Overdue

Well, I've clearly underestimated how difficult it would be to keep up with the blog and work full time and be a good father and husband. But since being a good father and husband is my top priority, and working is necessarily my second, the blog must come further down the list. Nonetheless, I'm going to try to keep up with it albeit less frequently.

I got back from Tajikistan on Friday afternoon, which gave us exactly a week to take care of our many doctors appointments and gather our belongings for the move to New York. Aiden grew so much in the few weeks that I was in Dushanbe, I felt like I had to get to know him all over again. Now he's laughing and babbling and playing all the time. I don't think he forgot me because he smiled when he saw me.

Another milestone was giving him his first non-formula meal. We got some baby cereal, mixed it with his formula, and went to town. It wasn't a total failure because I'm sure he actually ate some, but a lot came out his nose or got sneezed all over me and Stephanie. Nonetheless, we had fun. Before we left for New York, Aiden got to meet his new 2nd cousin, Olivia. She's only a few months younger than him, so it will be nice that he has someone his age in the family.

For my assignment in New York, no funding was provided for Stephanie and Aiden's travel, or to move our belongings. So we decided to rent a van. Getting all of Aiden's things plus everything Stephanie and I need for four months into one van was no small task, but the months we spent moving around every couple of weeks gave me some formidable packing skills and I made it happen. I could even see out of the side view mirrors.

Our trip up was blessedly uneventful - no traffic at all until we hit the Lincoln Tunnel. And then, there we were, back in Manhattan! It was a wonderful feeling. Our apartment is a rather spacious one bedroom with an embarrassment of closet space by New York standards. We have a very nice view of the Queensborough Bridge, which allows us to appreciate both sunrises and moonrises.

The location in mid-town couldn't be better. There's a grocery store a couple of blocks away, and a cheese store with every type of cheese you can imagine just around the corner from us. There's no shortage of restaurants either, so we have plenty to keep us busy - there's even a Japanese restaurant across the street that does all-you-can-eat sushi for $25! Oh how we've missed New York. Aiden loves the city and enjoys going for walks in his stroller. He gets lots of attention when we go out - people literally stop and ooh and ahh over him - and that's really unusual in New York. (Not that we're surprised).

Aiden gets a lot of attention in restaurants too - we've had at least two experiences where waiters wanted to take Aiden back to the kitchen. Once, a guy actually took him from Stephanie to play with him - that was a little unnerving, but the guy meant well. Aiden got to go on his first subway ride when we went down to the San Genaro festival in Little Italy - he seemed to enjoy it.

While we were downtown, we had donuts from the Doughnut Plant - which were amazing. I could write an entire other blog about the things we eat, but I'll move on.

My office is almost directly across the street from the UN, and only about a 10 minute walk from home, so that's been nice. I couldn't ask for a better commute. Aiden and Stephanie even walk me to work sometimes.

The work is challenging and the hours can be long, but I enjoy it. Part of my job was to report on the speeches given as part of the general debate in the General Assembly (every country and some observers give a speech - almost 200 in total). Luckily I didn't have to cover them all, but it was interesting to hear what countries from all over the world have to say. The speeches are a matter of public record, but I won't comment on them too much. But there were some interesting times when the U.S. was getting bashed pretty harshly and it was odd sitting at the United States' table during those.

We had a nice surprise at work shortly after we arrived. Secretary Clinton and President Obama came to the building for a 'meet n greet' where they each gave speeches about the importance of the work we do. It was a really neat experience. Even better, I was able to get Stephanie and Aiden in too. At the end, President Obama was shaking hands with the children but we weren't that close to the front. Just as he turned away, I held Aiden out and said "Sir, how about a footshake?" That seemed to get his attention because he smiled, reached out, grabbed Aiden's foot, and gave it a little shake. It was a great moment. Unfortunately, Stephanie wasn't in a good spot to take a picture, but it will be a fun story to share with Aiden when he gets older.

That's it for now - more has actually happened, but I don't have the pictures ready to go along with the story, so it will have to wait.

Parting Shots

When I got back to Dushanbe, my first priority was to get the internet connection working at the house so I could stay in touch with Stephanie and Aiden. It didn't happen. The company came once and said they'd have to check at the headquarters to see if the account was activated properly. They came a second time and said everything was fine, but after two hours with no success, they discovered that the internet line was carrying radio signals instead of the internet. They fixed that and it still didn't work, so they tried changing the modem. No luck. By then, an entire week had gone by and since they don't prorate, it didn't seem worth paying for an entire month's internet service for only two weeks of usage.

