Uphill Both Ways

Today was interesting...

It started out normal enough, get up, get dressed, get ready to go see Sam at the orphanage. We went outside and it was snowing, just a little and not sticking so while it was pretty it was not a big deal. We got through town really fast, a miracle since it took 45 minutes to go a block on Monday. And that it was it all started.

About five miles outside of town it started snowing. Really snowing. And sticking. So we keep driving, north so it's getting colder, and there is more and more snow. And the cars coming towards us have about an inch on them. This same road on Monday looked like autumn, leaves changing and sun shining, and now it was the depth of winter. Overnight.

I don't know if all of you know this but the orphanage is down a very long, very bad road. I don't know why our adoption has been marked by impassable roads, but there you go. So we get to the road, after crawling down the highway for an hour and a half, and we can't even get 10 yards before the van is stuck. None of us, including Andrey our driver, were prepared for snow. In fact Andrey had even told us this morning before we left that he had planned to put on his winter tires this afternoon. So then we tried to go to the nearest town where the orphanage director told us we could catch a train that came to the orphanage. Only it turns out that the next train isn't leaving for an hour and the one coming back wouldn't leave until four o'clock, so that was a no go.

I was ready to call it off and just come home but the orphanage director had emptied out Sam's savings account in order to give it to us and she didn't want to keep the money over the weekend.

And that's when we decided to walk.

Do you remember those stories your parents or grandparents used to tell you about how when they were younger they had to walk 2 miles to school, in the snow, uphill both ways? Yeah. 2 miles, in the snow, uphill both ways. Actual childbirth cannot be worse than that.

And Tim did not bring his hat, and was wearing his work shoes that have a small crack in the sole. That is why in the pictures Tim has a blanket on his head.

But we made it and Sam was very excited to see us and was even pretty well behaved. We took his shoes and coat with us and neither of them fit, both are way too big, so tomorrow we have to go find new ones. I put some pictures we took below. Some of those Sam took. Master photographer in the making.

And then we walked all the way back and the car was stuck so Tim had to get out and push. So now we are real Russians. Snow and all.

Sam Takes a Funny Photo of Papa

Mama and Sam

Papa and Sam

The Orphanage

Tim and Andrey and the friend who wanted to follow them home.