“God Bless You”

Angela is always the first one awake and showered.  She’s also wise enough to know when she’s tired, and goes to bed.  Dave suggested I help him get Xavier and Lizet ready for the day because when he tried, they grumbled and hid under the covers.  I go in their room five minutes later, and say, “Buenos días,” and Xavier smiles, while Lizet holds out her arms and pulls me to her.  Dave’s response to this is, “that figures.”  It’s a mom thing, I suppose.  Dave made pancakes and eggs for breakfast today.  I told them Papí was making them a special breakfast today and they weren’t disappointed.  The girls pointed at Aunt Jemima on the syrup bottle and said, “Xavier!”  That’s funny because anytime a particular commercial comes on with a monkey advertising a product, Xavier points and says, “Lizet!”  Of course, Lizet usually gets upset, yells at him, and goes to her room pouting.  She returns in a matter of minutes, though.  After breakfast, we watched Spider-Man 3 while Dave went to Plaza de Armas for some quick errands.  During the second half of the movie, Angela laid on top of me on the couch, cuddling.  Then, Lizet joined her by leaning against me.  Our lunch featured leftovers:  tacos, lomo saltado, causa de pollo, salad, and fresh fruit, for dessert.  As I was sweeping around the table, I realized we have our very own “Pig Pen.”  Surrounding Lizet’s chair were bits of rice, potatoes, chips, etc.  She also takes the longest to eat.  After lunch, Xavier and Dave kicked the soccer ball around in the backyard.  I love watching all of Xavier’s tricks like back kicking, using his head, his knees, and so on.  Dave is making meatballs for tomorrow’s spaghetti meal while the children and I are watching television and Xavier is playing one of his electronic games.  I fell asleep for quite awhile due to my lack of sleep last night because of a party in the street and fireworks.  Barking began as well, in addition to the regular honking taxis.  Dave prepared macaroni and cheese, grilled ham and cheese sandwiches, chips, and fresh fruit.  They still use mayonnaise, mustard, and ketchup on grilled cheese; in fact, Xavier tops the inside with chips and a ketchup smiley face.  Lizet has a fascination with ice cubes.  She collects them in a napkin for later use, and wonders why they get smaller an hour later.  We’ll find her sucking on ice cubes, periodically.  The children have learned a new phrase:  God Bless You.  They are all respectful when someone sneezes by saying, “Salud,” but Lizet is so interested in how things are said in English.  So, she asks me how you say it and I tell her, “God Bless You,” and they all repeated.  Of course, riotous laughter broke out when someone said “God Bless You” for any little thing.  Angela chokes on her drink, Xavier says “God Bless You”.  Xavier drops his sandwich, Lizet says, “God Bless You”.  Lizet coughs, Angela says “God Bless You”.  I suppose this will apply for sneezing, coughing, and passing gas.  Won’t this be a spectacle when we get home?!  Angela and I had a nice chat about how long we’ve been waiting to be their parents, why I was never able to come to Arequipa in the past (teaching, she understood), and how happy she is that I’m her ma.  We played Uno for an hour.  Dave brought up cheese popcorn, which Angela inhaled.  She even sucked the cheese flavor off the kernels, spitting them back in the bowl.  I guess that will have to be on our grocery list when we get home.  Later, Angela and I dished out ice cream for everyone.  Dave is thrilled that his children enjoy science fiction; at least, Xavier and Lizet seem to enjoy it!  They’re watching 2012, and Angela has reluctantly joined them.  They want to watch Marmaduke in English afterwards.  After our evening movie, it’s time for bed.  Dave and I will begin cutting back on television tomorrow; we’re finding they have become a bit obsessed with it.  We’ve let them know tonight and they understand.  We can’t blame them, though.  Television is cool.               

Characteristics

We were able to have wonderfully warm showers with actual water pressure this morning.  I was still careful not to get any in my mouth.  I had my morning peach yogurt, while the children had cereal and yogurt.  Dave had coffee.  Cornelia arrived to prepare tacos for lunch and causa de pollo for dinner tonight.  In the meantime, Lizet and I played several games of Uno while the others watched Marmaduke.  The kids love movies with dogs!  Cornelia’s lunch was delicious!  She made flat tacos, but smaller in diameter.  We had two kinds of cheese, cilantro, lettuce, tomatoes, ground beef with diced onions, and guacamole.  She also made rice and beans - the beans tasted like pinto, but were round and seasoned with Peruvian flavors.  It was quite a feast!  After lunch, Xavier began “How To Train Your Dragon” while Angela, Lizet, and I played more Uno, and while Dave went to town to check work e-mails.  During the middle of the movie, Lizet felt they needed a snack.  She went downstairs and returned with a tray of juice glasses filled with Inca Kola and Coca-Cola, a partially opened package of Ritz crackers, and mysteriously found Dave’s hidden crackers by some stroke of magic.  I didn’t let her open those… not until Papí returns, at least.  Lizet likes to drink her Coca-Cola out of a coffee mug and call it café.  The girls wanted me to dance for them, so while they took pictures I danced a little, singing “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom,” a song from Selena.  I’m telling you this because it wouldn’t make sense to mention this: while playing more Uno with the girls, Lizet would burst out singing… bidi bidi bom bom… cada vez…  Aren’t you glad I prefaced this for you?  I thought so.  Lizet also enjoys placing her chest on my feet with my legs bent to help her fly through the air.  (A fond memory I have of my daddy doing with me.)  It’s the little things, isn’t it?  Dave and Lizet walked to the market for more drinks, and apparently, more chocolate.  Dave is quite a softy.  He’s always telling me about laying ground rules, but he’s the first to bend, especially with daughters.  I had to put on the “angry mama face” tonight when the remote control became an issue.  I told them if they couldn’t stop arguing about it, there would be no television and bedtime would be at 7:00.  They’ve been quiet for two hours.  I hated doing that, but I’m glad I did because now I don’t need aspirin. Tonight’s dinner was causa de pollo with a side salad.  Causa de pollo is a beautiful dish; the center is a loaf of cooked and diced chicken, avocado (palta), mayonnaise, diced onion, and finely minced cilantro.  Then, the loaf is covered completely in mashed potatoes.  It is topped with parsley, diced tomatoes and orange bell pepper; finally, chilled.  It is served sliced.  I loved the filling, but it was a bit difficult getting past eating cold mashed potatoes.  Angela is quite affectionate, but loves on me when the others aren’t around.  She’s constantly turning to make sure I’m still in the room and gives me her big, beautiful smile.  Lizet doesn’t seem to kiss me enough!  She loves to kiss every inch of my face, and vice versa.  At bedtime, she pulls me towards her face, guiding my lips to every inch of her face and the hugs… oh those hugs!  Tonight was my first “I love you”… from Lizet.  As she was hugging me goodnight, she said, “Te amo.”  Xavier is becoming more affectionate daily, too.  He hugs me several times a day, when at first, it was only morning and night.  They are all people-pleasers; Angela is the quiet one, but dependable and responsible, Xavier is playful and respectful, and Lizet is loving and obedient.  They truly are all the same, but these are the characteristics that stand out to me the most at this point.              

