Aunt Karen's bedtime story for Mia

A story for Mia...
Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, a beautiful little girl was born to a lovely young woman. The beautiful little girl had deep blue eyes the color of the ocean on a sunny day. Framing her deep blue eyes, were soft, wispy curls of strawberry blonde hair. The little girl's birth brought much happiness into the world, but the lovely young woman soon realized that she could not care for the little girl as she new she should. And so, with love, she brought the child to a place where she would be cared for properly with the hope that someone would come and make the beautiful little girl a part of their family.

It was around this time, that a very kind and loving King and his sweet and loving Queen decided to go on a long journey across the ocean, across the mountains, across the desert to find a special little girl to be their child and sister to their kind, sweet, loving daughter, Sophia. They knew that somewhere in the world a child waited to be part of their family and no matter how long the journey or how far the journey, the kind and loving King and his sweet and loving Queen would find her!

It was then, after many days of travel and waiting, the kind and loving King and his sweet and loving Queen saw the beautiful little girl with the curly strawberry colored hair and deep blue eyes the color of the ocean on a sunny day. Their hearts burst with joy because they knew they had found their daughter!! Like their daughter, Sophia, she was everything they could ever want. They fell in love with her and named her Mia Antonia (Antonia after her Great Grandmother Benny who was a very special woman who brought much joy to her family). Sweet and loving Sophia was very excited to have a baby sister! She jumped up and down with joy at the news and carried Mia's picture to school to show her teacher and friends what her baby sister looked like.

Now, also in the kingdom, lived many Aunties, Uncles, Cousins, and Grandma's and Grandpa's who heard the news of the beautiful little girl, Mia Antonia, who would soon be part of their beloved family. They, too, were happy beyond words and they wept tears of joy because they instantly loved Mia with all of their hearts.

And so you see, how one beautiful little girl with deep blue eyes and soft, curly strawberry blonde hair, Mia Antonia, became a much loved Princess to her kind and loving King of a Dad, and her sweet and loving Queen of a Mom, and her kind and sweet loving sister Princess Sophia. It must be said, because all should know, that this beloved family with Mia Antonia, King Dad, Queen Mom, Princess Sophia, Aunties, Uncles, Grandma's and Grandpa's all lived happily ever after.

All my love,

Karen

Mia arrives to meet her family at JFK

Mommy and Mia,Grandpa Tears,Mia meets Sophia,The Family,Big Sister

Mia arrives to meet her family at JFK

In typical Benny style the whole family went to JFK to see Mia for the first time. We rented a 14 passenger Van and made the journey to NYC.Our pictures of the flight board show her flight from Frankfort, in total Mia spent about 30 hours travel and only slept 1hour in 25. Vera her escort told us she did not fair well on the plane and as we found out on Monday Mia had a double ear infection as well as a sinus infection. So for as sick and tired as she was she did remember us and was full of laughs and smiles.

Mia arrives at JFK 6/14/08

Mia in Almaty two Days from Home

Mia is now in Almaty the city she is flying out of to arrive at JFK on the 14th of June. The other two couples who went back to get their children saw Mia at the SOS clinic getting her final blood work done so she can travel to the U.S. They both said that Mia seemed to recognize them and didn't give them the eyeball, so we have a glimmer of hope she will remember us. We are traveling to the airport in true Benny style a rented van for 14 people, Aunt Sue, Elaine Tom Millie Pat Pat G.Tara myself and Sophia. We are bringing back Mia's escort who will be picked up at our house and then transported to friends in Syracuse. We are hoping this helps with making the Hand-off of Mia smoother and less stressful.

Our Welcome Home

Our welcome home at the Hartford airport, Sophia made a big beautiful sign and was full of hugs and kisses. Mia will arrive at JFK on June 14th more photos to come then.

Cookie time and the Mia Antonia eyeball

Cookie Time and the Hairy eyeball from Mia, we see this when she is very afraid or unsure of what is going to happen next.

Orphanage Babies

Orphanage babies some will go up for adoption but most are here in foster care until their mothers can return to get them.Orphan Boys, 8-kid crib,10 foot crib, orphanage street cleaner

It's Official

Tuesday in Karaganda we just got back from court, it's official we just adopted Mia and we have the photos to prove it. Outside the Karaganda court House ( Jeff and I), The Ladies at court left to right: Tara, Orphanage doctor, Rosa Orphanage Director, Orphanage doctor, Women from Ministry of Education, Doctor, Meghan, Kathleen. Tara and I outside the Judges Chambers, and finally Judge Ascar Mordanov

Mothers Day Card

Sophia Mommy got her Mothers day card today and it made her so happy!

