Here are a lot of random thoughts and impressions after three days in Cali.
First, our hotel staff has been amazing. They are so interested in being sure that all of our needs are met. Some of them speak very good Engilsh others a bit and some none at all. Yolanda has been amazing. She is the one we booked our reservation through. Ordering breakfast is my job and I am getting better at communicating in a mixture of English and Spanish. Yesterday the assistant manager on duty told me he was happy I could help him improve his English, and I without thinking said I would be glad to have him help me with my spanish! Oops. I had to learn how to complete the order in Spanish- only. It was fun and quite the experience. He told me as the father he would call me Don James and I should call him Don Carlos. So when I get home I expect all you gringos to start calling me Don James!!!!! Very warm and friendly people here. We are enjoying our stay so much more this time.....
Which leads to the next random thought. This time around th adoption seems so much less stresfull. I think this is in part because we have done this before and so we are much more prepared and comfortable. We have been to Columbia before and so we feel more at ease in this culture. We also had the benefit of overlapping with a couple from Alabama for two days- they showed us the ropes for this neighborhood.
Our meeting with ICBF before the children we're introduced was also easier because we had a good we had understanding of the process. While there they asked if they could take photos of our meeting Anyi and Jose. They are going to write a story with pictures for their website. Big surprise, but they have never had a family as large as ours come to Cali for an adoption. We were quite the novilty. But then again I regonize that we are probably looked at as an oddity wherever we go! :-)
They kids aree all getting along well together. Anyi thing a lot of what we do is somewhat humorous, but is very happy to go along with the flow. She is so happy all the time and breaks into a big smile if she notices y looking at her. She is very compliant so far. Jose is still being quite reserved, but we expect he wil loosen up a lot before we get home. He has started testing boundaries a bit, but is compliant when told no. The kids constantly mix up into different groups to color or play card games. Unlike our first trip down here, Anyi and Jose do not seam immature for their age. Anyi is definately where a typical 9-10 yr old would be. She can read in Spanish, and I had already figured out she has some basic math skills too. At 6, we don't think Jose has been expected to do much school work.
All is well going together as a family. Feel very safe here. Walking by faith and not by sight.
Why "Eight Is Not Enough"?
When we were younger, there was a television sitcom that was called "Eight is Enough". The television watching world was entertained with the thought of a family with eight children. Most of us were shocked at the prospect of such a large family- myself included! Then ever so slowly, God began to work on our hearts, until we surrendered to Him all of our lives- yes even gave Him sovereign control over the size of our family and He has blessed us immeasurably, with eight biological children. Each of these children have been an amazing gift to us and we cherish each of them. And we praised God for them and felt to ourselves "eight is enough" - at least for a time.
Then God began to stir our hearts. It was as if He spoke to say to us "these 8 precious children I have given to you, but what have you given to my orphans in return?" A burden began to build on our hearts to adopt. We knew that for us God still had other plans for us as parents if we would be faithful to His calling- that eight is not enough. And so, we followed this call to adopted and He has continued to blessed us through adoption. First a sibling group of three from Soacha, Colombia. They joined our family in November, 2008. In May 2010, we adopted twin infants from Texas. In September of 2012 we were privileged to return to Colombia and adopt a sibling group of two from Cali. At this time, we anxiously wait for our travel date to depart for China where a very special girl and boy wait for their forever family. By the time they all reach adulthood, we will have had the amazing privilege to be parents of children in our home for a half century. Our life is full beyond measure, beyond our wildest expectations, yes even beyond anything we could have ever hoped. Truly, eight is not enough. As of late we have wondered if God's plan for us as parents all along was not for eight children, but rather eight plus eight. Our heavenly Father knows and His word assures us "I know the plans I have made for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you." We trust He knows the number of His children He wants us to love and to nurture on His behalf, and whether that is eight or eighty times eight we stand ready and say speak Lord, your servants are listening and are prepared to be father and mother to your fatherless on earth.
Then God began to stir our hearts. It was as if He spoke to say to us "these 8 precious children I have given to you, but what have you given to my orphans in return?" A burden began to build on our hearts to adopt. We knew that for us God still had other plans for us as parents if we would be faithful to His calling- that eight is not enough. And so, we followed this call to adopted and He has continued to blessed us through adoption. First a sibling group of three from Soacha, Colombia. They joined our family in November, 2008. In May 2010, we adopted twin infants from Texas. In September of 2012 we were privileged to return to Colombia and adopt a sibling group of two from Cali. At this time, we anxiously wait for our travel date to depart for China where a very special girl and boy wait for their forever family. By the time they all reach adulthood, we will have had the amazing privilege to be parents of children in our home for a half century. Our life is full beyond measure, beyond our wildest expectations, yes even beyond anything we could have ever hoped. Truly, eight is not enough. As of late we have wondered if God's plan for us as parents all along was not for eight children, but rather eight plus eight. Our heavenly Father knows and His word assures us "I know the plans I have made for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you." We trust He knows the number of His children He wants us to love and to nurture on His behalf, and whether that is eight or eighty times eight we stand ready and say speak Lord, your servants are listening and are prepared to be father and mother to your fatherless on earth.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
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