We're Here!

You would think that after doing this once, I wouldn't be staying up until 1:00 a.m. getting ready to leave again, but that's just what we did.  Why do I think I can clean the house, pack up the kids, buy groceries, and pack ourselves all in a matter of hours?  I was actually doing really good Saturday morning and got a lot done.  I remember thinking, "ha, there's no way I'll be up until 1:00 this time!  This will be great!  I'll get to bed by 9:00, feel super rested and ready to travel in the morning."  Well, as I crawled into bed at 1:00 a.m. I laughed at myself and my naivete and then crashed for a whopping three and a half hours until the alarm started screaming.  Ugh.  

So, first flight was from Boise to Salt Lake City.  I fell asleep almost immediately, but woke to the most beautiful sunrise over the Wasatch Mountains.  The sky behind the mountains was pink, the mountains themselves dusted on top with snow, the lake glowing pink from the sunrise-lit sky.  Utah is my first home, and the longer I live the more I realize how lucky I was to grow up in such a beautiful place.  

From Salt Lake we flew to Houston, where we were greeted with 70 humid degrees and sunshine.  Coming in for landing I thought I was going to suffocate from the heat on the small commuter plane we were on.  Note to self, next time check the size of the plane before booking.  The plane in the photo below was huge (not ours).  The Houston airport is busy and great for people watching.

Speaking of people watching, get a load of the cutest little girl ever, who was waiting for our flight on Singpore Air.  If I could have brought her home with me, I would have in a second.  Her parents may have had a problem with this, however :)   She was so cute watching the planes and laughing at Brian's goofy faces.  But I digress...

This is what we were greeted with when we arrive in Gabe's city:

Beautiful, snowy winter.  Big snowflakes falling down, people in their traditional fur hats, and scenery we have seen before completely transformed with a dusting of white.  

Why, thank you for welcoming me back with your chocolate  hazlenut goodness! 

I think Red Square may be more beautiful in winter than it was in fall.  Or just a different kind of beautiful.  We are really hoping to get to go inside this trip.  I was reading our tourist book on the way over, and am so excited to get to see places and things that are as old as the 1200's.  I read about Ivan the Terrible, Peter the Great, the Romanov's, and St. Basil's cathedral.  This city has so much history, we could spend the entire week sightseeing and not even scratch the surface.  That building on the left is the home of the President.  

This is the view from our hotel room.  The spires in the distance are Red Square.  It is a beautiful view!

I need to find out more about this church out our window.  Isn't is pretty?  The snow just seems to add charm to everything.

We decided to try a hotel this trip to see which would be best for our final trip, an apartment or a hotel, when Gabriel is with us for several days before we come home.  Let's just say that when I saw this big, clean, comfy bed, I crashed hard.  Our room is just lovely, very, very nice.  We feel very spoiled. 

This is the view we woke up to after our nap.  Red Square is lit up in the distance.  I think it will be worth an evening stroll to see it at night.  

This is the view from where I am sitting now, in the lobby of our hotel.  It is gorgeous!  

And there's Brian, in the lobby.  It's very modern and comfortable.  I can't wait to try the breakfast buffet in the morning! 

So here is our schedule for the week:

Tuesday: our medical exams.  We get to be examined by no less than eight doctors to check everything from our neurological health, to x-rays of our lungs, to the condition of our heart.  Should be interesting!

Wednesday: We get to see our boy!!!

Thursday: In the morning we get to visit Gabe again (yay!  We were originally told we would only have one visit this trip, so this was a great surprise for us to hear!) In the afternoon is our court hearing.  We are excited, nervous, anxious, an everything in between.  If you think of it, will you pray for us?  We believe that even good thoughts are prayers of the heart, and would appreciate any that you could send our way Thursday.  

Friday: go home.  

Quick trip this time around, with lots to do and see.

Time to go find something to eat!  Paka!