great to be home

I need to look up my list of things I wanted to do when I got here...so far we've eaten at Chick-fil-A and Domino's but I think I'm ready for some good food now. We went to Barnes and Noble today...it was amazing! And we got Joaquin's hair cut and Isabela's nails painted at a fun place just for kids. We made a trip to Richmond already, but just to take care of some business...we hope to be relocating down there some time soon! I'll keep you posted!

we're here!

We finally made it!! The kids did a great job on the plane....I only wanted to throw Joaquin off one time...right before naptime...and then he fell asleep with his angelic face and all was well again. Isabela was a great helper in Miami...we had to pick up our 6 huge suitcases and move them a few miles away...she had to push a cart with 3 huge 50lb. suitcases all by herself!! Joaquin sat on my cart with two...and I had to pull one by hand because it was too big. I couldn't believe no one helped us!
So it is really a relief to be back in the US and see all the beautiful things. I went to DMV this morning and straightened my license out...and then went to Target! And we just ate at Mcd's. We fit right back in!!

amazing race-finale

Today was really an episode from the Amazing Race...I might be able to win that show with my experience!! I went to immigration at 9am...no the passport wasn't ready...we were told to come back or wait for 30 minutes. I had brought Joaquin and Isabela with me (and Juan Pablo's dad). He needed to check on something in another government building so we went and did that and came back when told. We waited for awhile and were then ushered into the Director's waiting area. Well, anyone who knows Joaquin...waiting is not his thing. I had exhausted myself of stories and imaginitive games...along with snacks and drinks...so when we finally got into the office...he was ready to cut loose...imagine the tazmanian devil tearing up the place. So the Director talked to Julio while I did Joaquin patrol....and as I found out later, he told Julio, "I need to say this to you, because I can't say it to her...but you need another document." So we left without the passport to try and get this other document. I left in tears and was crying most of the way home. Joaquin thought it was because of the way he acted...so he was like "I'm sorry, Mommy" which was very sweet. Julio spent most of the morning getting this last document...I went to Mamita Pancha's house for our Christmas lunch and we exchanged gifts. Julio arrived and said he turned in the paper and I should go back at 3pm, but that he couldn't go with me, so Beatriz would go.
We went back around 3:30 pm...and it was still not there! So we waited and waited and she finally brought it up...at almost 5pm. So bottom line...I do have the passport!!!!! But that's not the end of the story. She then told me I need to go to window 10 to get my ID card. You must get the ID card within 10 days, or there is a fine of 5 bolivianos per day. So we go to the window, and because I had an ID card 5 years ago, I need to have that card with me....well, I didn't have it of course. That meant I need to go to Interpol and report it as lost/stolen. But first I needed to get the number of my card from window 6...
are you as tired of reading this as I am of living it?
So we finally got the number...I forgot to mention Julio showed up during this whole process...Beatriz disappeared to the ATM when the man found my ID number and we had to leave her behind as we ran to Interpol to file the report. Keep in mind it's after 5pm now...everything closes at 6pm...and if I don't get this ID card today, there is a daily fine that accrues. So we arrived at Interpol and filed the report, which usually takes 24 hours...but the guy did me a favor and got it done TODAY! He told off Julio though because Julio had been pacing and giving dirty looks because it was taking so long. So we left there at 545pm....ran to a photo place because I had to have two photos...I literally ran the few blocks to Immigration to fill out the paperwork and Julio arrived a few minutes later with my photos. But the window to pay for the ID card was closed. HOWEVER, Julio can bring the paperwork on Monday after I leave and that will stop the crazy fine.
So the happy ending is I have the passport...I will be boarding the plane on Monday and not looking back!

still no passport

Just wanted to let you know...another day at immigration and still no passport. But supposedly if I go back tomorrow at 9am I will get it. I really have no comment at this point.

%#$#@&^!!!!!

Could anyone hear me screaming today?? Okay, it was just in my head but I'm sure you had to hear me. I went back to immigration today at 11:30 just as I was told to do. Oh, and if you're imagining a DMV type office with parking out front and chairs and numbers being called....stop it. It's nothing like that. Just getting there was half the battle today. There were protests and people blocking off streets so there was no transportation moving during the morning...we had to walk at a brisk pace for about 20 minutes to get there...and think San Fransisco hills, but ten times worse. So we got there to be told my passport was still in processing. So we talked to a helpful young man who disappeared for awhile and came back to tell us to wait for someone...I didn't exactly catch everything, but I was with Juan Pablo's father. So we must have waited 45 minutes (standing) and a group of men came in and the helpful guy whispered to JP's father to catch the guy in the blue shirt and talk to him. So Julio went up to him, and the man immediately told him "not right now" buy Julio persisted and got him to listen. We were asked to bring proof of my paid plane tickets and to come back at 2:30pm. Well, I don't have tickets because I bought them over the Internet (what year are we in?) so we went by American Airlines on our long walk home and they gave me a print out with my information with their company stamp (still no real ticket though) and made the long walk back to the hotels, complaining the whole way about how they don't care about anyone's time...blah, blah, blah.
We came back at 2:30 to wait for almost an hour (yes, standing...although I did find a step to sit on for the last 15 minutes). I was ushered in to speak to the Director of Immigration...Julio couldn't go back because he had forgotten his ID card. The Director said "We are going to give you your passport, but why are you in such a hurry to get back?" My thought: What do you care? Just give me my passport. You said it'd be ready on the 10th! My lie: My grandfather is sick and I was supposed to have my passport back on the 10th!
So he asks why I don't have the tickets for the plane....I don't know, aren't we living in the new millenium? Or maybe it's just me. Apparently, it's just me. So I explain how it works whey you buy your ticket on line and he ends with, "Come back tomorrow at 11:00am. So I say, "Are you sure?" And he says, "Well, to be really sure, come back at 3:00pm." Then the numerous attendees around him say, "Well, they do start giving the passports back at 5pm" So he then tells me 5pm. Why doesn't he know this if he is the Director? I ask what time they close (6:30pm) and what if they don't give it to me? And he says to come find him, but that it will definitely be ready.
So we leave again, after having spent the whole day there with nothing in our hands. Not just the whole day, the whole week! We are hopeful that tomorrow will be the end of it...and I guess we do have Friday to call the National Guard if not!

