Fights, Glass, and Gramma

Yesterday was kind of a crazy day. I awoke at 3:45 and couldn't go back to sleep. About an hour later, there was terrible crashing and yelling from our neighbors' apartment, with the lady yelling, "Enough!" The fighting traveled out into the stairwell and outside where we heard men physically beating each other. Leif called the police. Then Anneka woke up. Then we brought Anneka into bed with us and she flailed around for about an hour until she fell back asleep. (Leif and I never went back to sleep). We got up to go to the airport to greet Gramma Irene and scooped Anneka up from bed 1 minute before we physically had to leave to squeeze in as much sleep as possible.

The flight was supposed to come in at 8:00 and at 7:30 the airport had said that it was on time. But because of fog, the plane was sent to another city and we were told it wouldn't arrive until afternoon. Leif decided to run errands for some teammates who are out of the country and I decided to see if I could go to the dentist early. She fixed my tooth in 6 minutes!! I'm not even exaggerating. It was that fast. I looked at the clock.

Then I decided to push Anneka in the stroller to get her to sleep because she was so tired and the new flight time would be right during her normal naptime. She fell asleep and I sat on a rock and decided to journal and read a bit. A lady walked by and asked me the time. I just shrugged because I didn't want to talk and wake up Anneka. But after a minute I felt convicted because I really DID know the time, so I jumped up and ran after the lady. All of a sudden, there was a sharp pain in my foot and blood ALL OVER. A piece of glass had gone through my shoe (with a 1.5 inch sole!) and into my foot. I didn't know what to do because it wasn't super-close to home and Anneka was asleep and I didn't want to leave her. I called Inka and Elisabeth. Inka came and helped me. She wrapped my foot in a towel and walked me home. Then Elisabeth stayed with Anneka while Inka poured hydrogen peroxide in my foot and bandaged it up.

By this time I'd learned that Irene's flight was early now and she'd be arriving shortly. I felt badly that she couldn't see her granddaughter right away... but what could I do?

Today my foot is sore but not red or anything, so I think it's on the road to healing. I've been wearing a shoe on just that foot (I feel so nerdy) so that I won't tear at the wound.

It's been fun to have Irene here and to see Anneka interact with her. For lunch today we had the Hoffstetter's over. Daniella's sister is in town and it was very fun to meet her. Then for dinner we had the Robertsons' over (pictured at top). They miraculously got their residency hours before their visas ran out. Irene was especially happy to get to see them while she's here, as they befriended her during a layover in Moscow her first time in Russia. Anneka loved the Robertson boys, Alan and Avery, especially. Alan read her books and Avery she ran after to kiss. Leif said he needs to watch out for her when she gets older! She's always chasing those boys!!

I feel like I just rushed through this post, but Leif and Irene are waiting for me to come and play a game with them. It's called "Ticket to Ride". It's fun, but the German version "Zug Um Zug" (sp?) is better, we think.