Friday, October 31, 2008
Tricks, No Treats
Someone must have told the begger women that today was Halloween, because they took their abilities to a whole new level. There are now 4 adults and 3 kids - a girl around 12 or 13, the 6/7 year old who Suzannah wants to play with, and a toddler who was sleeping in her mother's arms. Plus, of course, the mysteriously still and silent bundle that's supposed to be a baby. I would like to do something for the little girl, like maybe give her a doll or some candy on my last day, but the adults are so obnoxious that it becomes difficult to consider. Today they were very loud and insistent, approaching people in the parking lot as soon as they got out of cars, blocking paths, poking arms, etc. I think some police officers finally got after them: after we finally got away I saw 2 or 3 police headed in their direction, followed by some raised voices that I recognized, and I haven't seen them since. But I have no doubt they'll be back tomorrow.
There were jack-o-lanterns on the breakfast buffet today! Okay, the pumpkins were small and green, and the faces were all cookie-cutter identical, but it was such an unexpected treat that I got all ferklempt as soon as I saw them. Suzannah stared at the glowing faces, but Mommy thought they were the best thing she'd seen in days.
We went for another long walk this morning. There's not much else to do, really. We spent about an hour dodging the beggers, wandering the sidewalks, getting yelled at by guards when I let her slide down the highly polished ramp at the oil company building. After an hour her legs were tired (mine too!), so we came back to the hotel, buckled Suzannah into the Demon Stroller, and set out for part 2. My arms got the workout then, as I steered the stroller around holes, lowered her down the cut-less curbs & then dragged her back up the next side, lifted the stroller over rain gutters, hauled it over piles of bricks & sticks, etc. I would hate to be in a wheelchair in this town. It would be almost impossible to be independent. I asked Vala about that this afternoon and she said it's very very difficult for folks with mobility issues.
You know how you can go all day with nothing happening, and then everything happens at once? It was like that here from 2:40 to 3:00. Larry & Miriam called to discuss Halloween costumes - then Lena the interpreter called with some paperwork questions - then Suzannah decided it was time to poop - then she peed all over her tights as I was changing her. meanwhile, we were getting picked up at 3, and all I could do was wonder why this excitement couldn't have been spread out a bit more evenly!
We made our ride on time (it helped that they were late) and went for visa pics. I was sure Suzannah would scamper down off the stool the minute the photog let go, but no! She sat very intently and tried her best to do everything he asked. Of course, we ended up with pictures in which she looks like she's about to spit food onto the floor, but the visa folks don't care about that. I hope.
While we waited for the pics to be ready we strolled over to a nearby park which was full of wedding parties. Oh, what an attraction that was! Suzannah couldn't stop staring at all these people dressed in their fancy clothes. One group noticed her and stopped popping champagne bottles to giggle and wave. Then either the groom or one of his attendants came over and knelt before her - thanked her for something - and gave her a chocolate. Oh, was she enthralled! Vala and I, however, were quite jealous, as it was a very fancy chocolate. We considered sending her back for more, and maybe some champagne, but decided that would probably be tacky.
After a quick trip to a different grocery store (one where they don't all know how pathetic I am at counting out the right money), we came back to the hotel. It was still a bit light out so I took her down to the riverwalk. She wasn't interested in walking, but we did have fun sitting on a bench, eating goldfish and singing songs. She's singing a lot these days. I think they placed her with the right family :-)
After dinner (translation: peanut butter sandwiches)and bath we watched an episode of Australian Animal Rescue on Animal Planet. (I don't know how to tell Suzannah that we don;t have cable at home. However will she survive without her daily dose of dog shoes?) She was SOOOO into the show tonight, pointing at all the animals and chattering to the TV non-stop. Of course, the minute I grabbed the camera, she stopped. I managed to get a couple of words out of her, but it was nothing like the way she'd been talking before.
We had a long and laugh-filled tickle fest on the bed, which ended only when someone went from tickling to jumping. Oops. Then we went exploring in the halls and lobby, hoping to see people dressed in costumes (there was some kind of Halloween event taking place here). but someone who shall remain nameless took off into the emergency exit three times in a row. Back to the room for us!
She's started crying when I put her down for naps or bed. It's quite pitiful to hear her wailing as she throws herself back and forth in her crib. Tonight I tucked her in as always, gave her a kiss, and then couldn't stand the howls. I ended up picking her up for another hug & kiss, then handing over her favorite toy cell phone to hold while she fell asleep. It stopped the tears, though not the rocking. That's okay. We'll get there.
Tomorrow's plan: make it through another day with no appointments.
And let me just say that you've never experienced Halloween until you've spent it listening to Russin Elvis karaoke from the bar across the street.
There were jack-o-lanterns on the breakfast buffet today! Okay, the pumpkins were small and green, and the faces were all cookie-cutter identical, but it was such an unexpected treat that I got all ferklempt as soon as I saw them. Suzannah stared at the glowing faces, but Mommy thought they were the best thing she'd seen in days.
We went for another long walk this morning. There's not much else to do, really. We spent about an hour dodging the beggers, wandering the sidewalks, getting yelled at by guards when I let her slide down the highly polished ramp at the oil company building. After an hour her legs were tired (mine too!), so we came back to the hotel, buckled Suzannah into the Demon Stroller, and set out for part 2. My arms got the workout then, as I steered the stroller around holes, lowered her down the cut-less curbs & then dragged her back up the next side, lifted the stroller over rain gutters, hauled it over piles of bricks & sticks, etc. I would hate to be in a wheelchair in this town. It would be almost impossible to be independent. I asked Vala about that this afternoon and she said it's very very difficult for folks with mobility issues.
You know how you can go all day with nothing happening, and then everything happens at once? It was like that here from 2:40 to 3:00. Larry & Miriam called to discuss Halloween costumes - then Lena the interpreter called with some paperwork questions - then Suzannah decided it was time to poop - then she peed all over her tights as I was changing her. meanwhile, we were getting picked up at 3, and all I could do was wonder why this excitement couldn't have been spread out a bit more evenly!
We made our ride on time (it helped that they were late) and went for visa pics. I was sure Suzannah would scamper down off the stool the minute the photog let go, but no! She sat very intently and tried her best to do everything he asked. Of course, we ended up with pictures in which she looks like she's about to spit food onto the floor, but the visa folks don't care about that. I hope.
While we waited for the pics to be ready we strolled over to a nearby park which was full of wedding parties. Oh, what an attraction that was! Suzannah couldn't stop staring at all these people dressed in their fancy clothes. One group noticed her and stopped popping champagne bottles to giggle and wave. Then either the groom or one of his attendants came over and knelt before her - thanked her for something - and gave her a chocolate. Oh, was she enthralled! Vala and I, however, were quite jealous, as it was a very fancy chocolate. We considered sending her back for more, and maybe some champagne, but decided that would probably be tacky.
After a quick trip to a different grocery store (one where they don't all know how pathetic I am at counting out the right money), we came back to the hotel. It was still a bit light out so I took her down to the riverwalk. She wasn't interested in walking, but we did have fun sitting on a bench, eating goldfish and singing songs. She's singing a lot these days. I think they placed her with the right family :-)
After dinner (translation: peanut butter sandwiches)and bath we watched an episode of Australian Animal Rescue on Animal Planet. (I don't know how to tell Suzannah that we don;t have cable at home. However will she survive without her daily dose of dog shoes?) She was SOOOO into the show tonight, pointing at all the animals and chattering to the TV non-stop. Of course, the minute I grabbed the camera, she stopped. I managed to get a couple of words out of her, but it was nothing like the way she'd been talking before.
We had a long and laugh-filled tickle fest on the bed, which ended only when someone went from tickling to jumping. Oops. Then we went exploring in the halls and lobby, hoping to see people dressed in costumes (there was some kind of Halloween event taking place here). but someone who shall remain nameless took off into the emergency exit three times in a row. Back to the room for us!
She's started crying when I put her down for naps or bed. It's quite pitiful to hear her wailing as she throws herself back and forth in her crib. Tonight I tucked her in as always, gave her a kiss, and then couldn't stand the howls. I ended up picking her up for another hug & kiss, then handing over her favorite toy cell phone to hold while she fell asleep. It stopped the tears, though not the rocking. That's okay. We'll get there.
Tomorrow's plan: make it through another day with no appointments.
And let me just say that you've never experienced Halloween until you've spent it listening to Russin Elvis karaoke from the bar across the street.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
"Astrakhan" Is Russian For "Land of No Curb Cuts "
Let me tell you, walking in this town is a challenge in itself, given the incredibly uneven streets, gouged-up sidewalks, and lack of street lights. But when you try to navigate it with a stroller - yeesh!
(And let me warn you right now that this is a loooooong post. If you don't have a lot of time, skip this & go down to the one called We're Talking Family. It's a far better investment of your minutes.)
However, despite the challenges, we ended up having a really good day today. I was a bit (okay, a LOT) worried, since this was our first day with no activity planned. It was wide, wide open. But it came together better than I anticipated, hooray!
I overslept this morning (thank you, 4:30 a.m.car alarms), so when I woke a few minutes before 7, Suzannah was already awake in her crib. I brought her into my bed to cuddle while I checked email & waited for Larry to call & tell me he'd made it home. She decided it would be more fun to wander the rooms and tug at everything that wasn;t nailed down. Oh well. I grabbed her clothes and set them on the sofa, then got distracted (Look! A bunny!) and walked into the bedroom. When I came back she had pulled the zipper down on her jammies and pulled them off her arms, so she was standing there in nothing but a diaper and ankle-warming jammies, proud as could be. Lucky for her, that was about when Daddy called. Otherwise there would have been a picture for sure.
I had to put her back into her crib while I had a shower. She was NOT pleased. the thumb went in the mouth and she immediately started the frantic rocking that she uses to put herself to sleep. Even though I'd popped Barney into the computer and had it playing where she could watch, the minute she goes into that crib, she starts rocking. Actually it's more like throwing herself back and forth. To watch her, you wouldn't think there was anything soothing or comforting about it. I'm really looking forward to the day when she realizes that a back rub and a kiss on the cheek are a much more peaceful way to fall asleep.
After breakfast, I had thought I would pop her in the stroller, walk to the Kremlin, and then let her run around in there. But she shook her head when I reached for the stroller and grabbed her koala harness. Okay, fine by me. I got her strapped in and off we went.
Well, what a morning we had! We spent two HOURS wandering the streets around the hotel. There's a lovely landscaped area not far from here, with grass and flowers and brick paths for walking on, and we ended up exploring around there. We meowed at kittens and stared at gulls and climbed steps and carried a stick and looked at flowers and pointed to water and gazed longingly at other kids :-( She tried to talk to one little girl, whose mom seemed very friendly, but the girl was shy and I wasn't able to facilitate a meeting. (Side note: when you've just said "I don't understand Russian" in Russian to someone, in an accent that makes it obvious you're telling the truth, why do they keep on talking? As in, FAST? I could understand it if they reverted to one-word phrases ("You ... are .... so .... North ... American"), but to nod and then burst forth with a long and convoluted sentence .... well, I don't get it.)
There was a break to sit on a park bench and eat animal crackers, but mostly, she walked and trotted and ran. She loved the grass. I tried to do the Good Citizen thing and keep her on the paths. Then I remembered the barren playground at the baby home and said, "You go, girl." I did hold firm on the water sprinklers, though. Even I have my limits.
Today;s lunch featured tomato cup-a-soup with goldfish crackers. Nothing but classic cuisine around here, I tell you.
After all that fresh air and walking I anticipated a long nap, but she woke up after just a little more than an hour. I barely had time to get through my emails! So I decided to make good use of the extra afternoon time & take her back to the playground. Interesting: remember last night, she got freaked out when I put the doll in the stroller? Well, when I pulled out the stroller this afternoon, she ran away and hid behind a chair. And she wasn't being coy or teasing: she was SCARED. Those little eyes were so full of fear and tears ... I have no idea what turned her. But I knew she had to readjust to the stroller or I'll never make it through the airports, so even though she was crying furiously, I had to put her in it. She screamed and arched and did everything she could to get out of there. I felt like Scum Mom 2008. But after about 5 minutes she spotted a cat, and she started to settle. But the whole thing was very odd.
The playground, however, was a HUGE hit. First she surprised me by pointing to our grocery store when we strolled past it. I didn't think she would recognize it after just 3 days stopping there, but apparently she did!
She also remembered the slide. As soon as we got to the playground she was out of the stroller and parking her butt on the bottom of the slide so I could lift her up and glide her down. We did that over and over and over. Then I made a tactical error. I thought she might be ready to try it on her own - not the whole way, just from part way up. But the answer was NO, as I found out a second later when she ended up doing a face plant onto the sand. Poor little thing. She cried as if her heart had been broken.
Sigh. Scum Mom strikes again.
She was finally distracted by a group of boys playing soccer beside the playground. She watched the game very intently. I had fun watching, too. Dan & Noah, one thing I noticed is that when a ball went out of bounds, they never did throw-ins - they always kicked the ball back into play. It was also very funny to hear the coach yell "Out" (in English) when the ball crossed the lines. And there were no parents watching. None. The only adult on the field was the coach.
