Best gift ever!

Just got done "talking" to Matt thru facebook chat for about 25 minutes. I am getting ready for bed and he is getting ready for lunch - it is a 12 and a half hour difference. He just happened to notice that I was emailing when he was so we got on facebook at the same time. Plus he had already sent me an email with an update on the trip so far, so I am doing much better than I was earlier tonight. I wasn't really worried, but I was anxious to hear how it was going. It was such a gift to talk with him - I am really missing him. It's such a great emotion (sounds weird I know) but I am missing him because he is my best friend and we share almost every detail of our lives with each other. Times before when he has been gone I thought I missed him because I was on my own with the girls or because I needed help but this time I miss him. just him. talking with him, being with him. You wouldn't think it would take 7+years of marriage to realize this. Better late than never I guess. Anyhow past the mush onto the update:

They had a 13 hour flight from Houston to Moscow. A quick break and then an 11 hour flight to Singapore that they tried to sleep on to get their schedules lined up with where they would be going. a short 3 hour flight from Singapore to Ragoon and they arrived at 5:30 Sat morning. I guess there is a quicker way to get there and they are seeing if they can get home a little faster, but we aren't counting on it.

On Sat. they did some touring and saw the Shwedagon Pagota, which Matt said was very interesting. He said the people are amazingly polite, no violence and very kind. He said there about 500,000 Buddhist monks living in the city and I guess part of them live there? I'm a little confused on that part.

They also visited Chinatown where Matt negotiated the purchase of toenail clippers because 2 inch long toenails are not okay in any country. Side Note: he had to pack pretty carefully as their dress customs there are very different - and it's 95 degrees and humid. He is wearing pants (no jeans) and long sleeved shirts with flip-flops.

Today (it was Sunday at lunch when we talked) they were going to hear about the micro-finance loans that they do thru World Vision (I think - also a little confused on this part). He said one of the most interesting things is that cost of things was very similar to here, but the average salary is 5000/yr.

He said the city is very clean, the country is peaceful, the people are kind and hard-working - and it is all a little overwhelming and he is just trying to take it all in.

It was such a gift to be able to "talk" to him and I am hoping that we can arrange a few more facebook dates while he is gone. The girls and I are doing great - not that we don't miss Daddy, but our sweet friend Rachel has truely been a God-send. I even went to a movie tonight with my friend Michelle - and came home to a clean house and 3 mostly sleeping girls. Rachel is amazing. And she's comign back a few more times before Grandma gets here to help out on Wednesday. Yay!!