Fall Fun!

Hello Everyone!

Thought you may want to see how much fun Sofia had Trick or Treating. Wasn't she a pretty little witch? She l-o-v-e-d going door to door for candy. She would have gone a mile if we let her. Sofia had a hard time getting the concept of taking just one treat and that we were not going inside each house for a visit. I can not remember a Halloween where the weather was 70 degrees. The kids in the midwest are used to wearing a winter coat over their costume and/or carrying an umbrella along with a treat bag. We also had fun visiting the Pumpkin Patch with Prima Lauren. Photography is not my strong suit, and it is difficult to get this child to smile on command. I really do try. However, she is super fast and I consider myself lucky when I capture more than the back of her head. You may wonder why I included a photograph with her tongue sticking out. Sofia has a vivid imagination and often pretends she is a dog. She is so silly and works hard at making us laugh. The other day my sons had a large group of boys over. As they come pouring in, she looks up and says, "hi dutes". Then she will grab a video controller and sit right down in between them. They are so good with her. It is funny to watch some of these guys who are sixteen years old and six feet tall searching You Tube for their old favorite Barney songs. Joe joked that the Spanish version of Barney's Bingo is so catchy he is going to put it in his IPOD.

Well, Miss Sofia will be turning two on November 25th. We haven't completed potty training but, she is really doing well. We are enjoying every minute with this child. Hope you enjoy the pix.

It's Certifiably Official

Hi everyone! I have a couple of free moments so I thought I would send a monthly update. We are thrilled to let you know that Sofia's readoption hearing went off without a glitch. She is officially, certifiably, unequivocally ours. Sofia AnaMarie Calderaro! Well, at least until she gets married anyway. The Judge spoke to her in Spanish and told us it was evident that Sofia is a happy little girl. After the proceedings she squeezed my neck tightly. Then, as we left the courtroom, she blew everyone a kiss while saying, "mmmwwwhhhhaaaa". What a goofball. The staff succumbed to her curls, and charm. She does know how to work it that's for sure. Sofia realizes if she blows a few kisses and smiles big, the girls at the grocery store give her all the samples she wants. Shameless she is. Heaven help us all :)

I have to say potty training girls is sooo much easier then training boys. I am hoping to have this task completed before her second birthday. Always the optimast you know. We had a great start however, it has tapered off. I think I scared her when I screamed with delight the first time she used the potty. Right now, she sits on it a couple minutes, shakes her head no and then imitates me by saying, "no anny". Translation, "no candy". Yes, I use M&M's as bribery. We are also working on correcting some new troublesome behaviors which include: not sharing, pinching, hair pulling and stripping. Yes, she likes to take her clothes off in public.

We just received some great news from our CHI coordinator, Julie. Before we left Colombia I had tried to obtain Sofia's protective file from ICBF. This file has all of Sofia's personal history and I was determined to get every piece of information available. Sofia deserves to have answers to many of those inevitable questions. Anyway, I had always been told it is extremely difficult to retrieve this information once you leave the country. Our attorney in Colombia assured me he would get everything that was available after we received sentencia. Well, that didn't happen and we had to return home without it. I was then told her file was very slim and that it had already been given to me. Knowing that was not the case, I kept hounding Julie. Sorry Julie, persistance is my middle name. Come to find out, Sofia has a file 3/4" thick. Once we have the file in hand, it will be translated for her to read when she is ready. We feel it is her story to share if she chooses.

Wow. It is hard to believe that next month we will be visiting the pumpkin patch. Also, we will be celebrating six month's together as a family of five. We are so thankful.

What a Great Summer!

Hi All!

I can not believe this summer is almost over and the kids are preparing to go back to school. Joe is starting his junior year in high school. He worked his very first job (clerking in a law firm) and will likely get his drivers license this fall. Mike is in his last year of middle school and is suffering from eighth grade-itis. Translation, big fish, little pond. He is a sweety though. When we received Sofia's referral photo back in January, he had to have a copy for his locker. Miss Sofia is growing leaps and bounds and is becoming very vocal. She picked up English quickly and seems to understand most of what we say to her. The other day, I scolded her for getting into the cat's water bowl. I said, "you stop that!" She looked at me and in her sassy tone said, "do dop dat." She then offers that smile and I have to turn away and laugh.

