CITIZENSHIP - YAHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's 100% official, today our girls received their "Certificate of Citizenship" from the Department of Homeland Security and with it, the above letter from the White House/President. It's wonderful to know that they are truly our daughters and now, will have all their legal rights in this wonderful country of ours!!!

ONE MONTH ANNIVERSARY & FOND MEMORIES OF OUR ARRIVAL TO THE USA!!!

OUR GIRLS AND THEIR AWESOME LITTLE FLORIDIAN FRIENDS: MIKAEL, GABRIELLA & CHRISTIAN!

THEY HAD SO MUCH FUN WITH THEIR NEW FRIENDS & SURELY ENJOYED THE DELICIOUS "RICE, BEANS & MESQUITE CHICKEN!!!"

We can not believe that this past Monday (4/16) was already 1 month that we've been home with our girls!!!

Above are some photos of our wonderful Floridian little friends, children of Kely & Nildo, Chrystal & Valentin, dear friends of ours for many, many years, who so generously welcomed the girls and I when we arrived in Miami and had the most delicious dinner prepared for us that night. The girls will never forget their 1st day in America, as they were showered with gifts and treated with so much love and kindness.

Once again, thank you so much Kely, Nildo, Chrystal, Valentin, Penny & Eddy (who even took us to the airport "way to early in the morning" the next day) - You guys ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!

EASTER HOLIDAY IN CANADA - APRIL 2007!!!

THANKS TIO/UNCLE FREDDY & TIA/AUNT MARINA FOR A FABULOUS EASTER VACATION!!!

THE GIRLS & THEIR COUSINS MEET THE EASTER BUNNY!

THE VERY FROZEN BUNCH (WE DIDN'T LAST UNTIL THE "EGG HUNT" DUE TO THE COLD - SOMETHING OUR GIRLS STILL HAVE TO GET USED TO)!

CATALINA HAVING FUN & WARMING UP AT THE SAME TIME! :>)

ALL SET FOR A BACKYARD "EASTER EGG HUNT!"

CATALINA & DANIELA RUNNING AFTER THE SAME GOODIES

ALL THE KIDS WITH THEIR AUNT LEONA WHO WELCOMED OUR GIRLS WITH THE BEAUTIFUL LEIS!

THE FIVE GOOFY LITTLE COUSINS & NOW BEST FRIENDS!!!

DANIELA, PATRICIA & CATALINA LOVE THEIR TIO FREDDY & TIA MARINA!

THE GOOFY BUNCH POSING FOR YET ANOTHER PHOTO!

DANIELA HAVING "A BALL" AGAIN!!!

COLORING EGGS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THEIR LIVES, LOTS & LOTS OF FUN!!!

A LITTLE UPDATE!!!

GRANDMA LUIZA & HER 3 BEAUTIES!!!

Lots has happened since we last posted and we laughed this weekend when someone told us that we must be "Real Parents" now, for the posts have definitely diminished due to our lack of time! :>)
We promise to at least try to continue keeping all our "out of town" family & friends updated as much as we can, so here it goes.

Our girls have attended 2 weeks of school already and have riden the bus with their new friends from the neighbourhood for most of that time. They love their school and teachers, but are a bit aprehensive about learning English. Our district is great academically, but isn't as strong as we hoped with an established ESL/ELL "New-comers" program. Therefore we are doing a lot of work on our own with at home, then we'll be deciding what to do about schooling for the Fall semester. Everyone is telling us not to worry, for kids that age pick up the language very fast, so we are doing all we can to help and keeping our fingers crossed. Any suggestions in this area is greatly appreciated!!!

We were informed by the teacher who came into the school to conduct the State mandated ESL testing for the girls, that there was another family in the area that had recently adopted 4 girls from Colombia. We were able to make contact with the beautiful family (who also has a 5th daughter from Guatemala) and ended up meeting the family for brunch 2 Saturdays ago. The girls were absolutely ecstatic to meet 4 little friends from their own country and of the same exact ages (6, 8 & 10 plus a 5 year old) and their precious little 4 year old sister from Guatemala!

Last week, we traveled to St. Catharine's Canada and spent the Easter Holiday with our family. The girls absolutely loved spending time with their cousins Liam & Kezia and were thrilled to be able to get all dolled up in their Easter dresses on Sunday. We attempted to do some fun Easter traditions with them, the "Egg Hunt" at a local park was a complete dud due to the extreme cold weather (we ended up having to go home early due to the girls feeling as though they were going to freeze their toes and noses off). However, their aunt Marina was awesome, organizing and "egg-coloring" afternoon and then not 1, not 2, but a total of 3 "Chocolate Hunts" inside and outside their home. Needless to say, the girls have more chocolate than they've probably seen in their entire lives - way to go aunt Marina, thanks a lot!!! :>)

We will post photos from the fun Easter weekend latter on this week, in the meantime we'll share some photos below of the kids first day of school, etc.

We have decided to wait a bit longer before having the "Welcome Home Celebration Shower" that some of our family & friends were planing. The girls asked us to do so, for they are a bit shy and would definitely feel overwhelmed having such a big gathering for them right now.
Nevertheless, we sincerely want to thank everyone who has sent the most beautiful cards and gifts to the house for the kids, your love for our kids is just unbelievable, may God continue to bless you!!!

