Well we have made it, what a freaking trip! We arived at Kostanay at 9am this morning after what seemed like days of travel. Most importantly we met our baby girl and she is DARLING! The most beautiful little face we have ever seen! Her birth name is Erna and she is tiny and angelic! She smiled at us and has dimples and sky blue eyes with strawberry blonde hair. Dr. Irina kept saying that she looks like Carrie but Carrie thinks she looks like both of us! We seem to have forgotten the plug for the edigital camera but will resolve that problem tomorrow and hopefully sent a picture,

After flying out of Newark Thursday evening, Carrie slept the entire flight and Bruce stayed up and worried. Nonetheless, we arrived in Frankfurt at 2 AM our time, 8 AM Germany time and spent the entire entire day walking around Frankfurt. We fell in love with the architecture and the little shops, biergartens and both religious and cultural buildings. Everone eats outside under street tents in warm hats and coats. And Starbucks is everywhere! We said a prayer and lit a candle for our baby at an incredible old church called Saint Barts located at the edge of a huge village square. We even shared a frankfurter! At nearly 4 PM we took the subway back to the airport and walked every inch until our flight to Kostanay took off at 11 PM or 5 PM Germany time. Our flight to Kostanay was more stressful but we were also overly tired and anxious to arrive. Olyssa, our interpretor and wonderful guide was there to meet and assist us with entering the country. We were taken to the hotel for a quick change of clothes and then went diredctly to the baby house. Dr. Irina was wonderful in her welcome of us, particularly since our Saturday arrival required both her and Olyssa to work on a weekend. After a brief visit, Olyssa took us to the money exchange and then to a food market where we bought some basic supplies and water to hold us until Monday.

The market is amazing and surprisingly stocked with familiar items as well as MANY unfamiliar things. There is good chocolate everywhere! I will close by saying that today has been just like a dream~ the familiar mixed with the unfamiliar in wierd ways. We lookforward to all your coments.This whole thing is out of control.We will enter more on Sunday.