Victoria's Trip

Link to Pictures of our journey to Kazakhstan for Victoria Leigh

Be sure and click on the first picture to enlarge, then the arrows above to advance.

February 3rd at 10:25PM we landed in Almaty, Kazakhstan and were met by our drivers. There are six other families here adopting children. Some will stay in Almaty and like us others will travel on to Kokshetau, Kazakhstan. Our drivers took us to our sparcely furnished and stocked apartments for the night.

The next day we met with the adoption coordinators for our tickets and travel intineraries. We spent some time shopping and with our friends Cary and Denise who are adopting two children from Almaty, Isabella and Ethan.

We then boarded a small, old Russian jet to Kokshetau, Wednesday afternoon about 3PM for our three hour flight north. We arrived to 0 degree temperatures and 20 MPH winds. Unloaded our own luggage and were met by our drivers for our stay here. We checked into our hotel rooms and were then driven to the maternity hospital for our first meeting of our daughter Victoria Leigh (fka Anel). The visit was only 15 minutes, but she stole our hearts very quickly. We have been returning everyday since for two hour visits. She is beautiful and so smart.

Our court date was February 17th and we got in at about 12:30PM to see the Judge. He was very stern and asked a lot of questions about how we are going to be able to raise our daughter and daughters. He did joke a little about getting an invitation to Victoria's wedding. He has never been to the states. The judges decision came right after the hearing in about 10 minutes. And it was in our favor. Yippee!!!

We then had to complete all the local paperwork to transfer her birth certificate into our names and her new name then off to the hospital to get the little rascal.

We arrived about 5:30PM to Natalia's office at the hospital and a caregiver/nurse brought Victoria to us. We changed her into our clothes and snow suit and whisked her away to our hotel room.

We then went back to Almaty on that same old Russian jet, to meet with the US Embassy on the 19th, then onto Moscow and the US Embassy there February 21st. Then Home February 26th. Arrived Jacksonville airport midnight, late due to weather delays in Atlanta, the 26th and home around 1:00AM February 27th.

6 Months . . . . 2 1/2 Years. . . . 3 1/2 Years. . . . 5 Years

Our adoption of Victoria Leigh

from Kazakhstan.

Received our travel dates today January 14, 2003. We depart February 2nd and arrive February 3rd in Almaty. We should meet Victoria Leigh on February 5th in Kokshetau, Kazakhstan and have our court date February 17th. Then travel back to Almaty on the 19th, then on to Moscow the 24th, then home the 26th. Delta Airlines from Jacksonville to Atlanta, then Atlanta to Frankfurt, Germany, then Lufthansa Airlines to Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Want to know what the weather is like in Kokshetau, Kazakhstan: