We had to create these photo pages to send with our upcoming post placement report. (Time consuming!) Anyway, I hope you enjoy these!
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Very Important for ALL parents: Parental Rights Amendment Being Introduced this week!
Time to Call Congress!
Representative Trent Franks and Senator Jim DeMint have both agreed to introduce the Parental Rights Amendment in both the House and Senate in the next few days. This is very welcome news.
And the really good news is that we have worked with National Right to Life Committee to find language that resolves their concerns. The PRA will not resolve the debate about abortion. The added language just ensures that our Amendment does not tip the scale one way or the other.
And there’s even more good news! Representative Trent Franks is the Chairman of the Constitution Subcommittee in the House, and we have his promise of an early hearing – but he has asked us for one thing right now. We need to call every single member of Congress and urge them to become original cosponsors of the PRA.
If we get a strong initial showing of original cosponsors, we can get the PRA on a fast track. So we need everyone to take the actions outlined below – Act right away!
Action Item: Please Call!
1. Please call your congressman and ask him or her to contact Rep. Trent Franks’s office to sign on as an original cosponsor to the Parental Rights Amendment. You can find their contact information by clicking on your state at parentalrights.org/states, or ask for them by name at the Capitol switchboard: 1-202-224-3121.
When you call, please be courteous and respectful. Many of these congressmen are friendly toward the Amendment, and the delays we have experienced have not been their fault. We don’t want to alienate them or their staffs with rudeness.
2. Please call your senators and give them the same message, asking them to contact Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina to sign on. You can find their information in the same places listed above.
Keep in mind that Capitol Hill staff are used to dealing with bill numbers for everything. So if they ask you for one, respectfully remind them that we are looking fororiginal cosponsors, so there is no bill number yet. It is simply “the Parental Rights Amendment being proposed by” Rep. Franks or Sen. DeMint. You can also assure them that Rep. Franks or Sen. DeMint’s office is actively seeking cosponsors, so they will know what your lawmaker is talking about when he or she calls.
3. Please give generously. Your donation of $5, $25, or even $75 or more will greatly help sustain our efforts during this crucial time. As our activity in Washington picks back up, your renewed support is so important! And as an added bonus, from now through June 1 we are offering my Constitutional Literacy (this is an incredible, EXCELLENT resource that Karl really likes and recommends) as a free gift with any donations of $85 or more. So if you don’t have your copy yet, be sure to request one when you give.
Representative Trent Franks and Senator Jim DeMint have both agreed to introduce the Parental Rights Amendment in both the House and Senate in the next few days. This is very welcome news.
And the really good news is that we have worked with National Right to Life Committee to find language that resolves their concerns. The PRA will not resolve the debate about abortion. The added language just ensures that our Amendment does not tip the scale one way or the other.
And there’s even more good news! Representative Trent Franks is the Chairman of the Constitution Subcommittee in the House, and we have his promise of an early hearing – but he has asked us for one thing right now. We need to call every single member of Congress and urge them to become original cosponsors of the PRA.
If we get a strong initial showing of original cosponsors, we can get the PRA on a fast track. So we need everyone to take the actions outlined below – Act right away!
Action Item: Please Call!
1. Please call your congressman and ask him or her to contact Rep. Trent Franks’s office to sign on as an original cosponsor to the Parental Rights Amendment. You can find their contact information by clicking on your state at parentalrights.org/states, or ask for them by name at the Capitol switchboard: 1-202-224-3121.
When you call, please be courteous and respectful. Many of these congressmen are friendly toward the Amendment, and the delays we have experienced have not been their fault. We don’t want to alienate them or their staffs with rudeness.
2. Please call your senators and give them the same message, asking them to contact Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina to sign on. You can find their information in the same places listed above.
