Day 2 in Moscow

Overlooking Downtown Moscow


So we had a fun-filled day with some Russian "expert" doctors!

We started out the day with about 12 hours sleep...which neither of us had done in years!

Then we went down to the buffet breakfast, which was amazing (no horse meat!)

We ventured out onto the Moscow streets, which in itself is a death defying adventure! Surprisingly it only took us about 20 minutes to get there (not like the 3 hour car ride back to the airport...ehhh!)

So we get to the docotor's offices and it has a typical old soviet "mental hospital" feel to it! Even the "dr's" look like doctors out of a russian movie. We had 8 "specialist". The only specialists I thought were "legit" were the general practitioner, dermatologist and psychologist. The others were a bit sketchy. For example ( Scott's going to kill me for saying this) but he had to drop his drawers in front of the 70 year old woman dermatologist. Why she needed to feel around down there is beyond me! I got a good laugh out of it. No, we weren't in the same room during our visits but he had our translator in the room at the time! Even more funny! I did feel it a bit odd that the "surgeon" asked me to take off everything above the waist (and there was no paper gown...you can just use your imagination!! STRANGE!

We ended up paying the head doctor outside in a courtyard. It's a little scary throwing around that kind of cash in a courtyard!

After our 3 hour death defying drive we are sitting in a cafe in the MONSTROUS Moscow airport awaiting our 10:55 flight to Kras. Hopefully it goes better than the last one. Scott was able to choose our seats so we got the seats in the first exit row...yay! Pray for no B.O. Well, that's not gonna happen but you can pray anyways!!


Dr. Offices in Moscow




Dr. Offices in Moscow

Day 1-I think?

Well we made it to Moscow at about 10:30 am (Moscow time) with a fairly uneventful plain ride...which is a good thing! You definitely know you are in Russia, or getting near Russia when the aroma of b.o. permeates the nasal passage!! Ugh! Scott and I really don't understand how they can't smell themselves. I mean, why even shower??? What's the purpose?

We got about 7 hours sleep and just ate dinner (yes, we ATE...club sandwich) and it was actually good! Pray we don't get sick.

We are staying at the Marriot Renaissance Moscow for the night and will leave here tomorrow at noon to get our physicals done. Should be interesting!

Then our plane leaves tomorrow night at 9:45 for our dreaded "overnight" flight to Kras. Have to say, I can't get there soon enough!!!

Next time I complain about the traffic in Austin, just say, "Moscow", and I will be chill! Seriously, I have never seen traffic like this. Take I35 and put stoplights on it during rush hour. It took us an hour and a half to go about 30 miles. Unreal!

So, I am greatful and blessed to live in Austin with such glorious traffic:)

Anyways, we are off to sleep, again!

Tomorrow!!!!-Trip 2 begins

I can't believe we leave tomorrow to start our adventure again for the second time!


This time, however, will be played out a little differently because we will be spending a day in Moscow visiting 8 different doctors!


We leave Wednesday around noon and get to Moscow, with just one layover , on Thursday. We have the rest of that day to sleep and rest up for our physicals on Friday morning. Yes, we will be having 8 physicals each! I am trying to think of what the 8 different doctors' specialties are, but can't get past 5! The one thing Johnna told us, which I should find comfort it, but still freaks me out, is DO NOT let them take blood!! O...K....! We did labs here with our doctor so we are supposed to give them our results, but I found it discomforting when she said, "do NOT let them poke you!!"


So Scott and I will be split up and taken to 8 different doctors with a translator on the other side of the curtain. Having a hard time picturing all this but I think I will have a hard time controlling my giggles!!!


So after that fun day (not), we take the dreaded overnight flight to Kras! It HAS to be better than the last one. It. Can.Not.Get. Much.Worse!!!


We'll have a day to rest and on Monday we go to see miss M! Yay!! I wonder if she will have changed at all? Will she remember us? Will we all still feel the connection we had last time? And of course, my most daunting question-will they have cut her hair??? I know, sounds silly, but that bowl haircut is just plain mean! Although, she's so cute, she could rock any hairdo!


On Tuesday we will go to court where Scott will be asked the most questions. It will supposedly last 2 hours. Geez, 2 hours, what all do they want to know?


We travel back home on Wednesday because we just can't stay gone from our boys for a month and Scott can't leave work that long. We'll come home for about 10 days and then go back and get her. So, she will be touching down in Austin on October 22nd! Praying that all goes according to plan!


