Eight Days A Week

Yes, I've been in Congo for 25 full days now.  That doesn't seem like a long time but it sure feels like a long time.  I've adapted pretty well and just have a whole new standard for what is normal.  Here is my top 25 list for things that have become my new normal:

1. cold showers where I get wet, turn the water off, lather up, turn the water off, and rinse as quickly as possible
2. for a treat, heating some water in the hot pot and then using a cup and the kids' baby tub to pour the same warmish water over and over to take a "bath"
3. washing hair twice a week (in the morning, hair only, head hanging upside down under the shower)
4. maintaining a certain level of body odor
5. wearing the same clothes multiple days in a row (without washing)
6. filtering almost 4 gallons of water every day (thankfully, Dad does this)
7. washing dishes in a bowl
8. using hand sanitizer every time I touch unfiltered water
9. mopping our bedroom floor with wet wipes
10. comforting my children when they smack their heads on hard tile (and then checking to make sure their pupils are dilating)
11. letting my children crawl on and eat food off of a dirty bar room floor
12. letting my daughter run around in a yard full of broken glass and under trees where falling durian fruit or massive (and not tasty) avocados could knock her unconscious
13. speaking niceties in French 
14. letting other people put their hands all over my kids even when I don't want that and the kids (okay, only Katie Mumbi) don't want that - it's a cultural thing
15. not leaving our compound unless with an escort
16. toast and sometimes a tasty nugget (hardboiled eggs) or sometimes a nasty nugget (sardines) for breakfast EVERY single day
17. take-out chicken and fries from the market
18. delivered salami pizza from O'Poeta (and something totally inedible when they get the order wrong like last night)
19. feeding my daughter Cheerios and "milk" (made with toddler "Go and Grow" formula) each and every day
20. using a much needed bathmat to clean up the spilled "milk" when the Cheerios bowl tips over
21. drinking a beer after lunch so that my doxy doesn't make me vomit
22. looking like a leper because I either am allergic to the bites of African mosquito or I have ringworm (not sure which but I think it's the mosquitos - could it be a combination of them both?)
23. not shaving my legs or armpits 
24. having my kids scratch so much that they look contagious
25. watching a movie almost every single day with my baby and toddler (NOT something I would do at home)

I wonder how long it will take for me to adjust back into my American life?  I'm guessing that I will be able to convince someone to fetch an iced vent non-fat Caramal Macchiato for me on my first morning back. That should help!!!  And I think within 30 minutes of being home I will be upstairs taking a nice long shower and shaving my legs!!!!  Liz, please plan on hanging out in the bathroom with me and Katie Mumbi since she probably will stay close by me for a while as she makes the adjustment.   She may even want to hop in and out of the shower with me.  Jeff, you'll be on Nat duty.  He will be having a ball trying to crawl on carpet!  

I don't know when I am coming home...but I am COUNTING on being at home, in Richmond, with my family of six, and my caramel macchiato two weeks from today.  I'm praying for sooner, but counting on only two more weeks in Congo.

-B

P.S. One thing that will never become normal is not seeing, hugging, and kissing Liz, Tip, and Jeff each and every day.

The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill

One more day here in Congo must mean one more day closer to coming home.  That is categorically true, right?  Even if living in Congo is starting to feel like the norm?

Everything is good with the kids.  Katie Mumbi is doing a lot better with our new policy of limited outings and limited time with other people.  I have her on a pretty strict schedule it is working our nicely even though she fusses at nap time sometimes.  Dad and I have to eat lunch in shifts, though, because the lunch hour at St. Anne's is right at the beginning of Katie's nap time.  She and I really are communicating SO WELL and that is just completely unexpected.  I do still use a lot of Swahili but she is also understanding a lot of English.  She repeats English words after me all the time but yesterday she used her first English word independently.  Nat was going for a toy or food item she had (I can't remember which) and Katie shouted out a very clear "NO".  Nat continues to get stronger and more active.  Interestingly, his formula consumption has decreased to a more normal (six 8 oz. bottles a day) level.  I am definitely approaching the end of my formula supply but another family with our agency is traveling at the end of the week and they are bringing me SIX more canisters of Similac!  Thank you, Sheresa and John!!!!

Dad and I are both feeling healthy right now and the lunches at St. Anne's have been delicious.  Saturday we had a Phillipino chicken soup with rice, Sunday we had lamb, potatoes, and au jous, and today we had super tasty fish and a soup with basil.  Breakfast is still mostly toast but I also have a mid-morning meal with the kids that is a bit more protein rich.  And for dinner we alternate between take-out chicken from Hassan's or delivered pizza from O'Poeta.  It's working well.

Today we ventured out to the Western Union at the Memling Hotel.  I had to call Jeff to get the needed code but then I was able to get my cash without any difficulty.  The bills all looked nice and new and I've already used them to pay my to-date bill here at St. Anne's.  Katie Mumbi had a later nap today because of the Western Union outing but she handled that extremely well.  Nat was just a cuddle bug through the whole event.

It is a very good thing that we have David and that David has a driver.  This morning Father James told us that all of the transportation workers in Kinshasa went on strike.  They are protesting (an increase in?) the government tax on taxi drivers.  Because St. Anne's has a car and a driver they sent their car out all morning to fetch St. Anne's employees and bring them to work.  And then I saw Father James this afternoon meeting with a bunch of employees to plan the strategy for getting everyone to work tomorrow. This hasn't impacted us so far...but another mom (newly arrived from Canada) needed to get to the DHL office today and wasn't able to get there.  Her agency person failed to show up and going independently by taxi was impossible.

We did get a visa update today and expect another one tomorrow.  David checked with the Consulate this morning and they told him that they had been unable to reach the courts in Lubumbashi.  So David gave them a new phone number (which he said he called first to verify) and that they should be able to get through today.  This is all a part of their investigation that they are conducting.  David said he would go by the Consulate again in the morning and get another update.  I hope that actually happens.  But for me and Dad tomorrow is just another day here with the kids at St. Anne's.  Maybe we will mix it up a bit and watch "The Princess Bride".

