Note jotting

Heres some notes i jotted down a week ago.
Roman started feeding himself yesterday . 4/23.

Roman hasn't been his normal self since we have been home. I took him to the dr for out insurance physical and he was running a fever. We waited a few days and his fever never went away. On Sunday his fever rose high and I called the dr to see what to do.
After several test, cath, ultrasound, blood drawings they determined he had a urinary infection . The following day it showed ecoli. A shot and antibiotics have helped tremendously. He is feeling almost back to normal.

After going back to the dr he put his arms our for our dr. He is male and seems to go to men better than women.

Many men aren't keen on holding babies, but when a baby whose been an orphan holds their hands out- you just have to hold them!

Playing outside on this beautiful day

Here are some pics Halle and i took this afternoon. Roman hasn't felt good since we've been home, but I'm hoping this afternoon he turned a corner. Having fun anyway, even if he's plastered to my hip 100% of the time!
Jenny

There really is no place like home

It has been a very long 24 hours of flying and driving back home, but we can say that we have arrived!

Our flight out of Moscow was delayed by 1.5 hours and we missed our connection in new York at JFK. So we take a taxi to Laguardia and take the next flight to Nashvegas! We did also have the privilege of going through immigration to give them Romans paperwork- but once we touched US soil he became a US citizen.

We were going to be so disappointed if we needed to stay in a hotel again. So were 2 little girls waiting at home. I think they have missed their mama and their mama has missed them. It is a long time to be away from home.

Little roman was wonderful and never cried out or got too disrupted or disturbed. We watched 4 movies and that helped pass the time. He did take 2 naps . So its been daylight for 24 hours and I have had an infant in my arms the entire time. But this is one happy moment to be on the plane from
NY to Nashville.

We are not sure if it's breakfast or dinner but we are glad to be in Tennessee and in the land of English speaking. Rachelle said she was done with the polite Zdrast-voot-te. I think I am too!

So now Roman has so many things to experience. He is already a great joy in our lives.

Thank you to all of you for your support and prayers during this time in our lives. It was very encouraging each day to read your comments and I felt so connected to home.

You all are wonderful...

Packing up and heading out

We are ready to come home. We can't fit all of our stuff in our suitcases, so I'm not sure what we will do.

Roman loves playing peek a boo and pattycake. He started taking off walking by himself. His favorite toys here are his instruments, ball and his picture book of our family. He crawls around in this hotel room playing for hours.

We have watched micky mouse clubhouse in Russian every day in Moscow. He knows where our food table is likes it very much. He loves bananas, chicken, French fries, apple juice, and snacks of course. I don't think he has had any adult eat in front of him before. So, I'm trying to get him used to us getting a snack without him necessarily needing something or thinking he's supposed to be eating.

We are very fortunate to have been blessed with a relatively healthy child who seems to thrive outside of the orphanage. He has come so far already. Russ will hardly recognize this child!

As you can imagine every single piece of our clothing is dirty and we vowed to not wash anything else, but we broke down last night and hope it all dries before we pack it.

Roman has been sleeping through the night and taking good naps. He hasn't gotten the hang of lying back to relax just yet. He sits straight up to take a bottle.

I have enjoyed our time here, but you can only take so much! Everyone likes a vacation, but when you are ready to be home, you are ready to be home!
Leaving tomorrow morning.

Our embassy interview was short and sweet. No problems. I think I would have cried if there was...now to NY to go through immigration/change airlines in 2.5 hrs. That will be a challenge .

Jenny

Sunday

Gratefully we made the decision to get a driver and go to Red Square- it was the best decision! We enjoyed our time out of the hotel, after yesterday, and we are looking forward to tomorrow's Embassy appt. I'm headed to the grocery to get a few things as Roman is napping.

I'm feeling much better, but cautious about overdoing it since we have such a long trip home . It's always comforting when you are back on US soil. Slowly, we are moving that direction!

Roman is such a joy- I'm sure he will be a holy terror after I say that. He is getting around and gaining confidence. I have no choice but to let him crawl all over these nasty floors , so his clothes /socks are filthy. I'm sure his hands stay clean!

