WE HAVE VISAS!!!

Today we slept in until 9:00AM!!! I couldn't believe how late it was! The kids must have been tired too because they didn't really get up either. After breakfast (about 10:30aM) we all walked over to the "Park Line" (A line of about 5 small parks that the kids love to play at. Each one is mor like a "Station"). Christina and little Mira walked with us - She has still not heard anything about her sentencia so please continue to pray for her. There was a man with an ice cream cart that came and sat next to the last station where we were playing with the kids. He rang the bell only once to let us know he was coming then he sat quietly and watched us. He was amazing in that he did not sit there and continue to "ring the bell" to taunt the kids. Nor did the kids pester me for ice cream. There was only once toward the time we got ready to leave Maria asked for ice cream...at first I told her later that we would go to "Crepes and Waffles" where they had the really cool ice cream deserts once before. Then I got to thinking about how nice this guy was sitting there so quietly. I decided that it would be better to buy icecream from him. So, we did! He appreciated it. About 1:00PM or so it started to poor so we decided to boogie on home. We got soaked! After changing out of our wet clothes we had lunch then I put the kids down for their nap. Jaime and Silvia were to pick me up at 2:45PM to go get the visas. They were on time. Another 45 minutes ride in traffic and in we went. When we got to the window the guy handed me the papers in sealed envelopes and the kids visas. He told me to check the info on the outside of the envelope to make sure it was correct (basic info: name, address, mother's name, father's name, etc.). Well on Maria's info sheet they had her name in the spot where my name should have been. Good thing I checked it well. The man changed it for me and said "have a nice trip home"! I told thim thanks with the biggest smile I have ever had...then we walked back to the van. We had to make one more stop before home - I had some paperwork translated from Spanish into English which we will need once we get back into the states. I understand this can get very costly in the states so I had it done here. Then it was home. I immediately called my hubby (hi honey) and told him that we have visas! We are done and we are officially clearred to come home! After talking with Steve I called my other Mom - Hi Mom- to tell her the good news. She has been great helping Steve to get the house ready for me...cleaning and all. Thanks Mom! The kids were up when I got home. They watched a little TV then we had empanadas in the living room with everyone before dinner. After dinner Marie Antwenette and OKellys made that awesome pineapple cobbler pie desert they had made once before! It was soooooo good! We played with the kids a little more then put them down to bed. Tomorrow its off to a place called Palanka which is about 30 minutes outside of Bogota. It is a little farm which the kids can see and touch farm animals. They are excited. Guess that's all the excitement for the day! We miss everyone and can not wait to see you all. Until tomorrow. W

Visa Application Process

Hey Everyone....sorry I got tired last night and didn't get the post up from yesterday. Taking the kids to the park then will get you all caught up on yesterday. Luv to all 3 more days!

Silvia and Jaime picked us up at 8:00AM to go to the Embassy. We piled into the van and off we went. It took about 45 minutes to get there due to the traffic. It was totally different than I expected. I expected to see something like you would see on TV where you go through these large iron gates into this huge open courtyard-like area where there are huge beautiful buildings on both sides and many American flags flying. NOT...The embassy is gated but, mostly with a large white block wall. On a back road there is one wall where a gold seal that says "United States Embassy". Jaime droped us off then we walked down this long sidewalk where there were several lines of people outside the walls. We walked right up to the front of the line as because of the adoption we have special privelages. Through security we go (similar to that at the airport) then through another area and to another block wall. This opens up into an area which reminded me of an outdoor train station. There is a truss covered area where there are hundreds of chairs/benches, 21 window "stations" which have bullet proof glass and look like those at a drive through bank teller for one person. There are telephones outside each window which are similar to those used in a prison where a prisoner talks to a visitor. There were no flags and no flashy buildings. You give your paperwork to a "teller" then sit and wait for your name to be called. At about 9:45AM we were called to a window. The "Teller" told me that one of the forms was filled out incorrectly (it was 5 pages). I had filled it out in my name and it should have been filled out one for Maria and one for Juan. Then she asked me for our new I171H form (this is the one that I ran around like a chicken with her head cut off to get finished before we left). I did not know that I would need that form and did not have it with me it was over in my book which my mom had. Then the lady asked me for proof of the update from the FBI!!! I didn't have any copies of anything from them as the information is not permitted to be returned to me it goes only to the adoption agency. I paniced! I had to leave the window to fill out the new forms and find proof of the FBI stuff. We were talking to the adoption agency - they pointed out that the new I171H (which I had a copy of with me) had a statement right on it at the bottom that the background check was valid until 2009!! It was a whole hour before our name got called again to provide the newly completed forms and copies of the I171H. It was only then that the lady said "Great...all your paperwork looks like it is in order...please have a seat and we will call you". WHEW!! Talk about an hour of stress! After that I paid for the visas as the windows were closing for lunch..and we waited more. Finally they called our name and I went through a brief "interview" where I answered a couple of questions, signed a statement that all is true to the best of my knowledge and then was handed an appointment card for tomorrow to pick up the visas! The kids were excellent! J.P. sat in his stroller with 2 hotwheels cars for 3 hours without complaining. Maria was great, too! My mom was fantastic with the kids (no surprise to me) so I could concentrate on what I needed to get done. Then it was home. It was about 6:00PM and we still needed to eat. We decided to take the kids out for dinner since they were sooooooooo good. We took them out to Jenos for pizza and the "indoor" park. (Family ask me about that experience...this is too long to write details). Afterwards it was back home, showers and off to bed. My mom, Christina and I watched a movie and then went right to bed! I was so tired after getting up so early that I crashed hard. Tomorrow we don't need to get up early so we planned to sleep in. The main attraction - PICKING UP THE VISAS.