Peruvian Patriots

Flags were flying high today!  I must say Peruvians are quite patriotic about their country; it’s nice to see.  The flag is without the emblem in the center; it consists of stripes from left to right, red-white-red.  I think the flag with the emblem in the center is reserved for government buildings.  You see them in all sizes.  I’ve seriously never seen so many flags in one place.  And I thought Americans were patriotic!  Naty was with us today and we dined on Cornelia’s lomo saltado.  It was different from the one I had at Capriccio. Cornelia’s was strips of beef, strips of potatoes, and diced carrots, stewed and served with rice.  Delicious! After lunch, Dave and I left the children with Naty, and visited Plaza de Armas for some Internet time; Dave with work, and a 10-minute phone call to my mother.  We also stopped for a few groceries at Plaza Vea.  This store is similar to Wal-Mart.  They sell everything!  Actually, as I was standing in line, or what seemed like a clump, I was thinking of all the things for which I am grateful.  Here I stood watching families with very few groceries, counting their soles (S/.), and purchasing only necessities.  They were also bundled in sweaters and coats as if it’s snowing outside, when in reality it was only 68-72 degrees. For dinner, we had sandwiches, chips, and drinks.  The kids love Inca Kola.  Dave and I stuck with classic Coca-Cola, which contains real sugar.  Entertainment for this evening was more John Cena, then Al Fondo Hay Sitio, which I’m looking forward to every evening, now.  Tonight’s bed situation was all three in Xavier’s bed.  Angela carried in her Bible, as she reads it every night.  And there was Xavier and Lizet sharing a book of Disney stories while Lizet held the flashlight and Xavier read to her.  We didn’t hear a peep!  Dave and I enjoyed watching “Facing the Giants” before bed.  It was a good day.    

Día de la Independencía

We had a typical morning… typical breakfast, and children making their beds, brushing their teeth, and showering.  Angela is excellent about showering every morning; the others are every other day, which is fine.  We’re not exactly working up a sweat in an unheated house.  Dave enjoyed his time brushing and drying Angela’s hair.  She was so excited to have her hair blown by Papí.  It was quite a cute scene, especially for those of you who know Dave.  We watched more television… you are probably wondering why we watch so much TV.  Well, there’s not a whole lot to do other than shopping and getting a taxi, particularly this week. Peruvians are celebrating Independence Day all week. Fiestas Patrias is on July 28th.  We enjoy staying together at home anyway.  The plumber returned to seal the toilets and apparently his sealing caulk includes fish oil.  So, our bathrooms now smell like rotting fish with a hint of orange, thanks to the air freshener.  This just gets better and better, doesn’t it?  For lunch, Cornelia prepared a meat loaf that included peas, carrots, onions, grapes, and sliced ham, which was on the bottom of the loaf.  It was different, but very good.  She also made a rather large batch of mashed potatoes.  These potatoes were yellow, similar in taste to Yukon Gold; my understanding is there are over 300 kinds of potatoes in Peru.  All afternoon and early evening we’ve been playing games, napping, and watching television.  Tonight, we had leftovers; green rice and chicken, beef noodle soup, and bread and butter.  We finished it off with more chocolate cake.  Cornelia made lomo saltado for tomorrow.  Naty will be surprised!  She was going to make this but I think something was lost in the translation.  Later, the kids got ready for bed and we reminded them that bedtime is at 9:00.  In the meantime, we watched John Cena and that cage-fighting thing he does… I have to say, I’m not impressed with wrestling in the United States, and I’m not impressed with it here, but the children are quite the fans of John Cena, regardless - especially Lizet. After, we watched one of their favorite programs: Al Fondo Hay Sitio.  This is a popular telenovela.  It contains some comedic aspects throughout, and bloopers at the end, and they enjoy it.  They went to bed at 9:00 and Xavier chose to sleep in the girls’ room again since he saw a spider on the wall.  We’re not real sure how true these excuses are… but as a new mom, I told Dave we need to choose those battles.  This is not an earth-shattering problem, even though our goal is to have Xavier sleep in his own room.  The fact that he loves his sisters and is somewhat protective is admirable.  I’m willing to bend on this issue.  I couldn’t ask for three better children.             

Errands

Our morning began with a breakfast of fried eggs, bread, cereal, yogurt, and juice.  Lizet just loves to bounce in her chair at the table and we have found that her eyes seem bigger than her stomach.  We just don’t know where it goes… but she manages, somehow.  The children stayed with Naty while Dave and I ran some errands.  We mailed postcards, attempted to use a pay phone in an alley, bought a chain for my crucifix Angela picked out, purchased a few things at an artisan market, checked our e-mail at an Internet cafe where we again, were surrounded by more Germans skyping, and I managed to get splashed with dirty water from a speeding taxi.  Lucky me.  Today was a big day for beggars in the street, too.  There are so many people who are sitting with their hands out; some of which are missing a limb, have an unfortunate deformity, or in one case, sitting on their own torso.  After hailing a taxi off of Sandy’s list of “reputable taxis,” we headed back home.  After arriving, the children were pleased to see I was wearing the chain for my crucifix.  I was disappointed at first because when I discovered the loop that needed to go through the loop of the crucifix was the same size, Xavier rescued me and fixed it!  He was determined to please his mamá.  That’s what he calls me; Angela calls me Ma, and Lizet calls me Mamá, or Mamí.  We discovered while gone, the girls helped Naty on the roof by scrubbing the laundry and hanging the clothes to dry.  Lunch was prepared by Dave - ham and cheese sandwiches, sliced diagonally with sliced  avocados, and sweet potato chips.  We had Cornelia’s torte de chocolate for dessert.  It had a glaze of some kind that soaked into the cake that made it really moist.  For an afternoon snack, Angela introduced me to the fruit, chirimoya.  It tasted similar to a pear, but is quite mushy and has a few black seeds.  You eat it with a spoon.  Xavier introduced me to one of his electronic games, Dragon Ball Z.  Another one of his toys is a spinning top game called Trompo.  He has spinning tops in several sizes, and wraps a long piece of twine around it and throws it, catching it in his hand, and it just spins and spins.  Another discovery I have found out about Xavier is he is a meticulous cleaner.  When making his bed, everything has to be quite precise.  The blankets have to be equal distance from every angle of the bed.  He wanted me to help him with his bed; this is how I discovered these habits.  He organized his room, placing his possessions neatly in the wardrobe, and he hung his zampoña on an empty nail.  Lastly, he got Dave’s clock and placed it on his nightstand by his lamp.  Xavier also loves the movie, Lady and the Tramp.  He watched it twice; I’m glad his sisters were okay with that.  Once Naty began vacuuming, you’d think it was Christmas.  This vacuum cleaner was a tank you drag, bending over with the hose.  It makes our vacuum cleaners look fun.  Angela and Xavier wanted to vacuum for Naty.  Angela pushed the tank awhile, while Xavier bent over using the hose, then they switched.   

