Well ... our journey in Russia is about to come to an end ... we will be leaving for the airport in a few minutes. It is bittersweet for us ... we are bringing our newest daughter home, but we have to leave everything she knows behind. Hopefully we will be back some day ... we would love to bring the kids to Russia when they are old enough to understand and appreciate it all ... that would put us about 15 years out. LOL. We are so thankful for this journey that we have been on and we are even more thankful for the incredible support that we have received from each and every one of you!
Next up ... the pictures you have been waiting for ... our homecoming!
Showing posts with label russia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label russia. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
I think she is beginning to trust us ...
Kids who spend the first part of their lives in baby homes typically develop a certain degree of self-soothing behavior. Even though Addison came from a really great baby home and even though the caretaker to child ratio was fairly low, I believe it is inevitable that the kids will create alternative ways to cope. It can be anything, from sucking their thumb to rocking themselves to pulling their hair out (which I never saw at Addison's baby home ... just to be clear).
I know I've said before that Addison sucks on her two fingers ... and that is totally fine. Lots of kids suck on their fingers or suck their thumbs. Not a big deal. Do I believe it is one way that Addison copes with stressful situations? Yes, I do.
A few times since we picked Addison up from the baby home, I have caught her sort of rocking while she sucks on her fingers. I haven't really figured out if she is just playing ... or if she is soothing herself. I really am not trying to kid myself ... I do think this is one of her soothing behaviors. She is in no way obsessive about it and she is very easily distracted. We can curb the behavior by talking to her or picking her up ... it is that minimal, but alas it is there. I think I only saw her do it once today, so hopefully this will disappear quickly as she learns to trust us and depend on us.
I definitely have noticed some changes in Addison today ... I can tell she is trusting us on a deeper level. Some of the things I noticed today are ...
*Addison has been sleeping in a pack and play right next to our bed. Prior to today, she would just sit up and remain quiet when she woke up. Today, every time she woke up she cried for us to come get her. This tells me that she has learned that if she cries, we will respond to her immediately. The only time she has cried prior to today has been when we have given her a bath ... she doesn't like the water on her head.
*Another example of her crying for us to soothe her ... she was playing with Kyle's belt and the buckle hit her when she didn't expect it. She cried ... I'm not sure that it even really hurt her, it was just a large, metal buckle that she didn't realize would do whatever it was that it did. LOL. So I went to her, picked her up and told her it was okay ... and she immediately calmed down. This might seem so silly to everyone, but a good way to prove this is to tell you that yesterday, she accidentally hit her eye on a plate (the plate was on the bed ... she was eating fries off of the plate ... and she threw her head forward, hitting her eye on the plate) and she didn't even cry ... it barely phased her, even though it left a small mark. If that had happened now, I think she would probably cry. Crazy how things change in such a short period of time.
*After crying to get our attention when she is in her pack and play, she raises her arms up for us to pick her up. Up until today, she hasn't really initiated having us pick her up. I'm so happy that we are on the right track to getting her to initiate this ... she needs to know that she can come to us to be soothed, and I think she is catching on quickly.
These are just a couple examples of how I can tell she is starting to trust us. These things might sound so silly to everyone, but they are very real and important things that adoptive families have to deal with. The things we are dealing with are very minimal, but some families have very extensive issues to deal with and that can be hard.
So that is my story for today ... LOL.
I know I've said before that Addison sucks on her two fingers ... and that is totally fine. Lots of kids suck on their fingers or suck their thumbs. Not a big deal. Do I believe it is one way that Addison copes with stressful situations? Yes, I do.
A few times since we picked Addison up from the baby home, I have caught her sort of rocking while she sucks on her fingers. I haven't really figured out if she is just playing ... or if she is soothing herself. I really am not trying to kid myself ... I do think this is one of her soothing behaviors. She is in no way obsessive about it and she is very easily distracted. We can curb the behavior by talking to her or picking her up ... it is that minimal, but alas it is there. I think I only saw her do it once today, so hopefully this will disappear quickly as she learns to trust us and depend on us.
I definitely have noticed some changes in Addison today ... I can tell she is trusting us on a deeper level. Some of the things I noticed today are ...
*Addison has been sleeping in a pack and play right next to our bed. Prior to today, she would just sit up and remain quiet when she woke up. Today, every time she woke up she cried for us to come get her. This tells me that she has learned that if she cries, we will respond to her immediately. The only time she has cried prior to today has been when we have given her a bath ... she doesn't like the water on her head.
*Another example of her crying for us to soothe her ... she was playing with Kyle's belt and the buckle hit her when she didn't expect it. She cried ... I'm not sure that it even really hurt her, it was just a large, metal buckle that she didn't realize would do whatever it was that it did. LOL. So I went to her, picked her up and told her it was okay ... and she immediately calmed down. This might seem so silly to everyone, but a good way to prove this is to tell you that yesterday, she accidentally hit her eye on a plate (the plate was on the bed ... she was eating fries off of the plate ... and she threw her head forward, hitting her eye on the plate) and she didn't even cry ... it barely phased her, even though it left a small mark. If that had happened now, I think she would probably cry. Crazy how things change in such a short period of time.
*After crying to get our attention when she is in her pack and play, she raises her arms up for us to pick her up. Up until today, she hasn't really initiated having us pick her up. I'm so happy that we are on the right track to getting her to initiate this ... she needs to know that she can come to us to be soothed, and I think she is catching on quickly.
These are just a couple examples of how I can tell she is starting to trust us. These things might sound so silly to everyone, but they are very real and important things that adoptive families have to deal with. The things we are dealing with are very minimal, but some families have very extensive issues to deal with and that can be hard.
So that is my story for today ... LOL.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Venturing Out
This evening, we ventured out with the other family that is here adopting. We walked over to Old Arbat to go to the Hard Rock Cafe, but after sort of getting the run around by two different hostesses, we were told there were no tables. LOL. There actually were tons of tables available, but they claimed they were all reserved.
Moving on to My My, a buffet that has a cow out front (that is my marker ... LOL). It was very smoky and we couldn't find a table there either, so we left.
Sbarro it is! LOL. We just wanted a place to be able to sit, eat and talk ... and we got it at Sbarro. The other family's little boy, Sasha, has been asking for Nika, so we were happy to get them together. Sasha seems to be adjusting better and better as the minutes go bye. There are still certain things that trigger grouppa memories for him and he gets sad, but on the whole I'd say he is doing great. We are getting together tonight to play in the children's room here at our hotel, so that should be fun. :)
Nika, on the other hand, is doing great. She is doing great with her walking ... she is initiating walking on her own more and more, and she even has done 180 degree turns while standing and then stepping, which is a big step in physical therapy. She is so stinkin cute! Here is a picture taken after we got home from dinner tonight ...