Keep in mind that Capitol Hill staff are used to dealing with bill numbers for everything. So if they ask you for one, respectfully remind them that we are looking fororiginal cosponsors, so there is no bill number yet. It is simply “the Parental Rights Amendment being proposed by” Rep. Franks or Sen. DeMint. You can also assure them that Rep. Franks or Sen. DeMint’s office is actively seeking cosponsors, so they will know what your lawmaker is talking about when he or she calls.
3. Please give generously. Your donation of $5, $25, or even $75 or more will greatly help sustain our efforts during this crucial time. As our activity in Washington picks back up, your renewed support is so important! And as an added bonus, from now through June 1 we are offering my Constitutional Literacy (this is an incredible, EXCELLENT resource that Karl really likes and recommends) as a free gift with any donations of $85 or more. So if you don’t have your copy yet, be sure to request one when you give.
| http://www.parentalrights.org |
Monday, May 7, 2012
Things get smoother every day
When a family expands, there is much adjustment that needs to occur in that family. Everything changes. New "normal" daily operations require much creativity, planning, and adaptation for all of the new needs and various dynamics. We are in that phase - constantly needing to reflect, reevaluate, plan, project into the future, to tweak things, constantly making changes.
I am so thankful that things get smoother every day! Truly, we are so glad and feel very blessed for the opportunity to make L & J our daughters. It is an amazing miracle for all seven of us.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Home 20 Days - A few photos
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| Saying goodbye to Andres at the Bogota airport early in the morning 3/2 |
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| Lunch together on 3/6 |
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| Happy Birthday to Andres! *See update post below* |
20 Days: Home in the USA
Tomorrow marks three weeks since we left Colombia. The trip back to the U.S. was very rough. It was an awful travel day. And the dreaded happened: after a turn of events, we did not have enough time to make our connecting flight and then had to spend six more hours in the airport waiting for the next flight. We were already tired and were very excited to get home and have some time to settle in. Instead, due to terrible weather, our connecting flight was another 35 - 40 minutes late and we got back to the airport to have to scramble to claim our baggage and run yet again to try to make our train home. Three of our seven family members were overtaxed from sleep-deprivation, the two flights, six hours of walking through a giant airport, several episodes of panic-stricken running, and then the rocking, bumpy train...so they were miserable on the long, late-night train ride home. There was still much to be thankful for as our van was intact and although it was very late, we were able to drive home safely. We got home, unloaded our bags and did an ultra quick house tour and rushed everyone off to bed. It was between 2:30 - 3:00 in the morning before we got the kids to bed and then we collapsed ourselves soon after. Not the return home and beginning we envisioned but the Lord provided grace to help us accomplish the bare necessities (grocery shopping and some necessary errands and even corporate worship on Sunday) before Karl had to return to work early on Monday morning. This little travel story illustrates the hectic beginning of our family life at home 20 days ago.
Since then, the seven of us have been doing well - praise the Lord. These three weeks have seemed like a year! I am so thankful for the Lord's gracious provision of strength, endurance, and patience - and a great Husband! Beginning homeschooling has been surprisingly smooth as I didn't have a spare moment to worry. We started back to school on that first Monday home and it has been going very well. Joana and Ladi are very diligent students and never complain about assignments. We have been working on foundational phonics sounds, reading in both languages (we take turns: L or J read aloud Spanish and we read aloud the English), practical and important life skills, memory work, some introductory English vocabulary: days of the week, months, etc., and math, math, math. Math is a delightful endeavor because it is very useful and wonderfully bilingual. All that we need for most math work is to know the numbers in both languages and the terminology in Spanish for the type of problem. We have been putting our addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and number flash cards to extensive use!
Our family schedule is working out nicely and thankfully each day gets smoother. I can not even begin to explain the difficulty of trying to run a home and a family in two languages - it is truly a mind-boggling, bewildering endeavor. But God is helping all of us and even with all of the confusion and misunderstanding of household instructions and customs, etc., and language deficiencies, we are all getting along well and everyone is usually pretty happy.
We had our first required post placement visit this week and that went very smoothly. Our next visit will be in about two months.