-B

Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da

The kids and I are really starting to settle into a routine here in Kinshasa.  This is a nice side benefit of our extended stay here and will hopefully make our transition to the States easier.  Now that we don't have any appointments to go to all we do is live life day after day here at St. Anne's.  It's working pretty well for us...but I am still eager to come home!!

I've had the kids for 16 days now and Nat has already changed so much.  He is still a happy, cuddly love bug but now he is much bigger and stronger. He was right around 13 pounds when I first held him and now he must be pushing 15 or 16.  He looks so much healthier.  Two weeks ago he was very content to sit or be held and now he has places to go and things to do.  He can now roll over and he is even starting to work towards crawling.  He sleeps well all night long (from 7:30-ish to 6:00-ish) except when he wakes up (three times) to guzzle his bottles.  During the day he is more of a snacker and cat napper.  He does eat a decent amount of baby food and he also takes one nice long nap in the afternoon. I'm glad he still has that adorable gummy smile but I do think I see a tooth just under the gums on the top right.

Katie Mumbi is still trying to figure out which end it up.  When we are out of our room Katie has moments of being a regular two year old out and about with her Mama.  But she sometimes has moments where she shuts down and doesn't want anything or anyone to touch her or talk to her and only wants Mama.  She also has moments where she is loving running wild, playing rough and loud, and up in everyone else's space and not listening to Mama at all.  When she gets out of control or shuts down we have a system of taking some time where Katie sits in a chair and I wait for her to make eye contact so we can communicate about what is going on.  Oddly, the language barrier isn't much of a barrier at all.  I speak enough Swahili, she understands enough English, and we both understand each other's hand gestures so I am pretty confidant that we are communicating very well with each other. 

Because we are still working with Katie on developing self control we tend to stay in our room most of the day.  Yesterday we were planning on joining the other Love Beyond Borders families here in Kinshasa for a special dinner out at Maman Colonel.  We were told to be ready at 4:00 pm.  Kate was having a good day and the stars seemed to be aligning for us to be able to join the gang for dinner out.  But then our driver was an hour late...and by that time Katie Mumbi had been waiting for an hour with shoes on and backpack on (her choice).  And then she started to have a bit of a meltdown.  So I decided that we would be better off staying "home" and having dinner and a movie night in our room.  That turned out to be the right choice.  Dad went to Maman Colonel and reported back that the drive out there was 30 minutes long and it took an hour to get food.  He had a fine time, and Katie Mumbi was much happier eating Chef Boyardee in our room while we watched "The Proposal" and then afterwards had a dance party to "It Takes Two", "Mr. Blue Sky", and "I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)".  We actually had a great night and both kids were sacked out by the time Dad arrived home with Mama Colonel leftovers for me.  

It also was probably better that the kids and I didn't go out last night because (good grief!) I'm sick again. This time it is a sinus infection that is working it's way down into my lungs.  I had heard that Kinshasa can set off people's breathing issues so I did come prepared.  I do NOT want to get pneumonia in Congo.  So last night Dad gave my his flonase and this morning I started on my Zithro.   I basically napped all day today and I do feel much better.  I'm still going to hit the sack early tonight, though.

It feels like we didn't do much this week to work towards bringing the kids home...but I think we are actually getting closer and closer.  I heard that the Consulate has received the kids medical reports (the last bit of paperwork) and they are making the calls they need to make to Lubumbashi as they conduct their investigation.  I am REALLY hopeful for the visas to be issued NEXT WEEK (please keep this in your prayers).  

I am pretty sure I can handle another week and a half here thanks to my fabulous in-laws taking care of my big kids for the next week, my awesome husband who is doing great in his domestic "stretch-role", and our SO APPRECIATED care package from Erin.  I am now stocked up on movies, Starbucks Via, and most importantly those toddler fruit/veggie tubes that my little kids love to suck down several times a day.  Plus, we have new books and the cutest ever socks which are totally useful for keeping Katie Mumbi from scratching herself until she bleeds (yes, we are using them on her hands!!!) as she goes to sleep.  Also, the Italian adoptive parents here made a little bit of a ruckess about the food offering at meal times last weekend...and all week we have had GREAT lunches at St. Anne's.  Now they even have a menu board at breakfast so you can see what is being served in advance of signing up for meals.  But if this stretches past May then I am going to need a BIG TIME care package of Similac Sensitve, more toddler fruit/veggie tubes, a new bar of soap, a proper comb and brush for Katie Mumbi, a lot more Starbucks Via, some more Chef Boyardee, and "Mary Poppins" and "Babe" for the wee ones.  I'm really hoping we are home before then!

King Nat

-B

Thank You Girl

PROGRESS!!!

Okay...so not on the immigration front, but on the attachment front.  Every night after baths I give each kiddo a nice rub down with coconut oil.  I was finishing up with Katie Mumbi's rub down and she asked for some coconut oil in her hands. She does this often so that she can put it in her hair.  I gave her some and told her to rub in in between her hands before putting in her hair.  She did that...but then she put the coconut oil in my hair.  She asked for more coconut oil and gave my hair and face a nice rub down - and she she gave me a BIG KISS AND HUG!  So sweet!

Nat is packing on the pounds now that he is being fed some good formula.  He looks so different than only two weeks ago.  A few days ago he rolled from back to belly and tonight he rolled from belly to back.  He has gotten so strong!!  But he is still happy and cuddly and my little love bug.

Today we received a care package from Erin!!!  That was BIG TIME excitement this morning.  I am so thrilled to have more toddler tubes of fruits and veggies for the kids.  They love them and we were almost out.  Now we definitely have enough for the next two weeks.  The kids got new books and Natty has a new teething ring.  There were some fun animal socks that Katie thinks are hysterical.  And I am super excited to have some new movies and some Starbuck's Via!!!  I am so looking forward to watching my movies and having some mental down time where I don't have to think about visas, paperwork, orphanages, etc. I know that is such a Western luxury...but I really am appreciating it right now.  Thanks to the awesome care package I do feel refreshed and I think I can handle another few weeks here in Kinshasa.

