Home So Sweet

Ok, I admit that I've found this post very difficult to sit down and write...I WANTED to update you all, I wanted to share how sweet it was to be home and put my arms around my boys and my best friend, who is the other half of me...I wanted to share how peace slowly has swept over our C as she sees all of her family together again and takes in worship and family meals and work and play and sleep and laughter...So I will start with that stuff. 

We finally made it home on Christmas eve day...at 2:00 a.m. (24 hours from when we'd started to travel...) my hubby had to work in the eve so I took our 4 children : ) to Christmas Eve candlelight service to worship and be with our church family and then came home and we decorated the tree together.  Oh so fun!  

                                           Ok, a lot of fun was had once it turned into a pajama party : )
Christmastime was spent mostly with Nana and Papa Grizzly (my mom and dad), 2 people whose faithfulness and unrelenting love are our children's and our sweet heritage.

I can't really fill you in on the hundreds of things C has discovered since coming home with us but I can give you a list of her favorite things which will give you a little glimpse...
1).  Climbing in bed with big brothers before the sun is yet up in the morning.
2).  Piling in bed with our 2 dogs before they are ready to face the morning.
3).  Long baths with big sister surrounded by bubbles and rubber duckies.
4).  Jumping on the trampoline with a big brother.
5).  Jumping on the trampoline with the other big brother.
6).  Jumping on the trampoline with big sister.
7).  Jumping on the trampoline with all 3.  (You may notice a pattern here...basically all day she asks, "Quieres saltar?" "Wanna jump?" unless she's on the trampoline.)
8).  Playing or dancing with Papa wherever, whenever.
9).  Reading books with Mami.  (She's discovered the excitement of a good story...oh joy!)
10).  Dress up days (defined as days that mom caves and puts her in the much requested dress, skirt or tights...often a compromise with a skirt or dress OVER fleece pants and top.)
I think those are her top 10 but I'm probably forgetting several as or more important...

We have begun our round of pediatric, endocrinologist, dentist, podiatrist appointments...trying to get her comfortable and to figure out what we can do for the movement and growth difficulties she has.  It's easy to get fixated on what's wrong and forget to step back and see that she's smiling and laughing and running and playing.  She can't identify a single color but she can recite the answer to the first 4 children's catechism questions...hmm...perspective needed!

I guess what was difficult about this post was the troubling time we'd spent with bureaucracy...which boiled down to unpleasant interaction with many, many individuals in my very beloved Peru.  Even without ever doubting that God had purpose and control, I struggled with things that seriously disturbed, angered and hurt me...it was a struggle to reflect Christ.  Forgiveness is such a big part of who we are in Him...I've been learning its importance all over again.  And that as He continues to faithfully forgive me so much.

Running through my head over the last 2 months has been the refrain from a worship song we sing at our church called:  All I Have is Christ..."Oh Father use my ransomed life in any way you choose and let my song forever be My Only Hope is You.  Alleluia, all I have is Christ.  Alleluia, Jesus is my life."  I kept repeating to myself, especially in the last week in Peru, what I pray will be the theme of my life:  

"Father, please use my ransomed life in any way you choose!"

...not what I expect, not what I have in mind, not what I'd hoped for but what He has chosen...that's what I want to want : ).

But of course!

I'm flying home tomorrow....with my two girls, one of whom is the proud new holder of not only a Birth Certificate but also a Peruvian passport AND an American VISA!  

Yesterday machinery broke down in government offices, banks gave me trouble over payment of fees, traffic was locked up tight blocking where we needed to go, personnel looked at me and told me it really couldn't be done and on and on...but those are such little things to our God.  I was handed the first document I needed at 9 a.m. and the last one at 6:30 p.m.  Complete to the last detail.  

When little C wakes up in the morning she usually sits quietly in her bed and waits for someone to tell her it's time to get up...I suppose they trained her to do that at the orphanage.  She woke up probably at 3 a.m. this morning and rather than sitting quietly as she did when she was an orphan, she came to find her mom.  I woke up to the sounds of little footsteps in the dark and pulled her into bed with me.  She curled up next to me and lay there quietly for a little while with her head next to mine on the pillow and her eyes open.  After a little she looked at me solemnly and whispered, "Mami, te quiero mucho." ("I love you lots, mommy")  That was yesterday's biggest miracle.  Our little one is starting to realize she is an orphan no more.  Our God is great. 

 Thank you for your prayers and comments, they have blessed and encouraged me so much during this  trying week.

Soli Deo Gloria!!!

Can it be done???

I've translations of documents to complete yet so I won't be wordy.  I still do not have a valid birth certificate.  In order to travel on Sunday I have to accomplish TODAY:

1.  Getting a valid birth certificate
2.  Paying the bank, picking up an additional copy of the verification of Tomi's power of attorney and getting to immigration to have them issue a Peruvian passport
3.  Completing translation of the birth certificate and getting to the American embassy before 5 to see if they will produce a VISA before closing.