The Embassy Dr. & Passports

Jaime had picked up our papers that the attorney had flown to us from Valledupar at 6:00AM. This means we could go forward with the passports and the embassy Dr. visit. This morning after breakfast we took a quick walk up to Unicentral Mall to get the kids out a little bit before the long day we had ahead of us. We made it back in just enough time (12:00PM) to meet Silvia and Jaime who were our guides for the day. First it was off to get the kids passports. We had not taken passport pictures yet so...we needed to do that first. No worries though because just outside the building where you get the passports was a small office that takes pictures and makes copies. After pictures we waited in line which was short for us because we get special privelage due to adoptions. At the first window the guy was reviewing everything and said that we would need to go find a lady to sign off on Steve's visa. The copy we had cut off the bottom part of the visa and she would need to OK it. We found her then rushed back to the window. 2 minutes later Silvia comes running over and said hurry we need to come over to the next window - when we got there she said they were closing for lunch...we just made it - this is where you pay for the passports. Then we waited in another short line for the next window which prepares the paperwork for the passports. Maria signed off on hers...and I signed for J.P. Now we just have to wait for them to "put them together". Shortly thereafter the lady calls the kids names and we have passports!! We check everything to make sure names and numbers are OK. Next we walk over to a translaters office as there are some documents we need to get translated from Spanish to English for the children when we get back to the states. We leave there and then get to the Embassy Dr.'s office (which is not on embassy property by the way) about 2:30-2:45PM. The children's appointment is not until 4:00PM and the Dr. is not in yet. Silvia says sometimes that the Dr. is there and you can go early however the was not there yet so we had to wait for him. Finally, we go in to see him - he is very nice and speaks both Spanish and English (Silvia did not go in with us due to this). He checks their weight and height (Maria is 51" tall and weighs about 55 pounds, J.P. is 39 1/2" tall and weighs about 30 pounds). Asks us and the children a few questions and then we are done! We get home just in enough time to eat dinner and then Tia Betty had a special treat for the residents (especially J.P. & Maria). She knows a Vallenato band who is a good friend and are from Valledupar. They came and played for about an hour for us. I think this wore the kids out especially since they had no nap today. Showers and then into bed. Tomorrow its up and going super early. Jaime and Silvia will be here at 8:00AM to pick us up to apply for the kids Visas. My mom was a great help as the kids had to sit for so long at times. It would have been really hard for me to do all that I had to do and keep an eye on them, too. (Mom Arlene, I know that you wish you could be here, also. I know that you would if you could but, you are helping us out there with the office. We could not get through these last several weeks without you so, Thank you!) We will see all soon! Only 5 more days to go! [D&T ] :)

Papers Miss the Flight! Still on Track! :)

We woke up today with anticipation of the paperwork that was to be flown to us from Valledupar. After breakfast we called the guys (my dad and Steve) to check in then we had to wait for Jaime to call us. He was to go to the airport this morning to pick up the papers then call us to go to do passports and embassy Dr. visits today. About 11:30AM I received a call from Nora who explained that the papers did not make the morning flight. The plane left earlier than it was suppose to and they missed the morning flight however, they were to be on the evening flight. While we were waiting all this information we were trying to keep the kids occupied with crafts and stuff. I didn't want to wander off as we were going to have to leave the residence when we got the call from Jaime. So, when Nora told me that we wouldn't hear about the paperwork until the early evening we decided to take the kids out. They get wound up tighter than a top then they have all this energy they need to "run" out. We walked over to the parks for a couple hours where the kids could play. I chased them around for a couple of hours and we all had a good time. There was another little boy about the same age as Maria that was there playing with us. As it turns out he was being adopted along with another boy who may have been his brother. The family was from Italy. We chatted with his mom for a brief moment then they left and so did we. We went from the parks to grab a bite to eat at the empanada place. They were good as usual. After empanadas we came back to the residence and the kids took a nap. When they got up we had some time to kill before dinner. We grabbed the playdo and tried to be as creative as possible. One of the families staying here (the dad, Jim) had a birthday today so Tia Betty got a cake for him and we celebrated his birthday. After dinner we lounged around watching George of the Jungle on Tv (Disney Channel) and then put the kids to bed. Mom and I came back over to the kitchen for tea and another piece of this pineapple cobbler that was out of this world. We didn't watch a movie tonight. Just sort of hung out. I received a call from Nora at dinner to advise that the papers arrived in Bogota this evening however the office is closed. Jaime is suppose to go get them at 6:00AM in the morning and then call us at around 12:00PM to start the process of passports and embassy Dr. visits. Guess that is pretty much what we will be doing tomorrow. We only have about 6 more days to go!

