Home at Last!!!

Saturday was a flurry of packing to come home!  We did make a little time to run by our favorite El Corral for some milkshakes and fries.  We also went to pick up a few small gifts for some of the people involved in speeding up our process.  It was the least we could do.  The kids were really getting excited about the reality of being in our house again.  Julieta ran around all day saying, "Mi casa manana." (My house tomorrow)  It was really cute :) 

Sunday was a crazy day as so many in Colombia were.  We left for the airport at 7:00 am.  The flight did not leave until 10:30 but we had about a 45 minute drive and we wanted to be there early.  Good thing we did.  First we had to stand in line to get all of our passports stamped as being tax exempt so we would not be required to pay the extra fees involved with international airfare.  Then we headed over to the Delta counter to check our bags.  When we got there they could not find Julieta's ticket.  I had purchased us all adoption fare tickets so we could change the return date if we needed to.  But they do not allow you to actually pay for the adopted child's fare ahead of time.  It has to be done at the airport.  Unfortunately that cannot happen in the line we were in.  So....I head over to a special ticketing window where they inform me they can not honor the fare I was quoted or give me the $200 voucher toward the ticket that I was promised.  I said, "I don't care. I will pay whatever.  Just give me the ticket."  She politely ignored me and spent the next HOUR on the phone with different departments to get me the original rate.  Finally, she finished up the ticket and we were on our way to finish checking the luggage. 

We said our goodbyes to Diego and proceeded to our gate. By then everyone was starving and needed a bathroom break.  I found some snacks in the gift shop while Brant started herding groups to the bathrooms.  We only had a few minutes until boarding began so we all sat down on the floor at the gate to eat our chips.  During our trip to Colombia, Jude has decided he no longer likes to eat from containers of any sort.  He pours his food out and eats off the table.  No table here.  So he just pours his chips on the carpet right there in the airport.  And I do not care.  He then steps in the pile of chips.  Still I do not care.  That is your only snack until the lovely stewardess brings something by.  Eat up! 

We get everyone on the plane and we are on our way!!!!  The kids were decent on the plane.  Jude and Reese only melted down a couple of times each which isn't terrible for a 5 hour flight.  When we arrive in Atlanta we make a mad dash toward immigration.  We stand in the line for US Citizens until a man working there notices Julieta's yellow packet of papers I am holding.  He moves us to another line that handles cases like ours.  Much shorter line.  We may make our flight after all!!!  The man we are assigned to mentions that we were supposed to stand in line where we were first to process all of us except Julieta and then move to his line.  But he will let us stay since we were directed to come there by an officer.  Yay!!!  That saved us a ton of time.  Next we have to claim our luggage and then recheck it.   I have no idea why they make us do this step but all international flights are like that.  Time waster.  The bigs scurry off to find us a couple of luggage carts.  We begin loading it all up and I notice we are missing our two carry on suitcases.  When we finished up at the immigration desk, Brant had asked Gavin to pull those two bags down to baggage claim so he could carry two Littles since they are such slow walkers.  Gavin didn't hear him.  So, Brant has to go back up the elevator to the immigration desk to find the suitcases.  Thankfully, they were right where we left them! 

While Brant was gone to find the lost bags, a dog began sniffing around the kids backpacks.   He was particularly interested in Reese's.  The customs officer asked me if we had any fruit in the bag.  "Fruit Loops," I replied.  Because any idiot knows you don't bring fruit across international borders.  Unless you forget that you packed two pears for the kids to eat at the airport in Bogota until you got distracted by more time delays and crushed chips on the airport floor!!!!!!  AHH!!!  He flags my customs slip with the word PEAR.  The officer later hears me groaning to the children about how we are certain to miss our flight now.  He comes back over and questions me on our flight time and then crosses out pear on our slip, takes the pears and throws them away.  Thank you!  Brant gets back with the missing luggage and we head out with the luggage to clear customs.  The man checking the slip does not care if "PEAR" has been crossed out.  He sends us through the agricultural inspection room.  I'm annoyed. Brant says, "I didn't even know we HAD pears."  I imagine he is mad but I do not dare look at his face :)  Thankfully, the man with the dog and the marker was in the inspection room when we arrived and flagged us on without anyone tearing through all our bags!

