Today they haven't left the hotel room. It sounds like they did a fair amount of sleeping to make up for their crazy night! The country coordinator said she would be by around 8 or 9 in the morning, and that they would transfer to a new hotel room. She didn't show up until 2 in the afternoon, right on schedule for African time! They ended up having to stay in their room again because the hotel staff said checkout was 11, but no one showed up to move them. Oh well, at least they have a room for the night!
The kids sound like they are doing well. They are trying to steal food from each other and take each other's toys! Our little girl is a snuggle bug and she wants someone to hold on to her all the time. Our little boy uses his bottom lip as a pacifier of sorts and is always sucking on it. Chris and Mary pull it out and have tried to give him a pacifier, but nope, that little lip just goes right back in again!
It definitely sounds like he has scabies, and so they have given him the cream to help treat it. We'll have to see how it goes and if anyone else gets it! Our daughter has a small umbilical hernia that will need to be checked out when they arrive, but other than that, they are very healthy and moving around and loving the toys they brought.
Their hot pot broke already- so there goes the idea on eating the food they brought! I guess it boiled the water in under a minute, and apparently shorted out. They fed the kidlets some pudding and that was a big hit. Chris has taken lots of video, and sent more pictures. I look at them a bunch of times a day and can't wait for them to be home causing mayhem with their other brother and sister. I think that Ava and Owen are going to eat them up!
Monday, July 11, 2011
Sunday, July 10, 2011
They made it!
Chris and his mom made it! They had no problems at all with customs, but got to the airport an hour late because their plane made an unannounced stop in Angola. That wasn't in the travel itenerary so they almost got off the plane in the wrong country!
All of their bags made it through, but they ended up switching from one car to another on the way to the hotel, and while they were waiting for their stuff to be transferred, a couple of police or military men came with their big M16s and hauled some guy off on a motorcycle right next to Chris and Mary. welcome to Africa!
By the time they got to the hotel, which wasn't the one we booked, because the country coordinator felt that it was too far away from DGM and everything else, it was about 12:00am. They got their room, and then the coordinator said "I'll go get your children!"
They woke up the kids at 12 at night and brought them to Chris! They both just kind of looked at daddy and grandma and didn't say a whole lot. Our little boy kind of made a whimpering, I'm nervous sort of sound, but then was fine. Apparently our little girl really likes to eat, and is starting to talk a little bit, she says the orphanage director's name a lot. And our son is a little chunk according to Chris. He was told that they are both walking, but they were just being held by Chris and Mary so they didn't see that. And it sounds like our son may have scabies or some type of skin issue, Chris was given some type of dermatology cream to put on it.
I can't believe that they are together! It's killing me to be here right now! Tomorrow they will take Chris' passport and on Tuesday he has the DGM appointment. Hoping for a quick exit letter, but he was told to plan on at least 10 days.
I won't post any pictures until the kids are out of the country, but just know that they are so beautiful! I can't wait to share them with you!
All of their bags made it through, but they ended up switching from one car to another on the way to the hotel, and while they were waiting for their stuff to be transferred, a couple of police or military men came with their big M16s and hauled some guy off on a motorcycle right next to Chris and Mary. welcome to Africa!
By the time they got to the hotel, which wasn't the one we booked, because the country coordinator felt that it was too far away from DGM and everything else, it was about 12:00am. They got their room, and then the coordinator said "I'll go get your children!"
They woke up the kids at 12 at night and brought them to Chris! They both just kind of looked at daddy and grandma and didn't say a whole lot. Our little boy kind of made a whimpering, I'm nervous sort of sound, but then was fine. Apparently our little girl really likes to eat, and is starting to talk a little bit, she says the orphanage director's name a lot. And our son is a little chunk according to Chris. He was told that they are both walking, but they were just being held by Chris and Mary so they didn't see that. And it sounds like our son may have scabies or some type of skin issue, Chris was given some type of dermatology cream to put on it.
I can't believe that they are together! It's killing me to be here right now! Tomorrow they will take Chris' passport and on Tuesday he has the DGM appointment. Hoping for a quick exit letter, but he was told to plan on at least 10 days.
I won't post any pictures until the kids are out of the country, but just know that they are so beautiful! I can't wait to share them with you!
Saturday, July 9, 2011
And he's gone!
Chris left today! It seems so surreal.
Yesterday we called our credit card to let them know that there was a chance we would be using it in a couple different countries- one in Europe and one in Africa. They respnded that the Europe country was fine, but that he couldn't use it in our African country because of terrorism. What?
Plus on Monday I am supposed to call the US State Department, by their request, to let them know if my mother in law made it into the country.
It certainly lets you know that this is not the typical country Americans visit.
Now I just need to figure out what to fill the next two weeks of my life with....
Yesterday we called our credit card to let them know that there was a chance we would be using it in a couple different countries- one in Europe and one in Africa. They respnded that the Europe country was fine, but that he couldn't use it in our African country because of terrorism. What?
Plus on Monday I am supposed to call the US State Department, by their request, to let them know if my mother in law made it into the country.
It certainly lets you know that this is not the typical country Americans visit.
Now I just need to figure out what to fill the next two weeks of my life with....
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Chris' visa came!
It came, we are allowed to get Chris and his mom into the country. Holy smokes.
Tomorrow is the last day I have to get everything packed up and ready!
Yippy!
Tomorrow is the last day I have to get everything packed up and ready!
Yippy!