This afternoon, the plumber arrived to switch out the filter, which is no longer white.  Pipes were corroded, water was rusted, and the tank on the roof was dry, unless you count sludge.  He will return tomorrow to adjust the toilets so they don’t run all night, hence the running out of water.  Tonight we invited Naty to go with us to Brunno’s for pizza.  We had two pizzas to share and they were delicious.  They top the pizzas with queso cremoso, a type of Argentinian cream cheese (unlike American cream cheese).  They bring us round wooden disks for plates and when we had our pizzas, but no plates, Lizet waved her arm in the air and shouted, “¡Señor, los platos!”  The waiter grinned, and quickly brought them. By the end of the meal, we were ready for the check, and again, Lizet shouted, “¡Señor, la cuenta!”  At this point, Xavier bent down on the booth seat to hide from embarrassment.  Naty rocked back and forth in the booth, covering her mouth to keep from laughing. After dinner, Naty helped us find a place to recharge Dave’s Peru phone, and we bought them each a movie.  Angela wanted Alice in Wonderland, Xavier wanted How to Train Your Dragon, and Lizet chose Marmaduke.  After arriving back home, Naty took a taxi home, the kids got ready for bed, and then we watched a movie.  I told Xavier the night before that this was the last night he could sleep with Lizet and that he needed to start sleeping in his own bed.  He agreed.  This night, however, he was a little pouty when I reminded him he needed to be in his own bed, but he did leave to go to his room.  Around one o’clock in the morning, Dave heard him crying in his room, but Xavier wouldn’t say why.  Dave woke me up and I went to talk with Xavier.  It seems he is scared to sleep alone, which I then felt terrible, not considering this is the first time he’s ever slept in a room by himself.  All his life, he’s shared a room with several boys.  I asked if he would like me to lay down with him for a while, he nodded, but when I asked if he’d like to go sleep with the girls, he was elated.  So I let him.  I guess I’m learning how to pick my battles early.                      

Another Free Day

This morning I got the children up for breakfast which was cereal, yogurt, fresh fruit, eggs, and bread, with assorted juices.  They all complied, although Angela was ready before the others.  Since it’s Naty’s day off, Cornelia came around 9:00 to take care of us.  She took the shopping list from Dave and returned briefly with ingredients for lunch and a chocolate torte.  Betty (Beatriz), the psychologist/social worker arrived at 11:00 to have us sign another document that transfers custody from the orphanage to us.  Betty spoke with the children as we offered her some treats and hot tea.  We also gave her the photographs, which she needs to accompany her report; she informed us the report is “muy bueno”.  We watched the rest of Alvin and the Chipmunks and then we had lunch.  Cornelia prepared a beautiful lunch of pollo con arroz verde and ensalada.  The rice was actually green because of the spices and vegetables and she had buried pieces of chicken in the bowl with the rice.  The salad consisted of leafy green lettuce, tomatoes, and avocadoes.  We had olive oil and balsamic vinegar from Spain to dress the salad.  David and Xavier have gone shopping to Plaza Vea, while Angela and I played several rounds of Operando and Lizet entertained Cornelia in the kitchen.  Cornelia said that she enjoys the company.  A few hours later, Cornelia left and the girls and I spent our afternoon together watching a movie.  While watching, Lizet pulls a cookie out of her pocket to give me.  So that's where the cookies are... we were wondering.  By this time, Xavier and David returned with a couple small Peruvian flags for their rooms in the States.  Xavier also got to buy a zampoña, which are Peruvian flutes.  He was so happy he did a cartwheel. Angela fell asleep on the couch while Lizet was combing and braiding my hair.  She whipped my ponytail holder right out of Angela's hair while she was sleeping, so I must confess... I had to get on to her for upsetting Angela...  no bueno.  Dave mentioned to me today that he noticed last night that Angela fell asleep while reading a Bible. Tonight, we're having soup, bread, butter, and fruit. And then, we're watching Eclipse.  Yes, I'm aware it's still in the theaters, but there's a bit of a street production of movies, here.  It's very strange.            

Cristo Redentor

Inca  Kola:  A popular drink in Peru, but not one of my favorites.   This is a yellow drink that tastes like cream soda and smells like bubble gum. 

This morning, Lizet said the prayer over breakfast, beginning in English, “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit…” We had cereal, fresh fruit, and yogurt.  We hailed a taxi for church, Cristo Redentor.  We arrived a little early, so the children wanted to stay outside, waiting for their friends to arrive from San Jose.  We took our seats, but our children wanted to sit with their friends, so we let them.  I know in their hearts and minds, they are counting down the last days to be with their friends.  They sat a couple rows in front of us, but occasionally looked back and smiled at us.  Once when Lizet looked back, Dave leaned over and asked me why Lizet’s face was so white… she apparently raided my makeup.  We found my lipstick and lip gloss in her purse later.  It was a beautiful church service, and surprisingly was more understandable than expected.  We’re hearing so much Spanish, that the service practically sounded English to us.  We were introduced to the church as the adoptive parents to Xavier, Angela, and Lizet.  Peruvians are such accepting, loving, and gracious people.  Their applause accompanied with “ahs” brought tears to my eyes.  The bittersweet moment arrived… it seems we are experiencing a lot of those.  Their half-sister, Milagros, was at church.  We were glad to meet her, and I think the children were pleased to have a “blessing” of sorts from her.  I know they want to be with us, but hearing it’s “okay” from their elder sister, was reassuring - although at the same time, emotional.  Milagros and the children share the same biological mother and after her passing, Milagros tried hard to raise them, but the Peruvian life in Arequipa is a hard one.  She had to do something quite difficult years ago, by allowing Casa Hogar San Jose to raise them.  She was tearful and grateful that we are adopting the children.  There were many tears from the children and the new parents.  She expressed to them, as Sandy translated, that we are giving them an opportunity they wouldn’t have otherwise.  Education, health, and happiness are all important.  She wants to see them again one day and see what kinds of professionals they have become.  She talked with them a long while and there were some words of comfort, received.  I took a photograph of the four of them, so they will always remember their older sister.  We have exchanged contact information with her so we will stay in touch after a few years because as of now, the courts have advised a termination of contact with her so they can adapt to their new lives with us.  She has a small child and wants to finish nursing school.  She will remain in our prayers.

We were also able to hug and kiss the children from Casa Hogar Sagrada Familia.  This is the orphanage for the older children.  Although I had never met these children at the orphanages, I felt like I knew them all through various pictures from Dave’s previous mission trips.  I knew them by name.  Their beautiful hearts show through their smiles. 