You may want to scroll down a bit because this is the part where the mother starts to brag a smidge about their kid. Friends often comment to us that Sofia is extremely coordinated for her age. She holds crayons, pens, and food utensils correctly. Seriously, like an adult. Ed noticed her coordination at presentation when she threw him a baseball. It came straight towards him, time after time. Well last weekend, my eight year old niece, Lauren (cutie in the pink bikini) was practicing her cartwheels and somersaults. She came to get me yelling, "WATCH THIS!" Sofe watched her and then executed a series of perfect somersaults. Because we clapped for her, she now does them everywhere. I taught her how to raise her arms up afterwards and say, "tah dah". Hope she picks up that quickly when we begin potty training.

We really had a great summer together! At times, it can be a challenge finding activities that are entertaining for teenage boys and a toddler. The boys are very kind and accomodating when it comes to entertaining Sofia. However, they can no longer tolerate hearing the Wiggles, "Toot Toot Chugga Chugga Big Red Car." We enjoyed parades, festivals, swimming, picnics, and a couple mini vacations which included two new baseball stadiums. Philadelphia and Pittsburgh were scratched off the list.

Last Sunday was a very special day because our princesa was baptized and welcomed into the church. She behaved and looked like an angel until the deacon tried to place his hands on her mouth and ears :) Oops. Thank you Nonna for that beautiful dress! Joe now has two important roles in Sofia's life. He is her big brother and Godfather. Tia "E" is taking on a second Godmother role for the Calderaro's. We are already preparing to submit our first post placement report and will have our final adoption hearing on August 20th. In Indiana you do not have to have the hearing but, we thought it would be nice. Wishing all Sofia's pint size friends (American and Colombian) an enjoyable first day back at school. You will do GREAT! No worries. Talk to you all soon.

It's Been Six Weeks

Hi Everyone!
As you can see, we finally got that camera. I can not believe it has been six weeks since we have returned home from Colombia. What a joy our "Sass" has been. Sofia is truly the most resilient child in the world. It was so difficult leaving her with a sitter when I went back to work. We were joined at the hip for those first two months. She adjusted to the new schedule like a champ. Our dear friend, Erin, showed her some toys and she simply raised her chubby hand and waved "ciao". She is outgoing and friendly to everyone she meets, especially other children. Sofia has a real zest for life, always putting herself in the mix of things. She loves to dance and has some hysterical Latin Dance moves. At a recent High School graduation party, she got the party started on the dance floor. We are blessed for this smooth transition. I will try to be a better blogger and update more frequently. Promise.

Happy Little Girl!

Home Sweet Home

Whew! What a long travel day. I was hoping Sofia would sleep a couple hours on the plane however, that was not the case. She had a few "moments" but, for the most part, she handled it very well. She kicked the ladies seat in front of us for about thirty minutes. I didn't stop her. Paybacks you know. The lady annoyed me by reclining her seat back. Who does that to someone holding a toddler with their dinner tray down? RUDE. It didn't help that we were seated in the middle of the plane, in center seats. I never asked for a different seat because the flight into O'Hare was packed. They were offering enticements for fifteen flyers to give up their seats. I laughed out loud when they asked me. Anyway, the people alongside us were great. They even helped me entertain Sofia. I can not tell you how great it was to see all my boys waiting for us at the bottom of the escalator. Sofia had a smile and seemed comfortable with them right away. You would think being up since 5:45 AM, she would have conked out. No way. She stayed awake in the car and then checked out the entire house and all the gifts and goodies sent by Nonna. She immediately loved our cat. However, she was petrified of our 75 pound Golden Retriever. No worries. By the next morning she was riding on the dog's back. I had been working on getting her not to be fearful of dogs. Apparently, the children in Colombia are taught early on to fear dogs. I guess because there are so many that roam loose.

