Moscow

Well, we made it back to Moscow with no problems. I got teary-eyed leaving our facilitators when we hugged them goodbye. It's amazing how much you are trusting to them and how they are taking care of you. You appreciate it so much!!! They are so good at what they do, and we are so thankful.

The Aeroflot airline is great, but our only compaint is how amazingly HOT it is on the airplane!! We were sweating so badly, and my Luna bar even melted. I also made the mistake of eating some M&M's, and one fell in my seat without my knowledge. So, of course I had melted chocolate all over my bum after the plane ride - and I was so mad, b/c I had put on some clean jeans that morning! Oh well - at least I have a very long coat that covered it up!

Funny thing to think about - we had to be ready to leave for the airport at 4:30 a.m. Kras time, so I got up at 3:30 to get ready and finish packing. Well, that meant that I got up at 11:30 p.m. Moscow time the day before. I slept a few hours on the plane, but then I was awake all day!!

So, we got to the Marriott here in Moscow, and I was SO happy!! It's just so nice and familiar after being in Kras where there is NO English speakers. And, there is a Starbucks right across the street - hallelujah!! I thank my Dad for the Marriott points! And, because he is a platinum member, our breakfast is included! Normally it costs about $30 / person, so it's a great blessing! Thanks Dad!!

We had a shower and some lunch in the hotel before we were picked up for our tour. Our facilitator here in Moscow came to show us around Red Square, the Kremlin, and St. Basil's cathedral. Everyone would be SO proud of me - I walked around Moscow for 3 hours outside in +5 degree weather! I was impressed with myself! My feet never got even slightly cold thanks to my awesome new boots. My hands did get cold toward the end, b/c I didn't have time to grab my heat packets for my hands. But, we had a great time seeing things and it was interesting to take the subway. I remember standing in Red Square looking at St. Basil's cathedral saying, "I am in Moscow, Russia -I can't believe it!" It's still surreal to me.

I told our facilitator that it's SO amazing to me how he and our facilitators in Krasnoyarsk are people around the globe whom we've never met that are helping us adopt our little boy. It's amazing - GOD is amazing to orchestrate everything down to the details. Our son was born in within the ARCTIC Circle of all places!!!!!!! And he's been matched with us - who live in Jackson, TN!!! Only God could do that :) I'm just so amazed at what a mighty work He does through this international adoption.

We are dressed and ready to go - we will have our medicals done today. I'll be glad when that is over. We leave tomorrow for our 19 hour journey home. I'm very ready to get home and see Kate, but I miss the little guy terribly. At least I can look at his smiling face in our pictures and videos :)