Looking forward to bringing Roman home!
Jenny

Saturday Sunday

Sunday / I'm feeling much better after some extra water, Gatorade and salt. Chicken strips and fries and a big fat hamburger. Maybe today we can walk/ taxi to red square!

Saturday- Well today didn't go so well. Roman is wonderful. Me- migraine and very dehydrated. So I didn't make it through lunch and I had to come back to the hotel and lay down in a dark room. I've really only ever had 1 real migraine but I am very light sensitive. I walked in the hotel shop to look at the nesting dolls and then my head was killing me. The lights in there small, bright, and direct. I can't handle anything like that (lowes/ home depot lighting dept)or ceiling fans creating rotating shadows. It's weird.

I just thought I had a migraine all afternoon, then about 6pm I figured out I am dehydrated. So I'm downing water and salt. Then I finally found Gatorade. Hoping this works. If not, I did get something at the pharmacy, but I'm not exactly sure what it is. It says Anorexia and sport performance in Russian. I'm definitely not anorexic and I do need sport performance. I'm thinking I might wait this one out.

Rachelle went to the phar for me, 1 block, while we were waiting on our dinner. She had no coat and flip flops on. The no coat/short sleeves gets funny looks. But she said she really got funny looks with flip flops.

If all that doesn't work, then I can decide to see the Russian or American clinic. Hopefully this will work and I can go on with life. It's been a pretty rough 24 hours for me, as it actually started last night at bedtime when I couldn't swallow very good. It kind of freaked me out just a little.

So we've been cooped up in the hotel all day and I'm sure the lobby attendants are so tired of seeing us.

I do remember looking at my arm and thinking, wow that iv vein is huge and popping out . I don't know why we are always the last to recognize the signs.
I've been totally out of it.

It has been very difficult to drink enough water overall. In Krasnoyarsk they served a tiny 8 oz glass of water if you ordered water. Bottled. No free refills.

So for now- I'm done with coffee and tea. I might be off exercise tomorrow.
The nice jacuzzi/sauna will have to wait. I have tried so hard to stay healthy- even getting a flu shot which I usually don't do.

But, I need to feel better. It's not very fun. I'd much rather be outside.
Jenny

Pictures

Here's the cute little bear the hotel gave us. And a few other pics . We are headed to red square after roman wakes from his nap!

We made it to Moscow

Yesterday we picked up Romans passport and were on our sweet way to the airport! It was rather simple. After finding a semi clean place to play in the airport (think LaHacendia floor) we wore him out and he slept the first hour of our ride. He stayed up the rest of the 5 hr flight but was so playful. His ears didn't seem to bother him, so I was thankful. Of course, a man in a business suit sat beside us, in the row before the exit row- so we sat straight up for whole flight. I just knew Romans fingers would reach over and I would pay a cleaning bill, but we were all good. Being the only kid on the flight you know what everyone thinks- hope they don't sit beside me! I do the same thing .

After 5 hr, we had a 1 hr car ride but with traffic- 3 hrs. And Romans poor
Little stomach was upset, so the driver and rachelle had a long ride. Or maybe I was just imagining how bad they probably hated this. Plus he felt feverish to me , so that probably made me even more nervous.

The driver dropped us off so fast- he didn't even help us with our bags and we were dragging them down the block stopping every few seconds when something dropped. It was better once we received some help at Marriott grand hotel! A bellman gave roman a gift and we were hurrying to get roman some milk from room service- like $6- and to bed. It was 8:30 when we arrived and 9:30 when I got him down. Which, remember, is 1:30a.m kras time. He had been up a long time but maybe that's just how it was supposed to be so he could adjust to the time difference.

During arrival and bed I pretty my had a slight breakdown when Rachelle went downstairs to get our passports and Romans wasn't there. They told Rachelle they gave it back to me. I needed it at 6:30am for the doctor who was coming to our room for Romans physical. In the meantime I had sent Rach down to take some paperwork to a man who was picking it up for Olga. Yes, Olga again. She originally wanted me to just leave all these important docs at the concierge, but I was like Really???? Romans passport ended up in Olga's stack- not Olgas fault- and turns out the dr didn't even ask for it. I went to bed hoping to sleep- after a long day of travel- and somehow I did. I was so tired I couldn't even think how much to tip the bellman in rubles. He had to help me.