Anyway, the game kept Suzannah very happy and intrigued, and then, much to my surprise, she started pushing the stroller. Yep, exactly what I tried to get her to do last night. She wasn't afraid at all this time. Maybe the doll I put in the stroller last night was, like, daughter of Chuckie? Anyway, she pushed it up and down, back and forth past the soccer game, stopping ever so often to check the brakes the way she must have seen her caregivers doing in the baby home. Then - oh, this was so cool - she took her koala backpack, gave the bear a kiss, and put that in the stroller. She fussed over it and kissed the nose and lifted it in and out of the seat, chattering away to it and showing me, plain as day, the kind of caring she'd seen in the baby home. I loved it. And then, to make things even more interesting, she pushed the stroller back over to the demon slide, lifted the koala out, and gave it rides on the slide just like I'd been doing with her! (Of course, she was a far better mommy and never let her bear do a face plant. But still.) I caught lots and lots of video of her fussing over her koala.
We finally had to leave so we could stop at the store and still amke it back before it got too dark. I messed up the money at the cash register once again, sigh. Maybe someday I'll learn ...
I picked up a jar of baby food fruit tonight, just to have something different, and it was a smashing success. It also became a game. She would run around the corner & hide. I would say, "Where's Suzannah Negina?" She would peer around the corner, I would say "peekaboo!" and she would run for a bit of fruit. We got through the whole jar that way!
We made it through bath without needing to be pulled out for drinking infractions. By the time I got her into her jammies, the day was catching up with her big time. I popped Sesame Street into the computer and we both vegged until 8:30, when I put her to bed. She barely had time to get into a full rock before she fell asleep.
Tomorrow we have an adventure. We need to have pictures taken for her visa. So we have a schedule of sorts, yippee!
(Yes, I am soooooo pathetic!)
(And let me warn you right now that this is a loooooong post. If you don't have a lot of time, skip this & go down to the one called We're Talking Family. It's a far better investment of your minutes.)
However, despite the challenges, we ended up having a really good day today. I was a bit (okay, a LOT) worried, since this was our first day with no activity planned. It was wide, wide open. But it came together better than I anticipated, hooray!
I overslept this morning (thank you, 4:30 a.m.car alarms), so when I woke a few minutes before 7, Suzannah was already awake in her crib. I brought her into my bed to cuddle while I checked email & waited for Larry to call & tell me he'd made it home. She decided it would be more fun to wander the rooms and tug at everything that wasn;t nailed down. Oh well. I grabbed her clothes and set them on the sofa, then got distracted (Look! A bunny!) and walked into the bedroom. When I came back she had pulled the zipper down on her jammies and pulled them off her arms, so she was standing there in nothing but a diaper and ankle-warming jammies, proud as could be. Lucky for her, that was about when Daddy called. Otherwise there would have been a picture for sure.
I had to put her back into her crib while I had a shower. She was NOT pleased. the thumb went in the mouth and she immediately started the frantic rocking that she uses to put herself to sleep. Even though I'd popped Barney into the computer and had it playing where she could watch, the minute she goes into that crib, she starts rocking. Actually it's more like throwing herself back and forth. To watch her, you wouldn't think there was anything soothing or comforting about it. I'm really looking forward to the day when she realizes that a back rub and a kiss on the cheek are a much more peaceful way to fall asleep.
After breakfast, I had thought I would pop her in the stroller, walk to the Kremlin, and then let her run around in there. But she shook her head when I reached for the stroller and grabbed her koala harness. Okay, fine by me. I got her strapped in and off we went.
Well, what a morning we had! We spent two HOURS wandering the streets around the hotel. There's a lovely landscaped area not far from here, with grass and flowers and brick paths for walking on, and we ended up exploring around there. We meowed at kittens and stared at gulls and climbed steps and carried a stick and looked at flowers and pointed to water and gazed longingly at other kids :-( She tried to talk to one little girl, whose mom seemed very friendly, but the girl was shy and I wasn't able to facilitate a meeting. (Side note: when you've just said "I don't understand Russian" in Russian to someone, in an accent that makes it obvious you're telling the truth, why do they keep on talking? As in, FAST? I could understand it if they reverted to one-word phrases ("You ... are .... so .... North ... American"), but to nod and then burst forth with a long and convoluted sentence .... well, I don't get it.)
There was a break to sit on a park bench and eat animal crackers, but mostly, she walked and trotted and ran. She loved the grass. I tried to do the Good Citizen thing and keep her on the paths. Then I remembered the barren playground at the baby home and said, "You go, girl." I did hold firm on the water sprinklers, though. Even I have my limits.
Today;s lunch featured tomato cup-a-soup with goldfish crackers. Nothing but classic cuisine around here, I tell you.
After all that fresh air and walking I anticipated a long nap, but she woke up after just a little more than an hour. I barely had time to get through my emails! So I decided to make good use of the extra afternoon time & take her back to the playground. Interesting: remember last night, she got freaked out when I put the doll in the stroller? Well, when I pulled out the stroller this afternoon, she ran away and hid behind a chair. And she wasn't being coy or teasing: she was SCARED. Those little eyes were so full of fear and tears ... I have no idea what turned her. But I knew she had to readjust to the stroller or I'll never make it through the airports, so even though she was crying furiously, I had to put her in it. She screamed and arched and did everything she could to get out of there. I felt like Scum Mom 2008. But after about 5 minutes she spotted a cat, and she started to settle. But the whole thing was very odd.
The playground, however, was a HUGE hit. First she surprised me by pointing to our grocery store when we strolled past it. I didn't think she would recognize it after just 3 days stopping there, but apparently she did!
She also remembered the slide. As soon as we got to the playground she was out of the stroller and parking her butt on the bottom of the slide so I could lift her up and glide her down. We did that over and over and over. Then I made a tactical error. I thought she might be ready to try it on her own - not the whole way, just from part way up. But the answer was NO, as I found out a second later when she ended up doing a face plant onto the sand. Poor little thing. She cried as if her heart had been broken.
Sigh. Scum Mom strikes again.
She was finally distracted by a group of boys playing soccer beside the playground. She watched the game very intently. I had fun watching, too. Dan & Noah, one thing I noticed is that when a ball went out of bounds, they never did throw-ins - they always kicked the ball back into play. It was also very funny to hear the coach yell "Out" (in English) when the ball crossed the lines. And there were no parents watching. None. The only adult on the field was the coach.
Anyway, the game kept Suzannah very happy and intrigued, and then, much to my surprise, she started pushing the stroller. Yep, exactly what I tried to get her to do last night. She wasn't afraid at all this time. Maybe the doll I put in the stroller last night was, like, daughter of Chuckie? Anyway, she pushed it up and down, back and forth past the soccer game, stopping ever so often to check the brakes the way she must have seen her caregivers doing in the baby home. Then - oh, this was so cool - she took her koala backpack, gave the bear a kiss, and put that in the stroller. She fussed over it and kissed the nose and lifted it in and out of the seat, chattering away to it and showing me, plain as day, the kind of caring she'd seen in the baby home. I loved it. And then, to make things even more interesting, she pushed the stroller back over to the demon slide, lifted the koala out, and gave it rides on the slide just like I'd been doing with her! (Of course, she was a far better mommy and never let her bear do a face plant. But still.) I caught lots and lots of video of her fussing over her koala.
We finally had to leave so we could stop at the store and still amke it back before it got too dark. I messed up the money at the cash register once again, sigh. Maybe someday I'll learn ...
I picked up a jar of baby food fruit tonight, just to have something different, and it was a smashing success. It also became a game. She would run around the corner & hide. I would say, "Where's Suzannah Negina?" She would peer around the corner, I would say "peekaboo!" and she would run for a bit of fruit. We got through the whole jar that way!
We made it through bath without needing to be pulled out for drinking infractions. By the time I got her into her jammies, the day was catching up with her big time. I popped Sesame Street into the computer and we both vegged until 8:30, when I put her to bed. She barely had time to get into a full rock before she fell asleep.
Tomorrow we have an adventure. We need to have pictures taken for her visa. So we have a schedule of sorts, yippee!
(Yes, I am soooooo pathetic!)
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Testing, One, Two, Three
href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWZ4judfU8f378WrKLGT20F1juuBzW6K7J2G9Cgt2xqcWtb91L_2OuMO-3Ny6smgg_FjmZKPxBqHd0EVqZWn-Xk0Kzn9gSSy1Iwuw1_g54J1vUUu_r0uY4Xuwtit8FWOGkH0PMrcKzgwQ/s1600-h/005.JPG">
Doesn't she look angelic here, so proper and quiet as she looks through her book? Don't let it fool you. Today was the day Suzannah's inner imp started to come out and play :-)
Daddy left very early this morning (and he's still flying, poor guy). At least it looks like all his flights are going as scheduled. I know he'll be soooooo glad to get home!
So Suzannah and I were on our own for the first time. We made it through the morning routines, managed the breakfast buffet solo, all that. Not a bad start to the day. When we came back after breakfast, she brought me her coat. It was time to get out in the fresh air. So we bundled up and went out to the riverwalk, where there are now 4 women hounding people for money. One has a bundle that's supposed to be a baby, but you know, I've never seen a sign of movement or heard the faintest whimper. Another had a young girl with her, around 7 or 8 I'd guess, and that was hard. Suzannah was fascinated by her, and I didn't want to be rude to the child, but dang, these women are persistent. Why they think I'll give them money today when I haven't any other day is beyond me. (Maybe it's the same stubborn idiocy that keeps me sending books to New York :-)
Anyway, we dodged them and had a lovely half hour in the mild air. Suzannah had a great time staring at all the old men lined up casting giant rods and huge long lines to catch fish that were no more than 6 inches long. Mommy thought that was kind of ironic, too.
Vala picked us up at 10 to continue the quest for an umbrella stroller. Success! It was still a bit more elaborate than I needed, and cost a bit more than I would have preferred, but the heck with it. After all the places we looked, I was just glad to have one. Given the way Suzannah tried to climb into it still in the store, I'd say she was pleased, too.
Next we went on our kettle adventure - also a rousing success. It's silly how something as simple as being able to boil water makes me feel more on top of things, but you know, at least now I can pretend I'm cooking.
Back at the hotel, we christened the new kettle by making the aforementioned Quaker Oat cereal, which was a BIG hit. Then we popped into the stroller for its inaugural run. It was a hit! Suzannah grinned up at me every time I checked on her. And I'm feeling a lot more confident about managing the airports solo with a stroller to strap her in.
After a lovely loooong nap, Miss Suzannah woke up full of P&V. (Well, after she cuddled on my lap for a good 20 minutes, that is.) It was time to start testing Mom. She hauled food out of the fridge, emptied out the diaper bag, banged the bathroom door open and closed, pushed every single button on the TV .... in short, she's looking for the limits in this new place. I don't mind giving her some leeway - after a life in the baby home, she needs to discover internal limits as well as external ones - but there are still some rules that must be obeyed. When you pull Mommy's glasses off her face, you get put down from Mommy's knee. When you drink the soapy bathwater after being told NO twice, you get taken out of the tub. And when you slap Mommy's computer, you get put into your crib for a couple of minutes. Them's the breaks, kiddo!
She surprised me tonight by getting almost scared when I put her doll in the stroller. I thought she might like to push it up and down the hall, but she shied away and was really not happy at the prospect. So we walked the halls by ourselves again tonight.
She's definitely repeating names when I say Poppy, Miriam, Josh, Dan, Noah. Of course, then she tried to rip the pictures, so that was the end of that game.
She feels much older than when we first met her in August. It's astonishing to look at her and remember my first impression of a teeny Cindy Lou Who - type of child, all head and stick arms and twig legs. Maybe it's just that she had a growth spurt (physical plus), or maybe it's the revelation of more and more of her true character, but she's ever so much more focused and attentive now than she seemed back then. She's still not doing things I would expect from a child her age, but she doesn;t feel as overwhelmingly young as she did before. Though maybe it's just me getting used to her abilities .... who knows? In any case, it's very encouraging!
Grapes were a huge hit tonight. So was cream of chicken cup-a-soup, oh boy! She tasted my Pepsi but backed away from it, shaking her head. And after turning her nose up at everything but her fruit at dinner, she had a massive bedtime snack of banana, cheese, grapes, and yogurt. Of course, she wouldn't eat it by herself, but had to sit back and let me feed it to her, piece by piece. Like a queen. I can't wait to see how she gets along with Her Royal Highness Princess Miriam. There may be a royal coup in our future!
Oh, and to answer the questions Phyllis posted in the comments - we're staying at the Azumet, here for another week, and there are no other adoptive families here - at least, not North American ones. Which is why I'll be talking to myself by the end of my time here :-)
Bedtime snack is so much fun!
Doesn't she look angelic here, so proper and quiet as she looks through her book? Don't let it fool you. Today was the day Suzannah's inner imp started to come out and play :-)
Daddy left very early this morning (and he's still flying, poor guy). At least it looks like all his flights are going as scheduled. I know he'll be soooooo glad to get home!
