We're still here....(day 7 pre-update)

Just want to let the faithful know that we are still alive.

Andrea has been very, very sick, and I've been trying to keep up with the boys. We have zoo pictures (sorry Amanda), and plenty of exciting tales to fill everyone in on.

So this post isn't just a placeholder....here are some fun parenting blunders we've had so far (note mostly Troy's...). Live and learn!

- we have both put glasses on the wrong twin
- One night when getting ready for bed I put bath gel on Samuel's toothbrush. He gave me the best, What the hell is this look.
- In the mall parking lot, after Luis his head on a car side mirror, I hurried to get him inside the car, and hit his head of the top of the car.
- I dressed everyone this morning. Luis Angel's shoes were on the wrong feet (hey, I just tie them), and Daniel's shirt is on backwards (after 10 minutes of fighting with him...it was "good enough")

The language gap is still huge. The twins speak baby spanish, and Samuel gets frustrated when we don't know his real Spanish. He has said, "black, Sylvia, Go, Diego, and Go,".

Okay, hopefully a big photo filled post after 9 when the gang goes to sleep.

Tomorrow is Intergration where we all meet with the Colombian psychologist, see how everyone is getting along, and become family more or less in the eyes of the Colombian government. This is @ 10am.

Thanks beyond words for all who read and comment. You are definately helping to keep our spirits up in a sometimes very tough time.

Much Love,
Troy

Visapalooza Recap....

Spoiler Alert:

We have Visas.

After 15 hours of driving in the last two days...we have the coolest looking passport stamp thing I've ever seen. Seriously....for those who have got the Visa stamp, doesn't it just look cool?

Our visa task was kicked off when we got our plane tickets, shortly after we overnighted a key letter to Raleigh to have it apostilled.

While this has been typically a very quick process, there was a delay, and on Monday of this week Andi called the state to ask the question first postulated by Marvin Gaye, "Hey, what's going on?" They said they didn't have the documents at all, and even though it was signed for, they didn't have any record of our request. We got 2 new copies of the letter on Monday night, notarized, then I was off to Raleigh on Tuesday. Upon arriving in Raleigh (without expanding too much), I was told again that they had no record of our documents, and that the letters I brought wouldn't work. Andrea explained this to the consulate, who said we'd be fine with just a notarized copy when applying in person. Live and learn we thought...I drove home....went to work....to come home to find....the copies of the letters sent back, fully completed, by the state. Wow. I do have some perspective a day later, but if I would written about this yesterday, this would read more like an episode of HBO's Deadwood.

The drive to Hotlanta today was a joy. A chance to test drive our van, see how far you can really drive once the LCD screen reads '0 miles to empty', and just a chance for us to dialogue about our thoughts, hopes, and fears with all that is going on.

The employees at the consulate couldn't be nicer. They asked to see pics of our boys, the paperwork was in perfect order....Andrea has been the organizational queen (did you really think I would play a part in that...)...and we hit the road, visas in hand, and got her home for her work & friends shower tonight.

2 more days to go...we HOPE we have solutions for both dogs....lots of loose ends to tie down.....sigh!

Well folks....I think these guys said it best...

We're leaving together
but still it's farewell....
.......will things ever be the same again?
It's the final countdown.

Have you met Baxter?

The little guy on the right is our latest addition to the Eisenberger clan. He is cute and getting bigger every day. He is sweet and always has this air of wonder and curiosity. He loves his "big sister" and she loves him--they play, fight, sleep and repeat all day long. It is neat to see how well Sylvia takes care of him and the amount of patience she has for him, even when he is yanking on her ears. They make our house feel fuller.

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We long for an affection altogether ignorant of our faults. Heaven has accorded this to us in the uncritical canine attachment. ~George Eliot