Safe in Yerevan. Safe in Georgia.

Seth and I are both safe. I am in Yerevan, Armenia (Georgia's neighbor to the south) and Seth is working very long (if not all) hours at the embassy in Tbilisi. I have been trying to keep many people up to date with our situation through e-mails and many of you mentioned that you have been checking the blog with "stalker like frequency" to quote one, so I figured I should post an update.

The embassy in Tbilisi went to "modified authorized departure" status on Saturday August 9th. This meant that family members of embassy staff were permitted to depart (and be provided for by the government) but all staff had to remain at the embassy to work. I held off on departing at first, wanting to stay with Seth and continue to volunteer at the embassy. When the Georgians announced a cessation to their military action and Russian forces continued to advance into the country Seth and I made the decision that it was time for me to head out. I drove across the border into Armenia with a convoy of vehicles from the embassy in Tbilisi and since that time I have been well taken care of by the folks at the embassy in Yerevan.

Seth has been working long hours, sleeping at the embassy (when he gets time to sleep) like so many other dedicated people. They don't complain, far from it. they are happy to be doing work that is needed. Help is beginning to arrive in the embassy from all over the world, other embassies that can spare people and the main State Department in the US are sending employees to support our fantastic people in Tbilisi. We are beyond proud of the work they are doing. What others may see as a sacrifice, they are glad to do.

I have been busy here working on rearranging my flights home for the wedding in Montana on August 23rd. I was very lucky to get the last seat on a flight out of Yerevan on August 19th (it pays to travel alone sometimes). I have Seth wait listed on 2 separate flights out of Yerevan in case he can't fly out of Tbilisi. We are hopeful that he will be able to make it to Montana for the wedding. If not, Montana is one of the few states that allow "proxy marriage" so if he can't be there I will have a stand-in groom. We will go ahead with the ceremony and celebrate for Seth. But as of right now we are thinking positively! Please join us in these positive thoughts.

I will update the blog if there is any real news. Unfortunately, there hasn't been any major changes (that I am aware of) in several days. We remain hopeful and send positive thoughts and prayers to our Georgian friends who cannot leave and whose lives have been changed. We are very lucky that most of us do not know what it is like to experience what they are going through.

love,

Meg & Seth