1009 replies to this topic

[tanabutler]

That is totally awesome, F52. I can't wait to hear more.

[Jaymes]

When I lived in Panama, a great many of our friends adopted children from Colombia. The poverty there is staggering. The street kids in Bogota break your heart. They roam the city like packs of wild dogs. The city fathers, merchants, and many of the citizens just hope that the kids die, so that they won't have to deal with them.

All of you -- you, John and the kids, and Nataly, are so blessed to have found each other.

And, you'll enjoy your visit in Bogota. Historic city, great food. And this:
The Gold Museum.

Thank you so much for letting us all share in this great and glorious adventure of the heart.

[jinmyo]

Wonderful.

[foodie52]

John (husband) just brought home a palette of colors for Nataly to choose for her room. She has chosen two blues. She wants the room divided in half: two walls one color, two walls the other. Now that she knows she can make choices, there's no doubt in her mind what to do.

She also wants to drop her given last name and take a middle name , either " Kimberley" or "Marjorie" . Where does she get this stuff???

Meanwhile, we've started filling out paperwork. I can't find my birth certificate, so I have to get a new one. I hope there is still a record of my birth, about a million years ago!

We have to file a letter of intent with a Colombian agency. We are not allowed to mention Nataly by name. We have to describe the child that we have become "enamoured with" and then hope that they know who the hell we are talking about! Our agency representative has assured us that this is how it works. She's been doing international adoptions for 9 years, so I think she knows what she is talking about.

We also have to schedule a home visit: apparently some person comes to our house and looks for the tequila. Fortunately I have a great hiding place for it....

More as this develops.

[foodie52]

It's the night before Nataly leaves. I just finished packing her suitcase as full as it can get with all the stuff she acquired - 4 bottles of shampoo, plastic bags of beads, pencils and stickers for her friends at the orphanage. Nail polish and fake nails and nail clippers for her friend Alexandra who isn't going to be adopted, but is learning a trade for when she gets thrown out of the orphanage - she is going to do nails. A T-shirt from the Bluebonnet Cafe in Marble Falls; colored pens and pencils for school, two blank notebooks and three photo albums containing pictures of the people and places she has grown to love. Gummi frogs and key lime candies to share with her friends.

Also, "Harry Potter #4" in Spanish. She is leaving #5 here so that I can send it to her when she finishes #4. I asked her if she wanted me to send her #6 when it comes out in Spanish, but she said to buy it and keep it here for her.

Tonight while we were packing, she matter of factly told me that, in case we decide not to come and get her, the chaperone who accompanied the children here will be responsible for her. I didn't think I heard correctly but I did. This loving and cheerful little girl doesn't know for sure that we are commited to bringing her home. She told me today that some day she wants to visit Italy. When I asked her why, she said that when she was much younger she developed an interest in the country because some people from Italy had said they wanted to adopt her....but they didn't.

We are leaving for the airport tomorrow morning. When we get there, there will be reporters for the Spanish language newspaper. They have been promised quotes from the adoptive parents.

It'll take all my strength to maintain my composure. No quotes from here....

It breaks my heart.

[tanabutler]

God love you, honey. I am so amazed and impressed, and I have such a good feeling about this whole thing.

Do you get to write to her in the interim?

[foodie52]

We set her up an email account and she's been practicing! Her chaperone, Mariem, who has become a friend , told us that she will make sure that Nataly gets to a computer often to read her emails . I'm giving Mariem some money so that she can buy stamps and envelopes for Nataly and batteries for her CD player. We bought her an English language program and hope she'll at least attempt to use it! Every time we tell her that she needs to learn English, she shoots back at us , "Y tu! Tu apprendes espanol, OK?" OK!

The folks where I work have been incredible. Mauricio, who comes from Colombia told her today that he can be her "tio" (uncle) and is looking forward to inviting us to his house for some Colombian food. He also told her how wonderful her new parents are! (can't have enough of that, can we?) Rodrigo at the fish counter, took Nataly into the back and showed her how to filet a whole fish, all the while explaining very seriously in Spanish. My coworkers have taken this in stride. Considering that it's been all of 10 days since this adventure started, everyone's been pretty easy with this.

[Maurice Naughton]

Wow! You are very generous and very, very brave. Nataly is so lucky. Isn't it marvelous to begin such a life-altering adventure?

[Jaymes]

It'll take all my strength to maintain my composure.

I'm betting you won't. I can't manage it and all I'm doing is sitting here reading this. You're gonna be a basket case for sure.

[flyfish]

I can't wait to read more about this. Foodie, you and Nataly are my new heroines!

Fly

[foodie52]

9 little kiddos in red "KidSave" T-shirts this morning at the airport. Nine adoptive families to say goodbye, plus a couple of extra well-wishers who have adopted through KidSave in the past. A reporter from a Spanish language newspaper called "Rumbo". A photojournalism major who is doing her Masters thesis on this process. Tiny, tiny children, all with amazing energy and joy. No whining, no complaining. Lots of hugs.

I couldn't sleep last night and was up early . Nataly got up at 6 as well. I told her I would probably cry. She told me NO: not to cry, because she was just going on vacation to Colombia and was going to return. The resilience of these children is blowing me away. One little boy, 9 years old, kept coming back from the airport security line for just one more hug from his mom-to-be. He was wearing his new sunglasses to hide his tears. It was hard to watch. Nataly kept smiling at us and shaking her head at me, mimicking drying her eyes.

I didn't cry.

About 56 Colombian children are going to converge on the Atlanta airport this afternoon for the flight back to Colombia. They are coming from a number of US cities that have been good adopters in the past. Almost all of them have been adopted. Mary Gael, who helps coordinate the Austin visit, won't rest until all the children from this year's visit have homes. She told me about one 10 year old boy in Russia who spent time with an American family that said they would adopt him... but then changed their minds and didn't tell the boy or KidSave. There is a special place in hell for people like that, dont' you think? 4 years later, he is in the process of being adopted by an Austin family!

My 21 year old daughter has been my touchstone throughout the week. In the space of 7 days, she has grown up 10 years. What an amazing experience for her - used to being the only girl in a family of privilege. Now she is an older sister. She hugged and kissed Nataly, tickled her, bought her a juice at the airport ( no soda para ti, hermana!) and stuck a note in her suitcase for her to find when she gets back to the orphanage. She leaves for school on Friday so we are spending today and tomorrow together - just her and I, doing girl things. I watched her having her hair done after leaving the airport - it lifted both our spirits. She needs some extra attention right now...Nothing like a good hairdo.

Hasta luego.

[Cathy]

This is such a wonderful story to read - thanks for sharing the experience with us.

Do you have a picture of Nataly?

[foodie52]

Nataly

[foodie52]

I'm getting there...posting photos is a challenge. I downloaded imageshack but I can only paste thumbnails. ?

[scamhi]

very touching , foodie