Well - we have been to Hilton Head and back. Short trip but we did get to see the people we wanted to see. We went to our old church on Sunday. It was great to be able to introduce Deniss and for them to see how much Aaron has grown!
Friday we leave for Disney World. This will be Deniss' first trip to Disney. We certainly hope that he enjoys it as much as the rest of the family does. We are certified Disney addicts! Bobby and Lana will join us there on Saturday - so that will be the first time all the Hartzogs are together in one place - all six of us!
Deniss and Aaron are getting quite adventurous on their bikes. They go a little farther each day. Deniss is very athletic and likes to keep in shape. Aaron is getting stronger keeping up.
We will update again from Disney World!
Robin
Monday, June 18, 2007
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Thursday and all is well
Ok - language is coming faster every day! Deniss is getting brave venturing out on his bike. He wants to explore and is used to having some freedom. Today he took a one hour bike ride. He says he wants to know where he is.
I took him to my Rotary meeting today to show him off. I am working with our Rotary club and one in Latvia to try to come up with a project that we can fund for the orphanage where Deniss grew up.
Aaron and Deniss went to soccer tryouts Monday night. Deniss pulled a muscle in his thigh. They are trying out at the Lightning organization in Fayetteville. We hate having to drive that far but the team in Aaron's age group have all gone over there. We want both of them to be at the same club. Deniss is in the next age bracket up from Aaron. We know that Deniss will start to make new friends once he is involved in soccer - so we are encouraging that activity.
We are going to Hilton Head Saturday to visit a friend. My mentor, boss, friend and fellow Chrisian has cancer. He will be starting chemo soon and won't be able to have many visitors, so we are going to let him meet Deniss and see how tall Aaron has gotten.
More next week.
Robin
I took him to my Rotary meeting today to show him off. I am working with our Rotary club and one in Latvia to try to come up with a project that we can fund for the orphanage where Deniss grew up.
Aaron and Deniss went to soccer tryouts Monday night. Deniss pulled a muscle in his thigh. They are trying out at the Lightning organization in Fayetteville. We hate having to drive that far but the team in Aaron's age group have all gone over there. We want both of them to be at the same club. Deniss is in the next age bracket up from Aaron. We know that Deniss will start to make new friends once he is involved in soccer - so we are encouraging that activity.
We are going to Hilton Head Saturday to visit a friend. My mentor, boss, friend and fellow Chrisian has cancer. He will be starting chemo soon and won't be able to have many visitors, so we are going to let him meet Deniss and see how tall Aaron has gotten.
More next week.
Robin
Monday, June 11, 2007
Monday morning update
Well we are settling in to our new life. It was wonderful that on our first day back it was Sunday and we got to go to church. We were all welcomed back home with open arms.
I showed Deniss the rather large scrapbook I made of the pictures from his visit last summer. I was pleasantly surprised when I found that he could read some of the journaling. He can read more English than I thought! He is getting very comfortable speaking English to us. He clams up around other people but is saying more and more to us everyday. We have been told many times that English comes very quickly once these kids get home. I am really starting to believe it!
We got Sam from the kennel yesterday. He showed every sign that he remembered Deniss. Once he sniffed him a few times, he ran and got a toy to play with. Deniss spent a lot of time with Sam last year playing with Sam's stuffed toys. Sam remembered!
Deniss got brave and went out on a walk around the neighborhood with Sam yesterday. I think Ken was a bit nervous with him going alone but he will never learn his way around unless he gets to venture out alone.
Today we are going to try to assess the clothes situation. Deniss still had some of the clothes that we bought him last year but of course everything he owned fit into one suitcase. He has shorts and t-shirts, a little underwear but he only had the shoes that were on his feet. I think a shopping trip is in order but building his wardrobe will take some time. He always says no when we tell him to pick something out at the store. He is certainly not a typical teenager yet with a closet full of clothes!
More later.
Robin
I showed Deniss the rather large scrapbook I made of the pictures from his visit last summer. I was pleasantly surprised when I found that he could read some of the journaling. He can read more English than I thought! He is getting very comfortable speaking English to us. He clams up around other people but is saying more and more to us everyday. We have been told many times that English comes very quickly once these kids get home. I am really starting to believe it!
We got Sam from the kennel yesterday. He showed every sign that he remembered Deniss. Once he sniffed him a few times, he ran and got a toy to play with. Deniss spent a lot of time with Sam last year playing with Sam's stuffed toys. Sam remembered!
Deniss got brave and went out on a walk around the neighborhood with Sam yesterday. I think Ken was a bit nervous with him going alone but he will never learn his way around unless he gets to venture out alone.
