We're Home (and we can't wait to go back!) Oh, and pictures!

We are home! We had an easy, quick trip to Almaty Tuesday, and we spent a short night in Amaty at the Hotel Kazzoul. Despite only being in Almaty for about 10 hours, we managed to work in a quick trek to Ciao Pizza, where we ate enought Italian food for three families. Oh how we missed our pasta while in Ust -- especially after Matt teased our taste buds by whipping up a mighty spaghetti meal during one of our visits to their apartment.

We were picked up at the hotel by our driver at 4:30 AM Wednesday, and we started the three-flight journey home. What a difference four weeks makes -- every single step along the way, we kept asking ourselves, "What will this be like in a few weeks with a 18-month-old traveling companion?!" Other than taking forever to clear immigration, customs, and luggage re-check in Detroit, we had a very smooth trip. We are so glad to be home, and although we miss Zak Makseem so terribly, we are still happy with our decision to come home.

My wonderful friends at work had plastered pictures of Zak all over my office, so my first day back at work on Friday was made much easier as I stared at our baby every time I looked up from my computer. Same with our home -- Auntie Mindy and Auntie Weenie (who will kill me for putting that name in this blog -- somehow "Kathleen" has become "Weenie" over the years) had placed framed photos of our little guy on our front porch and inside our home. These little things made it so much easy to re-enter Cincinnati without our main man.

We're still battling jet lag, but we managed to stay awake Friday night for a little welcome-home celebration with our closest friends (I have to mention Shari, since she is feeling left out as she reads this -- ha!). Zak is already loading up on some wonderful clothes and toys, which is good, since his parents are woefully behind in preparing a nursery or a wardrobe. All in good time. :-)

Speaking of which, we have already been told to be back in Ust on June 15 to start our journey home. We are counting down the days, and we are so excited that we will have celebrated both Mothers Day AND Fathers Day in our son's birth place.

I'm sure all of this writing is simply "blah, blah, blah" because at this point, it's really all about the pictures, isn't it?! (And you may have skipped to the photos by now any way!)

I'll plan to add a few more detailed posts over the course of the next few weeks, aimed primarily at sharing information for waiting families (court process, things we are so happy we brought along from home, etc.). We of course will blog actively as we journey back to Kazakhstan in mid-June.

In the meantime, we are thrilled to formally introduce Zakary Makseem.

Born December 12, 2006.
Adopted May 12, 2008.
Home forever -- hopefully June 23!

Day one ... one of our first photos of Zakary Makseem.

Reviewing the music selections for Club BH -- a tough critic!

His first hand-me-down is a designer shirt! Matt and Suz brought this shirt from home, and when it did not fit Andrey, it ended up on Zak. Thank you, cousin Andrey!

The shirt says it all...

This was either an entertaining moment for the caretakers -- or he was catching a cold. Either way, he was extra cute with a touch of dorkiness this day!

Mean parents introducing too much temptation .... these kids are thirsty all of the time, and it's no wonder, given that it is generally at least 80 degrees in the baby house.

I'm smiling, but seriously -- it is 95 degrees, and I am HOT!

And yes, as we know you are wondering ... we DO grab those cheeks and kiss them over and over again. Who could resist??