Trip 3 Plans

Today is May 9, the day Russia celebrates the victory over the Nazi's in World War II. Too bad we missed the parade in Red Square, I heard it was good.

We are mostly on track to go, but I am feeling a lot more stressed than I should. I have been battling a toilet issue since Sunday. I have it to the point where it drips just a LITTLE bit, but it can't drip at all especially when we are going to be gone for a week. At least I have it to a point that we could shut it down safely while we are gone.

I am currently taking a short break, but I'll be going to the giant orange money pit store (Home Depot) in a few minutes. The last place I want to go with an adoption about to be completed! This morning I took off the toilet tank (again) and filled it with water (again) and I think I have isolated the leak. I did that before I installed it and nothing was leaking, but clearly something changed between then and now.

Hopefully this morning I can get that done!! There's still trip related stuff I am supposed to take care of that I haven't done. Ack!?!?!? I have to get that done today, so perhaps I am going to miss work. Oh well.

Our rough agenda for trip 3 follows. We will arrive in Moscow Thursday morning May 11. They will probably take us pretty much straight to the hotel and let us vege. Lori and Antoine are not going to be on the same flights as us this time, but they arrive on Thursday also. I suspect we'll do dinner. I seriously doubt we'll be visiting the orphanage that day.

Friday the 12th we have a medical checkup for Jason Alexei planned. It is a rubber stamp doctor visit intended for use with of his immigration paperwork. It's a rubber stamp as I said, so we don't expect anything dramatic out of this visit.

We should get custody of him after that! The exact sequence is still uncertain. I think we go to the orphanage to pick him up. However, a nurse from the orphanage will be coming with us, I think.

Bottom line, we'll let you know how it turns out.

I really hope that is the day we get custody. It would be a great moral victory to have him in our custody on Mother's Day!?!?!?!?

The following Monday May 15th is when we'll probably make a visit to the US Embasssy to complete Jason Alexei's visa application.

Then, Wednesday May 17 we return home! Jason Alexei will clear customs in Atlanta and will obtain his citizenship there. Then we'll land at the Huntsville airport around 5:45, however the last time we did this we were early by about 15 minutes.

We know a lot of you are planning to be at the airport waiting. That will be a lot of fun for us! My fear is that there will be a couple coming back from Guatemala or China with an adopted child. If that is the case I don't think there will be room in the Huntsville airport for all of us.

Ughgh...enough typing for now. I have to go stick my head in the toilet some more...