2 weeks to go!!!

I have been cursed with blog issues!! I attempted to blog two nights ago and the electricity went out for 6 hours!! Then last night, I was almost finished with my blog...and the power went out again!! I was hoping it had posted...but no such luck. Sorry for the delay, but I'm back!!

The last couple of days have been busy. When the electricity goes out here - which is often - it reminds me of the conveniences I "do" have here and take for granted. Such as lights, fans, the microwave!! I was cooking dinner for the girls when the electricity went out. Immediately, there is a panic amongst my girls....when will it come back on Mommy? How will we see? Eat dinner? How can we sleep? Panic!! So I went through the house and lit candles - opened all the windows and prayed that soon the lights would come back on. I warmed mac and cheese in the oven with some chicken fingers and was told by the girls' how "rico" "yummy" dinner was. This always amazes me - the times I spend an hour in the kitchen cooking chicken and vegetables, I have to force my children to eat...but mac and cheese and chicken fingers....always a hit!!

We didn't get the electricity back on until 11:30 PM!! I was asleep and awoke with all the lights coming on and the fans....so at least the majority of the night, we slept in comfort!!

We experienced a very unique dinner the night before. Tim has been asking our cab driver, Norman about Iguana. It is considered a delicacy here. We see them running around all the time - ran over one before but to EAT it?!?! This is where I am very different from my husband - he wanted to try this and see what it tasted like - I, on the other hand, don't need or want that experience. Norman - such a sweet friend to us, and wanting to please Tim, bought, killed and cooked Iguana. His wife Susanna had made Iguana stew and brought it over for us to eat. She made home made tortillas and the stew looked really good (especially if it didn't have Iguana in it) so of course, my husband dug in. He immediately started to rant and rave about how good it was - there was no escape, I had to try it. So I put some on a tortilla and took my first bite. I actually had a bone in my mouth and at this point, I was finished experimenting!! I started to push my food around on my plate and then my little savior, Gracie came over and said "Yum Iguana" and I fed her the rest of my food!! Tim came over to my plate and looked at the bones and informed me that I had the rib cage of the Iguana.....eeeeewwwww!! Everyone said it tasted like chicken.....not so much for me!!

My husband went home Saturday morning - early. I have been in a daze ever since. I am trying to wrap my head around the fact that we are going home in 2 weeks!! Isn't it funny how sometimes it can take days for things to actually sink in? This is a very big event for us - we have been living here for 3 months and we are surrounded by people we love. It is a process for me to say "goodbye". There are places I still want to go to - people I want to spend time with and things we want to do before we leave. I know this time will fly by and I want to be sure to get as much in as I can!!

We went to church yesterday and made some plans with Maria Jose and the kids. Leaving these children will be so difficult!! Every time I go to Puente de Amistad, I am greeted with hugs and stories. They ALL hold such a special place in my heart. Being here, in Nicaragua, has given me the opportunity to take care of them - to know how each one of them is doing - to see them often - that all changes when I go home. This is, of course, the hardest thing for me. I always strive to make sure that each child knows that I love them - cherish them. So for the next few days - I will take time to tell each one how I feel and let them know I will be praying for them. I know the question will be, "when are you coming back?" This is difficult to answer - I have no desire today to return anytime soon. But I think, that after some time, I will feel differently. Lucie asked me yesterday "Mommy, I want to come back after we leave. In 2 or 3 months and want to stay for 1 week and then go back home"!! ;) I think she is afraid that we will be stuck here...I share that sentiment. But after some time, I too will be asking when I can come back. So for now, the answer is "I don't know....".

So today starts the "next to last" week here in Nicaragua - we have dinner with the girls from the orphanage tonight - court date tomorrow - Gracie has 2 doctor appointments on Wednesday - Thursday is our party at the orphanage and Friday, we are hoping to head to Granada for one last time and eat at Kathy's Waffle House. It's a busy week and I know as time goes on, it will get even busier. We have a lot of paperwork to attend to and appointments, it will be crazy busy! But when I think of having my girls and I HOME....I know this will all be worth it!!