Sofia went to her first little league game this morning. She got away from me and had to be pulled out of the dugout. I was grateful she didn't make it into the field. I guess I am not as fast as I used to be. My sister Patti laughed and said, "Get used to it, it is called parenting in your forties." Patti brought my beautiful 8 year old niece, Lauren to meet Sofia. They showered her with gifts and kisses. Sofia adored Lauren. All in all, it was a great first day home. Tomorrow, I am going to look for a new camera. Hopefully, I can get a family photo for the blog. Thank you everyone for all your kind emails, comments, and telephone calls while we were in Colombia. Your encouraging words and the comic relief, provided a great source of comfort. We will provide occasional updates on our princesa. Oh what a journey...

Our Last Night in the Finca

Wow, it is our last night in Colombia. Sorry, I haven't kept everyone updated throughout these last couple of days, it really has been a whirlwind. Tuesday, we drove back to the airport to get our new tickets. We had a tight schedule and the employees at Delta would not sell me my tickets until the supervisor got there an hour later. Also, they were preparing for an emergency aircraft landing. Well 2 hours later I had tickets in hand for Sofia and myself. Then, we ran (literally) to get Sofia's Colombian passport and medical examination. I think she is cutting a tooth because she has been rather crabby. Sofia screamed in the photo booth while the man tried to take her picture for an hour. Finally, they got a photo they were able to use. I love the photo but, she looks just pitiful. Then we entered the passport office where I saw about 350 people seated and they were currently serving #214. Andres, brought us up to the front of the line, made eye contact with an official, and we had her passport in 20 minutes. I got a lot of stares however, no one said a word. I felt a little guilty but it beat a 3 hour wait. That would never happen in the United States, "no cuts!" Then we went to get her medical examination where she screamed bloody murder. The doctor gave her a good report. Wednesday, we went to the embassy "the bunker" to apply for her Visa. It was amazing how many people are trying to come to the United States. We waited about 3 hours. I was able to go back to the embassy today to pick up the Visa. I feel like I am holding a winning lottery ticket. Tomorrow, we will be picked up at 6:00 AM and fly out of Bogota at 9:30 AM. We will land in Atlanta around 3:00 PM, have a 3 hour layover and finally land at O'Hare at 8:00 PM. We can't wait to see all of you . I've been granted a pardon from the Finca!!!!

We are Coming Home

I learned early today that we received sentencia. Thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers. Sofia and I did the Happy Dance in our room. She cracked up as I sang, "we're going home, we're going home." Today was soooo hectic. First, we stopped by Delta to try to change our flight to Friday. Unfortunately, their system was down so I will have to try again tomorrow. Then Andres picked us up and we went downtown to sign the papers. We were surprised to be sharing a taxi with Mark and Debi Adelman. Their daughter Alejandra is absolutely BEAUTIFUL. It was so cute, Sofia and Alejandra were holding hands. After signing the papers our attorney took me to get Sofia's new birth certificate. Tomorrow I have a 11 AM appointment to get her passport. It would be awesome if I can also get her medical examination completed. Just hoping for no glitches. We'll keep you all updated. XXOO

Sofia Called the Judge We Have Sentencia!!!

Bogota, One Month Later....

Hello,
Well, I have been in Bogota Colombia for one month. Have I mentioned recently that we are SOOOO ready to come home? Although the staff here is awesome, being locked in behind iron gates and razor wire for over 30 days can make a person feel trapped. The Colombian people call their retreat homes "finca's." That is my nickname for Zuetana. I just want to escape from the "Finca." This week has been especially rough. I had the stomach flu on Tuesday. On Thursday night, my mothers intuition kicked in when I heard some familiar warning sounds coming from the crib. I scooped Sofia up and we made it to the bathroom just in the nick. Unfortunately, I did not hear any warning sounds as she laid on my shoulder. Round two went down my back and I was officially "christened" mom. Being that we were both still dragging today, we took a pass on this week's only hotel outing. They went to a local coffee plantation.