Moving on to My My, a buffet that has a cow out front (that is my marker ... LOL). It was very smoky and we couldn't find a table there either, so we left.
Sbarro it is! LOL. We just wanted a place to be able to sit, eat and talk ... and we got it at Sbarro. The other family's little boy, Sasha, has been asking for Nika, so we were happy to get them together. Sasha seems to be adjusting better and better as the minutes go bye. There are still certain things that trigger grouppa memories for him and he gets sad, but on the whole I'd say he is doing great. We are getting together tonight to play in the children's room here at our hotel, so that should be fun. :)
Nika, on the other hand, is doing great. She is doing great with her walking ... she is initiating walking on her own more and more, and she even has done 180 degree turns while standing and then stepping, which is a big step in physical therapy. She is so stinkin cute! Here is a picture taken after we got home from dinner tonight ...
Q & A
'Nika' is all bundled up! How cold is it?
Right now it is 35 degrees outside. At home, my kids don't wear snow pants unless we got out to play in the snow. Here in Russia, they bundle their kids and so we did too just to fit in. Technically, since we are out walking outside, I'd probably bundle her like this even at home in 35 degree weather. However, they bundle their kids like this even when it is like 50 degrees ... much different than what we do in the U.S.
How are you "renaming" her. As in ... what approach are you taking to teach her her new name, etc. I am just really curious how that works.
Aren't you just dying to get all three of the kids together?!?!?!
Ummm, yes! LOL. We have been talking with the kids using Skype (a video and chatting service), so they have seen Addison. When Mason saw her for the first time on video, he said, "Aww ... she is so cute!" They have waved to each other on video too ... so cute. So yes, we are very anxious to get home so the kids can be together.
It will be interesting to see how she takes to American food!
She definitely loves food in general. The minute she sees it, she reaches out for us to feed her. She has the buddha belly of all buddha bellies, that is for sure! LOL. We brought some Gerber baby food that we have mixed with multi grain baby cereal and she has liked all of it. We also bought some bananas and yogurt, which she loves. We haven't really eaten in a restaurant setting with her yet, so we will see how that goes tonight. Her caregivers let us observe her eating before we took her for good ... they had vegetable/beef soup and then some sort of meat and potato meal. She ate the soup and ate the potatoes, but the meat she pretty much spit out as far as I could tell.
The kids in the baby home also drink out of tea cups, although she sort of just slops it all around and half of it ends up back in the cup. She has no clue what a sippy cup is ... we are using the sippy while we are on the road, but we give her an open cup sometimes too. She is doing good with the sippy though ... she drinks half the time and chews on the soft plastic half the time ...
How old is she again?
She just turned two years old less than a month ago ... we just missed being able to spend her birthday with her ...
When do you actually get to go home?
We leave Moscow on Wednesday and will be home the same day since we gain eight hours going back ...
I think you guys have a record for a speedy adoption. How long was it from start to finish?
Things have gone quick for us, thank God! We started the paperwork in May 2008 ... I think our process went quicker than normal because we adopted a child with Down syndrome ... there aren't many people on the list in Russia for wanting a child with Down syndrome. Pretty much I think there was no list. LOL. Anyone want to get on the list? ;)
Isn't the court translator just a hoot?
Yes, she was hysterical! And speaking of ... some of you wanted to see Kyle's hair, since she thought is was so nice ... cracks me up ... really, it is just a normal hair style, which is why is was so funny! Introducing ... Kyle's hair (sorry, I don't have a picture of just him and his hair) ...
So I thought of you guys and then I thought about how picky of an eater you are Bethany and wondered what is Addison used to eating?
Hahaha ... don't give away my secrets! Addison is used to eating mostly meat, fruits and vegetables. Times are gonna be changing at our house! LOL ... for her, anyway!
If I may ask . . . did you have to get a medical exam in Russia?
I'm not sure if you are referring to our medical exam or Addison's, so I'll answer for both. :)
We were able to do our medicals in the U.S. ... our judge did not require that it be done in Russia. For those of you unaware, every person that adopts has to have an eight-doctor medical exam done ... some judges require it to be done in Russia, others allow it to be done in the U.S. Thank God we were able to do it at home because it is much cheaper than having it done in Russia!
As for Addison, yes ... we had to have a medical exam done on her here in Moscow. It was easy and harmless.
Right now it is 35 degrees outside. At home, my kids don't wear snow pants unless we got out to play in the snow. Here in Russia, they bundle their kids and so we did too just to fit in. Technically, since we are out walking outside, I'd probably bundle her like this even at home in 35 degree weather. However, they bundle their kids like this even when it is like 50 degrees ... much different than what we do in the U.S.
How are you "renaming" her. As in ... what approach are you taking to teach her her new name, etc. I am just really curious how that works.
Her Russian name (minus her last name) is Shoshina Veronika, although we were told by our translator here in Moscow that Shoshina is actually her last name, so now we are really confused. LOL. We have been told all along that Shoshina was her first name, so we need to check on that. Anyway, we believe Veronika is her middle name, either way. So her new name is Addison Veronika. At the Baby Home, they called her Veronika, or Nika for short. So we are using Nika for her nickname and that is what we have been calling her since that is all she knows. At some point, we will introduce the name Addison, but I'm not sure yet when or how. Any suggestions from other adoptive parents that have been through this?
Are there other kids with ds at Addison's baby home? Sounds like a very caring place.
Yes, there are other kids with Down syndrome at her Baby Home. I got to interact with one little boy, who was in her grouppa, and he is also doing very well. He reminds me so much of a little boy that I know, Daniel (Lisa ... yes I'm talking about your Daniel).
Not all kids in the Baby Home are available for adoption ... if they have a family member that visits them and if the family has not released the child, they are not eligible to be adopted, even though they are living in the Baby Home and even though the family member (who may not even be the mother) only visits once a month.
If you anyone is interested in adopting a child with Down syndrome, email me privately and I will try to help you. You just never know until you contact an agency to see if they could help you try to find a child that is perfect for your family. There is an international photo listing on the web of children available for adoption in Russia, however I think it is intended to be a photo listing for Russians and I'm told it cannot be considered accurate for international adoption, although I did see our daughter on the photo listing, so take it for what it is worth.
Are there other kids with ds at Addison's baby home? Sounds like a very caring place.
