Last week, I went back to Moscow with Matt.  It was a good trip, but short.  I was only there for 5 days.  It was great to be back and see old friends.  I felt like nothing had changed.  It also felt like I was back home. 

Matt was busy while I was in Moscow.  He had two golf tournaments and had to work one day.   I had a nice lunch with my friends Kelly and Dagmar in Pokrovsky Hills.  It was great to see them, catch up on what is happening and hear all the gossip that I have missed in the last two years.  Matt and I had dinner with his boss, Franck and his family.  Franck has an incredible apartment in the Kotelnicheskaya Embankment Stalinscraper on the Moscow River.  His flat has two balconies that over look the river, the Kremlin, St. Basil's and has a 180 degree view of the city.  Dinner was wonderful and we had a great time.  It was late and we had already sent Matt's driver Sergei home, so Matt talked me into taking my first gypsy cab.  It is like hitch hiking but very common in Moscow.  I was pretty nervous but everything was fine.  That doesn't mean that I will do it again if I don't have to.  I was also able to get out to the Moscow Country Club with Matt a couple times.  They had a fantastic buffet after one of his golf tournaments.  Much better food and wine than what we get here at the TPC.  Of course, I was able to find time to do a little shopping on the Arbat and at Ismaylova.  It was hard to be away from the kids, but it was nice to go out with Matt like we did before we were parents.  Take a look at some of the pictures from the trip in our photo gallery.

When I got back, Megan had to show off a little for me and took her first 2 steps!  I wish that Matt was here to see it.  It makes me sad to think of how much he has missed.  Hopefully she will wait to start really walking until Matt gets home for her birthday at the end of the month.  Then she can show off for him!

Welcome to our new web site.  We have been wanting to do this since we left for Russia 3 years ago.  I have finally gotten around to it.  

 In February, Matt took a position with Simon, an American shopping mall developer, as Director of Architecture in Russia.  He is already hard at work and living in Moscow, while Riley, Megan and I are still at home in Snoqualmie.  Matt is able to come home to visit every couple weeks.  It has been hard, but the opportunity for Matt was so great that we had to go for it! 

This week I am going back with Matt to Moscow.  Grandma Mari is going to stay with the kids.  I am excited about being in the city I love, seeing lots of old friends and having a bit of a vacation.  When we left, I knew I go back to Moscow to visit someday, maybe 20 years or so.  I never thought it would be this soon.  It should be a fun few days.

Check back soon.  I will try to update the site with photos and information as often as I can.