See the good

After finding out that Becky and I would be here in Russia for at least 3 more weeks before being able to travel home with our kids, I decided I needed to change my attitude a bit to get me through the
waiting period. Though part of me wanted to crawl into bed and stay there until it was time to come home, I knew that would only make the time pass slowly and I would be miserable. So I decided I would look for the good each day and focus on the opportunities that I would have missed out on had everything gone the way we had hoped it would.

- I have had three wonderful visits with Jaymi and with each visit we are getting more and more attached. She is always giving me loves, just because she wants to, not because she is asked to. It really is so tender and brings so much peace to my heart that things will be okay once we leave the children's home together. Throughout this whole process one of my greatest fears has been that week after we take her from the children's home and we are finishing up paperwork in order to come home. I just didn't know how hard it would be to take her from the only life she has ever known. After these past couple weeks I feel more confident that she will be okay during the transition because of the bond we are beginning to form. Instead of fear, I now feel great anticipation and excitement for that day and week I will get to have her all to myself. I get to be the person that shows her this beautiful city she has lived in her whole life. I get to be her window to the great big beautiful world that is waiting for her. Such an honor and a privilege.

She was thrilled when I pulled out the flower clips to put in her hair.

Her favorite thing in the magic backpack today was the notepad from the hotel.  She is pretty easy to please.

- Becky and I were able to spent Saturday with our friend Yulia. She is the one that took us to the ballet last week. She was born and raised here in Moscow. Oh what a beautiful person she is, both inside and
out. She has been so hospitable to us and even sent me away with the most beautiful hat. I loved talking with her about religion and her experiences volunteering in an older children's home here in the city. I want to be a better person after being with her, I want to do more to help those around me. I will never forget her kindness and humility.

The beautiful tree in front of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.  I love the angels.

A wedding party outside the cathedral.

Love this blue building across the street from the Pushkin Museum

Pushkin museum

The Cathedral of Christ the Savior.  It was much bigger than I imagined and very beautiful and spacious inside

-Sunday we had the opportunity to attend the international ward with our new dear friends the Murray's. the talks in sacrament meeting were about the importance of family and they were just what I needed to hear. Although I miss my little family at home so badly, my heart is at peace because I know the sacrifice of this time away will be worth it for all of us. I can't wait for my little girls to finally get to
play together, I just get so excited when I think of all the adventures we will have together. From lazy days where we stay in our pajamas and play, to trips back east and to the west coast to visit
friends and play on the beach.

Wayne has been good to send me pictures and videos of my silly girls at home. They make me laugh and smile even when I'm thousands of miles away.

Kaelyn still loves her piano and played me some songs on skype last night.

Yep, every toy they own is scattered throughout the house.  Gotta love it.

Apparently Bryn is all grown up and lounging about on the couch.

CHEESE!

-Staying with the Murray's is quite the treat. When I told a friend that knows Sally that we were staying with her, he replied "it's a good thing Wayne has your girls as collateral or you might not have
returned home". Ha ha, yes he knew how good she would be treating us here. She is like a long lost mother to Becky and I while we are so far from home. Some day I hope Becky and I can get together with our moms and our "Moscow mom", I know they would love Sally as much as we do and be so grateful to her for watching out for their baby girls. I just hope Sally's house is still standing by the time we leave. Yesterday Becky and I blew the circuit in her garage due to our exercise regimen using the elliptical, treadmill, television and two heaters. Then at lunch I burned Becky's grilled cheese sandwich. We will see what I manage to destroy today. Ha ha. Anyone that knows me well knows I tend to be a bit on the accident prone side of things.

Sally and Steve took us to the Moscow equivalent of a super target.  It was pretty impressive,  its inside a nice mall too.  We will be hanging out there tomorrow, yes we feel like teenagers again asking Sally to drop us off at the mall.

Becky and I were working out in Sally's garage until we blew the circuit and had to head over  to the community center.

Sally trying to make a snowball to throw at me.  Luckily the snow is just powder so she did not succeed!

Sally showing of her mad skills on the lanes.  They were so kind to invite Becky and I to the Tuesday night bowling extravaganza!

Becky bowling away, check out that follow through!

Thats me whipping that ball down the lane, check out my hair blowing in the wind.

-We have been able to have some great talks with our facilitator Alla and I respect and admire her so much. She is a hero in every sense of the word and I plan to keep in touch with her forever. I wish we could bring her and her family back to the states with us. I really hope she will be able to come visit us and we can show her our part of the United States. Very different from her visit to New York City.


-On our previous trips to Russia we weren't able to sight see very much. It's been amazing to spend more time out and about. Yes I wish it was a bit warmer, but everything is so beautiful with a blanket of
snow. I wish Wayne could be here to enjoy all the sights and especially to see the small town girl he married brave the Moscow metro. I really am a different person after this past year. I joke that before all this I didn't dare call the neighbor to see if I could borrow and egg, and look at me now. Doing news stories and confronting governmental officials. This mammas heart of mine has proven much more brave than I could have ever imagined. It all started 3 1/2 years ago when our little 1 pound miracle joined our family. I was changed forever. Any way, I digress. This country has so much history and I
just thirst to learn more about it. I want to be able to teach my girls about the place their sister came from.

We saw a number of people rubbing this statue of this dog.  Found out later that it was for good luck.

I decided to join the club, but I don't know if my luck has kicked in yet.

We did some window shopping in the Bosco store at the Gum mall on Red Square.  I saw a coat I liked and we checked out the price tag...$1,200!!!!  Yikes, no wonder we were the only ones in the store.

This is me inside the Gum Mall, its HUGE!  There are 3-4 big hallways like this.