First visit as officially a family

Last evening we got a call that we were going to Cheremkhovo today (Wednesday) so we had to wake up early at 6am. We arrived and only had to wait a little bit until Nathan came into the room with us – the same room we've been in most of the time before. He gave me a big hug and let me give him one too. Then Brian also. They still call him "Genya" but know his name will be Nathan. We call him a mix of both but he was responding to Brian saying "Nathan" today most of the time. It was a very nice visit. Kathy, we don't feel bad not spending every day with him – it's a long way for a little visit and it's hard to think of things to do sometimes in that small room – we'll have him with us all the time soon!

So anyway we had a nice visit – he never got too wild and listened to us quite well. Andrew wasn't there really the whole visit so it was just us and him! We painted with water a little, played train a bit, played balloon and even managed to play a number of hands of Winnie-the-Pooh Uno! I was VERY PLEASED how he picked up on the playing and the taking turns. I'm sure he didn't grasp the whole thing but we started some of the education with matching numbers and colors… We watched the fish lamp A LOT! It's a lamp type thing that has water and plastic fish inside it and when you plug it in bubbles start and the fish start swimming up. Well I'll bet for 20-minutes it was "mama – plug in", "mama – unplug" (but in Russian – I got it!) He and Brian looked out the window a lot also – first at the van that was stuck on the driveway, then at the kids on the playground. He only wanted Brian for that. He did show a lot more attention to Brian today than to me but that is fine! I'm not threatened or afraid. There aren't a lot of male role models around the baby homes and I'm sure having the undivided attention is good for him! He did let me read a few books to him and happily sat on my lap to do so. He listened very well when I spoke in my very broken Russian to "sit down" or "stay here". Those are some of the words I want to be able to do more naturally, especially once we start our travels back to the USA. His most fun today tho was playing with Brian on the big ball in the room. They did that a long time and the giggles and smiles were just great. I got some of the pictures but not the sounds so you just have to imagine! Pretty soon it was noon and he had to go to lunch and we had to leave to come back. Big hugs goodbye and he laughed and said Brian's moustache tickled him! He happily went off to his group – but he is VERY PROUD to tell everyone he has parents now. I think he partly grasps this whole concept. We'll probably only go back to Cheremkhovo one or maybe two more times before we get him next week but we're ok with that, really!

I know people often like to know what they can "specifically" pray for – I know I do better with something specific. Well, please pray that Nathan's passport comes through on a timely basis. Little explanation – first of all, when Andrew says "did Alex tell you…?" it usually isn't something good as I think he sometimes makes Andrew the messenger boy. So we all know about this 10-day wait for the appeal period to expire (that's just Russian law), and then there is the mailing of the decree so we can start paperwork to get birth certificate, citizenship certificate and adoption certificate. But then there is the wait to get the international passport so we can leave the region. Andrew said that the passport office in Irkutsk has changed and issues the new passports with the radio chip in them – good, right? NO! Because those passports take three weeks to issue as everything gets sent to Moscow. BUT then Andrew said that we are going to try and apply for Nathan's passport in Angarsk as that was where he was born. They're hoping that Angarsk hasn't gone high tech yet. So Judy, I'm going to be watching what happens with Harry's passport very closely! So the prayers would be that we are able to get Nathan's passport issued on a very timely basis!

Once back in town we were very hungry so we American'd out – we went to Subway. The first time this trip and we weren't the ones holding up the line! The Russians seemed to understand the process like your average person eating at Subway – too many choices! I had a Chicken Teriyaki and Brian the Tuna – they did have a Russian/English menu there so it made ordering the meat part easy and then it was just "da" or "nyet" for the toppings and we made it through the sauces choice too (Brian easily – said "mayonnaise" which EVERY Russian knows!). Then we just walked around town a little more – hit some side streets we hadn't been on before but they all led us back to streets we're familiar with. We did find some interesting looking café's/pubs so we have some destinations to try… along with some others we haven't hit yet!

Then it was to the grocery store to get a few basics – like milk, spaghetti sauce and cereal. And I did buy a chocolate bar. Carter Kids – the Candy here is very much like at home – many of them are the same name and everything. They have chocolate in aisles and at the checkout just like at home. There is a lot of European (not necessarily Russian) chocolate. Last time here I didn't care much for the Russian chocolate but I never really asked a Russian what kind they like! Then back to the apartment for the first time since 7am today and we'll just be hanging out the rest of the evening! Dinner later as usual and then probably more Moonlighting DVDs.

The good thing about going to see Nathan is #1, seeing him! And #2, the day definitely goes faster!