Just have to start today's entry with a big fat WHO DAT!!!  What a game!!!  That was so much fun to watch.  I was able to pay $25 (or was it $50) and have access to NFL.com for watching the game.  There was even live streaming of pregame and postgame stuff.  Bourbon Street really did resemble Mardi Gras, except that it appeared that the streets did clear out just a little, and on Fat Tuesday it's shoulder to shoulder from wall to wall for HOURS.  I was courteous to the neighboring apartments and wore my headphones for the game, although I am certain my occasional outbursts of excitement had to bother someone.  I hope it was "the smokers," whose foul cigarette smoke eeked into my apartment while I was trying to take my nap before the game! hahaaaaa!

This morning I've been a little pensive, thinking about my blessings. People who have never traveled out of the U.S. have absolutely no idea how good they have it.  And they forget that they only have it that way because they were blessed by God to be born in the U.S. instead of somewhere else.  The things I've been thinking about seem pretty standard at home, and I miss them:  a nice big comfortable car, a job, a clothes dryer, knowing which bottle on the shelf at the grocery store reads "fabric softener," Glad Wrap in a box (bonus: with a nice cutting strip attached), kitchen scissors with which to cut said wrap, Cabot cheese (or, any cheese made in the U.S.), a sharp kitchen knife, drinkable tap water, POPCORN! (although I'm told that they have popcorn in the capital, there is none to be found here), fitted sheets (or even sheets that simply FIT the bed! ha!), a recliner, ground beef, a large heavy duty skillet, a large freezer, ibuprofen, an oven, a toaster, 55 gallon hot water heaters, a can opener, lots of towels in the kitchen and bathroom, and being able to plug things directly into a wall outlet without blowing them up!

For the benefit of those who will traveling to this country to adopt, I have a few tips.  First, the packing list that the adoption coordinator gives you is pretty good.  I'm just adding a few things, and modifying others to my own taste. 

OUTERWEAR:  Ladies:  all ladies here wear stylish clothing, and dress nicely everywhere they go.  For the winter visits, wear straight-leg jeans so that they can tuck into your boots.  If not tucked in, you will look like a nerd.  Bring pull-on snow boots.  I have not needed any other shoes, but I did bring a suit for court, and brought shoes to go with it.  Bring a pretty, even colorful if you wish, scarf to wear with your warmest winter coat. ;o)  EVERY woman here wears a nice pretty winter cap when going out.  Many are crochet-type.  NOBODY goes bare-headed anywhere, and they think you are strange if you do.  The men really do wear those fur hats.  Most women want and have fur coats, and wear them everywhere.  David didn't really need any footwear other than his snow boots, either.  If you can find pull-ons for men, that would certainly be easiest.

We found that David didn't really need so many undershirts.  Washing machines are in each apartment where we have stayed, and they are so small that you simply have to wash frequently.  So, instead of 5 undershirts, 2-3 would have been adequate for us.  Ditto for underwear, perhaps 4-5 pairs, instead of 7-10, and socks, 3-4 athletic type, not 5-6 plus dress socks.  One pair of dress socks if dress shoes are brought for court is all that would be needed.  [Tip: Wash only on the "delicate" setting.] 

For me, only one of the very thin longjohns (I bought a silk blend) would be adequate, and I brought 2 heavy turtleneck sweaters and a sweatshirt, and only 1 dark-colored longsleeved knit shirt to wear under them on days when it was the coldest would have been sufficient.  If you plan to do a lot of sightseeing (which we haven't), you might want to bring an extra long sleeved shirt for layering, but I haven't worn the extra shirt I brought.  Perhaps after I get Kolya and take him sightseeing I will want something different, but so far, not.  I haven't at all worn the heavy pair of long underwear that I brought, and will probably donate mine to the orphanage along with the little gifts and carryon bag I plan to leave there.  One pair of lightweight PJs is good.  One pair of slacks is sufficient, in my opinion.  Again, you can wash them easily, and don't need them on back-to-back days.  Definitely you will want 2 pairs of jeans (I traveled in one, packed one), so that while one is drying you have another pair to wear.  WARM gloves and boots are a must, and wear a coat that has a hood for those extra frigid days.  I have a down coat that comes down below my hiney that has been perfect.  My matching boots are not really warm enough for long excursions.  Luckily, we haven't had many of those.  Socks:  4-5 pairs athletic socks, 1 pair of socks to go with your going-to-court shoes if you bring them.  MOISTURIZER.  Walking in frigid cold wind...  I carried my big backpack for travel, and continue to carry it back/forth to orphanage with activities to do with Kolya, cameras, etc.  I packed a purse, and carry it everywhere I go.

For Tyler (8 y.o.), the silk long underwear were perfect, 1 pair is all that was needed.  We brought a heavy fleece-lined hoodie and another regular sweatshirt, and should have only brought a couple of his undershirts.  There was no need for more than 1-2 extra long sleeved t-shirt for him for layering, and we brought 1 nice sweater and oxford shirt to wear with his docker-type pants.  Actually, he liked wearing just one of those long sleeved t-shirts and and the hoodie, with an undershirt.  Underwear:  absolutely no need for 10 pairs.  We brought far too many; 5-6 pairs good enough.  Needed only the snow boots; never wore the tennis shoes.  Summer, I would definitely bring them, but just not needed in all this ice and snow.  He wore only 4-5 pairs of athletic socks, didn't need the dress socks because he only wore his boots.  We brought one pair of fleece sleeping pants from Target, which he LOVED.  Also brought him a pair of camo pants that he wore to play in the snow.

For Kolya, very similar to what we brought for Tyler.

Get those microfiber towels as suggested!  They are great, dry quickly and are super absorbent.  All I could find was the "extra long hair towels," and they were good enough because they are so absorbent.  Bring a washcloth if you like them because there are none here.  Don't overdo toiletries!  Pretty much EVERYTHING is at the grocery stores here.  Perhaps bring each person a trial size of each on the list, but unless you are super picky, it's just not needed to add weight to your bags. Feminine products are available here, so no need to go overboard with them.  If you like ibuprofen, bring it with you!  If your doc will prescribe it, get the Lomotil as suggested.  WE HAVE NOT NEEDED IT AT ALL.  GET THE CIPRO FROM YOUR DOCTOR, AS WELL, AS YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU WILL HAVE AN EMERGENCY - TRUST ME ON THIS ONE!  David did use the Ambien.  I gave Tyler Triaminic nighttime or Benadryl, and I took Nyquil caplets.  This was all in the first week, though, just until we got adjusted to the time difference.  None of us had any motion sickness, but your adopted child just might, so be prepared for that.

Bring peanut butter, and tuna in the pouches. Mayo, ketchup, salt, and other spices and condiments are here.  Powdered drink mixes, including Gatorade because you don't know when you might need rehydrating, for example, after emergency surgery.  

More later - time to go to the orphange to see my boy!