Here the kids are staring out the window from our Radisson hotel room wondering where I had gone. After accomplishing passports, doctor’s check, and sending Uncle Brian back home to Utah, we managed to get ourselves to the Embassy to obtain the children’s travel visas. Here’s a little secret about the embassy visit–they really try and push you through if you have three or four little ducklings following you. We were in and out in just under two hours. It went quickly, and the children did so awesome. Jena and I were really proud of them. We have no embassy pictures because you have to check all camera equipment at the gate. Here’s the run-down for those who are in route: you should separate all your documents for each child and put them into separate envelopes. Whichever window takes those documents from you is the one that will tell you if there is any sort of hiccup with the paperwork–if you pass that window, you can make your travel plans. After you hand off the documents, you wait to pay for the visas–YES, the embassy does take credit/debit cards (I know there is some old information out there, and it doesn’t expressly say on the application–but it is true), and when you are paying for four of them, it is nice not to have to carry that much cash around. After you pay for the visas, you wait for the final window to call you up and give you a return appointment slip for the next day. That slip allows you to pick up your visas after 3:00 p.m. the following day. That’s the embassy in a nutshell. One annoying thing–for those of us who struggle with Spanish is that it is impossible to hear your name being called. Yes, everything is in Spanish…and yes, it is the US Embassy. :) If it wasn’t for a nice lady who noticed we were the ones they were calling, we would have had to wait a really long time. Thank you, nice lady!

It rained, and rained, and rained, and rained our last day in Bogota–like drenching flooding rain. IT WAS AWESOME!!! A big thanks to Jena for watching the kids for me as I went to the embassy to pick up the visas–children aren’t allowed back in on the following day. We thought that we would take the kids swimming and then to McDonalds to kill the last few hours of time. It was a blast. The kids loved the pool. I even took three of them again the following morning before going to the airport. Although they sank like bricks–they loved trying.

We picked up our children on Tuesday, 5 August 2008. We got “the phone call” on the night of Wednesday, 27 August 2008. We boarded the plane on Thursday, 4 September 2008. That means it took us five working days to accomplish all the post-sentencia “stuff.” That’s not bad considering the hiccups we had along the way. WOW!!! Including the few extra days that were there pre-children, I spent five weeks in-country. I can’t believe that it actually happened. Okay, don’t let me digress.

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We headed to the airport and the children all got really really silent. Jena and I kept looking at each other trying to figure out what each child was thinking about. It is times like that that I wish desperately to be able to communicate with them beyond the basics. I know it will come, but those poignant moments are important to me. Anyway, the kids traveled like champs, seriously. They were perfect from the moment we left Bogota until the moment they crawled into their hotel beds in L.A. at two in the morning. I was so proud of them. Danny couldn’t stop staring out the window of the plane. As we took off for the first time, all four children shouted, “muy muy rapido!” It was in unison and completely unscripted, which made it absolutely hilarious. All of the passengers around us were cracking up. Danny’s little legs kept kicking faster and faster in the seat to try and keep up.

I will never ever forget that first take-off. We changed them into their pajamas in Costa Rica and they slept for about five of the six hours we were on board. In fact, we didn’t even have to share our DVD players with them. (oh, the simple pleasures) All four children were obsessed with the music buttons and the earphones that the plane provided. That alone kept them each entertained for about an hour. The food kept them occupied for the rest of the time. :) I was so proud of each of them for behaving appropriately. Even going through US Immigration didn’t take too long. And at the point, the kids mostly just vegged on the ground because they were so tired.

The best part of the whole trip was wrapping our arms around Adam. Standing outside of LAX next to our own vehicle with our own children was totally and completely surreal. That moment is impressed upon my mind, and will be forever.

I thought I would post some fun random pics for everyone, which depict our last few days in Bogota:

Around the casa and such:

Tio Brian’s wonderful dinners and Smoothies…and Tia Jena’s awesome chocolate drizzled Rice Krispie Treats:

Other random pics:

As you probably know by now, Hogares Club Michin is the orphanage that our kids came from. It is located in central Bogota. It’s a series of several houses, each one for a different age of children. The facilities aren’t great, but the staff is very kind and works hard. We’ve recorded these short videos to help Danny, Ezzy, Nikky, and Wompy always have these special memories of these people who loved them. We also took many pictures of Club Michin.

