Back in Wyoming

Sorry for the delay in posting. We arrived back in Denver last evening at 4:00 and only had 1 hour or so before our flight left for Casper, we had a LONG wait in secondary passport control with Braxton's paperwork, only because we were second in line and the first guy had a criminal record that he had to explain before being allowed entry. Then we collected ALL our luggage and made our way to recheck, then through security again and off to our gate. When we arrived at the gate at 5:10 they were boarding our flight and there was a weight restriction already in place. We didn't have assigned seats yet, supposed to get those at the gate, so we were a bit nervous that we wouldn't be allowed on. Finally word came up from the plane that 7 passengers hadn't checked in yet, so they let us board, however...our luggage didn't make it. We did have what we needed in our one carryon bag, except for the key to the aspen and Roger's cell phone, they were in a checked bag that in our rush we didn't get them out before recheck. Fortunately for us...my parents came to see us in so they took us to dinner and then to the hotel. We had a nice hot tub relax and Brayden a little swim, Braxton isn't interested in water AT ALL. The bags came in on the flight that landed at 10:17 p.m. so Roger and Dad and Bobby went out to get them and bring them all back here. Was lovely to get all cleaned up, but with two boys wound up, it didn't allow me any time to gather my thoughts and post here. Braxton slept good till 4:30 a.m. and then stayed in his crib till 5:30 at which point he was wet and dirty enough that he stood up and started talking to me so I got up and changed him. He was then happy to play in our bed quietly for another hour so I could rest some more. Finally when he decided it would be more fun to crawl over Daddy and all over the bed, I got up and got dressed and we did breakfast outside our room. He has been up now since then and is pretty happy. Daddy is still sleeping as I type at 8:46 a.m., perhaps I can sleep on the drive home. I will have to nap for the next few days when the boys do or I will never keep up. I actually developed a cough on the 10 hr flight yest and its still here, so want to hit the vit c really hard today and see if I can knock it out of my chest!! Here's hoping cuz I really don't want to be sick with that now. We will do some shopping once Daddy wakes up and probably have lunch and then we will head home. Will be so good to see the house and get moved back in!! We didn't get any cool icecream pics with Braxton like we did with Brayden the flights were just too close together, didn't even get him changed into his little USA outfit till after we were in Casper. Nothing stays the same or happens the same. Will share more stories and pics when we get home and have a minute to catch our breath... Thanks again for following along, prayers, thoughts, etc, we have enjoyed it all.

We are almost on our way...

Getting the last of the packing done and will be heading for the plane real soon. See most of you stateside this week. thanks for following along and commenting, keeping us in your prayers etc. We appreciate it all.

Christmas morning in Moscow

Here we are Christmas morning, Braxton just waking up, the boys in front of their packages and then finally getting to open them. They have enjoyed the new toys and played with them all for the morning anyway.

Our Train ride

Here is Jill and Yuri on the train, the luggage carriage where Roger and Brayden slept on the bottom bunks, and myself and my boys. That was one HOT carriage with occassional wafts of cigarette smoke. Does NOT make for a restful night.

Merry Christmas to everyone

Merry Christmas to all at home. We are having a real down day today, just relaxing and hanging out. I am hanging out more in the bathroom than anywhere else. We ate at McDonalds yest after not having greasy food in my belly for weeks and then nothing of any substance in it for hours, it didn't set well and neither did the pizza for supper. I don't know if it is just the food or a bug, don't really care it still isn't much fun. I have had a few instances this whole trip when I just didn't do well with my stomach. Can't wait to get home and settled there again, normal food, normal water, normal bed etc. You get the idea!! Ok now for the big news...are you ready...we found out yest that we could get the boys visa's yest same day as application and we can clear the Russian consulate today and we can leave Russia on SUNDAY!! We got our flights all changed and we will leave here at 7:05 and go through Frankfurt routed back to Denver and then to Casper at 6:25 p.m. Sunday night. We will still stay the night in Casper and come on home Monday. Its not a lot, but it is some. We have decided that buying groceries in Moscow isn't very cheap either, what they bought last night cost 3x what groceries in Pskov cost. don't know if they just found a really high end grocery store or if they really are that much more expensive. This store didn't have baby food or diapers, so maybe it was just too high end. This afternoon we may try to get out just a little after their nap. Natasha comes by at 1 to drop off their offical adoption paper packet and passports and then she will come back at 4 to drop off their Consulate registration papers. So maybe after she comes we will sneak out for a bit. Tomorrow we will do Red Square again and get some pics and then get ourselves packed. We have been making use of the washing machine here at the apt, I think the only time it isn't in use is when its the middle of the night. We literally didn't have clean clothes to wear when we arrived and neither did Jill. Hope you all enjoy your Christmas Day with family and friends. If it were possible to show you pics of Moscow all decorated and do it justice I would, and still will but the pics don't show its true beauty.

