A Long, but Fruitful Day

At the park.

I'm hot stuff!

The faster it goes, the better.

I love Papa!

Good morning!

It has been a long, but productive day. At 11am we went back to ICBF so they could see how we were doing with the children. They asked a few questions and seemed to think everything was going fine. We came back, had lunch and did some schoolwork and waited til it was time to take a taxi downtown to sign a paper at the attorney's office. After we signed, we walked to the Notary Public's office to have the paper notarized. Then we decided to go ahead and get the passport photo's done, so we took another taxi to the photo store. Everyone cooperated pretty well with the picture process. After we were done we took another taxi home. This probably took a good 2 hours total. The kids were tired, but really cooperated pretty well. We took them to the park after we got home and had popsicles. By dinnertime they were hot, filthy and hungry. A successful day I think. They are all finally asleep at 10pm (I think). I'm afraid to open the door to see if Andres is asleep before I am ready to go to bed for good. He has had a long day - a short nap and a few fits.

Now we just wait for the court process. We have done everything we can to this point. The papers will be filed with a family court judge either today or Monday. It sounds like it will probably take at least 2 or 3 weeks here and then on to Bogota to finish things up.

We're hoping to get a good nights sleep tonight too. We are both about physically and mentally exhausted. Dan has had a sore throat and my tummy is not entirely happy today. I think some sleep will do us good.

Good night.

Karen

Good morning!

Starting school lessons and liking it, whether I want to or not. :)

Resting comfortably.

Having a good time - not! We may be crazy, but we have clean teeth!

Just hangin' out.

Things we have learned:

1. Juan Pablo likes to talk - all the time, about anything, all the time! (you get the picture)

2. Juan Pablo likes to sing.

3. Maicol loves computers, cameras and cell phones.

4. They all like to eat.

5. They all want to go in the car- anytime, anywhere.

6. To Andres anything that moves is a "vroom, vroom".

7. Putting things under the front gate so that Mama has to open it and go get it is a great game

when you are 2 1/2 and can't get out yourself.

8. Whatever Andres has in his hand is very likely to be thrown at some point in time.

9. Juan Pablo could color for hours.

10. It takes about 10 rounds of Jesus Loves Me and Jesus Loves the Little Children to get

Andres down for his nap. It takes I don't know how many to get him to go to sleep at night.

11. Maicol can beat Mama playing the "Memory" game. (Imagine that)

12. Juan and Maicol think if they talk slowly enough we will understand them. We would never

think that would work for us. :)

13. Juan is not crazy about obeying Papi and even less crazy about obeying Mama.

14. They all love to go fast on the merry-go-round at the park - until someone falls off.

15. We are having the time of our lives.

It has been a good day. Less fits from Andres. Everyone ate well at mealtimes. Each of the older boys got to take their own trip in the car with Papi & Patricia to the store. Juan Pablo got ice cream and Maicol got a ride on the ferris wheel at the store. We went to the park. We played with the frisbee. We played with the bubbles. We did some schoolwork. We built things with Lego's. We played on the computer. We played games. We watched cartoons. We had snacks. The boys got to talk to Grandma & Grandpa Baker and Bethany on Skype. We saw the Norweigan family off to Bogota. We were really sad to see them go. It was great having someone else around to talk to in English. We read the comments on the blog. We really love them. Now I know what other people mean when they say how much it meant to them when they were out of the country.

Anyway, that's a synopsis of our day. Hope yours was just as much fun! Talk to you tomorrow.

Dan & Karen

Hangin' in There

Karen:

Our second full day has come and almost gone. Andres went to bed after one more "fit" at 8pm and the other boys are in bed, but not asleep yet. Dan went up to try to help that process along a little. Andres has had a long day. Several "fits" because he can't have his way, can't throw things and can't go from one activity to the next unless he is good and ready. They are short-lived and end with him happy again. We took a walk this morning between breakfast and lunch. There is a small park a short distance away. The only thing operable was the slide, but it was great fun for everyone. We went swimming this afternoon. We were the only ones there. The water was a little cool, but not bad. They had a wonderful time. The taxi ride home almost put Andres to sleep. We decided we now know the cost of getting him to sleep! We played a little before and after dinner. The older boys watched a movie with Dan on the computer.

The boys are very much as they were described. Maicol is the "older brother" watching out for and telling Juan what to do. He is smart and wants to learn. Dan is teaching him the game Snood on the computer. He also loves to take pictures. Many are of the TV, so we have had to edit them down a bit. He is very caring and willing to share. Juan is just a "charming little boy" according to Dan. He reminds me of Beaver on the Leave it to Beaver show. Sweet, but into something and busy. He is not fearful - both a good and bad quality. Andres is still a "baby". He doesn't like it if he can't have his way, can't throw things that shouldn't be thrown or transition from one activity to the next. All difficult for a 2 year old and especially when we can't explain it to him very well. Patricia has helped a great deal explaining things to him, but I think he soon forgets. They continue to be good eaters, but not crazy about vegetables.

Dan:

Patricia let me know that Juan Pablo definately has some speech difficulties. It was a mystery to me since I couldn't hardly understand a word he said anyway. But when I started to try to get him to say some English words it was a real challenge to get him to make sounds correctly. But I'm really looking forward to the challenge.

We all had a blast at the pool today! Though the boys can't really swim yet they are very comfortable with being in the water. Maicol is really trying hard to swim and is making good progress.

This is a very facinating place to visit. Riding in a taxi is here is like siting in the middle of a fast paced video game. It's absolutely crazy the way people drive here! I'm glad I don't have to get behind the wheel. The scenery is beautiful and the people are very nice, but there are many things and people we are beginning to miss at home in the good old U.S. of A. But we're here for awhile and I know it's really going to be worth it.

