What Goes On

Both kids love air conditioner grates.

It's fun to be the little sister.

Nat is all smiles.

And he has mastered crawling.

Katie enjoys visits from Liz's friends.  But she enjoys Liz's ice cream even more.

Katie in her cutest church dress.

Yash helped Katie play dress up in tissue paper.

An awesome Congo style headwrap

The shape sorter is one of Natty's favorite toys.

Big brother, Little brother

Nat was styling in Jack's sunglasses.  He was showing off for Ella.

Katie is definitely warming up to Mbwa Millie. 

Fixing A Hole

Today marks THREE WEEKS of us being home as a family of six.  The little ones are doing AMAZINGLY WELL.  Really!  It is incredible how well they fit into our family and how happy they are to be here.  And for the most part the rest of us are doing really well too...for the most part...

Our first few days at home were pretty quiet and low key.  Jeff and Liz were both sick - but thankfully Erin had stocked us up on all of the supplies we needed so we could lay low.  We did take Katie Mumbi and Nat to the pediatrician and I was really grateful to have Jeff there even though he was feeling puny.  It was a good weekend to do nothing anyway since Liz had exams.

Our first full week at home went really well.  Liz and Tip both had to finish out their last week of school and Jeff only worked a few days.  So that meant I had some nice quiet moments with the babies but then was also able to get out and about with some help from Daddy.  Liz didn't have an exam on Wednesday so she was also a big help.  I even successfully took the babies to Tip's 8th grade graduation/awards ceremony.

Our second week was definitely more exciting for the babies because Liz and Tip were home!  Katie LOVED having the constant source of entertainment.  Liz was preparing to leave for two weeks at the UVA Young Writers Workshop so she also had a lot of friends come visit - all of whom love to play with Katie Mumbi. We even went to church and out to brunch for Father's Day.

But this past week has been more of a challenge.  We continue to have issues with Nat's skin and have had numerous doctors appointments as we investigate how to help him heal (we are now waiting on culture results).  Liz also had a doctor's appointment and Tip had an orthodontist appointment.  We discovered that our third floor shower has a leak and now there is a hole in my bathroom ceiling.  Jeff has to demo the floor of the third floor shower and rebuild it.  Liz left for the UVA Writers' Workshop.  A very large storm (possibly a small tornado) blew through and knocked out power for a night.  It also knocked down a HUGE tree from the wetland which is now on our smashed fence and in our yard.  That will be another project for Jeff - who really just wants to spend time with the kids.

On top of all of that Nat is sick.  This poor child has been on antibiotics for almost three weeks for his skin and now he has some sort of yuckiness going on his body.  I think it is a virus.  He has a low grade fever but it has gone as high as 102.  He is not sleeping well, not eating well, and is generally out of sorts.  Katie Mumbi also has a low fever and is a little fussy.  But she isn't nearly as pitiful as Nat.

So...right now we are just trying to hold it all together and get Nat healthy.  If I keep up us fed, bathed, and in clean clothes I choose to count that as a successful day.  And I may be relying on frozen dinners and "The Princess Diaries" in order to achieve that right now.

-B

All Together Now

-B

Back In The US(SR)

We are home!!!  All is going well.  There's not much time to email, update the blog, or send pictures but I will get to that once we have a routine that works.  The photo is from yesterday right when we arrived home (after almost 24 hours of traveling).  We all feel a lot better to be clean and rested today.

The little ones are doing great!  They adore Liz and Tip and Daddy.  They did not adore their trip to the pediatrician this morning.  All was okay until we started with the needles.  Katie loves my cooking.  She does not love Mbwa Millie (yet).  I am more jet lagged than they are.

Hugs from Virginia!

-B

PS I Love You

The good news (great news, really) is that we have both visas!!!  Our children have permission to immigrate to the United States.  I have the coveted sealed brown envelopes in my possession and I'm guarding them closely so that they remain sealed until I hand them to US Customs and Immigrations at Dulles.

The bad news comes from back home.  My dear Granddad passed away yesterday.  He was a great man. The best, really.  I am so proud to have named my first son after him.  And I am so proud to be his granddaughter.  I wish I could be in Texas as the family gathers to honor and say goodbye to Granddad.  

Unfortunately, we can't just hop on the next plane and go home.   We must first get an "exit permit" from the Congolese government for our children to leave the country.  Our agency and our in-country coordinator are trying to appeal to the office in charge of the exit permits so that I can have exit permits in hand by noon tomorrow and fly home Sunday.  But I have been cautioned to not get my hopes up.

I'll keep you all posted.

Love from Congo,

-B