For lunch, we reheated what Naty made for us yesterday: chicken and rice.  This is not a casserole; it is simply a piece of chicken, lightly seasoned with salt and pepper, on top of green rice.  Dave bought some Arequipan bread that is similar to baguette bread.  We slathered butter all over it!  After lunch, the kids watched more television and Dave took Lizet to the market for more food, a game, Operando (Operation), which is a lot different than the one in the States, and cookies; chocolate, of course. 

I attempted to blog at Sandy and Gloria’s, but no luck with the Internet connection, tonight.  I will try again tomorrow.  I arrived around dinnertime, and the children were hiding behind the door and the curtains to surprise me - or scare me, I’m not sure.  But more hugs occurred, so I guess they were glad I was home.  For dinner, we had homemade chicken noodle soup, prepared by Naty, and bread with butter.  The noodles were broken spaghetti pieces and the soup was flavored with cloves.  After dinner, we played Operando.  We then watched Garfield.  By the time it was over, it was time for bed.  Angela goes to bed and gets up without being told.  So, off she was, getting ready for bed and climbing under the covers.  I kissed her goodnight and told her I loved her.  Lizet wanted to sleep with Xavier tonight, so she was in bed with him while he read her another story.  They fell asleep.  Dave rolled the television into our room to watch Old Dogs, in English, naturally.  I think it would have been just as bad in any other language.  Hasta luego…                     

 

          

 

Free Day

The girls were up before me this morning, so I got up listening to Spanish cartoons.  What a wonderful sound!  Dave left to go pay for María and Raúl’s hotel and get some groceries at the supermarket.  Naty arrived around 9:30 and we had breakfast.  Xavier said the prayer.  All the children wanted cereal with yogurt, and juice.  Lizet wanted pineapple juice this morning.  The morning conversation revolved around taxis and the fact Bartlesville doesn’t have any.  Everyone has cars, I told them.  They asked how many we have and I told them two.  Their eyes were as big as saucers.  They were each counting down the years as to when they would be able to drive.  I have to say Xavier is super excited!  They are also impressed that I am friends with all the missionaries at Christ Church, or as they know them, the “Roof Dogs”.    As they helped clear the table, Lizet discovered leftover spaghetti in the refrigerator.  She asked if she could finish it since she was still hungry.  She and Xavier shared it.  They wanted Coke Zero for breakfast, but I put my foot down on that one! 

Xavier was so excited to notice our bathtub last night, so he asked if he could take a bath.  I just can’t wait until they get to experience jets in the bathtub!  Angela helped Xavier get a bath going by using buckets of warm water from the sink since the bath faucet is cold.  She is such the mother hen.  She also helped dry off Lizet after her bath.  Angela enjoys a shower, though, and took hers before breakfast.  They were giggling so much in the bathroom, so I asked to enter, and Angela was applying my mascara on Lizet’s lashes.  Angela paid attention yesterday, I guess.  They also made their beds without being told.  One of the funny things is, they wear their shoes or flip-flops once they’ve put on their pajamas in the evening.  I think they are sticking to orphanage rules rather well.  Once we’re home, they’ll learn they don’t need to do that.  In addition, I’ll need to train them to flush the toilet paper, since you can’t do that here.    

This morning, they’ve been watching Madagascar on television, taking turns on Dave’s computer to play games, and just giggling, in general.  They are extremely happy today!  They are in a new comfort zone, so their personalities are really coming through.  Xavier is a caring, protective brother, but also likes to tease them.  It’s cute to watch.  Angela takes care of both of them in different ways, and Lizet is everyone’s special entertainer.  Naty made tacos for lunch, but not like Americans think of tacos.  These were actually better.  She first fried the kind of corn tortillas they have here; they were bigger, and puffed up when she fried them.  They weren’t like chips.  She diced the onions so finely, you could hardly see them in the ground beef, but they added such flavor; she also made a Peruvian version of guacamole, chopped cilantro, finely shredded lettuce, and diced fresh tomatoes.  She also made rice to go with it all.  For dessert, we had a fruit salad of watermelon, green grapes, orange segments, and sliced bananas, with vanilla yogurt.  I took a brief siesta after lunch while Dave and the kids watched a movie.  Dave bought several today.  Lizet came in and cuddled with me awhile, then I got up to watch more movies with them. La Nana Magíca 2 was one we watched (Nanny McPhee).  I told the children I was going to wash my hair. Lizet wanted to help, so she ran downstairs with the bucket to fill with warm water from the kitchen.  I had no idea what she was doing at the time, but she came back and draped my shoulders in a towel and gently pushed my head in the sink, applied my coconut shampoo and lathered me up.  Then rinsed with the warm water.  She told me to wait because she had to run back downstairs for more water since we have no running water in the evenings upstairs.  And if we do, it’s freezing.  She then wanted me to sit on the sofa while she brushed my hair.  She ran to her room for her comb and using the comb, measured straight up my nose to the part and parted my hair down the middle.  She also lifted the small space heater to help dry my hair, but I told her that wasn’t necessary.  Then, she remembered my black headband - they wear headbands a lot - and put it on me.  Next, she brought my lipstick and applied it; okay, so this wasn’t the best look.  But, she was getting me ready for church.  I thought it was absolutely precious.  Dave came back with hot dog makings; I think the franks were chicken.  We also had sweet potato chips.  Xavier wanted to say the blessing and began, crossing himself, saying “in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost”… except, in Spanish.  Dave and I could catch the phrases about thanking God for his family.  He is precious, as well.  We are so blessed to have such wonderful children.  All three love mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard on their hot dogs.  Lizet adds chips to hers.  Since it is Saturday night, we told them that only on Saturdays they are allowed to stay up until 10 p.m.  During the week it’s 9 p.m.  Later, we will have ice cream and watch another movie.  And then… bedtime!  Angela voluntarily went to bed first.  Lizet wanted Xavier to sleep with her, so he is in there cuddling right now.  We hear them whispering, so Dave went to see what is going on… Lizet was holding the flashlight, while Xavier is reading her a book.  Our family is safe and happy... and complete.             

Touring Arequipa

Since I got up last night due to not being able to sleep, returning to bed was a little difficult. The girls got comfortable in bed and I didn’t want to disturb them so I was going to sleep on the couch, but Dave heard me and told me to come sleep in the twin and he would sleep on the couch, so I ended up sleeping in the room with Xavier.  I suppose you mothers out there know what the best sound in the world is… being greeted in the morning with “good morning, mama,” or in my case, “buenos días, mamá.”  Of course, this is said with strong hugs and kisses… Lizet gives lots of kisses.  The custom here, I have found, is kisses on the cheek, sometimes each cheek.  I’ve also learned people rarely say adios.  Instead, they say “chau”.  It’s a little more casual, and not as permanent.  Angela cuddled with me for a while, then showered… then Lizet came in and cuddled with me.  Xavier of course greeted me in the morning when he stretched and got up to go to the bathroom.  We had a really good breakfast.  Angela said the prayer.  Dave got up and made coffee, scrambled eggs and toast.  We also had cornflakes.  Milk and juice come in boxes.  The girls preferred pouring drinkable Gloria yogurt on theirs; Angela had strawberry and Lizet had peach, while Xavier chose milk.  Dave offered guava or orange juice.  They all wanted guava.  After clearing the table, Dave handed them brand new toothbrushes and toothpaste; they were so excited!  Angela enjoyed watching me put on my makeup this morning.  She asked about the foundation and I showed her how it is applied.  She wanted to try some, but I told her she has a beautiful face.  She wanted to help me with mine. She dabbed some on my cheek, but still was interested in putting it on herself.  I let her and we laughed at how light it was on her face.  She kept rubbing it to get it off, but kept laughing.  It was quite funny. 