So today has been better- Romans seems to feel good. Good doctor visit and I met with Olga. She was taking all my paperwork to U . S embassy.
Embassy appt Monday. It takes a lot of work to get all of this together.

I ran to the store and spent less than we did on our luscious breakfast.
We basically missed lunch and dinner yesterday- there was nothing good to eat in the kras airport. Fish eggs on toast . It looked awful. So we are headed to an American treat for lunch today - Tgi Fridays or chilis. And we are very excited.

It's the little things that make the world go round!!
Like wifi - it was $200 to get in our room. So we have to go down to the lobby for connection.
Jenny

Leaving kras tomorrow

We had a nice dinner tonight with a couple adopting from same orphanage. She had a lot to share, as it is their 2nd adoption from there. Huge Soup spoons to eat with, 3 course meals, 180 babies in that orphanage, no thumb sucking, caregivers are called mama, they all sit on the potty and sing a little song, and she spoke some Russian to roman. She also told us about a little game with the nesting dolls the caregiver was playing. It was nice to speak real English without hand gestures or creatively trying to communicate with our coordinator.

Every time roman hears the sound of high heels clomping, he starts turning his head around to look. That definitely comes from all the ladies at the orphanage. He stares at men- he probably hasn't seem many previously.
It's the little things you don't think about.

He got the attention of some older Russian ladies, both having many gold teeth. He didn't know what to think. Me either. I just smiled and nodded my head.

Took a little exercise in the plaza for roman and here's a pic of the clock that always chimes. I have looked to buy one like it, with no luck.

I haven't bought much this trip mainly because there is no room in my bag!! I'll probably have to pay $$$ tomorrow for the extra weight.

Krasnoyarsk is a nice city.
Passport for roman at 12. Flying to Moscow tomorrow at 4 kras time. (4.5 hr flt, 4 hr time change) Arrive Moscow 5:30 Moscow time . Hour drive to hotel. Should be interesting. Don't you envy me?

Jenny

Park day

These first few days we have spent together have been wonderful! We are trying to stay close to his schedule and somewhat close to food selections -except No more porridge. That stuff looks like soggy cardboard. We have pretty much stayed around the hotel and played. It has been fun and time spent adjusting and bonding. We knew today was going to be so nice outside and we planned to go to the park after lunch. It's like a wooded park with amusement rides. Of course, we rode what rides were small enough and just walked and let roman get his workout in for the day. I really wanted to ride and take a pic on this cute carousel, but the lady scared roman to death and then he would not turn loose of me. She basically did not want us to ride!! I guess she thought he was too small- bad 1st experience for that! It was fun anyway. I thought you all would enjoy the crazy bus pic and the funny thing is the Russians don't even know what it says.

On our way back to the hotel the SWAT team was surrounding the back side where the restaurant is and we heard the word hostage. Some SWAt had their whole faces covered except their eyes. Rachelle stayed to check it out but quickly came back to the hotel not wanting to get stuck in this country any longer than needed.

We were advised to not Advice ask police questions. They can't understand and aren't nice about it. Stick to hotel security.

This morning a Russian man about 60 yrs old stopped me during my step climbing workout and we kinda talked for a few minutes. He was out running- I've seen him before. Believe me- we are so lucky to have mild weather in Tennessee. He must exercise daily because he was in great shape- he had his shirt off- yes, that's unusual because they bundle even in 60 degrees. The wind off the yiency river is a strong wind. It almost blew me over, seriously, yesterday. I would normally turn and go east /west rather than north/south but the traffic here is terrible. So I stayed on familiar path and wave at my little ice fisherman and run along. If you know me very well, you know I'm scared of dogs- they are plentiful along the Yiency and I usually stop and walk. I can't even speak to a dog here. It's bad. One even jumped on me with the owner yelling at it. I reached and grabbed a handful of rocks and ran along. With my rocks in hand. I not really sure what the owner thought or said.