In Moscow

We have arrived in Moscow, got in at 6:25 a.m. this morning, coordinator picked us up at the train and we made our way to the apt to get the key, and then right to the medical center for the boys medical exams which took about 40 min and then to the apt to finish paperwork. We were here to appreciate our apt for about 1/2 hour and then off we went to the US embassy. We got there and waited for 3 hrs to clear our paperwork. We came back to the apt and settled the boys into lunch. Roger walked to the McDonalds around the corner to get our lunch. We hadn't eaten anything for a very very long time. We ate sandwiches on the train about 7:30 and we chatted for a while finally putting the boys down about 8:30. Roger and Brayden were up on the top bunks until Roger was terribly hot and Brayden about came off in his sleep. They have a rail on them, but he slid between the rails. Jill happened to look up and see him, she quickly jumped up and put his feet back on the bed. Good thing she was there, Roger and I both would have missed it. It wasn't long after that he got up and went to the bathroom and then he and roger went to the other carriage and went to sleep on the bottom bunks while Jill and I stayed with the boys in the first carriage. We mostly dozed, not a lot of sleep to be had, seemed we were stopping all too often. By the time we got back to the apt this last time all three adults were feeling really fuzzy and dizzy from lack of food and sleep. We managed to have a few snacks on the way to the embassy but without real good communication we didn't even have baby food. I happened to grab some mini fig newtons and some trail mix paks and bananas, we ate them all and still were starving. The boys did really good for all things involved. I am amazed at how well they both have done through all the upheaval. We fed them lunch right away and I gave Braxton a bath and he has been sleeping now for 3 hrs. I will have to wake him up so we can go to the store and get supper. no one is cooking in this apt tonight, we can start that tomorrow. Best let this be it for now, will post more later as time is more available.

I'm stil here...

I didn't realize that we weren't all going at 4:15 so I am still here in the room with a few minutes to spare. We are all packed and ready to go, there are many bags sitting here ready for the train and we condensed I am certain of it. Still we have sooo much, good thing the train isn't going to weigh our bags and its a really good thing we aren't carrying them. If they didn't have wheels we would be in real trouble. The boys are playing together really good right now and Brayden is getting the hang of this big brother thing. We have already had some jealousy issues, some insecurities showing up and mama and daddy are trying to get it right for both of them. Brayden and mama had a real heart to heart this morning cuz he told me he didn't love me anymore. I cried real tears to show him that it hurts feelings to talk like that and then we spent some time together just him and mama to get through it. Then for nap it was just him and me and Daddy put Braxton down. Good thing we can tag team this thing or mama would really be ragged. Brayden is doing much better this afternoon with playing with Braxton instead of trying to get a reaction from whomever might be in the room. If mama and daddy can be real good at taking turns with nap and bedtime and stories then I think we can keep above the hard feelings. Brayden had picked up this habit of telling us he didn't love us anymore just since we have been over here, mostly when we correct him or tell him something he doesn't want to hear. Our choices of dicipline are severely limited here as are timeout locations. It will be good to get home where the timeout location is set and recognized and the results of his actions are more true to form. And the routine is back in place, cuz that has also been knocked completely out of wack!! Pics are: our first outing with everyone was this morning, it wasn't terrible cold, but they look like it might have been. It is currently snowing like crazy out there, both my boys leaning and reaching for me, our celebration cake, what we look like when daddy feeds us blueberry buckle. pardon my spelling I am in a hurry!!