We just had an interesting occurrence. We have seats just behind the bulkhead that separates the economy section into 2 parts. I was sitting in the window seat, rain in the middle seat. All of a sudden a guy comes through the curtain with a girl in tow by a hand full of hair. Something caused a fight up front, not sure what. It took a few seconds for people to realize what was happening. The couple with the baby were definitely in danger since the baby was in a basinet. The guy hit the basinet already. The father, on the aisle was getting up, the guy on our side was about to get involved, I unbuckled my seatbelt, and basically shoved Rain behind me and was about to get involved. The guy was big, and out of control. One of the flight crew, possibly a pilot, and a passenger arranged to bring him down and stop anything further. One of the guy's friends ( I assume) got involved in calming him down and they took him up front. That was definitely scary. It's amazing what adrenaline can do in a situation like that.



Leaving Khabarovsk was difficult. The idea of leaving Katya in such a place is unthinkable but as Joe keeps reminding me, at this time a necessity. I still hate to think about it. When we got to the airport it was time to go, with only time for a few more forms, then it was time to board the shuttle with a few other passengers and be cattled out to the plane. Of course no-one at the boarding station so we (and 2 Chinese passengers) didn't know the other passengers had already gone on out to the plane, nice huh. When they realized some people had checked in but were missing they came back to the terminal to do a quick double check. Glad they did. They also double booked one of our seats. Since everything is done by hand with 2 women assigning seats as you check in, it was bound to happen. So we got to sit by the bulkhead. It gave us a little more leg room, the man who sat beside me had yet to discover deodorant this week. And of course the plane was hot and crowded. About 2/3 through the flight some guy further behind us freaked out and grabbed a woman by the hair and was trying to grab her bag and was really whacked out. The smelly man and the man across the aisle both tried to contain him. We tried to head butt one guy. The stewardesses were trying to calm him down, nothing was working I was beginning to get scared. For the first time I was glad we didn't have Katya with us. Finally 2 GI's (Russian GI's) got involved. They babysat the guy in business class the remainder of the flight. The guy beat and kicked on the bathroom door the whole time. A member of the cockpit crew helped with serving dinner and we noticed he had a bandage around his upper arm and blood on his shirt. We wondered if the guy bit him or something. When we landed the police met our plane and everyone got off while the cops babysat the guy. It truly made the flight memorable. Olga didn't meet us the same girl who met us coming in did. She was nice. We went back to the Arbat for the night. We had a much nicer room this time, a real bed! with a real mattress! And an English speaking channel on TV! We walked on Arbat street and finished our souvenir shopping. We ate dinner at the "Italia Restaurant" they serve "American" food. Pizza, beer, spaghetti, "Calsones" you know "American" food. I had a Greek salad, (that fit into a cereal bowl) and a Coke, real Coke! Not a flat, warm one either! Joe got spaghetti with tomato sauce. It was like chunky tomato puree but it worked. I got careless though and ordered "American" coffee, OK slap me hard. It was worse than Sanka, instant coffee. It was very bitter. I don't put sugar in my coffee, but I put 2 sugars in this coffee trying to save it. No such luck. I was so tired I fell asleep sitting up reading. Hopefully I'll sleep the night through.

Well yesterday went by too fast. Yuda met us at 11:30 and we did some shopping, first fro the director then for the orphanage. We bought the director an amber necklace at a museum/gift store. The salesman followed us around 1) to make a sale 2) to practice and show off his English vocabulary. He did pretty good. We even made jokes about the Terminator - we went to a department store and bought some sleepers and 6 pair of tights. Katya likes squeeky toys and her care bear. On our next trip I want to bring picture books, a purse with stuff she can play with, stacking toys and tissues, she loves these! She knows how to blow or wipe her nose. She also likes buttons on phones, cameras, etc We only got to spend 2 hours with her Friday. I was devastated. She was more interested in our interpreter than us. Mostly because she spoke Russian. Then abruptly at 4:30 our visit was over. At 4:30 they get the children ready for their evening meal. Thursday for lunch we saw her eat Borscht (beet soup) with bread, Black bread, mashed potatoes, and a hot dog (yummy) she ate everything! The director said she is a good eater, eating 4 times a day. She doesn't eat baby food but real "normal" food. She's allergic to buckwheat and oats and any citrus. She doesn't have a sleep schedule at this point ( that will change). I am going to talk to Karen, Nancy, Amy about sleep schedules. We went to a local bar/grill for dinner. Man, did I feel like a total tourist! Thank god the bartender spoke English! I swear I will be nicer to our tourist now that the shoe is on the other foot. We had "steak" a thin breaded beef patty, "fried potatoes" - French fries, and "coca cola" - flat coke. McDonalds is a big hit when we get to New York! So as we are leaving the orphanage Friday we realized Katya (Katie) has scabies (small common mites here). Thank god the pediatrician knew that was going to happen so he set us up with antibiotic cream to bring with us. We put all our "contaminated" clothes in space bags in one suitcase and took a shower. Then we applied the cream treatment from head to toe. This morning we washed it off. Our clothes will be left in the suitcase and the entire suitcase will be put into a garbage bag and sealed for 2 weeks. Joe and I are sad to leave Katya here even one more second but for right now we have no choice. We met with some case worked who oversees all the orphanages. She wanted to be sure of our reasoning for the adoption. I think she liked us. Today we head back to Moscow. Our plane leaves at 11:30AM and lands in Moscow 7 hours later at 3:30PM in Moscow. Yeah the time zones mess me up too. I am already making a list of things to bring for our next trip. Diapers, baby wash cloths, sleepers, shoes, coat, socks, more antibiotic cream for all 3 of us, a doll. None of the small children have dolls! The barbies and play dough we brought over will go to the "hospital" near us. That's where the 4-6 year olds are. I feel like we are abandoning Katya today. Even though I know in my head we aren't, my heart is breaking to leave her here in the orphanage. Joe and I agree this trip has been an eye opening experience. Here literally the rich are rich and the poor are extremely poor. I haven't been sleeping well, the beds are hard and the rooms hot. Karen would be in agony here. The rooms are kept at 74F. When we get to Moscow Joe and I are going to make a list of things to buy and bring. Right now I would love to hear an American accent. I admit it is cold here but not as cold as we expected. I will not need the wooly socks after all. Our driver Oleg gave Joe a badge for his hat. It is a USSR military pin. The one that came with Joe's hat is a basic tourist token. Olge ask he not put the pin on till he got back to the U.S. We bought our translator flowers to show our appreciation. Monday is "Woman's Day" - or Mother's day. On our next trip we are going VIP customs each way. And we want to check out business class for our flights over and back to Moscow. The flights to Khabarovsk is either coach or first class. I think we will price both. First class has 2 seats per row coach has 3 and it is a tight fit. I don't think I will ever get used to the food or the bread. I hope Olga meets us in Moscow. She was so nice, she kind of reminds me of a favorite aunt. It's hard to write down everything I am feeling and thinking. I made contact with Katya by getting down on the floor and doing what she did. Setting up her toys and knocking them down. I hope our next trip is very soon. We know we want to bring a U.S. map and a map of NJ. Yuda likes to look at maps, etc., newspapers, LBI tourist guide, a Beacon, NY times, I love LBI shirt for Yuda. Something Jeep for Oleg. Katya was fascinated by my fingernails. Women here don't have long nails and they aren't polished with anything but clear polish. So my long, pink nails are amazing to her. I don't know how she would like her nails painted. Life will certainly change in the Irvine house. I don't think she can open doors yet, but Katie is a smart girl, it won't be too long to figure it out.