So Suzannah and I were on our own for the first time. We made it through the morning routines, managed the breakfast buffet solo, all that. Not a bad start to the day. When we came back after breakfast, she brought me her coat. It was time to get out in the fresh air. So we bundled up and went out to the riverwalk, where there are now 4 women hounding people for money. One has a bundle that's supposed to be a baby, but you know, I've never seen a sign of movement or heard the faintest whimper. Another had a young girl with her, around 7 or 8 I'd guess, and that was hard. Suzannah was fascinated by her, and I didn't want to be rude to the child, but dang, these women are persistent. Why they think I'll give them money today when I haven't any other day is beyond me. (Maybe it's the same stubborn idiocy that keeps me sending books to New York :-)
Anyway, we dodged them and had a lovely half hour in the mild air. Suzannah had a great time staring at all the old men lined up casting giant rods and huge long lines to catch fish that were no more than 6 inches long. Mommy thought that was kind of ironic, too.
Vala picked us up at 10 to continue the quest for an umbrella stroller. Success! It was still a bit more elaborate than I needed, and cost a bit more than I would have preferred, but the heck with it. After all the places we looked, I was just glad to have one. Given the way Suzannah tried to climb into it still in the store, I'd say she was pleased, too.
Next we went on our kettle adventure - also a rousing success. It's silly how something as simple as being able to boil water makes me feel more on top of things, but you know, at least now I can pretend I'm cooking.
Back at the hotel, we christened the new kettle by making the aforementioned Quaker Oat cereal, which was a BIG hit. Then we popped into the stroller for its inaugural run. It was a hit! Suzannah grinned up at me every time I checked on her. And I'm feeling a lot more confident about managing the airports solo with a stroller to strap her in.
After a lovely loooong nap, Miss Suzannah woke up full of P&V. (Well, after she cuddled on my lap for a good 20 minutes, that is.) It was time to start testing Mom. She hauled food out of the fridge, emptied out the diaper bag, banged the bathroom door open and closed, pushed every single button on the TV .... in short, she's looking for the limits in this new place. I don't mind giving her some leeway - after a life in the baby home, she needs to discover internal limits as well as external ones - but there are still some rules that must be obeyed. When you pull Mommy's glasses off her face, you get put down from Mommy's knee. When you drink the soapy bathwater after being told NO twice, you get taken out of the tub. And when you slap Mommy's computer, you get put into your crib for a couple of minutes. Them's the breaks, kiddo!
She surprised me tonight by getting almost scared when I put her doll in the stroller. I thought she might like to push it up and down the hall, but she shied away and was really not happy at the prospect. So we walked the halls by ourselves again tonight.
She's definitely repeating names when I say Poppy, Miriam, Josh, Dan, Noah. Of course, then she tried to rip the pictures, so that was the end of that game.
She feels much older than when we first met her in August. It's astonishing to look at her and remember my first impression of a teeny Cindy Lou Who - type of child, all head and stick arms and twig legs. Maybe it's just that she had a growth spurt (physical plus), or maybe it's the revelation of more and more of her true character, but she's ever so much more focused and attentive now than she seemed back then. She's still not doing things I would expect from a child her age, but she doesn;t feel as overwhelmingly young as she did before. Though maybe it's just me getting used to her abilities .... who knows? In any case, it's very encouraging!
Grapes were a huge hit tonight. So was cream of chicken cup-a-soup, oh boy! She tasted my Pepsi but backed away from it, shaking her head. And after turning her nose up at everything but her fruit at dinner, she had a massive bedtime snack of banana, cheese, grapes, and yogurt. Of course, she wouldn't eat it by herself, but had to sit back and let me feed it to her, piece by piece. Like a queen. I can't wait to see how she gets along with Her Royal Highness Princess Miriam. There may be a royal coup in our future!
Oh, and to answer the questions Phyllis posted in the comments - we're staying at the Azumet, here for another week, and there are no other adoptive families here - at least, not North American ones. Which is why I'll be talking to myself by the end of my time here :-)
Bedtime snack is so much fun!
Chips!
So here's the story: I gave Suzannah a lovely meal. We started with a bowl of instant oatmeal, made with water I boiled in my NEW electric kettle (yay!!). It was Quaker high fiber almond ^ vanilla, something like that, and it was actually pretty decent. She ate the whole bowl. So then I cut up some ham, cheese, apples, bananas. Munch munch munch. She wandered the room, nibbling at her food, turning the TV on and off, etc etc. Then she went into the closet and pulled her hat on all by herself. I made myself a sandwich, set a bag of chips on the sofa, and sat back to watch the show. Next thing I knew she was singing "la la la la la" as she dumped fistfuls of my chips onto the sofa! I'm not sure if she was trying to tell me to eat healthier foods or if she simply wanted to dump stuff, but it sure made for a funny picture!
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Hello, Experiment 626
(For those who don't understand the reference, get thee to a Netflix queue and watch Lilo and Stitch immediately. Trust me, it's worth the time.)
Well, Larry left this morning. Before he headed out the door, he said, "Keep your eye on experiment 626." Apparently she pulled a fast one on him last night when they went down to the lobby. Larry was at the desk and Little Miss Speedy decided to make a run for it. By the time Daddy caught up with her, she'd made it through the length of the lobby, past the computer desk, through the business center, and into someone's office. Thank heaven she didn't try to run the other way and head outside!
Also last night, as we were doing one of our hallway walks, she spied an open door. Next thing you know, I was retrieving her from a very surprised friendly stranger's room.
I'm thinking it's a VERY good thing I brought her little backpack/harness...
P.S.
Tonight I pulled out the photos of the house & kids, trying to explain where Poppy would go tomorrow. She stared at the picture of the house very intently. Then I showed her the pics of the kids, saying (in Russian) "This is your sister Miriam," "This is your brother Joshua/Daniel/Noah." And not only did she seem to get it - she tried to repeat the names! She definitely said "sestra" (sister) for Miriam, and she managed something which was was certainly an attempt at Noah. That was SO cool. We'll have to practice every night so she can greet everyone by name when we get home!
Tuesday - Our First Full Day
It was another busy and exciting day here in Astrakhan. And Suzannah Negina is starting to talk up a storm (relatively speaking).
We were getting picked up at 8:30 today, so we had to be up and out fairly early. Suzannah slept very well last night, straight through, and woke up just a few minutes before seven. She was very shivery in the morning, so we bundled her in two sweaters and jeans that drooped halfway down her butt, and went to breakfast. Once we got some food into her, she stopped shivering - though maybe it was the overheated dining room. Anyway, we brought the Hello Kitty fork down with us, and she used it with great speed, gobbling down an egg, two yogurts, and rice cereal. She also drank a boatload of apple juice. Apples seem to be her favorite fruit. Wait until we get her home to a central NY Empire!
The morning consisted of a lot of driving and even more waiting. We got the adoption certificate and her new birth certificate, then did a lot of back and forth-ing to get things notarized, go to the passport office, etc. We also went to the Aeroflot office and bought tickets for Suzannah and I to fly to Moscow. The countdown has begun! Luckily, Suzannah loves riding in cars - she tries to climb in any one she sees - so she was very patient with all the running around.
After a bit of lunch, we found Animal Planet on the TV and had a great half hour watching Top Dog (in Russian). Suzannah was in ecstasy - "Woof! Woof!" We also got some 2-word phrases out of her, which was a first with us. Progress! Larry and I had a great time cheering for Fluffy the underdog, who made a valiant showing in the Distraction competition to burst past Miffy the spaniel into second-from-last place. Hey, when all the shows are dubbed over in Russian, you find your fun where you can.
Naptime was easy - she wans't thrilled about being put down, but neither did she really protest. And she slept LONG. After 2 1/2 hours she was sort of waking, so we picked her up, but then she spent a good half hour simply cuddling on our laps, sucking her thumb, and being adored. When she did sit up, we were able to have some book time. That old classic Barney and Daddies kept her happy for a long time.
Then it was time for a walk to the grocery store (highlight of the day!) We saw lots of dogs ("woof!) and cats ("meeeeeeoooooo"). Great fun all around. The store was a source of great enjoyment yet again, and that's even without being able to understand how silly Mommy and Daddy look, trying to figure out whether they're buying sour cream or yogurt.
When we got back to the hotel, guess who made a present for her daddy? Yep, that particular dam finally broke. All I'll say is, it's a good thing there was time for an IMMEDIATE bath.
When I was cutting up food for dinner, she spotted an apple on the table and brought it over to me, then proceeded to eat it as fast as I could cut it up. We also introduced her to that All-American favorite, Cup a Soup. BIG smiles for that. Oh, and TPC? She did have a couple of chips last night, AFTER she ate her carrot salad. We are a well-balanced family :-)
Once dinner was over, someone decided she wanted an outing. She brought us her shoes, then her coat. Daddy obliged by bundling her up to dispose of some nuclear waste in the dumpster. Happy happy girl.
Now she's turned the TV on again - asking me for "woof" - and thank heaven, Animal Planet is showing another show with dogs. Okay, it looks like these ones are being rescued from horrible homes, but Suzannah is happy. She's talking to the TV a LOT, imitating me when I make pony noises, saying "paka" to the dogs being taken away in the beep-beeps. Life is good.
Tomorrow, Daddy flies home. She's going to miss her Poppy, that's for sure. But the time will pass, and sooner than we expect, she and I will be the ones hopping on the plane to fly home.
We were getting picked up at 8:30 today, so we had to be up and out fairly early. Suzannah slept very well last night, straight through, and woke up just a few minutes before seven. She was very shivery in the morning, so we bundled her in two sweaters and jeans that drooped halfway down her butt, and went to breakfast. Once we got some food into her, she stopped shivering - though maybe it was the overheated dining room. Anyway, we brought the Hello Kitty fork down with us, and she used it with great speed, gobbling down an egg, two yogurts, and rice cereal. She also drank a boatload of apple juice. Apples seem to be her favorite fruit. Wait until we get her home to a central NY Empire!
The morning consisted of a lot of driving and even more waiting. We got the adoption certificate and her new birth certificate, then did a lot of back and forth-ing to get things notarized, go to the passport office, etc. We also went to the Aeroflot office and bought tickets for Suzannah and I to fly to Moscow. The countdown has begun! Luckily, Suzannah loves riding in cars - she tries to climb in any one she sees - so she was very patient with all the running around.
After a bit of lunch, we found Animal Planet on the TV and had a great half hour watching Top Dog (in Russian). Suzannah was in ecstasy - "Woof! Woof!" We also got some 2-word phrases out of her, which was a first with us. Progress! Larry and I had a great time cheering for Fluffy the underdog, who made a valiant showing in the Distraction competition to burst past Miffy the spaniel into second-from-last place. Hey, when all the shows are dubbed over in Russian, you find your fun where you can.
Naptime was easy - she wans't thrilled about being put down, but neither did she really protest. And she slept LONG. After 2 1/2 hours she was sort of waking, so we picked her up, but then she spent a good half hour simply cuddling on our laps, sucking her thumb, and being adored. When she did sit up, we were able to have some book time. That old classic Barney and Daddies kept her happy for a long time.
Then it was time for a walk to the grocery store (highlight of the day!) We saw lots of dogs ("woof!) and cats ("meeeeeeoooooo"). Great fun all around. The store was a source of great enjoyment yet again, and that's even without being able to understand how silly Mommy and Daddy look, trying to figure out whether they're buying sour cream or yogurt.
When we got back to the hotel, guess who made a present for her daddy? Yep, that particular dam finally broke. All I'll say is, it's a good thing there was time for an IMMEDIATE bath.
When I was cutting up food for dinner, she spotted an apple on the table and brought it over to me, then proceeded to eat it as fast as I could cut it up. We also introduced her to that All-American favorite, Cup a Soup. BIG smiles for that. Oh, and TPC? She did have a couple of chips last night, AFTER she ate her carrot salad. We are a well-balanced family :-)
Once dinner was over, someone decided she wanted an outing. She brought us her shoes, then her coat. Daddy obliged by bundling her up to dispose of some nuclear waste in the dumpster. Happy happy girl.
Now she's turned the TV on again - asking me for "woof" - and thank heaven, Animal Planet is showing another show with dogs. Okay, it looks like these ones are being rescued from horrible homes, but Suzannah is happy. She's talking to the TV a LOT, imitating me when I make pony noises, saying "paka" to the dogs being taken away in the beep-beeps. Life is good.
Tomorrow, Daddy flies home. She's going to miss her Poppy, that's for sure. But the time will pass, and sooner than we expect, she and I will be the ones hopping on the plane to fly home.
Monday, October 27, 2008
One Last First-Day Post
Yes, I know this is verging on the ridiculous, but it's been a momentous day. Indulge me :-)
After a very good nap and a snack of a lot of the same foods we had at lunch, we bundled Suzannah into her pretty pink coat and headed out for a walk. And walk she did! There was very little carrying involved - she likes to walk and did almost all of the trip on foot. I brought her little koala backpack/leash, so she could have a little independence and still be safe. We wandered into a nearby store in search of a kettle, but all they sold was Pier One-type furniture, so, no luck. We walked farther and found a playground! Suzannah had no idea what to do with the slide, and she still hasn't figured out that she's supposed to climb up the steps (as opposed to Mommy and Daddy lifting her onto the slide), but she soon figured out that flying down the slide part was FUN!
