"To bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair." Isaiah 61:3

The Burckhard Family

The Burckhard Family

Monday, February 28, 2011

Day 12...

After a lazy Sunday morning, we were brave and ventured out, grabbed a taxi and went to a large shopping mall called "USCE." It was a very upscale mall with lots of worldwide brands. We walked the mall and ended up on the third floor where lo, and behold, there was a McDonalds!
We introduced Nole to McD's fries and KETCHUP! Grace, guess what? you will have to share....because he loved it!


We thought that the mall concept was great in that all like stores were grouped together....sports stores, children's stores, etc.

We had a fun little outing with Nole!

Day 12...

After a lazy Sunday morning, we were brave and ventured out, grabbed a taxi and went to a large shopping mall called "USCE." It was a very upscale mall with lots of worldwide brands. We walked the mall and ended up on the third floor where lo, and behold, there was a McDonalds!
We introduced Nole to McD's fries and KETCHUP! Grace, guess what? you will have to share....because he loved it!


We thought that the mall concept was great in that all like stores were grouped together....sports stores, children's stores, etc.

We had a fun little outing with Nole!

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Days 10 & 11....

The past two days have been been good. Day 10 was more of a stay-at-home day. I was happy to be a "Becky Home-ecky" and was able to wash a couple loads of clothes. There are no dryers here, so I had clothes hanging on a rack and scattered throughout the apartment on the radiators. Kevin went to the American Embassy to pick up paperwork and schedule an appointment for Monday to get Nole's Visa.

This is the view from our apartment window...
In the afternoon, we ventured out and went to Chickenita--a fast food retaurant--and a nice Serbian worker there who spoke English helped us order and then directed us to a place to get "minutes" for our cell phone.

We returned to the apartment and took a long nap. Yesterday's Adoption Day was filled with lots of emotion and we felt spent! After our rest, we went across the street to our local little market to get some groceries. Got quite a bit for $2200 dinar or about $30 in US. The currency in Serbia is the dinar.

With a few groceries stocking our little kitchen, I was able to make some sauce for a spaghetti dinner. Nole loved the noodles! Also, boiled some brown eggs for breakfast.
Day 11 was a very fun sightseeing day! Jasmina, our facilitator, met us at our apartment, and after going to the Photo Mart across the street to have Nole's Visa pics taken, we walked the narrow city streets down to the The Cathedral of Saint Sava--an Orthodox church in Belgrade.It is currently under renovation, but was still very beautiful and awe-inspiring inside.

Next, we loaded into a taxi and were dropped off at Knez Mihailova Street--the main walking street in Belgrade.

It is a pedestrian zone and shopping center, protected by law as one of the oldest and most valuable landmarks of the city. It has a large number of impressive buildings and mansions built at the end of the 1870s.


The city lies at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers,
Next we walked the grounds around the Kalemegdan Fortress--also note the statue of Pobednik (Winner), one of the symbols of Belgrade....
On the grounds, we were also able to tour St. Petka's Church which has an interior made completely mosaics, and the Rose Church which had unusual chandeliers made out of bullet shells.


To end our day, we experienced one of Serbia's best restaurant's located in the fortress. Not exactly sure what the name is, but someone called it the Castle Restaurant. We had a wonderful dinner...and they had a high chair for Nole too, which made it even more pleasant for everyone!

And to top off the day for me, Jasmina and her nephew Bane took me out to the National Theatre to experience the opera the Barber of Seville. The Theatre was breathtakingly beautiful and we had awesome balcony seats...I did not take this picture, but wanted to show just a bit of its beauty.... The opera was done in Serbian, but through the superb singing and acting (along with reading the program synopsis in English) I was able to follow the story line. Even so, the opera was so well done, it wouldn't have mattered what language was used.

This is a day we will treasure so that we can impart a taste of Serbia, especially Belgrade, to Nole one day.

Days 10 & 11....

The past two days have been been good. Day 10 was more of a stay-at-home day. I was happy to be a "Becky Home-ecky" and was able to wash a couple loads of clothes. There are no dryers here, so I had clothes hanging on a rack and scattered throughout the apartment on the radiators. Kevin went to the American Embassy to pick up paperwork and schedule an appointment for Monday to get Nole's Visa.

This is the view from our apartment window...
In the afternoon, we ventured out and went to Chickenita--a fast food retaurant--and a nice Serbian worker there who spoke English helped us order and then directed us to a place to get "minutes" for our cell phone.

We returned to the apartment and took a long nap. Yesterday's Adoption Day was filled with lots of emotion and we felt spent! After our rest, we went across the street to our local little market to get some groceries. Got quite a bit for $2200 dinar or about $30 in US. The currency in Serbia is the dinar.

With a few groceries stocking our little kitchen, I was able to make some sauce for a spaghetti dinner. Nole loved the noodles! Also, boiled some brown eggs for breakfast.
Day 11 was a very fun sightseeing day! Jasmina, our facilitator, met us at our apartment, and after going to the Photo Mart across the street to have Nole's Visa pics taken, we walked the narrow city streets down to the The Cathedral of Saint Sava--an Orthodox church in Belgrade.It is currently under renovation, but was still very beautiful and awe-inspiring inside.