I spoke with Lucia today and got more disappointing news. Apparently, courtroom 13 has a new judge. She stated they do not know how fast he operates. It is my understanding that you need three signatures for sentencia. Initially, it goes to the judge who has ten days to sign, then to the defender of minors who has five days to sign, then back to the original judge who is given an additional ten days to provide his final signature. Lucia stated we got the first two signatures rather quickly. She stated the paperwork has already been in his office for five days. So, if he chooses, he may sign Monday or he can wait until Friday, May 16th. Being that it has been sitting there already for a week, I would be surprised if he signed off before the full ten days. Provided there are no other glitches obtaining my documents, this would get us home around May 22nd. However, the ladies here say this is a guideline and many judges wait longer than the ten days. I am really disappointed in our long wait time because I have to be back to work on June 2nd. This gives us such a small window to get Sofia's medical examinations completed. Also, we wanted to gradually introduce her to her new day care provider. Now it seems she will be thrown into more changes. I will certainly update everyone if I get any positive news.

Some of the women here talked about going out to a lunch buffet for Mother's Day, then off to do some shopping. That will be just what the doctor ordered. This day will be bittersweet. It will be my first Mother's Day with Sofia. However, I am disappointed that I will not be spending the day with all three of my children. Boys, I want a makeup day when I get home.

Ciao for now.

Still Playing the Waiting Game

Hello, Hello!

Here are the happenings for the week. Last Thursday, Sofia's pal, Jeimy, left Zuetana with her new family. They will be living in California. I didn't realize just how close the girls became over the past three weeks. Sofia reached out and clung to Jeimy when we said our goodbyes. I had to peel her off crying and screaming. Both girls were crying. Actually, there really was not a dry eye in the room. Sofia really must be so confused with all the people in her life coming and going. She was not herself all that day. I really believe she understood she would not see Jeimy again.

Saturday, Sofia and I went on yet another outing. We drove with some other families to Mina De Sal, an inactive salt mine in Nemocon, which is about an hour from Bogota. I knew in advance that it would be a long day and not very entertaining for an active toddler. I look at it as eight hours out of the hotel so, off we went. I must say, Sofia was a trooper throughout the day. I knew Colombia exported coffee and roses however, I had no idea salt is their primary export. The country side is absolutely beautiful. Before we headed out for our second stop, the "Catedral de Sal" or Salt Cathedral, (a major tourist attraction) in Zipaquira, we stopped at a small village bakery to get the children a snack. They served warm breads and the best cookies I have ever had. As our group was eating, two young boys about 6 and 11 came in asking everyone for money. Our guide, Diego, discouraged us from giving them money or buying them food. He explained there are many homeless children in this area and that giving them money encourages more begging. The 6 year old then discovered leftovers at a table that hadn't been cleared. He called for the older boy to come and eat. When he did not come, the little guy scarfed everything down. The sad thing was that I saw about eight other homeless children on the way back to the van. Diego said there are too many children for ICBF to place. Even in Bogota, a major city, I saw a child as young as 3 unsupervised in the street. I can not describe how heart breaking it is to witness this first hand.

I also don't understand why the people here allow these children to remain homeless. The weather here has been about 65 degrees. That is relatively warm by midwest standards. Yet many people here wear winter coats. I have been told three times how my baby is cold and needs a heavier coat. Just yesterday a woman stopped me while I was pushing Sofia in the stroller at the flea market. It was raining lightly and Sofia was under a canopy. I got scolded yet again because her pants and shoes were getting wet. How can these same people who appear to be so concerned for the children simply ignore those abandoned on the street? It is crazy.

Regarding the status of our adoption. We have not been as fortunate as the Hollis family. I recently learned from our coordintor that our judge now has an additional ten days to provide his final signature on Sofia's adoption. There were two holidays here, last Thursday and today, Cinco De Mayo. This has really set us back. Once he signs, I still have to obtain her new birth certificate, then get her passport, medical examination, and Visa. I will now realize our worst case scenario. We will not be able to fly home on May 12th as originally planned. I will also miss my son´s 16th birthday. This will be such a difficult day for me. Fortunately, Joe is very understanding. He promised we could celebrate when we get home. We have such great kids!! Still, I am praying for a miracle.