Maria and Raul arrived at 9:30 and Betty, our social worker in Arequipa arrived around 10 to talk with the children and us about all of our comfort levels.  Her report was excellent.  She will visit us once more, on Monday.  Maria and Raul gave us their school records.  They are all straight A students.  While Maria, Raul, and Betty were talking with Dave and me, the children were upstairs, making all the beds.  They are such precious angels!  Padre Juan Carlos told us last night he will try to get their baptismal records, as well. 

After our visit, Naty and I took a taxi to Sandy and Gloria’s apartment so I could blog.  While doing so, Dave made a lunch of spaghetti and meatballs, and garlic bread for the children.  When I returned, they were sitting at the table, with a bowl waiting for me.  They sat with me while I ate.  Then, we left for Plaza de Armas to meet with Maria and Raul to take a double-decker bus tour of Arequipa.  This was a four-hour bus tour.  The sites included were:  Mirador y Plaza de Yanahuara, Mirador de Carmen Alto, Plaza e Iglesia de Cayma, Fábrica de tejidos Inca Alpaca “OUTLET”, Mirador de Sachaca, Vía Paisajista, Mansíon del Fundador, Molino de Sabandía, Paseo a Caballo (and yes, Lizet and Xavier both rode horses), and Andenerías de Paucarpata.  I never thought I’d actually witness an alpaca spitting at someone.  Raúl was trying to take a picture and this animal just blew spit at him and made some terrible noises.  Xavier couldn’t contain the laughter!  At Plaza de Yanahuara, we sampled helado queso, an Arequipan speciality.  It’s not ice cream with cheese; it just looks like the color of cheese.  It’s very good with tastes of cream, coconut, and vanilla.  Lizet wanted a little cup of it, so during our walk I bent over and opened my mouth and she fed me some.  She kept trying to give me more spoonfuls of it.  I told her she could have her ice cream - I only wanted a bite.  She has such a giving heart and spirit.    

I have discovered that Angela is happiest when she is in the comfort of home.  I was observing her on the bus, and she looked about as thrilled as I was at her age when my family drove to Minnesota one summer.  She’s definitely my daughter!  She is also prone to respiratory infections and bronchitis just like me.  Both girls, at times, are trying to be like me.  I love it, but even if they didn’t, I wouldn’t care.  Xavier is all smiles all the time.  His eyes even smile.  He is quite affectionate for a 13-year-old boy, especially with Dave. 

We had leftovers for dinner… spaghetti and meatballs with garlic toast, while Dave made rice to go with the remaining soup.  I don’t know why, but Lizet poured her Coke Zero from her glass, carefully into her empty bottled water container.  The children are sticking with their routine and are so responsible.  The girls were brushing their teeth while Xavier was folding his clothes from today.  Lizet has a special way of spitting out her water from brushing her teeth.  She squirts it out in a stream in the air, then it sort of just dribbles over her chin.  She’s quite entertaining.  Her siblings find her quite funny.  This is a group of children who truly love each other.

  

 

  

Our New Family

I started out my morning eating half a banana - not too hungry.  We hailed a taxi to take us to the orphanage to visit with the children since we had several appointments today that we thought wouldn’t interest them.  Plus, Angela’s not too keen on walking everywhere (again, like her madre).  Dave and Xavier played football and Xavier kicked it so well, it went in the basketball hoop!  The girls and I watched Bratz cartoons and we gave all three niños a little chocolate.  Afterwards, Dave and I hailed another taxi to take us to Plaza de Armas to meet Maria and Raul.  We got there a little early, so we did some light shopping.  Dave bought me an Incan cross necklace, similar to his.  I’m not sure, but I think the children may have some Incan in their heritage.  Then, we bought some gifts and had lunch at Capricio’s.  I had a classic Peruvian dish:  Lomo saltado.  It was delicious!  It’s bits of steak, purple onions, tomatoes, and cilantro, stewed, so everything is tender and served with real rice and French fries stacked like the game Jenga.  I’ll have to recreate that when we get home.  I attempted to use the Internet café upstairs, but no luck as two German girls were using them.  While sitting in the center of Plaza de Armas, Dave bought some birdseed from a woman.  I began feeding the pigeons and ended up with two eating out of my hand, and one sitting on my shoulder.  I take after my grandmother, I suppose.  We then went to City Hall to retrieve their birth certificates… very quick line.  Afterwards, we met with Maria and Raul and walked to LAN Peru Airlines to book our flight for August 9^th to Lima, and found we are able to change it to August 6^th, if we get their new birth certificates early;  then, to SNA (Sistema Nacional de Adopción) to sign our legal guardianship paper.  We returned to San Jose to attend the farewell party for the children.  It was quite bittersweet… lots of different emotions.  The children are happy to have a family and parents who love them, but at the same time, while they were performing their songs (in English, no less), they started crying… along with some of their close friends.  I lost it… again.  After a few piano solos from our children, Maria Perez served us cake and cokes and we visited and played.  My new Peruvian friends are enjoying my blog too, so they have asked that I please keep doing it.  They want to keep in touch somehow with our lives, which I completely understand.  I think I will enjoy documenting these memories.  So, no problema.  Once our taxis arrived, some of our missionary friends, the priests who are also friends, and our new family came to our house to deliver all the shopping and their personal possessions.  All of us went out to dinner to Brunno’s Pizza.  I have to say, again, this is the best Italian food I’ve had and we just had pizza!  Padre Juan Carlos suggested we pick up something at the pharmacy since the children aren’t used to eating that much cheese, or eating that late.  So, Padre Juan Carlos and Dave went to the pharmacy while Padre Juan Ayala, Juan Carlos’ wife, Maria, our friends, and the children waited in Juan Carlos’ van.  They drove us home so we didn’t have to spend money on a taxi.  Our children are now home with us and in good spirits. Naty prepared their beds beautifully, but we’re kind of playing fruit basket turnover, since the girls want to sleep with me and Xavier wants to sleep with Dave.  Lizet asked if we could do this every night, but I told her, “No, only tonight to celebrate.”  So, Dave and Xavier are sleeping in the girls’ twin beds, while the girls and I will be sharing the double bed.  Since Lizet is so fascinated with the flashlight, I’m letting her sleep with it.  When the lights were out, I saw this round light dancing across the ceiling.  She is so funny.  I was lying in bed between the girls (that’s where they wanted me) and now, I just can’t sleep since I smell like smoke… pollution.  So, for the rest of you out there… buenos noches.  

