Leaving Atlanta now!!!
N.
Friday, April 4, 2014
America At Last!
We are very happy to tell you all that we are in America! We have had a VERY long, long trip home, but we are in country now!!! Our flight to Atlanta has been delayed slightly because of the 9-inch deep snow here in Minneapolis, but it looks like we will make our connection. (And we are seeing snow and sun and blue sky!) We will be in late at about 8:55 (we will post if we don't make it out of Atlanta on time) and will head home pretty quickly but we would welcome anyone who was wanting to see us in. If not, we'll see you soon. Nick teaches Tues., so off we go!
Love,
~ The Eight Cogans
Love,
~ The Eight Cogans
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Almost there!
We've almost made it. Our consulate appointment is tomorrow morning very early. The boys passports have been processed on time (with a double fee to expedite them in time so that we can make our train to Hong Kong. It will be well worth it!!!).
We have not seen the sun except for the one red one through the gloom that evening. I think that hurts us almost more than anything. Kellin looks like someone punched him in both eyes. The cigarette smoke is horrible and is allowed almost everywhere- and people smoke even where there are signs not to.
We went to see the animals today because we desperately needed to walk in some reasonably fresh air. It was fun. It rained but it was welcome because we were outside. Kade loves to play in the rain so he will fit right in at home! We didn't melt but we were quite soggy! It made everyone tired and that was a good thing. Nighttime has been amazingly easy and we have been getting pretty reasonable sleep.
Kai's "witching hour" seems to be about 4pm. It has not been terrible. Karwen keeps saying "this seems very familiar". It's all part of the process. Kade has finally decided that he can let loose. He has been very tightly wound for so long and boy can he let loose! He is quite the comedian and parrots our English back in the most hilarious way.
A lot of things here are the same. I won't go on because much of it would be sad. Our guides have been fantastic! We have had lots of time to talk with them one on one and that has been good and bad. This is a terribly broken system and the kids are the ones who suffer the most. We are definitely not on vacation in any way.
We miss home and everyone there. We are so limited here as to what we can do with the kids to help things along. We are willing to face the trip home just to be there! If only someone would hand us a "beam us up, Scotty" button!
N and K
We have not seen the sun except for the one red one through the gloom that evening. I think that hurts us almost more than anything. Kellin looks like someone punched him in both eyes. The cigarette smoke is horrible and is allowed almost everywhere- and people smoke even where there are signs not to.
We went to see the animals today because we desperately needed to walk in some reasonably fresh air. It was fun. It rained but it was welcome because we were outside. Kade loves to play in the rain so he will fit right in at home! We didn't melt but we were quite soggy! It made everyone tired and that was a good thing. Nighttime has been amazingly easy and we have been getting pretty reasonable sleep.
Kai's "witching hour" seems to be about 4pm. It has not been terrible. Karwen keeps saying "this seems very familiar". It's all part of the process. Kade has finally decided that he can let loose. He has been very tightly wound for so long and boy can he let loose! He is quite the comedian and parrots our English back in the most hilarious way.
A lot of things here are the same. I won't go on because much of it would be sad. Our guides have been fantastic! We have had lots of time to talk with them one on one and that has been good and bad. This is a terribly broken system and the kids are the ones who suffer the most. We are definitely not on vacation in any way.
We miss home and everyone there. We are so limited here as to what we can do with the kids to help things along. We are willing to face the trip home just to be there! If only someone would hand us a "beam us up, Scotty" button!
N and K
Sunday, March 30, 2014
A bit more...
Finally, a few minutes to actually post some of what we have been up to.
Lots of laughing!!! At everything and everywhere!
I wish that I could pop you all into my brain so that you could just know....the bigness of it all.
The feeling when you see this little person that you recognize from pictures and your thoughts and dreams. It is so much like holding your newborn for the first time. They are old enough to have an inkling of what is happening and have never seen you and they still call you Mama and put their trusting little hand in yours and walk away from everything that they have ever known. The amazing feeling that they can be your children with absolutely no difference than those who might have been born from your body.
And the sadness. The tears that you have to hold back as you watch your child struggle to walk because his braces "broke" the day before. (Both of them. At the same time.) So, he wants to walk and run but he falls and falls- always with a smile. Those that come as you give him his first bath and find that you can get your thumb and forefinger to meet around your five year olds leg. Those as you go to kiss your child goodnight and he can hardly contain his joy as you lean down. (If you've seen Pete's Dragon, it's exactly like when Nora goes to kiss Elliot the dragon). Those as he shows you the terrible cavity in his mouth and tells you that it hurts him very badly and you know that it has for a very long time and would have forever. And on and on.... SO much happiness, SO much that is so very hard on the heart.
