The past two and half weeks.....

….have been a whirlwind! I think I caught my breath today! It has been good for us to be here for 2 weeks. The kids have had time to get to know us better in a city in which they are familiar and we were able to see the family they know often. I think the time in Lima will be hard, but still good. They will at least be in Peru, but will have a bigger separation from familiarity. So, hopefully they will learn to trust us a little bit more there.  I’m not sure how long we will be in Lima. We are prepared for 2 ½ weeks, but maybe it will be shorter.

It’s so funny.  These weeks have been slow for me, but during that time, Brent and I gained a whole new family. The family at Morning Star became our friends and family. We have some of the best memories with them.  I will miss them. I wish we had more time to get to know them and that they all lived down the road from us! I will wish they could pop over to our house for dinner and squish together at the table for one big meal and laugh at Helen Keller jokes or sit in the living room to chat for a few hours.

I don’t know how much Hugo and Olenka realize is happening.  Hugo understands more than Olenka. I think that Olenka tries to avoid thinking about it. Cesia is missing familiar people and routines, I´m sure, but cannot express it in words. But maybe if the older two understand exactly what was happening, the pain might be too great to handle for them. I remember when we left Texas, I thought my heart was being ripped apart. I had no idea what I would do without my best buddy, Christy. But I knew I could see her and talk to her again.  No matter how hard it is to say, the truth is the kids will never see some of their friends/family again. Did your heart just tear in two a little?? But God, who likes to create really awesome circumstances for us, might create one or two just so their/our paths cross one day again.

So I really sat down to post about our week (below) and to write about some of the very small changes we have seen in Hugo, Olenka, and Cesia. I think I will save that one for a later date now. I’m kinda sad!

We are so grateful for Morning Star. We are so thankful the girl’s had Mommy Janet and Poppy Bob to care for and love them and that Hugo had Poppy Alberto and Mommy Rosa and Gloria to care for and love him. Those couples were there when the kids needed them. We are thankful for the volunteers who invested in their lives too! They provided fun and friendship for them.

For Tom and Carol, Mark and Kim and their kids – what would we have done without you! For the meals, washing loads of laundry, the borrowing of towels, toys, movies, and a Wii, the car rides, going to get birth certificates, church services, finding us a place to stay, watching the kids, a trip to see the ruins, helping us grocery shop, a phone, advice and information, fun on the beach, laughter, for taking us in…..the list could go on I’m sure……you have been selfless in your giving. We can never thank you enough for everything that you have done. We are so glad you are apart of our lives now! You were the hands and feet of Christ to us during this time. MUCHAS GRACIAS!!

Well now that we are wanting to cry our eyes out, I´m going to go. I can´t think of anything funny to say right now. Brent has the kids at the park and it´s lunchtime and probably naptime. Our big dinner is tonight. Can´t wait to see everyone!