Sort of a packing list
This week has been crazy- no word on Chris' visa to get into country yet, but we are calling the embassy to see what his status might be, and gently remind them that we paid to have his visa expedited in one business day. We'll see what happens!
In the mean time, we have acquired a ton of stuff that we think we will need while we are there. It goes something like this:
Five cans of soy formula
288 diapers
Clothes in various sizes
3 different size shoes for each child
sippy cups
bottles
kid bowls and utensils
wipes
various baby medicines, ibuprofen, tylenol, scabies medicine, etc.
different types of toys- this has been tough for us, everything either seems to babyish for them, or too adult
plastic bibs
different types of food stuff
hot pot
plus not to mention all of the different things that the adults need- no idea how this is all going to fit into 4 suitcases!
We also just got updated pictures of the kids- I cannot get over how adorable they are!
Plus, my parents are taking our kids for the next week, so this morning we took the last family picture where it is just the four of us, the next time Ava and Owen see their dad, it will be with their new brother and sister- that seems crazy!
In the mean time, we have acquired a ton of stuff that we think we will need while we are there. It goes something like this:
Five cans of soy formula
288 diapers
Clothes in various sizes
3 different size shoes for each child
sippy cups
bottles
kid bowls and utensils
wipes
various baby medicines, ibuprofen, tylenol, scabies medicine, etc.
different types of toys- this has been tough for us, everything either seems to babyish for them, or too adult
plastic bibs
different types of food stuff
hot pot
plus not to mention all of the different things that the adults need- no idea how this is all going to fit into 4 suitcases!
We also just got updated pictures of the kids- I cannot get over how adorable they are!
Plus, my parents are taking our kids for the next week, so this morning we took the last family picture where it is just the four of us, the next time Ava and Owen see their dad, it will be with their new brother and sister- that seems crazy!
Monday, July 4, 2011
So we have spent several of the last few days mindlessly wandering the aisles at Target and Walmart and looking at all of the baby stuff trying to decide what two one year old children need. You would think I would know this stuff. It's not like these are our first kids. But for the life of me, I have early childhood amnesia.
It appears that Chris and I have become dumber since the last time we had a small child. This is probably not a good sign since we now will have two small children.
We spent a decent amount of time looking at the endless wall of sippy cups and trying to figure out what would be best. Baby food, formula, rice cereal, and those puffy snacks that taste like cardboard but kids seem to love. We've also talked to several families who have traveled and are home and basically pumped as much info. as we could out of them on what to expect.
Since we don't have any information as to how tall or how much our kids weigh, we have decided to go the safe route and get size 3 diapers. They cover a good range, and hopefully our kids fall into that range. We are bringing several different sizes of clothing and shoes, and are trying to figure out how it will all fit into 4 suitcases. Chris wants to pretty much bring the kitchen sink. Okay, not really. But he does want to bring one of those things that plugs into the wall and boils water and cooks things like oatmeal and rice, and ramen. And then of course, he wants to bring all of those types of food stuff with.
It sounds like we may end up at a hotel that is not near the embassy or supermarket area. So we will have to taxi anywhere we need to go, and getting groceries and items we may need becomes a lot trickier. (Especially since we don't speak French, and most of the people there don't speak English.) So, we are going to try and bring most of the things that we think we will need. If anyone has some great ideas on what we should bring, please, pretty please, let us know.
Still hoping to get out of the USA by Sunday. But we will have to see what happens with our visas to get into country. Oh.my.word. It's finally happening. After 21 months in the adoption process (not all in this program) we are finally bringing our children home.
It appears that Chris and I have become dumber since the last time we had a small child. This is probably not a good sign since we now will have two small children.
We spent a decent amount of time looking at the endless wall of sippy cups and trying to figure out what would be best. Baby food, formula, rice cereal, and those puffy snacks that taste like cardboard but kids seem to love. We've also talked to several families who have traveled and are home and basically pumped as much info. as we could out of them on what to expect.
Since we don't have any information as to how tall or how much our kids weigh, we have decided to go the safe route and get size 3 diapers. They cover a good range, and hopefully our kids fall into that range. We are bringing several different sizes of clothing and shoes, and are trying to figure out how it will all fit into 4 suitcases. Chris wants to pretty much bring the kitchen sink. Okay, not really. But he does want to bring one of those things that plugs into the wall and boils water and cooks things like oatmeal and rice, and ramen. And then of course, he wants to bring all of those types of food stuff with.
It sounds like we may end up at a hotel that is not near the embassy or supermarket area. So we will have to taxi anywhere we need to go, and getting groceries and items we may need becomes a lot trickier. (Especially since we don't speak French, and most of the people there don't speak English.) So, we are going to try and bring most of the things that we think we will need. If anyone has some great ideas on what we should bring, please, pretty please, let us know.
Still hoping to get out of the USA by Sunday. But we will have to see what happens with our visas to get into country. Oh.my.word. It's finally happening. After 21 months in the adoption process (not all in this program) we are finally bringing our children home.
Friday, July 1, 2011
VISAS!!!!!
Woke up this morning to an email that said Congrats, your visas were issued today! I immediately started crying and freaking out.
Now the frantic rush to get Chris out of the country as fast as possible and on to bring our babies home!
We are hoping to be able to get everything done and have him leave by the 9th, but aren't sure if we can swing things that fast.
Yeah!!!
Now the frantic rush to get Chris out of the country as fast as possible and on to bring our babies home!
We are hoping to be able to get everything done and have him leave by the 9th, but aren't sure if we can swing things that fast.
Yeah!!!
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