More Mia Monday photographs

Roadside,Internet cafe, Mia

Mia learning to head butt

Head butt

Mia Video monday

Mia 2

Monday May 12th Day 23 in our Journey

Mia videos

Three Little Girls

There is a little song written by Eric Clapton and JJ Cale I stumbled across and I play for Sophia called 3 Little Girls. Sophia simply loves the song because it is about 3 little girls, Mommy, Sophia and Mia. A short verse- "When this world's got me feeling low, I don't need nowhere else to go cuz I get all the love I need from 3 little girls. In the garden collecting snails, on the bed reading fairy tales." Today I am referring to 3 other little girls; my sisters, Karen, Elaine and Sue. In each one, when you look into their eyes you can see their souls. Souls that are beautiful, warm and would do anything for anyone. Who would have ever thought that ten years ago wen I got married I would have asked my sister to watch Sophia, my pride and joy for 4 weeks. Not every family has the bonds and closeness we do or feel close enough to even ask. What a tremendous task I put in front of my sister Karen and all of my sisters who have pitched in and helped while we are gone. On a regular basis Elaine and Sue pitch in and help out with Sophia and I am sure it will be the same with Mia. This is my opportunity to say thank you for all you have done and for me to say how cool it is that I have 3 sisters with such warm and kind souls. Each different, each special and each a wonderful gift. Even though they claim they spoiled me when I was young and the stories seem to get more exagerated the older they get, I still love them all. Thank-you.
Also a special thank-you to Karen who did a wonderful job taking care of Sophia while we were away. I do not believe there are any gifts suitable to express our appreciation. In addition I would like to thank my brother-in-law, no, I mean brother, Eric, who stepped into help and make a tough time for Sophia a memory of fun and happiness. Thank-you both.
Happy Mother's Day to all my sisters! Love Ya!! David

Things we miss

Things we miss:

Green grass and lush trees
milk, regular and strawberry
roads without potholes
just plain ole roads
a car ride in which you are not risking your life
hamburgers and french fries
veggies and steak
pizza, pasta and italian food
good beer
ice cream
washer and dryer
American shower and bath
English TV
Dunkin Donuts coffee
our own bed
And or course, Sophia, family and friends!!!!

Exchanging Money in Karagonda

Exchanging money in Karagonda

Dan went out to the bank today just a short walk from the hotel to exchange some money. Inside the small bank is a western union booth behind glass where you can step up to a woman and pass money through a slot to exchange it into Tengay. One US dollar is equal to 1.21 Kazak Tengay. Usually there is security guard sitting at a desk, in the very small bank lobby. Dan politely waited in line and a minute later someone brought a women up to the booth and the walked away. When the booth became available, the women stepped in front of Dan and headed toward the booth. Dan tapped her on the shoulder and motioned that he was next. The security guard came right over, spoke to Dan in Russian, and pointed to a sign that he of course could not read, and let the women proceed into the booth. Dan immediately thought the sign stated all Americans to the back of the line. However, in reality the moral of the story is that man with machine gun is always correct.

Banana You Later

Banana you Later Sophia

New MiaVideos

New Mia videos

Karagonda brewery Tour

Karagonda Brewery tour

Today, Friday a day off from the orphanage we got a tour of the Karagonda brewery by a friend (Jeff) we have met in the hotel. Jeff works for a British firm who has been contracted to install a bottling line for the brewery. The brewery has seen an increase of beer sales of 90 percent per year and 172 percent in the summer months. Apparently, Kazaks are starting to prefer beer. A Turkish company, who is the fastest growing brewing company in the Middle East, owes the brewery. It dominates the Turkism market and has several breweries in Georgia Kazakhstan, Romania, and some of the other Stans. The bottling line is able to produce 1000 bottles per minute, the bottle cleaner holds 35,000 bottles at one time. The line will produce three pallets per minute. He is faced with unbelievable obstacles, and then building that the bottling equipment is in did not get finished on time. The company hired to erect the building could not afford to buy the steel and neglected to tell anyone. The 150,000 square foot building was started in the winter however progress was very slow. The temperature was -40f with 60 mile an hour winds so the steel works could only work when the frost lessened on the steel beams. It gets very cold here in the winter the winds blow from the north at the artic with nothing to stop them because it is so flat. In the summer, Jeff says that it gets very hot because the winds blow the heat from the southern deserts and the Sahara. It is not a place to have a summer home for sure. Jeff told us that that works on the project mechanical engineers, welders’ plumbers and fabricators and electricians all earn about 80 dollars a day. At five days per week, that is roughly $21,000 per year. The secretary at the brewery earns $20 per day or $5200 per year. In contrast, Mia’s caregivers we believe earn about $1.20 per hour or about $2500 per year. Tara, I, and the other couples are going to tip them before we leave, as they are the ones who really do all the work. A 15-dollar tip is about a 1/3 of their weekly pay. Now we can start to understand how more then 50 percent of the country lives under the poverty line. I got off the subject a little but the tour was cool and it was nice to have someone speck English to us for an hour. Actually the beer is good it is sort of a light pilsner and I have one every night at dinner.