NOW, it's Gotcha Day!



First one...



Then two...




The whole gang!




Pure chaos--like a hive of bees exploded!



"That's better!  Now we're more comfortable!"




Trying to keep them corralled for a few minutes




Exploring...everything!





Laying down after vomiting...the first time...



"I like it here with you guys!"




More exploring




In time out



"Ahh...finally, chowtime!'




"I like your soup, Dad!"




"I don't think it tastes good, but then, I've been vomiting, so..."



Just vegging with Dad

  Today we went to pick up the kids, but first we had to do paperwork, wait around, then go to the bank, wait around, you get the picture.  We dropped off the clothes for the kids, so that they'd be ready when we got done with all our paperwork, and when we dropped off the clothes for Littlest Girl, there was much concern that the clothes were not warm enough, and her shoes weren't either.  In fact, there was a major argument, with our facilitator finally demanding whether they thought she would be better off staying there.  They retorted that we were medical people who should understand how to dress a child. 

We then went to the Big Girl's house, and Daddy tried to drop off the clothes without her seeing him, but the ladies pointed him out, and said, "Papa! Papa!"  Then there was such wailing and gnashing of teeth as she was left behind!  I have never heard her cry from anger or in a whining way.  David says she has an "honest cry."  Her soul is bared when she sobs.

When we went back to get Littlest Girl, our facilitator was still fried, but I told her, "I understand how she feels.  She cares so much about these children, and it's hard for her to let them go.  She finds something to be mad about, so she doesn't have to think about how much it hurts to watch them leave."  When we picked up our child, I saw the look on the particular woman's face, and I couldn't hold it in anymore.  I started balling, and then I just went around and started hugging all the women.  But I was laughing too, for me, and for us, and for this journey, which has been successful!  They all started hugging me back, and laughing, too.  They waved from the door, as we drove away, until we couldn't see them anymore.  Later, the facilitator said, "It was good that you cried.  They like to see it when the mothers cry.  It makes them feel good."

We went to our boy's house, and there wasn't as much fanfare, but several ladies let me take pictures of them, and hug them.  One of the ladies I thought cared about him the most, wouldn't let me take a picture of her, though, and went away wiping her eyes.  Bittersweet.

Our big girl was given a reserved, but loving send off with kisses and pictures with several of the ladies from her house.  They let me hug them all, too, although some of them I hadn't seen before, so they probably wondered why, but I figured, what the heck!

We got out of the cab after a long ride to the city, and David was juggling a kid, trying to pay the fare, and get all the bags.  I was holding onto two squirming kids, and Big Girl, who was sweating profusely from being so warmly dressed, slipped her coat.  David took Small Girl, and I came after, carrying coats, and trying to get Big Girl to walk, as she was grabbing at everything.  She pulled on a car door, and set off the alarm, so there was quite a bit of noise as we dragged ourselves and our kids inside.  I got some glares, which might have been because I dared to walk a child from the car to the apartment without a coat on!  Or it might have been the alarm!

As I mentioned above, it was pure chaos when we walked in the doors.  We were trying to change poopy diapers, get sweaty kids out of numerous layers, and keep them from dismantling the apartment and everything in it.  It was quite the balancing act for several hours there.  I don't think I've said or heard "no-no" as many times in one day as we said it.  What's the most fun?  Let me think... I think they like hitting the flat screen TV with anything they can grab, better than trying to slam the glass bathroom door on each other's fingers.  It's like having super-mobile 1 1/2 year-olds.  We really could have used that nanny for a few hours.  We also had projectile vomiting all over the apartment, and even onto the walls.  Try getting a panicky child into the bathroom, while trying to keep two curious kids out of the vomit in the main room.  David did awesome!  He gets kudos because he cleaned up the main room, and mopped, and supervised the other two, while I showered the vomitee (or vomiter) and cleaned up the bathroom.   Usually he is a sympathetic vomiter, and adds to the problem.  Way to go, honey!

Well, David got dinner cooked, while I supervised, and we fed the munchkins, and then they started to settle down.  There's only so many times you can try the same old things in this apartment, and get into trouble for it!  The little boy had to be held by David, and spoon-fed by me, so we didn't get any pictures of him eating.

David was wondering how soon each kid would realize that they're not going back to the orphanage, and how upset they'd each be about it.  So far, no one seems unhappy, or longing for home, so we're good so far.  No telling how long it will last.  I guess this is something of a honeymoon period, although they're having more of a honeymoon than we are.  Just kidding!  We're in heaven.  What a lot of work they are, but how beautiful, and what a blessing, that three little kids, unwanted by anyone else, are gracing our apartment tonight!  Thank you, God!