I tried to think of a catchy song title to help out with this blog, but just couldn't. I could think of one for Saturday...and one for Monday, but not Sunday. Oh well... to quickly answer Krista's question - our agency took care of our hotel booking, so I'm not sure what to tell you (email me, if you want to try to brainstorm - or if you want me to try finding something out for you). I will say that the location of this hotel is great - I highly recommend it!

Today was a full & busy day. We did end up going to church this morning, and it wasn't a Russian Orthodox church (though thanks, Elle, for the warning, just in case! that would've been crazy, standing up with my heavy child in my arms! thank goodness, we did have chairs at this service). Anyway, a little background: a friend of ours & her family have done mission work in Russia - a lot, in fact, through the years. Through the years, they have worked with a man named Israel, who helps them get around during their stays in Moscow. Israel is originally from Nigeria, and he & his wife have lived in Moscow for about the past 10 years. He is a 'jack of all trades' but one of his trades is transporting and guiding people around. He speaks excellent English. So all that having been said, our friend, Lisa, gave us his contact information. She told us that he would be good for taking us to church, if we wanted to go, or seeing some sights.

So I contacted him, and he said he would be happy to take us to church & do whatever we wanted to do while we were here. Thus starts our morning.

We ate breakfast right at 7:00. Yesterday taught us that if you wait much later, then all the food will be picked over. So we went down as soon as the buffet opened. This also gave us time to eat & get ready without too much rushing around (the service started at 11:00 and went till 2:00).

I must've jinxed myself, when I said that Little I had only one meltdown the other day. Because this morning, he was a big drool monster who just couldn't quite get totally happy. I should've taken the hint to stay in the room, but we just really wanted to get out...go to church, and then, if we were up for it, go do a little sightseeing. I mean, tomorrow is going to be mostly filled with official stuff...Tuesday we leave...and we don't go to Moscow just every day!

So we got ready and when Israel called, we met him down in the lobby. He asked us if we preferred to go by car or by Metro. Since we are staying right across from a station...and were not going to brave the Metro by ourselves (and we've been dying to ride it), we decided to go on the Metro. It was a great experience - one I'm glad that we had. And really, it's not that much different than other subway systems that I've ridden (not very many, though, mind you!)...except it is HUGE.

Little I wasn't very sure about the train, at first - it was loud and really fast - but then he decided he liked it quite well. We made one train change and then we were at our destination. Well, sorta. Then we had to walk about 15 minutes. The little church is located, actually, in an apartment building...and because all the streets and buildings look (pretty much) the same, we had a little trouble locating the building. But we finally made it. We had a small Sunday school (Little I was a terrible distraction in the ladies' class) from 11-12 and then the worship service began at 12:00 and went till about 2:00.


((For Patrick)) - this is a cafe that was on our walk to church

We brought food for Little I - but with all the new people and distractions, he just wasn't interested. I got to sit in the service for the first....oh, maybe 3 minutes...and then he was really being distracting for other people, so I took him to another room. Where he began crying. And crying. And crying. I knew, almost immediately that it was a mistake, bringing him out. He was hungry, and he was tired (naptime at 12) ... and he has a really loud cry. If he gets going, it can be one of those where it sounds like I'm torturing him - so not only was I stressing because he was really upset and I was trying to comfort him...but I was also stressing because of the disruption he was probably causing.

And the stress I was feeling was being counterproductive to my comforting methods. Finally, Nathan came to the rescue & helped me get some yogurt in the child. He fell asleep while eating his yogurt (I knew he needed a nap, terribly, but he wouldn't calm down long enough to go to sleep. thank goodness for N's help!). Anyway, Little I slept in my arms, in another room, for the rest of the service, so he & I completely missed out on it, but it was okay. I really didn't expect it to go perfectly.

By the time the service was overwith, Little I had woken up and was in a great mood.

the three of us before church service...you can tell Little I is tired

this picture was taken after church...he still looks tired, but he mostly has not mastered smiling for the camera. This is a picture of 2 of the ladies we met: Marina & Anna. They were very nice.

I forgot to mention that the service was conducted in Russian with an English translator - so that was pretty neat (the part of it that I was able to experience). Also, most of the hymns that were sung were tunes we recognized - that was really neat too. Anyway...

Israel said that he had time that afternoon, so we could do whatever we wanted to do. Since Little I was in such a much better mood, we decided to go ahead & go for the Red Square. So we hopped back on the Metro and got to the Red Square in about 15 minutes.

This is where I give advice. If you are a PAP who is trying to think of what to bring on your second trip... Bring a stroller. Even if you are like us and think you will not use it, just get one of those cheap umbrella strollers and bring it along. Because if you don't need it, then fine. But if you do...you will thank your lucky stars that you have it. We did not bring one. I have one of those "Hip Hammocks" which is good for shorter walks, or maybe longer walks, with a lighter baby (short walks, with mine, though). I figured that was all we would need, but I didn't figure on the sheer amount of walking we would be doing, with a baby in tow. And by the time we made it to the Red Square, N & I were pretty miserable -- hurting really bad in our hips and backs. And Little I was okay, but he was pretty hot, up against us.

I think know we would've enjoyed ourselves more - and spent way more time seeing the sights - if we'd had a stroller. Little I would've enjoyed himself more, because he would've been cooler (and anyway, being positioned on our hips like babies have to be can't be comfy for too long).

But enough about that. Take the advice or leave it - but I can almost guarantee that if you end up needing one, you'll be glad you brought it. So end of advice... Back to the story.

After a couple of train changes, we ended up in a place, that in our childhood(s) we would've never imagined going. A place that seems even more 'off limits' to the older generations in our family. The Red Square. It was quite amazing.