Surprise!

Wouldn't you know it, with just four more full days here at Kolobrzeg, we finally found a free internet cafe, about 3 blocks from our apartment!

Oh well, still no pictures, but here's a quick run down of what we've been doing:

6/1 Picked up kids from orphanage, appeared in court, was asked to come back on 6/17, arrived in Kolobrzeg and walked, walked, walked (got lost looking for grocery store);

6/2 Went to an indoor swimming pool that had a twisted slide. They don't use chlorine, but salt instead. Very interesting, easy to float. We then went to a park where they had an obstacle course in the trees that you hook your cable onto. Bartek did this, and of course we forgot the camera. I then vowed to ALWAYS carry it with me.

6/3 Walked about 20 minutes into the Old Town which had the new shopping mall. We bought soccer shoes and a ball for Bartek and little pink tennies for Kasia (turns out she does like pink afterall!)

6/4 Went to a different park, where on the way we had to get a smaller ball for Kasia, and we all played soccer, more or less. Bartek is VERY good and whipped the pants off of Mama & Tata (sorry daddy, Polish is coming so quick and naturally for us). It rained and then we went to the other family's apartment to help celebrate their son's birthday.

6/5 Rained all morning, but in the afternoon (3:00 ish) we went out and rented what the kids call go-karts. They were peddle go karts and not the powered ones we thought of.

6/6 Got a ride into town to use internet, searched for a computer game for Bartek but settled on getting a movie instead and walked home. We all sat on the couch and watched Jackie Chan (very amusing, chinese dubbed in English, dubbed in Polish) when we got home and ate popcorn.

6/7 did laundry and watched the rain come down.

6/8 More rain (seeing a pattern here?), walked to the movie/Kino and saw a movie we had no intention to (small language barrier). It was sooooo good, that Tata and Kasia fell asleep. Got some of our photos printed for the kids books (so they don't forget our pretty faces).

6/9 Went back to the park with the jungle cables so Jeff could do it too (and I could get pictures) but no one was there. Instead we went to the small carnival set up in a small parking lot. I'm talking really small 4 rides. We went on the bumper cars and some other ride that I can't describe, but was really fun.

6/10 Walked to the beach, and on the way it rained. Continued on after it stopped and was a beautiful day. Ate some delicious ice cream on the boardwalk, then walked home. Rained some more.

6/11 Took a ride out into the Baltic Sea on a Viking ship, and .... that's right it rained! Walked to main part of tourist area (where we're staying) and paid for the kdis to play in an indoor playground (similar to McDonald's) and they still had energy to spare after an hour. How do they do it!

6/12 Rained again, even though this is supposed to be the nicer week of our stay. But found this internet cafe and am able to update our blog!!!!

Yes it rains practically every day, and yes we're walking everywhere, but we wouldn't trade it for the world! I think I've actually lost a few pounds.

If I don't get back one more time before the 17th, I'll definitely be able to update with pictures when we get to Poland (I think, you never know and just go with the flow).

Thank you everyone for your concern while we were MIA, and always, thank you for your prayers.

Much love,
Debbie & Jeff

Quick update

As I mentioned previously, we've arrived. However, we have no internet access and have to walk 20 minutes to Old Town to use an internet cafe. I will probably be able to do one more update when we return to Warsaw around the 17th and we'll be staying in a hotel.

Needless to say, we are loving spending time with our children. They are beautiful, heart & soul. And very, very, VERY energetic for two such old folks :) We believe everytime we get a second wind they suck all the energy from us and off they go again! No complaints here though. We asked for it and we got it, Parenthood!

Love to the USA from Poland!

Jeff, Debbie, Bartek & Kasia

We've arrived!

Hello from Poland! We landed in Warsaw at 10:30 am and then continued on to Wroclaw and arrived there at 2:30. Not as tired as I expected to be or I'm overly tired. I can't tell yet, but I know I woke up thursday morning at 5:45 am without an alarm and I've not been to sleep yet and it's now 10:15 pm in Poland. (Granted they're 8 hours ahead of CO and it's only 2:15 pm there, but still...)

Didn't have too much time to explore or take pictures put we hope to have some tomorrow.

Countdown!

Ok, this really isn't the first that we've begun our countdown, but it's the first I've been able to update our blog. 4 days and we leave for Poland, 5 days and we're IN Poland, 8 days and we will be able see & hug our children for the very first time!

I have packed, re-packed and packed again for about the bazillionth time! And really, what's this about a carry-on only weighing 13 lbs. Seriously! Don't they know we have our court clothes, toys we don't want to get lost, numerous polish/english books/dictionaries, important documnts and lets not forget to mention our unmentionables! Well I did it, but I'm not happy about it. I hope they don't ask me to open any of the bags or it's all over...Kaplowey!

I think I'm getting giddy with the excitment of leaving in 4 DAYS!

Dates have been confirmed!

Wahoo!!! We just got our dates for trip #1 confirmed! We leave Denver on May 28th and return on 6/21st! Pardon all the exlamations, but I am just so excited!!!!!!!!!!!

Karney Family, I know you're out there and I know I've spoken to you or followed your blog, but who are you? (Sorry I'm not matching a last name to all the first names I know)! Apparently we're going to be traveling together. It will be nice to meet another family who's going thru the same things we are!

Stay tuned.....

Oh how they've grown!

We just received updated photos of our children and all I can say is "oh how they've grown"! It's one thing to have them before you and watch their changes, but an all together different thing to have keep track from across the ocean.





I also have to add, I'm in love with my children! They are so beautiful and I can't wait to smother them with hugs and lovin'. The reality that this is actually going to happen hasn't sunk in yet. I guess when our dates are actually confirmed and we have to make flight arrangements, it might set in. Did I say this already?

More News

Now that we have our tentative dates I can share what else is going on in our lives. I've known since early this year that my employer is going to close the Colorado office that I work in, since the headquarters and main foot print is Wisconsin, Minnesota & Illinois. But now I know that my last day will be July 31. I can't tell you how pleased I am that we'll be able to get the kids home within the time period that I'll still be employed because I'll still get the time off as paid leave and I'll be able to take advantage of their adoption reimbursement program.

Although I'm looking for work here, this may be our chance to get back to WI so the kids will be close to their new Grandparents, aunts & uncles and cousins. Well at least some of them.

So priorities are: get the kids, find a job and possibly move. Nothing too ambitious. ;) God has a plan for us and I look forward to following his lead.