The social worker and children’s psychologist (Wynette & Jairo) did a lot to prepare the children for their adoption. We will always be grateful for their dedication. If you are considering adoption from Colombia, contact us and we can put you in touch with the orphanage. Not all children are legally available, but they try hard to find families for the ones that are.

The Girls’ House

Wompy’s House

Danny’s House

A Special Message to Daniel

This was quite the day. After visiting the records office three times we finally got Daniela and Juan P.’s birth certificates. And it went quickly. Daniel and I couldn’t believe it. So we rushed to the passport office to stand in line while Brian and Jena wrangled the kids and brought them to meet us. (For those coming to Colombia, the passport office in Bogota only accepts newcomers until 3:00 p.m.) We were put in line six which is the “special line” for elderly people and people with children. Fortunate for us…unfortunate for the people in line behind us. By the time we were finished processing all four passports, the line had grown and was the longest one. Everyone in Colombia is always so nice though. The ladies directly behind us struck up a conversation with Jena, and we became good friends by the time we left.

Part of what took us an hour at the desk was that the children had to come up one by one and sign their names. They also had to be fingerprinted. You can imagine how long it took each of them to write his or her new last name, and fit the whole thing on the line in the passport. It was quite adorable. The kids did fairly well waiting. Of course, I had Brian, Jena, and Daniel there to help. After everything was processed, we only waited about 10 minutes to receive the passports. We were home by 4:00 p.m. At that point we started changing our airline tickets and making arrangements. We were even able to see the Embassy doctor that evening at 5:00 p.m., which allowed us to head to the embassy the next morning.

And seriously, what would I have done without these three helpers that last week?

By the time we left Bogota, the children had wormed their way into the hearts of many. Good friends began to talk and think about adoption. These children are so very loved!!! And I don’t think I ever posted pictures of Sentencia. Here are a couple:

We were in Family Court 3. It moved along quickly, without any glitches. We were so very grateful. We are even more grateful now that the courts have been shut down for over two weeks. The workers are on strike with negotiations hopefully nearing an end this week. There are many many adoptive families stuck in Colombia waiting out the process. Although we feel fortunate and blessed to have missed the shut down by three short days–we are praying for a quick resolution so that no family is there longer than needs be. I know I certainly would have lost my mind by now. Our hearts and prayers go out to you all, dear friends. It is just another reminder that nothing about adoption is fair or easy!

I know you would rather look than listen so here you go:

Before the meltdown….ice cream cones at Unicentro Mall

After, or should I say during, the meltdown…

The 30 second version: Juan P. decided to have one of his epic tantrums at the mall last week (the day we went to Bienstar to start our court process). Basically, after 30 minutes of hitting, kicking, pinching, biting, oh yeah, and screaming, he decided to spit on daddy when I was in the bathroom with the girls. So Adam took his shirt off to wipe the spit away. Then he refused to put his shirt back on. We said, “that’s it,” and marched him out of the mall over Adam’s shoulders shirtless!!! I LOVE IT. Of course, everyone was staring at us, which I didn’t mind. But when we got outside he continued to refuse. So grandma and I took the other three kids to buy some new coloring books. Juan P. still screamed and screamed and screamed for another 1/2 hour–but he was not going to win. Adam finally took him behind the mall so people at the entrance wouldn’t be bothered. Well, when we got back to daddy there was a crowd gathered around including THREE security officers. Apparently, the security guard actually asked Juan if he knew who “this man” was and if he wanted the police to come and get him. Luckily Juan P. said, “no.” That’s reassuring. After the other kids saw what was going on they started yelling at Juan P. for not listening to mommy and daddy and for being such a baby. At that point the security guard ‘got it.’ Anyway, we’re glad we had the custody papers in tow from our morning appointment. He didn’t take a report, but he was about to. It’s a good thing I showed up with three other brown babies when I did. Can you imagine?

We used our “Go Fish” and “Old Maid” cards to play a matching game. The two younger ones were entertained for a couple of hours with it.

We’re very grateful for the king-sized bed….morning cartoons and movies are always a hit.

