Just when we thought all was well....

Yesterday morning (or maybe it was before that...this time change stuff trips me up) we were up at 8:15. That would have been great had we not had to meet Oksana in the lobby at 8:45. It worked, we just felt less than put together.

We met with Oksana, took a few pictures, gave hugs and 'see ya laters', and watched Oksana walk out the door with another family. We'll miss her. We already do. She is the most wonderful lady, and it's so hard to think that we may never have the opportunity to go back to see her again.

Then we went to the White Rabbit to snap a few pictures with the family that feels like good friends. It's amazing to me how every time we come here we end up meeting at least one family that we really hit it off with. It's too bad that we all live so far from each other. I'd show you the pictures, but I forgot to ask their permission to put them on our blog. Maybe later....

Back to the restaurant we went to eat our breakfast. Four western omelets, two bowls of cold cereal, cherry juice, orange juice, hot chocolate. I wish it was sitting here right now. All we have to eat this morning for breakfast is yogurt and cookies. Note to selves: find a grocery.

Breakfast over, we raced back to our rooms to finish up the last minute packing. Helpful JN unpacked as quickly as we packed, but eventually his little fingers stayed away long enough to zip up the bags. We were confident that a couple of our bags were over weight, but decided that we would just toss things at the airport if it caused a problem.

They were overweight, but with the other problems we had they let that slide. :)

Doncha wonder what for problems we had?!

Our driver, Dima, picked us up at 11:00 sharp. We told all the motel girls we could find good-bye...even hugged one in the parking lot. Once again, it's amazing how it's possible to connect with folks around the world....even when communication is spotty at best with the language barrier. After four trips to the same hotel, and many of the same girls working there every time, we feel like we have made new life long friends. Even if we never meet up with them again in person.

The ride to the airport was bittersweet. We are ready to be home, but for me, it was hard to leave. This is the land of our children. Not a big deal, I know, but I do love Russia. They have allowed us to raise three of their children. Part of my heart will forever remain in Vladivostok. The smells, the sights, the sounds. It's all a part of my children's lives. It seemed that on this trip the people were so much more friendly. Perhaps because we have lost our 'in the headlights' look. We are no longer afraid to get out and go. It feels like home. We just can't talk to anyone!!

When we got to the airport our driver unloaded our bags and took off. Thank you, Dima. We felt more than a little lost. We were used to going into the international terminal..which would have felt a little more familiar. This time, however, we were taking a domestic flight. So. Into the domestic terminal we went. I'm sure we looked totally clueless.

Ten feet inside the front door we had to load all our bags onto a conveyor to be sent through a scanner. What a pain. People were stacked up in there waiting their turn to head through. Wait. I said that wrong. There is no such thing as waiting turns in Vlad. We are getting quite good at the barging in line thing. Hope it wears off til we get home. Folks in town may not be appreciative if I just push my way to the front of the line in Wal-Mart.

We finally made it through the line with all our bags and wandered down the check-in counter place trying vainly to spot some English words. Thankfully, numbers are the same...and we finally found our flight number. We hopped in line and got a little annoyed at the folks who just kept butting in line.

Turns out, we were in the business class line. Bummer when you can't read signs.

After waiting patiently for about 40 minutes, we finally made it to the counter. We confidently handed over our new itineraries and our stack of seven passports....three Russian and four US.

We shouldn't have been so confident. Forty-five loooonnnnnggggg minutes later we left the check-in counter.

Forty-five minutes, dwindling line behind us, guardian angel, three ladies working on our problem behind the desk, frazzled nerves later we trudged up the steps to the lounge to wait on our plane.

Turns out, they didn't have JN in the computer. The day before, we had gone to get his ticket so we wouldn't have this problem. We got the ticket, but they forgot to enter him into the system. Our guardian angel (a Catholic priest who has lived in Vlad for seven years) overheard our issue and stepped up to interpret. I truly don't know what we would have done had God not sent him along to help. The lady behind the desk was far from a happy camper, and the two she called to come help her weren't much better.

Then, on top of Jack Nickolay not being in the computer, we were all lumped together (or something) rather than being booked individually. Funny how that didn't cause a problem on the way here.....

