July 9th

Up at 8:00am. To the gym for Pat and Bob and journaling for me. I've gotten behind and have two days to do. Pat returns just as I'm finishing up my second entry. To quote my husband "The wheels have completely come off Pat's Ping-Pong Express". He lost the first 6 games and then won the next 3 of 5. Bob takes the day again 8-3. Summer series stands at 57-46 with Bob still in the lead. We have some breakfast, shower and are off to the baby home.

We arrive at the baby home and I go for Molly. I change her diaper and dress her in the clothes I'm given - onsie, flannel pants and jacket and a knit cap that looks like it is for a newborn. I stretch the cap over her head, grab the webble doll (which by the way we found out is an antique), and we go to the marble room. The door is open and it's just Molly and me. Cate arrives shortly after with Daniel. He was born in August and is nearly one. Daniel holds Cates fingers and shows off his walking abilities. I'm hoping Molly is taking notes but alas she is merrily chomping on a toy. The rest of the gang appears. Aidan was sound asleep when Pat arrived to pick him up. Pat woke him and talked with him while Nicholas was being fed. Mama Galena fed Aidan next and Pat played the piano to pass the time. Aidan is dressed in floral pants and a hot pink 101 Dalmations print flannel shirt. The outfit is completed with a red and white striped baseball cap. This is one of the more "creative" ensembles we've seen him in and mind you we've seen a few! The pictures will not do it justice. The kids are very pleasant again today. Molly plays with every toy in the bag. Beth brought a bag of toys from the hotel that were left by families that were here prior to us. Molly takes a shining to a pig toy the squeaks (it reminds me of one of the three pigs I had a close encounter with in Disney Land). The ear fits perfectly in her mouth. Aidan sits on the pig later making it squeak. He looks around and wonders what's going on. He explores and takes an interest in the radiator under the window that is usually hidden by stuffed animals. I try to block his way with a pillow but he goes around. I move him to the other side of the room and attempt to distract him with a toy. No go. He heads back to the radiator. The boy is focused. Aidan also overcomes his discomfort with the weeble doll and bats it with an open hand as his sister and Nicholas do. We sit all four children on the sofa and attempt a group photo. That lasts for about 30 seconds. In one of the pictures Daniel is crying and Molly is looking at him like "what's wrong with you". It's a nice day and we spend the remainder of our visit walking outside with the kids. We walk home from the baby home.

Pat runs to the Gros for game beers when we get back and then we head to the Internet cafe to check email. We are heartened by the many responses we received to our court date news. Support from home continues to energize and sustain us. We hear from some new voices as well as many of the faithful.

Cate meets us back at the hotel and we go to the Dom for dinner. Dana will not be able to join us due to family obligations. Pat does the ordering and we get everything we want except mashed potatoes. Instead we get boiled potatoes with butter. A tasty substitute. Baltika 7 for Pat and me and #3 for Cate. Back to the hotel after dinner for our make-shift cooler - backpack with two frozen litre bottles of water wrapped in plastic bags and 16oz cans of Baltika 7.

We find our way to the stadium and our seats without any problems. We see some familiar faces and say hello. Ura is among them and he gives Pat a flag. Pat and Bob will share flag waving duty tonight. Pat give Ura a beer and he clinks it against my open can to toast. Tobol's opponent tonight is Almaty. Almaty is ranked 15th out of 16 and that's pretty much the way the game goes. It's 5-0 Tobol at the half and this turns out to be the final as well. As we file out of the stadium Pat notices a young boy behind him giggling. "Do you speak English?" Pat asks. "Yes, a little." the boy replys. Bob asks the boy his name and tells him his. The boy asks where we're from and well tell him America. Another man asks us on the way out if we like their stadium.

About 1/2 way home a man we recognize from our section catches up with us to chat. We tell him where we're staying. He knows the hotel and lives nearby. He tells us he is an artist and has a friend living in New York City. He asks Pat is he is here for work and if so what kind. Pat says yes work but implies that it's secret. "Ok, ok, I know." says the man. The man apologizes for his poor English. Much better than our Russian we say to him. Pat has his fan club flag draped over his shoulders. People ask on the way home who won and what was the score. Thanks to the phrase book we are able to tell them.

We get back to the hotel and I crash on the bed while Pat hits the couch to "watch" soccer. Lights out at 11:30pm.