From John

Let's remind you of timeline...Sunday we drove from Tulare to Reedley to go to church.Then I drove from Tulare down to LAX to catch an 8:40pm flight.This flight landed Monday night in Munich, Germany then I took another flight that landed in Kiev near midnite Tuesday morning.

Tuesday mid day I caught a flight from Kiev to Donetsk which landed at 4pm.Driver then drove an hour and a half to Antoshka where, at a late 5:30pm, the director has me sign various paperwork but we need to catch an 8pm flight BACK to Kiev.So the Antoshka good-byes were too short and not sweet enough.I would have loved to spend more time with Camarova's group but they got a quick, "Paka Paka" instead.I would have loved to spend more time with the very gracious and excited Laura and Gerardo but they got a quick, "Thank you for the chocolates, your gift and picture is in the locked director's office" instead.

Emails I was supposed to read were not read (but Director said he has no email and for Inna to share with Lawyer and he'll get it and respond accordingly).So I genuinely am sorry for perhaps not getting as much time and photos as you'd have liked.But Dennis did love to see me. And I got pictures of him sporting his new hat and shoes and new clothes and new dad.In the car, he was great. We both enjoyed the 1970s freedom of roaming around the backseat of a moving car without seatbelts and no one caring. (sorry)

In the kangaroo pouch at the airport, he was great too. Just taking in all the sights and sounds.Inna, Dennis, and I were seats A, B, and C and he enjoyed looking out the window just a little bit.He far preferred opening and closing the tray table on the back of the seat in front of us or dropping his hat on the floor laughing as I grunted to pick it up (ad infinitum).The quick plane ride was great practice for showing me what I'll be up against for the 15hr return flights--I'll need napkins, towels, and bibs galore.

The boy loves to "drink" water from cups that crack as he bites them!!! We had a good wet time!!!It was pouring down rain with flashes of lightning and roaring thunder as we walked out of the plane and onto a bus to take us back to the terminal but he just soaked it all in with never an anxious moment.Finally in the car ride back to Inna's apartment (after 10pm) did he finally do some sleeping on me.This is when I noticed, that like you, he is a teeth grinder.I got him up the 3 floors and Inna took off to do more work, so I needed to get him into dry clothes, dry diapers etc and he is wide awake smiling as all this clothes changing is beautifully happening. Once in dry clothes, I briefly went away from him to hang up his wet outfit when, for the first time, I heard him loudly start to cry.I soon discovered that he now has about a 2 foot radius that he'll cry if I leave.Of course most of me is comprised of the manly, "who cares? let him cry". But I just can't tonight.

It really touched me that me seeming to leave him scared him that much.So he's asleep right next to me (laptop and his foot are on my lap) on the small loveseat by her internet connection as I type this to you.Here's where I've discovered something else very eerie about him.He totally sleeps, very soundly, with BOTH eyes wide open!!!I'm not kidding, I'm looking into his blue eye now and its weird how "dead" he looks among the sounds of his cute snoring.Anyway, I'm quite tired now and want to see if I can sneak over to the couch. But with those eyes still looking at me I don't think I can.We have medicals and embassy stuff to begin tomorrow Wednesday and I'm still planning on flying back out Friday.Love and miss all of you. I promise you I'll blog around this time tomorrow!!!--JR