We are staying inside with all this rain. At times, I think we should build an ark. This down time has helped the bonding process. Sofia can be a handful and gets into everything. I have warned the boys to move anything they care about out of her reach. When I correct her I say, "no, no, no" while pointing my finger at her. She looks at me, chuckles, and returns the same finger gesture. Very telling what lies ahead for us huh? Well we miss you all tons. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers. XXOO

Day 18

Hello everyone!
Day 18 and all is well. Sorry I do not get the opportunity to update everyone daily. I am flying solo now and Miss Sofia keeps me very very busy. During her nap time the only computer in the hotel is used by the children. By late evening, when it is free, I usually crash alongside Sofia. Other times, I enjoy talking with the women in the loft. All the kids are asleep, it is quiet, I have my coffee, and breathe.

After a full weekend of outings, we enjoyed a lazy Monday. We slept in, walked to the grocery store (whoo whoo,) and played at McDonalds. The food tastes the same however, their menu is very limited. Saturday, we went to Panaca Sabana where Sofia enjoyed riding a pony, petting the goats, horses, and rabbits. She seems quite fearless. She layed on the ground to come face to face with a goat. They also had pig races which all the children loved. On Sunday, our Colombian Coordinator Lucia, sent a bus for all the families from Children's Hope International to visit a village called Guatavita. It is about an hour from Bogota. We got together with the Adelman's, Hollis', and Boyacheks. They had fabulous food and great shopping. It is my mission to find Sofia 18 items from Colombia that somehow incorporate a butterfly. I thought I could give her something from Colombia on every birthday. She seems to love them. Thus, the nickname "Mariposa." You really have to make sure the items here are Colombian. My husband previously noticed many items which were manufactured in China. Guatavita also had a museum, parks, and a gorgeous lake. I could not have managed the stroller by myself. Big thanks to Emi, Nate and Mark! All of these families have been so supportive of us. It may be a blessing we lost our camera because they have taken some awesome photos of Sofia. She is becoming a real ham.

Last evening the hotel hosted a "Day Spa" for the girls. They brought in a stylist who did their hair and nails. The "pre-teen set" here adore Sofia and included her in the festivities. She cried and pulled out every rubber band within an hour. Well, she looked extra adorable for an hour anyway!

We found out late last week that we are in courtroom #13. At first I flinched, superstitious you know. However, I have been assured that this is an efficient courtroom. Being that Thursday is a holiday here, it is unlikely we will receive sentencia this week. Just know, we are fine. I have just a little touch of homesickness. I really miss my boys! However, I can relax a bit knowing they have been cared for so well. Talk to you all soon, my princess is now awake. We love you.

Finally--the pics are in!

Sofia and her bud Jeimy






Playing the "thank you" game


Looks like I'm trouble, huh? :-)

Just Us Girls

Ed has returned safely back home so it has been just us girls the last two days. It has been cold and rainy so, we have been hanging out inside the hotel. Sofia has been saying "da da". I asked one of the women here to explain his disappearance in spanish. Who knows, she may understand more than we think. I was banking on a girly girl but this does not seem to be the case. She pulls off all hair ribbons and plays with balls and trucks. Ed brought her two baseballs as a gift. One said "Cubs" the other "Sox". He asked her to pick one and she grabbed the "Cubs" ball. She could do no wrong from that point on. The last two days Sofia has slept through the night. She is also eating like a truck driver. I have seen her eat a "Jethro Bodine" size bowl of Fruit Loops and an entire chicken breast. The cooking staff here are very good to Miss Sofia. I have no idea where she puts it.

For all those coming to Bogota, Cerro De Monserrate is a "must see". It is a little frightening heading up the mountain on a small cable line however, the view makes up for it. They have created a beautiful shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe high on the mountain. The shrine could be seen from traffic below. Also, there is a lovely church at the top, the Sanctuary De Monserrate. They have ornate statutes depicting all the stations of the cross. Ed found food and I shopped. The top seller here is chocolate covered coffee beans. I did not think I would like them but, now I am addicted.





