Day 14

What an interesting day!

We went straight to the pool after breakfast since we had plans for the rest of the day and we knew the kids would be disappointed if we couldn't go! 

We have been needing to get organized with all our upcoming expenses for rent, document copies, birth certificates, passports, visas, etc. But, we can only make 4 withdrawls per day from the atm, and only a certain amount. This calls for lots of preplanning! So, while the kids swam, Brent and I sat at a table at the pool and counted and organized all our cash in to baggies for each expense! It is so funny because it looked like we were organizing a drug deal with all the stacks of money, right by the pool! LOL! Thank goodness we are in a gated community with tall bushes all around. Otherwise it might not have been the smartest thing to do in public! LOL!

After the pool, Gloria #2 picked us up and took us to Barefoot Park. This is a small park area that is set up to be peaceful and tranquil. It has 2 small wading pools to soak your feet, an area with crushed pebbles to walk on for therapy, a few interesting posts for kids to climb on, and a bamboo garden for sitting in the shade- or sleeping, as some were doing. The kids enjoyed it for a few minutes and then they just wanted lunch! So we ordered traditional Colombian meals for Brent and I and mega-huge hot dogs for the kids. During the meal, Jonathan had a short tantrum because he wanted to drink something other than water. This was our first "in public" tantrum, and it went pretty well! It didn't last too long. He ended up not being allowed to have juice the rest of the day because of it, though.

After the park, we drove about 20 minutes outside of Medellin to a small store with authentic Colombian artisan items. Each child was able to pick out one thing that would help them to remember Colombia and we also picked up a few presents to bring home and a few to save for gifts for the chicos to have on special occasions as they get older. It was a bit chaotic to take the chicos into the store because they had never been in a store before. Amazing to me! The things I take for granted!  They used to pass this store on the way to their foster home in the country, so they were super excited to be allowed to go in. 

Luisa was totally stressed trying to figure out what to get. There were WAY too many choices. She was frantically running from one end of the store to the other for about a half hour not knowing what to do with herself. The poor shop worker followed us around the whole time probably scared to death she'd break something!She ended up with a wooden box that you can store paper in. If you know her personality, you would understand that it is perfect for her! Any little container or bag that she can shove her treasures into is perfect! And the fact that it stores paper is the icing on the cake! This girl loves papers! It is a cute painted pink box that we are told was made in the country region- although to me, the quality looks like something from the dollar store. I'm just praying it will last the rest of our time  here!

Jonathan took about 2 minutes to decide on a wooden spinning top. I had hoped he would find a figurine of a cow since he loves them so much, but nope, a top it had to be. At least it was an easy decision!  As soon as Cindy saw a baby doll, she was hooked and didn't want anything else. Although, on the ride home she through a humdinger of a tantrum because she decided she didn't like her doll and she wanted Luisa's box. When we said No, she said the doll was fea- ugly! LOL!

The rest of the kids easily found some little treasures to take home. I am sure we were quite the sight with all our bunches of items piled up on the counter with each person coming from the car to the store one by one. No way I was taking all 7 kids in there at one time!

It started downpouring so we headed home for quiet-time with a movie and crafts at the coffee table. Seems like that is our standard quiet hour activity. The kids have had such a great time creating all kinds of things out of paper and tape! Earlier in the week it was knight costumes, lately it is paper sling bags complete with cell phone cases and paper money!

Later we walked down to the end of the road for some dinner. I think I am addicted to the empanadas, bunuelos and palito de quesos. But I know I'm going to end up with clogged arteries because of so much fried food. 

The girls discovered the shower tonight. We have no way of plugging up the tub, so up until now they have been just sitting under the faucet to do their hair. It is mass chaos the whole time. But somehow they figured out that if you pull the lever, the shower comes on. I haven't heard so much screaming and squealing in my life! I can't figure out if they have never seen a shower before or if they knew what it was and were happy to be able to use it!

Today, through our translator, we learned a lot more information about the kids' past from Luisa. Some of it is funny- like Jonathan is in love with his foster sister. But a lot of it is so sad. My heart breaks when I hear some of the things she says. She is matter-of-fact about it, but inside I feel sick to know how my babies spent their early years. I am so thankful that God saw fit to remove them from those circumstances. And, although their foster families weren't perfect, I am thankful that at least their basic needs were met and they were loved.