One more day!!

After our big day Tuesday having the doctor visit for Lex , turning in paperwork for the US Embassy, touring the Kremlin and swimming with Lex we decided to eat in the hotel restaurant and take it easy. Jason and I both ordered fish, he had the whitest, and most flakey Halibut I had ever seen and I had yummy Sea Bass. Lex ate off of both of our plates and loved eating fish. After we ate we were ready for bed.

Yesterday, Wednesday, Lex woke us up at 5:30am. We did not have an appointment at the US Embassy until 2pm but Oleg was picking us up at 12:45pm so we wouldn't be late. So from 6am until 12:45 we pretty much hung out, ate a slow breakfast, played with some toys, showered, ate some ham and cheese in the room and then it was time to leave for the Embassy. Oleg dropped us off at the entrance of the Embassy. There were Russian guards out front checking passports. US citizens can go ahead of Russian citizens in all lines at the Embassy which made things pretty fast. Next we had our bag and persons searched for any electronics and other items… While we were being checked we saw a couple from the doctor's office the day before. They are from Atlanta and are adopting a two year old little boy. This is their third adoption from Russia. Wow!! There were about 15 other couples trying to get visas for children they were adopting and the Embassy ran the appointments very smoothly. We all had a 2pm appointment and once we all were in the room a man came out and made a few general announcements then said they would call us one by one to a window to have our interview. After our interview it would take about 30 minutes to get the visa and then we were free to leave. Everyone there was great and it was a chance for the kids to have a "play date". It seemed like most of the kids were boys about 2-3 years old. It was really interesting hearing where all everyone had to travel to in Russia and what their experience had been like. I talked with one lady from California that was adopting from an area called Archangel North of Moscow by the White Sea. Unfortunately they had the opposite story from us. She said their region always waives the 10 day wait period and for some reason they were the first couple in 10 years to NOT have it waived. Their orphanage was a 4 hour drive from where they were staying and they had brought their child to the court date and were prepared to take him from there. The husband went with the driver to take him back to the orphanage and she had to make calls to push back their travel plans. UUGGHH! I can't imagine her disappointment! It made me feel so fortunate and blessed.

We meet several couples who will be on our flight Friday back to Chicago. It should be a very interesting flight. Lex did not want to play with any of the kids at the Embassy. I think he was afraid we were going to leave him there. He wanted to sit in our laps and just watch what was going on. He didn't cry or fuss he just soaked it all in and wanted to make sure he would go home with us. We are continually amazed by his personality and how well it fits with us. We think he is just fabulous and wouldn't trade a thing about him.

It was 4pm by the time our appointment was over. We had been told it was easy to register Lex with Russia here and thought we could get a step out of the way while we're here. Jason and Oleg went to the Russian Consulate and tried to register him but they said it would take two days and they would need his passport the whole time so we didn't move forward with it. We want the passport in our hands so we can make sure we get on that plane!!!

I didn't know how much stress I had still built up regarding the adoption paperwork and the relief I felt after getting his visa was beautiful!! I felt so light and easy. I cried with joy when we got back to the hotel room. Since Lex had woke up at 5:30am I also felt exhausted. We went for dinner at our favorite buffet place for a 3^rd time at about 6pm and then went back to the room to get some sleep. Jason had taken a nap that morning so he went out to find an internet café while Lex and I went to bed. Jason arrived back at the hotel around 10pm with a long stem, red rose and said he had found a new area of shops and restaurants to explore.

Gabi called about 12am and it was wonderful to hear her voice. She sounds so good and happy and my mom and dad said the kids have been so good and upbeat. JR didn't want to talk to us and we didn't force the issue. We can't wait to get home and hug and kiss all over those two cuties! I know there will be conflict between Lex and our kids at first because he is used to having all of our attention but things will stabilize after a few days I'm sure and he will learn his place in the family soon enough.

We woke up today at about 7am and went down to breakfast, took our time eating again then decided to go on a journey outside of Ref Square area. Jason got a map of the Metro station and asked the concierge about some places to visit. He was the second person to recommend a park in the suburbs. We found the Metro station we needed and got tickets for our adventure. We asked some police officers by the train if we were going the correct direction by showing them the map and we were. The Metro is a wonderful and inexpensive way of travel. They also have it marked very well. Better than the streets above actually. After getting off at our stop we were a little confused. We couldn't see a park or really anything but apartment buildings for blocks. We decided to head a direction and see what we could find. We lucked out and had gone the right way after we saw a large open area with some people cross country skiing. That's pretty much all that was there but it was a good chance for Lex to run and get some good exercise. We walked around a while and then went back towards the Metro station. We ate lunch at a place near the station in the suburb that had a dish like a Gyro but a red sauce instead of a yogurt sauce. Lex ate a fresh vegetable salad of cucumbers and tomatoes and wanted to eat the raw onions off my plate. I only let him eat a few because I wasn't sure if it would hurt his stomach but he seemed to really like them. Crazy!

After getting back to the hotel we all took a nap and are just getting up now. Jason is taking Lex for a swim at the hotel pool and I am going to shower and get ready for walking to the new area Jason found last night and for dinner. We will also need to pack for our flight tomorrow. Those words sound wonderful! We realize how special this time has been being able to be us 3 for a week together. We have learned so much about each other and feel we have begun to set some good boundaries.

Again we thank you for all your prayers and love. God has been so good to us and I am thankful we live in a day and time that we can email and stay communicated through the internet. We leave for the airport in the morning and will be traveling all day so I won't be posting a new blog until Saturday afternoon at the earliest. I hope to fill in about the flight and return home along with adding pictures at that time. Praise God for all he is doing in our lives and for all that he will be doing in the near future.

Godspeed,

Jason and Stephenie

2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all of our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.