Day Two

We put off posting any pictures 'til tonight. I don't know why. We haven't had hardly anything to do:) So here's just a few. Downloading is really slow tonight.

Dan:

It's 9:30 P.M. and once again the boys are not asleep. Yesterday was like a dream come true - until bed time. The boys are charming and wonderful and all we hoped they would be. Last night Juan Pablo and Michael didn't really want to go to bed, but they did O.K. Andres, on the other hand, didn't act like he had a clue what a bed was for until 12:00. We're hoping to get a few more hours of sleep tonight.

We're soo enjoying the new Baker boys. The language thing is a bit of a problem, but the older boys are very understanding and are really interested in learning English. Andres doesn't really talk anyway. When they start talking we just listen for a while, then smile and say "no comprendo". Then Maicol will start talking more simply and slower and I listen for a while, then smile and say "no comprendo".

Karen:

Dan took Maicol and Juan to the store to buy tennis shoes today. They only had dress shoes with them. They both got the same Power Ranger shoes. We went to the park to play this afternoon and had ice cream. They have very good appetites and have eaten just about whatever is served to them. (better than their mama) The day is filled with playing, eating and figuring out things to do to keep them occupied and burn off some energy. Dan started working with Maicol today doing schoolwork and English. Juan spent his time coloring and not really doing any schoolwork.

It is definitely a different culture here. The food is good, but they have very different fruits than we are accustomed to. Good, but different. All the houses have areas open to the outside and bars covering every window and opening. There is a guard for the neighborhood who has a little shack across the street from the house we are staying in. Some of the neighborhood streets have many small businesses - selling anything and everything.

Time to get to bed so we can do it all again tomrrow!

In the Beginning

The day has finally arrived and we have survived almost 10 hours of new parenthood! Everything went very much as we had been told it would. We went to the ICBF office and went with the social worker and ICBF rep for almost an hour. They reviewed much of the history we already knew and told us some of the possible reactions the boys might have today and in the next few days. They also read from a book that the foster mothers of the boys had written about them. They were obviously very loved and well cared for. After we signed for temporary custody they brought them in. They were very excited to see as we were them. Hugs and kisses and we gave them the gift we brought. After a few minutes it was back to the B&B for lunch. They all ate very well. We were able to get Andres down for a nap and Dan took Juan and Maicol for a walk to the grocery store and some playing to burn off some energy. I think they are as wonderful as we imagined and so far so good. :) It's 10pm and none of them are asleep yet, but are in bed and quiet. Don't think that I could ask for much more. Dan has been wonderful with them and will obviously be a great dad again. The other family will be here for 1 or 2 more days and then we will be here by ourselves.
Thanks for following along and praying for us today. More tomorrow.

Karen

We're Here!

We are in Ibague! When we got into Bogota yesterday we found out that our flight to Ibague was that afternoon. We hung out at the airport for about 4 hours and then took a 25 minute flight to Ibague. The flight from Miami to Bogota was good, but I didn't care for the flight to Ibague - it was a small plane (about 38 passenger) with propellers. The flight was just enough time to get up, have a drink of water, and come back down. It was dark by the time we got here so we didn't get to see much. Patricia from the B&B was there to pick us up. We came to the B&B, had dinner and spent a little time talking with the other family here (from Norway). They are here with their older son adopted from Bogota in 2003 to adopt a 3 year old boy. They are leaving in a couple of days, so we will have the house to ourselves. There was a party on the street corner, but that didn't keep us up for very long. We have a bedroom and bath for ourselves and another bedroom for the boys. I spent some time last night and today trying to get things unpacked and put away.

We took a walk around the neighborhood this morning and are going to take a taxi with the other family downtown today and look around. It is warm here - the windows stay open and the dining area is open to the outside along with the garage, which opens to the kitchen.

We have one more day of relaxing before we meet the boys. I guess we're as ready as we can be since this is something we haven't done before and don't know quite what to expect. We'll let you know tomorrow how it goes.

Karen

Beach

We have had a hot, beautiful and relaxing day. We picked up a rental car and headed for the beach. The one thing I wanted to do before heading to Bogota was spend a couple of days at the beach doing nothing - and that's what we've been doing. We have a hotel on the beach, so we have been walking on the beach, swimming in the pool and swimming in the incredibly warm ocean. It's wonderful! One more day before we head to Bogota.

Karen

The Baker Boys

Maicol (Michael) 8 yrs.

Juan Pablo 6 1/2 yrs.

Andres Felipe 2 1/2 yrs.

The Baker Boys

On Our Way

We survived our first flight! It actually was on time and very smooth. I even managed to snooze a little I think. We are in Miami for a couple of days to rest and relax on or near the beach before we head to Bogota and then Ibague. We worked up until the last minute today packing suitcases, weighing them, repacking them, etc. We checked in with one weighting 49.5 lbs. and the other 48 lbs. Close, but within the weight limits. Can't say we're not nervous, but I think we're doing pretty good.

Visa

We received our Visa's yesterday, so I think all of the paperwork is in order and ready to go. The bunk beds are in progress along with a list of all the things we need to shop for. As the time gets close we are anxious to go, but still have so much to do. Hoping for a very productive next few days.

The Big Day

It's official. We will meet the boys on August 27 at 11am. We will fly into Bogota on the 25th and into Ibague on the 26th. We will "get a good nights rest" on the 26th before we meet them. How can you sleep when your life and the lives of three children will change forever the next day? I can't imagine. We're working on flight plans and getting our visa's ASAP.