Sitting on the Care Package

Discovering the Goodies!!! 

-B

March Of The Meanies

Today we had our interview with the U.S. Consulate/Embassy.  Last week we were pushing hard to get in before Danielle (the old consulate officer in charge of adoptions who indicated she would fast track our visa applications) left for her new post in Niger.  But because the medical reports had not yet made their way the 1/4 mile form the clinic to the Consulate we missed Danielle.  We had an appointment today with Sarah, the new consulate officer in charge of adoptions.

For some reason we didn't actually have our appointment with Sarah.  Instead we had our interview with the Consul, Brooke.  She seems to be a stickler for details and I think she plans to conduct a FULL investigation.  David (our agency guy here) is hopeful that we may have our visas in 5-7 business days.  I'm going to stick with my original estimate of three weeks from visa interview to visa issuance.  On top of that, Thursday is a holiday and everything shuts down - including the US Consulate.  

So, I am settling in for the full six week stay. My hopes of coming home early are dashed.  The babies and I will be fine...I am more worried about my big kids and Jeff.  Work is crazy for him right now.  And the big kids have a crazy schedule.  I am very grateful for Dave and Shirley will arrive on Saturday to help them for a full week.I know they are disappointed that the littles and I won't be back by then...but it is what it is.

The babies are a little crazy today.  Nat has learned how to scream...for fun.  He thinks it is great fun to let out the loudest of screeches for all in St. Anne's to hear.  It is actually quite adorable but I am worried the neighbors will get irritated.  And Kate was a bit of a terror at the Consulate today.  She is MUCH better now that we are back at St. Anne's.  But being in a place with strange people and strange kids (plus one five year old she is used to running around with) and a mom who wants her to not run, throw, scream, and hit just isn't the best combination.  I do think this is a good lesson that we really MUST follow the recommendation to lay low and "hibernate" as a family for her first month home.  And beyond that we may be the family that the other parents are giving the stink-eye to out on the playground.  She will get there...it just may take a while for our little wild one to learn about parental authority and polite and kind behavior.  Yes, Katie Mumbi is a handful...but I adore her!!!

Mbwa Stickers!

-B

I Don't Want To Spoil The Party

Hello all…it looks like our hopes of leaving Congo quickly are not as likely to turn into reality.  We did NOT have our visa interview today at the US Consulate.  They cannot conduct the interview or process the paperwork until ALL paperwork has been received.  And the medical report from the clinic was not received in time.  We have been rescheduled to Monday at 1:00 pm.

This means we have missed having the old Consulate officer in charge of adoptions (Danielle) process our visa applications.  She is the one who wanted to process our applications so quickly.  Instead, the new Consulate officer in charge of adoptions (Sarah) will conduct our interview and process our applications. Our agency is hopeful that we will will have visas in hand by the end of NEXT week - which does still put us on a timeline where I could possibly return on May 22 with Dad.

As soon as we have visas in hand then we can apply for exit permits from DGM.  That can take 2-14 days. We are hoping for 2.

At least we have plenty of company.  This place is swarming with adopted Congolese kids now.  When we first arrived it was just my kids plus Joseph, Asher, and Dacian.  Asher and Dacian got to go home to Kansas City and then it was just Katie Mumbi, Nat, and Joseph.  But now we have Katie Mumbi, Nat, Joseph, Lucy (who will also be living in Richmond, VA), Odette, Marceline, Louise, Katriel, Beniah, and then Jean and Marie Josee (who will both be living in Italy).

The other bad news is that Dad is sick.  He had to break out the Cipro.  Fortunately, a number of short-term travelers are leaving over the weekend and have offered up their supplies of Cipro.

The good news is that I ate good food all day today.  Breakfast was normal but lunch was fantastic.  I had beef something (super yummy) with traditional Congolese fufu (interesting) and green beans with some extra veggies.  I was very happy to have the veggies!  And for dinner the whole group of us adoptive parents ordered Salami pizza from O'Poeta.  It was quite tasty.  I'm pretty sure that was Katie's first pizza experience and she did like it.  Nat just ate the crust.

Hanging in the Bar

Starting with the OCD already...she's cleaning the Bar floor with wet wipes

Carrie, Katriel, Heidi, Lucy, Brian, and Louise must be somewhere

Sarah, Odette, Jeff, and Papa John

-B

Los Paranoias

We have had a very busy week so far and now we are just sitting and waiting for our passports.  We are really praying that we have them in hand by the end of the day today so that we can head straight to the Consulate for our interview with Danielle.  Once we get that done we won't have any more appointments at all!!!  David will do everything else.  Danielle has reviewed all of our paperwork and I think it all looks good.  

Tuesday was our day for medical exams and that wasn't too bad at all.  But yesterday we had to go to the government office for passport photos and Katie Mumbi pretty much freaked out.  Dad and I think she was scared that she was going to be left or taken away from me or sent back to an orphanage because she was clearly very scared.  She wouldn't let me put her down AT ALL.  She kept crawling up me as if to try to get further and further into my arms.  We had to wait outside for a bit and then once we were inside it was even worse.  And then Katie had to have her photo taken.  That was when she started crying.  Prior to that she just looked petrified and tried not to look at anything other than me.  But when she had to sit (in my lap) and look up for a photo she started crying.  I bribed her with a pretzel with peanut butter to get her to look the correct direction and we finally did get the photo.  Nat was TOTALLY oblivious and completely content through the whole thing.  In fact, we had trouble with his photo because he kept smiling (which is a passport photo no-no evidently) and moving his head to look around.  Opa held him the entire time and other than getting hot and sweaty he was about at happy as can be.