Next stop, security scan.  Getting all the backpacks of the children on the belt along with removing jackets and shoes and belts and everything from their pockets was interesting to say the least.  Only once did anyone have to say, "Um, whose children are these?"  I pointed to Brant of course like any good wife would do.  We all take our turns walking through the scanner and head back to the conveyor belt to reclaim our items.  On the 5 hour flight to Atlanta, the kids got thirsty so the flight attendants offered us water to fill up their Nalgene bottles.  Did not even think about needing to empty those back out before reentering security.  So, litmus tests must be performed on 3 water cups.  All the while Reese is in hysterics about putting his shoes back on.  "MY FEET ARE HOT!!! NO!!!!!"  During all the ruckus, a safety person with TSA comes over to us and wants to know if Reese has fallen and gotten hurt.  The last thing we need is someone wanting to hold us up to file an accident report!!!  "No, he is just very, very angry."  She looks uncertain about the possibility that the reaction she is witnessing could seriously just come from putting back on shoes.  But she lets us go.  We run to the tram to get to our next terminal.  I might be sweaty by now.  And we make it! Amazing Race - Toddler Edition is almost over. BTW, we would totally win that version of the show should they ever decide to do it. 

We were greeted in Huntsville by so many friends and family.  It was wonderful to see the tangible love and support we have felt from so far away.  I wish I had time to spend with each and every one of you who came by.  It was such a whirlwind, we just did our best.  Our families headed to the house with us to get some dinner and visit a bit.  When we arrived, Brant noticed some Christmas decorations in our yard and then he could see the lights of the tree inside.  I think he was more surprised and excited than the children were.  He just loves Christmas. Many of our friends got together and decorated our house for us.  I couldn't have asked for more.  My family and some friends also brought by groceries, snacks, and meals. 

Julieta was so excited and kept running from room to room asking if that was her bed.  She was completely thrilled with the toys and new things surrounding her.   The longer she wandered around and played, the more comfortable she became.  Our families left and we settled in for bathtime and bedtime.  She laid down nicely in her new bed and drifted quickly off to sleep.  Like she had slept there all of her life. 

The next few days were a flurry of activity.  Laundry, Christmas with family and at home, a few visitors with meals and gifts, mail sorting, etc.  Monday, Julieta had a hard time when she woke up from her nap and cried for a while.  But other than that, she has adjusted amazingly well!  She is eating better than she had been, although fruits and vegetables are still a struggle for her.  Her comfort level is increasing with our parents and her cousins.  The language barrier will continue to be a struggle for her for a while.  She understands some basic instructions, but some of these we still give in Spanish.  A lot of hand motions are used to convey our thoughts.  Unfortunately, she is speaking less and less Spanish.  She knows that we do not speak Spanish fluently and is starting to already lose her ability to.  She is in that weird place of understanding Spanish and a little English but not speaking either one.  I know that in 6 months time she will have made great strides.  She is very bright and has learned so much already. 

It has been so wonderful to introduce her to what we can only assume are many firsts.  First time in cold weather, in a car seat, at a movie theatre, on a four wheeler, getting a ton of presents from grandparents, etc.  I wish I could know the thoughts going through her mind.  I have been surprised at how well she has adapted so far.  I know there will be harder times to come.  Periods of adjustment for everyone.  But right now, life is so beautiful.  Reese is particularly loving to her.  He wants her to be served first for snack or dinner.  He tries to comfort her if she is upset.  He SHARES with her.  What?  I am so grateful she has found a soft place in his heart.  Jude is another story.  He does not discriminate when it comes to toy-stealing, food or drink stealing, biting or hitting.  This too shall pass.  So they say. 

All the Littles currently have colds so I would appreciate some prayers for them.  Especially for Julieta, as a cold can quickly turn to something much worse for her.  Next week, we are hoping to begin our initial rounds of doctor's visits and blood work with Julieta.  It should be busy! I will try and keep you all updated as best I can.  We are back to real life.  Work schedules, school, extra-curricular activities, church, family and friends will fill our time.  Blogging will become less frequent.  But I will still post.  Keep an eye out.  In the next few days I am hoping to put together a video of our adoption journey.  You will be the first to know! 