When Mommy and Daddy;s aging arms finally gave out, we went to the grocery store. She loved sitting in the cart and being pushed through the aisles. There wasn't too much grabbing for food, which surprised me. I'm sure it will come, and soon. We loaded up a bag with the essentials - salad, chicken, chips - and walked back to the hotel. The highlight of the trip? Larry ran into one store real quick and when he came back, Suzannah pointed and said, "Poppy!"
Her favorite part of dinner was her milk, the carrot salad, and the ketchup (eaten with the Hello Kitty fork, of course.) After dinner she had a long, splashy time in the tub. We made sure to film it so we have a blackmail shot to show at her wedding :-)
There were two times when I said, "Want to walk in the hall?" and opened the door so she could run/crawl/stomp up and down the length. Later in the evening, I said it again, but without moving, and the next thing I knew, she was at the door trying to get out. I think she's picking up on some things already!
the Russian kids DVD we bought earned no attention. The hockey game on TV did. So did being tickled, being turned upside-down, clomping around in Mommy's shoes, and watching Barney on the computer. In fact, the only tears of the entire day came when it was time to turn off Barney and go to bed. She cried hard for a couple of minutes, then lay down in her crib and rocked herself to sleep.
Oh, and she finally peed on the toilet - twice!
After a very good nap and a snack of a lot of the same foods we had at lunch, we bundled Suzannah into her pretty pink coat and headed out for a walk. And walk she did! There was very little carrying involved - she likes to walk and did almost all of the trip on foot. I brought her little koala backpack/leash, so she could have a little independence and still be safe. We wandered into a nearby store in search of a kettle, but all they sold was Pier One-type furniture, so, no luck. We walked farther and found a playground! Suzannah had no idea what to do with the slide, and she still hasn't figured out that she's supposed to climb up the steps (as opposed to Mommy and Daddy lifting her onto the slide), but she soon figured out that flying down the slide part was FUN!
When Mommy and Daddy;s aging arms finally gave out, we went to the grocery store. She loved sitting in the cart and being pushed through the aisles. There wasn't too much grabbing for food, which surprised me. I'm sure it will come, and soon. We loaded up a bag with the essentials - salad, chicken, chips - and walked back to the hotel. The highlight of the trip? Larry ran into one store real quick and when he came back, Suzannah pointed and said, "Poppy!"
Her favorite part of dinner was her milk, the carrot salad, and the ketchup (eaten with the Hello Kitty fork, of course.) After dinner she had a long, splashy time in the tub. We made sure to film it so we have a blackmail shot to show at her wedding :-)
There were two times when I said, "Want to walk in the hall?" and opened the door so she could run/crawl/stomp up and down the length. Later in the evening, I said it again, but without moving, and the next thing I knew, she was at the door trying to get out. I think she's picking up on some things already!
the Russian kids DVD we bought earned no attention. The hockey game on TV did. So did being tickled, being turned upside-down, clomping around in Mommy's shoes, and watching Barney on the computer. In fact, the only tears of the entire day came when it was time to turn off Barney and go to bed. She cried hard for a couple of minutes, then lay down in her crib and rocked herself to sleep.
Oh, and she finally peed on the toilet - twice!
Details
Hey - guess who's napping? That's right, Larry! Oh, wait, Suzannah is asleep, too. Great time to post some details of the day.
We left the hotel at 9:30. First stop, the court, where we picked up the court papers making her ours. Next we tried to find an umbrella stroller in a kids store, but no luck. Lots of lovely fancy ones, but no simple umbrellas. We then had to stop at a grocery store to pick up cakes for the baby home staff, and then we were on our way. Hard to believe it was the last time we would ever make the drive to the baby home.
Once we got there, they took the clothes we'd brought and the caregivers dressed her for the last time. We signed a couple of papers - that we were aware of her medical history, and one other. Mostly we tried to keep from hyperventilating :-) Then they brought her to us in her new little dress & shiny black Mary Janes. Everything fit perfectly. Did she remember us? Hard to tell, but she had no trouble coming to us. She seemed a bit overwhelmed by all the activity, and I'm sure none of it really registered at the time. The staff all said goodbye to her, and we headed for the door - then the kids from her group & her caregivers came to the front hall to say paka (bye-bye). We did think to get a picture of her with her caregiver, and actually that was the only time she started to cry. I think she thought we were leaving her again. But I'm glad we got even that one shot for her to keep. Next thing you know, she was making a beeline for the door.
She loves riding in cars, so it was no problem getting her ready for the ride. We gave her the little stuffed bear big sister Miri sent for her, and some animal crackers, and she was very happy.
We tried a couple of other stores on the way back, still in search of an umbrella stroller, but no luck. However, Suzannah did a great job in the stores - curious, obviously, but not overwhelmed.
Finally, we made it back to the hotel. She spent a minute checking out the lobby, then we came to the room. (Hey, Amy - we're in 314, too!!!) She spent a happy hour wandering the room, opening drawers, lying down on the big bed and grinning. She loved the little Hello Kitty fork we brought, and used it to eat all of her lunch (banana, cheese, even her yogurt!)We tried to make soup using my little electric kettle, but alas, we fried BOTH of our voltage converters. Maybe we can get a cheap one here. It would be very convenient.
The only thing she has refused to do thus far is sit on the toilet. Not surprising - they probably have only potty seats in the baby home. She'll get used to it, and in the meantime, she was happy to put on a Pull Up.
After a while it was nap time. We put her in the crib and told her it was time to sleep. She tried to get out a few times, but Larry and I went and laid down in our bed, so she could see that everyone was napping. She bopped around for a while but never cried - peeked at us, rocked herself back and forth, and finally settled into sleep. She has her thumb in her mouth and looks beyond adorable, all nestled under her blankies.
This afternoon, we'll probably go for a walk to the grocery store, get some more milk, that kind of thing. You know. Family stuff :-)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOSH!!!
Sunday, October 26, 2008
We Are Here, We Are Here, We Are Here!
It was another of those looooooong travel days ... hopped a plane in Syracuse just after noon on Saturday, landed in Astrakhan at 6:30 Sunday night. Allowing for the time difference, that's 23 hours of travel time. No wonder I was ready for a shower when we landed :-)
Everything went pretty well on the trip, yay. There was a LOT of turbulence on the flight from Atlanta, right around when we were over Quebec. I shall refrain from comments about hot air :-) Otherwise, not too bad. Larry and I both got some half-decent sleep in, which helps immensely. We had about 6 hours to wait in Moscow, which was rather trying. They won't let you check in until about 2 hours before the flight, so we spent much of the time sitting in a crowded, hot & smoky area with no bathrooms. Not fun. However, we survived all that, and the Aeroflot flight, and I read 2 good books over the course of the flights. So, not too bad.
We're back in the Azimut hotel now, on the third floor this time, but still overlooking the river. Vala took us shopping to buy some foods that will be familiar to Little Sister. Larry was very happy because they sold cold beer.
So now we've called home, shopped, eaten, and showered. Time to get everything unpacked and ready, because tomorrow we get picked up at 9:30, and then it's off to the baby home for the very last time!!!!
Everything went pretty well on the trip, yay. There was a LOT of turbulence on the flight from Atlanta, right around when we were over Quebec. I shall refrain from comments about hot air :-) Otherwise, not too bad. Larry and I both got some half-decent sleep in, which helps immensely. We had about 6 hours to wait in Moscow, which was rather trying. They won't let you check in until about 2 hours before the flight, so we spent much of the time sitting in a crowded, hot & smoky area with no bathrooms. Not fun. However, we survived all that, and the Aeroflot flight, and I read 2 good books over the course of the flights. So, not too bad.
We're back in the Azimut hotel now, on the third floor this time, but still overlooking the river. Vala took us shopping to buy some foods that will be familiar to Little Sister. Larry was very happy because they sold cold beer.
So now we've called home, shopped, eaten, and showered. Time to get everything unpacked and ready, because tomorrow we get picked up at 9:30, and then it's off to the baby home for the very last time!!!!
Saturday, October 25, 2008
On The Road/Plane Again
Well, it's finally here - the day we leave for the FINAL trip to FINALLY pick up Little Sister! Gotcha Day is Monday, October 27, in either the morning or afternoon. Can't wait to carry her out of the baby home for good, can't wait to start to really make her ours (and vice versa) and can't wait to walk back into the house in a couple of weeks and finally all be home, home, HOME!
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Almost Home
I'm in Atlanta, almost home - just waiting for my last flight (which, of course, was delayed an hour - but what's another hour at this point?)
My flight out of Astrakhan went well, other than Aeroflot still thinks that toilets that flush are optional on in-country flights. Ugh. Talked to a very interesting lady from Paris, part of a tour group that had done a cruise down the Volga river. She was amazing - lived all over, traveled everywhere, flawless English & then could switch into Russian ... the kind of self-assured, incredibly competent woman we'd all love to be when we grow up.
Got my bag in Moscow, went outside, hopped the bus that would take me to the other terminal. Except .... after 15 minutes, nothing looked familiar. And it was taking a lot longer than I remembered it taking last time. After 20 minutes, I started to pray for airport signs. After 30 minutes, I spotted the Ikea store I'd noticed when we were going into Moscow last week, and then a road sign that indicated my bus was definitely headed into Moscow. And I realized I had to get off that bus FAST.
I got off & headed toward Ikea. I figured someone there could call me a taxi & I could get to the airport But God is good - there was a taxi stand right there!!! I managed to say "taxi" "airport" "terminal 2" and DA (yes) when he showed me the flat rate cost. That wonderful man had me at the correct terminal within 15 minutes. I could have kissed him, but I settled for giving him a huge tip.
Made it through all the nonsense that is checking in for a flight in Moscow. I was almost to the gate when I got waylaid by another oil man, one who had been on my flight from Astrakhan. He recognized me from that flight and stopped to talk. So we had a lovely long chat, and then it was time to go through additional security at the gate, and then onto the plane.
And now I'm just hours from home. Wooohooo!
My flight out of Astrakhan went well, other than Aeroflot still thinks that toilets that flush are optional on in-country flights. Ugh. Talked to a very interesting lady from Paris, part of a tour group that had done a cruise down the Volga river. She was amazing - lived all over, traveled everywhere, flawless English & then could switch into Russian ... the kind of self-assured, incredibly competent woman we'd all love to be when we grow up.
Got my bag in Moscow, went outside, hopped the bus that would take me to the other terminal. Except .... after 15 minutes, nothing looked familiar. And it was taking a lot longer than I remembered it taking last time. After 20 minutes, I started to pray for airport signs. After 30 minutes, I spotted the Ikea store I'd noticed when we were going into Moscow last week, and then a road sign that indicated my bus was definitely headed into Moscow. And I realized I had to get off that bus FAST.
I got off & headed toward Ikea. I figured someone there could call me a taxi & I could get to the airport But God is good - there was a taxi stand right there!!! I managed to say "taxi" "airport" "terminal 2" and DA (yes) when he showed me the flat rate cost. That wonderful man had me at the correct terminal within 15 minutes. I could have kissed him, but I settled for giving him a huge tip.
Made it through all the nonsense that is checking in for a flight in Moscow. I was almost to the gate when I got waylaid by another oil man, one who had been on my flight from Astrakhan. He recognized me from that flight and stopped to talk. So we had a lovely long chat, and then it was time to go through additional security at the gate, and then onto the plane.
And now I'm just hours from home. Wooohooo!
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Tuesday Details
Well, it was such a wonderful day.
I woke up feeling a lot more positive & hopeful. In fact, that blog post when I announced that she was ours? I wrote it BEFORE court. Yep, wrote it up, saved it as a draft, and then went to court. I just knew it would be okay today.
Not that it was easy. The necessary documents were indeed in place, but then another question arose that could have messed things up all over again. I sat there thinking, "oh no. No. We are NOT going through this nonsense all over again." And remember, all of this is being done in Russian, which means I only get the summary of what was said when they stop talking long enough for my poor translator to interpret!
Anyway, that issue was resolved - I'm still not sure how, but it all ended up okay. The MOE lady repeated her approval of the adoption. Then the prosecutor summed up the facts and gave her approval as well. The judge asked if I wanted to continue ... thumbed through all the paperwork .... asked if the current US financial crisis would impact us, to which I could only say, "I hope not!" Then the judge left for a few minutes, and when she came back, she read the formal decree. Adoption granted, WOOOOHOOOO!!!!
Now, of course, we have the ten-day waiting period, during which anyone could appeal the decision. but mostly that's just a chance for me to go home, get some fresh clothes (!), and prepare for the next trip.
