Another day

It's bedtime again. Seems like that time rolls around so quickly. We wonder where the day went as we all raid the cupboards trying to find a snack. Sad to say, the snacks are not abundant. A few packages of Russian cookies, a bag of something that looks like pretzels but certainly don't taste like them, some heart shaped crackers. Finally, we all settle on a cup of tea. BORING.

Today we once again slept in. Only til about 8:30. Don't want you all thinking that we're lazy. We most definitely are not.

Breakfast didn't happen til about 10:00. But it sure was good. Breakfast pizza with only a few tweaked ingredients and toast. It sounds good, and it was, but everything over here tastes so...Russian. Even the potatoes. They're just a little different.

After breakfast we hired a driver to take us to the market. That'd be the grocery for all you Americans. It was fun! We were gone about two hours. Nothing like going up and down every aisle trying to figure out what everything is. Some things are written in English, but most of what we buy is a guessing game. "This must be flour. It sure feels like it through the bag." "Have you seen anything that looks like brown sugar?" "How can we figure out which seasoning is cinnamon?" "How do we tell them which meat we want from the deli?"

It truly is an adventure.

I'll just give you a short little visual of the grocery supply. For the first time in four trips I actually took pictures of the labels on the food. Our cupboard and fridge are stocked...which should last us for a good week..maybe even two.

We also went to the "Baby Store" which is right beside the grocery to buy Addie a new coat. She was pleased as punch. It's pink. What more need I say? And it only cost 500 rubles. Only $17. We were pleased as punch too. Yes. Before you even ask, we did bring the poor girl a coat from home. However it is a wool coat, and it's taking quite the beating with all the trips down the curly slide. Mommy was getting a little embarrassed to be seen in public with a coat on her little girl that looked like that. I guess it'd be called pride.

Supper was a little late tonight, though it was still daylight so it was earlier than last night. Such important information on here again today.

After supper, we headed back to the White Rabbit for our pool matches. I do think we're improving. Mom only jumped the ball off the table once tonight...and I only hit the cue ball into the hole (with direct shots, while entirely missing the ball I was aiming for) a few times per game. Yep. We are improving. In Mom's defense, even with her jumping ball, she still manages to win a few games. It works, though it looks a little odd.

I suppose it's time to fess up. Poor Mom is having a minor breakdown with all you thinking that she is the only poor pool player here. I suppose if I were to be totally honest, I'd have to say that I am right there with her...if not a little worse. I seem to have a serious issue of hitting the cue ball right past the one I was aiming for and then watching helplessly as the cue ball zips into the hole. Either that, or the cue ball zips past the aimed at ball and catches it on the bounce back. I think I need a little more practice. Apparently it's not really my gift.

Games over for the night, we headed back here for devotions and bed. The children went to bed, Dad and Jason washed and dried dishes (don't think we'll forget that when we get home), and Mom and I went to the front desk to get directions to a market somewhere between here and downtown Vlad.

It appears that we might be hopping on a train again tomorrow. It'd be good if we can catch the proper train back here again. Poor Addie might suffer a heart attack if we miss another one. This time around we had the girl at the front desk write us a note in Russian that we can show folks to try to get us where we are going. We'll see if it works.

Haven't heard anything new regarding court. No news is good news, right? We're still praying that the new documents will satisfy the judge and prosecutor. We're still holding onto hope that Friday afternoon we'll be able to head to Nakhodka to pick up Jack Nickolay. We're keeping busy so we don't have time to sit around and think too much about the issue. Not that it keeps us from thinking about it, but it does help keep the tears at bay, and it does help us to remember that we can still be happy even when it seems that everything is falling apart.

We are so thankful for all the prayers ascending on our behalf. You will never know just how much that means to us. Truly. I think that is what is enabling us to go on with our days cheerfully. The ache in my heart is still here. The worry threatens to creep in. But. OUR GOD IS A BIG GOD. If I can remember that, the worry is all but gone. The ache in my heart is still there, but it's not nearly as anxious.

As well as the prayers ascending, it seems that several folks back home took the SOS for M&M's seriously. Two e-mails/comments have alerted us to be watching for boxes in the mail. Oh my word. You have no clue how much that means. We feel so far away from home over here, and things like this just make us feel closer somehow. Thank you all so much. We love you all.

In closing, please don't feel like I'm ignoring you if I don't respond to your e-mails. Know that we are reading and ENJOYING each and every one of them and so appreciate you taking the time out of your busy schedules to think of and write to us. It's just that using the internet is rather expensive over here and we don't like to use up our minutes too quickly. Please keep sending....but don't be hurt if there's no response. You are blessing us.

Hope ya'll have a good Wednesday.

Blessings~