The Cluttered Pantry

Quick and thrilling update, on my birthday—we got our court date! We leave Chicago on sept 29, go to court in Chita on oct 3, and return with our girls on 23 oct….just in time for halloween!!! Trick or treat?! We say—TREAT!!!! More as it develops—

I love birthdays… Especially the ones that start with adorable husbands who sneak out early to get fresh pastries and espresso to wake up the birthday girl with.
Earlier this week Mark surprised me with a lovely ring made up of the birth stones of both girls, Jordan, and the mama and papa. We [...]

Remember that feeling of nervous energy mixed with excitement that you used to feel the week before Xmas? You know, when you kept checking the calendar and wishing time to move faster?
That is where we are now. In the grand scheme of things waiting one more month to go back to Siberia to finish [...]

We’ve just heard from a couple who traveled for their first trip to Chita the week before we did. Their son is actually at a different baby home, but they are being helped by the same fabulous team of Katia and Eugene and will be going to court with the same judge we will.
So, [...]

While were in Chita, Katia and Eugene spent a good amount of time answering our many questions about the follow trip that includes our court date and will result in our getting to bring the Wee Kahunas home. They also reviewed all of the paperwork we have submitted to make certain we are in compliance [...]

Sunday morning, beautiful sunrise over the nearby Foreign Ministry, nice breakfast and olympics tv and making lists for the next trip, and watching video of our visits with our scrumptious daughters. The delight and love and anticipation we feel for them is so very far beyond words. Won’t be long now. And [...]

With the pressure of all the Trip #1 “To Do List” items behind us we woke very early this fine Saturday/Mark’s Birthday morning ready for a day of just the two of us trekking around Moscow. First it was lots of olympics tv and chocolates in bed then a fine breakfast before bidding the [...]

Friday morning in Moscow—mellow breakfast in the room, immense enjoyment of the non-American tv coverage of the olympics, and so forth. Sean and Mark hit the bank to buy the rubles we need for today’s medical exams (36,000 per couple). Bank near the hotel resembles a peep-show establishment….tiny room, about 8 doors, each with [...]

Up early again on Thursday morning, because sleep-wake is just completely messed up at this point. We clean the flat and do our packing up whilst we strategize on how to most efficiently pack for our return visit to Chita, when we will be taking our deliciously lovable wiggly wonders with us!!!! [...]

Another beautiful day in Chita–clear blue skies, bright northern sun. As we coffee’d up, the happiness of what was to come in the morning was tinged with the sadness of what was to follow at the end of the afternoon. Our morning visit was of course wonderful, again. Shiny happy kids who [...]

Yet another day of joy—the first of countless millions I’m sure. Up early in eager anticipation. Coffee’d up and then it was off for our morning 2 hour session with the kids. Our older daughter bounded into the dayroom with the world’s largest hair ribbons—I think the conventional wisdom is more ribbons [...]

General consensus amongst us 4….is it possible to be so excited and yet so very exhausted at the same time? I dunno—ask me when I wake up. We all crashed about 2pm after a delicious first visit with our families that was the fastest 2 hours any of us have ever experienced. [...]

It’s mid afternoon on Monday here in Chita. We landed at 9 am and after an odd wait for luggage (one man with a small cart unloaded the entire 757) our new hosts Katia and Eugene whisked the four of us directly to the baby home.
As we stumbled our way past a little play [...]

Ok actually it is a big ol’ jet airliner to Chita, about which we are very psyched. Vim Airlines. And—announcements in English and in russian, which rules. After a lazy day in Moscow, spent reconning the big mall near the hotel (basically a Dallas-grade Galleria type thing), then dozing during War and Olympics coverage, and [...]