After court I went for my last visit. Remember I didn't go on Monday because I was so upset? Well, somebody missed me, I think. They brought her into the room - she whimpered, stuck her thumb in her mouth, and started to fuss. I picked her up and she just kind of melted into my shoulder. Did not move. I walked her back and forth around the room, and she never budged, not once. Didn't throw herself on the floor to have her usual rocking/self-soothing. Didn't push away from me to inspect the toys or hunt for food. She just sank as deep into my shoulder as she could and let me comfort her. That was such a huge step for her. Of course it makes it doubly frustrating to have to leave her again, but now I know that she's attaching to us, learning to trust us and see us as a source of comfort. Major step.
We played all the usual games. She borrowed Vala's copy of Glamour and thumbed through that, getting very excited at the ads for cars. She also had fun pointing at eyes, noses, and mouths on the models, and then pointing to them on herself. But the big hit was Vala's red high heels. Vala is so good with the kids, and so patient - she let LS slip into the shoes and clomp all over the room in them. I can't wait until she sees the dress-up shoes we have at home!
Leaving was very very hard, especially when she tried to slip past us and get to the door. She let me give her lots of kisses, though, and even though I hated to hear her cry as they took her away, I know that in the long run it's a very good sign.
So now, I have to pack (shouldn't take long :-) and try to sleep before I fly home tomorrow. We leave again on the 25, arriving in Astrakhan on the 26. Gotcha Day will be on Josh's birthday, October 27! And how's that for a full circle moment - both our first child and our last will share the same day of joining our family.
Can't wait!!!
I woke up feeling a lot more positive & hopeful. In fact, that blog post when I announced that she was ours? I wrote it BEFORE court. Yep, wrote it up, saved it as a draft, and then went to court. I just knew it would be okay today.
Not that it was easy. The necessary documents were indeed in place, but then another question arose that could have messed things up all over again. I sat there thinking, "oh no. No. We are NOT going through this nonsense all over again." And remember, all of this is being done in Russian, which means I only get the summary of what was said when they stop talking long enough for my poor translator to interpret!
Anyway, that issue was resolved - I'm still not sure how, but it all ended up okay. The MOE lady repeated her approval of the adoption. Then the prosecutor summed up the facts and gave her approval as well. The judge asked if I wanted to continue ... thumbed through all the paperwork .... asked if the current US financial crisis would impact us, to which I could only say, "I hope not!" Then the judge left for a few minutes, and when she came back, she read the formal decree. Adoption granted, WOOOOHOOOO!!!!
Now, of course, we have the ten-day waiting period, during which anyone could appeal the decision. but mostly that's just a chance for me to go home, get some fresh clothes (!), and prepare for the next trip.
After court I went for my last visit. Remember I didn't go on Monday because I was so upset? Well, somebody missed me, I think. They brought her into the room - she whimpered, stuck her thumb in her mouth, and started to fuss. I picked her up and she just kind of melted into my shoulder. Did not move. I walked her back and forth around the room, and she never budged, not once. Didn't throw herself on the floor to have her usual rocking/self-soothing. Didn't push away from me to inspect the toys or hunt for food. She just sank as deep into my shoulder as she could and let me comfort her. That was such a huge step for her. Of course it makes it doubly frustrating to have to leave her again, but now I know that she's attaching to us, learning to trust us and see us as a source of comfort. Major step.
We played all the usual games. She borrowed Vala's copy of Glamour and thumbed through that, getting very excited at the ads for cars. She also had fun pointing at eyes, noses, and mouths on the models, and then pointing to them on herself. But the big hit was Vala's red high heels. Vala is so good with the kids, and so patient - she let LS slip into the shoes and clomp all over the room in them. I can't wait until she sees the dress-up shoes we have at home!
Leaving was very very hard, especially when she tried to slip past us and get to the door. She let me give her lots of kisses, though, and even though I hated to hear her cry as they took her away, I know that in the long run it's a very good sign.
So now, I have to pack (shouldn't take long :-) and try to sleep before I fly home tomorrow. We leave again on the 25, arriving in Astrakhan on the 26. Gotcha Day will be on Josh's birthday, October 27! And how's that for a full circle moment - both our first child and our last will share the same day of joining our family.
Can't wait!!!
YES!
Wonderful news! All documents were in place today, everything went through, there will be no more delays. Little Sister will be ours in approximately 10 - 12 days!!!
Monday, October 13, 2008
Comment Questions
Big thanks to everyone who's been commenting on these rambles. It gets a bit lonely here in this hotel room, and every time I read a comment, I have a very Sally Field moment: They like me, they really like me! Yes, extended unwanted solitude can indeed turn a person into a pathetic snivel-heap :-)
Sara, sorry to report that at the moment I'm the only North American in town (at least for adoption purposes). If I do meet any other APs on the third trip (assuming we ever make it to that point), I'll be sure to contact you for details if their referral could be the one you're looking for.
Terri, YES! Send Sandi (and come yourself, you goofball :-)We can hit them with a shot of the Fletcher Sister's Fine Blend and they'll never know what happened!
Sara, sorry to report that at the moment I'm the only North American in town (at least for adoption purposes). If I do meet any other APs on the third trip (assuming we ever make it to that point), I'll be sure to contact you for details if their referral could be the one you're looking for.
Terri, YES! Send Sandi (and come yourself, you goofball :-)We can hit them with a shot of the Fletcher Sister's Fine Blend and they'll never know what happened!
One More Day
The ministry wasn't able to get all the documents they needed over the weekend, mostly because there was a local election going on in the area where they needed to get some information, and no one there was able to spare the time to work on an adoption thing. Which I understand, but still - frustrating. frustrating, frustrating. And couldn't someone have figured this all out BEFORE I zipped myself back into these damned skinny pants?
I'll post more later, but for the moment, I need to go for a walk & clear my head.
I'll post more later, but for the moment, I need to go for a walk & clear my head.
Monday Details
Okay, so now that we have the frustrating news out of the way, we can carry on. Right?
The day began as all others have since we left, with me blow-drying the underwear I washed out the night before. I am SO looking forward to having a washing machine again!
With no visit this morning, I had lots of free time. I used some of it to laze in bed, making book notes - a most welcome distraction.After a shower and breakfast I went for a long walk along the canal that runs through town, hoping to find the grocery store I spotted yesterday while we were driving. No luck. But I did see a horse grazing by the side of the canal, which was definitely an unexpected sight. I also walked past a school which was sending kids out to run along the canal, so I ended up weaving my way through a stream of runners. It was just like being at home and dodging the Fayetteville-Manlius cross country team as they train in our neighborhood!
I came back to the room, putzed around a bit, had a bite of cheese, then got dressed for court. With 25 minutes to go, I wondered what to do. So - I wrote! Not just plotting, but actual words on a manuscript page! I got almost a whole page in before I had to leave, and you know, it was the most therapeutic thing I could have done. I'm so very very glad I opened that file.
So then it was back to court and, well, you know how that went. Or didn't :-( The judge was very nice, asked if Larry had made it safely home and if the kids were glad to have him there. Unfortunately, as stated below, the necessary documents still have not been procured, so we had to adjourn until tomorrow.
Okay. I'd half expected this, especially after we all went into the courtroom and I saw that the MOE woman wasn't there, but still, it was hard. I ended up crying a bit when the Lenas (our coordinator and our translator)gave me big hugs. But after a minute or so I blew my nose and tried to carry on. They asked if I wanted to go to the baby home, and I probably should have, but at that moment I was too worried that I would end up bawling all over Little Sister, so I said no. Instead, we went on a chocolate expedition (bonus: I now know where there's a grocery store close to the hotel!!!), and then I came back here for a few moments to recover.
Larry and I exchanged some frustrated emails, but there was good news: my suitcase will land in Syracuse Tuesday night!
Walk. More emails. Some mindless computer games. Another walk. And now I'm here for the night.
Tomorrow, back to court. Again. But this time I have a secret weapon: I came up with a proposal to offer if the judge decides we need more time yet again. don;t know if it will fly, but it makes me feel a bit more in control to have it in mind.
Meanwhile, today is Canadian Thanksgiving. I'm frustrated and worried and really ready to go home, but at the same time ... I have so very much for which to be thankful. I have an awesome husband (don't get a swelled head, Lar, it's probably just the lack of Synthroid talking :-), and fabulous healthy kids, and wonderful sisters, and the most amazingly supportive friends. This is a pain, but this is temporary.
Meanwhile, please keep those thoughts and prayers coming!
The day began as all others have since we left, with me blow-drying the underwear I washed out the night before. I am SO looking forward to having a washing machine again!
With no visit this morning, I had lots of free time. I used some of it to laze in bed, making book notes - a most welcome distraction.After a shower and breakfast I went for a long walk along the canal that runs through town, hoping to find the grocery store I spotted yesterday while we were driving. No luck. But I did see a horse grazing by the side of the canal, which was definitely an unexpected sight. I also walked past a school which was sending kids out to run along the canal, so I ended up weaving my way through a stream of runners. It was just like being at home and dodging the Fayetteville-Manlius cross country team as they train in our neighborhood!
I came back to the room, putzed around a bit, had a bite of cheese, then got dressed for court. With 25 minutes to go, I wondered what to do. So - I wrote! Not just plotting, but actual words on a manuscript page! I got almost a whole page in before I had to leave, and you know, it was the most therapeutic thing I could have done. I'm so very very glad I opened that file.
So then it was back to court and, well, you know how that went. Or didn't :-( The judge was very nice, asked if Larry had made it safely home and if the kids were glad to have him there. Unfortunately, as stated below, the necessary documents still have not been procured, so we had to adjourn until tomorrow.
Okay. I'd half expected this, especially after we all went into the courtroom and I saw that the MOE woman wasn't there, but still, it was hard. I ended up crying a bit when the Lenas (our coordinator and our translator)gave me big hugs. But after a minute or so I blew my nose and tried to carry on. They asked if I wanted to go to the baby home, and I probably should have, but at that moment I was too worried that I would end up bawling all over Little Sister, so I said no. Instead, we went on a chocolate expedition (bonus: I now know where there's a grocery store close to the hotel!!!), and then I came back here for a few moments to recover.
Larry and I exchanged some frustrated emails, but there was good news: my suitcase will land in Syracuse Tuesday night!
Walk. More emails. Some mindless computer games. Another walk. And now I'm here for the night.
Tomorrow, back to court. Again. But this time I have a secret weapon: I came up with a proposal to offer if the judge decides we need more time yet again. don;t know if it will fly, but it makes me feel a bit more in control to have it in mind.
Meanwhile, today is Canadian Thanksgiving. I'm frustrated and worried and really ready to go home, but at the same time ... I have so very much for which to be thankful. I have an awesome husband (don't get a swelled head, Lar, it's probably just the lack of Synthroid talking :-), and fabulous healthy kids, and wonderful sisters, and the most amazingly supportive friends. This is a pain, but this is temporary.
Meanwhile, please keep those thoughts and prayers coming!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Beautiful Sunday
It's a little after 6 p.m. as I write this, dusk is settling, and here's what I see on the riverwalk in front of my window right now:
- one fisherman
- three men standing beside him
- one woman in a pink car coat sitting all alone on a metal bench
- one man showing his friends what has to be a new camera, given how many times he's made it flash
- a s;ow and steady parade of lovers walking by, hand in hand
- a small tug-like boat flying the Russian flag
- a small child in a blue coat, running out into the open areas, then back to his parents on their bench
I told you it was a gorgeous view, night and day :-)
I had a new experience when I went for my morning walk: I was panhandled. At least, I think that's what was going on. An older woman in a thick coat and a kerchief came up to me, tugging a small boy with a sad face. She said something to me and I replied with my all-purpose Ya nee panemayoo pa Russkie." She said something else, but I repeated my phrase and walked away. A few minutes later, having reached on end of the riverwalk, I came upon her again. This time she spoke quite stridently, alternately pointing at the boy and rubbing her thumb and forefingers together in what I'm pretty sure is a universal symbol for money. When I shook my head, she got rather pissed off at me, or so I assumed from her tone. I kept walking but I confess, I glanced back a couple of times to be sure she wasn't following me, and I walked back a different way so I wouldn't run into her again.
I mentioned it to Vala, who said that this kind of think was fairly new to Astrakhan. She assured me that any money would never have gone to the child, and intellectually, I know that. But still ...
Just one visit today, as it was Sunday. Little Sister trotted out to the entry to meet us, smiled, then made a beeline for the outside door. Oh, was she unhappy when we caught her and brough her back inside! We struggled down to the music room, where she threw herself on the sofa and launched onto a long and heartwrenching period of wailing and rocking herself. I wasn't allowed to touch her for a long time. I had to make do with crouching beside her and singing soft songs to try to soothe her. After about 10 minutes she spotted the bag of Duplos I'd brought, and she sat up and reached for them, but then something set her off again and there was more heartbreak. Eventually, though, she let me rub her back, and then she started to calm. I pulled out the small bag of cookies I'd brought along, and she dug into that. With one in each hand, she finally let me put her on my lap and cuddle her close.
After that, it was all smiles.