Grandma's First Day In Colombia

This morning we woke up and my mom to Sonya's pancakes! They are so awesome! I do not know if it is the atmospheric pressure or what that makes them so fluffy but, they just are. After breakfast we decided to try to get to the parks (there are about 5 little ones in a row about a block from here). When we got to the second one which I think the kids love the most because it is like a merry go round mom decided to take a ride with them. After about 5 minutes or so we started to hear constant gun shots in the far distance. Many of them at one time and for about 15 minutes this went on. I had not heard that before and it made me just a little uneasy so we decided to book it back home. I wasn't extremely concerned about it as every Sunday they close off one side of the main streets in the city for people to ride bikes, rollerblade, run, etc and everybody was still doing it. There was even a mom and her 4 year old on a tricycle. At any rate I asked Ms. Betty about it and she said there is a military base out that direction and they were probably having shooting practice or something. We decided to take the kids to the mall where they have bowling and the movies. We started in the bowling alley but, they were having tournaments all day. There was a man and 2 children standing at the counter in the bowling alley and over heard the man tell us we could not bowl in Spanish then heard me reply "no habla espanol". The man was nice enought to translate...both to me and to Maria (to explain why we could not stay after we told her what we were going to do). Then we decided to go see a movie - Walle. They were going to do the same so they walked us to the theatre, helped us to get our tickets then find our seats. It was OK. The kids did pretty good through it. We had lunch at McDonalds again as it was right there. Then we walked home and put the kids down for siesta. After siesta we took them to Jenos for pizza and "the park". They played until about 8:30PM then we came home and got the kids ready for bed. Mom and I went to the next room to watch a movie with Christina after calling my dad and Steve to say good night. Tomorrow we go to get passports. The final process begins. :) Finally.

Tickets for Two

After breakfast this morning the kids and I went to Avianca to get their tickets to come home next Sunday. I tried to explain to them what I was doing but, was easier once our dirver got there and could explain as he speaks Spanish. They asked if we were going home to Florida today and we told them no but, in eight days we will be going home. After we returned home from the tickets Christina and I took them to McDonalds for lunch and to play for a little while. The weather was a little cool and it kept looking like it was going to rain on and off so I figured it would be safer (due to the weather) to go to an indoor park. Especially with Mira going with us. Then it was back to the house and siesta. The kids laid down but, did not nap. I have a monitor which I can hear them in the next room and maybe they were too excited about grandma coming I do not know. Afer a little while I let them get up and watch some TV before dinner. We visited a little while with Jim, Linda and Jordan (an 18 year old Colombian child who was adopted at 4 months. He was back in Colombia for the first time as he did a birth search and was seeking his birth mother. They had found her and he came back to meet her.) They were really neat people. After dinner I got the kids ready for bed and they watched a little more TV. I put them into bed and Jaime picked me up to go get my mom from the airport. (The girls were listening for them via the monitors as they were going to sleep for the evening). When we got the the airport my mom's flight had been delayed for about 20 minutes so Jaime and I went for a cup of coffee. We talked a bit and after a short time we went back down to watch for my mom. I see her and she sees me and I point to the exit where she is to meet me. When I get to her she gave me big hugs...I think they were not only from her but, from everyone! She told me that after a few times of changing seats she ended up next to a cournal and his daughter. They got to talking and she told them the reason for her visit to their country. She told them she was a little nervous about getting off the plane and going through customs. They told her no worries just walk with us. When they got off the plane (and the bus) to the terminal there were 2 soldiers waiting for them. They told my mom to walk ahead for a minute and they would catch up with her. When they met up with her they walked her to the front of all the lines and right through customs to me! I told her that God was with her the whole way and arranged for all those people to change seats with her to seat her next to the cournal and his daughter. He handed her to me safely and securely! How cool is that. When we got to the residence we called our spouses to let them know we were home OK. The kids were already in bed sleeping so their greeting would have to wait for the morning. Then it was off to sleep.