Today we are going to try to assess the clothes situation. Deniss still had some of the clothes that we bought him last year but of course everything he owned fit into one suitcase. He has shorts and t-shirts, a little underwear but he only had the shoes that were on his feet. I think a shopping trip is in order but building his wardrobe will take some time. He always says no when we tell him to pick something out at the store. He is certainly not a typical teenager yet with a closet full of clothes!
More later.
Robin
Saturday, June 9, 2007
HOME SWEET HOME
WE ARE HOME AND GEORGIA IS ON OUR MINDS. Just a quick post and more details. Deniss Hartzog is an American citizen as of 4:45 PM EDT June 9th 2007. Hip Hip Hooray.
Friday, June 8, 2007
We are coming HOME!
We have Deniss' visa and we have changed our flights. All four of the Hartzogs will be coming home from Warsaw tomorrow. WOW. We are so ready!
Robin
Robin
In Warsaw - waiting
Yesterday was Robin's birthday. What a wonderful gift - a new son! We left Riga at about 1:30PM - we were actually almost 30 minutes early leaving! Never in America!
We arrived in Warsaw early and had an interesting introduction to Poland. After a long taxi ride, we arrived at the Sheraton Hotel only to be told that we had a room for two - two twin beds! We know that the travel agent was very specific about what we needed. Well they offered us two rooms and we would have been paying twice the price. So - we got back in another taxi and went to the Marriott. We got one room with a king bed and a cot. Aaron slept on the floor for the night. We moved to a different room today with two double beds. Everyone gets a comfy bed tonight.
We got up early for our appointment with the USEmbassy. We arrived about 30 minutes early. There was a line outside already but we were told we could go to the front of the line. They tried not to let us go in until 9AM but we finally said the magic word "Adoption", then the gates parted and we got our move to the head of the class pass. (Most of the people there were non-USA citizens tring to get visas to the US)
We went through our appointment with no problems. We had an interview with a very nice young lady who promised to get the paperwork done as soon as possible. However, there was a common computer glitch that someone in Washington DC had to fix and they don't get to work until noon Poland time. So, Ken and Deniss are walking back to the Embassy now for a 3PM appointment to see if they give him back his passport with the immigration visa attached. We sure hope we get it today because then we can change our tickets to get home sooner. More later.....
Robin
We arrived in Warsaw early and had an interesting introduction to Poland. After a long taxi ride, we arrived at the Sheraton Hotel only to be told that we had a room for two - two twin beds! We know that the travel agent was very specific about what we needed. Well they offered us two rooms and we would have been paying twice the price. So - we got back in another taxi and went to the Marriott. We got one room with a king bed and a cot. Aaron slept on the floor for the night. We moved to a different room today with two double beds. Everyone gets a comfy bed tonight.
We got up early for our appointment with the USEmbassy. We arrived about 30 minutes early. There was a line outside already but we were told we could go to the front of the line. They tried not to let us go in until 9AM but we finally said the magic word "Adoption", then the gates parted and we got our move to the head of the class pass. (Most of the people there were non-USA citizens tring to get visas to the US)
We went through our appointment with no problems. We had an interview with a very nice young lady who promised to get the paperwork done as soon as possible. However, there was a common computer glitch that someone in Washington DC had to fix and they don't get to work until noon Poland time. So, Ken and Deniss are walking back to the Embassy now for a 3PM appointment to see if they give him back his passport with the immigration visa attached. We sure hope we get it today because then we can change our tickets to get home sooner. More later.....
Robin
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Vistors to Our Blogspot
Starting in late may Robin set up a Google Analytical tracker on our blogspot. At the time it was just something to do. Then it became a must see everyday. Now when I got the results for June 5th a little while ago I was amazed. We have had visitors from ten states, and six countries. Most of the states we can figure out but who in the world is longing in in Turkey? Oh well thank all of you for your comments, support prayers and encouragement. Dont give up I will be posting for a while to come. I have more pictures to add to the other blogspot and will do so if we get the time and internet connection in Warsaw, otherwise I will start posting from home soon.
Last full day in Latvia
Today we had nothing on the agenda but to have a little fun. We did such a huge effort yesterday getting all of the paperwork and appointments done that we finished in one day instead of the two that we had allowed. (Let's hope it works that fast in Warsaw!)
So we had lunch at the Lido - a restaurant and amusement park. It was the same place that Deniss and friends went ice skating back in February. This time he and Aaron went roller blading on the same spot. We left there and went to a place called Go Planet. They rode go carts on an indoor track, played lazer tag and a few other games. That killed off the rest of the afternoon. We are back in our rooms now getting ready to leave Latvia tomorrow.