She dumped the Duplos, which I knew she would do. That's why I brought them, so she would have something to dump. She went for the little purse again, carefully filling it with wipes and the toy cell phone and a few blocks, then marching around the room with it swinging from her hand. But the real hit today was my little mp3 player. First she stared at the headphones, pulling them apart & then letting them spring back together. Then I turned it on at full volume so she could hear the music even without headphones. Baby's first Elvis!!! She stared at the player, and at the headphones; carefully unplugged the headphones, over and over; bounced to the music; and played with every button to be found. It was an endless source of amusement for her.
She also loves to carry the toybox around the room, setting it down by the little chairs that are lined up for music time, and filling it with the things I've brought. Today she insisted on putting it on the floor in front of the chair and setting her feet very precisely inside. At one point - and remember, this is a SHOEBOX - she scooched her feet to one end, squatted, and got her tiny butt inside, too! I know my feet are big, but they're not large enough that you would imagine a toddler could fold herself up inside one of my shoeboxes, but this girlie did.
She didn't want to leave today - there was a bit more rocking when we had to pick up - but she was easily distracted from it, and happy to know it was lunch time. Today she even remembered to wave goodbye and give me a kiss!
Of course, after such a great visit I was fighting tears all the way back to the hotel, worrying about what might happen in court Monday. But I have to believe it will all work out.
The afternoon was spent figuring out finances, emailing, talking to folks at home, and going for another walk. (No panhandlers this time.)For excitement I went to the restaurant here in the hotel for dinner. It was deserted, so there was no cigarette smoke butting up against my food. I'm glad, because it was really good tonight. I had an Edelweiss salad: cucumber, tomato, green beans, blue cheese, red peppers, and bacon, all very attractively arranged on the plate. Then I had chicken schnitzel, which I also ordered the first night, but this time, the cook remembered that schnitzel is usually fried. Okay, I didn't need the extra calories, but it tasted soooo much better tonight. It came with a grilled tomato and yellow pepper, and a really interesting sauce which I think was sour cream mized with tiny bits of dill pickle. Quite tangy and delicious. Interesting thing here: everything seems to be sold a la carte. So to get rice with my chicken, I had to order it separately. I guess this would simplify things for folks doing Atkins!
So now it's time to change into jammies, wash out my clothes, and do some writing. I won't get a visit until after court tomorrow. I'm praying it will be a joyful one and that we can start counting down the days until we bring Little Sister home.
- one fisherman
- three men standing beside him
- one woman in a pink car coat sitting all alone on a metal bench
- one man showing his friends what has to be a new camera, given how many times he's made it flash
- a s;ow and steady parade of lovers walking by, hand in hand
- a small tug-like boat flying the Russian flag
- a small child in a blue coat, running out into the open areas, then back to his parents on their bench
I told you it was a gorgeous view, night and day :-)
I had a new experience when I went for my morning walk: I was panhandled. At least, I think that's what was going on. An older woman in a thick coat and a kerchief came up to me, tugging a small boy with a sad face. She said something to me and I replied with my all-purpose Ya nee panemayoo pa Russkie." She said something else, but I repeated my phrase and walked away. A few minutes later, having reached on end of the riverwalk, I came upon her again. This time she spoke quite stridently, alternately pointing at the boy and rubbing her thumb and forefingers together in what I'm pretty sure is a universal symbol for money. When I shook my head, she got rather pissed off at me, or so I assumed from her tone. I kept walking but I confess, I glanced back a couple of times to be sure she wasn't following me, and I walked back a different way so I wouldn't run into her again.
I mentioned it to Vala, who said that this kind of think was fairly new to Astrakhan. She assured me that any money would never have gone to the child, and intellectually, I know that. But still ...
Just one visit today, as it was Sunday. Little Sister trotted out to the entry to meet us, smiled, then made a beeline for the outside door. Oh, was she unhappy when we caught her and brough her back inside! We struggled down to the music room, where she threw herself on the sofa and launched onto a long and heartwrenching period of wailing and rocking herself. I wasn't allowed to touch her for a long time. I had to make do with crouching beside her and singing soft songs to try to soothe her. After about 10 minutes she spotted the bag of Duplos I'd brought, and she sat up and reached for them, but then something set her off again and there was more heartbreak. Eventually, though, she let me rub her back, and then she started to calm. I pulled out the small bag of cookies I'd brought along, and she dug into that. With one in each hand, she finally let me put her on my lap and cuddle her close.
After that, it was all smiles.
She dumped the Duplos, which I knew she would do. That's why I brought them, so she would have something to dump. She went for the little purse again, carefully filling it with wipes and the toy cell phone and a few blocks, then marching around the room with it swinging from her hand. But the real hit today was my little mp3 player. First she stared at the headphones, pulling them apart & then letting them spring back together. Then I turned it on at full volume so she could hear the music even without headphones. Baby's first Elvis!!! She stared at the player, and at the headphones; carefully unplugged the headphones, over and over; bounced to the music; and played with every button to be found. It was an endless source of amusement for her.
She also loves to carry the toybox around the room, setting it down by the little chairs that are lined up for music time, and filling it with the things I've brought. Today she insisted on putting it on the floor in front of the chair and setting her feet very precisely inside. At one point - and remember, this is a SHOEBOX - she scooched her feet to one end, squatted, and got her tiny butt inside, too! I know my feet are big, but they're not large enough that you would imagine a toddler could fold herself up inside one of my shoeboxes, but this girlie did.
She didn't want to leave today - there was a bit more rocking when we had to pick up - but she was easily distracted from it, and happy to know it was lunch time. Today she even remembered to wave goodbye and give me a kiss!
Of course, after such a great visit I was fighting tears all the way back to the hotel, worrying about what might happen in court Monday. But I have to believe it will all work out.
The afternoon was spent figuring out finances, emailing, talking to folks at home, and going for another walk. (No panhandlers this time.)For excitement I went to the restaurant here in the hotel for dinner. It was deserted, so there was no cigarette smoke butting up against my food. I'm glad, because it was really good tonight. I had an Edelweiss salad: cucumber, tomato, green beans, blue cheese, red peppers, and bacon, all very attractively arranged on the plate. Then I had chicken schnitzel, which I also ordered the first night, but this time, the cook remembered that schnitzel is usually fried. Okay, I didn't need the extra calories, but it tasted soooo much better tonight. It came with a grilled tomato and yellow pepper, and a really interesting sauce which I think was sour cream mized with tiny bits of dill pickle. Quite tangy and delicious. Interesting thing here: everything seems to be sold a la carte. So to get rice with my chicken, I had to order it separately. I guess this would simplify things for folks doing Atkins!
So now it's time to change into jammies, wash out my clothes, and do some writing. I won't get a visit until after court tomorrow. I'm praying it will be a joyful one and that we can start counting down the days until we bring Little Sister home.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Saturday, part DUH
It warmed to the mid-50's this afternoon, and I had a lovely long walk up to the kremlin and then all around the perimeter. There were SO MANY weddings taking place! At one side of the kremlin the wedding cars were double & triple parked. Wedding processions honk their horns here in Astrakhan, too, and the wedding photographers here do goofy things, too, like making the groomsmen all stand together and hold the horizontal groom. It was a great day to be out, to see all the happiness & laughter all around. Even away from the weddings, people were out in droves today, soaking up the sunshine and chasing kids and walking hand in hand.
I walked for about an hour, then came back & have spent the rest of the day chilling in the room. Very laid back. Talked to the kids again - I swear we talk more when I'm away than when we're home, but hey, I'm not complaining :-)
I had a DUH moment around 8, when I tried to figure out why I was so very tired. Okay, there's lots of emotions at play, and I had a long walk, but still, this seemed a bit much. Then I realized that it's been a week since I had my daily synthroid pill. Talk about your V-8 moments! I'll be okay, this isn't a drastic dosage by any means, but no wonder I'm dragging a bit tonight!
A few cool things that I've noticed here:
- the tall windows here in the hotel have 2 options for opening. If you turn the handle up, the window tilts open from the top, about 5 inches. If you turn the handle sideways, the window swings open as wide as you choose.
- Pringles come in some very interesting flavors, including red pepper & vinegar (I think), cheese & onion, and bacon. Which may be Pringles flavors at home, too, but since I don't buy them there, I wouldn't know.
- the women are SKINNY. And they seem far more fashionable than at home, though you know, that might just be me :-)
- driving is a test of stamina like no other. Especially when the drivers decide to drive 3 abreast in a space meant for 2. Or when a cow wanders into the road. Or when it's time to make a left turn, which involves 2 or 3 or 4 cars pulling over into the left lane, all beside each other, and then ALL turning left at the same time. Which means you not only have to avoid oncoming traffic, you also have to watch out for the other left-turning cars as well.
- mixed vegetables, cole slaw, rice, and hot dogs are breakfast foods here.
- Coke is everywhere. Pepsi, not so much.
- hotels do not provide washcloths. However, there has been a fridge in every place we've stayed, which is very convenient, especially as there are no ice machines. Ice seems to be out of favor here.
- even I, who avoids buying water whenever I can go for the tap, will spring for BonAqua sparkling water. It's just so refreshing!
Finally, here's a big shout-out to the things that make it so much easier to be away from home: live streaming radio that allows you to listen to a hometown station from 5,000 miles away, email, and Skype. And, of course, Pringles. Especially when paired with a Cadbury chocolate chaser.
I walked for about an hour, then came back & have spent the rest of the day chilling in the room. Very laid back. Talked to the kids again - I swear we talk more when I'm away than when we're home, but hey, I'm not complaining :-)
I had a DUH moment around 8, when I tried to figure out why I was so very tired. Okay, there's lots of emotions at play, and I had a long walk, but still, this seemed a bit much. Then I realized that it's been a week since I had my daily synthroid pill. Talk about your V-8 moments! I'll be okay, this isn't a drastic dosage by any means, but no wonder I'm dragging a bit tonight!
A few cool things that I've noticed here:
- the tall windows here in the hotel have 2 options for opening. If you turn the handle up, the window tilts open from the top, about 5 inches. If you turn the handle sideways, the window swings open as wide as you choose.
- Pringles come in some very interesting flavors, including red pepper & vinegar (I think), cheese & onion, and bacon. Which may be Pringles flavors at home, too, but since I don't buy them there, I wouldn't know.
- the women are SKINNY. And they seem far more fashionable than at home, though you know, that might just be me :-)
- driving is a test of stamina like no other. Especially when the drivers decide to drive 3 abreast in a space meant for 2. Or when a cow wanders into the road. Or when it's time to make a left turn, which involves 2 or 3 or 4 cars pulling over into the left lane, all beside each other, and then ALL turning left at the same time. Which means you not only have to avoid oncoming traffic, you also have to watch out for the other left-turning cars as well.
- mixed vegetables, cole slaw, rice, and hot dogs are breakfast foods here.
- Coke is everywhere. Pepsi, not so much.
- hotels do not provide washcloths. However, there has been a fridge in every place we've stayed, which is very convenient, especially as there are no ice machines. Ice seems to be out of favor here.
- even I, who avoids buying water whenever I can go for the tap, will spring for BonAqua sparkling water. It's just so refreshing!
Finally, here's a big shout-out to the things that make it so much easier to be away from home: live streaming radio that allows you to listen to a hometown station from 5,000 miles away, email, and Skype. And, of course, Pringles. Especially when paired with a Cadbury chocolate chaser.
Saturday
It's a gorgeous afternoon here on the Volga. I wish I had a cable so I could upload pictures for you all to see, but alas and alack, I didn't think to pack one. Next trip, for sure. Of course, on the next trip I'll be able to post pictures of the most gorgeous sight in all of Russia, Little Sister. That will be soooooo cool!
Last night I got a bit of a scare when the ATM in the lobby wouldn't take my card, but this morning it worked fine. RELIEF!I got some rubles there and some from another machine, just to be on the safe side. A nice walk in the brisk (32 degree) air & ensuring that I had cash were a fabulous way to start the day.
I was able to check & see that Larry's final flight had landed just before I left for the baby home. He'd had a 2 hour delay in Atlanta, poor guy, but finally made it off the plane, 28 hours after being picked up by our driver. We still don't know if he'll have to come back to Astrakhan or not. My being Canadian has tossed a kink into the usual process, and people aren't quite sure what we have to do/not do. But it will all fall together somehow.
While driving to the baby home, and also yesterday, I saw lots of cars decorated for weddings. Vala told me that Friday & Saturday are the big wedding days here, and that the celebrations will often last for 2 days. Cars are decorated with big bows & streamers. Weddings often happen at the wedding palace. How's that for a cool name! I wonder if the fireworks that woke me in the night were related to a wedding.
Today's visit with LS was a twofer, outside and inside. We thought we would have to stay inside, so we were all set up in the music room, then they brought her to us dressed for outside. Usually she loves to go out, but she had already spotted the toy box, so she was NOT happy about going out. We went anyway, and walked around a bit, but she was clearly not happy.
