Catch Me If You Can

Maia was her happy self today. She was very verbal and made a lot of ‘constant noise’ while we were there. I swear, I think she believes she is actually talking to us! She also showed her ‘attitude’ a little bit… when she doesn’t get something she wants.. right away, or it doesn’t go her way, she’s lets us know her opinion on the matter. There is no doubt she was meant to be part of our family! She ate very little today – after chowing down the last couple of times we were there. She was wearing a cute outfit – and that is your sneak peek today:

The rest of today has been rather uneventful. Masha was called to duty by the baby house on other matters, so we didn’t do anything with her today and the plan is to go do some more shopping tomorrow. We still have to buy a few things for Maia as well as a few more souvenirs, etc.

We did meet Susan (from Texas) in the baby house today. Her visiting time was up when we arrived for our visiting time, but at least I got to say hello. I look forward to meeting her new baby boy!! We also saw Catalina and Calin and got to share some time with them and little Yulia Alina.

Mom has been the one to do most of the laundry since we’ve been here, for both of us. (She likes it!) But I am doing laundry today and it amazes me how small it is. I’m not complaining… I am so glad we have one!! But, I just washed a pair of jeans, two shirts, and a pair of socks and other ‘garments’ and that’s all that fits! A far cry from my oversized washer at home that washes a good weeks worth of pants and shirts and socks, etc. You also have to change the cycle mid-way so it will spin. Otherwise, it waits until you do. I’m not used to having to check on the laundry mid-cycle. You really would have to do laundry every day here to keep it all clean. I’d have to change my whole way of doing laundry – since I only do it on weekends!! (Of course, that might change for a while too with a new little one coming home soon…) I will say, I would really have to change my ways since there are no dryers here either. It dries fast in the apartments, but I still miss my dryer at home.

So, what do I miss at home? This is way more than 5… but this is a complete list. Some rank higher than others, but in no particular order – besides people… I miss…

1. Real Milk. In a gallon container that you can reclose and not spill when you pour it… which tastes normal.
2. Ice – and LOTS of it.
3. Large glasses. Everything here is very small and I refill it like 3 times when I want a drink. I know we American’s ‘super-size’ everything, but to me, these glasses are like ‘sips’. It’s like having a shot of water, or juice.
4. My own bed. I don’t even really like my own bed… (I need a new mattress)… but I miss it anyway.
5. My car. I want to drive. (Although I’ve heard how high gas prices have gone, yikes!!)
6. Lettuce. I want a big salad when I get home. There is some lettuce here, but it’s different than what we have.
7. TV I can understand.
8. My own bathroom – my shower, my toilet, my own big mirror with lots of light.
9. My rocking chair. My nice, big, comfy ‘lazy-boy’ rocker.
10. Starbucks
11. Non-instant coffee that I make at home with my Flavored Creamers. I’ve totally given up coffee here after the first few weeks. I just can’t handle the instant coffee.
12. Although I’ve had some beef here, I miss a hamburger on the grill, or a steak on the grill, or spare-ribs on the grill, or bbq chicken. I guess what I miss is anything I can grill. I miss shrimp and seafood too. They have fish here, but I haven’t had any. The big fish here is Carp which is not one we eat as much of in the States and is not my favorite. Basically we’ve eaten chicken in the apartment as well as salami or sausages.
13. My yard (green grass!) and my view of the woods and deer. I don’t like when the deer eat my flowers, but I do miss nature and wildlife. I am not a ‘city girl’.
14. I miss walks in the woods with Matthew.
15. I will miss being home for Palm Sunday and Easter. I’ll miss jelly beans. Especially the orange ones.
16. High speed internet.
17. My printer to print any pictures I want at any time rather than having to take them to the store.
18. Having control over the temperature in my house.
19. Bedside lamps that aren’t possessed. Just kidding, only one of them here is possessed... so far.
20. The quiet of my house and street with no neighbors I can hear.
21. Being able to call anyone, anytime and not have it cost me anything.
22. My cell phone.
23. Perfume.
24. Jewelry.
25. Unlimited books. I have so many waiting at home to be read, it’s a shame I don’t have more with me to read them before life changes so drastically that I don’t have time to read them!
26. More movies. We’ve watched the same 15 or so things at least two times each…
27. Money I understand and don’t have to THINK about when I’m spending it.
28. Any clothes I own that I don’t have with me. I’m sick of the things I brought.
29. Shoes. I have worn nothing but my North Face boots since I got here.
30. Warm weather. I’m ready for spring. I’m tired of dirty snow and ice. I’m tired of walking on ice.
31. A clock I can see at night when I wake up. The travel alarm is getting old.
32. My grocery store. I know where everything is, I can get it all in one place, and I don’t have to try to figure out what it is or what is in it.
33. My Christmas Wreath which is still up over my garage… I never got it down before I left!

I’m guessing there are more… but you get the idea. Don’t get me wrong, I am enjoying my time here. Petro is great. You can get so much here and we are lacking for very little, if anything. But, when you leave home and what you are used to, or at least when I leave home, and what I am used to, life just isn’t as easy. Everything takes thought. You had to know how long it will take to get here or there. Well, if you don’t know where you are, that is hard to gauge! I am just in a foreign land and it takes energy to just live here because it is so different. I’m sure if I were here to stay, I could adapt just fine ultimately, but since I know it is short term, the mind wanders to those things I am most used to and miss.