Embassy Day

Today (with a morning that started at 4 am when Vanya needed to go to the bathroom and walked smack into a doorframe leaving a big bruise on his forehead) we went to the U.S. Embassy for our immigration interview and to receive Vanya's paperwork and Visa to travel to the U.S. We were one of about 25 families there today - a wonderful thing to see after many months of very few families (if any). Things all went well and we now have everything we need to travel home! Today is when it finally feels like it really will happen - that after this long, long wait we will finally have our "Vanichka" home ("Vanichka" means "little Ivan"). He has also started saying Mama and Dada to us, not just about us. And his evergy is unending! Even after the early morning, and only little naps while in the car, he is still raring to go. Mama and Dada, not so much :)

After a walk to the store this evening, Dave picked up pizza for supper - (called "Alaskan" but was more "Hawaiian" to us with pineapple & bacon) - and Vanya ate heartily and happily. We had gotten ice cream for dessert, but he didn't like the cold of any of it. He is definately a warm beverage person! He likes his "chai" and knows how to use a tea bag in his cup. It is amazing to see what this little boy has learned, and is learning already in his new "American" life.

Sorry we don't have any pictures - no uploads from the hotel free computer. He was last seen crawling on his belly under a chair in the hotel lounge, in his orange long-sleeve t-shirt, olive pants, and red slippers. He is singing some sort of song (in Russian) and occasionally rubbing his eyes. Sleep will hopefully come soon!