First impressions

I haven't written because it has just been so busy, and because blogger was down for 2 days for posting. When Scott first came back from Russia he alluded to feeling like he had walked through the wardrobe from Narnia. It does feel a bit like "Narnia". It is just so different from our life in the States. People are still people, and so in that regard things are the same. I will attempt to give you a glimpse in somewhat of a list format

What do I see?
People walking everywhere
Children playing in the courtyard
Tall apartment buildings
City lights
Grass-lined boulevards
Entry gates to every courtyard
Young mothers pushing baby strollers
Large potholes sometimes 10 feet deep in the streets
People sometimes staring at us with our 4 small children

What do I hear?
Cars all through the night
Buses
Car alarms
Squeals of children playing
Russian speakers everywhere

Yesterday we decided to meet one of Scott's coworkers and his Russian wife, Tanya, at one of the largest department stores in the city. There is a large grocery store on the bottom floor. We put on our jackets and hats, walked several blocks, caught a bus, rode for a while, and then walked a couple more blocks to the store. I did some grocery shopping while Daddy took the kids to the top floor for an ice-cream treat. The kids love all the treats. In every grocery store, there are rows of candies, fresh cookies, pastries, breads, and all sorts of yummy delicacies most that you will not find in the States.