SOS Clinic and Back at Home

SOS means help!
Julia and Phoebe, aren't they just beautiful?
Holding hands while waiting for their exam...

So today was just a gorgeous day!! Our first stop was at the fabulous breakfast buffet where we got our own handmade HOT omelets, french toast, waffles, fruit, they call it their Sunday Family Brunch. Some of the translations are funny, like "Health Breakfast." But it was a treat to get some hot, good food. John was so happy. I woke up tired but glad to be here. It is a bit of home in a foreign land. We(the Reids and us) walked to the SOS clinic as John and I remembered where it was from the last time we walked to the hotel from it and saved us about 10 dollars in taxi fees. We did have to ask someone just before we got there as we kind of forgot but we were really close and found it without difficulty.
We also had a different experience than last July. We saw a South African doctor back then who was pretty good in explaining our medicals to us, showing us where our son fell on the growth charts, and immunizations he had. This time we got a local doctor and John said she was not trained in pediatrics at all. He said she approached the exam all wrong and did the equivalent of what a 3rd year medical student coud do. He couldn't believe they could get 140 dollars for this type of exam. She didn't go over our paperwork, nor did she check for any hip dysplasias or other pediatric exams she should do. All she did was listen barely to her heart and lungs, look at her ears and throat. Even I have done that exam. All we could do was shake our head and follow directions. It was a bit frustrating. This time I sent John in to watch them draw blood, I just get annoyed and cry because I see them do it very differently than I do it, and it seems cruel to me. Phoebe cried but quickly got back to her bubbly self. With all of her clothes on she was 13 lbs which means she's probably about 12 1/2 lbs, 25 inches!!
Phoebe's learned to sign "I love you!"
The Reids and John walked back to the hotel and then the Hallaways, our coordinator, and I walked to the KLM office. We had to change our children's tickets as they had paper tickets and we were here a week later. It was perfect walking weather. We walked by the Hotel Kazakhstan, and through Paniflov Park. Saw 2 brides walking in the park and went into the Orthodox church. It took us an hour to get our tickets all straightened out and that was good. I then took a taxi back to the hotel for 10 dollars. I could have walked back in the time it took, at 2 points during the trip the driver turned his car off the traffic was so bad. At least he was friendly and played Celine Dion for me.
Here comes the bride...
A walk in the park...
I got back to the Intercontinental and was famished. So our little family and Dianne's Dad walked to the Ramstor which is not very far from us. They have an ice skating rink there, a grocery store, and a big mall. I had a hamburger and fries, and John had some couscous. It was good. I found out I should have bought more diapers down in Bishkek, they were 10 dollars for 32 vs 4 dollars in Bishkek. It was the same price in both places last time so I didn't bother, but no use crying over spilled milk.
We're going to take a down day and relax at the hotel tomorrow:)
On the home front our little family is doing well. Michael is starting to crawl fast and has learned to maneuver the walker. When we left he had just started crawling but now he can crawl on the wood floor. He could move the walker but would get it stuck but I guess he has learned how to do it!! It's hard to be away and missing all this but it means he is doing well where he is at and getting great care!! Our little pups look happy too and Sydney has found a new friend:) It makes our time here easier and we can't thank the Stahl's enough for caring for this most important part of our lives. God has been good so good to us this trip. But of course we are counting down the days!!
Walking makes me tired!
Our pampered puppies