After we returned to St. Anne's Katie was able to relax and feel comfortable again.  We went outside to the courtyard and she ran around with Joseph (Jeremy's son) and played ball.  Our adopted kid presence at St. Anne's has more than doubled since Jeremy and I arrived with our kids and there were quite a few other little ones playing in the courtyard at well.  Katie Mumbi did great keeping up with 5 year old Joseph (she is a bit more rough and tumble than he is - he is a little gentleman) and was surprisingly good with 11 month old Louise.  Katie got nice and dirty so we stayed out as long as we could and headed in for an early dinner and a nice long bath.

Today Katie Mumbi is a bit off.  She is scratching a lot (the scabies bites can itch for months) and that seems to really upset her.  But her nose is also stuffy so I'm wondering if she doesn't feel well in addition to the itching.  And of course, I'm wondering if she is scared that we are going to go back out to that scary passport office.  I'm glad the only place we have to take her now is the US Consulate (which she really enjoyed).  She is down for a nap now and I'm hoping she is a little perkier when she wakes up.

Ashley, a mom with our agency who has been in Congo for six weeks, has her US Consulate interview today. We plan to have her bring her daughters over to St. Anne's for a visit this afternoon.  I think her daughters were in the same orphanage as Katie and Nat and I think that Katie remembers her daughter, Francine. At the very least, her girls speak Swahili and I think that will be a comfort to Katie Mumbi.  I'm glad to have so much company here at St. Anne's with all of the other adoptive families who have joined us.  There is even a mom here from Richmond!!!!  We will have to get our girls together (they are only a month apart in age) back home.

My stomach is doing much better now that I have changed my approach to my doxy.  And I'm really only eating a few things.  We talked to Danielle (the Consulate officer) about eating in Congo because she lives her with her three children and is pregnant with the fourth.  She said that if you eat out you will pretty much get sick.  She said it is really, really hard to avoid getting sick here.  So right now I am sticking with the items I brought and a few things we can purchase at Hassan market.  I've had a decent amount of their roast chicken.  And I've been eating lots of Spaghetti-O's with meatballs.  The theory amongst the Americans is that we should drink beer to keep from getting sick so I'm giving that a little test as well.  

Carrie, another one of the adoptive moms here, has left her girls with her husband for a few hours and went out to the fabric market.  I decided that would be too much for Katie Mumbi so we stayed behind. But I did give Carrie some money and asked her to bring back as much as she could for $100.  Hopefully I will have enough for some quilts and perhaps a dress or two for Katie!  The fabrics here are REALLY bright and colorful and quite beautiful.

I better run and do some dishes while the kids are down for a nap!  I'll leave you with a few photos.

Just the Girls

Like Mbwa Millie (our dog)

Katie Mumbi all dressed up with head wrap and baby on her back

-B

Please, Please Me

We had a busy day today and have a busy day tomorrow so I am just going to give the highlights:

* If we can get our kids' Congolese passports (cross fingers and say prayers) and medical evaluations (exams tomorrow and evaluations should be at the consulate on Thursday) in the Consulate's hands by the end of this week then the kids' US visas should be issued on Friday.  This would be HUGE - and would shorten the trip by WEEKS!!!   All prayers are appreciated!!!!   There is definitely still a chance, though, that this will not happen in this window and we may be here for the full time.

* Katie Mumbi LOVES "The Sound of Music" and I caught her singing along to "Do, Re, Mi" and the yodeling part of "The Lonely Goatherd".  I am hoping this obsession will help the Cheerios obsession subside.

* Nat is teething and was a tad warm tonight.  I put him on ibuprofen and we've been letting him gum at everything.  Dad is hoping that Nat will cut his first tooth while we are still here (which seems imminent) but I would love to take him home to the family with his big gummy grin.

* I am eating because I have to - but nothing sounds good to eat.  I am also waking up several times each night with Nat because he is a hungry boy.

Falling asleep…goodnight!!

-B

I'll Be On My Way

I just got back from meeting with Danielle at the US Consulate.  We still need part 2 of our medicals (at 1:00 pm tomorrow) and then we need our passports (photos tomorrow in the morning).  Everything should be done and on Danielle's desk no later than Thursday,  But as long as we have everything to her by the end of this week she will issue our visas ON FRIDAY!!!!

Say LOTS of prayers that this actually happens.  If we miss this date then we will be here for the long haul. But if we have visas in hand on Friday then we should be able to make the flight home on the 22nd!!!

We still have a lot to do this week but on Friday we will really know for sure if our timeline will be long or short and the short time line is looking like it might actually happen!!!

-B

Hello, Goodbye

I am so relieved that Katie made it through the night without any more problems.  Her poor little tummy was just too full.  Even as uncomfortable as she was she was still asking for more Cheerios when she went to bed.  I have really worked hard today on making sure that she doesn't stuff herself too full.  I'm also trying to make sure that she gets a wider variety of items.  So she has only had a fraction of the amount of Cheerios that she had yesterday.  I've resorted to doling out 3 or 4 when she gets really desperate and then redirecting her towards something else.  We are also no longer saying the "Ch" word so that she isn't reminded.  The first time I told her "no, later" was quite an event.  She pitifully cried "o-e-o-e-o" over and over.  She tried to get them herself.  And then I just had to hold her and comfort her.  But the upside is that she ate peas, onions, salami, pasta, meatloaf, and banana and plum puree for lunch (with no Cheerios!)  All in smaller quantities, of course.  Liz, the Cheerio necklace at the airport is still a fine idea. Just don't bring more than one necklace…and bring it in a bowl with a lid so she can carry them with her if she doesn't choose to wear it.

The other thing that we are going to work on with Katie Mumbi is sleeping in a bed.  She does fine with that at night but she tends to want to sleep on the floor for naps.  This afternoon she fell asleep on the floor and I picked her up and put her on the bed.  Fifteen minutes later she woke up, got out of bed, and laid back down on the floor to go back to sleep.  She does nap in the bed when we cuddle to watch a movie…but I can't do that right now because I took my Doxycycline at lunch.  If I lie down it might burn my esophagus.

