Things we're beginning to think will never happen again

1. That I'll blow dry my hair. Let's just put it this way. Today I shaved my legs standing like a flamingo in the bathroom while the girls were napping, one leg in the sink at a time. Drying my hair? I don't think so.

2. That we'll drive in any kind of vehicle, let alone drive any kind of vehicle. We've not been in a moving vehicle for more than two weeks now. I wish I'd brought my pedometer because I'm sure we've logged miles and miles and miles and miles.

3. Wash clothes in a machine, not a bathroom sink with odd-smelling Russian laundry detergent.

4. Have something different for breakfast. The hotel offering is the exact same every day, but with one occasional change on Sundays...and I mean a small, small change.

5. Not all sleep in one tiny room like Charlie's family in Willy Wonka.

6. Understand people around us. I'm so tired of not knowing what people are saying to my children. A woman at the park today had her dog there and said something to Leah. Was it, "My dog is nice."? Was it, "Don't come near my dog."? Was it "You look like you have really stupid parents and I feel really sorry for you."?

7. Watch American television. I don't care what's on in the background. Seriously. I'll take Springer. Dr. Phil. Old reruns of Three's Company.

One weekend. We can do it. I think. I guess we have no choice. We think we're leaving Monday for Moscow but we haven't heard anything definitive from our agency. All we know is that the hotel told us when we checked in that we had a room through Aug. 16 and our consultant in St. Louis told us that we had a room in Moscow beginning on the 16th. I'd really like to know when we leave Monday so we can figure out packing. There's no way we can do it with the girls in the room; there simply isn't space. Brian will need to take them in the stroller for a walk or to the tiny playground near the hotel while I get us packed up.

Wish us luck in getting though the weekend. We're all horribly bored. I know routine is good for kids, but monotony and boredom not so much. At least tomorrow I can say tomorrow is our last day.