We have been busy with appointments at the eye doctor, pediatrician (twice), and tomorrow we go to the dentist and back to the pediatrician to have the girls' TB tests read. We thank God for His gracious mercy for Ladi - she shouldn't be able to see with her bad eye but with a corrective lens, the doctor was able to help that eye see 20/20 which really was a miracle that her bad eye/brain responded to the corrective lens. We are thrilled and eagerly awaiting the arrival of her new glasses! The other amazing thing was that the first frame she tried on was the best and there was no agonizing involved - the process took about 7 minutes! Joana does not need glasses.
What else has been happening over the past three weeks? Mami came down a really nasty sinus/cold/virus. I was down a day and a half but thankfully am doing much, much better. We celebrated Andres' birthday! We have been reading bilingual books together. We have been doing a lot of cleaning and laundry and other chores! Five kids and two parents means a lot of work. Thankfully, all five kids enjoy chores (usually) and so we work hard each day together for about an hour to keep the house clean (a "must" for Mami's sanity so everyone benefits from a clean, orderly home). That time is built in to our schedule so we can keep the home in a good condition. Absolute "musts" each day on our chore list include cleaning the niño baño, cleaning our well-used homeschool desk tops and pencil smeared drawer fronts, crumb-duty, and collecting, washing, folding, and delivering clean laundry among other tasks. Despite the intensified cleaning necessity in the Armstrong home due to increased spills, drips, splashes, crumbs, and stains, our two newest daughters are wonderful, capable, and eager helpers! They are very sweet and we all work well together (when we are able to figure out what we are supposed to be doing and how to do it)!
A highlight is that the weather has been especially nice! The first Monday when Karl went back to work, the day seemed so long. The girls pointed to the backyard and our swing set and asked when we would go outside. I assumed it would be too cold and told the girls all about the winter and how it would be a while until we could play outside. Oddly enough, the day ended up being in the upper 50's and with coats, the kids were able to play outside and almost everyday since! The weather has been so warm that we had to get short sleeve shirts out - it's been in the low 80's! The weather has provided an opportunity for fresh air, exercise, and a nice break in the day's activities to look forward to for everyone. I am so very grateful.
We took a family photo this weekend and I would like to post soon. There's also much more to say but my time is running out.
I want to close by thanking my beloved Husband who gave me the opportunity for some much-needed shopping/
refreshment/reflection/alone-time tonight. He is the reason I am able to do this update. He came home after a very hard day at work today (and a very strenuous week) to sacrificially take over the responsibilities of things which included showers for each of the three younger kids, dinner, family Bible time, and dinner clean up. He even took the kids on a walk around the neighborhood and did the bedtime routine for five kids alone. He is not only a great Husband but also a super-duper, top-notch Papi and Father. I am very thankful and delighted to be Karl's Wife, parenting partner, and very best friend.
Since then, the seven of us have been doing well - praise the Lord. These three weeks have seemed like a year! I am so thankful for the Lord's gracious provision of strength, endurance, and patience - and a great Husband! Beginning homeschooling has been surprisingly smooth as I didn't have a spare moment to worry. We started back to school on that first Monday home and it has been going very well. Joana and Ladi are very diligent students and never complain about assignments. We have been working on foundational phonics sounds, reading in both languages (we take turns: L or J read aloud Spanish and we read aloud the English), practical and important life skills, memory work, some introductory English vocabulary: days of the week, months, etc., and math, math, math. Math is a delightful endeavor because it is very useful and wonderfully bilingual. All that we need for most math work is to know the numbers in both languages and the terminology in Spanish for the type of problem. We have been putting our addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and number flash cards to extensive use!
Our family schedule is working out nicely and thankfully each day gets smoother. I can not even begin to explain the difficulty of trying to run a home and a family in two languages - it is truly a mind-boggling, bewildering endeavor. But God is helping all of us and even with all of the confusion and misunderstanding of household instructions and customs, etc., and language deficiencies, we are all getting along well and everyone is usually pretty happy.