Deniss has seemed a bit distracted and down today. I think the initial adrenalin has begun to wear off and reality is setting in. He is probaby struggling with mixed emotions. There is absolutely no doubt that he wants to go but who wouldn't be a bit sad and even scared to be leaving the only home you have ever known for a different country!
Well - we just will have to love him through all of this.
Robin
So we had lunch at the Lido - a restaurant and amusement park. It was the same place that Deniss and friends went ice skating back in February. This time he and Aaron went roller blading on the same spot. We left there and went to a place called Go Planet. They rode go carts on an indoor track, played lazer tag and a few other games. That killed off the rest of the afternoon. We are back in our rooms now getting ready to leave Latvia tomorrow.
Deniss has seemed a bit distracted and down today. I think the initial adrenalin has begun to wear off and reality is setting in. He is probaby struggling with mixed emotions. There is absolutely no doubt that he wants to go but who wouldn't be a bit sad and even scared to be leaving the only home you have ever known for a different country!
Well - we just will have to love him through all of this.
Robin
New Pictures on Latvian Pictures Blogspot
Many new pictures have been posted on the new blogspot. Please visit www.latvianadoptionpictures.blogspot.com.
Deniss talking to his older brother Bobby during the first minutes of our arrival. We could be there but Bobby and Lana had to be home in Texas, so they missed out on the festivities. Oh did I mention it was 3:00 AM in Texas!:)Yes that is mom's elbow in the pic. We have not taken the time to crop our pics.
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
One More Hurdle has been Crosssed
While most of you were enjoying a good nights rest we have been very busy. We met our facillator and driver at 9:30 AM to start the medical side of the paper work. We arrived at the hospital that does contract work for the American Embassy at 10. Our driver left to pick up another family for the same thing. Five minutes later the hospital clerk needed a paper that we had left in the room. I took the walk back to the hotel, got all of our papers(because we were not sure what she wanted) and returned shortly thereafter. Well wouldn't you know it, we did not have the paper she wanted. She then said, "Dont worry, last family did not have either." Oh well, long story short, all systems are go, he passed his physical, his chest xray is good and he only needed one shot. Robin and the boys and facillatator are out now picking up his new passport with the correct name on it. What was supposed to take the better part of three days was done in about six hours. Now we have a free day tomorrow, well almost...
Today was Aaron's birthday,and May 14th was Deniss's. so we are going to take them to an amusement park tomorrow and the Lido resturant (Lido is a must do in Riga)for dinner. We have been there before. They offer literally hundreds of choices of foods to eat and just as many deserts. After diner the boys will be able to skate for a couple of hours while mom and dad veg out and watch. No not ice skateing like in the January/.February pictures, now it is roller blading.
We will fly out of Riga Thursday afternoon for our appiontment with the American Embassy in Warsaw on Friday. Say a prayer all goes well. If his appiontment goes well and they issue his Visa on Friday, we will all be home before the weekend is over. And believe me we ALL are ready to be home. Deniss is in very good spirits and is very excited about coming to America.
Today was Aaron's birthday,and May 14th was Deniss's. so we are going to take them to an amusement park tomorrow and the Lido resturant (Lido is a must do in Riga)for dinner. We have been there before. They offer literally hundreds of choices of foods to eat and just as many deserts. After diner the boys will be able to skate for a couple of hours while mom and dad veg out and watch. No not ice skateing like in the January/.February pictures, now it is roller blading.
We will fly out of Riga Thursday afternoon for our appiontment with the American Embassy in Warsaw on Friday. Say a prayer all goes well. If his appiontment goes well and they issue his Visa on Friday, we will all be home before the weekend is over. And believe me we ALL are ready to be home. Deniss is in very good spirits and is very excited about coming to America.
A Time for Change
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The Daugava River in February...the the same river in June. Also the sun did not rise until about 9:00 AM and it would set between 3 and 4:00 PM. Now dawn is around 3:30 AM and dusk is about 10:30 PM. What a difference a season can make.
Monday, June 4, 2007
Parting is such sweet sorrow
We are back in Riga with Deniss. We couldn't stay at Likumi too long bacause we had an appointment to get Deniss' new Latvian passport. We have appointments tomorrow starting at 10AM with doctors. The doctor reports are needed when we go to the US Embassy in Warsaw.
After arriving at Likumi, Aaron and Deniss went out to play football (soccer). Soon there were many boys in on the game. Ken and I gave up and went inside to talk to the adults. We gave the ladies their presents. I had made a special scrapbook for Zenta using some of the pictures from last summer. She is coming to America again this summer with the New Horizons group. We are planning to take her out to dinner again.