Love you all.  Keep on praying for us.  We cannot wait for you all to meet Ms. Julieta!!!

No one can run away

Our arrival complete with a Reese tantrum :)

First picture all together on American soil!!

Reality!

Car ride to the house

Our yard decorations lovingly placed by friends!!

Our friends even decorated the kid's rooms

And bought Julieta a stocking and had it monogrammed!!!!

A greeting from our dear elf, Peabody. 

She was a little happy about her "casa"

First night in her new bed

My dear friend and neighbor had the Bigs over to make cookies and a real gingerbread house with her children.

And a gingerbread train!

Dakota revealed the Barbie house :)

 

Christmas at Nannie's and Hap's

Story time with Nannie

 

Favorite toys from Christmas at Nana's and Papa's house

Princesa Sophia as she calls herself

Colombian soccer jerseys for Christmas

We'll Be Home for Christmas!!!!

Friday, 12/20

Today had a very early start with Brant, Julieta and I leaving the hotel around 7:30.  Dakota and Gavin stayed at the hotel with the boys since we expected to be gone for a few hours.  There is another family here, the Martins, from Louisiana who are adopting a brother and sister ages 7 and 4.  They are cute, outgoing children who our kids have had a blast playing with.  Brant helped out with their children yesterday while they made their final paperwork push and they returned the favor for us today.  Our first stop was the Immigration department (called Migracion here).  These are the people who determine the amount of fine we will pay for not registering our visa.  We sat waiting in the office from about 8:00 until 9:15.  After sitting for that long we told them we would be back after going to the passport office to try again for the Colombian passport for Julieta. 

We walked several blocks to the passport office.  Last night our attorney in Valledupar emailed our guide a copy of the corrected birth certificate.  The passport office said they would accept a copy to get the process started.  When we checked in, Diego asked the administrator of the front office if it would be possible to receive the passport the same day.  We previously were told "no" by many, many people.  He explained to her that we already have a flight scheduled for Sunday.  She wanted to see copies of the tickets.  Which I of course did not have with me.  I did have an emailed copy but I needed an internet connection to access it.  Listen to this....Yesterday I spent a lot of time in the passport office.  I tried multiple times (as did other families in Hotel Paris) to connect to the wi-fi without success.  But today I decided to just check and see if I could get to the email.  I immediately pulled it up (wi-fi worked great!!) and emailed it to Diego.  He stepped out of the passport office to go next door to a little place where he could print out the tickets I emailed him.  We presented him to the administrator and she said there should be no problem getting it the same day!!!  Miracle!  Just as a side note, later in the day when I came back to the passport office, Brant and I both tried for over an hour to connect to the wi-fi with no luck.  I received one free minute of God wi-fi today! 

We went upstairs in the passport office to begin the process.  It went smoothly.  The head of the passport office who we had spoken with yesterday came into the cubicle again.  Yesterday she said no way on same day processing.  Today she said of course.  You can pick it up after 3:00 pm!!! Miracle!!!  I paid the fee of 135,000 pesos for the passport and we walked the several blocks back to Migracion.  We waiting in the waiting room for over another hour before they processed our paperwork.  Then we went downstairs to pay the fines.  300,000 pesos each.  But hopefully that will keep immigration from stopping us at the airport and imposing any additional fines. 

On the walk from the passport office back to Migracion, Diego dialed the private number of the Consul of the U.S. Embassy for me.   His name is Jeff Allen.  I had spoken with him last night when we were having problems with the birth certificate but the conversation was brief.  Today I explained our situation.  That the passport office had agreed to get us the passport today!  I told him where we were in process with the other paperwork as well.  He said that he did not see any way it could be accomplished today.  There just wasn't time to get it all done.  I pleaded my case some more without completely resorting to begging or crying.  He said I will call Diego back in a little bit but it does not look good for Sunday.  I took the potential callback as hope!!

