It's getting real ...

Today I booked our room at The Shiny River Hotel. They gave us a great discount, so we got a nice room with a separate living room. It'll be nice to be able to spread out some, especially since Bella will be there with us. Now I've gotta figure out laundry arrangements. Last time I was there, I washed my own clothes, but I am NOT washing winter clothes for three bent over a bathtub like a babushka! The pictures for the included breakfast buffet look great. Anything's gotta beat the two-runny-eggs-and-tea "zaftrak" that came with my room at the Iyrtish. Should be booking the flight tomorrow. Can't believe I'll get to meet Borya again in only five weeks. It's been five years since I saw him face-to-face last time!

Got my due date!

Finally got the much coveted, highly anticipated LOI (Letter of Invitation)! This tells me the date I'm supposed to be in Ust Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan, and it's what I need in order to apply for our visas. It's only the document that all my mountains of paperwork, xxxxdollars, and almost a year of my time has resulted in. No big deal, right? 8-)

So now the work begins: book the flights, reserve the hotel room, compile the "how-to" manual for the saints watching our kids back home, pre-cook some freezer meals, do the Christmas shopping, arrange critter care, arrange for schoolwork that Bella can take with her (she's coming with us), pack for 3 people for about 3 weeks overseas, find something to entertain Bella during ~48 hours of travel (and back again), update some dossier documents, stock up the pantry, batten down the hatches, swab the deck .... well, you get the idea. Wish me luck during this process, I'm gonna need it! Anyone for hire as a personal assistant on a temporary basis?