We had our first required post placement visit this week and that went very smoothly. Our next visit will be in about two months.
We have been busy with appointments at the eye doctor, pediatrician (twice), and tomorrow we go to the dentist and back to the pediatrician to have the girls' TB tests read. We thank God for His gracious mercy for Ladi - she shouldn't be able to see with her bad eye but with a corrective lens, the doctor was able to help that eye see 20/20 which really was a miracle that her bad eye/brain responded to the corrective lens. We are thrilled and eagerly awaiting the arrival of her new glasses! The other amazing thing was that the first frame she tried on was the best and there was no agonizing involved - the process took about 7 minutes! Joana does not need glasses.
What else has been happening over the past three weeks? Mami came down a really nasty sinus/cold/virus. I was down a day and a half but thankfully am doing much, much better. We celebrated Andres' birthday! We have been reading bilingual books together. We have been doing a lot of cleaning and laundry and other chores! Five kids and two parents means a lot of work. Thankfully, all five kids enjoy chores (usually) and so we work hard each day together for about an hour to keep the house clean (a "must" for Mami's sanity so everyone benefits from a clean, orderly home). That time is built in to our schedule so we can keep the home in a good condition. Absolute "musts" each day on our chore list include cleaning the niño baño, cleaning our well-used homeschool desk tops and pencil smeared drawer fronts, crumb-duty, and collecting, washing, folding, and delivering clean laundry among other tasks. Despite the intensified cleaning necessity in the Armstrong home due to increased spills, drips, splashes, crumbs, and stains, our two newest daughters are wonderful, capable, and eager helpers! They are very sweet and we all work well together (when we are able to figure out what we are supposed to be doing and how to do it)!
A highlight is that the weather has been especially nice! The first Monday when Karl went back to work, the day seemed so long. The girls pointed to the backyard and our swing set and asked when we would go outside. I assumed it would be too cold and told the girls all about the winter and how it would be a while until we could play outside. Oddly enough, the day ended up being in the upper 50's and with coats, the kids were able to play outside and almost everyday since! The weather has been so warm that we had to get short sleeve shirts out - it's been in the low 80's! The weather has provided an opportunity for fresh air, exercise, and a nice break in the day's activities to look forward to for everyone. I am so very grateful.
We took a family photo this weekend and I would like to post soon. There's also much more to say but my time is running out.
I want to close by thanking my beloved Husband who gave me the opportunity for some much-needed shopping/
refreshment/reflection/alone-time tonight. He is the reason I am able to do this update. He came home after a very hard day at work today (and a very strenuous week) to sacrificially take over the responsibilities of things which included showers for each of the three younger kids, dinner, family Bible time, and dinner clean up. He even took the kids on a walk around the neighborhood and did the bedtime routine for five kids alone. He is not only a great Husband but also a super-duper, top-notch Papi and Father. I am very thankful and delighted to be Karl's Wife, parenting partner, and very best friend.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Our Last Day in Bogotá
See post below about our final day here in Bogota!
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| Papi working hard to pack up the family! |
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| Anji, Andres, Joana & Ladi enjoying an animal matching card game today. |
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| Lucia, the in-country adoption coordinator, with the children today. |
Buenas noches en Bogotá!
Wow, what a day!!! It has been a eventful and busy day. We were successful in planning a breakfast and lunch of creative concoctions to use up all of our remaining food in the apartment. In between meals, we packed and did a little communication with Joana and Ladi with help of an online translator.
After lunch, Karl went via taxi (again!) to pick up Ladi's visa. It took longer than expected but he returned safely and was thankful that he didn't get whiplash this time in the taxi.
While Papi was gone, I took the kids to the local park to get some exercise and to expend as much energy as possible. We had a great time running around and up and down little tiny hills, doing under-doggies on the swings, and playing. It was a lot of fun! Oh, and trying to avoid big, wild dogs running around without leashes! We had a nice time and came back to the apartment and had a little snack before Papi returned.
