Moving moving moving

Can 10 hours take two years off your life?

Eric spent all day yesterday shuttling between the train station and customs office. After an exhaustive list was made of our belongings and the fees were paid, Eric left with... no guarantee that the payment would 'go through' in time for the train today. So he was back there this morning, and we were very thankful that somehow, it all worked out! Our boxes and bags are rolling right now through Ukraine and Belarus, and will arrive tomorrow in St Pete.

Now, we're just praying that the exorbinant customs fees that Russia charges (even for used, personal items) will be fairly applied, and that the storage fees won't be too high for the week (at least) they will be in St Pete before we arrive.

And now, we can relax and enjoy seeing our friends, and selling the rest of our furniture. Anyone want a desk?

It's strange how our aprarment is beginning to remind me of when we moved in. How interesting that a place which truly feels like home felt so strange a year ago. And I find myself appreciating all the good things, and praying we have such a good washing machine, clean balconies (plural!) cabinents, and even hiding spots for hide-and-seek.

The kids are definitely acting out a bit. Some days we've had a lot of conflict, especially between Tima and Ella. They both love to grab toys from the other and run away. Then, of course, there is an eruption of screaming. The worst is when Eric and I need to talk, or have visitors looking at stuff, and the kids just descend into chaos. Once last week, Tima bit Danya. We haven't seen that behavior since... last time we moved! We're swinging between compassion and exasperation. It reminds me that the next few months will be challenging, though hopefully not as bad as last year!