All of the apostilled documents came from Richmond today and after making copies of everything...I am happy to announce that EVERYTHING has been Fedexed to Russia and should get there on Monday. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my chest and I can move onto the deciding what to pack and what we don't need.

We still need to get our passports and visas back in the mail, but we have 6 more days to get those, so I am not worried (yet)...

Packing...my husband doesn't do it...ever. Even if we are just going away for a weekend trip. Well, I guess he would do it in a crunch, but then he would end up with one pair of socks for 4 days. I went out yesterday and bought us each a new pair of jeans that will actually look nice if we have to wear them a couple days in a row while in Russia. We are both going to look like Americans because we both LOVE wearing tennis shoes and rarely wear anything else. Well, we will wear boots if there is a lot of snow in winter or I will wear flip-flops in summer if I feel like showing my feet that day (my fear of feet is an entirely different story).

So, we have a few items/donations for the orphanage...clothes, medicines, socks, etc. We need to get some gifts for our host family, the orphange director and the workers. Anyone out there have any ideas? When we traveled over last time, the facilitator and translator looked at us like we were crazy for getting them chocolates & coffees. HELP!!

I also bought some of the new "Airborne" medicine to try because I always get sick after flying. There is no proof that this stuff works, but I am willing to try anything...

Please leave comments with ideas of what to bring for gifts...and if you live in my area and would like to donate items for the orphanage, let me know and I will tell you what they need.

~ gaye