Day 27

Ten day wait is half way over!

Some of you have said that it's going by fast... I beg to differ ;)

Today's visit did seem to go by pretty quickly though. Probably because Edward turned on the tv,  so instead of being in this huge, awkwardly quiet room with him just sitting there for two hours while I try to entertain a baby... well, actually that was all the same, except there was noise. But it helped!

With this hair, she looks almost like her RR photo :)

We spent an entire 20 mins today watching videos of the big kids on my phone.
She was mesmerized.

Edward was looking at me like I was crazy because I was laughing SO hard. Layla, Brynn, and Cale: you guys are FUN. I miss you!!


She finally got restless and I think maybe reached for me?  She kind of lunges at people sometimes, but I've never seen her reach for anyone. Maybe :)

If she did, I knew why....

Can I puh-lease go to sleep now?

Brynn, I got out your super-soft blanket today and Annie went to sleep right away! She loved it! Thank you for sharing, sweet girl.

Nathan and LP- Look! This eiffel tower replica is on our way to the orphanage.

(Those dark spots are men working.)

When we first arrived here, they had just started building it. We were wondering if it would be done before we left :)


I've been pretty lazy since I got home. I would kill for some carbonation, but wanted to wait until I had more daylight hours tomorrow to go to the store since I'm not familiar with it. Tonight, probably another movie and more pasta- with spinach and mushrooms, of course. You would think I'd be tired of those two by now... I've had spinach and mushrooms on pasta, rice, pizza, ramen, eggs... but I'm good so far! Ask me again in a week.

Day off tomorrow...

Day 26

I'm in my new place and it's great (it's actually the apartment Carrie and Lee just moved out of). I really like it better, I think. When Tatiana told me "no conveniences", I'm guessing she meant the grocery is not easily accessible and it is much further from the orphanage, etc.  But... it will do just fine.

It is kind of a blessing because as I was packing up to move, I realized very quickly that everything was NOT going to fit in my suitcase. I sent my carry-on home with Nathan... I honestly don't know what we were thinking.  Well, I do- we were thinking I would have less to carry with the baby, but that doesn't matter if I can't fit this stuff in one suitcase! I moved using reusable grocery bags. Classy. I'm going to have to buy a small suitcase to get home :/
If I had waited until time to go back to Kiev to pack, I would have been in BIG trouble.

View from the kitchen:

There were some people ice skating on the river! Fun :)


Annie was a mess today! In the literal way: goopy eyes, hair all over the place, snotty nose, spit up in her hair (and on her clothes and on my clothes and...), but her Mama loves her all the same.

This is her favorite toy we brought (Andi- Naya's?). I shake her arm and make it rattle really fast and then when I let go, she tries :)

"Hand, do you see what she did, Hand? She just left us here in all these balls, Hand! These can't possibly be fun for us."

"Hmm... kind of feels like I'm sinking. That's kinda fun, I guess..."

"I'm so happy in here, Mama!"

She started out on the mat and wiggled her way off...

Laughing in the mirror:

We were singing. She's a fan of Taylor Swift. Or a fan of me singing Taylor Swift. Or a fan of me singing. Or maybe just a fan of me :)

I just finished my first meal in my new place (grilled cheese with bacon- kind of awesome). I don't even feel guilty since it was the size of my fist. I think I'm going to try out the ridiculously deep bathtub before settling in with a movie (wish I had a glass of wine!)

Day 25

I miss my husband.

We are so fortunate to have had three whole weeks together! Most couples our age, especially with kids, don't ever get that opportunity. I don't know if we've ever been together that long, for 24 hours a day, every day (and we didn't even want to kill each other!... Except that one day, but hey). Our time here reminded me so much of the first six months we were married in our little apartment. We learned more about each other (even after all this time), we made due with food and entertainment because we had to. Is it a time I want to go back to? Not necessarily. But we made the best of it (both times) and I can really appreciate the memories we've made.

I hope this part will be a memory soon too.  It's way less fun without him here.

Annie was not herself today. They had to wake her up to bring her down and I don't think she felt well.  She managed to scratch herself up pretty good too. I think they were telling me she did it in her sleep.

Look how well she's sitting up!

She was going to town on her tongue again, so I gave her the paci. She did not want to give it back this time.

Nathan said I had to wait until he left to put bows in her hair... notice she's wearing a different one in every picture haha ;)

I managed to get a few smiles out of her, but she made me work really hard for them!

I don't think she's a headband kinda girl...

When I was leaving, I saw the nannie holding her in the mirror, pointing and saying, "Anna! Anna!" - so sweet. She was also telling her she was going on an airplane with Mama soon :)

How funny is this...

{I wrote the first half of this after lunch and the second half when I got home tonight.}


Tonight, I took a taxi to Nate and Diana's house for women's Bible study.  I almost didn't go because I was afraid of getting in the taxi. Maybe that sounds silly, but I just started thinking: I have no idea where I am. This man could drop me off anywhere.

The lesson was about fear.

I don't want to share the details, but I was in a place I'd never been, with nine women I didn't know, who were speaking a language I don't speak. And I was SO supposed to be there.
(BTW- my new friend, Katya, rode home in the taxi with me.)

I will say... it was extremely humbling to be with these women, EACH of which praised GOD for the opportunity to practice their faith without fear of persecution. I doubt I'm the only American who takes that for granted. Their prayers and their praises were so simple and so... obvious. I guess I can only speak for myself, but I feel like mine can be so detailed and complicated sometimes.

And speaking of ... I just found out at 9:30 tonight that I have to move in the morning.  Tatiana isn't very happy about it and apparently the new place has "less conveniences"- I knew this whole thing had been too easy! It's going to be a late night packing and cleaning up, etc to be ready to move in the morning. And I was very comfortable walking to the store and church from here, I am not looking forward to moving to a new area and have no idea how I will get to church. I'm emotionally drained tonight.  Prayer welcome.

Day 24

It was a fairly eventful morning (see comments on Day 23 to get just an idea).  I was a wee bit stressed trying to find out where Nathan was and what the heck was going on.  Then I made oatmeal, but I found a bug shell. In my mouth. So I threw up.

Let's just say... I was thankful for church today.

Victor- Pastor/worship leader/translator

I mean, I'm always thankful for church but I needed a calming place and needed the fellowship after being here alone for a couple of days.

A valuable nugget from today's message:
It's impossible to get to a comfortable place in your spiritual life and just stay there. If you are truly filled with the Holy Spirit, you have to move forward or you will start going backward. God wants you to go further. Even if where you are seems like a good place to be, He wants you to keep going further.

I was invited to go to Pastor Victor's house this afternoon for Russian Monopoly and the Superbowl (at 1 am!) and had every intention of going. We ("we" as in Me, Lee/Carrie, Victor/Vika and family, Nate/Diana/Max and several others ) ended up staying at church just socializing until about 3:30.

Vieta

By then, I was tired and still needed to go to the store. I've pretty much been on my booty since dinner time. (No headache today!!)

Nathan should be home a little after midnight my time (4:30ish CST). I plan on waiting up to hear he made it safely- especially after all the drama last night. In related news, I found some chocolate chip cookies at the store that are awesome.

ETA: NATHAN IS BACK IN THE STATES! ONE MORE FLIGHT AND HE IS HOME!