Casa Hogar San Jose - Day Three

Broken streets, abandoned trash, graffiti, stray dogs, and more than enough taxis sharing the space for one car… poverty abounds.  Beauty in people, kindness of strangers, politeness in children, alpaca enjoying the weather, and a rare flower in a pile of rubble… wealth of the heart thrives.  Arequipa… a place full of sadness to outsiders, but much happiness to those who live day-to-day in a community of love and respect for others, and for a strong faith in Christianity.  There’s no political correctness, here.  I happen to love it. 

Dave and I picked up our children (I love saying that) at San Jose this morning around 9:40.  We were expected at 10, but quite frankly, I couldn’t wait and apparently neither could they.  They were ready, sprinting downstairs, greeting us with hugs and kisses.  We brought them to our house where we’re staying.  The kids remembered we have a DVD player, so they borrowed a DVD from San Jose featuring several Walt Disney cartoons.  All three, yes, including Xavier, wanted to watch Cinderella, which coincidentally, is their mother’s favorite Walt Disney movie.  Their attention span was wonderful.  Dave taught Xavier how to use the pump for inflating his new soccer ball and American football.  We were going to play in the backyard, but the gardener was cleaning up brush and pruning the perimeter of the yard.  He found that pump to be like a new toy.  I guess when you have nothing it truly is the simple things.  For instance, the other day I saw a couple five-year-old boys in a street kicking around an empty box.  It’s sad to me, but they were so happy.  For lunch, Naty made vegetable soup, and we sopped up every last bite with leftover bread.  The children all wanted orange juice, even though we had offered Coke Zero.  We also offered potato crisps and leftover hamburgers, which Xavier enjoyed.  It’s so interesting to see Lizet eat mayonnaise with her chips.  They all like mayonnaise.  After lunch, I explained to the kids that papí was going to el supermercado for some groceries and asked if they would like anything.  They all suggested chocolate.  Surprised?  I wasn’t either.  We headed back upstairs to watch Cinderella 2.  Did any of you even know there was a Cinderella 2?  I certainly didn’t.  Angela, Lizet, and I played several games of Uno.  Angela really likes it!  I couldn’t believe that Xavier kept watching his sisters’ favorite movies so cooperatively, but he says he likes them, too.  I thought it was funny since the night before he had mentioned how much he loves terror, like The Exorcist.  He thought it was funny to see her head spin. I asked him where he saw it and he said on the Internet… so, that’s still puzzling me since I think they’re pretty well supervised at the orphanage; although, it was possibly seen in free time at school.  There’s a large map of the world on the wall upstairs, which piqued Lizet’s interest.  She found Peru and was looking to see how far it is to the United States.  Lizet wanted to take a “siesta” with me today… she didn’t really want to sleep… only cuddle on the bed.  So we did.  She held my face and was so close to me and said so sweetly, “Mamí”.  Around three o’clock, we hailed a taxi to take us to Plaza de Armas to look for blankets since tonight is the last night the children will be staying at San Jose.  We couldn’t find any, so we stopped for sundaes instead.  Angela chose strawberry, but Xavier, Lizet, and I had chocolate.  After our afternoon treat, we found Maria and Raul at the fountain in the center of Plaza de Armas.  They informed us that the children’s doctor’s appointment had been cancelled so we had to go to SNA to reschedule.  We waited and were able to reschedule with another doctor, so off we went in two taxis to the doctor.  The pediatrician was very nice and I told the children I would go in with them, which seemed to put them at ease.  It was a very brief exam and the results were good.  Doctor Talavera reported the children are in wonderful health, although their stature is a bit small.  Weights for instance: Lizet is 30 kilo., Angela is 41 kilo., and Xavier is 35 kilo.  Those weights sound healthy to me, but perhaps for Peruvian standards, it’s small.  Maria at the orphanage let us know they’ve all had Chicken Pox, and Xavier and Angela have had the mumps.  I still don’t know what sizes the kids wear, since they’re not too comparable to American sizes.  But, I do know that Xavier is wearing jeans that require his belt to loop around twice.  Lizet had the same trouble with a skirt the other day.  I think they will also enjoy wearing clothes that don’t have their name on it somewhere on the inside.  But, I can’t wait to buy them plenty of clothes, which they need, since they’ve worn the same outfit four days in a row.  We left and were planning to attend Cristo el Redentor, but they were all (especially Angela), muy cansado (very tired).  So, we took them to San Jose… again, kisses, and hugs farewell until mañana.  As I got in the taxi, I looked back and then up, to see my three children waving from the upstairs bedrooms.  Dave and I decided to go to Saga Falabella, a department store, to buy their blankets, which we found successfully.  On the way, our taxi managed to get sideswiped twice and rear-ended once.  There’s nothing like sitting in traffic behind two dozen diesel-fueled buses to brighten your night.  The thing is, these taxis keep driving… they don’t seem to care, hence all the dents and scraped paint.  We ate dinner at China Wok in the food court.  We both had mandarin chicken and Pepsis sin hielo (without ice).  We are now home and resting peacefully… our last night, just the two of us.            

   

Casa Hogar San Jose - Day Two

Dave and I woke up around 7:00 this morning, preparing to meet Maria and Raul, and to go to MIMDES (Ministerio de la Mujer y Desarrollo Social) to discuss our time frame, then to City Hall to order their birth certificates, then to Casa Hogar San Jose.  Dave and I signed documents for their new names:  Xavier David Nelson Stepp, Angela Alexandra Nelson Stepp, and Lizet Yojana Nelson Stepp (Peruvian-style).  Once in the States, we will drop my name (insert sad face, here).  It sounds like we will be in Arequipa for roughly three weeks, but only in Lima for five days.  We spend three semi-observed days with the children.  Then on the 4^th day, we will have them in our care.  Twice, a social worker will check on them.  Our resolution day is “adoption day”, the day we sign the adoption papers.  This will take place on August 2^nd, then there is a day of silence on the 3^rd, and on the 4^th we get the new birth certificates.  Their birth certificates will be ready in two days and are only 60 soles (S./10.00), but we had to order two copies for each.  Sixty soles is equivalent to $21.50 total. 

