I will start with yesterday. We had an appointment for the girls with the US embassy doctor. The girls were measured and weighed and had their eyes checked. When we went into the doctor's office, the girls sat up on the examination bed and the doctor talked to them and listened to their hearts. She asked the girls what language they wanted to speak with her. Vika said Latvian (actually she told the doctor that she could understand Latvian, Russian, or English so it didn't matter - ha!) and Mila said Russian. The doctor laughed and decided on Latvian. Amazing that these girls are learning their third language! I wonder how long they will hold onto Latvian with only each other still to talk to? It will be interesting. We also had a few questions answered by the embassy doctor, and then we were on our way.
We spent the rest of the day at our lawyer's house. She lives on a lake that goes out to the Daugava River. There is a little sandy beach area there. We didn't realize this and didn't bring the girls' swimsuits, so we did what any good parent would do... stripped the girls down to their underwear and let them play in the water! It was private - I wouldn't have done that on any public beach. We also took a rowboat out on the lake. It was so peaceful and beautiful! The beach also isn't too far from her house, so we walked out there as well and put our feet in the Baltic Sea and played a game of dodge ball on the sand. It was fun!
We left her house at 9:00 pm, after the girls' bedtime (and they missed their nap!), so they were pretty tired. Our taxi got us back to our apartment at about 9:45 pm. There were some more tears when the girls went to bed, but it didn't last long (thankfully!). Our lawyer told us that the girls are right on track with their grief - it usually hits on day 10.
Sunday night, Monday night, and Tuesday night were all quiet here in old town Riga, but last night the music started up again outside. I think I only slept a few hours. I think I might have mentioned it was horribly loud all last week because there was a Russian festival going on. Maybe I didn't mention that... I don't remember anymore. Anyway, it was loud again last night... The girls slept in until almost 10 this morning, but I was wide awake at 8 am. I had a nice few hours to myself (which I think I needed).
After lunch we took a walk to a mall and then went and bought a few groceries. The small grocery store we go to here is funny... I don't know if they are remodeling it or what, but every time we go in it is different. Tonight I wanted to make pork chops with onions. When we were in the store the other day they had some really nice-looking pork chops. Tonight, the whole meat section was gone. Not just moved, but gone. I went to the butcher counter to see what they had, and all that was there were some chicken wings and legs. It is weird not to have all the variety of food available to you when ever you want it! So, I changed course and bought a bag of frozen pelmeni instead. These look like tortellini, and they had chicken in them.
I also bought a bag of frozen broccoli... I knew I was pushing my luck with the broccoli but I bought it anyway. We eat a lot of broccoli, so I figured the girls (basically Mila) better get used to it now. As soon as she saw it on the counter, she started telling me that she doesn't like it and she didn't want it. Basically I told her she was going to need to try it. She didn't look happy when she sat down at the table, but she ate every bit that I put on her plate. She started dipping it in the tomato sauce we had for the pelmeni and eating it that way. She even told Jon that it was yummy. Ah.Maze.Ing...
Then we had baths. The girls love it when I put conditioner in their hair. Then they are so amazed that it doesn't hurt when I brush their hair after baths! Simple pleasures...
When it was bedtime, Mila started getting worked up again. Jon sat on her bed and talked to her and stroked her hair and face while I said goodnight to Vika, then I sat with Mila for a few minutes doing the same thing. She was so tired and falling asleep, but all of a sudden she grabbed my hand, looked right at me, and said, "I love you, Mommy - no crying." She stopped her crying, smiled, and went right to sleep. Thank you, God.
We have free days tomorrow and Saturday, we might go to church on Sunday, and then there are appointments every day next week to get ready to leave. Nine more days and I will have my family back together under the same roof. So looking forward to that!
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| Playing in the Baltic Sea |
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