immigration (part 2)

Today I spoke with Juan Pablo's dad who very kindly agreed to go with me to immigration and see what he could do. He said "unfortunately, we may have to lie...here in Bolivia that's what works" which is another thing to add on my list of dislikes...but anyway...he said we'd say my grandfather was sick and I needed to get back ASAP. So we went there and said that and the guy disappeared into the back for at least 15 minutes and returned to tell us to come back tomorrow at 11:30am and it should be ready. So let's hope! It also may be that we won't have to pay the over $200 fine for the kids being in the country so long because their dad is Bolivian (which makes sense, duh!) but I don't have the proof (ie. marriage certificate Juan Pablo took with him in case he had problems in immigration there, and birth certificates the dishonest lawyer did something with) so we'll see if we can get around that somehow. His dad said we may have to slip someone a hundred b's (bolivianos)...another dislike on my list...I feel like they could put me directly in jail!! Anyway, tomorrow I hope to have all this resolved. I will be very relieved to get back into the US next week!

immigration

So I went to immigration yesterday to pick up my passport and they said it wasn't ready to come back Friday or Monday. Of course we leave on Monday so now I"m going to have to go everyday and pesterize someone until they give it to me. Plus, the president approved the new constitution all by himself so half the country is up in arms (so to speak) and will be protesting this weekend. I'm sure we'll be fine...but it would have been nice to leave before all this started.
We've been spending a lot of time with Juan Pablo's family...the kids' cousins and it has helped pass the time. Saturday I think we will do a gift exchange before we leave. I've been busy packing...trying to fit my life into 5 suitcases again, just in case we decide to stay in the states.
Here's some pics of the kids....with their candy necklaces on...and then one day I came in their room and they had found these workman hats and were busy constructing with their puzzle tools.

one week down

So we've been hanging in there...managing on our own. You may think I'm a grown woman (something over 30) but I still feel like a young teenager and can't believe God has me in a foreign country in charge of two young children by myself!! They are doing well even though Daddy is far...they've been sleeping with or even in his shirts and have been crossing off days on a calendar until our airplane flight. We did get to go to the park one day because it didn't rain (we're starting rainy season here), and we've traveled into the city twice to spend time with grandma and their uncle at the hotels. Juan Pablo's family is taking good care of us, and have already planned out our upcoming weekend.
At the beginning of the week, we got a box of beautifully packaged Christmas gifts (which we are trying hard not to open until then) from my dad and Betty; and today we received two boxes from the states...one from our favorite aunt Maggie and another from our dear MOPS friends...those have made the next week seem manageable! God has great timing...close enough to flight day that we won't use or lose everything...and just in time so they didn't cross in the mail!
I haven't been sleeping well because of the excitement of coming home and thinking of the many things I need to do. Plus that darn elf that moves every night!
So we're looking forward to seeing everyone soon!

easy christmas craft

Here's an easy craft we did the other day...the kids colored the tree and decorated it, then glued pictures underneath the tree of toys they wanted...of course we don't have toy magazines here. I did find 7 year old computer magazines, so this year, it looks like they want a lot of electronics!!
There's also an example of one of the finger puppets we're making out of craft foam. They are turning out really cute, and the kids are already making up stories with them. So far we have a snowman, a Santa, and a present.

elf on the shelf

I received an email about this idea before december and decided to try it this year. Each family has an elf that watches how the children behave during the day. At night he flies back to the North Pole to give a report to Santa, and when he returns in the morning, he is hiding somewhere in the house, and the kids have to find him when they wake up. We then put him back up on the shelf where he's not to be touched while doing his work. It has really helped improve good behavior...the kids are sharing more, playing nicely, and using inside voices. Every now then I have to remind them that the elf is watching and they usually whip right back into shape. They absolutely love searching for him in the morning! So here's some pictures of our Elf.

our tree

Here's a picture of our tree we put up the other day. It was in the corner but since the house is so big, I thought it would be fun to have it right in the middle of the room!! It only has the few ornaments we brought with us...and we put our Christmas toys under it so it would look like the ones in the movies!!

traveling with kids

I've been researching what to bring on the plane to entertain two preschoolers by myself. Our flight is on Dec 17 and leaves in the morning and gets there late at night. We're making some Christmas finger puppets and a little stage, some Christmas lacing cards, I spy books and a lift the flap book, we have two new toys (which I'll wrap) and I'll bring tape because I read it's good to have them wrap and rewrap whatever they can and it occupies time well. Plus the old stand-by markers and paper, maybe a notebook and stickers too! And snacks, snacks, and more snacks. Does anyone have any good ideas or recommendations?