The good news is that Olga called tonight and it sounds like she was able to accomplish the things she needed to do today for us. So Mila will take us to the Embassy tomorrow morning, Olga will meet us with (hopefully) all of our necessary paperwork, and we’ll be able to post tomorrow night that we’ll be heading home on Thursday.
Chris is stil fighting his cold and luckily the rest of us have not caught it. The weather is not helping him recover as there was a strong, cold wind today. After breakfast and some play time, we found a small park by just wandering the neighborhood. It was the best for Alex because he could climb up the stairs and go down the slide all by himself. At the other park, one of us has to help him get up on the “poised” (train) to be able to get to the slide. And even better, there was no one else there to overhear our bad Russian accents and that we can’t really communicate with Evan.
After play time, we went back to My-My (pronounced Moo-Moo), a cafeteria style restaurant. It’s not easy picking out food, but they have high chairs and so I don’t have to have Alex sitting on my lap as I do with breakfast and dinner (he’s too small to reach the table by himself, and the Moscow place only has three dining chairs anyway…). We will ask our agency for help on how to work on eating habits because not only does Alex shove every bit of food in his mouth, but if Chris and I are trying to eat our food and Evan does not get more because we really believe he’s had enough and will just get sick, he throws a tantrum. And then I think we’ve mentioned before that Alex will shove food into his mouth until it’s overflowing and then try to start chewing it. Hopefully soon they will trust that they do not have to worry about food again, and we don’t have to sneak our own juice or food.
It was nice to see today that Alex is starting to become independent and can play by himself. He’s really trying to say things to us and has the darnedest expressions sometimes. Evan still requires attention all of the time – good and bad. They like to play peek-a-boo and look at the photo album we had put together for the court trip. The title of this post came after dinner tonight when we were all on the floor trying to play. Chris asked Evan in Russian the name of a small stuffed rabbit that the boys found in the apartment and Evan said, “Pe-uke”. Chris and I were dying laughing.
We have some paperwork and payments to review for our big trip tomorrow – we’ve learned to expect that everything will cost more than our agency has indicated… We continue to be thankful that we are able to share our days with you and that you are able to keep us going with your words of encouragement.
saffeldt
26 Sep 2011Wow. Just got caught up!!! This has been a great way to see what is going on with your and your family.
Hope all goes well and the next few days are uneventful! Can’t wait to talk to you when you get back.
Scott (and Jen)
dani
26 Sep 2011I love your daily updates. I know that once the boys get home, they will start to feel secure and not
feel they are getting their “last meal” every time they sit down to eat. Have a great tomorrow and
may your trip home to uneventful, safe and restful. Love MOM
katdav345
26 Sep 2011Thanks for the good news and good luck with the final hurdle tomorrow! We all want you home so you and the boys can begin adjusting to more comfortable and stable surroundings. I suspect it will make a big difference for all of you. Meanwhile, we hope Chris feels better soon and that you all stay well for the big trip home. Looking forward to tomorrow’s post!
w5lk
26 Sep 2011I guess what I’m reading is “progress” (in one form or another)… but must admit to being “confused” a bit, as in my assumption that you are now the “parents”… and you being U.S. citizens, it would seem that all that would be needed, is for you to go to the U.S. Embassy and apply to take “your children” on a trip… in the form of obtaining a U.S. visa. (But clearly, as has been proven in the past… What do I know?)
I don’t need an “explanation”… but just “thinking outloud”, so to speak!
So in any case, it looks like tomorrow will be an eventful day… although I’m still not clear (as of now), when you will actually be going to the airport to “fly to America” (spoken with some “tounge in cheak”).
I see tomorrow’s weather should be “pretty”, although a little “cool” (low 41F high 55F), with Wednesday being back to “overcast and rain , low 48F high 54F… then “Cloudy, Rain low 43F high 52F for Thursday)… which should just about wind out your “Russian experience”.
Hopefully Evan will “see the love” you guys share… and realize (as children should), what there is to be experienced by themselves, perceiving what “being part of a family” is all about…
… and I’m so glad to hear of Alex’s “progress”, save for some “table manners”. I can only think back to the influence of my own grandmother Waters on such matters! Then I must add, that I also had an older sister who must have memorized “Emily Post” by the time she was 10 years of age. There would seem to be little doubt as to which implement I would use first, at a table with all the family gathered!
There are so, so many wonderful days ahead, with stories only to be imagined for now!!
WOW… what a future you guys have…
Love
Dad