Today was our first full day with our children.  It was wonderful!  Writing that just doesn’t do it justice.  We picked them up from the orphanage after signing the name change document.  Betty made their appointments for the doctor for tomorrow.  This is just a basic physical to state they are leaving Arequipa healthy.  Once Maria, Raul, Betty, Dave, the children and I hailed a couple taxis, we came to our house.  Betty, Maria and Raul observed us awhile, but then left to give us time together.  The girls were still very clingy; Xavier, as well, but in different ways.  Where the girls loop their arms through mine, Xavier would sit close, laying his head on my shoulder.  At one point they were so excited to see a television, I had to turn it on for them.  They watched a 30-minute cartoon in Spanish and were pleased beyond measure.  Lizet would flit here and there looking at things, but would go back to the cartoon.  She was fascinated by this foot stool that was under a table, and grabbed it so she could prop up her feet… my little diva.  We are all communicating quite well… it’s amazing.  Angela wants to know all the things I cook and is impressed I’m a teacher.  They are even helpful with correcting our verb conjugations, or asking how to say something in English.  I also ask them for the words in Spanish.  Xavier and Lizet practice their English a lot.  They are always saying “thank you”.  It sounds so American, too.  Naty made us hamburguesas con queso y avocado today.  She has cooked for Americans for over twelve years, so she knows how to cook for them.  For example, when making salads, she washes everything in bottled water, lets it drain, then rinses it again.  She even made homemade papas fritas.  I noticed after our prayer, they all crossed themselves.  Perhaps, I will adopt that habit in the future… I’ll do anything for our kids.  They were extremely quiet during the meal, and immediately helped take everything to the kitchen.  I glossed the girls’ lips, along with mine before going out.  We went to Plaza de Armas to shop for some Peruvian artifacts; Xavier passed on the flutes, but went straight to the chess sets.  Dave bought him one almost identical to the one he has in his office.  For this trip, I carry a small square-shaped purse that has a long strap.  I wear it diagonally across my body and keep the purse in front, for safety.  Dave asked me to ask them if they were at all interested in touring more of Peru, like going to Colca Canyon, but they immediately declined.  Even a tour of Arequipa before leaving wasn't too interesting, but they are willing, so perhaps that will be on our agenda.  The girls both spotted a purse like mine, Peruvian, of course, in different colors.  It has a long strap too, so they put it on just like mine, across their bodies.  They wanted to look like their mamita.  I almost lost it.  We left to go get ice cream.  They all wanted chocolate, including their madre.  Their padre got un café de Americana.  We met with Maria and Raul at the fountain in the center of Plaza de Armas.  A man in a wheelchair with a bad leg was doing sketches of people.  He did a beautiful sketch of our children, which I will place in a black frame when we get home.  Raul took many pictures of us (eight are needed in the first three days, eight more in the next week and double copies – these are required to go in our file for the adoption) and then we had them developed.  The kids were very tired.  The last thing we did was tour the Catedral in the square.  We visited the very tiny gift shop and Angela chose a crucifix for me to wear… okay, I think I’ll wear it.  Raul took a family picture of us in front of the fountain.  We returned the children to San Jose and hugged and kissed buenas noches.  Dave held a taxi door open for me as the kids came rushing back out into the dark, only to be stopped by the locked gate, holding the bars, saying “Mami” and “Madre Emily”… I ran back… they wanted more kisses… through the bars.               

Casa Hogar San Jose - Day One

Our day began with breakfast in the café downstairs, featuring a drinkable peach yogurt, scrambled eggs, and more of those yummy potatoes, onions, and red bell pepper, garnished with parsley.  Maria and Raul picked us up at 8:50 for our morning appointment at SNA.  It was a brief meet-and-greet, including a rundown of the days ahead.  We are blessed to be working with such a talented group of professionals eager to unite families.  Afterwards, Maria and Raul returned us to our hotel while they headed back to wait for their ride to the airport, as Manuel was our ride.  We went separately due to amount of luggage between us.  Taxis are adorned with crucifixes, holy cards, and air fresheners.  Manuel is no exception.  He is wonderfully sweet and helpful.  He was also very protective of us.  After meeting up with Maria and Raul at the airport, Manuel kissed and hugged us good-bye.  (Well, he just kissed me.)  We checked our bags, had a bite for lunch, paid our flight tariff and went through security, all in an hour.  We then boarded LAN Peru for our one-hour flight to Arequipa.  Flying into Arequipa was beautiful!  Mountains surrounded us, while the desert reflected a sunny day despite the cool breeze.  The plane had two exits, both going down stairs.  The airport is tiny, having only four gates.  As we were approaching the entrance to baggage claim, we looked up to see our missionary friends on the balcony, greeting us with waves, signs, and flowers!  Our luggage arrived and we were able to greet our friends on the other side, dividing up, again due to the luggage issue.  Our missionary friends, Sandy, Gloria, and Kym took our luggage to the house where we’re staying and agreed to meet us at Casa Hogar San Jose, the orphanage.  We drove with Maria and Raul to their hotel since we were meeting the social worker working our case in Arequipa.  After her arrival, we went to the orphanage arriving at the same time.  Kym had agreed earlier to videotape our meeting the children, but there was so much more to be videotaped… ALL the children had prepared a special program for us.  They all sang, Xavier played the Peruvian flutes (zampoñas), Angela and some other girls played recorders, and then as the others were dismissed, our children stayed with us.  Xavier, Angela, and Lizet wrote us letters.  Raul translated each line as they read us their letters.  They gave us chocolate.  They gave us hugs… many hugs, and kisses.  Everyone was crying.  After a little conversation with our children, we were then invited to a more private area with the children, Raul, Maria, and some social workers.  Xavier is thrilled we are giving him a middle name – David.  The children couldn’t stop touching us, sitting in our laps, playing with my hair.  Raul was able to explain to the children all the legality of what we need to do and how long we will be here before returning to the States.  They are ready to go home, but they were very attentive and understood the process.  I loved every minute of it.  This was clearly the best day of my life!  Of course our wedding was special, but there’s just something about including children in the mix.  Departing took awhile, as the children repeatedly hugged and kissed us, then, started over.  They followed us out to the gates, and Lizet kissed me through the bars of the orphanage.  All the adults went to dinner at La Italiano and enjoyed the best Italian food I think I’ve ever eaten.  Live music, including Peruvian flutes, serenaded us as we enjoyed raviolis, lasagnas, and spaghetti dishes.  This was a very high-end restaurant in a very poor area.  After dinner, we visited with Sandy and Gloria at their apartment.  They supplied us with a two-gallon jug of bottled water, toilet paper, and blankets.  Sandy escorted us to our house where we’ll be staying.  They’re lending us their help, Naty, who will be doing our cooking, grocery shopping, laundry, and living on the third floor of the house.  It is late…  tomorrow we have a fun-filled day with our children.                   