Yes, there are other kids with Down syndrome at her Baby Home. I got to interact with one little boy, who was in her grouppa, and he is also doing very well. He reminds me so much of a little boy that I know, Daniel (Lisa ... yes I'm talking about your Daniel).
Not all kids in the Baby Home are available for adoption ... if they have a family member that visits them and if the family has not released the child, they are not eligible to be adopted, even though they are living in the Baby Home and even though the family member (who may not even be the mother) only visits once a month.
If you anyone is interested in adopting a child with Down syndrome, email me privately and I will try to help you. You just never know until you contact an agency to see if they could help you try to find a child that is perfect for your family. There is an international photo listing on the web of children available for adoption in Russia, however I think it is intended to be a photo listing for Russians and I'm told it cannot be considered accurate for international adoption, although I did see our daughter on the photo listing, so take it for what it is worth.
Aren't you just dying to get all three of the kids together?!?!?!
Ummm, yes! LOL. We have been talking with the kids using Skype (a video and chatting service), so they have seen Addison. When Mason saw her for the first time on video, he said, "Aww ... she is so cute!" They have waved to each other on video too ... so cute. So yes, we are very anxious to get home so the kids can be together.
It will be interesting to see how she takes to American food!
She definitely loves food in general. The minute she sees it, she reaches out for us to feed her. She has the buddha belly of all buddha bellies, that is for sure! LOL. We brought some Gerber baby food that we have mixed with multi grain baby cereal and she has liked all of it. We also bought some bananas and yogurt, which she loves. We haven't really eaten in a restaurant setting with her yet, so we will see how that goes tonight. Her caregivers let us observe her eating before we took her for good ... they had vegetable/beef soup and then some sort of meat and potato meal. She ate the soup and ate the potatoes, but the meat she pretty much spit out as far as I could tell.
The kids in the baby home also drink out of tea cups, although she sort of just slops it all around and half of it ends up back in the cup. She has no clue what a sippy cup is ... we are using the sippy while we are on the road, but we give her an open cup sometimes too. She is doing good with the sippy though ... she drinks half the time and chews on the soft plastic half the time ...
How old is she again?She just turned two years old less than a month ago ... we just missed being able to spend her birthday with her ...
When do you actually get to go home?
We leave Moscow on Wednesday and will be home the same day since we gain eight hours going back ...
I think you guys have a record for a speedy adoption. How long was it from start to finish?
Things have gone quick for us, thank God! We started the paperwork in May 2008 ... I think our process went quicker than normal because we adopted a child with Down syndrome ... there aren't many people on the list in Russia for wanting a child with Down syndrome. Pretty much I think there was no list. LOL. Anyone want to get on the list? ;)
Isn't the court translator just a hoot?
Yes, she was hysterical! And speaking of ... some of you wanted to see Kyle's hair, since she thought is was so nice ... cracks me up ... really, it is just a normal hair style, which is why is was so funny! Introducing ... Kyle's hair (sorry, I don't have a picture of just him and his hair) ...
So I thought of you guys and then I thought about how picky of an eater you are Bethany and wondered what is Addison used to eating?
Hahaha ... don't give away my secrets! Addison is used to eating mostly meat, fruits and vegetables. Times are gonna be changing at our house! LOL ... for her, anyway!
If I may ask . . . did you have to get a medical exam in Russia?
I'm not sure if you are referring to our medical exam or Addison's, so I'll answer for both. :)
We were able to do our medicals in the U.S. ... our judge did not require that it be done in Russia. For those of you unaware, every person that adopts has to have an eight-doctor medical exam done ... some judges require it to be done in Russia, others allow it to be done in the U.S. Thank God we were able to do it at home because it is much cheaper than having it done in Russia!
As for Addison, yes ... we had to have a medical exam done on her here in Moscow. It was easy and harmless.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Touring Moscow
This evening we took a walk down to the Red Square in Moscow ... it is only about a 10 minute walk from our hotel. The Red Square is the most famous square in Moscow, if not the world. The square separates the Kremlin (the official residence of the President of Russia) from a historic merchant corner called Kitay-gorod.
"Nika ... say cheese!"
The main area of the Red Square had construction because they are getting ready for the holiday season. It looked like they were building an ice skating rink and some other fun stuff ... I wish it was all done now!
The interior of the shopping center ... there was a random ballroom in the middle of the shopping center, on the top floor. There were people gathered looking in the windows, so I (of course) wanted to see what was going on. There was a full blown ball going on, with full on ball gowns and everything ... it looked awesome!
... and the doors open on the second floor and we see this barrier blocking us in ... seriously. Kyle is starting to think we may end up sleeping in this elevator. We push the button for the third floor ...
... and the doors open to this barrier blocking us in. Okay, what in the heck kind of elevator is this!? LOL. Kyle was not amused ... meanwhile I'm taking pictures. Hahahaha! We tried the fourth floor and finally got out. Fun stuff!
The Iverskiye Gates ... leading into the Red Square. Thanks to Jen and her husband, I now know that Stalin blew these gates up so he could roll his tanks in to have his military parades on the Red Square.
In this picture, you can see the Iverskiye Gates to the right of the large building ... I'm not sure of the name of this building, but it sits at one end of the Red Square ... thanks to Jen and her husband, I now know that this building is the State Historical Museum ...
The infamous St. Basil's Cathedral ... it sits at the other end of the Red Square ...
The Kremlin Wall ... a defense wall that completely surrounds the Kremlin (the yellow and white building) ... at its highest point, it is 19 meters tall ... at its thickest point, it is 6.5 meters wide ... the wall runs all along the side of the Red Square ... and then it keeps going around the entire Kremlin ...
A church in the Red Square area ... thanks to Jen and her husband, I now know that this church is called the Kazan Cathedral ... it was also blown up by Stalin ...
Backside of the Kremlin and the Kremlin Wall ... taken from outside of the Red Square. I'm not sure the significance of the stone and the white pillars, but it appears they have some significance. Ahh, thanks to Jen and her husband, I now know that these stones are all that is left of the original Kremlin Wall ... that makes sense to me now! :)
The infamous St. Basil's Cathedral ... it sits at the other end of the Red Square ...
The Kremlin Wall ... a defense wall that completely surrounds the Kremlin (the yellow and white building) ... at its highest point, it is 19 meters tall ... at its thickest point, it is 6.5 meters wide ... the wall runs all along the side of the Red Square ... and then it keeps going around the entire Kremlin ...
