Parks and Playdates

Hello All.  Rena, here.

We have been to parks, met new families, been to parks, reunited with families that we have known, and been to even bigger parks.

Yesterday, the kids witnessed an amazingly huge hail storm that made a special TV channel break-in. They kept using the word for ice in Spanish instead of the the word for hail.  We took video of it.

We also went to a toy/game store that had some great buys for the kids.  We found fun bath toys, and cool Colombian things to decorate their rooms with, at home.

They have started to ask us about their house in the United States.  The boys are excited that they  get to have their own bedroom, their own bed and that the girls are not in there with them.  They also were excited that there was a room that had books and toys for them. 

One of the families that we flew in to Bogota at the same time with, is now at El Refugio.  Jen, her mom and her beautiful daughter Nataly are here.  Our boys were giddy at the sight of Nataly. It was quite interesting to watch.  They were embarrassed, but were able to give hugs when she came in.  Of course, Jen and I squealed and hugged each other.  For those who do not know, Jen and I met one time before, in person, at the airport in Bogota.  Yet, previous to traveling to get our kids, we have been talking through the great CHI yahoo site.

Today we spent most of the day at an enormous park.  It was a zoo, amusement park, museum, and pony riding place all in one.  The kids were wiped out as were the parents, but it really was fun.  The boys loved the lions and tigers, but the girls climbed Papi like a tree to get as far away as possible.  We met another family in Bogota, who happens to live in Atchison, Kansas, who is adopting a sibling group of three.  They are great.  We are all to go eat pizza this week.  They already have two boys.  That means that 13 of us will converge on this pizza place like a pack of Kansas wolves.  It will be great!!!

We have the kids on a basic routine.  Now they sleep until around 7:00 to 7:15 in the morning.  We eat breakfast here around 8:00 and then it is time to take our pseudo bath/shower.  This is one area that our tag-teaming is great.  Papi washes hair and then hands the kids out to me.  The ledge that is at the opening of the shower is too tall for the kids to cross.  We usually try to go for a walk, go to the store or a nearby park, until lunch at 1:00.  After lunch, all of the kids take a nap.  There are some days that either Sebastian or Alejandro just rests, but the girls always sleep.  Since dinner is not until 7:00 at night, the kids eat fruit or crackers around 5:30.  

I have tried to do school with Alex, but with other kids here, doing school is hard.  He is learning to count to 10 in English.  I think that that it good since he can't count correctly to 5 in Spanish.  Papi bought the boys cards that have colors, numbers and shapes on them.  We played with some of them today.  They liked it.  Turning learning into a game may be the key.  We will see.  

Our kids are great eaters.  They eat everything.  They will fit right in to their new home.  We really don't know what their favorites are, yet.  Luisa loves anything sweet.

Tomorrow is a holiday, again, in Colombia.  So that means that we will hit the ground running on Tuesday to get everything completed.  We will let you all know when we get the flight go ahead.  Keep praying.  We are clicking our heels and waiting for our hot air balloon to take off.

Muchos Besos to all.