So, this post will cover the entirety of my final three weeks in Tajikistan. Luckily, the embassy has an excellent long distance plan with our cell phone contract (courtesy of yours truly), and I was able to talk to Stephanie every night. Sometimes I got to talk to Aiden too, but mostly he tried to eat the phone. A good friend of ours had me over on Sunday evenings so that I could use her internet connection to skype, so I at least got to see my family once a week.

Being back in Dushanbe without Stephanie and Aiden was sort of like not being back at all. It just wasn't the same. Add to that, the demands of getting our house packed out and trying to simultaneously train one of the new GSO's and wrap up my responsibility, and I didn't have a lot of free time anyway. So no great hikes, no camping trips, and no wild parties. Still, even the more mundane parts of life held some newsworthiness.

Of course, I got to enjoy more death defying marshrutka rides. One driver seemed determined to run over a pedestrian and another alternated between texting and screaming into his phone - which left very little time to watch the road. I got into an argument with another driver when he tried to drop me off far from the embassy. He claimed that they never go any further than that and didn't seem impressed when I told him I had been going all the way to the embassy for two years.

In general, August isn't a nice time to be in Dushanbe. It was the same when we arrived - very hot, and very dusty. No beautiful mountain views and this year, Ramadan fell during August so there were fewer activities going on. Actually, the thing I enjoyed most was going to the bazaar. They had those great pink tomatoes that we love -

and I bought garlic to roast and enjoy with dinners. One time I was able to get eggplant for less than 10 cents per pound. And where the bazaar was sometimes a stressful place when we first arrived, I found I was comfortable there by the end of my tour. I enjoyed bantering with the vendors and just taking my time to enjoy the sights and sounds.

During my second week back, the movers came to pack up all of our things. They were so professional and efficient, I couldn't believe it. It was nothing like when we packed out from New York. I have full confidence that all of our possessions will go where they are intended to go. But packing out also made the house seem that much more empty and that much less like home.

During my last week, I started working on eating all of the foods I liked best. I went out with my team to the local teahouse for shashlik, and we went to lunch at my favorite plov restaurant. One of my former employees happened to be in town as well and he invited me to his house for a traditional meal, which was a nice treat.

My last weekend at home, I realized that I never documented the Green Bazaar very well. So even though I didn't need any food, I took my camera for a last grand tour. I chatted and got permission to take some really nice pictures. Since it was only a few days until the end of Ramadan, the place was bustling as people shopped for the feasts of Eid. In particular, the butcher section was busier than I'd ever seen it.

The vendors were very friendly. Some asked me to only take pictures of their produce, others couldn't wait to be in pictures.

One lady demanded that I give her my camera as a gift. I tried to explain to her that it was expensive, but she was convinced that for an American, $200 is pocket change. So I pointed out that if I gave it to her, she wouldn't have the charger, or the equipment to download the pictures, and that at least made sense to her.

After my last weekend, I moved out of the house completely and into the Hyatt. My replacement arrived the same day I departed and she was slated to go in my house. Even empty, it was still a little sad leaving the place we called home for two years and knowing I won't be back. But then, moving into the Hyatt went a long way toward making up for it.

The last few days went by quickly. I said my good byes at work and finished up with my responsibilities there. I had a last meal of shashlik and lagman at the teahouse and was even visited (attacked) by a meat eating bee. I outsmarted it at first and put a piece of meat that was mostly cartilage out on a separate plate to try to lure it away from my food. It took the bait, but then returned again before I was finished and that time it ignored my offering. But I showed that bee - I stuffed the remaining shashlik in my mouth all at once where the bee couldn't get it and then paid my bill and left.

My final days went even more quickly than I expected because it happened that Eid fell on Wednesday, which would have been my last day at work. Since the embassy was closed, I got to enjoy my last day in the Hyatt. I went to the gym and ran, lifted weights, swam, and enjoyed the sauna. Then I sat down to the buffet breakfast for a full hour. It was enough to hold me until it was time to head out for dinner.

I walked from the Hyatt into town to enjoy the sights. Despite rumors that it was built incorrectly, they actually hoisted the flag on the world's tallest flag pole (until the new one is built), which made for some nice parting shots as I made my way through town.

Preparation for next weeks 20th anniversary of Tajikistan's independence from the USSR, are in full swing as they race to complete numerous construction projects undertaken for the occaision (or at least make them look presentable).

For my last meal, I met some friends at the Ukrainian restaurant, Traktir. I suppose it's a little weird having Ukrainian on my last night in Tajikistan, but their homemade sausage and potatoes was one of my favorite dishes (and since it's made by that restaurant, I consider it unique to Tajikistan). Besides, I made sure to eat more than my share of the staples.

