Ok. I understand from Steve/Doc that you guys want more pictures. I do not have any "new" ones from Bogota but, I did put about 50 more pictures up via albums. Take a look they are from when we went to the picnic with Lucy's school, Miscelaneous pics and from when we went to dinner with Lucy, Manuel & family at this authentic Colombian Indian restaraunt. The food was fabulous! You basically walked through this whole cut out of a brick wall the shape of the opening of a door. There was this tinned roof pavilion which seated about 3 eight foot tables under it and one small table out in the open. The area where the food was being prepared was pretty cool, too. It was really neat to see the people cooking. Today it was raining when we woke up so the planned walk to the other parks was out. I didn't feel like taking the kids to the "Flipper" place yet via taxi on my own. Maybe next week we shall see. Instead I decided to take them back to McDonalds. We got J.P. back into this ridiculous stroller (I think we wore the thing out last trip) and off we went. It wasn't until about 15 minutes or so into the walk did I realize that I had gone the wrong direction. Now, you have to understand this was no easy road to travel. There are not really sidewalks and most of the walkways I needed to travel on are torn up. We turned around and walked all the way back to Betty's Place. The kids kept asking are we going home? I kept promising them that we were not but, that we needed to go back this way so I can get us to where we need to go - in the right direction. We finally got to McDonalds. I got the kids their happy meals and we went into the play area. After they ate I turned them loose and they ran around, up, down and every other which way the play place went. A lady came in with 2 girls I think she said that they were 2 and 8 years old. She was French. Her husband worked for ICBF and all I really got was that he signed off on a lot of adoptions. She worked in the Belgium Embassy re: Visa department. She obviously (you probably figured it out by now) spoke English. Not very well but, well enough that we could talk some. She had told me that she has been in the country for 10 years and they were leaving to go back to France in August. Her husband got a job there. She had mentioned to me that she also needed to get the girls out of the house before they drove her crazy. We talked for about a half and hour and then it was time for her to go. She asked where I was staying and if I would like her to give us a ride home. I thanked her but, declined her offer as some of the folks from McDonalds had come in to draw on the kids faces and J.P. had been patiently waiting for his turn. I didn't have the heart to make him leave right then despite the fact that it would have been much easier on me with that stroller walking back. J.P. returned to me with a black nose, whiskers and 2 triangles painted yellow (I think for ears) 1 over each eyebrow. Maria returned as a butterfly. I didn't have a camera so I took a picture of each of them with my phone. Now, if I can just figure out how to get them off my phone - the country thing is an issue. It appears that I can not call out on my phone but, I can receive calls. We try not to use my cell phone as it is VERY expensive. Only in emergencies (i.e. Steve trying to track me down) or something like that. Oh, I almost forgot!..Thanks Uncle Don and Aunt Janet for your call today! It was nice of you to take a minute to call. Sorry I couldn't talk longer but, it would have been really expensive. I did try to call you guys from my computer but, for some reason it wouldn't let me. I am not sure why. I will try one other thing tomorrow to see if that works. Else, will have to catch up with you when I get home. After we returned home the kids had some water and a lollipop from the girls who work here then it was off for siesta. We got a little off our schedule today because of the little detour getting to McDonalds. It is now about 3:00PM. J.P. finally falls asleep and Maria of course is wide awake. I shush her ( I know you love that term Jen) silently with my finger over my lips and pick her up along with her DVD player. I had put pillows under the covers to make it look like we are both still sleeping in our beds. We both slipped out of the room and I shut the door. I guess I got almost 1 1/2 hours before J.P. came hunting us. If he wakes up during his naps and he usually does, as long as he sees someone there he will go back to sleep. Else he is up.
