Friday in Penza

Sorry for the delay in this post! Our internet card ran out and it was too late to get another one until today!

Things are going really well. After Thursday, Jessica has come around and is doing great! We went to the orphanage again on Friday because we had to go to the bank in Gorodische to close the kids’ bank accounts, so we spent an hour or so at the orphanage as well. Jessica and Sam got to say goodbye to their friends and adult care-givers, take plenty of pictures and video, and now we are back in Penza. Our Saturday is free, so we are planning on resting and enjoying one another.

Nathan is also doing better, although we can tell that the trip is wearing on him. He is a home-body, and has remarked a lot that he misses home. I have to admit, I’m with him on that!

We broke down yesterday and gave the kids one of their Christmas presents. Jessica and Sam got CD Walkmans and Nathan got “Sky High” (a movie he has been wanting). We decided to do this because Jessica and Sam love music and the three kids have been sharing one Walkman! Now our only concern is batteries! We brought some Christian CDs, and we have purchased some Russian music CDs, so they have plenty to listen to. Cyndy, Nathan and Glen are missing Christmas music, however! We brought some, but haven’t had much time to listen.

We will be leaving Penza on Tuesday evening, returning to Moscow for some final arrangements with the US embassy. Our flight home leaves Moscow just after noon on Christmas Day. We fly to New York and go through customs, and then on to LAX, arriving around 10:30 PM on Delta (Song). Given that 1:00 PM Moscow time is 2:00 AM California time, we will be traveling for 20 ½ hours! We are ready to come home!

Blessings,

Glen, Cyndy, Nathan, Jessica and Sam