After dinner, I took one more walk through town on my way back to the Hyatt and got a surprise. What looked like the entire armed forces of Tajikistan (and I mean that, it might have been), was lined up on the main road, Rudaki. From the Somoni statue all the way into the city center, the entire four-lane road was full of soldiers. I tried to take some pictures surreptitiously, but it was too dark. Considering that every single one of them was holding a Kalashnikov, I wasn't about to set up my camera for a good picture. All the same, it was nice seeing something new after living there for two years.

Leaving the hotel at 2:45 am gave me the feeling that I was sneaking away. Of course, there was no other choice since all of the international flights leave in the middle of the night. But it did feel a bit anticlimactic considering that it was such a momentous occasion - completing my first tour. On the other hand, it was very much like the conditions when we arrived, only Stephanie was with me then.

No hullabaloo at the airport, nothing to report. The plane took off on time at 5:10 am. There was just enough light from the rising sun to sillouette the mountains against the sky for a few last pictures.

Below, too dark for the camera, I could make out the presidential palace in the city center, and then followed the road out to where I could see the lights of the embassy compound. It's still a little hard to believe I'm not going back, but then, there's so much to look forward to, I think I'll get used to the idea.

Addendum: The Journey Home

I've decided that it's impossible to travel halfway around the world in two days and have nothing to say about it. Anxious as I was to see Stephanie and Aiden, I decided that the layover in Germany was too short to try to go through customs, get my luggage, and recheck in time to board the connecting flight. It was a good thing I did, too. Our flight from Istanbul was almost an hour late landing and then there was a hold up on the tarmac. When it came time to go through customs, there were these ridiculously long lines. I got in what looked to be the shortest one, but while I was zoning out, another American guy decided to come up from the other side and have the line continue from him instead of me.

I was snapped out of my reverie when he shouted 'Hey, the line goes from here!' and indicated the extra dozen or so people who were now behind him. I was too tired to argue, and as I thought to myself that there really is some truth to the stereotype about obnoxious American travelers, I noticed that there was a much shorter line under a sign that said 'Crew' and 'Diplomatique'. I wasn't sure if it referred to foreign diplomats or German ones, but I figured I didn't have much to lose, so I went in the shorter line and was welcomed right in. I even had the satisfaction of catching the idiots eye as I went through. He was still about 20 people back from the counter.

My satsifaction was shortlived, however. When I got to the baggage claim, the bags started coming out almost right away. But I guess the long lines in customs kept most passengers away and the bags stopped coming out when the carousel filled up. So we had to wait, and wait, and wait, for people to start taking their bags and eventually I got mine.

It was a great feeling of relief when I got to the hotel, and after sitting on planes for most of the day, I went for a nice long walk around the city. I got to see the Opera House, although I missed a showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show by a day - that would have been something to see. From there I walked through the historic Romerberg district and crossed the river Main to the Sauchenhausen district, which is known for it's Apfelwien. I don't think there's much that could have made me feel better than a couple of tart glasses of Apfelwien along with some wurst, saurkraut and potatoes. Of course, pictures were taken.

By the time I got back to the hotel, I was pretty bushed, so I wrapped things up and headed to bed.

I thought the flight from Frankfurt to DC the next day would never end. Mostly because I was so excited to see Aiden and Stephanie. And of course, it did eventually end and I got my rental car and was reunited with my wife and son a short time later.

I joined the Foreign Service to serve our country, and to see some of the more exotic places in the world. I'd say we're off to a great start on both counts and can't wait to see what comes next. Now we have a whirlwind of doctor's appointments before heading to New York for a short assignment there. Stay tuned, updates will recommence once we hit the Big Apple.

Oh, and there are more pictures both from Dushanbe and Frankfurt for those interested:

Finishing Dushanbe 2011 JPGS

Time's Up

The past couple of weeks have been a whirlwind. Our time in the DC area was even more hectic than we thought. After three hours of consultations with the team who was supposed to help with Aiden's cleft palate, we found out that the surgeon we wanted to work with doesn't take any insurance. I haven't the foggiest idea why the receptionist couldn't mention that when we asked about insurance (apparently the clinic takes it, but not all of the doctors). So we're back to square one. Fortunately, we had the same surgeon recommended by the team in San Antonio and Aiden's pediatricians so we feel comfortable with this one as well.

When I got to San Antonio, the two months with Aiden seemed like a a nice long time, but it's amazing how fast the time has slipped away. It's already time to head back to Tajikistan for the remainder of my tour. I know it's only a month, but I've seen how much he can change in a month and know I will miss a lot. He's already starting to push himself up on his hands and is working on turning over. Thank goodness for skype.