Rachelle is still surviving. She is much better paparazzi than Russ. She would probably rather be at work! One week is ok- two is pretty tough. Plus most of the time she probably thinks I'm ridiculous. We haven't lived together in 20 years. I think she has read 12 books so far- fast reader and reads a lot. Me- I'm distracted. I haven't finished 1. I keep doing "research" on the Internet. But that's ok, I haven't had a little one in quite some time .
Plus, being in an orphanage is different as well. Knowledge is power but over thinking and worrying too much is bondage. So , I'll try to do my best to hit somewhere in between. I'm seriously just trying not to choke the kid with food pieces before I get home.
It's so easy to do!

Roman really put on a show for Russ, Lilly and Halle Jane - showing them some tricks. He even gave them some love by hugging his chest - which I guess he learned at the orphanage because it was new to me. It was so cute. He knows them already- in so glad I left the picture book at the orphanage last month. It helped so much. The girls have a tough week with school/ sports and they are so tired. They just don't get home in time to chill - hopefully they can rest up fri/Saturday so they will be ready for us.

Jenny

He is so adorable!!

I had no idea he was a thumb sucker! It is so cute. That's probably one of the healthier ways he could have chosen to soothe his sweet little self. I'm really not sure if he did it before i took him, but it looks like he knows what he is doing. I was a little worried about how he soothed hisself to sleep. I want to get him to sleep, then put him down. It worked twice. It doesn't always work.

At least my baby does have the orphanage smell washed off and is now much more pleasurable to kiss! He smelled of their weird onion smell around his mouth where he had eaten and it was repugnant! Now, thanks to a sweet gift from Shalena at church, he had a wonderful, huggable , kissable scent.

He is learning the sign language quickly. It's better to learn than Russian- ill tell you that!!!!

Every night we sleep with the window open because we are so hot. Now we are finding ways to drown out the noise of cars, trucks, chimes, the lively plaza just out front and the Saturday night jam session at the Amsterdam club Next door. I forgot to tell Rach to add an adapter for higher voltage travel humidifier she brought when she plugged it in. We blew it up. I did the same to my hairdryer 1st trip, so you think I might learn! We ended up downloading a sound machine . It works pretty well.

Roman did well yesterday and slept excellent last night. I'm hoping he just rolls with it. He eats well but only liquidly, mashed foods. He doesn't chew- common for orphanage babies. He does bite very well with his boatload of teeth. Lilly and Halle Jane skyped with us before they went to school on monday and they were so excited.

Today we went to get his passport pic made, birth certificate and adoption certificate completed. Their computers always change the spelling of russell and it has caused us problems all along. It did it again today and we had to redo birth/adoption certificate. It only took a few minutes, but previously- it has delayed us and has been very annoying!

So we keep moving along and Thursday morning we go get the passport. They are only open thurs/fri for passports(at least that's what they said) then we head to Moscow on the 4:00 flight. There we go to US EmbassyMonday (closed on friday) for Roman's visa . Then head home Tuesday.

We have broken down and taken advantage of the laundry luxury here at the hotel for our jeans. You can only wear those things so many times before the stretch has been stretched too many times! The rest is washed by my little hands . I'm not a hand washer, so this is not my idea of clean. Even my favorites from Lululemon need a real cleaning. ( best most comfortable travel clothes-ever ). They need to make blankies out of some of their materials! I might need one if I ever lose my pillowcase.
Jenny

Gotcha Day April 9th

11:30 Well we are in the car, headed to Sosnovoborsk. I write most of these posts in the car, in case you are wondering why I can't type or proofread before I make the post. Every day we drive past about 4 cars sitting on the side of the road selling goods. Always a whole chicken just sitting there! It always grosses me out. At the orphanage...We are just sitting here in the waiting area as Dasha, our coordinator, who went to get Galena(orphanage director) from lunch. We were ushered to Galena's office previously, on our first trip. She is the nicest lady and seems to do an excellent job. The caretaker brought him in and we dressed him like it was
-20 degrees because that's what you are supposed to do. We received all the info we needed, including birth pics, and we were running out the door. Pretty Much full of meaning, yet Unevenful. 1:09 They actually let us walk out with him. It's hardly believable. After all this time. He is now Roman Murray and he is sound asleep in his crib.