A church in the Red Square area ... thanks to Jen and her husband, I now know that this church is called the Kazan Cathedral ... it was also blown up by Stalin ...
Backside of the Kremlin and the Kremlin Wall ... taken from outside of the Red Square. I'm not sure the significance of the stone and the white pillars, but it appears they have some significance. Ahh, thanks to Jen and her husband, I now know that these stones are all that is left of the original Kremlin Wall ... that makes sense to me now! :)
This was taken just to the left of the picture you see above ... I believe the eternal flame commemorates the fallen heroes of WWII ... and I think Stalin's body was relocated and buried somewhere in this area years after he died in an effort to remove him from his original, honorable place of burial ...
"Nika ... say cheese!"
The main area of the Red Square had construction because they are getting ready for the holiday season. It looked like they were building an ice skating rink and some other fun stuff ... I wish it was all done now!
Getting in the holiday spirit ... I love it! This is the outside of a very upscale shopping center that runs along the Red Square, opposite of the Kremlin. There are a lot of upscale stores that would be in Beverly Hills ... I drooled on the window fronts. LOL.
The interior of the shopping center ... there was a random ballroom in the middle of the shopping center, on the top floor. There were people gathered looking in the windows, so I (of course) wanted to see what was going on. There was a full blown ball going on, with full on ball gowns and everything ... it looked awesome!
So, I have a funny, random story. We were up on the 4th floor of the shopping center trying to find a way down with the stroller. All of the escalators went up ... none went down. Seriously. So we finally found an elevator ... there is a sign that says "Personal Only" and I ask Kyle if he thinks they mean "Personnel Only". He shrugs his shoulders, so we get in and push the button for the first floor.
The elevator doors open on the 1st floor and we see this barrier blocking us in ... ahh! So we push the button for the second floor ...
... and the doors open on the second floor and we see this barrier blocking us in ... seriously. Kyle is starting to think we may end up sleeping in this elevator. We push the button for the third floor ...
... and the doors open to this barrier blocking us in. Okay, what in the heck kind of elevator is this!? LOL. Kyle was not amused ... meanwhile I'm taking pictures. Hahahaha! We tried the fourth floor and finally got out. Fun stuff!
Headed for Moscow ...
Last night after picking Addison up from the baby home, we went back to our apartment to pack and play for a little bit. Our train didn't leave until 10:30 p.m. local time, so Addison fell asleep before we left.
She has done awesome since leaving the baby home ... we couldn't be happier. While she is a little unsure of what is going on, she is coming out of her shell quickly. She has only cried twice ... clearly she hates getting a bath and she also didn't like the Tylenol cold medicine that we gave her. She hasn't cried about anything else, so our transition thus far has been great.
The train ride was ... interesting. We had never been on a real train before, other than Amtrak, which I wouldn't even consider a real train. Addison woke up on the way to the train station and was happy as could be. Once we got to our train car, we played for a little bit before putting her back to bed. She is the easiest kid to get to sleep, by the way. Maybe our other two could learn a thing or two from her! Anyway, we knew our train arrived in Moscow at 6:00 a.m. local time, so we wanted to try to get some sleep.
And the hallway outside the rooms ...
Addison and I got more sleep than Kyle did. He couldn't sleep much, so he sat up listening to his iPod and making sure Addison didn't fall off the bed. I had been laying by her, but that didn't make for very comfortable arrangements, so he sat by her since he couldn't sleep.
We pulled into Moscow right on time and someone from our agency boarded the train to get us and the other family that is traveling with us. That was nice ... at least we didn't have to try to figure out where the heck to go! Once we were all loaded into our cars, we went directly to the medical facility so the kids could have their medical exams done at 7:00 a.m. ... we were told the doctor was coming just for us. I love the way things work here! The medical exams are required by the embassy so they know we are bringing healthy kids into the United States. Addison did great and she weighed in at a hefty 26 pounds. The doctor was very impressed with her, stating that she must have been a favorite at her baby home since her development is so good. We said that many times the kids are not doing as well as she is doing ... I think we pretty much owe that to the baby home and the research study that PITT is doing there.
After our medical appointment, we were told that we were done for the day. They dropped us off at our hotel (a Marriott) and we played for a little bit before taking a long nap. Our hotel is very nice and it is a welcome change after staying in an apartment for the past few days. I'm just happy to have such a nice bed to sleep in! LOL. We have a pack and play for Addison too, so we are set. Oh, and most of the staff speaks some English and we can even get American food for room service! Love this place! Now we are going to venture out into Moscow to see what we can find ... I will let you know what we find. :)
She has done awesome since leaving the baby home ... we couldn't be happier. While she is a little unsure of what is going on, she is coming out of her shell quickly. She has only cried twice ... clearly she hates getting a bath and she also didn't like the Tylenol cold medicine that we gave her. She hasn't cried about anything else, so our transition thus far has been great.The train ride was ... interesting. We had never been on a real train before, other than Amtrak, which I wouldn't even consider a real train. Addison woke up on the way to the train station and was happy as could be. Once we got to our train car, we played for a little bit before putting her back to bed. She is the easiest kid to get to sleep, by the way. Maybe our other two could learn a thing or two from her! Anyway, we knew our train arrived in Moscow at 6:00 a.m. local time, so we wanted to try to get some sleep.
Cheesy monkey playing ...
Here is our little room ...
And the hallway outside the rooms ...
Addison and I got more sleep than Kyle did. He couldn't sleep much, so he sat up listening to his iPod and making sure Addison didn't fall off the bed. I had been laying by her, but that didn't make for very comfortable arrangements, so he sat by her since he couldn't sleep.We pulled into Moscow right on time and someone from our agency boarded the train to get us and the other family that is traveling with us. That was nice ... at least we didn't have to try to figure out where the heck to go! Once we were all loaded into our cars, we went directly to the medical facility so the kids could have their medical exams done at 7:00 a.m. ... we were told the doctor was coming just for us. I love the way things work here! The medical exams are required by the embassy so they know we are bringing healthy kids into the United States. Addison did great and she weighed in at a hefty 26 pounds. The doctor was very impressed with her, stating that she must have been a favorite at her baby home since her development is so good. We said that many times the kids are not doing as well as she is doing ... I think we pretty much owe that to the baby home and the research study that PITT is doing there.
After our medical appointment, we were told that we were done for the day. They dropped us off at our hotel (a Marriott) and we played for a little bit before taking a long nap. Our hotel is very nice and it is a welcome change after staying in an apartment for the past few days. I'm just happy to have such a nice bed to sleep in! LOL. We have a pack and play for Addison too, so we are set. Oh, and most of the staff speaks some English and we can even get American food for room service! Love this place! Now we are going to venture out into Moscow to see what we can find ... I will let you know what we find. :)
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Whew ... where do I start?!