It looks like I'm going to be pretty busy, so the time should go quickly. Then it's back to the U.S. and our adventure in New York City. I think Aiden is really going to like it. We visited friends in Reston, VA who had a baby shortly after Aiden was born. Aiden was fascinated by the tall buildings and we had to hold him lying down so he wouldn't hurt his neck trying to look up at them. I can't wait to see what he thinks of Times Square.

But for now... Hi ho, hi ho, it's back to the Doosh I go...

Family Frenzy

After the 4th of July, we went back to Maryland to stay with my parents for awhile and Aiden got to start meeting his extended family. Great Aunts and Uncles, Great-Great Aunts, cousins, second cousins, second cousins once removed, first cousins twice removed... it's a lot to keep track of, but everyone was so excited to meet him.

Aiden's Great Grandfather and Great Grandmother (from my mom's side) even came all the way from Alabama to meet Aiden, which was very special. His Great Grandmother would barely put him down to eat dinner. But it was neat having four generations of family in one room, like in this picture.

We were having so many family get-togethers that there wasn't time to do much else except rest. That didn't really bother us though, since as anyone on the east coast knows, we've been dealing with an unbearable heat wave. We didn't really want to go outside anyway. The only positive with heat waves is that they invariably bring thunderstorms, which can leave beautiful sunsets to enjoy.

After enjoying time with my parents, it was time for Stephanie's baby shower. I guess it isn't often that the baby gets to be at his or her shower, but Aiden did. It seems that everyone had a good time. We've been really blessed to have so many generous friends and family who care so much about Aiden.

Just as exciting is that the day after Stephanie's shower, she went to my cousin's (and Aiden's Godmother's) shower. She's due the beginning of August, so Aiden will have a second cousin just his age to play with as he gets older.

After the shower, we decided to stay at my Aunt's house near Annapolis for a quiet getaway. She has a lovely house overlooking a river and we couldn't have asked for a nicer setting.

We even got to take advantage of the location by going kayaking while Aiden stayed with my Aunt. Early in the morning, it wasn't too hot and we got to see some blue heron and osprey on the way. No camera on that trip because I was worried I'd tip and lose it.

That afternoon I got to go out with my uncle and some of his friendly neighbors on their sailboat. I even got to pilot the boat to where the river meets the Chesapeake Bay.

On the way back, I somehow got the boat spun around and decided to spend the rest of the trip taking in the beautiful scenery.

There's no better place to be during a heat wave than on the water.

We had a little bit of a scare towards the end of our stay when we thought Aiden might have caught my sister's strep throat. He was almost inconsolable, wouldn't sleep, and wouldn't eat, but didn't have a temperature. We talked to a nurse at the doctor's office and after a few short questions, she felt that he might be teething. We thought three months sounded early, but she said it wasn't unheard of. We took her advice and got a homeopathic remedy made from chamomile, and that seems to do the trick when he's fussy. No teeth yet, but he likes to chew on our fingers and seems to have some promising bumps on his gums. Aiden has a check-up later this week, so we should be able to learn more then.

Other than that, Aiden is having smooth sailing as he approaches his three month birthday. He's smiling, even laughing at times, and continues to be very curious.

In celebration of his pending milestone, our friends even made a special pot pie for dinner last night!

Time seems to be speeding up now that August is approaching. I can't believe there are less than two weeks before I have to return to Tajikistan. Hopefully it will go fast so I can get back to having more adventures with Aiden.

Aiden's Adventures

We've been having a wonderful time over the past few weeks, introducing Aiden to our family and friends. There are so many people who want to meet him, we're lucky that he doesn't mind being passed around. Aiden has continued to thrive and it's so exciting seeing him grow. Now he's smiling, grasping, cooing, and turning his head to watch us as we move through the room. He's also letting us get a fair amount of sleep - we have to wake him up for his late night feedings.

Of course, a lot of what we like to do is introduce him to the world around us. This has included chasing snapping turtles at my parent's house...

Touring the first winery on the Eastern Shore of Maryland (we even got Aiden a children's book about grapes who aspire to becoming wine)...

Touring Pennsylvania Dutch country near Stephanie's parents'...

Visiting a petting zoo (there was no petting, but the llama came to greet Aiden)...

And just being berry happy together in Intercourse...

We also go for walks together...

And Aiden was there to celebrate his Grandfather's (on Steph's side) 70th birthday!

Aiden even got to celebrate his first 4th of July in our nation's capital. His godparents (my cousins) have a place overlooking the National Mall, so we had a great view of the monuments and the fireworks show...

As they say, time flies when you're having fun. It's hard to believe I have to go back to Tajikistan in less than a month. But we have a lot more fun planned between now and then.