I have decided that it is the doxy that is making my stomach so upset.  I haven't been eating enough food to counter act how nasty it is to my stomach. That wasn't a problem at home when I could take the doxy with half a chicken panini and a latte.  But here I was taking it with a slice of toast and a few bits of banana…but that was all I could really manage to eat.  I've decided I need to warm my stomach up a bit with breakfast and some form of snack and then try my best to eat something for lunch (I've been skipping lunch in favor of dinner and I think I should switch that).  Today I had a vegetable soup with pasta and peas and some salami (chianti salami from home which was DELICIOUS!) and lots of water.  Once my stomach started to feel icky I also had two pretzels with peanut butter.  It has worked, so far, though.  I have not thrown up!!!  Dad is doing much better with the eating thing…and he even has been up for some cookies and madelines.  He is at the market right now restocking.

So, Katie Mumbi just woke up, walked over to me on the bed, and held her arms up for me to scoop her up and cuddle with her.  I laid down with her until she went back to sleep (which was pretty quick).  She is also saying "Mama" a lot more and using it in her long Swahili sentences.

Earlier today, while Katie Mumbi was having her fit about the Cheerios, I could hear music from down the hall.  I knew that English Mass was held in our building on Sundays (and I decided to not attend while we worked out of stomach issues) but I didn't know it was right down the hall.  When they started singing the same "Alleluia" that we sing before the Gospel reading I decided that taking Katie to Mass might actually be a great strategy for thinking about something other than Cheerios.  So I threw on a skirt, calmed Katie down with three Cheerios, put on their shoes, and headed down the hall. Down our hall is the door to the balcony for the chapel (we are on the 2nd floor).  Nobody was sitting in the balcony so we went downstairs and found that it was a packed house.  Dad was already in church and he had a seat, so after the Liturgy of the Word I walked Katie Mumbi to him and she sat in his lap.  Nat was in the sling and happier with me standing so I stood in the back of the little chapel even though lots of people offered me a seat.  I was glad to at least be there for the Liturgy of the Eucharist - even though I got a little teary thinking about how blessed and grateful I am to have my babies in my arms and how much I want to bring them home so that our WHOLE family can be together in God's house.

After Mass we went out into the St. Anne's courtyard for coffee (which was really more of a lunch thing) with the parish.  It was great to spend some time with all of the Expats from all over the world.  Most were from the US but there were also people (and families) from India, the Phillipines, and other African countries.  We met a couple from D.C. with two little girls about the same ages at Nat and Katie.  Another woman from Alexandria, VA has been here for a while and is returning home on Tuesday.  They all asked how long we would be with them and I said we will probably be joining them on Sundays for the next month or so.  They were so welcoming (and eager to hold the baby)!

The good news of the day is that our Kansas City friends, Adam and Jennifer, received their DGM exit permits yesterday and are getting on a plane tonight!  We are so happy for them!  But we will miss them and their boys, Dacian and Asher.  Our traveling companions, Jeremy and his son Joseph, shared some more good news with us.  They have new neighbors, Brian and Carrie from Houston.  My friend Cami is good friends with Brian and Carrie so I am eager to meet them in person.  They have just arrived and have just met their two new daughters (adopted kids #'s 5 and 6).  I am giving them time with their girls…but I am really looking forward to meeting them!  If you search "Amazing Grace and A Safe Haven" you can find their blog.  Their story about adopting their son Haven is one of the things that really pushed my heart towards Congo.  I can see their blog on my iPod so I'm going to have to figure out how they possibly updated it with the wifi situation here at St. Anne's!  Maybe there is hope for my blog!!!

Sadly, we received some really terrible news today from one of the families with our agency.  They were adopting two little girls (I think both just a bit younger than Katie Mumbi) and one of them came down with malaria and possibly typhoid fever.  They just found out that their little Anna passed away.  All prayers are appreciated.

-B

Slow Down

Hello everyone!

I'm glad to have the weekend to not haul the kids to the consulate or the hospital (for medical evaluations) or the passport office.  We need this time to get to know each other and learn how to communicate.  Plus, I'm sick.  Not terrible…but still not feeling awesome and just not motivated to eat much.  I would really be so happy to have a ginger ale and some Pho right now.  Wrong country, I suppose.

Nat is doing well.  He is getting fussier and fussier but I think I know why.  First, he is teething and that is uncomfortable.  Second, he has quickly learned that someone actually responds when he fusses and then gives him lots and lots of attention.  Clever boy!  He is generally in good spirits, though.  And he is pretty darn cuddly and adorable.  He is still eating a lot - but comparatively speaking it is all quite reasonable.

Poor Katie Mumbi has eaten herself sick.  Literally.  I have really tried to just give her little amounts at a time but she keeps asking for more and more. Especially Cheerios.  I would say she is a Cheerio hoarder except that puts them in her bowl or in her skirt and carries them but then she also stuffs them all in her mouth.  I imagine her deep love of Cheerios will continue…and that she will be quite upset tomorrow when I tell her "more later" in Sawahili.  She ate lots of other things today too and so her little belly is just so full. She spent some time on the potty (she is pretty well potty trained during the day) and she urped up a little bit tonight.  I have a crib pad under her just in case her tummy upset continues.

The food thing is just one of the noticeable signs that our little Katie had a VERY rough start.  It is going to take a long time for her to learn and adjust to being in an American family - and she will need lots of love and support even when that's not so easy to give.  Hopefully, when I'm feeling challenged in helping my new daughter, I will keep in mind an experience that Dad and I had today.

We were out in front of St. Anne's (rather than on the inside of the guest area which is typically accessible by going through the lobby) showing Katie Mumbi the statue of Jesus and the cat (paka) and the rooster (kaka)  As we were heading back into St. Anne's with Nat and Katie, a very thin and sickly looking woman wearing a baby on her back came towards us.  She was taking her baby off her back and trying to give the baby to us.  We had to tell her "no" and walk away.  So heart breaking!