Addison and her favorite caregiverHard for us to take Addison from the only place she knows.
Hard for us to take Addison from the only people she knows.
Hard for us to imagine how her caregivers must be feeling as they lose Addison from their care.
Hard for us to imagine how Addison will feel after leaving the baby home with these two crazy Americans talking another language and feeding her food she isn't used to.
We got to the baby home and met the director for the first time. She was so sweet and we gave her a gift that we bought for her. She was very grateful that we are adopting Addison and she essentially meant that if it weren't for us, then she may not have ever been adopted. I got teary eyed and then we went to visit the social worker to give her a gift, and she told us the same thing as the director and I got teary eyed again. Then we went up to Addison's grouppa (aka: her "family unit"). There were four caregivers there and yes, her favorite caregiver was there. We gave each of the caregivers gifts that we bought for them and they thanked us. Our translator told us that we could get Addison dressed in the clothes that we brought for her, so we did. Good grief ... that really made her look like Payton! LOL.
There is another family that we know that is adopting a little boy from Addison's grouppa. We had court the same day and they also had their 10-day waiting period waived, as their little boy has a heart defect. They had left the room to change him and all a sudden he came flying through the door to show his friends his new digs ... a Nike warm-up suit. It was so cute! He was so proud and so happy ... it was so fun to watch his reaction, since he is old enough to know what it means to have new things (he is almost four years old). That alone almost made me cry. LOL.
So both of our families joined the caregivers in another room and they were already crying. I lost it, Kyle lost it, our translator lost it ... we all just cried. How could you stand there and watch this and not lose it? Seriously. I know they are so happy that these kids now have families, but their hearts are also aching. I promised them that we would send lots of pictures so that they can rest assured that Addison is doing great and that she is in a great place. I know the "not knowing what happens" is the hardest part for them. It would be for me too.
Before we left, we let Addison's favorite caregiver have her time with her ... she was so sweet. She has given her entire soul to our child and I just hugged her and we cried. What a special lady.
It was time to say goodbye and all the caregivers were there. The one in red that is holding Addison is her favorite caregiver and the one to the left in green in the physical therapist that had told us she was giving Addison lots of massages ...
We are emotionally drained and we are headed for Moscow tonight ...
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Her favorite caregiver
Yesterday we got to meet Addison's favorite caregiver. She must have been on vacation when we were there for our first trip, because I don't remember her. She is so sweet and Addison clearly adores her. She was singing nursery rhymes to Addison and she was totally doing all the motions to them ... I loved it!
Today our translator told us that the caregiver asked our translator this morning when we would be coming to take Addison for good. She said she couldn't handle it and didn't want to be there. She said she has been crying for days and she just doesn't want to be there. That makes me so sad! I almost feel guilty for taking her. I can't imagine the pain this caregiver is experiencing ... to have raised Addison for the first two years of her life, and now she will be gone to another country. It makes me teary eyed just thinking about it. I told our translator I was sad that we wouldn't see the caregiver because I really wanted to take a picture of her and Addison. I also wanted to video tape her singing the nursery rhymes to Addison so that I can play them for her when we get home. It turns out that we are picking Addison up at a different time than we originally thought, so we may end up seeing the caregiver tomorrow after all.
Either way, I told our translator that we would send plenty of pictures, as I know how much they love that. I'm sure it helps to see that the children are thriving in their new environments.
Today our translator told us that the caregiver asked our translator this morning when we would be coming to take Addison for good. She said she couldn't handle it and didn't want to be there. She said she has been crying for days and she just doesn't want to be there. That makes me so sad! I almost feel guilty for taking her. I can't imagine the pain this caregiver is experiencing ... to have raised Addison for the first two years of her life, and now she will be gone to another country. It makes me teary eyed just thinking about it. I told our translator I was sad that we wouldn't see the caregiver because I really wanted to take a picture of her and Addison. I also wanted to video tape her singing the nursery rhymes to Addison so that I can play them for her when we get home. It turns out that we are picking Addison up at a different time than we originally thought, so we may end up seeing the caregiver tomorrow after all.
Either way, I told our translator that we would send plenty of pictures, as I know how much they love that. I'm sure it helps to see that the children are thriving in their new environments.
Our visits with Addison today ...
Addison was in a much happier mood today ... she was excited to see us this morning and we had a great time playing and snuggling. When we had to leave for court, she whimpered. :( We went back to visit her this afternoon and the minute she saw us, she squealed and came right over to us. So cute! We had fun playing and we got to watch her try to have a BM, which was hard for her to do. I hope we don't have issues with that! TMI? LOL. When we left, she whimpered again ... one more day, babe!
More about court ...
Court is held in a tiny room of a random building, although that doesn't say much coming from me because pretty much every building here is random to me since I can't read the sign when we go in! The people present in the courtroom were the judge, the prosecutor, the secretary, the doctor and social worker from the baby home, our translator and us. Our agency did an awesome job preparing us for court, so we pretty much knew what to expect. The judge asked us to confirm our identities, to include our birth dates and places of birth. She wanted to hear from me first. She asked me if we had been given Addison's medical record ... and I said yes. Then she asked if I still wanted to adopt the child, after having seen her medical record ... I said yes. She asked me why I would want to adopt such a child, a child that has "syndrome of Down". I explained to her that we have a biological child that has Down syndrome, making us very familiar with what Down syndrome entails. I went on to say that we are very familiar with the therapies that Addison will need and that we just want to give her a chance at life. She then asked me what my country has to offer people with Down syndrome when they get older. So I explained all of that to her, and I'm so mad that I totally forgot to add that there are people with Down syndrome that live independently! How could I forget that? Oh well. LOL.
Moving on to Kyle ... pretty much all she wanted to know from him was about our finances. And that was that. Kyle gave our "closing arguments", during which he basically said that our first wish was for our adoption petition to be granted. He then said that our second wish was that our 10-day waiting period be waived. I would like to take a second here to explain that Russia has basically stopped waiving the 10-day waiting period due to the death of a little boy {with Down syndrome, actually} that was killed by his adoptive family in Utah. The Russians were obviously disheartened to hear of the boy's death and they began refusing to waive the 10 days. I believe our adoption {and one other today that involved the adoption of a little boy with a major heart defect} was the first to have the 10 days waived in a long time through our agency.
