Linda, you are bad.

Well, I would love to say that I have wonderful friends, but then one of them sends me an evil comment telling me about making two peanut butter pies (my favorite food in the world), chess pie (my second favorite)....ok, ok..so you get the picture. Anyway, I'll have time to get over it before I see you Linda. :)

Julie, glad you think this is an adventure...ha, probably not the kind that make good books.

Marilyn, thanks for all that you have done...dropping us off, giving us emergency food, blankets, coat (by the way, this coat has added benefits...since it is reversible...I was able to stick the camera and video camera in the inside pockets and take them to town with me today) and the good comments.

I broke out and came to town today. David wanted me to take pictures of the women who are wearing the micro mini skirts, boots past the knees with 3 inch heels and fur coats. I got one picture, but it is 20 degrees today...so most everyone is covered up. Sorry Dave....no one will ever believe that this is what all the young women were in Ukraine!!

I did do something today I was told not to do. I ate a pastry puff at one of the street vendors...I know, I know...I'm not supposed to eat anything from the vendors...but it is toward the end and I am living on the edge. It was a cream filled pastry covered in Chocolate. Yummmmmm

I did not visit Kola today. It is Sunday and hard to visit the orphanage, so this is my day to hang out. I wondered if the stores would be open...but I got here at 11 am and everything was going...so I am a shopping.

Something of interest...during the day the smaller shops leave their store lights off to conserve energy, so it is hard to tell if they are open or not. In the mall, you don't have stores that have walls, you have metal rails that let you know the different stores. In the less expensive stores, the partians are like what you would see at a flea market.

It is Christmas Eve, so I hope Santa visits everyone tonight!!!! Hummm, I wonder what he will bring me. Oh, I know...a child.

I do have one more thing to tell you. I called Aunt Marilyn's house last night (1:30 your time) to see how Matthew reacted to seeing David. He was surprising him at 1pm for the White Elephant Christmas. When Matthew saw David, he jumped in the air, ran to him and jumped on him and started crying. He told me on the phone he had only asked for 2 things from Santa when he sat on his lap and that was for a Nintendo DS and for us to come home. He said at least part of his wish came true.