We spent Sat. getting medical exams. (I'm going to bite my tongue here.) All went well from the boys standpoint. No trouble. Many discrepancies in Kade's file that we will have to deal with but they were expected.
Yesterday, we went to the Chinese/English church service on Shamian Island and then did some souvenir shopping and had "American comfort food". We would just as soon stick to local food! The only food here that we don't love is that geared towards us!
This morning, a trip to the Folk Art museum in a local temple. (It was fabulous.) Then a quick trip to the pearl market and now "home" for a nap. (We are trying to rest up for the trip home.)
I apologize that the posts have not been narrated. This trip has been very busy with paperwork and appointments for two. Hopefully, you are seeing some of what it is like through the pictures. We are done with appointments after this next set and will have more time. If there are specific questions or thoughts, just send us a comment.
P.S. The post about the dishes got garbled. The water is SO bad here that you can wash your dishes but when you rinse them with bad water, you have to clean them with an over the counter "infrared device". My problem is, you wash your hands and then rinse them, too. So, what disinfects your hands?
P.P.S. Mom, I need you to call the dentist, Dr. Trent Savage, and make Kai an immediate appointment for this cavity. They know that we are here and will schedule it with no problem. Also, if you can please call and set up an appt. with Dr. Davis, for Kade, ASAP after we are home so that we can get him some emergency braces. If you could keep checking your e-mail from this point, I can send birth dates, etc. there.
Love to all! The thoughts and prayers are truly felt here. We are SO ready to come home!!!
Keely
Lots of laughing!!! At everything and everywhere!
I wish that I could pop you all into my brain so that you could just know....the bigness of it all.
The feeling when you see this little person that you recognize from pictures and your thoughts and dreams. It is so much like holding your newborn for the first time. They are old enough to have an inkling of what is happening and have never seen you and they still call you Mama and put their trusting little hand in yours and walk away from everything that they have ever known. The amazing feeling that they can be your children with absolutely no difference than those who might have been born from your body.
And the sadness. The tears that you have to hold back as you watch your child struggle to walk because his braces "broke" the day before. (Both of them. At the same time.) So, he wants to walk and run but he falls and falls- always with a smile. Those that come as you give him his first bath and find that you can get your thumb and forefinger to meet around your five year olds leg. Those as you go to kiss your child goodnight and he can hardly contain his joy as you lean down. (If you've seen Pete's Dragon, it's exactly like when Nora goes to kiss Elliot the dragon). Those as he shows you the terrible cavity in his mouth and tells you that it hurts him very badly and you know that it has for a very long time and would have forever. And on and on.... SO much happiness, SO much that is so very hard on the heart.
We spent Sat. getting medical exams. (I'm going to bite my tongue here.) All went well from the boys standpoint. No trouble. Many discrepancies in Kade's file that we will have to deal with but they were expected.
Yesterday, we went to the Chinese/English church service on Shamian Island and then did some souvenir shopping and had "American comfort food". We would just as soon stick to local food! The only food here that we don't love is that geared towards us!
This morning, a trip to the Folk Art museum in a local temple. (It was fabulous.) Then a quick trip to the pearl market and now "home" for a nap. (We are trying to rest up for the trip home.)
I apologize that the posts have not been narrated. This trip has been very busy with paperwork and appointments for two. Hopefully, you are seeing some of what it is like through the pictures. We are done with appointments after this next set and will have more time. If there are specific questions or thoughts, just send us a comment.
P.S. The post about the dishes got garbled. The water is SO bad here that you can wash your dishes but when you rinse them with bad water, you have to clean them with an over the counter "infrared device". My problem is, you wash your hands and then rinse them, too. So, what disinfects your hands?
P.P.S. Mom, I need you to call the dentist, Dr. Trent Savage, and make Kai an immediate appointment for this cavity. They know that we are here and will schedule it with no problem. Also, if you can please call and set up an appt. with Dr. Davis, for Kade, ASAP after we are home so that we can get him some emergency braces. If you could keep checking your e-mail from this point, I can send birth dates, etc. there.
Love to all! The thoughts and prayers are truly felt here. We are SO ready to come home!!!
Keely
Friday, March 28, 2014
We found it!!
Random thoughts:
If you wash dishes with soap and then rinse them with tap water, they are dirty again here. So what is the answer? To put an infrared hungry over the counter.
Anyplace that requires gas masks in the grocery store and hotel halls has some difficulties.
Why would you take a little boys leg braces away right before he meets his family?
Children are the most amazing creatures ever. I cannot imagine the other side of this!
Combination washer dryers that are broken can be very confusing.
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
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