Good news Saturday!

This should be a less downer of a posting than the last few have been – even tho we still don't know when exactly we'll be leaving!

Genya slept past 8am this morning! I was a little worried for a bit! I had been awake on and off for a few hours so around 8am I figured I should just get up or my back might not forgive me (the mattress here is thin and no box spring)…I peeked into Genya's room and he was just waking up so he came out with me to the living room. We watched cartoons and had our breakfast routine… he asks first for an apple now (still in Russian "yablacki"), and then a banana, then cereal and later, if prompted, a yogurt. He'll always take one if it's offered! We caught up on emails and comments from the blog. Had to call Tami J to find out something that Genya yells at us when he's mad – found out it's "stay away from me" which makes sense now that we know what it is! We were thinking it was something worse actually! We can deal with it…

I did put the vacuum away through the end of the trip. Genya plays with it more than accomplished anything and just turns it on and off for the most part. We have a broom to use as needed. So far he hasn't missed it!

I did a few loads of laundry and we all got dressed quite late in the morning. Fed Genya lunch – hot dogs, pickles, apples and some carrots and red pepper slices. He turned down chips at lunch! Brian and I just had some scrambled eggs and toast like yesterday. We headed outside to a go feed the pigeons again – see some great pictures from today! I got some good video also. We said it was more fun than the museum we went to where it cost us 500rubles – this we invested 20rubles in! We then went to the "MacCafe" for some shashliek (chicken shish-ka-bob). There was a clown entertaining the kids so Genya got a sword made out of a balloon – thought he was pretty special! He did manage to drop his food on the floor without eating a bite of it but that we then tossed out! He ate the bread that came with it so at least had a little snack. After that we stopped at the supermarket for just a few items, including microwave popcorn and soda. Walking back to the apartment we came across Alex on the street! He said he'd be at the passport office within 30-minutes and would call from there. Also confirmed we would go from the passport office to the airline office once we have the passport in hand – I just want to make sure he really understands we aren't going to wait around any longer than necessary!

Genya wanted to do the teeter-totter a little while back at the apartment but Brian was inside so I knew he'd get the phone if it rang. We were all in the apartment watching some cartoons (this Saturday has been the best cartoon day yet I think!) when the phone rang… Brian got it and got the news. (few more details from earlier posting) When he said "So it came in?" I started dancing around the living room – was trying to get him to ask if all of us needed to go or just me when Brian held up his hand as "wait" – then said "that's great news, we'll see you later" (or words to that affect). He then came in to tell me that while the passport was in the person who could release wasn't there… but Monday we can get it (keep praying for that). Alex also has to stop by to give us the paperwork we need for the embassy and of course to collect money from us! Right now I'm not even planning a return date to the USA as I have to find out some of the variables, and we need the passport in hand, but we're feeling a load of relief… I can't even describe it – I think we both genuinely smiled for the first time in days!!

We ate dinner early as I was hungry LOL – I gave Genya a choice between my "chicken soup" (leftover) or hot dogs – he took the hot dogs of course. Brian and I ate up the soup which I had stretched with the last potato and some chicken breasts I had left. Genya did much of the "common table prayers" with us tonight – quite good I think! And of course did his resounding "amen!" Deli salad rounded out the dinner and we both have some candy bars for dessert later (after Genya's in bed)! I said we started the day later than usual and are winding it up earlier than usual!

We had two empty bottles from dinner tonight – soda and water – so Brian and Genya played with those a long time and had some sword fights… they played so hard Genya got a little blood blister on his palm! Doesn't seem to bother him too much except in theory! At first he was afraid to put his hand in the bath water but I told him it was fine and then he seemed to not care anymore. I put a little ointment on it after his bath to help it heal quicker.

Genya enjoyed the microwave popcorn I bought earlier during tonight's movie – Madagascar. At the end he started singing "I like to move ik move ik" (with his Russian accent)… figured I had to type that for Samantha! There are many more cute things he says in English but we'll have to write them down to remember to write about them! We then started Toy Story 2 but only got it to play in Russian with Russian subtitles for now – figure tomorrow I can futz with it more… It was just a little too early to send Genya to bed at 8:30pm (giving up on the thought of adjusting to Moscow time already – we'll wing it!)

Brian and I watched "Hairspray" last night – I enjoyed it and watched it again tonight to catch more of it… I also finally convinced Brian to read a book – told him to read Janet Evanovich's "One for the money" and he's about half way through it just starting it this morning! There is a great Clive Cussler one here too but that might be a bit much for him to start right now! (Atlantis Found – anyone read it?)