After the Migracion office, Diego took us back to the hotel where we were able to spend 1 1/2 hours eating some lunch, doing laundry, putting out a plea for prayers for softened hearts and getting the Littles settled in for naps before we hit the road again. We still had not received a call from Jeff Allen, but we had prayers, our amazing agency rep, Beth, Diego and Raul all advocating for us!  We did hear by email from him requesting that we email him the scanned copy of the revised birth certificate.  I took this as a good sign!  We arrived at the passport office at about 2:45.  We were told the passport would be ready at 3:00.  Wrong.  At 3:45, Diego called Jeff and explained we were still waiting.  Jeff said he wanted us to call when we received the passport and then he would make a final determination about processing it today.  I prayed.  I read the Bible on my phone.  I prayed some more.  3:50 we received the passport.  Next step, picking up the medical examination results!!

Diego ran next door to scan and email a copy of the passport to Jeff Allen while I headed to the car with Gina (Diego's wife), Brant and Julieta.  Diego called Jeff when we got to the car to tell him we were on the way to get the medicals.  Jeff wanted the phone number to the doctor's office to confirm they were ready to present us with the documents.  Traffic was bad.  It had been raining all day.  Not good for Bogota.  When we got about 4 of 5 blocks from the doctor's office, Diego decided we could move on foot faster than the cars were moving.  When Diego asked me how long it had been since I had a good run, I realized I should have written Brant's name down as the person to pick up the medicals.  We VERY quickly exited the vehicle in the middle of the road in heavy Bogota traffic and darted between the other cars to the sidewalk.  We then sprinted.  The whole way.  Then ran up the stairs instead of waiting on the elevator.   Side note: Diego is a retired professional soccer player who now heads up a very successful youth club in Bogota.  He is in better shape than I am and he was winded.  I was thankful we were entering a medical facility just in case I needed care!!!  The receptionist at the doctor's office was supposed to already have the documents ready.  Of course she did not.  We spent about 10 minutes waiting on that.  We ran back down the stairs while Diego was on the phone with Gina trying to figure out where they parked the car!  We about died crossing through traffic and jumped in the car so we could take off! 

Diego calls Jeff who wants us to send him a copy of the Article 23 we received from ICBF.  There is no time to find a place to scan documents so we just take a picture of the document and send it.  And at this point (around 4:45 pm) we hear Jeff Allen speak the words, "You can come to the embassy!!!" Miracle!!  We arrive at the embassy at 5:40.  I later found out they had officially closed for business today at 12:00.  He waited for us for almost 6 HOURS!!!!  We had to enter through the secured rear entrance and were not allowed to actually enter the facility.  Instead we stayed in a security building while we showed Jeff our documents.  I was frazzled and could not even comprehend what documents he was asking for when he requested them.  Finally he took my mangled, disheveled, mess of papers and kindly informed me he would just take the whole pile and sort them out in his office.  I think he could tell I just could not process one more piece of paper.  We waited while he entered the main building.  About 15 minutes later we saw him exit the building with a large box which he took over to a mini van with a woman inside.  It was at that moment that I realized his wife had been waiting in the parking lot for him while he waited for us!  He walked the visa out to us and explained all the steps that we needed to take at the airport to leave.  He was simply amazing.  After he walked us out, we headed to the car.  He and his wife passed by and  I couldn't help shouting out a big "Merry Christmas" as they drove by :)

We started the long drive to the hotel.  Gina spoke up in the car and said it is always amazing when you are able to be that close to miracles.  It was a day of many miracles!!  Our day on the road and in offices totaled over 10 hours.  Julieta was such a trooper.  She napped when she could, ate when she could and was content to just be there.  Dakota, Gavin and the Martins were our heroes back at the hotel with the boys!!!  They had already been fed dinner when we arrived so they were content to play while we ate ours.  The babies went to bed and Brant and I went out for about an hour to get some postres y café (dessert and coffee) at our favorite place El Corral Gourmet. 

The day has been exhausting and exciting all at the same time.  A true day of miracles.  I mentioned earlier in this post about reading the Bible while I was waiting in the passport office. The following is the scripture I read:

I love you, Lord, my strength.  The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.  I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies.  The cords of death entangled me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.  The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me.  In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help.  From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears. The earth trembled and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains shook.        Psalm 18:1-7

Exactly what I needed to read.  To know that God was hearing my cry and your cries and that the very foundations of the mountains in Bogota were shaking!!!  I prayed that it all be for His Glory!!!  Glory be to God!!!

Our feet will be on the ground in Huntsville on Sunday evening!  Thank you again!!!