I have them go back to the room and watch TV for about a half and hour because dinner is at 6:00PM. Tonight was a bean, rice and ground meat soup with plantains and guak. They made this awesome dessert which was made of passion fruit. It was sort of like a thick solid pudding served inside the empty fruit skin. I wish I had my camera. It was really cool. After dinner and dessert we made out way back to the room where they wanted to watch a little more TV. I let them watch until about 9:00PM tonight as it is a weekend night. They went to bed with no problem. We explained to Maria today that I have given her a privelage....at siesta time she needs to lay down until J.P. falls asleep (he will not take a siesta if she doesn't). After he falls asleep if she is good that morning then she may get up. If she was not then she looses the privelage of doing so. Also, if she gets up and purposely wakes him up then not only does she immediately go down for siesta but, she looses the privelage for the next day. She smiled when we explained it to her so...I think she gets it. She is so stinkin smart and so is he. We talked a little with family via skype today which was nice. Thanks again for everyone who is keeping in touch. I miss everyone terribly and it takes every ounce of strength not to burst into tears at the stupidest things. Like a couple of days ago during the first McDonalds trip we were leaving the house and I saw a dalmation walking up the sidewalk. At first glance I said Awwww and then it hit me like a ton of bricks and I burst into tears. Ms. Betty was there to see us off and she immediately put both hands on my shoulders and turned me away from the dog. She was talking to me the entire time...giving me strengh and encouragement. The children didn't see me and she straightened me right up so it went unnoticed by them. I have my moments I guess but, all I have to do is look into my childrens eyes and see their smiles and I know that it's all worth it. I guess this is my "Labor" time. Even though it is extremely hard I am sure once it is all over that I will only remember the parts of us laughing and having a good time. I won't remember how much I missed everyone. OK enough of that!! It's almost 10:00PM my time and I guess I should get myself to bed. Tomorrow we are gonna go and walk the local "flea market". Ms. Betty is gonna drive us up the hill and we are all gonna walk back down. Monday, Maria is suppose to start English lessons and afterwards we might try to go to a movie. We'll see. Luv to all. Hasta Luego - Chow for now.
I have them go back to the room and watch TV for about a half and hour because dinner is at 6:00PM. Tonight was a bean, rice and ground meat soup with plantains and guak. They made this awesome dessert which was made of passion fruit. It was sort of like a thick solid pudding served inside the empty fruit skin. I wish I had my camera. It was really cool. After dinner and dessert we made out way back to the room where they wanted to watch a little more TV. I let them watch until about 9:00PM tonight as it is a weekend night. They went to bed with no problem. We explained to Maria today that I have given her a privelage....at siesta time she needs to lay down until J.P. falls asleep (he will not take a siesta if she doesn't). After he falls asleep if she is good that morning then she may get up. If she was not then she looses the privelage of doing so. Also, if she gets up and purposely wakes him up then not only does she immediately go down for siesta but, she looses the privelage for the next day. She smiled when we explained it to her so...I think she gets it. She is so stinkin smart and so is he. We talked a little with family via skype today which was nice. Thanks again for everyone who is keeping in touch. I miss everyone terribly and it takes every ounce of strength not to burst into tears at the stupidest things. Like a couple of days ago during the first McDonalds trip we were leaving the house and I saw a dalmation walking up the sidewalk. At first glance I said Awwww and then it hit me like a ton of bricks and I burst into tears. Ms. Betty was there to see us off and she immediately put both hands on my shoulders and turned me away from the dog. She was talking to me the entire time...giving me strengh and encouragement. The children didn't see me and she straightened me right up so it went unnoticed by them. I have my moments I guess but, all I have to do is look into my childrens eyes and see their smiles and I know that it's all worth it. I guess this is my "Labor" time. Even though it is extremely hard I am sure once it is all over that I will only remember the parts of us laughing and having a good time. I won't remember how much I missed everyone. OK enough of that!! It's almost 10:00PM my time and I guess I should get myself to bed. Tomorrow we are gonna go and walk the local "flea market". Ms. Betty is gonna drive us up the hill and we are all gonna walk back down. Monday, Maria is suppose to start English lessons and afterwards we might try to go to a movie. We'll see. Luv to all. Hasta Luego - Chow for now.
