Out and About in Riga

Well, we just got back from a little walk around the apartment complex. We successfully exchanged money at the nearby bank and got a few groceries at the gas station across the road. This was a big accomplishment for us! It is very cold and the sidewalks (when you can get to them) are very slick with a layer of ice covered by sandy-like snow. We found some familiar foods, like pringles, and some new things like blue cheese flavored nuts (which are actually quite tasty!!). The big score was toilet paper! I was worried we were going to run out before we could make it to a larger store, but luckily we found some at the gas station!

We talked to my mom and the little girls last night. What a huge relief to know that Skype really does work from Latvia! Ryleigh and Reagan seemed to be doing fine without us! Reagan informed us that Ryleigh cried about 5 times and she cried only once! They were hoping for a snow day! I slept great until about 5:30 and then I got up to go to the bathroom and was wide awake. I read until I had to have a good cry. All the emotions I was feeling kind of overwhelmed me. The stress of what today would bring, the being away from all the girls, etc. Tim slept until about 8:00 and then we made our plan for the day.

And just like we were in China, we read all the emails and facebook posts and loved reading what our friends and family have to say! It is such a great feeling knowing we have the support of so many people! We appreciate everyone that took the time to send us messages!

We are anxious for tomorrow. Daina will pick us up at 8:30 to head to Rauna to get the girls and have lunch prepared by their foster mom. We are so thankful for this opportunity to visit their home. I can hardly wait to give my girls big hugs and kisses! I think back to the day that they left Lebanon and I held their faces in my hands and promised I would see them again. When I took them to Stacy that day it was pouring down rain and we were all crying in the van and I was thinking how fitting that it was raining like our tears that were pouring down our faces. It was so hard on Ryleigh to say good-bye that day and I am looking so forward to stepping off that plane and seeing the reunion of our family. Ryleigh and I talked the other day about how sure she was from the very beginning that these girls were her sisters. She said it was just a feeling in her heart and I am so glad she was able to verbalize her feelings! I am sure that eventually all the girls will fight and argue and get mad at eachother, but for now I will enjoy the fact that we are all just excited to be together! Someone be sure and remind me of this feeling when they don't like eachother (or me, for that matter!).

Tim is going to post some pictures that we took this morning. Nothing too exciting, but it will give you an idea of what things look like in and around our temporary home!