Next, we loaded into a taxi and were dropped off at Knez Mihailova Street--the main walking street in Belgrade.

It is a pedestrian zone and shopping center, protected by law as one of the oldest and most valuable landmarks of the city. It has a large number of impressive buildings and mansions built at the end of the 1870s.


The city lies at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers,
Next we walked the grounds around the Kalemegdan Fortress--also note the statue of Pobednik (Winner), one of the symbols of Belgrade....
On the grounds, we were also able to tour St. Petka's Church which has an interior made completely mosaics, and the Rose Church which had unusual chandeliers made out of bullet shells.


To end our day, we experienced one of Serbia's best restaurant's located in the fortress. Not exactly sure what the name is, but someone called it the Castle Restaurant. We had a wonderful dinner...and they had a high chair for Nole too, which made it even more pleasant for everyone!

And to top off the day for me, Jasmina and her nephew Bane took me out to the National Theatre to experience the opera the Barber of Seville. The Theatre was breathtakingly beautiful and we had awesome balcony seats...I did not take this picture, but wanted to show just a bit of its beauty.... The opera was done in Serbian, but through the superb singing and acting (along with reading the program synopsis in English) I was able to follow the story line. Even so, the opera was so well done, it wouldn't have mattered what language was used.

This is a day we will treasure so that we can impart a taste of Serbia, especially Belgrade, to Nole one day.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Day 9.....Our New Addition.....

We would like to introduce the newest addition to the Burckhard Family!

He weighs 30 lbs is 32 inches long, and he has lots of dark silky hair......
NOVAK BURCKHARD


His nickname is Nole (pronounced Nolay) which he prefers. But we love what Novak means: The name is derived from the Slavic word for "new" (e.g. Czech: nový), meaning something similar to "new man", "newcomer" or "stranger" in English. The name was often given to someone who came to a new city, or a convert to Christianity.

The Adoption Ceremony was so beautiful and touching. At the end, the Ministry Director gave me a bouquet of flowers and congratulated us. The whole group stood and clapped.
Here is the wonderful team of people who helped make it possible here in Serbia.....

Thank you for your continued love and support. We are so grateful to have you praying for our family! May God bless each and everyone of you!

Day 9.....Our New Addition.....

We would like to introduce the newest addition to the Burckhard Family!

He weighs 30 lbs is 32 inches long, and he has lots of dark silky hair......
NOVAK BURCKHARD


His nickname is Nole (pronounced Nolay) which he prefers. But we love what Novak means: The name is derived from the Slavic word for "new" (e.g. Czech: nový), meaning something similar to "new man", "newcomer" or "stranger" in English. The name was often given to someone who came to a new city, or a convert to Christianity.

The Adoption Ceremony was so beautiful and touching. At the end, the Ministry Director gave me a bouquet of flowers and congratulated us. The whole group stood and clapped.
Here is the wonderful team of people who helped make it possible here in Serbia.....

Thank you for your continued love and support. We are so grateful to have you praying for our family! May God bless each and everyone of you!

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Day 8....Great News!

Day 8 was a great day! In most part, because we got word from our favorite facilitator Jasmina that the Ministry Office signed off on our reports! Praise God! We will have the Adoption Ceremony tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. here (3:00 a.m. Central Time...while you sleep).

This morning started with breakfast in our room. The staff are so kind and considerate; they even bring Nathan an apple juice even when we don't ask. Here is our daily bread.....
We then ventured off by ourselves to the Kragujevac City Center and walked around. It was like a slushy winter wonderland. Very pretty.
After a bit, we took a taxi to the Roda Center to play and walk around in out of the snow and rain.

After we returned and had a short rest, we got word that everything was signed. So, we headed off to the Pink Panther (or as the sign says "Pink Panter") for a celebratory dinner.
Here are Mama & Nathan in front our our hotel called Hotel Zeneva:


We are now back at the room and getting packed up to head from his birth city and then on to Belgrade to finish up the rest of the paperwork.

I would like to end this post with a picture especially for Sissy. Here is Nathan in the hat you made him (just like his big sestras):
Can't wait until tomorrow when we can officially announce our new son to you!

Day 8....Great News!

Day 8 was a great day! In most part, because we got word from our favorite facilitator Jasmina that the Ministry Office signed off on our reports! Praise God! We will have the Adoption Ceremony tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. here (3:00 a.m. Central Time...while you sleep).

This morning started with breakfast in our room. The staff are so kind and considerate; they even bring Nathan an apple juice even when we don't ask. Here is our daily bread.....
We then ventured off by ourselves to the Kragujevac City Center and walked around. It was like a slushy winter wonderland. Very pretty.
After a bit, we took a taxi to the Roda Center to play and walk around in out of the snow and rain.

After we returned and had a short rest, we got word that everything was signed. So, we headed off to the Pink Panther (or as the sign says "Pink Panter") for a celebratory dinner.
Here are Mama & Nathan in front our our hotel called Hotel Zeneva:


We are now back at the room and getting packed up to head from his birth city and then on to Belgrade to finish up the rest of the paperwork.

I would like to end this post with a picture especially for Sissy. Here is Nathan in the hat you made him (just like his big sestras):
Can't wait until tomorrow when we can officially announce our new son to you!