When Papi came home, we searched and gathered and packed while the kids did miscellaneous activities and games. Then we had two visitors, Lucia and her son David, who came to say good-bye. I had some more extensive time communicating with Joana and Ladi. Karl and Anji walked and picked up a chicken meal for dinner and something from the bakery for our early morning quick breakfast.
We wanted to get the kids to bed early but instead got them all to bed 40 minutes late! We had a really nice family Bible time going over John/San Juan - chapter 8:
Everyone went to bed happily and hopefully will sleep very well in preparation for our journey to home sweet home tomorrow. It is hard to believe that the time has finally come for us to go home.
We are so grateful to God who has worked miracles for the seven of us to be united together to create a new family. We are trusting Him with the future and that He will give us the grace to face each day of unknowns ahead. He is helping us and maturing us all. May God be glorified through our very feeble attempt to obey Him. May He be exalted and praised and loved and esteemed. We also pray that many other families will be encouraged to adopt, grafting children into their families for the advancement of God's Kingdom!
After lunch, Karl went via taxi (again!) to pick up Ladi's visa. It took longer than expected but he returned safely and was thankful that he didn't get whiplash this time in the taxi.
While Papi was gone, I took the kids to the local park to get some exercise and to expend as much energy as possible. We had a great time running around and up and down little tiny hills, doing under-doggies on the swings, and playing. It was a lot of fun! Oh, and trying to avoid big, wild dogs running around without leashes! We had a nice time and came back to the apartment and had a little snack before Papi returned.
When Papi came home, we searched and gathered and packed while the kids did miscellaneous activities and games. Then we had two visitors, Lucia and her son David, who came to say good-bye. I had some more extensive time communicating with Joana and Ladi. Karl and Anji walked and picked up a chicken meal for dinner and something from the bakery for our early morning quick breakfast.
We wanted to get the kids to bed early but instead got them all to bed 40 minutes late! We had a really nice family Bible time going over John/San Juan - chapter 8:
48 The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?”49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. 50 Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” 52 The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?” 54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ 55 But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.”57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.There were a lot of questions - especially from Ladi and Joana who were thoroughly confused by verse 58, so we reread the beginning of John chapter 1 and even went back to Exodus - chapter 3 when God revealed Himself:
13 Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I am has sent me to you.’” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.Of course all of this was in Spanish and it was a lovely time, an exhilarating time when we are able to read the living Word of God together and learn more about our Lord.
Everyone went to bed happily and hopefully will sleep very well in preparation for our journey to home sweet home tomorrow. It is hard to believe that the time has finally come for us to go home.
We are so grateful to God who has worked miracles for the seven of us to be united together to create a new family. We are trusting Him with the future and that He will give us the grace to face each day of unknowns ahead. He is helping us and maturing us all. May God be glorified through our very feeble attempt to obey Him. May He be exalted and praised and loved and esteemed. We also pray that many other families will be encouraged to adopt, grafting children into their families for the advancement of God's Kingdom!
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Armstrongs in Bogota Photos Part 2
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| Family Breakfast/desayuno. |
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| Anji and Claudia's Room - Zzzzzz! |
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| Andres' hide-away bed nook - Zzzzzz! |
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| Ladi and Joana's Room - Zzzzzz! |
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| Ice cream cones today after shopping and two very long walks (and RAIN)! |
Armstrongs in Bogota Photos
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| Enjoying the very nice park near our apartment! |
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| On the way home from our Embassy appointment on Monday. |
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| City of Bogota Landscape - pretty! |
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| Family time in our apartment - we have made good use of this table! It is really neat because you can store things under the glass top - a great place for all of our Bibles! |
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| Mami in the Apartment Kitchen. |
Able to Fly Home on Time
It has been busy over here! Well, we are glad we finished quickly in Cali and that we had some buffer in our return date. It was not wasted! Everything had been going smoothly with all of our appointments. We went to the U.S. Embassy on Monday as planned (long day!) and they told us the girls' visas would be ready on Tuesday. But when Karl went back on Tuesday only Joana's visa was finished because there was a glitch in the system and Ladi's fingerprints (necessary because she's 14) could not be processed/retrieved from the FBI. So at the end of their business day today, the call came that Ladi's visa was finally completed! Karl will go to pick it up tomorrow, just in time. So our "extra" days became essential, and we are all very thankful that we'll be able to return to the United States all together. What a relief!