And that's it.  I have not been promised a birth certificate for today.  I have been told it will probably not be ready until after Christmas.  Add to that horrific traffic and long traveling between each of the above numbers in a taxi with 2 girls.  

God can do the impossible if He wills.  Please pray that we will accept His will for us (all 3 of us are exhausted and wanting to be reunited with our family) and bring Him glory in whatever today brings.

Thanks for upholding us dear friends!!

Paperwork update Dec 18th

Again for the followers, you'll be able to tell who is posting by the simple language. 
It seems that we are making some progress, the daily impossible tasks keep coming, but somehow with God's grace we seem to be able to overcome them one at a time. 
Hopefully today we will have everything ready to turn in to the RENIEC to generate the birth certificate. Appreciate your prayers and support. We hope to be reunited by the weekend, we'll have to deal with the passport as soon as we get the birth certificate. Still God taking us by His hand every step of the way. Keep praying for Debbie's and the girl's patience and endurance. 

Delays, Birthdays and Dirty Feet

Here we are...no progress.  Progress means moving forward, right???...So the new paperwork problem that has surfaced isn't progress.  It's all too complicated so I won't go into it...you probably wouldn't believe me if I told you anyway...I'm not sure we do.  It's all in God's hands, it'll work out in the end.

In the meantime we're entertaining ourselves...I'm washing (by machine, thankfully!!) and hanging out clothes (amazing how much time that all takes...), alternately getting beat at ping pong (I could beat both boys when we arrived, now I'm just trying to retain my dignity) and responding to "mami!!!" all day : ), my hubby has bought the boys some old-school wooden tops and taught them how to throw them (their grandpa is teaching them how to pick them up so they spin on their hands) and the girls run up and down the 3 floors of stairs collecting dirt.  Bathtime is not just a fun soak for those two...it's a serious necessity!

There's not much else to tell...we're waiting and trusting.  Oh, and the pictures are downloading again, yay!!  

Birthdays and Beyond

Been having trouble with both internet and downloading pics from my camera over the last few days.  I'll sum up what you've missed....
C is loving life with her family in Lima.  We had a birthday celebration with lots of extended family and all we heard all day was "torta!"  (Cake)  C was very excited and loved getting into her dress and tights. ( Dressing up is one of this girly-girl's favorite things.)  In addition, she's gotten to walk around barefoot for the first time and thinks it's the best thing ever.  I have an awesome tiny grimy feet pic that I'll hope to be able to post soon.

On the down side, we're scheduled to leave Lima on Sunday and it doesn't look like the girls and I will be able to go.  NO PROGRESS AT ALL ON THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE.  Sigh.  We're in a complete deadlock and hoping someone will be able to do something helpful to get things rolling again.  We're knocking on doors trying to see who knows who but the truth of the matter is, our contact goes right to the Top.  Our God directs men's thoughts and hearts and is completely in control of this situation, we know.  Please pray that He will do what glorifies Him the most in this and that He will help us to wait on Him faithfully...oh, and that we'd have pictures to post again soon!! : )

Back in Lima!

We are beyond thrilled to be back in Lima...back to family and internet connection!!  We were not able to get C's birth certificate in Cuzco...sigh.  We've hit some major snafoos and are planning to tackle the issue first thing tomorrow morning.  We have a contact or two that we are praying will be able to overcome the deadlock we are in on legal issues.  We'd really love to manage the birth certificate and Peruvian passport tomorrow.  I hope, I hope!

We left Cuzco about midday...C was a little nervous due to suitcases, planes, etc., but she really did beautifully.  She seems to trust us completely and if we tell her this is what we're doing together and that it's ok, she comes along willingly.  I tend to forget how new everything is for her...first elevator ride, first escalator, first time to put everything she owns (first time to OWN stuff!) into a suitcase and move, first time to get on a plane...it goes on and on.  Just watching her trust us makes me feel so weak in my faith...how I pray for trust like that!

We arrived at her grandparents' house and she already owns the staircase...three floors of stairs...happiness is...  How can a child that never wanted to go anywhere, never felt safe except for in her orphanage and was unusually fearful of change be so happy???  Our God is truly the guardian of the fatherless...she trusts us.  Could anything be more sweet??!

Loaded up C's backpack with plane activities, the boys slipped it on her back and immediately had to catch her before it took her to the ground...much hilarity all around.  We settled on her baby doll and two v. small stuffed animals after some trial and error.  Can't wait to beef this little girl up some!!

 Getting ready to leave airport in Cuzco...these two sisters love each other lots!

Safely in Lima, population about 13 million...a pretty big city for our small town girl.