Just the 3 of us

Jeanie, Emi and Nate were picked up promptly at 6 this morning and made their flight here in Colombia and in Atlanta, so they are home. It was a beautiful morning with blue skies and few puffy clouds. So they should have had a great view of the city when they took off. I cried when they left and had a pretty tough day. It took me some time to pull it together this morning to go to breakfast. I miss Emi and Nate already, not to mention Eric and the rest of the family.

Joaquin woke up and the first thing he said is “Donde mi todo familia” (where is everyone). I reminded him that Tia Jeanie took Emi and Nate on the airplane and that we would be going on Wednesday. He quickly ran to Jessica’s bed to see if she was still there, then he was fine and gave me a big hug. A little later he saw I was logging on the computer and put on the webcam, he came running over and asked to talk to Nate. Of course it made me cry.

I let them watch a TV this morning while I went through all of our paperwork to be sure it was all organized and together for Monday. There are a few things you can’t fill in until you get their passports, so I went through each line to be sure I had everything filled in. The kids were really good this morning while I was going through everything. Shew!

Here they are dancing on the bed this morning.


Then we took some time to look at the videos of home again. They really enjoyed seeing the animals and the house. We hadn’t showed them Mimi and Papa’s house yet, so I showed them today. They kept saying “Muy Grande!”, implying they had a big house.

Joaquin couldn't get his fingers working to show the I love you sign, but Jess has it down.


After lunch we took of to the grocery store to pick up a few items, munchies, for the plane ride. We don’t have much time in Atlanta, if we make our connection flight, so we may not get lunch. The munchies may be a need not a want. Jess and Joaquin were great and very well behaved the whole trip, which really wasn’t that long, but it reminds me of how far they have come.

When Emi and Nate were here every time we would go out and come back Emilee was in charge of ringing the buzzer for the front desk to let us in. Jessica was so excited when we got back from the store that she could be the one to ring the buzzer. She deliberated for an entire block if she should say the “Hollis Familia” or Jessica, Joaquin and Mama.” Joaquin was more into saying hello to everyone we passed, so he could have cared less that he wasn’t the one pushing the buzzer.

I was off and on in tears today, I’m not really sure why. I should really be enjoying my time with just Jess and Joaquin, which I am, but for some reason I am terribly lonely and just ready to come home. I feel horrible for being in tears, but there’s nothing I can do. I hope a good night sleep kicks me in the butt and I am better tomorrow.

I had a chance to talk to Eric for a good 45 minutes today and the kids were excellent. He was getting himself ready to go pick up Emi and Nate from the airport so it was nice to be a little part of home. He even asked me which shoes he should wear. I know he knew, but was trying to make me feel like I was back home and get me to stop crying. Whenever we talk to Eric in the evenings the kids hog the webcam until it’s time to get them to bed, so I haven’t really had a chance to talk to him since he’s been home. He showed me the flowers outside and around the house. It was nice to see what is in reach and after talking to him the tears finally stopped, at least until now. For some reason I am dreading going to bed. I don’t know what my problem is.

Anyway…

Our home is going to be so different when I get home with my little latinos. I absolutely can’t wait for our families to meet them in person, they are in for such a treat. I can only imagine how much they are going to thrive with all the love they have waiting on them in the states.

As soon as Lucrecia came to work today she came into see if I was doing okay. I love this woman. Then around 5 she came in to see if Jeanie, Emi and Nate had made it home okay. She saw I was talking to Eric on the webcam and I had her say hello. She was glad to hear they made their flights. She knew they were on stand by.

Joaquin and Jessica were so good today, we had a lot of fun together. I think they like all the attention and for Jessica she didn’t feel she had to compete with Emilee. I did let her do a few things today that normally Emi would do, like pour our water in our glasses at meal time. She thought she was big stuff.

Joaquin took a nap today, on accident. He fell asleep while watching TV this evening while I was on the webcam with Eric. Hopefully he goes to sleep tonight. But when he woke up he was calm and sleepy and sat on my lap for a long time. He never sits still long enough to sit on your lap for long, so I ate it up.


Okay, one last note. Jeanie, THANK YOU SO MUCH. Just for being here for that week was so nice and to be able to send Emi and Nate home with you was a relief. It’s great to have such a wonderful family willing be there when you need them and to be able to send off my kids with my sister without any worries at all is something not everyone can have. Jeanie thinks of my kids like they are her own. I appreciate you more than you know.

Happy Mother’s Day to all of you moms reading. For those of you who this is your first Mother’s Day, Congratulations, Motherhood is a beautiful thing as you all have learned. To those of you who are mothers at heart and waiting for your referral, enjoy your day too because your lives will be turned upside down once you have your little one(s) with you. One of the best things here is watching the first time parents with their little one(s), they are beaming and loving every moment…your day is coming.

Jess wanted to take my pic saying I Love You. So here it is, Happy Mother's Day, I Love and Miss You All!


Oh and one last prayer request. My friend Peggy who has adopted Sofia is here in Colombia with me. She met Sofia the same day we met Jess and Joaquin, so she has been here for 4 weeks. She has still not recieved sentencia. Her court has a new judge and he still has not signed off on her paperwork. She is missing her two boys at home terribly, she has been away from them for 4 weeks. She is going to miss not only mother's day with them but also her son's 16th birthday. You can imagine how hard it has been for her. Please pray she gets word first thing Monday and can get home ASAP!!