When it was time to go, a lot of the children gathered around the car. Zenta and one of Deniss' longtime caregivers began to cry. Even one of Deniss' friends began to cry. As much as everyone was happy to see him with a family, they are also going to miss him. Likumi has been his home for almost 10 years. These people were all the family that he has had. So it was sad and happy at the same time. Deniss looked a little sad but after getting away from that area, he was all smiles! I am sure that he has some mixed emotions right now. Who wouldn't?
After arriving at Likumi, Aaron and Deniss went out to play football (soccer). Soon there were many boys in on the game. Ken and I gave up and went inside to talk to the adults. We gave the ladies their presents. I had made a special scrapbook for Zenta using some of the pictures from last summer. She is coming to America again this summer with the New Horizons group. We are planning to take her out to dinner again.
When it was time to go, a lot of the children gathered around the car. Zenta and one of Deniss' longtime caregivers began to cry. Even one of Deniss' friends began to cry. As much as everyone was happy to see him with a family, they are also going to miss him. Likumi has been his home for almost 10 years. These people were all the family that he has had. So it was sad and happy at the same time. Deniss looked a little sad but after getting away from that area, he was all smiles! I am sure that he has some mixed emotions right now. Who wouldn't?
DENISS HARTZOG IS NOW WITH HIS FAMILY(Most of it that is)
It is a great day for all.Deniss is with his family, most of it that is, Bobby and Lana will catch up with us later this month. We got to Likumi at 10:oo AM today and Deniss came running down the road to meet us. We left at noon with no party because we had to go to passport appiontment at 2:00 in Riga. We pick up his passport Wednesday and should be cleared to leave Latvia on Thursday. Short blog for now because much is left to be done today, but long update and pic's later. Thank all of you for your support and prayers.
;
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Sunday, June 3, 2007
NEW LINK ADDED
We have created another for for pictures of our adoption journey. Uploading pictures is very time consuming, and takes up alot of space, so we statred a new blog that I will be adding pictures as time permits. It is listed in my links of Christian Adoptions so it will only be a click away. The link for the new site is:
www.latvianadoptionpictures.blogspot.com
Check it out while it is under construction.
Not much will be added today. We are leaving in a few minutes to pick Deniss up. It is three hours each way and we will host a going away party for Deniss and it will be attended by about sixty kids. We will probably get in very late tonight so not much will be posted today. I will try to have pictures of the party up by sometime tomorrow.
www.latvianadoptionpictures.blogspot.com
Check it out while it is under construction.
Not much will be added today. We are leaving in a few minutes to pick Deniss up. It is three hours each way and we will host a going away party for Deniss and it will be attended by about sixty kids. We will probably get in very late tonight so not much will be posted today. I will try to have pictures of the party up by sometime tomorrow.
WE ARE FINALLY IN RIGA
Just a short post to let all who are following us that we have arrived in Latvia. Check in hassles, strange carry on rules, late airplanes but we are finally here, It is 1:30 AM and we will be leaving here about 7:30 AM to go to Likumi to pick up Deniss. Big update on the blog tomorrow night so check it before you retire for the evening. Keep the prayers coming and pray for the team at Casa. Good night and God bless you all.
Fun and misadventures in London
London here we are. We arrived Friday AM. All went smoothly but slowly through customs. We bought our round trip ticket on the Gatwick Express to get us to Victoria Station in London. We then took one of the infamous London taxis to our hotel. It is a basic but decent hotel across the street from Kensington Gardens. We took a nap and then set out to find some lunch. We did a little walking to a real tourist trap area. We napped some more. Ken went and got us some "take away" food and then we made it an early night.
Saturday morning we had our traditional English breakfast here in the hotel. Then Ken and Aaron set out on the tube for Stamford Bridge (stadium for the Chelsea football club). Robin set out on a three hour walking trip to Harrods and back. This is where the misadventure set in.
Ken and Aaron went down into the tube (subway). Ken got on the train, the door shut, and Aaron was still on the outside. So Ken went on without Aaron. At the next stop, Ken got off, found a transit police person and told him about the problem. Fortunately, Aaron had the working cell phone. The police called him, he had gotton on the next train but it was a different line going in the wrong direction. The police gave him directions to get to the right station where he met Ken. Thank heavens, all turned out alright.
They went on their tour of Stamford Bridge. Robin walked to Harrods, around the inside of Harrods and then back to the hotel Three hours of walking almost non-stop. Needless to say, my feet were really tired!
