Getting into a Rythym

Well, we have been here for 10 days - 7 days with the boys. Each day is a bit better because we are in a predictable routine. We wake around 6:30 - stay in bed with the boys for as long as they will allow - then eat breakfast at 8am and play a bit. At 10am we have snack - By this time, Sawyer has asked 20x to go outside and we give in (if the weather is bearable) - we walk for an hour - come back - and prepare lunch. Then it is play time or cartoon time until 1pm for nap time. We nap for 2 hours and then usually go out in the afternoon for another walk or to the park. Then it is time for dinner - playtime again - and then time to go to bed by 8:15.

Today, I went to the bank and the store while Bryan had the boys during nap time. I came home right around 3pm and Sawyer was in his arms (he had decided to wake up at 2:30 and was not going back to sleep. I was able to go to the store with the translator so we finally got some cottage cheese for the boys. We had tried to get it on our own at the little store near the apartment only to find out when we returned that it was sour cream.

Today was beautiful weather. It was cool, but not too chilly. The boys loved being able to go outside twice today. They don't even care if we stop at the park or not - they just enjoy going on walks. We have found that we are very lucky. The other couple that is with us is not able to have their boys with them at night. They pick them up in the morning and then have to take them back each evening. There is no reason other than the director of that orphanage is following all the rules to the exact print. So, they are counting the days that we can leave Khabarovsk and get to Moscow.

Bryan created a calendar for me so that I can cross out the days left before we leave here. I am so tired of living out of a suitcase and not allowing the boys the freedom to go out into the back yard and play because of bad weather. Bryan and I have been watching the BBC and it sounds like there are very hard times in the USA right now. The TV programing here is very slanted so it is difficult to really know what is going on - but I am sure it will work itself out.

Tonight, I am laying in bed with an almost-4-yr.old in between me and Bryan. He has decided that his bed is no longer good enough. I think he knows that we go in the middle of the night and get the baby if he is crying and he has decided that little brother is not going to get the best of it. So, we will see how it works tonight.

The boys actually started playing a bit together instead of acting as rivals for our attention, so I guess that is good. Sawyer seems to be over most of his congestion - at least enough for us not to worry so much. I never thought that staying in for 2 days and a bit of Children's Tylenol would do the trick, but it did.

The hotel / apartment ran out of internet cards (I actually purchased the last 4 - so I have 4 days of internet service. I will blog every 2 days which should lead us up to our trip to Moscow. We are hoping that everyone is well - our best wishes go out to you all. We are doing fine - We hate that we missed 2 nephew birthdays - so happy late birthday to Stockton and Mark!!! (Mark's may not be late because I think we are 15 hours ahead of Texas time - but who knows anymore??). God Bless!