So, we'd love your prayers again for safe, smooth flights, stay healthy, keep our kids and parents at home SANE, and for God to be glorified in EVERYTHING we do! He already knows what's in my heart and knows what I need Him to help me with! Pray I agree with His plan and just be joyful about everything that happens! Good or bad!

Love to everyone!!!

We Have A Court Date!!! October 4th!

We get to see this cute bottom in just a few weeks!!!



Yesterday we received an email from our family coordinator at AW telling us that Yelena went to court in Kras on Wednesday and received our court date for October 4th! Unbelievable! This is all happening so fast! Most families wait months before they get their court date and when we left we received a "tentative" court date for October 4, maybe October 11th. We didn't hold our breath because I have NEVER read a blog or heard of a family receiving a court date so quickly! God must really want this little girl to hurry home! And we are more than happy to bring her home that quickly!

With having the majority of my paperwork done on our first trip and delivering it to our facilitator when we got there, they were able to "fast track" us because they believed we would get the remaining paperwork done quickly and efficiently! No pressure!

So most of the morning, yesterday, was spent begging nurses at our doctor's office and our pediatrician's office to squeeze us in for our "physicals", blood work, chest x-ray's, doctor's license, etc. As of right now, we are only lacking the results to our blood work (which obviously takes a few days to get the results back). It pays to be a little persistent when your back is up against a wall! At the start of our day yesterday, the quickest time they could get us in was September 16, and October 6 for our kids. Uh, not possible for us! This is where the persistence pays off! "Can I please speak to your supervisor?" Bingo! Got Scott and I in yesterday, and the boys this morning! Check, please!!!

Now, for the harder part-getting many forms from our social worker! Ugh! I don't think she realizes the time crunch we are in! We informed her a week ago of all the forms we need to get moving. So, what email did I get from her today? " I haven't had time to look at it. I'll start this weekend." What????? I needed it YESTERDAY! We need her to amend our home study with a few facts on how we would "care" for the child if problems would arise, her updated medicals and a few other forms. She has to get them notarized and mailed to me. Then I have to get them apostilled, mailed to AW, sent to Russia for translations, all in two weeks! Do I think this is going to happen? No! Do I believe I can stay calm until I receive them? No! Is God in control? YES! OK, just BREATHE........

So, our itinerary that we received yesterday was a "rough draft," so to speak. It has us leaving Wednesday, the 28th of September, arriving in Moscow that Thursday evening, physicals done in Moscow that Friday morning, fly to Krasnoyarsk that Friday evening, arriving in Kras Saturday morning, rest Sunday, prep for court on Monday and visit miss M, court on Tuesday the 4th, travel home Wednesday (because we can't stay the 10 business days they make you wait until you have your "gotcha day"....no clue why they do this?). Whew! That's busy! I will have my hands on her in 25 days!!!!

Our 3rd trip hopefully will look something like this: travel back to Kras leaving Austin on Saturday or Sunday-the 16th, arrive in Kras on Monday-visit M, pick her up on Tuesday the 18th for good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We will stay in Kras 1 night and have to take her to Moscow for a physical the next day, go to Embassy on the 20, receive her visa on the 21st, and return home the 22nd!

Here's the tentative itinerary. It probably will change due to us taking 2 trips and this is just our itinerary for 1 more trip! We will receive that tomorrow.

ITINERARY:
9/28 - Leave US for Moscow
9/29 - Arrive to Moscow
9/30AM - Moscow Medicals
9/30PM - Leave Moscow for Krasnoyarsk
10/1 - Arrive in Krasnoyarsk
10/3 - Visit orphanage
10/4 – Court Appointment!
*10 day waiting period*
10/19PM – Leave Krasnoyarsk for Moscow (take the evening flight from Kras to Moscow and not the morning flight)
10/20 –child’s medical exam and submit documents to U.S. Embassy
10/21 - Receive child’s visa
10/22 - Return to the U.S.*


Wanted to share and thank all of you for your prayers. God heard them and is sending His child to us to care for and love on!! It will not be hard because she is so stinkin' adorable. Seriously! Just wait until you meet her!!

Keep the prayers coming. Especially for our boys and grandparents when we are gone for these two weeks. Pray for smooth transition, good health and anything else you can think of:)

Love to you all!!