I’m enjoying a long morning with the kids still asleep. The ongoing jet-lag question, “Should I wake them?” All told, last night –the fifth- was the best yet. Each child woke only once, and briefly. Yesterday was the first day I didn’t take a nap, and I barely made it to 9:00. So I awoke at 6 this morning, very refreshed!
We have no internet yet, so I am trying to focus on what to do on the computer in order to download later. I must say, the Huddlestons are amazing! Every day, we go to their flat to get our email… and shower! That’s right, we were welcomed back to Russia with three weeks of no hot water. But our teammates have an electric water heater, so we can get hot showers there. Although we’ve realized how our years in Russia have taught us how to heat water on the stove pretty well. At this point, I’m also glad for our dishwasher, which heats it’s own water. That takes a little of the heating-water burden off of my shoulders.
We finally have everything unpacked, and today we get to pack again! We leave on Thursday for 10 days at two conferences just outside of St Pete. I’m really enjoying the fact that it’s close—we’ll ride there in a bus instead of a plane, which makes the trip so much easier… and it’s fun to be able to help those flying in with things like playpens and diapers!
The kids are adjusting well to being back in Russia. Danya has been a real trooper with the getting-ready-for-school tasks. After rising at 4am the first morning, he then spent half the day with Eric, going to the medical clinic, and then the tailor. Eric has truly been playing the hero. At the local clinic, the doctor advised him to take Danya to a private clinic instead of jumping through all the complicated hoops at the public one. So Eric made the calls, and scheduled an appointment for the next morning. Danya prayed beforehand that nothing would hurt, and Eric cringed, because he knew that was impossible. Danya had to have a blood test, and another very uncomfortable swab. But at this private clinic the doctor was kind, and he got a toy as a gift. The blood test was a painless finger prick, and the swab was replaced with a piece of scotch tape. We were all amazed, and very grateful! We still need to take in some body-function samples, but his medical certificate should be ready by the time we return from the conference.
After the clinic, Eric drug Danya to the tailor to measure for his uniform. He came home with black trousers, and a green blazer. The white shirt and vest are out of stock, but we should be able to pick them up before school starts. We'll need to buy his sports clothes, and some black shoes, but other than that, we're all set! I am so amazed, since I assumed I would start the medical and uniform processes this past Monday. I've be free to do some of the follow up things with the clinic, but won't be burdened with doing it all myself!
Tima has had the most emotional adjustment, complete with a lot of nighttime wailing, begging to sleep in our bed. I reintroduced his ‘burpie’ which he stopped using this summer. When he first saw it, it made him cry harder, I guess out of joy! But it seems to help him a little go to sleep! But, last night he didn't cry at all.
The first day, Tima commented at the playground, "That boy speaks Russian!" He really sounded surprised. When he saw the TV in our living room, he exclaimed, "This is where we watch Lazy Town!" (We haven't been able to find it, and don't know how to find a tv schedule.
Ella walks around and as she discovers things, says, "This pink ____ for me?"
Insert -boots, -backpack, -doll, -potty.
Since she wasn't aware of colors when we left, now it's incredible for her to find all these pink toys and clothes. She is in accessory heaven, with her cowboy boots, slippers, and the hats and scarves and mittens in her drawer. It was a mistake to not store her cold-weather clothes, as she's always begging to wear them outside.
Every time Ella goes to the bathroom, she asks, “We in Russia, Momma?” It’s possible she thinks that room is ‘Russia.’ (When he was 3, Tima thought that the church building we first stayed in was ‘Ukraine’.) But I think it’s the natural result of my telling her all summer that she had a pink potty in Russia.
Our former babysitter, Renata, has babysat each morning this week. She is staying with us since Eric left. The kids were so excited to see her, although Ella clung to me for the first 30 minutes. But when it was time for me to go, there were no tears! The kids love the playgrounds just outside our building, and throughout the neighborhood. I couldn’t convince them to cross the big road to the woods, but Renata took them wading in the pond there. We went to a bigger lake with the Huddlestons yesterday evening. It’s about 30 minutes walk away, with a big beach and a sign that says, No Swimming! We decided to follow the cultural rules (all the people in the water) instead of the written ones… IT was pretty dirty, so we took a bath at home.
I enjoyed walking in the woods the other day, and had a little cry. (I seem to express my grief only when walking surrounded by Colorado grasslands or Russian forests). I found raspberries and a tiny snail. The paths were full of people walking, cycling, and near the lake, sunbathing. I wish I could have photographed the two young men playing badminton, wearing jeans and no shirts. Classic.
10:15am, (straight south is the right-side border of this photo)
A little late on the 'peak' of the arc, since this photo was at 2:00, and the peak should be at 1:00. Sun is just past south.
Hopefully, more decorating to come this week. We get to celebrate for two weeks, since Russians' main holiday is new year's eve, and the Orthodox calendar places Christmas on Jan 7th. So there's a chance to finish up the gifts which didn't get done!
One of my favorite parts of life in St Pete is the number of athletes. Perhaps it's a local effect from the big forest-park across the streeet. Even in rain, snow or darkness, there are many runners and cyclists. And in the winter, of course a lot of cross-country skiiers. It makes me smile every time!
Could a Saturday morning be better? The boys decided to make their original lego kits, which involved a lot of sorting. (I like sorting legos.) Ella emptied the closet, tried on all her summer and fall clothes, shoes and eventually starting playing with legos, too.