Outside the U.S. Embassy!!  See the mess of papers in my hands.  We were immediately scolded after
this by the guards for taking pictures in from of the Embassy.  Who knew??

Diego, myself and the Famous Jeff Allen!!!!

3rd nap of the day

I am always amazed at how large this wall of bottles is when we go to El Corral.  It is beautiful!

No es bueno

Thursday, 12/19

I really hate for this to be a negative post.  Really.  But sadly, there is not a lot of positive news to relay.  Julieta and I left around 7:30 am this morning to apply for her Colombian passport.  Our driver arrived to take us and another family to the office.  Before we left the hotel, we waited for a taxi to arrive carrying our precious adoption decree and birth certificate.  Diego's sweet wife had gone to the airport to pick the documents up this morning but could not bring them to the hotel due to restrictions on the time of the day certain license plate numbers can drive.  So she sent the documents in the taxi to the hotel!  I was so glad they arrived in time to make our appointment. 

The passport office is really large and the applicants flow quickly through the process.  They also have maids dressed in actual maid dresses, I guess you would say, who bring glasses of water and coffee to the people in the cubicles processing the passports.  Unimportant to our situation, but interesting nonetheless.  We began the processing of the passport for Julieta.  The woman entered all her information as well as mine and Brant's into the computer.  I checked over everything.  She took Julieta's picture for the passport.  We were in the final steps when the head of the processing center stepped into the cubicle.  The agent processing the paperwork asked her boss what seemed to be an offhand question about something in our documents.  Before I knew it I was being told that the new birth certificate that Valledupar had just sent us was wrong.  No. 

In Colombia, most people have two surnames.  Your first surname is your father's first surname and your second surname is your mother's first surname.  So, Julieta's newly issued birth certificate has her first name, middle name and Maynard Duckworth.  The problem is that on the line for her mother's name, it lists me as Elesha Michelle Maynard. No Duckworth typed in there.  The adoption decree has all the information just as we need it.  Just not the birth certificate.  Diego practically begged and pleaded for the office to just process us out but they adamantly refused.  They said the notary who notarized the birth certificate needed to hand write in at the bottom of the certificate that my maiden name is Duckworth and then email the new copy.  They close for the day at 3:00 so we were hoping to get it done before the cutoff for the day. 

I went back to the hotel so Julieta could get a nap while Diego contacted our lawyer in Valledupar and she called the notary.  The notary refused to make the addition to the bottom of the document.  Refused!!!  Our only hope was to go to another processing center in town.  So around 1:00 pm I head out yet again with Diego's wife in a taxi to a much further away passport office.  Diego met me there so he could once again interpret.  We got back to another cubicle and they started typing in Julieta's id number and my passport number and the screen began populating with our information.  The first processing center still had all of our information in the system and had put a lock on the file.  We spent about an hour and a half there pleading our case.  They said there is nothing they can do. 

We then start out for ICBF to see if they can advocate for us.  We spend another couple of hours there camped out while Diego and many other ICBF officers called officials and consulates and the embassy all trying to get this resolved.  I spoke with the embassy on the phone and they promised something would be done about it, but it was too late for anything to happen today.  We were able to go ahead an obtain our Article 23 from ICBF which we must have for the Visa.  I was glad to have that off our plates.

Here is where we stand.  We still do not have the modified birth certificate.  We only need an electronic copy.  They say that we will have it by the morning.  I will believe it when I see it.  First thing at 7:00 am, Brant and Julieta and I will go to the Immigration office to sign some forms and pay at least a $300 fine for not registering our visa within 15 days of our arrival in country.  Which we were not told we needed to do.  Then we will go to the passport office to try again for the passport.  Only of course if we have received the new birth certificate.  Another problem is we have to present the passport to the doctor who performed the medical exam before he will sign it.  Tomorrow he leaves for vacation so how does he sign????  We must present the medical exam and Julieta's passport to get her Visa.  The soonest this can happen is Monday.  If we can indeed apply for her passport tomorrow, we cannot pick it up until Monday morning.  So it looks like Sunday is out for us.  I have begun checking into some other potential flights but we will not make any real decisions until we see how tomorrow goes. It has to be better than today!

I must give a shout out to Brant who stayed at the hotel all day with the kids minus Julieta. Plus he had two other children from 7:30 am until 12:30 pm while their family ran around jumping through paperwork hoops!!! 

