Sunday

This morning we arose to find that we had no electric. Kind of puts a hold on things when it stays dark til about 8:00.

It was only 5:30 or so when we discovered it, so we all sat around in the dark. Good thing we have big window seats so we at least could watch the happenings of the city.

I and the children headed back to bed about 6:30 and Dad went to the parking lot to ask some fella for help. The communication was far from good. The man finally left, likely thinking that we were a bunch of simpletons.

Dad and Jason got their gear on and went in search of a phone to place a call to the contact person for our apartment. They tried McDonalds first, but did not have any success. They ended up walking quite a ways to the Marriott and used their phone.

Alexander said he would send someone right out to fix it. Well. We're in Russia. When someone comes "right out" you just never know when that will actually take place.

Dad and Mom got antsy once again and took off on a walk. They came back with some delicious pastries.

About 10:30, the electric guy showed up. He did fix the electric, but in the process messed up our internet connection.

Since the phones were working again, we called Alexander back and told him that the internet was down. I'm sure he loves us.

We didn't feel like sitting around waiting on yet another fix-it-man, so we bundled up and trekked back down to Red Square.

Today was a not so exciting day. We went to GUM, expecting to find some real treasures. We found treasures all right. A coat Addie's size for $700. Not bad. It's still hanging there, waiting for the next person to come along.

We bought nothing. One would think that in nearly 1000 little shops we could have found just one little thing to buy. Not so.

After GUM, we took a walk down a street in uncharted territory. For us, anyway. I think others know that it's there. More neat buildings.

We thought we would go ice skating in the rink on Red Square, but they closed it due to too much snow.

So. We headed to an underground mall to walk around. It's three stories deep. Just a regular old mall. It made us hungry.

We started back toward our apartment but got called into McDonalds for our mid afternoon snack. The 'snack' ended up being a full blown meal...which was great. Less cooking.

Along the way home, was a cow. A really scary cow according to Will. Once again, he freaked. Screamed. Tears ran. Could hardly look at the thing. You'd think he's never seen a cow in his life. Granted, this cow was different than the ones we have at home.

Home again, Dad and Mom went to the grocery while the children lay down to take naps.

About 5:30 the internet repairman came. He left about 6:00, which was just in time for us to dial into the conference line for Bethel, our church. Church should have lasted two hours, but about 25 minutes into it, the conference line went dead. We were so disappointed. We'd been looking forward to going to church all week. Maybe next week we can actually drive to church and enjoy it in person.

Now. The children (except for Jack Nickolay) are in bed. JN was there, but woke up screaming about five minutes ago. The poor little guy has trouble sleeping. Today he wouldn't take a nap....though not from lack of trying on his mommy's part. He didn't sleep well last night. Every time he rolled over he would whimper until he could feel me. Then he would snuggle in and drift back off til the next time he rolled over.

Thankfully, sleep is really the only thing he has trouble with. He loves to eat. He's generally a very happy little guy. He's fairly laid-back....unless he spots food. We have been blessed once again.

Our $10 nearly two quart of ice cream is polished off. Yes. $10 for not even two quart. Good thing it's delicious stuff. Actually the best ice cream I've ever had.

Eyes are drooping. I must head off to bed.

Blessings on your day~

Weary

*****EDIT BEFORE POSTED. This post was started on the eve of Saturday with full intentions of finishing it this morning. However, our electric bit the dust during the night and didn't come back on til mid-morning when we were ready to head out for the day. Then when I thought I would finish the post, our internet wouldn't work. Hence the reason that you will have two posts to read..... You're welcome for the lengthy explanation.

Oh. My poor aching legs. We must have walked miles on these poor things today.

Our morning started out once again at 4:30. We're such early risers around here.

Our little family of five went back to bed about 5:30 and didn't wake again until 8:30. By that time, Dad and Mom had taken an hour long walk and had returned to start breakfast. Too much energy.

Breakfast was started at 10:19, and we didn't finish til nearly 11:00. The children were royal crabs so they got marched off to bed. However, naps never happened. About 20 minutes after we lay them down, we heard a siren on a toy blaring. JN was up and playing.

