Wednesday, January 23, 2008

The heart-stopping thing that happened on our way home from Almaty

I was so happy about getting home and getting Noelle settled in, that I forgot to tell you about the craziest thing that happened at the Almaty airport. Our whole group was in line waiting to check in at the Lufthansa desk, and Noelle decided she needed to stretch her legs, so we started to walk up the line. Suddenly, a woman with blond hair and an accent yells "Natashka" (Noelle's nickname in the babyhouse) and comes running over to hug Noelle! Of course the first thing that went through my head was that this was someone from Noelle's birth family-- my second thought was "You can't have her!!". Thankfully, it turns out the explanation was much less threatening. The woman, her husband and sister, all from Spain, were just returning home after their first trip to Karaganda, and they are adopting a little boy from Noelle's room. They spent a lot of time in the children's room itself (unlike us-- we spent most of our time in a separate playroom), and they had gotten to know all the kids. She even has pictures from when I was back in the US that she is going to email! We spoke for a few moments then went our separate ways. Later she came up to me and asked if she had scared me, and I had to tell her yes! But it was sweet to know that someone was watching out for Noelle while I was gone-- and she may have picked up a little Spanish along the way..

9 comments:

Chris Sullivan said...

Ouch! That was kinda of scary. We were reading it and having similar freaked out thoughts. O.k. you may still be jet-lagged but it is definitely past our bed time!

dnd82001 said...

Wow talk about freaking out - I'm not sure what I wold have done first , grab Noelle and run or just stand by in shock & disbelief.........amazing how much more we learn & endure as we go through this journey.
With this whole adoption process I am learning some pretty amazing stuff.

Karen said...

That would've freaked me out. Thank goodness it turned out to be a blessing.

Matthew Ruley said...

Wow - how wild is that!? Small world, isn't it?!!! I'd freak out too. I'd be thinking... hmmm. TOO LATE, LADY- I have the court approval and I'm almost on the plane!

Regina said...

Good grief, "heart-stopping" is right! I couldn't even imagine. What a strange and fortunate coincidence.

Hope you enjoy the extra photos you will get from that family.

Kristan and Mark said...

Remember me, struckbylightening?

I just found your blog link on another blog.

I have been wondering about you for months, but never did get your blog before you left.

I've only read a little, so I have a lot to catch up on.

Your daughter is beautiful.

Hope the phone worked.

Welcome home!

keoghclan said...

Just caught up on your blog and see you are home with your little cutie. Noelle is beautiful and looks to be settling in really well. I read over some old posts and love the one about Noelle liking The Saw Dr's........!!!
'I have fallen for another, you can find your own way home' will always bring to mind your kazakh princess from here on in.

The Keogh Clan in Toronto

Karen said...

Hi Jeannine—

You have just been tagged (see my blog).

Karen :-)

Olga (i Pep i Ona) said...

How funny!
Here the spanish woman who happenned to scare you!! Sorry, sorry, sorry again! I was so happy to see Noelle again and I didn't know she was named Noelle (nice name, suites her!)...
I didn't realize how much I scared you until some minutes later, sure! Your face didn't show what you was thinking!
Anyway, now I have found your blog in a link in another blog. It seems I'm following you all around the world! We are now in Spain and are going to get our son the 23rd. I'll pass the days better looking at your blog.
Hope you got the firt pics, please I'd love to keep in touch!
Promise not to scare you never again!
Olga
ecotecnics@telefonica.net