting and still trying to recover all day today!  But it's just after 8 and we actually had Ry in bed, asleep by 8:05!!!  SUCCESS!!!  I am so proud of us!  The problem is that I have so much to do now, but just want to sleep!  So, here's an abridged version.

The taxi ride there was long, but we had a great driver and had great conversation - so glad we brought Symbat with us!  About 4 hours into the trip Ry got car sick...all over Dustin!  :(  It was rough - we brought extra clothes for Ryland, but not Dust...now we know for next time! Dustin's jeans were stiff and smelled horrible for the rest of the day...but what were we to do?  Each day we learn 50,000 new things that will help us out tomorrow!  We have the "aha" moments and just smile at each other!

On the road trip there we stopped at a roadside "diner" for breakfast.  Quite the experience!  We sat at an old style traditional Kazakh table (where we sit on the floor).  The bathrooms were a lovely experience.  Before yesterday, I have never gone to the bathroom in an outhouse with wood planks over a gigantic pit.  I walked in and there was just a scary looking wood floor with a huge hole...that's it...no toilet, no toilet paper, no hook for your purse, and definitely no sink...lovely.  Our driver cracked up at how high maintenance I was!

Astana - Bayterek Tower  (Ry was amazed at the glass elevator ride up to the top!)  He had his first experience later that day on an escalator and loved it as well. 

Papa & Ryland @ the top of the tower

This is an imprint of the President's hand.  You are supposed to put your hand in there and make a wish.

Even though he tells us all the time that he has flown planes before (to the sun) here is his first pic as a pilot!

Bumper Cars - His word of the day yesterday was cool!  Everything that he saw was "cool".  While were eating dinner, he told Symbat that he had an incredible day and that everything he did was amazing!  She was cracking up because she said it was so rare to hear children say those words in Russian.

This boy loves his motorcycles!

Rockin' his pajamas about to get aboard the train.  This was BY FAR his favorite thing.  He loved the train!!  The whole time he was awake on the train, he looked out the window and pointed out every single thing he saw.  He also did this as soon as we arrived in Astana.  "Mama - look - taxi, crane, tractor, big truck, bus, train"...etc.

Family Pic

Oh yeah, the whole reason for the trip!  We went to the Embassy and got fingerprinted with no problems.  Everyone there was nice and very helpful.  We're hoping this will only delay us a week or two.  Dust and I went to the Embassy and left Ry with Symbat at the hotel.  He was completely fine and didn't cry at all!  This gave us such a huge sigh of relief!!  Once he is used to our family & friends, I know he won't mind staying with them while Dust & I take a quick break!

We had no idea how exhausting this whole 'being a parent thing' really is!!

Goodnight all!!

Love,

The Stone's  (or as Ry says the "Schtone's)