Much love from Congo,
-B

With A Little Help From My Friends (or my Dad)

I will write a more detailed post in just a moment…it was kind of a rougher day and I do want to share.  No worries, though.

Dad and I have talked and decided that there is NO WAY I can do this on my own.  I just can't.  If it were only one of them I could handle it - but not with both.  He will definitely stay with me until we can come home.  But we are hoping that is sooner rather than later.  Jennifer and Adam got their Exit Permits today.  They are getting on a plane tomorrow.  I'm so happy for them.  They were at the ER two nights ago with their boys.  Thankfully (knock on wood) our kids haven't had the type of sicknesses that their boys have had.  Katie's just eating herself sick.  I'll write more on that in a minute.

I miss my family at home.  And I miss edible food!!!

I also miss hot showers...At least Katie loves her baths!!!

-B

Doctor Robert

I threw up this morning.  I only felt really bad right when I needed to throw up.  There is a chance it might be my doxy that is making me sick (or I could just be the normal Africa kind of sick).  I'm supposed to take it with food…and I do…I'm just not eating very much.  I think I am going to change my strategy and eat more of my stores for breakfast before I take the Doxy rather than eating what is served here.

The kids are eating fine and still doing well.   They are scratching from the scabies but I found my clippers and cut their nails.  I am pretty sure that Nat is teething but he doesn't like to take medicine.  I've been rubbing his gums and he loves that. Katie Mumbi is potty trained and she is quite happy that we have figured out how to communicate about using the potty. I do have her in pull-ups just in case. She is also still nuts for Cheerios - especially with water.

This morning we watched an old video of Liz and Tip.  I talked to Katie in Swahili about "little Liz" and "little Tip" and and then showed pictures of "big Liz" and "big Tip".  For one picture of Liz, Katie Mumbi kept saying "Mama".  I guess Liz does still look like me.  She definitely was using that as my name and not an all encompassing term for women or even white women.  I'm feeling optimistic about having Millie around KM.  We are talking a lot about Mbwa Millie.  We have pictures of our immediate family (plus Babu Opa) around the room.  She can point to Mbwa Millie and say "Mbwa Millie".

The kids were both up early (4:45 am for Nat and 5:30 am for Katie Mumbi).  We watched the home video of Liz and Tip (when they were 5 and 3 years old) to stay quiet and then ventured out to play ball and go to breakfast at 6:30 am.   We didn't have water this morning so the kids will have to wait until this evening for baths.  I think when the water tank is empty it is just empty until it gets refilled.  We do have water now.

After breakfast we went out to play ball again and Katie hit Joseph.  I had to take her aside and tell her not to hit and to be gentle as best I could in our Swahili-English communications.  Joseph is five and speaks Tshiluba so they mostly just kick a ball and Katie looks at him suspiciously.  Joseph doesn't seem phased by her hitting.  He's twice her size.

While we outside playing ball I felt pretty green.  Jeremy carried Nat for me and Katie carried her mpira (ball) and motogari (car) up to the room as fast as we could manage.  We walked in the door and I went straight to the bathroom.  Katie Mumbi watched me hurl and she has been really taking it easy on me ever since.  We all laid down and Nat fell asleep.  Then I moved him to the other side of the bed and Katie Mumbi curled up with me to watch "Sound of Music".  I think I slept more than she did…but that is better for tonight.

Dinner here isn't until 7:15 pm and that just isn't going to work for us with them waking up so early.  Dad and I discussed a new strategy.  I'll get up early with the kids and eat a big first breakfast in our room. Then we will come down at 7:15 am for the St. Anne's breakfast.  Katie really likes the bread and butter. We may try to have a later but large lunch out (or ordered in) and spend more money on that.  We've been under budget each day.  And then I think we can skip dinner downstairs and just snack up in the room and have the kids down by 8:00 pm.

Taking care of Mama

-B

Things We Said Today

Katie Mumbi is awesome!  She is kind of brilliant and already pretty attached to me.  She really clams up around other people.  She can say "Mbwa Millie" and points at Millie's picture.  She also knows "Baba" and points at Jeff's picture and calls the picture of our house "Baba Kinyumba" (Daddy's little house).  She answers my questions with yes and no nods and really seems to know what I'm asking much of the time.  I was mostly impressed that she told me to put water in her Cheerios.  She used her words (Swahili) very clearly and was VERY insistant.  She would not accept no for an answer.  She is VERY bullheaded when she wants to be.  But she is also a cuddler and wants to be comforted.  She fell and hit her head today and wanted me to hold her.  She really hides behind me or in my arms around other people.  Nat would go with anyone.

I definitely have a stomach thing.  I've started Cipro.  I'm also just not eating as much here.  I'm glad I have my vitamins and my meds.  The food is just a bit off - except for the chicken at the market.   But it is overcooked and I can only eat so much chicken.  I am definitely glad to have my store of food but I am mostly using that for the kids.  They both are eating like there is no tomorrow.  I'm trying to slow them down so they don't get sick but that is hard to do…especially with Nat who can really cry.

I'm recording video's with my computer but my connection here isn't strong enough to upload them to the blog.  I will definitely do that when we are back home.  My favorite so far is a video of Katie Mumbi hiding behind the curtain and us doing the whole "Where's Katie?  Boo!" thing and laughing.  And then she started saying "Where's Katie?  Doo!"  Really, the kid is a genius.  She just also might be a biter.  Can we shrug our shoulders and say, "Africa"?  I definitely need to have Liz look up the Swahili words for "wait", "stay", and "later".

There is some musical performance outside tonight.  Maybe it is "First Fridays Kinshasa" just like "First Fridays Richmond"!  I should have taken the kids (just kidding).  Instead…I'm going to put on "50 First Dates" for white noise and try to sleep.