Needless to say, we knew that, once again, Satan was hard at work. We have precious cargo with us. He most definitely does not want us to leave this country with that precious cargo along. Please pray. We still are not leaving the country. In September, the issue came with Addie and Will. They didn't like them having Russian passports when we had US passports.

What a relief it was to finally have our boarding passes in our hands.

What a relief it was to march up the steps to go through security.

What a relief it was to hop on the bus to be taken to our plane.

What a relief it was when the plane started to taxi out to the runway.

What a relief it was to finally bounce our way into the air off the pot hole infested runway.

What a relief it was when all three children fell asleep.

What a relief it was to touch down on a smooth runway in Moscow at Sheremetyevo Airport.

What a relief it was to see Val, our coordinator here in Moscow, standing at the exit holding a sign with our names on it.

What a relief it was to see that our apartment is nice and clean.

And what a relief it was to finally fall into bed about 19 hours after getting up that morning.

Now it's 6:15AM. I've been sitting here in the dark kitchen watching the snow lazily drift down outside the kitchen window. It's beautiful.....and made more beautiful simply because we are in Moscow...with three children.

Our apartment is just a 15 minute walk from Red Square. Not every day I can say that!!

There is a McDonalds about two blocks from us. Can't wait til the children see that!!!

Traffic is starting to pick up. Never in my life have I seen so many cars in one place. Never. Makes me feel like a true country bumpkin. I think I like it if so.

According to Val, there are 12 million people living in Moscow City (inside the belt that goes around the city....the belt is about 75 miles around he thought) and another 10 million people living in the suburbs. That's 22 million people. I think our town has somewhere between 15-20,000. Culture shock.

Who knows what we'll do today. We have a city to explore and only five days to do it in. Where do we start?!

Jason has to go with Val to the Embassy to drop off JN's paperwork to get a visa, but that should only take a little bit. Saturday and Sunday are ours to do with as we please. Monday Jason, JN, and I have to go to the Embassy for our interview. Tuesday is ours to do with as we please. And Wednesday? We hop on a flight to head home.

Well, not home as in to our house....but home as in to the general area. I think work is getting done on our house as we plan our days to tour Moscow!! Two new walls in the dining room, new ceilings in the dining and living rooms, parial ceilings in the kitchen and office, new floors in the kitchen and office, refinished floors in the dining and living room, refinished furniture from the dining room. Sounds like the place will look brand new til we get home. Er....soon after we get home. Upon arrival, we get to go choose new flooring for the kitchen and office. What a welcome home!!!

Several have asked how Addie is doing by now. The poor little thing. I still firmly believe that the visit to her orphanage will ultimately be good, but it has produced a setback. The day we went she looked just like she did two and a half years ago. Terrified. She knew that we were/are there for her. She knew that we love her dearly. She knew that under no circumstances would we allow her to be hurt. But she was terrified. We do know some of her memories that she has shared with us gradually over the past two and a half years, and we weren't the least bit surprised at her response. She so badly wanted to go, but when it came right down to it, she was terrified.

Last night she was still running a fever and looked like she hadn't slept in days. Which is nearly true, I think. She has been waking up crying from her naps. She tells us that she doesn't sleep well at night. She isn't able to tell us what is running through her mind, but I think that in time she will. For now, we just keep praying, and holding her, and reassurring her that we love her for ever and for always. It's hard to watch.

The problem is, she is also worried about our house situation at home. She is nothing if not a worry wart. Our failed first court, our ceilings caving in, the second court (which went fine, but she worried herself nearly sick in the few days leading up to it), the visit to her orphange, and finally our issue at the check-in desk yesterday (however, yesterday at the airport she felt so cruddy that I don't even know if she caught on there was a problem). She's had plenty to worry about in the past month.

So. Please don't stop praying for her. It's been rough. She thinks it will be way better when we're back home again, but even then it'll be rough. We'll likely be living at Jason's sister's house (she's a travelling nurse and is gone right now) until we can get back in our house. Life won't be back to normal for quite some time...and even then it won't be the normal that she remembers. She now has another pesky little brother. :)

Well. The apartment is coming to life. Jason, Addie, and JN are up. Mom just came out of their room.

We've got things to do!!!! Don't know what yet, but the Moscow book will soon be making its way out of the suitcase...

Blessings on your day...er...night.