Today we walked to Maku, a 3-story artisan store so we could buy some souvenirs to bring home. It was a long, pleasant walk there. The walk home however was not so pleasant as we had left our umbrellas at the apartment (ugh!) and it was raining...and then raining even harder! All the taxis that passed us were tiny so we were forced to walk. But we made it and laughed and even the little kids did a good job without too much complaining! We even stopped for ice cream cones! Everyone will sleep very well tonight!
Tomorrow will be our final packing day. We have tried to leave as much as possible in our suitcases but still have plenty to gather and squeeeeeeeze into our luggage. Friday morning will be a very early morning so we are hoping to not be up too late tomorrow night. Everyone is ready to go home. Ladi and Joana are excited but also understandably sad to be leaving Colombia and all that is familiar to them. I am excited and eager to be in our home but also wondering about the ins and outs of new life logistics as a family of seven. It has been an adventurous time here in Colombia and while we are sad to be leaving, we are ready to move on to establishing new family life.
Today we walked to Maku, a 3-story artisan store so we could buy some souvenirs to bring home. It was a long, pleasant walk there. The walk home however was not so pleasant as we had left our umbrellas at the apartment (ugh!) and it was raining...and then raining even harder! All the taxis that passed us were tiny so we were forced to walk. But we made it and laughed and even the little kids did a good job without too much complaining! We even stopped for ice cream cones! Everyone will sleep very well tonight!
Tomorrow will be our final packing day. We have tried to leave as much as possible in our suitcases but still have plenty to gather and squeeeeeeeze into our luggage. Friday morning will be a very early morning so we are hoping to not be up too late tomorrow night. Everyone is ready to go home. Ladi and Joana are excited but also understandably sad to be leaving Colombia and all that is familiar to them. I am excited and eager to be in our home but also wondering about the ins and outs of new life logistics as a family of seven. It has been an adventurous time here in Colombia and while we are sad to be leaving, we are ready to move on to establishing new family life.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Busy in Bogota
We are alive and well! Sorry it has been a while since we were able to post. We have been very busy since we left Cali.
We arrived here on Wednesday. Our flight was delayed because of fog in Bogota but only by about 35 minutes. Ladi and Joana did great on their first flight. We got to the apartment and it was such a big change. We had to unpack again (but are trying to keep everything possible in suitcases) and try to get situated. It took us a whole day to acclimate.
On Wednesday, we walked to the local "grocery store" and were completely overwhelmed and bought a bundle of oddly packaged necessities but ran out of time and had to get back. We were supposed to run two errands the first day but only did TB skin tests and a cash exchange (converting USD into Colombian Pesos).
Due to total chaos of trying to take all five children to appointments, Karl has been staying at the apartment with the three younger children while I go out with the two older girls. That arrangement has helped with stability during a tumultuous time of change for the younger children. "Appointments" are often spur of the moment - meaning grab coats and go! and also the rides are crazy and nothing is predictable and waiting is often long.
Thursday we went to apply for the girls' Colombian passports. Every day here in Bogota has been a whirlwind compared to the pace of life in Cali. Days go faster here since there are more things we have to do.
Friday involved going with girls to Bogota ICBF office and signing documents (not sure why) and picking up Colombian passports. Later in the afternoon (3 pm - 7:40) we had the TB skin tests read (negative!) and the appointment at the U.S. Embassy Doctor. It was a very long day. After the kids went to bed, Karl and I purchased L & J's airline tickets home - a costly endeavor but thankfully seats were available.