-B

That's All Right (Mama)

We are laying low today.  I did not feel well AT ALL after breakfast so I started on some meds.  I'm glad Dad is here to do some of the heavy lifting.


Last night we coated ourselves with Permethrin to kill off the scabies.  Nat went to sleep around 8:00-ish and woke up pretty regularly to take bottles.  I feel bad for the neighbors because he goes from sleep to scream to eating to sleep with no warning.  He was bright and cheerful at 5:00 am this morning.  So I gave him a good scrub down to get off all the Permethrin and then he got a nice rub down with coconut oil.  He is a handsome baby boy today (but on his second outfit).  He was getting kind of loud with his happy jibber jabber so I tried to put on Baby Einstein.  But I can't get it to play the video…only the music.  I will have to figure that out.  So instead I put on "The Sound of Music".  He LOVED it.  

Morning Smiles for Mama

Around 6:00-ish Katie Mumbi woke up.  I took her straight for a bath and a coconut oil rub down, too. Then she put on a pretty dress and crawled up into bed with Nat and watched "The Sound of Music" too. She is already a convert.  It bought me enough time to shower and get dressed.


The breakfast bell rang at 7:00 am and they both ate up a storm.  Katie does not like jam, though.   We sat with Emmanuel and Francine (the directors of their orphanage) and talked a little bit about the kids' background.  Their father was a farmer (or cultivator as Emmanuel said).  He confirmed the story about the parents' deaths and he did say the Grandmother is very old and very impoverished.  He also said that he would be happy to get photos of the Grandmother and where they came from (I hope he can really do this).  He also said that he thought he could get in contact with the families who have adopted the kids' sisters (they are in Croatia and Slovenia).  I promised to send him photos and updates and we exchanged emails. They were flying back to Lubumbashi at noon so they said goodbye to the kids and Emmanuel did the sign of the cross on both of their forehead.  I really appreciated that.


We came back upstairs and then I started to feel puny.  So we just laid around until David called for me to meet him downstairs to go through paperwork. Nat was napping so I left him up in the room with Dad and then Katie Mumbi and I took my big binders down to David.  He was very impressed by my binders - but not surprised.  Kelly and Stephanie had already told him about my "organizational skills"/compulsions.


We went through the documents and added the originals to the binders.  David took them straight to the US Consulate (right across the street).  He said that we don't have any appointments until Monday.  The passport office isn't ready to take our photos, but the Consulate will accept our paperwork and conduct our interview without the actual passports in hand.  Our Embassy interview is at 11:00 am Monday.


Katie Mumbi fell asleep in my arms when we were downstairs doing paperwork so I brought her back upstairs and put her to bed for a nap.  Dad left to go rest and journal and I was about to lay down when Nat woke up.  I put him on the floor and I'm feeding him Cheerios while I write this email.  And Katie Mumbi just woke up, looked for her brother, saw him on the floor, and got our of bed to lay on the floor next to him.  She is falling back asleep right now.

So next week we will have all of our appointments.  And all of that should (I hope and pray) still work within the time frame for getting our visas issued.   For now, I'm still working on getting to know the babies. That is going really well.  Katie, especially, knows that I am Mama.  She definitely did not have any confusion when she saw Emmanuel and Francine and she was very content to be with me and be holding my hand. She likes Babu Opa but she does tend to stick by my side.  Nat is Mr. Friendly.  

Also, I MUST get a small pair of nail clippers today.  I really thought I packed some but I cannot find them. And Katie Mumbi and Nat are both scratching like crazy from the scabies.  Even though they have been treated (and the treatment should kill scabies immediately) they could be scratching for months.  I need to be sure to keep their nails short.  I'm sure they will love being held down for nail clipping.

-B

Love of the Loved

Hello, from the Africa-based half of the Wolfe family of 6!  I have our new babies in my arms!!  Oh my goodness!!  They are wonderful!!!  They are so small and so sweet.  I love them so much already!


It is hard, though.  I am SO glad that my Dad is here.  I really do NEED the help.  Adopting two at once is definitely much harder than it would be adopting only one at a time.  Especially when they are both in diapers, both very little, and both non-verbal (or non-English speaking).  The flight home is going to be hard…but it will be totally great to not have to filter water for everything, heat water for a lukewarm bath, hand wash nipples and then sterilize them one at a time, and bag every diaper, bottle liner, and food crumb so as to not attract rodents.  I am really looking forward to just throwing dirty clothes and linens in the washing machine.


Nat totally fell asleep right away.  But then he woke up 15 minutes later.  That happened a second time. And then it happened at bed time as well.  I finally figured out that he will stay asleep if I put him on his stomach.  I know it's "back to sleep" but I would really like him to get some rest.  He is asleep right now and he is actually holding Katie Mumbi's hand in his sleep.


Kate also took a nap in the sling.  I held her the whole time.  She is a little more skittish and I wanted to make sure I was the first thing she saw when she woke up.  She has definitely latched on to me.  She looks for me when other people are around and that is a really great sign.


Kids in orphanages are supposed to have all sorts of developmental delays and I don't think Katie Mumbi has any.  She plays imaginatively. She talks a lot.  She corrected my pronunciation of "chakula" (food).  She can climb up onto things.  She loaded up the Bumbo with her doll, her shoes (she LOVES her shoes), her Cheerios container, and some other toys and then pushed it all over the room.  She is a hoot.  She makes Nat start laughing and then the two of them go at it with big belly laughs.  It is so funny.  She LOVES to play peek-a-boo (behind a tree, behind the curtain, but a blanket it a bit too pedestrian for her).  But she says "Doo" instead of "Boo".  She has learned how to say "gentle".  That is her first English word.  She was a little rough with Nat and I taught her gentle with a gentle stroke and she really liked that.  I'm sure it will need reinforcement but "gentle" was the word of the night.