After the babies went to bed tonight, Brant and I walked to the grocery store to pick up some fruit and snacks for the room.  We realized as we left the hotel that this was the very first time in 7 weeks that we had been completely alone.  We should have walked slower! 

Please continue to pray.  Things have not gone exactly like I wanted them to but we still have some small sliver of hope for Christmas!   Also pray for our health.  Several of the children are suffering from upset stomachs and myself and two of the kids have a bad cold and cough.  Sickness is not what we need right now.  Can't wait to see you all!!!

The passport office

Julieta and her temporary friend in the hallway of ICBF

Jude is ready to go home too

One of the hotel pets

 

Introducing Julieta Maynard!!!!

Wednesday, 12/18

This morning the minor defender in Valledupar placed the final signature on our adoption decree!  Little One is now legally our daughter!  So thankful that we are one step closer toward coming home.  After that signature many copies were made, papers notarized and stamped.  That took most of the day.  The packet of papers will be flying out of Barranquilla in the morning and arriving at the airport in Bogota sometime before 7:00 am.  After the papers are picked up, Diego and I will head to get Julieta's Colombian passport.  The new birth certificate coming on the plane is what we were waiting for to process the passport.  Hopes and prayers are that everything on the adoption decree and birth certificate are completely accurate! 

In the afternoon, we and another family went to the Colombia Immigration offices to try and get more information on the cedula (Colombian id card) that we are being told we must have to leave Colombia.  First of all, they wouldn't let our translator in with us.  Ugh.  Second, the man that worked in the office who spoke English made no sense.  Not his language skills necessarily, but he just talked in circles.  Here is the basic information I received from him:  Because the Colombian consulate issued us a one-year business visa instead of a 90 day visa, we were required to come to the immigration office within 15 days of our entry into Colombia to register the visa.  (WAY past 15 days)  The penalty for not registering the visa starts at 300,000 pesos.  This is about $155 for each of us.  They will determine if the amount of the penalty will be more than that based on how many days late we are registering the visa.  We explained that the Colombian consulate in Orlando never notified us of the registration process now required.  The man told me to fill out the form to register the visa, take it to the 5th floor where another person would administer the penalty and then we would pay the fine at the airport when we are leaving the country.  Then something about 10 days.  I still don't know what 10 days he was talking about.  We headed to the 5th floor and began to plead our case for our translator to be allowed entry.  Success!!  Diego came and tried to explain our situation.  The man seemed compassionate to our situation.  He made Brant and I an appointment to meet with someone else from that office on Friday morning at 9:00 am.  This was a huge favor because they are currently booking those type of appointments well into January.  Thank you God for that!! 

So....the plan is to apply for Julieta's Colombia passport in the morning.  Our guide is going to try and call in a special favor to get it processed the same day.  This happens very rarely.  We need it by tomorrow afternoon so we can take it to the doctor who performed the medical exam.  They have to see that we are acquired her passport before they will sign off on the medicals.  We would then be able to go to our Immigration meeting on Friday morning, then to pick up the signed medicals, get our Article 23 from ICBF and Julieta's visa in the afternoon (also another called in favor).  This is a REALLY tight schedule. 

Any one thing that goes wrong puts the schedule completely off.  But I know that so many people are praying for us.  It is just amazing what God is accomplishing because of all your prayers.  And the word about our adoption continues to spread and the prayers just keep increasing.  I have had several people who I do not even know personally send me words of encouragement in the past two days.  The impact has been great.  I have also received sweet words and scriptures from my friends and family.  Brant's Aunt Becky, who I claim as my own, reminded me to take the time to stop and just worship in the midst of all this, which is something I have found difficult to accomplish the past couple of weeks.  If you ever need a wise word and sound advice, I hope you have an Aunt Becky in your life!! 

Pray, pray, pray!!!!

The decorations the staff put at our table today for Reese's birthday

The birthday boy's chair

Spaghetti dinner followed by birthday ice cream

Dakota and her friend Mariana

The birthday sign from the staff

Our family and the Martin's at the Colombian Immigration office

Dakota with her friends Mariana and Valentina at their house helping with the food preparation.