Both the doctor and the social worker from the baby home spoke. They both nearly brought Kyle and I to tears ... they were SO sweet and they were very complimentary of us. The doctor mostly spoke about how good it will be for Addison to have a family ... especially a family in which she has a sister that is just like her. The social worker mostly spoke about her interpretations of our visits with Addison ... she said the initial visit was heartwarming and emotional as she watched Addison laugh, smile, giggle as she interacted with us. Both the doctor and the social worker asked the court to waive the 10-day waiting period, as Addison's entire extended biological family has "released" her and it would obviously be in her best interest to get home. We brought pictures of Kyle and I each with Addison from our first trip, and I think those pictures did a good job in showing the court the bond we have formed.
The prosecutor had no questions for us and he recommended that our adoption be approved. I don't believe he made any recommendation about the 10-day waiting period ... at least if he did, it was not translated back to us.
The judge left the room for about 10 minutes to deliberate. During that time, our translator turns to Kyle and says, "Nice hairdo." ROFL. It was totally random and after we had been sitting there with her for about 20 minutes. She laughed and said she was so busy translating, that she hadn't even gotten a chance to look at his hair. So funny.
When the judge returned, she announced her decision and told us that she hopes that Addison will get the same opportunities that we give to our biological children. {Of course she will!} She also said that she is happy that the girls will have each other and that Mason will be there to be the head of the family. LOL. Good big brother!
After court, we had to rush around to do paperwork. First we went to Office of Deeds to get Addison's birth certificate and an adoption certificate {both bearing our names}. When we got there, we found out the office was closed for a birthday party {go figure}, plus Wednesdays in Russia are non-public days and everything is closed {except court, apparently} ... even though we had an appointment. Our coordinator got them to make a special arrangement to get us our documents and we were in and out in 15 minutes. Apparently it normally takes about an hour and a half, so we were off to a good start!
Next we had to go to the police station, but we found out the woman who had to help us was out sick. Strike two! However, our super awesome coordinator arranged for the woman to meet us there {even though she was sick} and we got what we needed. Whew!
Tomorrow we have to get Addison's passport and then we will be off to Moscow tomorrow night on a train. Fun times! In Moscow, we have to get a medical exam/clearance for Addison and we have to clear her through the U.S. and Russian Embassies.
So yeah, I think that pretty much sums it up! LOL.
Moving on to Kyle ... pretty much all she wanted to know from him was about our finances. And that was that. Kyle gave our "closing arguments", during which he basically said that our first wish was for our adoption petition to be granted. He then said that our second wish was that our 10-day waiting period be waived. I would like to take a second here to explain that Russia has basically stopped waiving the 10-day waiting period due to the death of a little boy {with Down syndrome, actually} that was killed by his adoptive family in Utah. The Russians were obviously disheartened to hear of the boy's death and they began refusing to waive the 10 days. I believe our adoption {and one other today that involved the adoption of a little boy with a major heart defect} was the first to have the 10 days waived in a long time through our agency.
Both the doctor and the social worker from the baby home spoke. They both nearly brought Kyle and I to tears ... they were SO sweet and they were very complimentary of us. The doctor mostly spoke about how good it will be for Addison to have a family ... especially a family in which she has a sister that is just like her. The social worker mostly spoke about her interpretations of our visits with Addison ... she said the initial visit was heartwarming and emotional as she watched Addison laugh, smile, giggle as she interacted with us. Both the doctor and the social worker asked the court to waive the 10-day waiting period, as Addison's entire extended biological family has "released" her and it would obviously be in her best interest to get home. We brought pictures of Kyle and I each with Addison from our first trip, and I think those pictures did a good job in showing the court the bond we have formed.
The prosecutor had no questions for us and he recommended that our adoption be approved. I don't believe he made any recommendation about the 10-day waiting period ... at least if he did, it was not translated back to us.
The judge left the room for about 10 minutes to deliberate. During that time, our translator turns to Kyle and says, "Nice hairdo." ROFL. It was totally random and after we had been sitting there with her for about 20 minutes. She laughed and said she was so busy translating, that she hadn't even gotten a chance to look at his hair. So funny.
When the judge returned, she announced her decision and told us that she hopes that Addison will get the same opportunities that we give to our biological children. {Of course she will!} She also said that she is happy that the girls will have each other and that Mason will be there to be the head of the family. LOL. Good big brother!
After court, we had to rush around to do paperwork. First we went to Office of Deeds to get Addison's birth certificate and an adoption certificate {both bearing our names}. When we got there, we found out the office was closed for a birthday party {go figure}, plus Wednesdays in Russia are non-public days and everything is closed {except court, apparently} ... even though we had an appointment. Our coordinator got them to make a special arrangement to get us our documents and we were in and out in 15 minutes. Apparently it normally takes about an hour and a half, so we were off to a good start!
Next we had to go to the police station, but we found out the woman who had to help us was out sick. Strike two! However, our super awesome coordinator arranged for the woman to meet us there {even though she was sick} and we got what we needed. Whew!
Tomorrow we have to get Addison's passport and then we will be off to Moscow tomorrow night on a train. Fun times! In Moscow, we have to get a medical exam/clearance for Addison and we have to clear her through the U.S. and Russian Embassies.
So yeah, I think that pretty much sums it up! LOL.
So many questions, so little time {hahaha}
With the waive, does that mean you are coming home earlier than next Wednesday?
Hahaha ... NO. Sorry sis, you still have to watch my kids until then. ;) Wednesday was our "best case scenario" date, and we now have the best case scenario since our 10-day waiting period was waived. Now we are off to Moscow to complete paperwork.
Does she get to stay with you at the apartment?
Technically, yes she could. But we had a lot of running around to do after court today, as well as tomorrow morning. In an effort to not confuse her, we left her at the baby home and we will go pick her up tomorrow afternoon. Our train leaves for Moscow around 10 p.m. tomorrow night.
So when will you be home with her?
We will fly back to the U.S. on November 19th.
So do you have her now?
Not yet, see two questions prior. ;)
Hahaha ... NO. Sorry sis, you still have to watch my kids until then. ;) Wednesday was our "best case scenario" date, and we now have the best case scenario since our 10-day waiting period was waived. Now we are off to Moscow to complete paperwork.
Does she get to stay with you at the apartment?
Technically, yes she could. But we had a lot of running around to do after court today, as well as tomorrow morning. In an effort to not confuse her, we left her at the baby home and we will go pick her up tomorrow afternoon. Our train leaves for Moscow around 10 p.m. tomorrow night.