Today it rained so we were not able to go to the park but have played games and had a nice day. Today we got a taste of regular life when the maid bailed out an hour early and left us with all of the dirty dishes (no dishwasher!) and I washed them and cleaned the counters. We have also done a couple of loads of laundry today as well! We have had some "maid issues" and have asked if it would be possible to request a new maid for our remaining days here.
Monday is our big appointment at the U.S. Embassy to apply for IR-3 visas for the girls to come home. The whole family will have to come since both parents must be present. We think we'll get those on Tuesday. That means we will have Wednesday and Thursday to just hang out. (Trying to fly home early would be over $1000 extra.)
Our flight home will leave Bogota at 9 am so that will be a very early morning for us but will get us home (4:40 pm) at a decent time to try to acclimate, buy groceries, etc. We are looking forward to it and at the same time can hardly imagine what new life at home will even be like! Communication is going fairly well (very basic) and each day bonding increases. Everyone is wondering what home life will be like but over time we will work out all of the kinks I know.
There's more adventures to tell about but I have to heat up our dinner!
We arrived here on Wednesday. Our flight was delayed because of fog in Bogota but only by about 35 minutes. Ladi and Joana did great on their first flight. We got to the apartment and it was such a big change. We had to unpack again (but are trying to keep everything possible in suitcases) and try to get situated. It took us a whole day to acclimate.
On Wednesday, we walked to the local "grocery store" and were completely overwhelmed and bought a bundle of oddly packaged necessities but ran out of time and had to get back. We were supposed to run two errands the first day but only did TB skin tests and a cash exchange (converting USD into Colombian Pesos).
Due to total chaos of trying to take all five children to appointments, Karl has been staying at the apartment with the three younger children while I go out with the two older girls. That arrangement has helped with stability during a tumultuous time of change for the younger children. "Appointments" are often spur of the moment - meaning grab coats and go! and also the rides are crazy and nothing is predictable and waiting is often long.
Thursday we went to apply for the girls' Colombian passports. Every day here in Bogota has been a whirlwind compared to the pace of life in Cali. Days go faster here since there are more things we have to do.
Friday involved going with girls to Bogota ICBF office and signing documents (not sure why) and picking up Colombian passports. Later in the afternoon (3 pm - 7:40) we had the TB skin tests read (negative!) and the appointment at the U.S. Embassy Doctor. It was a very long day. After the kids went to bed, Karl and I purchased L & J's airline tickets home - a costly endeavor but thankfully seats were available.
Today it rained so we were not able to go to the park but have played games and had a nice day. Today we got a taste of regular life when the maid bailed out an hour early and left us with all of the dirty dishes (no dishwasher!) and I washed them and cleaned the counters. We have also done a couple of loads of laundry today as well! We have had some "maid issues" and have asked if it would be possible to request a new maid for our remaining days here.
Monday is our big appointment at the U.S. Embassy to apply for IR-3 visas for the girls to come home. The whole family will have to come since both parents must be present. We think we'll get those on Tuesday. That means we will have Wednesday and Thursday to just hang out. (Trying to fly home early would be over $1000 extra.)
Our flight home will leave Bogota at 9 am so that will be a very early morning for us but will get us home (4:40 pm) at a decent time to try to acclimate, buy groceries, etc. We are looking forward to it and at the same time can hardly imagine what new life at home will even be like! Communication is going fairly well (very basic) and each day bonding increases. Everyone is wondering what home life will be like but over time we will work out all of the kinks I know.
There's more adventures to tell about but I have to heat up our dinner!
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Leaving Cali - Moving On to Bogota
Yesterday, we found out around 8:00 pm that our lawyer was successful in completing the errand in the kids' birth town and got the new birth certificates. Most of our day yesterday was packing and working on our flights for Wednesday, etc.
Today Karl has not felt very well but he is doing okay.
