Falling Leaves, Bug Bites and a Caged Animal

Clouds quickly wash in and out over the streets of Moscow. Depending on their mood, they decide whether they want to part; allowing a crystal blue sky to peak through with a touch of warm sunshine...just enough to take the cool edge off your bare ankles. The leaves are slowly changing their colors from a bright green to the crisp hues of autumn. Walking down a damp path spotted with mud and puddles leaves fall from the sky like feathers from a pillow fight.


I have been bitten by a bug. It's not the first time I have been bitten.  In years past the side effects usually whither away after a few months.  I'm afraid the side effects from this bite may never go away.  In fact, I think it will turn into a life long illness.  This could be considered very serious by some, especially my family. Yet I remain calm internally and somewhat excited.  Unexpected...no?  But what is a girl to do?  What do you do when you have been bitten by the travel bug?  It has been six weeks that I have been displaced from my home, my home country, my mother tongue, my family and all that is familiar to me.  And I am excited! I love it here....strong statement, I know, but I really am enjoying myself.  It has been six weeks and I am already thinking ahead to where we will go after our contract is up.

I don't want to come home.  I want to travel, see the world, live and experience it.  I have found a new joy in me! I wake up excited to wonder what the day has in store for me.  Perhaps ask me after my first Russian winter and I may have a different perspective.  It was said this morning if you can make it through October and November you are through the worst if it.  I am not quite convinced of this!  Actually, I am a bit scared.  It is only the end of September. The temperature today was 50 degrees.  We've got a long way to go! 

Despite the upcoming weather, lack of decent dryer and a supermarket that has everything...I love it. So, no I don't want to come home.  We live in an amazing city where you are kept on your toes with too much to see and do in one day. Where do live in America after a place like Moscow? New York? Chicago? Los Angeles? I will be ripping my hair out strand by strand if we end up in a smaller place. And the schools? After this school, where do the munchkins go? The best public school in America does not even hold a candle. I have met some amazing ladies with whom I  never laughed so much or so hard in a long time! We are blessed! We know we are blessed and don't any of it for granted.  Living here is a gift....so, the question is...

Once you let an animal out of its cage, how do you put it back in?

'twas The Night Before.....

Moscow and all thru the house, not an eye was dry...as we say good bye...

The Oma and papa bought a little book,
To record and play...Christmas we'll have a look.
A short poem about a jolly ole elf,
The voices we hear of the munchkins themselves.
Grandparents sit to read as well,
Their voices we hear have the story to tell.
So come along Christmas we may be far,
But the song we hear will from the same North Star...

Count Down Begins...

There really hasn't been much movement on our end for the last month. We continued to wait for the Moscow office to get the contract to us. It was a test of patience at best. 8weeks to the day we returned from our look/see, we finally recieved the contract! For the last six of those eight weeks we were told " next week." we'll, again, eight weeks later here we are. The Mr. recieved it on Friday and we spent the weekend going over the numbers. He is very excited! I am too...if it weren't for the leaving part.

This is really happening! The Mr. went to pay our rent a few minutes ago and give them our 60 days notice. I cried a few tears. Just another step in the process! I love our little beach condo. I love looking out the front door to see the oceans roar every morning. We are blessed! We live in a location were people come to vacation. We get to live here! We have called this place home. Home is where the heart is. How ironic this statement is to me....when we were waiting for 5 long months to bring Munchkin One home from Russia, my heart was with him. My heart was in Russia. Pretty soon, my heart will go back to the Mother Land. I am excited about this!

So, our notice has been given. In less than 60 days we will be homeless. We will get on a plane, departing for Moscow, arriving not knowing where we will live. The Munchkins start school at the end of August. The Mr begins his new position at the beginning of September. Our plan is to depart for Moscow the beginning of August, hopefully giving us time to find a new home, receive our shipment and settle in before school starts.

