The Tickets Have Been Purchased

Below is the plan we are working for now. We were told that we have an option to stay with a Russian host family on the first trip. No more details. We will give it a try, then if it goes well, maybe it will be an option on the third trip with the kids.

Trip Two (for Court date)

Wed Feb 28 – Leave Phoenix
Thu Mar 1 – Arrive Moscow; stay with a Russian host family
Fri Mar 2 – Our medical examinations; stay with host family
Sat Mar 3 – Night train to Bryansk
Sun Mar 4 – Drive to Klintsy and Karachev to see the kids
Mon Mar 5 – Court date; night train to Moscow
Tue Mar 6 – Leave Moscow; arrive Phoenix


Trip Three (to get the kids, finally!)

Wed, Mar 14 – Leave for Moscow
Thu Mar 15 – Arrive Moscow; night train to Bryansk
Fri Mar 16 – Pick up court decree; pick up kids, get passports; night train to Moscow
Sat Mar 17 – Free day
Sun Mar 18 – Free day
Mon Mar 19 – Medical exams for the kids
Tue Mar 20 – US Embassy appointment for visas for the kids
Wed Mar 21 – Register the kids with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Thu Mar 22 – Pick up the registration from the Russian Ministry
Fri Mar 23 – Free day
Sat Mar 24 – Leave Moscow; arrive Phoenix with Andrew and Bethany

The swing set arrived at our doorstep a few days ago. We got the one we wanted in the first place. Hope to have it assembled this weekend.

We are putting in our leave requests for work. We will both be off the first week home, then Gayle will be off for a month, then I will be off for a month. Then we hope to have arranged to reduce our work schedule to 4 days per week (maybe one of us off on Friday and the other Monday), so that A and B only need to be in daycare three days per week.