a new family

Our translator, Gloria, picked us up at 10:30 and drove our whole family to Casa de Maria y El Nino. She was not expecting the whole family to come...so we packed into the little compact car sitting on laps...all 6 of us. We arrived to the little orphanage we saw on the internet and walked up the stairs where they took our babies pictures. There were many many people working. Some in office clothes, come in uniforms and others dressed like nurses.

We went into the office and met a few of the workers...the psychologist,director and Albanano(Alba Lucia) who we have been communicating with and skyping the children. She has been a blessing to us...sharing all of their thoughts and feelings! The Psychologist introduced himself and knew all of our names since he has been working with Diego and Yerly. He told us they are very excited. Yerly has been especially sensitive the last few days. She has a hard time eating or sleeping. Then we met with the director. A worker in a uniform came in with a platter with cold juice and coffee to serve us.

Raquel, took us into a little room filled with 8x10 pictures of children who had been adopted and in their new homes...with snowmen, their new familes..etc.. Raquel then shared all the most recent doctor exams from the previous day. She read through all of their testings and then their psychological reports..which were the funnest. She said Diego has been a little naughty lately...and saying that he does not need to listen anymore because he is going to a new family. Yerly has been referring to herself as Yerly Rothwell and reciting all of our ages. She went through all of the papers and then FINALLY after about an hour an a half she told us it was TIME!!

We could hear our little babies in the room next door. They were talking and playing and getting all ready.

We heard a door open as we sat in our little room on the couches waiting...looking into the hall...and then we saw 2 LITTLE..very LITTLE people walking with a little mouse stuffed animal and a little zebra. They were heading to the rom across the hall and the ladies told them...no, no that room and they turned and looked....OH PRECIOUS!!!
Mike and I got on our knees and Yerly ran into His arms and Diego into mine. They hugged and hugged and just stared at us. Diego clung to my leg and just sunk into me..Yerly attached herself to Mike. We sat on the floor and introduced them to Olvia, Gretta, Ella and Dayne. We got out our picture books they had and showed them again. We also sent some toys for them to play with but they had not been opened... they were waiting for us. They immediately wanted to open the toys and we looked at the toys and gave them their new stuffed animals..a lion for Diego and a puppy for Yerly. We just sat and talked and stared at each other fora long time. The ladies came back into the room, we took a few pictures and we were off. They asked us what we wanted to do next and where we wanted to go...Of course...HOME with our babies!!

As we walked out of the office..Mike picked up Diego and I held Yerly. All of the workers said goodbye and gave them kisses...as we walked to the parking lot...ALL of the kids were behind a gate yelling CIAO! (chow) and yelling their names. We waved goodbye to all of their friends. Yerly showed me her best friend ...a little african colombian skin girl names Estephani.

We got into Gloria's car and into a taxi and off we went. First to the bank and grocery store to get some food for our hotel. We went to a mall that had both the store and bank. We waited in a little gazebo playing and talking while Mike and Gloria figured out how to get some money since our debit card was not working at the hotel atm machine. We went to the grocery store. Diego sat in a little cart with a car...or course to drive. Yerly pushed a miniature cart in the store...she thought that was really neat. She put her little puppy and mouse stuffed animals in the cart. We walked through the store and asked them what they liked. They chose yogurt and premade jellos, iced tea, chocolate marshmallow mickey mouse suckers,coco krispies. Not too well rounded but what they liked.

We made our way back to the hotel to the room with the balloons and fiesta waiting for them. They LOVED the balloons. We had to do a quick room change...since we did not have a kitchenette...so we made the quick move and settled in for our fiesta.