So when will you be home with her?
We will fly back to the U.S. on November 19th.
So do you have her now?
Not yet, see two questions prior. ;)
Decision Day
On November 12, 2008, at 12:00 p.m. Russian time, we appeared before a Court of Law in St. Petersburg, Russia. The reason for our appearance was to discuss our petition to adopt a little girl named Veronika. The judge asked us some questions, most of which had to do with the reason we wanted to adopt a child with Down syndrome.
After a brief recess, the judge entered the room to announce her decision. Congratulations, your adoption is approved, effective immediately. Translation: our 10-day waiting period was waived and we leave for Moscow tomorrow!
After a brief recess, the judge entered the room to announce her decision. Congratulations, your adoption is approved, effective immediately. Translation: our 10-day waiting period was waived and we leave for Moscow tomorrow!
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Our first day back ...
We didn't really start the day off on a good foot ... we woke up at 9:40 a.m. and our ride was picking us up at 10 a.m. I guess in my tiredness last night I set my alarm wrong ... now I know I set it to wake me up at 8:30 a.m. EST instead of 8:30 a.m. Russian time. Nice work, eh? Apparently I had no problems sleeping my first night here like I did on our first trip, even though the time difference is eight hours.
Anyway, we made it to the baby home around 10:30 a.m. When we got there, we were told that Addison was having testing done. We later found out the people from PITT that are involved in the research study of Baby Home 13 are in town and they are doing their testing on the kids. I believe they come every three months and the purpose of the testing is to see if the changes that they have implemented (i.e. making the environment similar to that of a home) have made a difference in the development of the children. This has been going on for a few years now and I know they have seem improvement in the kids, which is why Addison's Baby Home is such a great place.
After about 10 minutes or so, they brought Addison to us. She was a little hesitant at first and was sort of shy all day ... we broke her out of her shell a few times, but pretty much she just wanted to cuddle and suck on her two fingers. She is taking a little longer to warm up to Kyle this time, which sort of leaves me wondering if she has had any encounters with men since we were here last. The kids in the baby home are not used to being around men since most of the staff are women, so I was anxious to see how she would respond to Kyle back on our first trip. Clearly, she had no problems that time and she warmed up to him as the day went on today.
She is progressing with her standing unassisted and her walking. She took about 10 independent steps to me today ... I don't think it will take her long once we get her home. The woman in the baby home who does massages said she was giving Addison extra massages trying to get her walking by the time we came back for her ... we thought that was so sweet. Her caregivers love her so much and I think some of them got emotional today when they were asking when we would be leaving with her. I anticipate that the day we take her from the baby home will be a very emotional day for all of us.
Luggage update ... our luggage is here in St. Pete ... it came in on the flight at 5:10 p.m. (Russian time) this evening. It is going to be delivered to some hotel at like midnight and then our translator will pick it up for us tomorrow morning before she picks us up.
So tomorrow at noon (4 a.m. EST) we have court. We have a good feeling about the whole thing, but please keep praying that our 10 day waiting period is waived! I'll update when I can ... I think we have some running around to do tomorrow after court ... until then ...
Anyway, we made it to the baby home around 10:30 a.m. When we got there, we were told that Addison was having testing done. We later found out the people from PITT that are involved in the research study of Baby Home 13 are in town and they are doing their testing on the kids. I believe they come every three months and the purpose of the testing is to see if the changes that they have implemented (i.e. making the environment similar to that of a home) have made a difference in the development of the children. This has been going on for a few years now and I know they have seem improvement in the kids, which is why Addison's Baby Home is such a great place.
After about 10 minutes or so, they brought Addison to us. She was a little hesitant at first and was sort of shy all day ... we broke her out of her shell a few times, but pretty much she just wanted to cuddle and suck on her two fingers. She is taking a little longer to warm up to Kyle this time, which sort of leaves me wondering if she has had any encounters with men since we were here last. The kids in the baby home are not used to being around men since most of the staff are women, so I was anxious to see how she would respond to Kyle back on our first trip. Clearly, she had no problems that time and she warmed up to him as the day went on today.
She is progressing with her standing unassisted and her walking. She took about 10 independent steps to me today ... I don't think it will take her long once we get her home. The woman in the baby home who does massages said she was giving Addison extra massages trying to get her walking by the time we came back for her ... we thought that was so sweet. Her caregivers love her so much and I think some of them got emotional today when they were asking when we would be leaving with her. I anticipate that the day we take her from the baby home will be a very emotional day for all of us.
Luggage update ... our luggage is here in St. Pete ... it came in on the flight at 5:10 p.m. (Russian time) this evening. It is going to be delivered to some hotel at like midnight and then our translator will pick it up for us tomorrow morning before she picks us up.
So tomorrow at noon (4 a.m. EST) we have court. We have a good feeling about the whole thing, but please keep praying that our 10 day waiting period is waived! I'll update when I can ... I think we have some running around to do tomorrow after court ... until then ...
Monday, November 10, 2008
We are here!
We just got settled into our apartment here in St. Pete. Good grief, what a trip! We had a carry on bag with our suits for court and our jackets. On the jet way in DC, they informed us the overhead compartments were full (there was a senior citizen group traveling that boarded before us and they all had small carry on suitcases that took up all the space) and they needed to check our carry on. And they meant check it, as in send it all the way to St. Pete, not check it as in gate check it so that we would get it in Amsterdam.
So yeah, they lost that bag. The only bag that we really need! So our only chance to get the bag before court will be on our same flight that comes in tomorrow around 5 p.m. local time. If not, then we may need to shop. Our court translator is calling the judge, however, to explain our situation and see if she will permit us to appear in court in non-court clothes. We'll see. Northwest is already going to be hearing from me on other matters, but the lost luggage and potential additional expense is another thing to add to our list.
Our apartment is cute and cozy ... bigger than the last one we had. It is right next door to the last one though, so we are familiar with the area. We are about to venture out (in the rain, nonetheless) with no coats to find food. People are going to look at us like we are crazy without coats, since they dress like Eskimos here!
I'm sure you are wondering when we get to see Addison. Well, tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. they are picking us up to take us to the Baby Home. Yay! I wish we could go there now ... it is really hard being in the same city as her and not being able to see her.
So yeah, they lost that bag. The only bag that we really need! So our only chance to get the bag before court will be on our same flight that comes in tomorrow around 5 p.m. local time. If not, then we may need to shop. Our court translator is calling the judge, however, to explain our situation and see if she will permit us to appear in court in non-court clothes. We'll see. Northwest is already going to be hearing from me on other matters, but the lost luggage and potential additional expense is another thing to add to our list.