Juan P. earned his park privileges back the other day, but as you can see, the kite is as big as he is (we laughed for hours about it)

La Fuentes…who knew that fountains outside of a bank would cause such a stir. Juan P. was literally scared until Adam and I started walking around the edges. And the funny thing is that it was Daniel’s idea–and he was the only one that didn’t get to go. I suppose mouthing off to his mother won’t get him very far in this family! :)

Abuelito Arrives!!! We promised the kids that we would take them back to Jeno’s Pizza when grandpa got here—so where do you think they reminded us we needed to go to dinner the first night? No matter the language, kids never forget. :) Jeno’s is like Chucky Cheese except that the slides and games are free…and for those coming to Bogota it is cheaper than Archie’s (although Archie’s has the benefit of letting the kids make their own pizzas) Anyway, we could spend, and have spent, three hours there because there is so much to do. Plus, it’s practically next door to our complex. We’ll have to again when the “aunties” come.

We love you all and are doing great. This is just the first two minutes - we’ll post more when we have a better connection.

Sunday we spent at church. It was a pretty relaxed day. Oh, we did look at one other apartment too, but I think it is too small for the eight of us. Everyone at church was so very nice. Daniel Trujillo, our new friend and translator, came over to the hotel and rode in the taxi with us so we could find our way a bit easier. Daniel is fabulous. His English is amazing. He learned English in school and then lived in Los Angeles for two years (serving a mission). He is currently studying political science, which works out perfectly for us because his time is flexible. I’ll post a picture of him later this week.

My thoughts on Sunday were turned toward our CRAN meeting on Monday. I couldn’t stop thinking about the kids all day. Being here almost a week before receiving the children was so smart, in my opinion. We are comfortable with the currency and with the transportation system. We know our way around the area of town we will be staying. We know how to get to church, and what we should pay for a taxi. And let’s be honest, it has been nice to do a few things without the children  in tow–not that I want to go on without them.

A couple of pics on our walk home from church:

I will probably be in big fat trouble for posting while I am in a bad mood! (Sorry, honey)

We put in our frequent flier request last night for our flight to Bogota. We found out today that our request was not granted, nor will it be. It is complicated and unfair, but there is nothing we can do about it. Regardless of this shocking and daunting news, we want to give a HUGE thanks to Adam’s friends at work who were willing to donate their miles for our family.

So flights now add an automatic $6000 to our already tapped out adoption account. Why $6000? Because we aren’t bringing home an infant. We have to buy six round trip adult fare tickets (Yeah, I know, the kids are only going one way. My fellow travel snobs know that it is almost always cheaper to buy round-trip internationally, even if you don’t need it.) It is $200/child cheaper to buy a round trip ticket than a one-way. They don’t put that in the adoption addendum. I’M JUST SAYING….

Okay, the day gets worse! We gathered for our last conference call with our caseworker, Raul, before traveling. Most of the hour-long conversation was positive and full of helpful information. I know that Raul loves the children of Colombia, and he tries his best to help things run smoothly. We are very grateful for that. What is the problem then, you ask? Well, remaining financial obligations are always a standard part of this conversation. This is what we learned:

1. We are financially responsible for transportation to/from all adoption related meetings and events. What? Are you kidding me? And again, I know that Raul is just the messenger. But please, I think that for $11,000 transportation should be included just as a translator is.

2. We now have a $1500 cash obligation for attorney fees to CRAN. This is the very first I have heard of this. Apparently, there was a $900 obligation all along that was itemized in our contract. But it just says “estimated attorney fees.” Okay, no one ever mentioned what that was or when it would be paid. But now the price has gone up, in the last two weeks, to $1500. What???

3. Oh yeah, and there is a $200 “document processing fee.” What I gathered from our phone conference is that that fee is for copies that are made of all the paperwork. $200 isn’t the end of the world, but we were just told today that we had to times that by 4…because it is per child. Just so we’re clear–I have to pay $800 to have copies made of my children’s adoption paperwork!!! Shouldn’t that also be included as part of our in-country fees that we paid?

Do you think I could offer to pack my printer and bring my own paper? Perhaps I should suggest it.

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I think those are the main shockers for the day. At least I hope so. Poor Adam! He caught me crying on the phone with Raul, on the phone with TACA airlines, on the phone with him, and at lunch. There wasn’t even any good reason. I know the money will work itself out somehow–maybe that money tree we planted will miraculously start producing by Wednesday. Or perhaps some long lost rich uncle will call with a gift on the other end. Maybe we overpaid our taxes one year, and we’ll shortly find out. :) In all seriousness though, I’ve been meaning to post our adoption expenses. A few people have asked what it entails…I’ll work on that so that those of you considering adoption, or are in the early stages, can catch a “real” glimpse of how much it costs. In our experience, it is decidedly more expensive than the spreadsheet that was provided to us in the beginning.

