The Cluttered Pantry

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 [...]

Beautiful day in moscow–bright and sunny, and the 4 of us were raring to go. Our hotel is just next to the moscow river, and the big train station. Strolled around the fountain at svobodnoy evropy plaza, then across the bridge and up the hill towards the masively Stalinist Ministry of Foreign Affairs building….which, [...]

What better way to start off this jouney than for our driver to O’Hare to be from Bulgaria, and a student of Russian?! We practiced our newly learned phrases and even got a taste of the two footed driving we expect in Country (accelerate…brake….accelerate…BRAKE…)
The flight to Moscow was smooth and just over 9 hours [...]

In less than 20 hours we are supposed to be on a plane winging our way to Moscow for the first leg of trip#1.
Bags are mostly packed, by some miracle we have managed to squish ten outfits purchased as gifts for the baby home, toys for the girls (including stuffed westie puppies to help introduce [...]