Taldy Bound

Well, after many hours of packing, cleaning (Grandparents are staying in our home with Shawn), errands and repacking, we are finally ready to travel.
Had a nice dinner with family this evening-Mexican food of course-and spent some QT with Shawn and I guess we are as ready as we are gonna get. The photographs of the kids I received that are adopted from Taldy, I will take to the baby house and hopefully get a few pictures of the ladies looking at the children who are so changed since they left Kazakh soil.
Aida, is a little girl that we met in 2005 in Taldy. She had a severe cleft palate that I believe a repair was attempted, she had no hair from being shaved and it was so hot that summer they let the kids run around in undies. Everyday she would come up to us and smile, and hug us and drool all over us and pinch us! Yes, she would smile so sweet and then pinch us on the leg. And if you did not love on her some more she would pinch you again harder. She was incredibly precious!
I received photographs today of a stunningly beautiful dark eyed princess. Those eyes, that smile, that pose! She is NOT the same child we met in 2005. She is such an example of what love can do. Her parents, the Criners, muct be so proud of her.
Long trip ahead but closer to that baby every mile! We are SO thankful for the opportunity to make this happen and we are not forgetting it almost did not happen. We are not taking anything for granted. Just glad to have the chance.