Bags are packed?

Raise your hand if you think my bags are completely packed for Russia......anyone, anyone....
Yeah, you're right they aren't completely done...I'd say 90%.  It's the last minute bathroom stuff that drives me crazy....have to use it the mng you leave, but then you're screwed if you forget to put it in your bag.  Here's hoping I WON"T do that tomorrow mng. Yep, that's right, you heard me...tomorrow mng.  Kathy and I will be on a 6:40am flight to Denver, then off to Dulles in D.C., and finally a loooooonnnng flight to Moscow. 
I should go double checking my packing....

4...3...2...1...fly away!

We are 4 days away from leaving for Russia, and thankfully we received our passports/visas last Friday via FedEx.  I've never been so happy to see a FedEx package in all my life.  It is really stressful to not have your passport in your possession!  They arrived with our printed intinerary and various other paperwork. 
This evening will be spent doing laundry and starting to pack...I've tried to think ahead and get a headstart but that hasn't happened really.  So....might as well get started! HAHA! Well, I will keep you posted on anything else before we go, but my next post will probably be from an airport somewhere or Russia. =)

Officially Two Weeks Out

Well, today we are officially two weeks from the day we head off to Russia.  Do I have my passport/visa in had you ask...? No, no I do not. Does this scare the bejesus out of me...? Yes, yes it does.
I don't think this whole experience will feel real til I have that piece of important info about who I am back in my possession.
We are going to try to coordinate picking our seats on the plane this weekend before Kathy jets off to San Fran.  Oh, we didn't mention that...? She is going to San Fran Tuesday-Sunday this coming week for Keeping Score.  By Mid July she will be a lady of many bags...errr...I mean travels.
Well, that's all I have for now.  Talk later.

20 days and counting...

Well as of today Kathy and I have 20 days left til our trip!  We are super excited and getting anxious to leave. Kathy has been counting down daily on her Facebook!
  I can't believe the many blessings God has given us to be able to get to this point and have this oppurtunity in our career. 
I must do some more research about what to pack...is 20 days out too early to pack!?!? =)
The reality of the situation is really setting in now that school is out for summer and our classrooms are being packed up.  We are actually travelling to Russia to have a wonderful cultural experience that we can then share with our teamates at Grissom.  We can't wait to share resources & our new founded knowledge with everyone!

Visas are APPROVED!

We heard this week that our visas were approved by the Russian government!  Wahoo!!! Now we just need them FedExed back to us....I'm excited we are approved but I'll be much happier when it's in my hot little hand again!
That's all for now, not much else to update. =)

Oh....

where? oh, where? has my passport gone?  oh, where? oh, where could it be?
We hate waiting...."hurry up and wait" syndrome is not good for these two ladies!
(That and I have nothing new the blog about till I receive them!)

Visa's are in progress...

Kathy and I sent off our Russian visa paperwork this week.  I about had a heart attack when Christina 'I can't pronounce or type her last name because it's Russian' asked for our passports to be sent too...!
Me: "You mean a copy right?" C: "No the ORIGINAL passport." Me: "What?!?! Why?!?! I don't just mail my passport." C: "This is a requirement for Russian visa. It is glued into your passport and its impossible take it out without tearing page out. You can check this requirement at Russian consulate website at:
http://www.russianembassy.org/" Me: "Ok, fine I'll mail it today...."
Needless to say, it was a bit stressful. Oh and then Kathy also finds out of school pic won't work for the visa pic b/c it isn't the "all white background" like a passport pic....so off we went after school like mad women to Drug Warehouse to get passport pics taken.  That way my passport, which has my pic, can have my Russian visa glued in with the new pic...hmmm two pics in one passport...ok...
So basically they are molesting my passport as we speak, gluing in Russian paper and a pic of me which was with a ponytail....so DOES NOT look like my passport pic.  They'll probably keep me forever because they don't match...LOL!
But honestly, I AM EXCITED to go! Just don't like paperwork and other shenanagins!