Sleepy Sunday

My Russian adventure is 24 days long and I am on day 11. 13 days left.

The word for Ian and I on Friday was actually a phrase: ya nye pa-nyi-mai-yu ( I say it like yah knee pa-knee-my-you) and it means "I don't understand". A good one when someone walks up to you and starts babbling in Russian. Frankly, Americans and Russians look exactly the same. Every one of you at home has a doppelganger here in Russia. They just don't wear white tennis shoes.. They wear shirts with English on them, jeans, shorts, tanks.. you probably have many of the same exact shirts, but they don't do white tennis shoes.. in fact, does anyone in Europe? So, we got some mileage out of this phrase.

It is 7:35 am here in Moscow and I am sleepy. Not sleepy enough to fall back asleep, but sleepy enough that I wish I could. My DH informed me that I am a couple of days behind with my blog and to get a move on it... sorry, I have not been inspired or something.

Friday, we went out to see Ariana for the last time before Ian leaves. I filled out all the paperwork for the last week's red tape run while Ian played with Ana. We spent most of the day outside. It was quite hot and Ian and I found a spot on the concrete steps to sit on while Ana sat on our lap or played.

Did I hear a collective gasp from all the families who have been here?

Apparently, sitting on the floor will cause you to be barren. It doesn't matter that becoming barren would save you the expense of the surgery or that your eggs are probably all dead anyway at 40 years old. This was a crisis. So, a caregiver put us in the shade on chairs.....where the mosquitoes swarmed! I was moved from my nice cool spot on the cool concrete in the 90 degree weather to a spot in the humid shade by the forest where mosquitoes carring who-knows-what swarmed all around us. Malaria anyone?

It got better. The next day I was "not asked. I was TOLD" and told that I was being told, not to sit on the steps by the translator that has me walking around in her cloud of toxic fumes from her cigarettes and drives me around in an ashtray. Ok, I am trying to keep the American-Russian peace so, I go along with this. (at least when someone is watching :) ) Besides, has anyone seen my bottom lately? Come on! I have 6 or 7 built in stadium cushions there.. what are we fretting about?

Ahhh, cultural differences. Gotta love them! And, gotta respect them. When in Rome do as the Romans do...

Yesterday, I took Ian to the airport and then we went out to the orphanage. We got there a little before 9am and they were just putting her down for a morning nap. They said she is giving the nap up and when I take her to just do 1 afternoon nap. So, I snagged her and off we went to play. We started inside, because it had just finished raining. But, eventually, we moved outside so she could get some vitamin D from the sun. The caregivers really encourage us to get her in the sun for the vitamin D/rickets. Someone has educated them well. We strolled and played for a few hours and then went in for some lunch. I fed her and was surprised that it was ok with the caregivers that she didn't eat it all. It is in my DNA to let her stop when she is ready, but I was surprised they too were open to letting her decide when enough is enough. She actually ate a lot for a 22 month old. It was probably 2 or more BIG jars of baby food. I said Paka Paka after lunch so she could go take a nap. She was a little sad, but the caregivers did a good job of keeping her from crying.

I did see a new layer of our Vidalia onion.. she groaned or grunted at me lots. Sadly, the best way to describe it would be like when you have to go to the bathroom and it requires ..how should I say... effort...
Her jaw was clenched and she would arch her back to lean away from me and make that groan/frustrated noise. She wants what she wants and she is going to let me know when she is frustrated with the situation. I think she is especially frustrated because she can't tell me. She has a few Russian words in her vocabulary so I know she is frustrated in general that she can't always say what she wants, but not knowing English is very frustrating. And, when I am busy saying Nyet to walking in water puddles or opening toys that belong to the orphanage and are still in the box, she shares her grunt-n-arch with me. It is a world wide phenomenon. All 3 of my boys did the same thing, but they were so big I would struggle to keep from dropping them. This is why sign language has taken off with babies and toddlers. Signing gives them an extra way to communicate.
My driver and translator are taking a break today (Sunday) and tomorrow. On Tuesday, they pick my mother up at the airport and meet me at our apartment. That is moving day for me. I must bid farewell to the luxury of the Grand and set up for the second 1/2 of my trip. It is an 11 night stay.

Tomorrow marks the half way point in my adventure. I am going to celebrate with a trip to the spa! With my driver taking the day off, and all the PAPs meeting their babies and the MOE, I am going to relax and pray that the current tropical storm heading for Tampa withers away into nothing but a little rain for Texas (much needed).

Today I am off to sight see with Karen and her hubby Kerry.
It will be fun to put a face to her beautiful voice!
Tonight I meet up with Dinia and Ron and some other adoptive parents to celebrate Ron and Dinia's last night here in Moscow. They leave tomorrow for good. :(
At some time today, Anny should check into my hotel. She meets her son tomorrow and I am so excited for her!

Paka everyone!
Michelle