While we were walking, Larry called to report that he'd made it to the house, yay! And in totally unexpected news, Delta lost HIS bag on the way home. BWAHAHAHAHAHA! However, they know where his went (South Bend, anyone?), and will deliver it ASAP. Meanwhile, my suitcase has finally turned up!!!!!!! Someone grabbed the wrong suitcase in Moscow.We're not sure if it's been returned to the airport yet or if that has yet to happen, but at least it isn't totally lost anymore. Larry gave them very specific instructions about getting it to me, so it may yet join me. If not, I'll get it at home. Oh joy, I will be able to finish knitting the second sock I'd packed after all! And if it does come here, I'll be able to give LS the blankie we bought for her to keep here until we pick her up.
Anyway, we were joined by the other kids in LS's group, and there were lots of curious looks. There's one little boy who is so very affectionate, who comes up to me for a cuddle or a kiss, then struts away as if he were the king of the world. It breaks my heart to see the kids who may never have a home outside the orphanage. Their opportunities are so very limited if they never get out of the system, and it's so hard to comprehend what it does to them emotionally. We all make jokes about celebrities who adopt, but seriously, if it helps raise awareness so other people will be inspired to take a child into their homes, then you know what? Go Angelina.
Anyway.
We returned to the music room, where LS made a beeline for the toybox. I'd packed a little doll today, but she wasn't much interested in it, which surprised me, as she pays attention to the babies outside. The cheese, however, was a big hit. So were the markers. We played them like drumsticks for a while, and dumped them in and out of the box, and actually did some "drawing" on paper. We also had some quiet time together, when she started her frustration-rocking. I'm not allowed to pick her up when she does that (her choice), but today I got right down beside her and rubbed her back & sang to her as she rocked. When she started to look at me again, I started playing tickle games with her. We then progressed to kissy games. So what started out as a heartwrenching attempt to soothe herself turned into a wonderful close time that left us both giggly, happy, and closer than we'd been.
Her caregiver told Vala that LS is talking more in her group, and that she gets very excited when someone comes to take her from the group. In fact, when they come for her, she asks, "Papa?"
At noon we had to send her back to her group for lunch. I won't have a second visit today, but I will get back tomorrow morning.
So now, here I am in a lovely hotel room with hours of solitude ahead of me. There are some benefits to being the one who had to stay behind! I could walk, or write, or do more email, or watch an episode of MASH - or all of the above. Decisions, decisions!
Please keep us in your prayers & thoughts, especially as we get closer to the new court date.
Last night I got a bit of a scare when the ATM in the lobby wouldn't take my card, but this morning it worked fine. RELIEF!I got some rubles there and some from another machine, just to be on the safe side. A nice walk in the brisk (32 degree) air & ensuring that I had cash were a fabulous way to start the day.
I was able to check & see that Larry's final flight had landed just before I left for the baby home. He'd had a 2 hour delay in Atlanta, poor guy, but finally made it off the plane, 28 hours after being picked up by our driver. We still don't know if he'll have to come back to Astrakhan or not. My being Canadian has tossed a kink into the usual process, and people aren't quite sure what we have to do/not do. But it will all fall together somehow.
While driving to the baby home, and also yesterday, I saw lots of cars decorated for weddings. Vala told me that Friday & Saturday are the big wedding days here, and that the celebrations will often last for 2 days. Cars are decorated with big bows & streamers. Weddings often happen at the wedding palace. How's that for a cool name! I wonder if the fireworks that woke me in the night were related to a wedding.
Today's visit with LS was a twofer, outside and inside. We thought we would have to stay inside, so we were all set up in the music room, then they brought her to us dressed for outside. Usually she loves to go out, but she had already spotted the toy box, so she was NOT happy about going out. We went anyway, and walked around a bit, but she was clearly not happy.
While we were walking, Larry called to report that he'd made it to the house, yay! And in totally unexpected news, Delta lost HIS bag on the way home. BWAHAHAHAHAHA! However, they know where his went (South Bend, anyone?), and will deliver it ASAP. Meanwhile, my suitcase has finally turned up!!!!!!! Someone grabbed the wrong suitcase in Moscow.We're not sure if it's been returned to the airport yet or if that has yet to happen, but at least it isn't totally lost anymore. Larry gave them very specific instructions about getting it to me, so it may yet join me. If not, I'll get it at home. Oh joy, I will be able to finish knitting the second sock I'd packed after all! And if it does come here, I'll be able to give LS the blankie we bought for her to keep here until we pick her up.
Anyway, we were joined by the other kids in LS's group, and there were lots of curious looks. There's one little boy who is so very affectionate, who comes up to me for a cuddle or a kiss, then struts away as if he were the king of the world. It breaks my heart to see the kids who may never have a home outside the orphanage. Their opportunities are so very limited if they never get out of the system, and it's so hard to comprehend what it does to them emotionally. We all make jokes about celebrities who adopt, but seriously, if it helps raise awareness so other people will be inspired to take a child into their homes, then you know what? Go Angelina.
Anyway.
We returned to the music room, where LS made a beeline for the toybox. I'd packed a little doll today, but she wasn't much interested in it, which surprised me, as she pays attention to the babies outside. The cheese, however, was a big hit. So were the markers. We played them like drumsticks for a while, and dumped them in and out of the box, and actually did some "drawing" on paper. We also had some quiet time together, when she started her frustration-rocking. I'm not allowed to pick her up when she does that (her choice), but today I got right down beside her and rubbed her back & sang to her as she rocked. When she started to look at me again, I started playing tickle games with her. We then progressed to kissy games. So what started out as a heartwrenching attempt to soothe herself turned into a wonderful close time that left us both giggly, happy, and closer than we'd been.
Her caregiver told Vala that LS is talking more in her group, and that she gets very excited when someone comes to take her from the group. In fact, when they come for her, she asks, "Papa?"
At noon we had to send her back to her group for lunch. I won't have a second visit today, but I will get back tomorrow morning.
So now, here I am in a lovely hotel room with hours of solitude ahead of me. There are some benefits to being the one who had to stay behind! I could walk, or write, or do more email, or watch an episode of MASH - or all of the above. Decisions, decisions!
Please keep us in your prayers & thoughts, especially as we get closer to the new court date.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Friday
I made it through my first day alone. Yay me!
Larry left bright & early this morning. All his flights are proceeding according to schedule thus far. Everyone cross your fingers & pray that he has safe and easy travel.
Once he left, I crawled back into bed for a luxurious sleep-in, not waking again until 9. I think that was the best sleep I've had since leaving home! After breakfast I took my first solo walk, up and down the riverwalk in front of the hotel, and then into town. It was much colder today, only in the 50's, and quite windy, but it felt GOOD.
Once back in the room I spent a lot of time catching up on email. I also caught Josh online and we were able to IM for a long time, which was a wonderful bonus treat.
I decided to do something different with LS today. Thus far we've been carrying our treats in Larry's pack & my purse, and I decided it probably wasn't a good plan to have her associate my purse with goodies. So today I took the very sturdy shoebox that came with my court shoes & decided that would be the toy box. There were 2 shoebags in there two, roomy and black. I put a few toys in each of the bags - a plastic cell phone, a comb, a few blocks, a small purse, and an apple. The bags went into the box and I was set.
In the afternoon Vala took me back to the store today to get another pair of casual pants and a sweater. The pants aren't anything I would buy at home, but it's even harder to find plus-sized clothes in Russian than at home. Everyone here is so skinny! So when I found a pair that were comfy, roomy, and not horrendously overpriced, I grabbed them. Then we found a lovely warm cream colored sweater and my wardrobe was complete.
After that it was time to visit. We were there for almost 2 hours, and I think it was our best visit yet. She loved the toy box, loved reaching into the bags to find what was hidden within. When I took my sweater off, she insisted that I put it on her. So we rolled up the sleeves and buttoned her into it. She spent the next hour walking around with this giant sweater dragging behind her, just like a tsarina with her robes. It was too adorable.
The apple was a HUGE hit. That lasted the whole visit. She had trouble with the peel & kept spitting it into my hand, but would she let me peel it for her? Not for a long time. That was HER apple and she wasn't letting go of it for anything. I thought it was a very good sign when she finally let me have it long enough to remove the remaining peel.
She;s always been very active, running and bouncing from one activity to another, but today she was almost mellow (at least by her standards :-) She explored everything very carefully, and stuck her cell phone into the purse & paraded around the room, and was fascinated by wet wipes. I used one to wipe the apple juice from her hands and she wouldn't let it out of her sight. She would very carefully spread it on the sofa, then have me lift her so her tiny butt was firmly planted on it. Not sure what that was all about, but she got a ton of pleasure from it, that's for sure!
At 6 we packed up & returned her to the caregiver, crying all the way :-( Vala took me took the grocery store and I grabbed some of the essentials for my extended stay: diet Coke, Cadbury chocolate, and Pringles. Okay, I also got some bread & cheese & apples, but let's be honest - those are great, but they won't get me through on their own.
I'm very happy because I figured out why the music wasn't playing on the laptop, so now I can have music. Yay! Tonight's plan: wash some clothes, catch up on email, maybe do some writing, then to bed. We're leaving at 9:45 tomorrow for the baby home, so I have to be up & ready in plenty of time.
Das aftra - see you tomorrow!
Larry left bright & early this morning. All his flights are proceeding according to schedule thus far. Everyone cross your fingers & pray that he has safe and easy travel.
Once he left, I crawled back into bed for a luxurious sleep-in, not waking again until 9. I think that was the best sleep I've had since leaving home! After breakfast I took my first solo walk, up and down the riverwalk in front of the hotel, and then into town. It was much colder today, only in the 50's, and quite windy, but it felt GOOD.
Once back in the room I spent a lot of time catching up on email. I also caught Josh online and we were able to IM for a long time, which was a wonderful bonus treat.
I decided to do something different with LS today. Thus far we've been carrying our treats in Larry's pack & my purse, and I decided it probably wasn't a good plan to have her associate my purse with goodies. So today I took the very sturdy shoebox that came with my court shoes & decided that would be the toy box. There were 2 shoebags in there two, roomy and black. I put a few toys in each of the bags - a plastic cell phone, a comb, a few blocks, a small purse, and an apple. The bags went into the box and I was set.
In the afternoon Vala took me back to the store today to get another pair of casual pants and a sweater. The pants aren't anything I would buy at home, but it's even harder to find plus-sized clothes in Russian than at home. Everyone here is so skinny! So when I found a pair that were comfy, roomy, and not horrendously overpriced, I grabbed them. Then we found a lovely warm cream colored sweater and my wardrobe was complete.
After that it was time to visit. We were there for almost 2 hours, and I think it was our best visit yet. She loved the toy box, loved reaching into the bags to find what was hidden within. When I took my sweater off, she insisted that I put it on her. So we rolled up the sleeves and buttoned her into it. She spent the next hour walking around with this giant sweater dragging behind her, just like a tsarina with her robes. It was too adorable.
The apple was a HUGE hit. That lasted the whole visit. She had trouble with the peel & kept spitting it into my hand, but would she let me peel it for her? Not for a long time. That was HER apple and she wasn't letting go of it for anything. I thought it was a very good sign when she finally let me have it long enough to remove the remaining peel.
She;s always been very active, running and bouncing from one activity to another, but today she was almost mellow (at least by her standards :-) She explored everything very carefully, and stuck her cell phone into the purse & paraded around the room, and was fascinated by wet wipes. I used one to wipe the apple juice from her hands and she wouldn't let it out of her sight. She would very carefully spread it on the sofa, then have me lift her so her tiny butt was firmly planted on it. Not sure what that was all about, but she got a ton of pleasure from it, that's for sure!
At 6 we packed up & returned her to the caregiver, crying all the way :-( Vala took me took the grocery store and I grabbed some of the essentials for my extended stay: diet Coke, Cadbury chocolate, and Pringles. Okay, I also got some bread & cheese & apples, but let's be honest - those are great, but they won't get me through on their own.
I'm very happy because I figured out why the music wasn't playing on the laptop, so now I can have music. Yay! Tonight's plan: wash some clothes, catch up on email, maybe do some writing, then to bed. We're leaving at 9:45 tomorrow for the baby home, so I have to be up & ready in plenty of time.
Das aftra - see you tomorrow!
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Mixed News Thursday
Okay, we'll get right to the important news, which is that we made it through 1.5 hours of court and then got hung up on a technicality. Court was adjourned until Monday afternoon.
This is frustrating, of course, and means we have a bit more nail-biting to endure, but there were some encouraging signs. All our paperwork and answers were fine. The problem lies solely within the system here. In addition, they decided they did not need both of us to stay. So Friday morning bright and early, Larry will head for home. I will stay for court and fly back Tuesday (I hope!)
So with that frustrating news out of the way, let's get to the good stuff. First, we heard from the consulate in Moscow that Larry will NOT have to return there to file LS's paperwork. We're still waiting to hear if he will need to return to Astrakhan when I come back, but at least that's one less stop.
We had 2 good visits with LS today, outside both times. When she gets frustrated with us - usually because we won't give her more food - she drops to the ground, sticks her thumb in her mouth, and rocks back and forth. The good news is that when this happens, she's becoming increasingly open to letting us comfort her. She had us push her in a stroller today and seemed to really enjoy that.
Larry was very excited because we made it back to the meat pie store today and bought one for lunch. We ate it in the room and found it just as delicious as on our last trip.