Nat is not quite up to 7-8 month old standards physically.  Mentally, though, he totally is.  He just can't roll over and he isn't crawling.  He does push up and scoot.  I think his tummy-time has been limited to bed time.  We will have to give him some tummy-time therapy at home.    I'm not so worried about his noggin. It's not too crazy big…it's just big from front to back rather than from side to side or top to bottom.  He is a happy baby and he really loves Katie Mumbi.  My biggest worry for him is scabies on his eyelid.  We are all coated in Permethin tonight!!!!  That should work but we may have to re-treat every two weeks until we are home and can sterilize everything fabric.


These kids can eat!!  They both will eat anything I put in front of them (except Kate does not like bell pepper) and they eat A LOT.  Nat didn't know what to do with a bottle at first but now he has it figured out.  He also likes table food.  Katie drinks a lot of water and pretty much eats non stop.  I hope their tummies stay settled.  I'm trying to keep them satiated but not let them over do it.


As hard as it is to adopt two at once…it is definitely a comfort to them to stay together.  That is a blessing.


Okay…they have been asleep for a while.  And since I didn't sleep much at all last night I should try to get some shut-eye.  Tomorrow we need baths to wash off the Permethin first thing in the morning.  And David said that we have an appointment tomorrow. 

Hugs in the Courtyard

Hugs and Kisses from the Littlest Wolfes

Sound Asleep - But Holding Hands

-B

Little Child

THEY ARE HERE!!!


We've had the kids for a few hours now.  It has been pretty awesome.  Katie Mumbi was really quiet and reserved.  Food was definitely the way to her heart.  She has eaten everything we have given her but we are trying to go slow.  She is DEFINITELY small for her age.  We were giving her food and playing with the links as bracelets and loving on her baby doll (which she LOVES)  when she stooped down and paused. Then we saw the trickle down her legs.  She was in a diaper but it was on backwards.  So that was a great excuse for a bath.  She really likes the bath!  Since her bath she has shared lots of smiles and has been chatting a bit and really is focused on what I am doing.  She even played with her brother.  And she got a fresh (American) diaper and a new outfit.  The size 24 mo. dress she has on seems to fit well with a bit of growing room.  She has a cut on her thumb and really is interested in the bandaid that I put on her.  She LOVES her first book and talks while we read it to her.  I think she understands a little Swahili and a little French.  She really liked her rub down with coconut oil and rubbed it in more after I was finished.  She keeps taking care of her baby doll and she feeds it (and then herself).


Nat is happy and plays with all the toys.  He wants to move around more than he can.  He is just a happy smiley guy.  Nat LOVES the computer.  He didn't drink much of his bottle but he did have a little formula and quite a few Cheerios.  After Katie Mumbi's bath I also bathed him (the water afterwards was so dirty!) and put him in a fresh outfit.  He is also quite small.  The Gymboree 6-12 months is a bit too big. Nat played, ate, and was totally content and then he started vocalizing.  At first it sounded sing-song-ish and then it seemed a little more like "I need something".  So I put him in the sling and he was asleep in less than 60 seconds.  I KID YOU NOT!!!  That was amazing.  He is sacked out now and Katie Mumbi is still eating Cheerios and feeding them to her baby.  Now she want me to read the book to her again.


I do think that developmentally they are both doing great.  Katie Mumbi definitely seems to have not spent as much time in an orphanage as some other children her age that I have seen or read about.  She does have a lot of scars on her legs and a few small ones on other parts of her body.  She has a bit of a runny nose but it's not too bad.  Nat really has an oddly shaped noggin.  Tip's was more wide and Nat's is larger from front to back.  He may just have a big head and will grow into it but I will have Dr. Ballum check him out.  He does seem to be developing GREAT so that eases my mind a lot.  He really doesn't seem delayed at all.


Babu Opa has gone to his room for a rest while Katie Mumbi and I hang out and snack while Nat takes his nap.  So far, so good!


We have two more kids and they are ADORABLE!!!


Nat just woke up and Katie Mumbi just told me.  She is telling me all about it and making sure that he wakes all the way up.  And just now she tried to feed him a Cheerio.  This is all good!!!

First Photo of Katie Mumbi and Mama

First Photo of Nat and Mama

My smiley boy!

Warming up to Mama little by little

-B

Wait

I did NOT sleep much last night at all.  I couldn't settle down because I was thinking about meeting the littles today.  So I stayed up and watched a movie until about midnight.  Then I studied a little Swahili and finally went to sleep around 12:45 am.  I kept waking up to zapping noises from my air conditioner and finally at 4:45 am woke up and turned it off.  It was still making zapping noises so I turned the power off completely and the zapping stopped.  I snoozed on and off for another hour and half but the birds/dogs/other noises were pretty loud without the hum of the AC.  I think I got out of bed right before 6:00 am and decided it was warm enough in my room to handle washing my hair.  The tepid water shower is fine in the evening but I haven't wanted to wash my hair and then go to bed in an air conditioned room with sopping wet hair.  So it actually worked pretty well to wash it this morning.  I don't know how I will do that once the kids are here but I will figure it out.


We have our little table of Americans for meals and it has been fun to watch Adam and Jennifer with their two little boys.  I think Katie Mumbi might enjoy playing with Dacian.  He is in the hallway right now playing with a beach ball that he keeps kicking into my room.  Cute!!!  Because we haven't had our kids to take care of we have all been helping them out.  I used my new hot pot (which only cost $14 and heats up FAST) to heat water for them.  Note to future travelers...American hot pots blow Congo fuses.  We filled Adam and Jennifer in on the Hassan market which I they will visit later today to by their own hot pot and some extra food items.


The kids should be landing right about now.  I'm hanging out in the room waiting for someone to come repair my AC.  With my door open and the glass door for my porch open I have a relatively cool cross breeze.  Our plan for the day is for me to wait around here for the kiddos.  Dad is going to walk to the market and order a demi poullet and pomme frites for lunch and bring them back here.  I'm just going to wait and expect the babies to arrive any time between lunch and dinner.  I am not planning on eating dinner downstairs today (but Dad is) and instead I will feed us all from my store of food.


-B