We have about 5 weeks to separate our stuff for storage in America and shipping overseas. We need to sell two cars. We need to shop for winter gear. This Florida girl hasn't lived in the cold for a very long time! I have looked online and found great deals. However, Mr placed me on spending moratorium until we received cost estimates. So, now my great deals are not so great. We will be going to DC to renew Munchkin Ones Russian passport. We could pay a company out of Chicago $500 to do this for us and receive the passport in a month or two. Or we could do it ourselves in person for $10. We chose to spend $10 and get a nice little trip out of it! And we will have it in 10 days. If we lived in the Houston, Texas consulate district we could pay $10 and mail it in. Not an option for the DC consulate. Must be in person. We are in the DC consulate district. This is what we call DATR (don't ask, this is Russia!)

Lots more to do, but I know we will get it all done and in perfect timing! I suppose the count down begins....NOW!

Bring the fun on!

Silver and Gold

I said my first good bye today...so, it begins. I grew up saying good bye. Good bye was the norm because we moved a lot. My father was transferred often or he took new sales jobs. It was normal for me to not be settled. I was ok with this. I never knew different. My mother always said I was building character to which I responded "I think I have enough character now!" and I did. Then she said good bye to him, but thats another story for another day. We finally settled into one of the most beautiful places (see post below). We lived in a condo across the street from the beach while our home was being built. We live in the same condos now. How ironic that the first place I called home, the condo, in one of the most beautiful places is also the last. Have I come full circle?

So, now I suppose it is time to say good bye. Although we are not leaving until July/August it starts now. It starts with a dear friend from college who is in town visiting her family. Lets call her Design Diva. She makes it home to one of the most beautiful places from a banjo playing, back woods kind of place once maybe twice a year she says...if she is lucky. The description of where she lives are my words not hers. I am totally stereotyping, but when I drive thru this state I often wonder what it adds to our union except wildflowers. Design Diva and I were in design school together. We spent many a late nights in the lab constructing our plans on the computer. We spent many days at our tables in class coloring, making sure to stay in lines. Charles, our pudgy, white haired instructor who really needed a breathe mint, called it "poche" pronounced "Poe Shey". Everything you needed to learn, you learned in kindergarten...coloring that is and treating others as you would want to be treated. Design Diva did both very well! She has talent and is a treasure...

Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold. She is gold. Her goodness radiates and beams. We met for lunch to catch up and say good bye. My first good bye in a long time. Others have said it to me. Now it is my turn again...another full circle. This time is different. This time I know what good bye really means. I suppose the first time is the hardest. The more you say it, the easier it will be. I am excited for what awaits our little family! I am excited to meet my silver, but that doesn't make saying good bye to the gold any easier. Both are precious!

Blessed

The 5:30am jack hammer on the construction sight outside our window was my alarm clock. It was not welcomed or needed. Apparently, roosters are not the only things that squawk at the sight of daylight! A well rested night and solid breakfast started my day off on the right foot. And it only got better from there! "Blessed" is the only word that comes to mind to describe the day I had. The Mr. had meetings at the office all day.I anxiously await his return as I write this; to hear how his day went and share mine. Follow me on this...I was following a blog and reached out to her when I learned we would be moving to Moscow. This lady used to live in Moscow. She recommended I reach out to Potty Diaries, another blog which is on the right of this screen. In speaking with Potty Mummy, she suggested I speak to another lady. Let's call this lady Cake Pop Lady. Are you with me? Have I lost you? It was Cake Pop Lady who offered to come get me at the hotel, take me back to her home, show me the neighborhood and an informal tour of my first choice school for the Munchkins. What I saw, who I met and the conversations I had would have never happened otherwise. The neighborhood is exactly what I would want for the Munchkins! The school is absolutely amazing. But what is more amazing is the friendship and support the moms give each other! Everyone is the same boat. Everyone understands this and is empathetic to it. I was able to speak to 2 other parents, get their impressions of living places, etc. Cake Pop Lady and I were able to sit in a common area after purchasing some food and coffee from the cafeteria. This allowed me to see the students, some staff and other parents. We then went back to Cake Pop Lady's house for more conversation. For those who know me, you know by her mere name, Cake Pop Lady and I will become very good friends! She brought me back to my hotel where we agreed to stay in touch. I also gave Diamind Lady a call. She writes a blog, also on the right of the screen. Diamond Lady has been so kind, friendly and helpful as well. Turns out her husband does business with the Mr.'s company! Another sweet connection. I am just so overwhelmed with the kindness and generosity of the ladies today! It leaves me feeling excited!