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.
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