The decision was made. The children weren't showing signs of being overly excited about naps, and the adults hated sitting in the apartment when there is a city to explore.

The children were dragged out of bed and bundled up snugly for todays adventure. Both Addie and Will were far from excited about heading out. Whining, crying, and pouting, they trudged out the door, grumbling about how sleepy they were. Bummer for them!!

Off we went toward Red Square. It's about a mile long walk from our apartment. We decided today would be a fine day to tour the Kremlin.

The first spot we tried to get in was closed. Thankfully we found out that that spot wasn't even for the Kremlin. It was for Lenin's Mosoleum. Not interested in seeing Lenin's body, thank you.

We finally found a lady who was able to tell us the general direction we needed to head to find the ticket office for the Kremlin. Off we went.

Got a little side-tracked at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier as they were doing the 'Change of the Guards' thing. Fun to watch, but seems like such an odd thing to do. It's really a big deal.

Somewhere in there Addie and Will freaked out cause the guards on horse back started coming toward us. Poor Will. He tries so hard to be so tough, but a couple of horses can undo him in a split second.

We finally found the ticketing office and paid our 1050 rubles per adult to get inside. Was it ever worth it. It's just not every day that you get to step foot inside the Kremlin. That's just something you can read about in history books.

Amazingly enough, they allowed us to take cameras inside. Of course, we weren't supposed to take pictures when we entered cathedrals or the armoury, but folks (including Mom) were clicking right and left. The watch guards didn't seem too alarmed with all the camera action happening.

The cathedrals weren't really all that neat on the inside. The first one we entered, The Cathedral of the Archangel, appeared to be a cathedral full of caskets. I think it'd be called a shrine. Not really my cup of tea, but the chandeliers were neat!

The other cathedral we were able to enter, the Cathedral of the Annunciation, was just an old church. The paintings were neat, I suppose, but once again, it really wasn't my cup of tea. It was good to see simply cause it's history, but nothing that I have to go back to see anytime soon.

The Ivan the Great Bell Tower was pretty neat. And the Tsar Bell sitting right beside it was cool too.

And the Tsar Cannon? It was quite the cannon. I really didn't have a clue that cannons were so...large.

The only other building that we were able to enter was the State Armoury. According to my handy dandy little book here, the building was built from 1844-1851. We entered the building and immediately had to remove our coats and hang them in the cloak closet. The ladies behind the counter actually took our coats from us and gave us the numbers that our coats were hanging on so we could claim them later. We then received little hand held devices that told about each exhibit.

Believe it or not, I forgot to take a picture of the outside of the Armoury.

My little device was soon passed on to Addie as it wasn't that terribly interesting to me. At least not in the first room. About the third room the museum became interesting. Metal armory. You know. The kind that they used to wear way back when. Old guns. Clubs. Swords. Helmets. It was quite impressive. This is when Mom started snapping pictures.

The last couple rooms were interesting as well. Dresses that were worn by Catherine II. Robes worn by royalty.

The very last room was full of chariots that were used by Catherine the Great, Empress Elizabeth someone, and several other important folks from the olden days.

That was the end of our time in the Kremlin. It was well worth our 4200 rubles.

The walk back to our apartment was a slow one. Poor Addie and Will were just about sleeping on their feet. They really didn't complain, but when we got back here Addie exclaimed, "We should have come back here sooner. That was just ridiculous". I think they were glad to be home.

Supper was an hour later and bedtime was an hour after that. JN went to bed about 6:45 and the other two were snuggled in and sleeping soundly at 8:00. Poor Addie sacked out during devotions.

So. That was our day. The whole idea that we are currently in Moscow still hasn't sunk in with me yet. There's just something about looking through a book and saying 'oh, I took a picture of that today' that is a little odd.

In just four short days, I won't have to keep trying to make it seem real. It won't be real then. We should be on our way home.

Just four days. Four short days.

We can hardly wait, but we're trying to make the most of having to hang out in Moscow for six days.....

Touring on Foot

Today was quite the day. I still just can't wrap my mind around the fact that we are, truly, in Moscow, Russia. How odd is that?

But, we are, in fact, here. Odd or not.