So without further ado.......Miss Julieta Maynard

Still no news.......

UTuesday, 12/17

Today was more of the same. Breakfast, playground, search out lunch, naps for the babies, homeschool, ice cream shop with an indoor playground and ball pit, dinner, baths and bed.  We didn't want to stray too far from the hotel just in case we were able to get to some appointments today.  No worries there though.  We waited to hear the magic words, "Everything is on its way!!!"  But no call.  We bugged our lawyer and the agency a couple of times but their calls to the Valledupar lawyer have not been answered.  Tomorrow is it.  We have to get the adoption decree and birth certificate by tomorrow.  And it has to be accurate and complete.  Otherwise, we wait until the courts reopen after January 13th for it to be processed or corrected.  Even if we get all the paperwork tomorrow, we most likely will not make our flight on Sunday.  It would be unheard of to get Little One's Colombian passport, Article 23 and US visa in 2 days.   But not only that, we also received another tidbit of awesome news.  Awesome is dripping in sarcasm in case you are wondering.  When we applied for our visas to come to Colombia, we applied as an adoptive family.  This should grant us a visa that is good for 90 days.  For some reason, the Colombia consulate processed us under a business visa that is good for 1 year.  Their fault, not ours.  Well to rectify that mistake, we have to apply for a cedula.  This is Colombia's national id card.  No idea why we have to now have this or how long it will take.  What I do know is Brant and I have to go to a lab to have our blood drawn to determine our blood type and then pay $80-$90 USD a piece for this id card.  I did not need this news today.  Why their mistake makes me have to lengthen my process even more and spend more money is beyond me.  Just so bizarre. 

We are both tired and frustrated.  We appreciate so much your prayers and encouragement.  I know our families, friends at home, agency and friends in Colombia have and are continuing to pray.  Please do not stop.  I know the Lord has a plan.  But right now it seems so hard to see.  Thankful for each and every one of you.  We love you all.

For the sweet love, just sign it

Monday, 12/16

I'll be splitting the post into two parts.  The day to day stuff here in Bogota is first.  Brant's trip in  Valledupar will follow.

Day 2 alone with these shorter versions of us and I am still alive if but barely!  We got through breakfast and a laundry session without too many incidents.  Just a few thrown forks and tantrums.  But that is in the realm of normal for us.  The day was mostly spent in the hotel other than a quick venture out with Jude to the grocery store.  Dakota and Gavin stayed behind to supervise the other napping Littles.  This afternoon, Little One had another doctor's appointment to have her TB test read and for the medical examination the U.S. Embassy requires.  Diego, our driver, picked myself, Little One and Reese up to travel to the doctor's office.  Dakota and Gavin were once again on babysitting duty.  This time with Jude.  On the way to the exam, the driver notified me I would need 150,000 pesos for the visit.  Plus money for whatever vaccinations she would need.  I had 210,000 pesos with me.  I just hoped it was enough!  We got to the doctor's office, parked, walked to the building, went through security, up the elevators, through multiple waiting rooms and finally arrived to check in.  The receptionist wanted me to present her with color photos of Little One before she would sign us in.  What color photos?  Unprepared....again.  No one told me about the photos.  So Diego and I hauled Reese and Little One back out of the building and walked a few blocks to a passport photo place where after they draped Little One's shoulders with a black scarf-like stole they quickly processed her photos. 

2nd trip to the doctor's office began with getting the TB test read (negative) and Reese telling me he didn't want to be there at least 35 times.  I was already aware.  Finally, we were admitted to the doctor's office.  It was a combination of the doctor's actual office (desk, files, etc.), an exam room and a playroom with tons of toys.  Nice.  Reese was placated for at least a little bit by the toys and a sucker.  Little One was easy to deal with for the exam.  According to the scale at the office, she has gained 2 much needed pounds in the 4 weeks she has been with us.  So good to see!  He said she looked great but needed to get the chicken pox vaccination that is required by the U.S. Embassy before she enters the country.  We went and stood in another line for the vaccine.  Reese again expressed his displeasure.  I fed him Dum-Dums.  I also might have told him shots were in order for him if he didn't straighten up.  Maybe.  Little One took her shot with a little crying but it was short lived. 

