We're In Moscow!

February 23, 2007

Hi everyone!!

We have arrived in Moscow this morning 7 a.m., and it was below zero and snowing.....soooo cold!!, This was a newer train, and much quieter ride, cleaner. Our driver Dima has a large VW'ish van, which seemed much safer in Moscow traffic, maybe it was too early to have much crazy traffic!!

We were surprised last night before boarding the train that Isaac's grandmother, (his father's mother) was there to meet us at the train. Marina knew this as well as Isaac, and she hadn't told us, thinking we might be angry, but as she said,"you are nice, so I thought you would say OK" . The grandmother wanted "to see him one last time before she died". How could we say no??

It was incredibly sad, sad, sad. She cried and held him tight and asked him to write her and for us to send pictures. She pleaded for us to take care of him well, and to love him as a son and to help him remember her and his parents. She seemed very nice, the quintessential babushka, a heavy lady, with scarf and big coat and gold teeth. I think she loved him enough to sign off for him, even though she didn't have legal rights, as on Monday the orphanage had her write a letter giving her blessing so no legal fight could occur later.

She talked to him a long time, and Joe asked if he could record her on film telling Isaac her thoughts and wishes for him, so she did. Marina said she also told him to respect his new parents and follow(obey) everything that Papa said, to work hard at school, and to grow up to be a fine, respectable young man. It was a touching memory. Isaac was so worried we would be angry at her, so afraid to hurt either his grandma or new parents, bless his heart!! He kept checking with us to see if we still approved him. Matthew, on the other hand, was incredibly hurt/jealous--no one for him to see him off on the train. Oh, my heart broke, for this sweet boy!! Then we took pictures, and promised to mail some to her. Can you imagine her feelings and then to watch the train pull out...........again, something right out of "Dr. Zhivago" only with a grandmother!! Not a dry eye.

Once on the train, the boys played cards, and we talked a long time with Valentina, the inspector, and Marina Hahn, the Lighthouse coordinator on the Russian side. These are 2 really wonderful ladies, fully dedicated with their whole loves to helping children. You cannot imagine how hard Marina has been working with all the paperwork with our case alone.

We are at Marina's lovely flat now in Moscow, very large and wonderful as far as Russia is concerned. A lovely breakfast of blini, cooked by her mother, (with sweet yougert and another kind with beef, onion and garlic, kind of odd for breakfast!) and juice coffee and and tangerines. Our first fresh fruit. Can you say constipated?? Too Much INFORMATION!!

Today (Friday) is a holiday in Russia, sort of Father's Day, and so we cannot do any Embassy or Visa paperwork today, also for the weekend. We will see if Delta office is open today, and if we can change tickets. The Mathes family flew home yesterday! Congratulations!!