We went to an English pub for dinner, fish and chips for all of us. That was fun.
Today we will take it easy before going back to Gatwick to go to Riga. Just think - this is Deniss' last day at the orphange!
More later.
Robin
Saturday morning we had our traditional English breakfast here in the hotel. Then Ken and Aaron set out on the tube for Stamford Bridge (stadium for the Chelsea football club). Robin set out on a three hour walking trip to Harrods and back. This is where the misadventure set in.
Ken and Aaron went down into the tube (subway). Ken got on the train, the door shut, and Aaron was still on the outside. So Ken went on without Aaron. At the next stop, Ken got off, found a transit police person and told him about the problem. Fortunately, Aaron had the working cell phone. The police called him, he had gotton on the next train but it was a different line going in the wrong direction. The police gave him directions to get to the right station where he met Ken. Thank heavens, all turned out alright.
They went on their tour of Stamford Bridge. Robin walked to Harrods, around the inside of Harrods and then back to the hotel Three hours of walking almost non-stop. Needless to say, my feet were really tired!
We went to an English pub for dinner, fish and chips for all of us. That was fun.
Today we will take it easy before going back to Gatwick to go to Riga. Just think - this is Deniss' last day at the orphange!
More later.
Robin
Friday, June 1, 2007
The Third Phase of a long Journey
We started very early Thursday, May 31. I opened the garage door at 5:30 AM and John was in my driveway, 45 minutes early. For those of you who do not know our Youth minister, John Dollar, he just loves to cut it close on time. I recovered from my stroke and so the day began. We flew from ATL to London by way od LGA and bus to JFK. We were late departing JFK, but only sat on the runway for a little over an hour which was alot better than February.
We got to London on time at 6:30. We landed in Gatwick and took a train to Victoria Station, and after much confusion we ended up taking a London taxi to the hotel. The tube was going to cost 22 L, or $45 and the taxi was only $20 so it was faster and a bargain to boot. The hotel is very nice but the lifts do not seem to be working. We took a nap then went to lunch. We walk the streets for a while and viewed the many tourist traps, saving the good for tomorrow when we are rested. Aaron and I will go to Stamford Bridge for a tour of the stadium that his beloved Chelsea Futbol team plays, Robin is wimping out and going to do some walking and window shopping in some of the more "fancy" places in London. I will leave that part for her report.
We are all on pins and needles. We can pick up Deniss on Monday morning and he never has to go back. Hard to believe someone can wait that long to have a family. So many years no mom, dad or brothers and sisters, but finally he will have it all, just no sisters. I will update the blog daily from this piont on. I will being adding pictures as time and weather permits.
I am closing for now so that we can feed our face once again and try to get a full night sleep tonight. For now may God bless and keep all of you safe in the days to come.
One last request, our Church is sending a group to Mexico this week . Robin, Aaron and I usually go with this group but we could not figure out how to be in two places at once so we chose to pick up our new son. There are alot of you out there praying for the Hartzog family so just add this group to your prayers also. If you are interested in what they are doing please visit www.casaporcristo.org . We have being going for a couple of years now, so please pray for the group and especially for Alan if he needs to go out at night.
We got to London on time at 6:30. We landed in Gatwick and took a train to Victoria Station, and after much confusion we ended up taking a London taxi to the hotel. The tube was going to cost 22 L, or $45 and the taxi was only $20 so it was faster and a bargain to boot. The hotel is very nice but the lifts do not seem to be working. We took a nap then went to lunch. We walk the streets for a while and viewed the many tourist traps, saving the good for tomorrow when we are rested. Aaron and I will go to Stamford Bridge for a tour of the stadium that his beloved Chelsea Futbol team plays, Robin is wimping out and going to do some walking and window shopping in some of the more "fancy" places in London. I will leave that part for her report.
We are all on pins and needles. We can pick up Deniss on Monday morning and he never has to go back. Hard to believe someone can wait that long to have a family. So many years no mom, dad or brothers and sisters, but finally he will have it all, just no sisters. I will update the blog daily from this piont on. I will being adding pictures as time and weather permits.
I am closing for now so that we can feed our face once again and try to get a full night sleep tonight. For now may God bless and keep all of you safe in the days to come.
One last request, our Church is sending a group to Mexico this week . Robin, Aaron and I usually go with this group but we could not figure out how to be in two places at once so we chose to pick up our new son. There are alot of you out there praying for the Hartzog family so just add this group to your prayers also. If you are interested in what they are doing please visit www.casaporcristo.org . We have being going for a couple of years now, so please pray for the group and especially for Alan if he needs to go out at night.
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