Good news....bad news

Good Morning!!! I am still on East Coast time and up by 5:00 AM everyday - It gives me a lot of extra time in the morning ;D but I am sure as time goes on, I will get on track! Yesterday was a big day for us - we had a meeting with a social worker at Mi Familia - this was the official meeting where our fostering time starts with Martita. The social worker was explaining Martita's health and behaviors (as if we haven't known her for 3 years)! It was a little comical but the fact that it's official - is nothing short than awesome!!

We were allowed to have Martita over night - so we came home and I made dinner for the four of us - Tim is leaving today (bad news) and so it was very nice to hang out together as a family. Leigh Ellen and Patricia came by with a Key-Lime Pie they bought from Price Club (yes, there is a Price Club here and it kicks butt) to say "goodbye" to Tim. They also invited me over for dinner tonight - they are very sweet and know that I will be sad to see my husband leave. They both have experienced the same thing - their husbands leaving, they kids leaving. It's tough!! We were discussing how everyone has to sacrifice - it's difficult to stay here, it's difficult to have to stay at home - I am blogging all my experiences and my husband will have just as much of an adventure at home, I'm sure!!

We are getting settled - we have a Taxi driver named "Herman" who is very nice - he tries to speak English but he helps me with my Spanish - which I love!! He is a very sweet man and extremely cost effective - he charges us $5 an hour! So he will pick me up and take me to the orphanage for 2 hours and it is $10 - not bad. I have been searching for a mirror since I arrived - there is not ONE in our house - we went to several stores with no success. Then after dinner, Herman shows up at our house with his wife and 2 boys and a mirror in hand!! He put it up for us and wouldn't let me pay him!! I feel very comfortable that he will help take care of us when my husband is gone!

Carlos is our interpreter and is also awesome! He has a really good relationship with our lawyer Nubia and he talks to her constantly - about our case and others as well - he calls in the evenings to give me status and to wish us a good night - he too is very sweet and helpful - I thank God for the people He has put in our lives to get through this process.

Either today or tomorrow - we will have full custody of Martita - so she will not have to go back to the orphanage - We have to submit 2 letters to Mi Familia today - one that explains why my husband has to go home to work and to care for Scarlett and the second explains how long we have known Martita and the time we have spent with her (84 days before arriving on this trip) to ask them to shorten the fostering time. So that is a BIG deal!! If they shorten the fostering time, we will be home sooner. Will be praying for that.

How I'm feeling? I'm excited about our adventure - I know that I am really getting back to the basics - cleaning our clothes - teaching my girls - lots of time alone with God - and that is exciting to me - to minimize my life and the simplicity is attractive.

I'm sad about my husband leaving - who will I talk to? He is my partner in this and I wish he could stay and experience every moment with me - He is also in charge of cleaning up bathroom duties (which Martita has several issues with from time to time) and that will now fall on me!! :D And I'm a little nervous about being here and taking care of the girls on my own - I always pride myself on being strong but this is a little scary to me.

I'm already sick and tired of the ants in the house!!! We asked Leigh Ellen lastnight - "what do you do about the ant situation" and she replied "I name them"!!! Love her!! I guess I have to keep my sense of humor as I am stepping on them, smashing them, KILLING THEM!!! Tim says if he sees me on Skype with my hair out of control and a strange look in my eye...he will know that I've lost it!!

Well, Tim is about to take Martita to school with our friends Jason and Michele. I will go for a run and then we will get Tim packed and ready for the airport - we leave at noon and his flight is at 3:00 PM - his time here has flown by - miss him already. :(