I haven't mentioned much about the hotel. We have a very nice room overlooking the Volga river. The leaves are turning here, so when I look out in the morning, I saw a gorgeous bank of yellow and orange leaves across the way. The Volga is huge, like the Mississippi. There are cruise boats that go up and down past our window. This morning I saw a man out rowing on the water, and of course there are fishermen! It's a lovely view at any time of day.
That's about it for today. Larry leaves in the morning, as I said. I will go back to sleep after his departure :-) and have a quiet morning walking around the area and doing stuff here at the hotel. In the afternoon, Vala will take me shopping again (I REALLY would like some new jeans!), and then to the baby home. We'll stop at a grocery store on the way back to the hotel, and that will be my day.
This is frustrating, of course, and means we have a bit more nail-biting to endure, but there were some encouraging signs. All our paperwork and answers were fine. The problem lies solely within the system here. In addition, they decided they did not need both of us to stay. So Friday morning bright and early, Larry will head for home. I will stay for court and fly back Tuesday (I hope!)
So with that frustrating news out of the way, let's get to the good stuff. First, we heard from the consulate in Moscow that Larry will NOT have to return there to file LS's paperwork. We're still waiting to hear if he will need to return to Astrakhan when I come back, but at least that's one less stop.
We had 2 good visits with LS today, outside both times. When she gets frustrated with us - usually because we won't give her more food - she drops to the ground, sticks her thumb in her mouth, and rocks back and forth. The good news is that when this happens, she's becoming increasingly open to letting us comfort her. She had us push her in a stroller today and seemed to really enjoy that.
Larry was very excited because we made it back to the meat pie store today and bought one for lunch. We ate it in the room and found it just as delicious as on our last trip.
I haven't mentioned much about the hotel. We have a very nice room overlooking the Volga river. The leaves are turning here, so when I look out in the morning, I saw a gorgeous bank of yellow and orange leaves across the way. The Volga is huge, like the Mississippi. There are cruise boats that go up and down past our window. This morning I saw a man out rowing on the water, and of course there are fishermen! It's a lovely view at any time of day.
That's about it for today. Larry leaves in the morning, as I said. I will go back to sleep after his departure :-) and have a quiet morning walking around the area and doing stuff here at the hotel. In the afternoon, Vala will take me shopping again (I REALLY would like some new jeans!), and then to the baby home. We'll stop at a grocery store on the way back to the hotel, and that will be my day.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
The Days Are Just Packed
Well. Today was BUSY.
We started the day with a hearty breakfast buffet - CHOICES, hooray! Our hotel last time, the Korvet, was quite nice and had lovely big rooms, but there was no choice at breakfast - you just ate what they set in front of you. But the Azimut offers a buffet. Okay, I don't think I've ever seen cole slaw at breakfast before, but that's okay. There was still a good selection, and it was a great start.
We left the hotel at 9:30. First we needed to apply & pay for LS's birth certificate. Then we had to go somewhere else to pay for it. Then, I think, we were done with appointments and had our first visit to the baby home. We saw her! She's as adorable as ever, about the same size, still full of energy and laughs. We brought a teeny little photo album with pictures of her, us with her, and the other kids. She seemed intrigued by that. We played for a long time, well over an hour. Her favorite games are run, chase, airplane, and hunt through Mama's purse for crackers :-) She gets frustrated when she can't have all the crackers she wants, but she'll learn. And today, when they had to take her back, she cried harder than I've ever seen. We're not sure if she remembers us, but she certainly seemed to enjoy being with us. Or maybe it wast just the crackers.
Once we left the baby home, it was time for my FAVORITE activity: shopping. Kill me now. However, Vala (our translator) made it as painless as possible for me. She took us to a small shop in a mall and appealed to the mercy of the very kind staff. They found me black pants and a striped shirt that both fit (a miracle!) and were reasonably priced. Then they hemmed the pants - in half an hour! I felt sooooo much better knowing I would have something to wear to court. While we waited I got shoes & knee highs. We also picked up a music cd & a Russian story dvd for LS. Also, Larry managed to find a funny hat. Our boys will be ever so pleased to see it.
Lunch was at the famous San Pizza, a favorite of families adopting from Astrakhan, and for good reason. It was yummy. While we ate, Vala discussed the court proceedings so we'll be prepared for Thursday. (GULP.)
With lunch finished, we went back to the baby home. This time we were able to play outside, for a very long time. LS was quite determined to get at the crackers again. She was NOT happy when we had to say no (after 3 big crackers), and when we couldn't let her pour water on herself, and when we couldn't let her climb in a car. This girl knows her mind. But we worked through the boundaries & frustrations, and ended up having so much fun. She would close Larry inside a big play structure, wave bye-bye to him, then run to me with her arms wide open. Over and over and over! She also loved having us fly her through the air and swing her between her legs and bounce her up and down. All I can say is, I'm going to have gorgeous biceps after a couple of months with this girlie. She was unhappy when we had to go in, but it was dinner time, so that eased the transition for her.
We left the baby home and drove to another favorite restaurant, the Chocolate Cafe. It was so good! Larry had a salad that had warm nuts & raisins in a sweet sauce over lettuce, then some fancy mashed potatoes & thin pancakes with apples. I ate a fabulous salad of lettuce, pears, walnuts, and crumbled blue cheese, followed by delicious mashed potato cups filled with bacon, sauce, & some other yummies. For dessert we split a teensy Lilliputian cup of their famous hot chocolate, which isn't a drink, but more like chocolate fondue. Very rich, definitely made for sharing, quite delicious.
We walked back to the hotel (and didn;t get lost, hooray!) and found that the Internet was working - not only in the lobby, but in our room! So now I can sit in
bed and check email. This is luxury.
Tomorrow, we go for our final visit to the baby home, then have court in the afternoon. We're a bit nervous and would greatly appreciate all prayers & good vibes. We'll let you know how it turns out ASAP.
We started the day with a hearty breakfast buffet - CHOICES, hooray! Our hotel last time, the Korvet, was quite nice and had lovely big rooms, but there was no choice at breakfast - you just ate what they set in front of you. But the Azimut offers a buffet. Okay, I don't think I've ever seen cole slaw at breakfast before, but that's okay. There was still a good selection, and it was a great start.
We left the hotel at 9:30. First we needed to apply & pay for LS's birth certificate. Then we had to go somewhere else to pay for it. Then, I think, we were done with appointments and had our first visit to the baby home. We saw her! She's as adorable as ever, about the same size, still full of energy and laughs. We brought a teeny little photo album with pictures of her, us with her, and the other kids. She seemed intrigued by that. We played for a long time, well over an hour. Her favorite games are run, chase, airplane, and hunt through Mama's purse for crackers :-) She gets frustrated when she can't have all the crackers she wants, but she'll learn. And today, when they had to take her back, she cried harder than I've ever seen. We're not sure if she remembers us, but she certainly seemed to enjoy being with us. Or maybe it wast just the crackers.
Once we left the baby home, it was time for my FAVORITE activity: shopping. Kill me now. However, Vala (our translator) made it as painless as possible for me. She took us to a small shop in a mall and appealed to the mercy of the very kind staff. They found me black pants and a striped shirt that both fit (a miracle!) and were reasonably priced. Then they hemmed the pants - in half an hour! I felt sooooo much better knowing I would have something to wear to court. While we waited I got shoes & knee highs. We also picked up a music cd & a Russian story dvd for LS. Also, Larry managed to find a funny hat. Our boys will be ever so pleased to see it.
Lunch was at the famous San Pizza, a favorite of families adopting from Astrakhan, and for good reason. It was yummy. While we ate, Vala discussed the court proceedings so we'll be prepared for Thursday. (GULP.)
With lunch finished, we went back to the baby home. This time we were able to play outside, for a very long time. LS was quite determined to get at the crackers again. She was NOT happy when we had to say no (after 3 big crackers), and when we couldn't let her pour water on herself, and when we couldn't let her climb in a car. This girl knows her mind. But we worked through the boundaries & frustrations, and ended up having so much fun. She would close Larry inside a big play structure, wave bye-bye to him, then run to me with her arms wide open. Over and over and over! She also loved having us fly her through the air and swing her between her legs and bounce her up and down. All I can say is, I'm going to have gorgeous biceps after a couple of months with this girlie. She was unhappy when we had to go in, but it was dinner time, so that eased the transition for her.
We left the baby home and drove to another favorite restaurant, the Chocolate Cafe. It was so good! Larry had a salad that had warm nuts & raisins in a sweet sauce over lettuce, then some fancy mashed potatoes & thin pancakes with apples. I ate a fabulous salad of lettuce, pears, walnuts, and crumbled blue cheese, followed by delicious mashed potato cups filled with bacon, sauce, & some other yummies. For dessert we split a teensy Lilliputian cup of their famous hot chocolate, which isn't a drink, but more like chocolate fondue. Very rich, definitely made for sharing, quite delicious.
We walked back to the hotel (and didn;t get lost, hooray!) and found that the Internet was working - not only in the lobby, but in our room! So now I can sit in
bed and check email. This is luxury.
Tomorrow, we go for our final visit to the baby home, then have court in the afternoon. We're a bit nervous and would greatly appreciate all prayers & good vibes. We'll let you know how it turns out ASAP.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
We Are Still Alive!
Hi everyone! We're in Astrakhan and finally have some email access! We can't get our computer to work (Josh, we need you!) but the hotel has one available for gues use. Oh happy glorious day!
Okay. So, Saturday/Sunday, we flew, walked rpund the neighborhood of the hotel, settled. Monday, we had our physicals in Moscow. Much easier than you would expect from hearing that you have to see 8 doctors. Once that was done, around 3:30, we played tourist. Our translaters took is to Red Squat\re, St. Basil's cathedral, Lenin's tomb & the Kremlin. We didn;t have time to go into any of them, but we were there, right in front. Totally amazing. We also saw the KGB building, cool! Then we went souvinir shopping on Arbot Street, which was lots of fun.
Today, Tuesday, we tried to go shopping (there's a little problem with my clothes - as in, my suitcase is lost and Delta still can't find it. I can keep washing my tee shirt, but I will need something nicer than jeans for court. Unfortunately, I couln't bring myself to pay $200 for a simple shirt in Moscow, or $135 for pants, so I'm still smelly. Let's hope that either my suitcase shows up or that strakahn is a bit more reasonable!
Tomorrow we get to see Little Sister two times! We'll also do some fficial stuff, but that's our big excitement.
Larry is drooling over the computer, so I must let him on now. More whenever we can!
Okay. So, Saturday/Sunday, we flew, walked rpund the neighborhood of the hotel, settled. Monday, we had our physicals in Moscow. Much easier than you would expect from hearing that you have to see 8 doctors. Once that was done, around 3:30, we played tourist. Our translaters took is to Red Squat\re, St. Basil's cathedral, Lenin's tomb & the Kremlin. We didn;t have time to go into any of them, but we were there, right in front. Totally amazing. We also saw the KGB building, cool! Then we went souvinir shopping on Arbot Street, which was lots of fun.
Today, Tuesday, we tried to go shopping (there's a little problem with my clothes - as in, my suitcase is lost and Delta still can't find it. I can keep washing my tee shirt, but I will need something nicer than jeans for court. Unfortunately, I couln't bring myself to pay $200 for a simple shirt in Moscow, or $135 for pants, so I'm still smelly. Let's hope that either my suitcase shows up or that strakahn is a bit more reasonable!
Tomorrow we get to see Little Sister two times! We'll also do some fficial stuff, but that's our big excitement.
Larry is drooling over the computer, so I must let him on now. More whenever we can!
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Back in the USSR, babe....
Salutations once more, anyone still reading this!
First of all, to settle a little wager we kids have going with mummy and poppy, please comment if you actually are reading this- we here at HQ don't think anybody reads the crazy things we write.
Secondly, the parents are off and away on their second, and penultimate voyage. The arrived early this morning in Moscow where they will be spending a little time before jetting down to everybody's favorite junkyard/city. We have gotten updates twice- once to tell us they were there and having a nice dinner by Moscow State University. Go Московский государственный университет!!!!! Anyhow, after that they promptly fell asleep at five or so in the afternoon and called us at one am their time to check in. All seems to be going well. We shall keep anyone reading updated!!!!!
~~The Hooligans they already have who aren't good enough, meaning they need to go half way around the world to get a new one.
First of all, to settle a little wager we kids have going with mummy and poppy, please comment if you actually are reading this- we here at HQ don't think anybody reads the crazy things we write.
Secondly, the parents are off and away on their second, and penultimate voyage. The arrived early this morning in Moscow where they will be spending a little time before jetting down to everybody's favorite junkyard/city. We have gotten updates twice- once to tell us they were there and having a nice dinner by Moscow State University. Go Московский государственный университет!!!!! Anyhow, after that they promptly fell asleep at five or so in the afternoon and called us at one am their time to check in. All seems to be going well. We shall keep anyone reading updated!!!!!
~~The Hooligans they already have who aren't good enough, meaning they need to go half way around the world to get a new one.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)