We had an adventure getting new Colombian ID cards for the girls: it started with getting photos made at the shop across the street from the government office. Then we went to get the new ID's - which took a while and surprise! they are not laminated! but we need them to obtain Colombian passports tomorrow.
It's really a long story and it's been a very crazy day. We settled up with the attorney and interpreter today (paid them) and also our substantial hotel bill (and the odds & ends they charged us for!) Today also involved spending a ton of time researching which flight to take (we were told to arrive "early") and all the more desirable "early" time flights cost much more...so we are leaving our hotel at 5:45 am to fly out of Cali to Bogota at 7:30 am and will arrive in Bogota at 8:30 am.
Tomorrow when we arrive in Bogota, we will apply for the girls' Colombian passports and do something with tuberculosis testing as well. And we will check in to our apartment.
Today Karl has not felt very well but he is doing okay.
We had an adventure getting new Colombian ID cards for the girls: it started with getting photos made at the shop across the street from the government office. Then we went to get the new ID's - which took a while and surprise! they are not laminated! but we need them to obtain Colombian passports tomorrow.
It's really a long story and it's been a very crazy day. We settled up with the attorney and interpreter today (paid them) and also our substantial hotel bill (and the odds & ends they charged us for!) Today also involved spending a ton of time researching which flight to take (we were told to arrive "early") and all the more desirable "early" time flights cost much more...so we are leaving our hotel at 5:45 am to fly out of Cali to Bogota at 7:30 am and will arrive in Bogota at 8:30 am.
Tomorrow when we arrive in Bogota, we will apply for the girls' Colombian passports and do something with tuberculosis testing as well. And we will check in to our apartment.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Saturday and Sunday
The outing for Saturday was the sugar cane museum. We didn't have an opportunity to look it up before we left. It was nice but not what we were expecting. Our tour was all in Spanish (rapid speed) so we understood a minimal portion of the tour. It was a very pretty place and as usual the family was just happy to have something to do.
Today/Sunday, we had a good day together. We had an extended family Bible time this morning. We are now in the New Testament book of John/San Juan. At 11 am, the families piled in three vans to go up to the same place we went last weekend. The hotel owner is concerned since so many of us have had issues with mosquitoes so he is trying to minimize exposure and continually reminds us to wear pants to protect our legs - a suggestion that has helped us all a lot. Anyway, the trip up the mountain left Karl and me very queasy but thankfully we recovered not too long after we arrived. It was a bit on the boring side but again we were all thankful to have an activity!
We arranged to leave a little early and families piled in the van who wanted to come back to the hotel "early" and we made it back right on time. At 4:15, we had the opportunity to meet very special Colombian friends face-to-face that we have corresponded with over the past several years. It was a short meeting but it was very special to all of us! This photo is of our family walking them back to the gate of our hotel to say goodbye.
In addition to all of that, we had a lovely dinner time together, filled with smiles, laughs, humor, and exchange of conversation and miscellaneous Spanish/English vocabulary questions and answers. Overall, it was a good day for everyone. The younger kids were ecstatic about the new sisters for the first several days but as the novelty wore off, they have not been as happy or cooperative and have exhibited more multifaceted resistance. But today there was more harmony within the family - a really nice thing for Karl and me to reflect on after the kids went to bed.
Tomorrow we will wait to hear if our lawyer is successful in obtaining the girls' new birth certificates in one day (or not). Our plan is to start packing and do other administrative tasks like make a host of calls to set up appointments for the girls: vision, dental, medical doctor appointments. We also have to figure out money needs and other odds and ends as we will soon leave Cali to head to Bogota. We are ready for a change but we have been here so long that it seems like "home" so it is also hard to leave. I am sure that Bogota will be a refreshing change for all seven of us and and might mimic a home environment a little more than it does here. Hopefully the time in Bogota will prepare us all for the big, big, big, grande change that is coming pretty soon as our transformed family heads back to the beloved USA!
We'll report more tomorrow when we get an update from our lawyer! More photos tomorrow too - it is past bedtime over here!
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