Okay, so the money part sucks! But what makes me sad and weepy is the abrupt fashion in which I have found all this out. It is the idea that even with how close we are to hugging our children–I am still not in control. After all of the money we have paid, paperwork we have filled out, and time we have spent being lectured on how to parent, I still feel like a little girl being told what to do.

Adoption is not the same as pregnancy….not by a long shot. Adoption is not covered by insurance. It is not accepted as a norm. It costs tens of thousands of dollars. It requires rigor, conviction, and motivation to keep the ball rolling. And it isn’t something that can physically and spontaneously occur. We methodically and carefully chose to welcome adoption into our lives.  

Please, please, please beloved friends and family, please separate these two cherished events for us. Comparing and contrasting the two makes me feel very sad, and sometimes angry. I do not know if I can put why into words right now. It probably wouldn’t make any sense. I can tell you that thoughts of pregnancy bring back emotionally charged and helpless feelings. Our children need me to be focused on their joy, not the sadness of failed pregnancies. For now, we ask that when we are in Colombia, and when we come home, that this adoption is celebrated as an adoption–with all its 10,000 special and distinct attributes.

Adam and I are completely humbled by the many acts of service–big and small–performed on our behalf. Our children are so lucky–and not because of us, but because of YOU! They have no idea how much goodness and love is about to envelope them.

Okay, Now that I’m crying again I think it is time to sign off. :) I know, I know…tomorrow is always better than today. Maybe I’ll go to bed early then.

This is a one minute clip from our 2nd conference with the kids. The sound is horrible, but you can see them. After the first few seconds, they are singing a traditional schoolchildren’s song. They’re having a great time! We have a great time watching it over and over! We have one more video call on Monday of next week and then off we go! Watch and enjoy.

Our children are real! What an amazing feeling. And, by the way, they are totally 5, 6, 7, and 8. They are normal, regular, high-energy, excitable KIDS. I know everyone is dying for the details. I’ll do my best…

The conference started an hour late due to technical difficulties. Finally, they brought the kids in and sat them down at the conference table. The adoption facilitator warned us that the children were very excited…and he was right. Not only were they excited to see us, but they were baffled by the technology. They couldn’t believe we were speaking and seeing each other through the screen. That was really cool. Of course, it resulted in the children trying to steal the microphone from each other so they could be the one to talk to us. Totally Cute!

And, there really wasn’t any ackwardness. The kids came in waving and trying to talk to us. Our hats are off to Colombia’s adoption preparation…the kids seem adjusted and prepared–as much as they can be anyway. Each child started by telling us their name (like we don’t know who they are, right?) and showing us a drawing. Daniel went first. When he held up his drawing I totally lost it. I’m his!!! His drawing had Adam and I on each side with four children drawn inbetween. Above the drawing he had written “I love you mother and father.” I’m pretty sure I cried the rest of the conference.

Juan Pablo’s drawing was of a house and happy sun and clouds with “I love you mother.” Maria Daniela drew a giant heart. I’m not sure where Esmeralda’s drawing was. Of course, she was on the end and kept getting pushed out of the conversation. It was so cute because she tried reaching over the other children for the microphone so she could have her moment.

We talked about their favorite colors, and soccer, and pets! Daniel told papi that he is doing well in school now, and gave him a thumbs up! Juan Pablo is a little stinker. He’s so little and full of energy. He totally picks on his sisters even though he’s smaller than they are. It was quite endearing to watch him in action. Maria Daniela wasn’t shy like we thought she might be. She was right in there with the rest of the kids–raising her hand and getting excited when we asked her questions. Esmeralda is as adorable as the picture. You can tell she’s the mother of the bunch. She hangs back, but doesn’t let the others push her around.

I posted all the pictures! The pics that look like a white screen are the children’s drawings. They are each different though. I think if you zoom in, you’ll be able to see them better. Adam is working on purchasing a program that will allow us to record Monday’s session. That’s right–we get to see them again on Monday. If you have a question you want answered, send it to me and I’ll do my best.

 Thanks everyone for the support yesterday–it meant so much!