Today I went with another woman from the hotel to CFP Emeralds. They are known to have the finest emeralds in Colombia. These emeralds were actually mined in Bogota. I intended just to check them out thinking it may be something I would want to pass on to Sofia when she is older. They send a driver to pick you up. The store has remarkable security and the owner was so nice. He must have spent 30 minutes with us just explaining what to look for in an emerald before making a purchase. Absolutely no pressure. He told me he could not accept a credit card however, he would take my personal check. When I explained I did not bring my checkbook, he told me to take the earrings and send him a check when I return home. Do you know any other jewelers who would do that?

Tomorrow we are going on a hotel outing to Panaca Sabana, it is a farm with a petting zoo for the children. The women who have been here over a month laugh about the outings however, they jump at the chance to go somewhere other than the grocery store. Good news on the photo front. One of my friends here took lots of photographs of Sofia. Hopefully, she will make her debut in blog world later this week. Goodnight to all.

The Integration

Monday morning we had our integration meeting with the officials from the ICBF. They do not really interrogate you. It is really just a meeting with the Defender of Minors. The meeting went well and they seemed pleased with the way Sofia has bonded with the two of us. They have offered their approval and now Sofia's adoption will enter the courts. Yipee! Now we play the waiting game.

Sofia has had a cold since the day she was presented to us. Last night we asked for a physician after a night of coughing. The physician came to the hotel within 30 minutes, checked her out and told us she has developed a flu bug and was teething. The doctor flushed her nose out, and prescribed some medications. This may be another contributor to her restless nights. Get this, the bill for a house call was 40,000 pesos, which is around $20 USC. How about that for a deal? Tonight, I thought I would attend a cooking class at a neighboring Zuetana. They are going to teach us to make a Colombian dish, empanadas. Being that I can not cook in America, I doubt I'll be able to master it. However, it is fun to get out for awhile.

Tomorrow is Ed's last day here with us. We thought we would join another family and go to Monserrate. You can take a tram up the Andes mountains for the best view of Bogota. It sounds like a Kodak moment huh? Well that is our update for now. Keep us in your thoughts.

The First Week

Hi Everyone!
Sorry, still no pictures. Yesterday, we went to an area mall to buy shoes for Sofia and a digital camera. You walk everywhere here, it is a good way to burn off the calories of all of this delicious Colombian food. Ed likes to sample everything we pass by. We were able to speak enough Spanish to make the shoe purchase but, the camera was a "no go." We could not understand the features, or what accessories we needed to buy. All the instructions were in Spanish. There was not enough classes to prepare us for that conversation. We got frustrated, gave up, and bought several disposable cameras. We feel pretty safe exploring. There are police on every corner and throughout the mall. They check your bags with metal detectors. We get a lot of looks but so far, we have not had to show our passports. Traffic here is insane. There is absolutely no traffic enforcement. It seems whoever gets to the intersection first, goes. They DO NOT stop for pedestrians. Crossing the street reminds me of a video game my boys used to play called "frogger." The object is to get your frog across the street without it getting squashed.

On the way back to Zuetana, we ate at a Crepe and Waffle restaurant. Sofia LOVES ice cream. She also loves mangos, papayas, yogurt, chicken nuggets, french fries (patatas fritas), and Fruit Loops. I know it is not so healthy but, we are glad that she is finally eating something. The first couple days, she turned her head to everything. We will experiment with healthier choices when we return home.

The first couple days were a huge adjustment for all of us. Boy, we forgot the demands a toddler places on you. Our boys are self sufficient and we enjoyed a lot of free time. I guess it is like riding a bike, everything came back to us. During the day, Sofia seems to be adjusting famously. She plays with all the other children and runs to us. I even got a kiss! Nightime is another story. This is the time when she seems to display her grief. She is very troubled and restless! We have come to learn that this is quite normal. However, it is very troubling to watch a child experience such grief. Sleep deprivation + home sickeness + grief stricken toddler + culture shock = mother meltdown. Fortunately, the women here have gone through similar experiences and offered some valuable insight. Our attorney came by during my meltdown, he probably thinks I am "loco." Thank you all who helped us through this first week.