Our apartment is cute and cozy ... bigger than the last one we had. It is right next door to the last one though, so we are familiar with the area. We are about to venture out (in the rain, nonetheless) with no coats to find food. People are going to look at us like we are crazy without coats, since they dress like Eskimos here!
I'm sure you are wondering when we get to see Addison. Well, tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. they are picking us up to take us to the Baby Home. Yay! I wish we could go there now ... it is really hard being in the same city as her and not being able to see her.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
One final fundraiser ...
I know I've said it before and I'll say it again ... we have been truly blessed by the support that we have received thus far ... for that, we are forever thankful. Over the past few months, we have held a few different fundraisers in an effort to help offset the tremendous costs of our adoption. We will be traveling to Russia again in less than one week, thus our final fundraiser.
Late last week we learned that Kyle's employer decided to cut the schedules of all salary employees by one day, meaning he is now only being paid for four days a week instead of five ... effective this week. Normally we would not even share this sort of thing with others, but it has significantly impacted us at an very bad time. Additionally, we learned yesterday that we have now have an additional and substantial cost related to our adoption that was completely unexpected.
A few of you have indicated a desire to help us directly. So, in our final fundraising effort, we have created the below donation button. For anyone who does not wish to use paypal, our mailing address can be found at the top of this blog. I personally hang my head low, as it is not my personality to accept from others. Typically, I find myself to be the one that gives to others. Alas, for Addison's sake, I must set my pride aside and accept your incredible support ... I am truly humbled by all of you.
We have been blessed to have been given some great products to support us in our adoption journey. We will be giving these things away randomly to someone {more than one person, actually} that has supported us on our journey. Take a look at what you could soon be holding in your hands ...
Petunia Pickle Bottom Girl Gift Set {$136 retail value} ... includes 3-pc swaddle blankets, 3-pc onesies and 3-pc socks.
Baby Cakes $100 gift certificate ... get great products for babies, toddlers and moms.
And I am desperately trying to find one other special prize, but I've sort of been limited in store stock. ;) Check back, because I'll post about it here if and when I find it.
This post will remain "active" until we return home safe and sound with our angel. Please pray for us as we travel and more importantly, pray that the Court will see fit to waive our 10-day waiting period!
Much love to everyone!
Late last week we learned that Kyle's employer decided to cut the schedules of all salary employees by one day, meaning he is now only being paid for four days a week instead of five ... effective this week. Normally we would not even share this sort of thing with others, but it has significantly impacted us at an very bad time. Additionally, we learned yesterday that we have now have an additional and substantial cost related to our adoption that was completely unexpected.
A few of you have indicated a desire to help us directly. So, in our final fundraising effort, we have created the below donation button. For anyone who does not wish to use paypal, our mailing address can be found at the top of this blog. I personally hang my head low, as it is not my personality to accept from others. Typically, I find myself to be the one that gives to others. Alas, for Addison's sake, I must set my pride aside and accept your incredible support ... I am truly humbled by all of you.
We have been blessed to have been given some great products to support us in our adoption journey. We will be giving these things away randomly to someone {more than one person, actually} that has supported us on our journey. Take a look at what you could soon be holding in your hands ...
Petunia Pickle Bottom Girl Gift Set {$136 retail value} ... includes 3-pc swaddle blankets, 3-pc onesies and 3-pc socks.
Baby Cakes $100 gift certificate ... get great products for babies, toddlers and moms.
And I am desperately trying to find one other special prize, but I've sort of been limited in store stock. ;) Check back, because I'll post about it here if and when I find it.This post will remain "active" until we return home safe and sound with our angel. Please pray for us as we travel and more importantly, pray that the Court will see fit to waive our 10-day waiting period!
Much love to everyone!
Monday, November 3, 2008
Addison: Day One {First Trip}
If you've been following our blog, you know how hard it was for us to leave Addison in Russia after our first trip. I feel like I sort of had to turn my emotions off, just so I could make it through these past few weeks away from her. That might sound weird, but it is true. I haven't watched many of our videos that we took of her, only because it upset me too much.
Now that we have a court date, I can't help myself ... get ready for video overload! I'm only kidding, but I am going to post a few videos of Addison, to give you a better glimpse into this child that we fell in love with in just three days.
This video was taken probably an hour after we met Addison. By this time, her caregiver was able to take a step back without having Addison cry. She is so stinkin cute!
Now that we have a court date, I can't help myself ... get ready for video overload! I'm only kidding, but I am going to post a few videos of Addison, to give you a better glimpse into this child that we fell in love with in just three days.
This video was taken probably an hour after we met Addison. By this time, her caregiver was able to take a step back without having Addison cry. She is so stinkin cute!
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Airfare: Check! Lodging: Getting there!
We just booked our airfare and I'm wondering if anyone can tell me why it is so expensive?! Seriously! We found tickets for a little less than we paid last time, but Addison's one-way ticket from Moscow is costing us $1,097 ... seems a bit ridiculous to me. That is more than it is costing us to fly round trip from DC to St. Pete and from Moscow to DC. Also, we don't have to get a hotel in Amsterdam this time around, so that is good.
We have decided to stay in an apartment again while we are in St. Pete. It is much more cost efficient, we don't have to pay a lot for internet and we will be right on Nevsky again. As far as lodging in Moscow ... we haven't got there yet. We are looking at staying at the Marriott, but we don't have enough Marriott points to cover our stay, so we are trying to figure out what to do because I believe the hotels are like $600 a night, or something ridiculous like that. Anyone have any points they want to donate to us? {*grins sheepishly*}
We have decided to stay in an apartment again while we are in St. Pete. It is much more cost efficient, we don't have to pay a lot for internet and we will be right on Nevsky again. As far as lodging in Moscow ... we haven't got there yet. We are looking at staying at the Marriott, but we don't have enough Marriott points to cover our stay, so we are trying to figure out what to do because I believe the hotels are like $600 a night, or something ridiculous like that. Anyone have any points they want to donate to us? {*grins sheepishly*}
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Addison ... we've got a date!
We received information today that we have a date with a judge in a Russian courtroom on November 12, 2008! Can I get a wahoo?! I really did not expect our date to be that soon, but I'll take it! We have to be in Russia on November 10, meaning we leave here November 9.My mind is going a mile a minute right now ... what to do first ... set up bedrooms, pack, find plane tickets, find lodging, watch for money to fall out of the sky ... the list is endless!
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