Lima and Miraflores

Anyone who knows me well, knows I don't enjoy long flights, much less connecting flights, but somehow yesterday's travels were pleasurable and fun! Our day began with getting up at 4:30 Saturday morning. Our flight from Dallas Love Field to Houston was uneventful; although, we did have to wait for the Continental employee to arrive to check us in at Dallas, so that was truly our only delay. Our 45-minute flight was quiet, but still, I could not sleep... too wired. We took our connection to Panama City, Panama next. This Continental flight was about four hours; with a breakfast consisting of a three-cheese omelet pita, cantaloupe/honeydew melon wedges, and a carrot-raisin muffin. A much better breakfast than I normally feed myself. We also had the wonderful opportunity of viewing "How To Train Your Dragon"... Dave has reminded me I should refrain from the sarcasm, as it is not culturally understood in Peru. Coming from Dave that is incredibly ironic, considering he's the most sarcastic man on the planet. Lucky me. We had a five-hour layover in Panama City, but fortunately, we exited into the international waiting area and did not have to clear through Customs. We dined on papas fritas along with our lunch; Dave having a club-type sandwich, and for me, baked chicken with mushrooms. Here's something a bit interesting, at least to me... with papas fritas (or French fries), they offer mayonnaise instead of ketchup. I typically eat French fries plain, anyway. After an afternoon siesta in the waiting area of our gate, Dave watching our luggage as I slept, we promptly boarded and flew to Lima via Copa Airlines. This was a three-hour flight, also uneventful if you don't count the constant kicking on the backs of our seats by two eight-year-old boys. I think their mamita was too tired to correct them, so I turned around after much exasperation and winked at the boys. They grinned and stopped. Our dinner on the plane was a choice of chicken ravioli, which is what I chose, or Shepherd's Pie. I declined the Shepherd's Pie since I make it all the time. It was served with a salad, which I avoided, a roll, a package of chocolate/vanilla cookies, which I handed to Dave, and a drink of choice. Our movie this time was a poorly done romantic comedy, starring Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler. The one funny thing that happened on the flight was my doing, but not on purpose... Dave was falling asleep and I thought I would recline and catch a few snoozes... I press what I think is my recline button, but press Dave's instead. Have you ever seen someone almost asleep, wake up like they're on fire? Well, I have. Again, another flight, landing at said time. After filling out our Immigration/Customs forms, we exited the plane and proceeded to Immigration to be stamped; the line was horrendous, but moved in a matter of 20 minutes. We then headed to baggage claim, receiving ALL our luggage. Then, it's off to Customs - NO LINE! We entered our luggage through the security belt, retrieved them and headed to the "festival of fans"... okay, so maybe I felt like a celebrity for a brief moment. But seriously, you walk through the building to leave and there are hundreds of Peruvians surrounding you, behind gated areas with signs of names... looking like serious picketers, some with flowers, and all smiling. We found our guy with a sign reading Sr. David Nelson. He was the driver who was arranged for us by our adoption professionals. After communicating with many people in Spanish, Dave says to me, "You know you really speak more Spanish than you think." I'll try to stay confident with that in mind. The weather felt great! It was funny seeing so many people bundled up when it's only 60 degrees. For a Texan, it was a treat. We arrived at Girasoles Hotel, in Miraflores around 12:15 a.m. Our room was simple, but clean. The style is contemporary meets art-deco. After showering, I hit the bed, our double bed. When you're used to a King-size bed, a double is not reassuring, but when you're as tired as we were, it was perfect!

Our attempts at going to church this morning were futile. Our taxi driver was given poor directions, so our first attempt was arriving at a Roman Catholic church in downtown Lima. The outside of the church was peppered with nuns, in habits. I mention habits, since in the States, you rarely see the full garb; only in the movies have I seen nuns donning habits. Our second attempt, was arriving at Our Lady of Fatima. Wrong, again, Señor. We decided to view inside the church which was gorgeous, but instead of having a cross at the front, there was a huge statue of Mary; not offensive, but definitely different. We left to take a couple pictures of the ocean which was in walking distance. We then hailed a taxi to return us to the hotel where we had breakfast: scrambled eggs with potato wedges and onions, drinkable strawberry yogurt, bread, ham and cheese slices, orange juice, coffee, and fresh fruit. As I sat creating today’s blog, Dave went shopping for Kleenex. I don’t know why I’m telling you that, but I don’t want to leave out anything. We had a lunch date with our adoption professionals. Maria and Raul are a married couple who have worked together for 25 years helping families adopt children from Peru. Maria and Raul are both attorneys. Dave has read a bit of my blog, expressing that I am not giving a culinary tour of Peru, but here goes... They took us to a cafe called San Antonio. Raul and Maria had salads, while I had a small chicken empanada and a small sandwich consisting of steamed spinach, avocado, and a white cheese of some kind. Dave had a chicken tamale. For dessert, Maria insisted on treating me to a small tart, topped with strawberries. We had a wonderful time and I just adore the affection they express towards us upon meeting and departing; kisses on the cheek and warm hugs. We meet in the morning for our 15-minute appointment at SNA. Then, all four of us will fly to Arequipa in the afternoon, to be greeted by the social worker in Arequipa. After a lovely lunch, Dave and I felt like walking in the brisk weather. We walked about seven blocks and entered the beginning of the parade celebrating Peru’s independence. Their Independence Day is actually July 28th, but they celebrate for several days. After another siesta for me, Dave and I had dinner downstairs in the hotel's cafe. While sitting in the cafe, we heard fireworks, closing the parade... of course, I just had to check it out! Now, off to pack for our trip tomorrow!

Road Trip

Well, the day has finally arrived for us to begin our journey.  We will be driving this morning to Dallas, plan to have a nice visit and dinner with our families this evening, then off to a hotel for peaceful slumber.  I don't know how peaceful it will be considering how excited we are...  but, we'll try.  Our first flight is in the morning to Houston, then it's off to Panama City for a layover. We should arrive in Lima, probably around 11 p.m.  After such a long day of traveling, I think I'll finally be able to have a good night's sleep.  

I'll be looking forward to a change of weather. Even though I'm from Texas, Oklahoma heat isn't much better... so winter, here we come! The climate in Peru this time of year ranges from the 60s during the day and falls to the 40s in the evening... remember, we won't have heat, so it'll be extra blankets for us!  I'd much rather be cold than hot... there's only so much one can remove. 

    

Anticipation

Okay ~ so perhaps I couldn't wait until arriving in Arequipa to post my first blog.  After receiving our much anticipated news, I have had an abundance of energy;  a small bit of laundry, packing, sorting, re-sorting, categorizing necessities, sorting through carry-on items… you get the picture. The bedrooms are ready for the children; well actually, they've been ready since October, but the finishing touches are now in existence!  

On Monday, we plan to meet with our adoption social worker at Secretaría de Nacional Adopciones, in Lima.  After our meeting, discussing the schedule for the following days, we plan to fly to Arequipa. If it is not too late, we will be able to visit the orphanage.  I can't wait for the day we meet the children... our children. 

Almighty and most merciful God, we remember before you all poor and neglected persons whom it would be easy for us to forget:  the homeless and the destitute, the old and the sick, and all who have none to care for them.  Help us to heal those who are broken in body or spirit, and to turn their sorrow into joy.  Grant this, Father, for the love of your Son, who for our sake became poor, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  ~The Book of Common Prayer