Ala Archa National Park

We went to the park in the mountains today at Ala Archa National Park. Let me just say, I'm way too out of shape to be hiking as far up a mountain as we went, carrying a baby. This is going to hurt tomorrow. Jennifer thought she was going to lose her breakfast on the way up from riding with our driver. There were a few moments when both our lives past before our eyes. However, we made it there and back and were really glad to have gone once we got there in the midst of the mountains and the rivers. There was one point when Elizabeth and her mom were taking Aidai to the bathroom and Jennifer had walked back to find a sock we'd lost when I was alone for a minute and thought this must just be how heaven would feel, with the majestic mountains and the rushing brook and the cool breeze blowing. It reminded me that God has been in control of this journey all along.

When we got back down the mountain I commented that there should have been a souvenir store in the yurt that said, "I climbed Ala Archa Mountain and all I got was this T-Shirt."

We are now back at our hotel, and like Elizabeth and Ellen are ordering in because that walk pretty much did us in. I think we could all use a nap. Ellie is playing in her Eddie Bauer bed. She was a trooper in the car, sleeping on the way there and just looking around on the way back. She's been in a very good humor this afternoon, talking, cooing and interacting with both Jennifer and I. She likes to look me in the eyes a lot, rub my face, put her head into my shoulder and sit in my lap. She is truly a very good, calm baby -- except when it's sleepy time and she becomes distraught. She is eating her new formula well, and with the exception of some gas, is doing well there. We brought Mylicon drops but because we choose to go ahead with the antibiotics because we suspected an ear infection, we read it should not be taken with antacids so we stopped those. She is now napping. Afternoon naps are hard and involve more back arching and screaming, but they get a little better each day. We have now switched her back to the slow nipple on the bottle. When we first got back from the orphanage, we had a slow and she couldn't eat from it. The fast nipple was all she could use. Now, a few days later, the fast was too fast -- especially since she's not being rushed to eat -- and she enjoys taking a leisurely bottle with the slow flow.

Here are some photos that photog extraordinaire Jennifer took today. We would have NO photos if it were up to me. It's all I can do to baby-wrangle. *smile* Click on the photos to see enlargements -- the better way to enjoy these.

This part of Krygyzstan is my favorite part. I LOVE being in the country part of Krygyzstan. Today we saw men riding horses, a herd of cattle crossing the road (the tail of one actually hit our car as we drove through), yurts out in the middle of vast open fields surrounded by mountains, farmers and such. It reminds me of what I think the area where

Ellie was born is like (from what I've read about it). It was great to get to experience this part of the country.

This is a photo of the prayer tree on the walk up. While I had nothing to tie onto the tree, I stopped and thanked God for the blessing of Ellie in our lives and asked Him to help bring home all the children in Kyrgyzstan currently waiting for their families, to speed up the process instead of allowing it to become slower and to help the waiting families endure their wait times with peace.

Sorry for no photos of the Princess. She is currently enjoying her bedtime onesie that says, "I'm the Princess. We'll do things my way." Stay tuned for a photo of that tomorrow as Jennifer and I are WORN out and ready for bed. She, on the other hand, does not seem to be, so it might be a bit. She has had her bath, complete with baby lotion massage and powdery diaper so she smells good and should be feeling relaxed. She has been fed and we are hopeful for some eyes drooping soon. She has had a very good day today.