Wednesday July 5, 2007
Yesterday (7/4) was a long day. We had to pack up from our hotel room after living there for practically a month. We managed to do this while Madeline napped or when she occupied herself. Although we (okay, I – Amy) have been homesick and counting the days to get home, it was sort of bitter-sweet to leave there. The last day we strolled through the gardens I had remarked how familiar they have become. We have also met wonderful people and had some very good times. We won’t however miss the lack of the comforts of home, inedible food or poor service in restaurants. I won’t miss the restless feeling, either that came from being cooped up in a small town.
We concluded our stay by sharing a drink with our new friends, Karen and Huibert. We reminisced and chuckled about the quirks of our adoption coordinator. Huibert had recently been assigned to Germany for work for the next two years. Who knows, that might be a future family vacation. Their daughter, Milana, came from the same infants’ home as Madeline. After their stint in Germany, they will move back to the suburbs of Detroit. We will probably touch base with them on our drives back to David’s parents’ house as we drive thru the Detroit area en route.
Madeline’s first plane ride went well. She wasn’t cranky at all! Our coordinator, Marina, however, annoyed me. Madeline sat on my lap for the entire plan ride. The three of us, David, Marina and I, sat in our own row with Madeline on my lap. Before the flight, the flight attendant suggested to our coordinator to sit elsewhere as the plane was half-full. This would allow Marina more space and also allow Madeline to sit in a seat of her own in between David and me. Marina refused to move. What her reason for that decision was, I do not know but it was annoying. My legs fell asleep!!! I can only imagine what flying across the ocean will be like! Maybe we’ll be lucky with a semi-vacant plane again. (Our coordinator stays in Russia)
I was surprised at how long Madeline fought going to sleep on the plane. She didn’t fall asleep until about 10 minutes before landing (almost 11pm). Of course as soon as we got off the plan she awoke. By the time we got luggage and got settled in the hotel it was about 12:30. We had to get up at 5:15 am because a physician visited our room to check Madeline. Everything is okay; it’s just part of what is needed for the American Embassy paperwork. We got her up as the Physician got here and luckily she (and we) went back to sleep immediately after.
We awoke again at 8:30 as Madeline needed her photo taken for her Visa. We ran down to the lobby for a quick breakfast. Two things about this. (1) Scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, etc, etc, etc never tasted SOOOooooooo GOOD!!!!!! (2) You would’ve thought we learned a lesson about hotel restaurants in Frankfurt. Our breakfast cost us about the same as one night’s hotel stay in Astrakhan! Under the circumstances though we really didn’t have much choice this morning.
The hotel we are staying at in Moscow is the Marriott Grand Hotel. The bed is sooooo comfortable. The hotel is very nice and cushy. If only the hotel in Astrakhan was like this, I would have had no problem being away from home. Instead<> for us they are free>>> I don’t know what is going on with the keyboard all of a sudden>>> it is not letting me type punctuation correctly> consider this a puzzle>> today<> what a treat> today we also took Madeline to McDonalds for the first time> normally> we are not ones to go to chains when in a different city but we just wanted something normal! Odd<> Madeline liked her chicken mcnuggets though!
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> Also odd<>
> this computer this is making me CRAZY I don’t know why it is acting up> I am signing off now> tomorrow we visit the American embassy and then we leave early the following day> we will be home at around six pm on Saturday>
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> good night
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> Amy and David
Madeline chowing down on Chicken Nuggets in her first McDonald's experience.
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