and really- it's fine. We're finding our groove just like we did when he was deployed and TBH, when he was sucking the life out of us while studying for the Boards. Whatever- as much as he intends for us to come first, we don't, we won't, and likely never will. Sucks but it's true.

He was all sad and mopey on Father's Day. I wasn't all that sympathetic. In fact I wasn't the least bit sympathetic. I gave Nikolai a dvd (Shaun the Sheep- we're big fans in this house) and told him it was from Rick (it wasn't of course) and we hung out- then we were in the pool all afternoon. In the evening we had a neighborhood crawl- it's a chance for people to show off their houses as they get them rehabbed. I hadn't been in one of the three before and it looks AMAZING. They even added an addition to their garage and rent it out to people for short-term vacation stays. Brilliant. It's depressing when you go to all of the 'done' houses though- we're soooo not 'done'.

Other than that- we live a pretty structured life- it's easier on everyone when it's all laid out. We both do better knowing that we have a plan.

I did google some vacation tour providers for information on the 2014 Olympics because we're planning on taking a few weeks to take the dude. and if the school has a problem with it, then I'll yank him for the whole semester! I would love to go to Moscow and St. Petersburg and of course, to take him back to Perm' and Kungur (the village where he's from.) They moved the orphanage from the old buildings where we were to a more modern location. Someone donated playground equipment and it looks a ton better. I would love to show him the old place too. (we're in touch w/ the orphanage director- we were part of a group of families that all created scrapbook pages of the kids with their drawings and we sent them to the orphanage director for Christmas.)

So, that's it. 51 more weeks and chaos erupts again. and I do have to say that my house is MUCH cleaner.

J.