Tomorrow we are going on a hotel outing, a trip to Parque Jaime Duque. It has childrens rides, a park and a small zoo. On Sunday, we plan on meeting up with some friends to hit a flea market and look for some souveniers. Sorry Bill, no Cuban cigars. On Monday we will meet with officials at the ICBF. They will question us how things are going. Once Ed signs the Power of Attorney, her adoption will go forward into the courts. I am amazed at how hard the ICBF works to find family members for the children before they are declared abandoned. There are daily commercials on television showing pictures of the children and pleading with family members to come forward. Well I will keep you all posted on Monday's events. Wish us luck.

The Presentation

Sofia is asleep so I am able to catch everyone up to speed. Needless to say, we were not able to sleep last night. So, I'll be brief because we are going to try to sleep while she does. Lucia came to pick us up early this morning and took us to the ICBF office. Sofia's foster mom created a scrapbook for us,including photographs taken since her birth. We were expecting her to cry or be withdrawn. However, she was very friendly, not a tear shed. Lucia's son, David, translated for us and took photos. Unfortunately, no one will see any of those precious photographs because I forgot the camera in our taxi. It has really put a damper on the day. Later, the staff at Zuetana hosted a welcome party for several of the children. We met the Hollis family. During the party Sofia wrapped her arms around my neck and gave me a hug. I couldn't believe it. She is also very content to sit with Ed. Hope the next few days go as well.

We've Arrived in Colombia

Hola all from Bogota,Colombia! Yesterday was a long travel day, with just a couple of bumps along the way. Security was tight at O'Hare because the Homeland Security threat is classified as "orange" right now. We were just a BIT apprehensive when the man behind us presented his passport. The security guard looks at it and says WHOA WHOA, stop and follow me. Sir, you have been selected for additional screening." Fortunately, he was not on our plane. We went through Colombian customs with no problems and were relieved to see Andres waiting for us. We later learned we are not staying at El Refugio as originally planned. They had an outbreak of chicken pox. Bummer, we were excited at the fact that we could call home anytime. However, the accomodations at Zuetana are fine and the people are very kind and hospitable. There is another American couple here from Minnesota. Their stay has been over eight weeks. Yikes! Tomorrow is our big day, we are scheduled to meet Sofia at 9:30 AM. We understand Sofia will have just been removed from her foster mother. The woman that has cared for her since she was six days old. Hopefully, the transition will be smooth and we can help her through her grief. Baby steps, I guess. Talk to you all soon.

One More Week But Who's Counting?

What a relief, our Visa's arrived this Wednesday. For those who do not know me, I have "issues" with things that are beyond my control. We still have to copy and notarize a few documents, and well...pack. The boys can not miss a month of school, so they are staying with my dear, dear friend Dorothy. Two teenage boys, I hope she knows what she's getting into. We will be leaving for Bogota from O'Hare early Saturday morning. With a day to rest up, our "Gotcha Day" is scheduled for Monday, April 14th. Here is the game plan. Ed will stay with us for ten days, sign over power of attorney, and then return home to the boys on the 24th. I will stay for the remainder of the court proceedings. They told us to plan on four weeks, give or take a couple of days. I can not tell you how anxious we are to meet this darling child. I will try to post often and let you know how we are doing. My friends know I am not computer savvy. However, I'll TRY MY BEST to send some recent photos. Sofia has probably changed dramatically, she was just ten months old in her referral picture. Please pray that we have a safe trip.

We Have Our Assignment!!

For the past 3 1/2 years our dear family and friends have routinely asked, "how is the adoption going?"Our standard reply has been, "still waiting." Today, we are thrilled to announce that we have RECEIVED A REFERRAL!!! If things go as planned, we will be travelling to Bogota, Colombia on April 12, 2008 to meet our beautiful, 15 month old daughter, Sofia. We understand our "Colombian Princess" is spoiled silly. Guess that's a given when you're so darn cute. Please check in on us as we begin this wonderful adoption journey. Your prayers, support, and kind words have been so comforting to us. If you don't mind, please keep them coming.