This morning we were all up and around quite early. We feasted on the only food we had here....yogurt and bread, which Dad toasted quite nicely in the oven.

Jason was picked up about 9:30 by Val and off he raced to the Embassy. He said he felt a little odd. There's that word again. But seriously. He said they walked in, went around the long line of people waiting, and marched right up to the window. Adoption paperwork has priority. He was waited on immediately while the rest of the folks just stood there. Monday when we go back, we have to do the same thing.

While he was gone, the children lay down for naps. They all fell asleep right away, but soon the apartment remodel job below us got so noisy that they woke up. Well, all but Jack Nickolay. He was out.

I woke him when Jason got home cause we had big plans to tour the city on foot. Of course, 'the city' is a pretty loose term.

This was the result of the waking before he was ready. Poor guy. I think he thought he was down for the night at just 11:00 in the morning. Very possible. That would have made it 7:00PM in Vlad.

Off we went. First stop. McDonalds. It was so good. And huge. And packed with people. Nothing quite like big ole burgers and greasy little french fries to welcome us to Moscow.

Food eaten, we headed off to Red Square. We'd been told it was a simple 15 minute walk, but whoever told us that obviously didn't have small children...and also wasn't a tourist. Mom stopped at all buildings to snap yet another picture.

Red Square is neat. Maybe that's an understatement.

So was the St. Basil's Cathedral.

And the Kremlin wall.

And the outside of GUM.

And the ice skating rink in the middle of the Square.

And the eternal flame.

And the Resurrection Gate.

And the......

You get my point. It was all neat. Hard to believe that many of the buildings were built back in the 1600's or so. We didn't tour anything today, but have plans to walk back down there to go inside GUM (a department store) and the Kremlin.

The children did super. Three hours or so after we left our apartment we returned and hadn't had one complaint of tired legs.

It was a little chilly, but not as cold as it sounds like it is at home. I'd guess it to be about 35*. Til we got back home, the sidewalks were beginning to ice over again.

Things are so different here. It's like a whole new world. Men on top of a five story building shoveling snow off the roof onto the sidewalk below.
The people who normally would have been walking on the sidewalk were instead walking on the edge of the street.

Small tractors with blades on the front and sweepers on the back getting rid of snow and slush.

Ice sculptures around the St. Basils Cathedral.

A man pulling a cart with pastries on it. Of course, the pastries weren't wrapped or anything. Who cares if water from the roof drops on them en route to the market?

Windows open in our apartment due to stifling heat and no thermostat.

We got back to our apartment about 3:00 and left Jason to take care of the children while Dad, Mom, and I went to the grocery.

Cupboards are stocked again.

The children all took a bath together tonight. Nothing like taking care of all of them at once! They loved it....til Nickolay started crying...then Addie started crying. Then bath time was over.

Nickolay was in bed by 7:00 tonight and sleeping approximately two minutes later. Addie and Will were in bed by 7:30 and sleeping about five minutes later.

They are exhausted.

We are too....but our phone rang soon after the children were in bed, and we skyped with my brother and his family for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Wow. We shared our snacks with them. We're thoughtful like that.

Now? We just polished a carton of ice cream. Don't tell the children.

It's rapidly nearing our bedtime, but it seems like a waste of time when we know we'll be up again by 4:00 or so anyway. This time change stuff is ridiculous.

Mom's reading through our borrowed Moscow book trying to plan what all we want to squeeze in during the next four days. I think we'll keep busy.

For those of you who sent special notes to Addie today? Thank you from the bottom of my heart. She was so pleased. You can't even imagine the way she perked up with the first note she saw which was from a girl her age from church. Then when Grandma Stull's letter came through on e-mail she soaked it all in....so glad that her bedroom was fine even if the downstairs of our house is a wreck. And the animated e-card topped it all off like icing on a cake. She and Will watched it over and over and over and over and over. She's pulling through. Her fever is nearly gone...I only gave her tylenol once this morning. Her eyes are starting to have a little life in them again. Our little girl is returning. She won't tell us what's going through her little mind, but she's slowly getting back to normal. Thank you all for your prayers.