Loaded back up for the hotel.  When I arrived Jude began blessing me with dirty diapers that trailed down his legs and puddled at the top of his socks.  TMI?  He was quarantined while the others played outside waiting for dinner.  Jude never made it to the dinner table (Pizza Night!!!).  He retired early :) 

Dakota and Gavin attended a Novena service at a local church with another family from Hotel Paris and our driver Diego and his family.  They arrived home a short time ago and said they had a great time.  There was Christmas music and snacks and things like that.  Too lazy to explain Novena tonight.  So here is a wiki link for you!  What is Novena? 

Dakota was invited to go home with Diego's daughters for a spend the night party tonight.  She is excited to have some girl time and they are excited about working on their English!

Brant's day:

Brant said he didn't sleep so well last night.  He was up from 2-4 am.  Probably just anxious about the day ahead.  This was definite foreshadowing!  He was told by both lawyers that he should be able to go up to the court at 9:30 am.  The judge was supposed to sign the adoption decree around then.  9:30 am came and went.  Nothing.  While he was waiting, he was able to get in touch with Little One's foster parents by phone.  I have been regularly communicating with them via Facebook since our Encuentro.  They came by the hotel today and spent about an hour and a half talking with the help of our interpreter, Grace.  Little One came to us with only the clothes on her back, but her foster parents brought by a set of pajamas that were her favorites and a soccer jersey and pair of shorts.  It was so sweet of them to want her to have a few things of hers. 

The hours passed with no contact from the lawyer in Valledupar.  Brant was moving from nervous to impatient to angry.  Finally a message was sent that the papers can be signed at 4:00 pm.  But by 4:00 still nothing.  Brant decided if it isn't signed today he will just change his flight and camp out at the courts tomorrow until it gets done!  An hour later he got a call that the driver was on her way to pick him up.  He arrived at the judge's office at 20 minutes till 6:00 to sign the adoption decree.  It was a short and sweet process.  They were turning the lights out in the office as he was leaving.  Nothing like waiting until the last minute.  He immediately left and headed to the airport to catch his flight back to Bogota.  We were very excited to have him home but unfortunately the signature was only a piece of what needed to happen today.  So while it allowed him to catch his flight "home", we still have a ways to go. 

Here is the rundown:
The judge has signed the adoption decree.  Brant has signed the adoption decree.  We are still waiting on the minor defender to sign the decree.  Then the new birth certificate can be issued.  Once all that is compiled, multiple copies and notarizing and stamping of things must take place.  The problem:  Courts are all closed tomorrow for another holiday.  That leaves only one day, Wednesday, that they will be open before closing for Christmas until January 13th.  The hope: Our lawyer, Raul, is strongly advocating for us.  He is as frustrated as we are and is calling in favors.  Or maybe threats.  I don't care which.  There is a lady who processes paperwork who says she will come in tomorrow and get the stamping all done as well as try to get the minor defender to come in and sign.  If that happens, they are supposed to stick all the completed paperwork on an afternoon plane from Valledupar to Bogota so we can pick it up at the airport. 

We cannot process Little One's Colombian passport, Visa or Article 23 until we have those documents in hand.  Best case is we get them tomorrow afternoon and can start those appointments late in the day.  Other possibilities run the gamut.  If we cannot start any of those appointments until Wednesday it will be possible, but only barely, to get it all done in time to make our flight home on Sunday.  At least the US Embassy is only closed for Christmas Day.  So should we be unable to finish up the papers this week, we should still be able to next week.  That is of course as long as the adoption decree and birth certificate get signed by tomorrow or Wednesday.  If for some reason that does not happen, this is our worse case scenario.  That would mean waiting until after January 13th when the courts reopen to try and get all the signatures, stamps and such.  Please, no. 

Plenty for all of you to pray about.  We are so thankful Brant was able to finally sign and get back to us.  But the wind is a little out of our sails because of all the hurdles we are still facing.  Please pray for us to have endurance!  And specifically pray that they paperwork all gets completed correctly tomorrow and gets in our hands by the afternoon!  Thank you all!

I can't keep this out of my head today. 

Brant found our favorite arequipe donut vendor!!!

The plaza in Valledupar all decorated for Christmas

Our interpreter Grace and Little One's foster parents!

Signing Sentencia!