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL ON 3/23/07!!!

GETTING READY TO LEAVE THE HOUSE FOR THEIR 1ST DAY OF SCHOOL!!!

EXCITED BUT A BIT SCARED!!!

1ST DAY RIDING THE BUS WITH ALL THEIR FRIENDS!

CATALINA ARRIVING HOME AFTER THE 1ST DAY OF RIDING THE BUS TO SCHOOL!

DANIELA'S ARRIVAL - SHE LOVED THE BUS, FOR SHE FELT SO GROWN UP!

PATRICIA LOVED THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE ALSO!

MORE PHOTOS!!!

BRUNCH WITH THEIR 4 NEW LITTLE FRIENDS FROM COLOMBIA & 1 FROM GUATEMALA!

LUNCH WITH THEIR 3 "MICHIGAN" GRANDPARENTS!!!

HAVING BREAKFAST WITH GRANDMA ON A LAZY SATURDAY MORNING!!!

CATALINA THE CUTIE-PIE!

PATRICIA THE LITTLE HAM!

DANIELA THE WEE DOLL!

HOMECOMING PHOTOS!!!

MEETING THE FAMILY AT THE AIRPORT!

AUNT JUDY & COUSIN CHELSEA PREPARE A WELCOME SIGN IN SPANISH!

GREETING DADDY WITH LOTS OF HUGS & KISSES!

MEETING GRANDMA LUIZA!

DANIELA ENJOYING HER GIFTS!

CATALINA ENJOYING HER GIFTS

CATALINA CAN'T BELIEVE THAT HER UNCLE FRED SPEAKS SPANISH TOO!

MEETING THEIR COUSINS: LIAM & KEZIA

LEARNING ALL ABOUT "BUNDLING UP."

THE GIRLS ENJOYING THEIR WELCOME HOME, WITH THEIR COUSINS LIAM & KEZIA!

MORE PHOTOS OF THE KIDS HOMECOMING!!!

ENJOYING LUNCH WITH THEIR NEW COUSINS!!!

COUSIN LIAM TEACHING PATRICIA HOW TO PLAY "GAME BOY."

KEZIA, CATALINA & DANIELA ENJOYING THEIR NEW PLAYROOM!

GRANDMA, KEZIA & CATALINA!

KEZIA, CATALINA, DANIELA AND ROSIE-POSIE!!!

PATRICIA ENJOYING SOME BONDING TIME WITH GRANDMA, OVER A PLATE OF GRANDMA'S "RICE & BEANS."

THE GRANDKIDS SNUGGLING WITH GRANDMA!

WELL, HELLO THERE!!!

So sorry that we haven't updated since our return, but as you can all imagine, as brand new parents the word BUSY is an understatement!!!

We can't believe that today is already the 1 month anniversary of when we first met our daughters and so much has happened. As y'all know we arrived back home on Friday 3/16 and were welcomed at the airport with a beautiful entorage organized by Michael, all carrying baloons, flowers and of course "Muchos Regalos." The girls were soooooooooooo happy to finally be home. The 3 days running to do all the legal/embassy stuff in Bogota, then having to wake up at 3am to fly from Bogota to Miami and then 5am to fly from Miami to Detroit was brutal, they were such little troopers, but right before we landed in Detroit, Catalina and Daniela both got very, very sick on the plane. Let's put it this way, I am now a PRO at handling 3 kids by myself on a decending plane, with 3 complaining of ear-aches and 2 "tossing up cookies" at the same time!!!! :>)

Daniela was overwhelmed and was sick again on the way back home, but once we arrived at the house, she seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and asked me: "Can we please stay here all day today and not go out? I love my home and want to saty here"! They acted as though a huge burden or weight was removed from their shoulders and they could finally rest; now it was all real to them, the dream became reality, all that we told them was true, they are finally HOME with their FOREVER FAMILY!!!

My brother Fred who had driven in from Canada with his family, treated us and all the guests to a delicious catered chinese meal and they had also bought the most delicious desserts and the most beautiful flowers. Then the door bell rang and a beautiful bouquet of gourmet cookies was delivered to our door, sent by a beautiful couple we know: Christina & Scott. Oh yes, Michael, my brother Fred, Michael's brother Stan and their families all decorated the home and the entrance with "USA and welcome home balloons, signs, banners and streamers." It was also wonderful to see our friend Claudia, who together with her husband Jeff are expecting their first baby. Our welcome home was just magnificent, we all felt soooooooooooooooooo loved, the girls specially, they asked us several times if this was all for them and after it all finally sank in, they kept saying they felt as though they were princesses living in their own castle - OF COURSE THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE!!!!!

Last week Michael and I were both very sick and I lost my voice. Thank God my Mom had arrived from Brazil to meet her new grandchildren and help us out, but a few days after we started getting better, she also got the bug. Needelss to say, last week. we were still very busy getting the kids enrolled in school, buying new shoes, clothes, school supplies and getting them familiarized a bit to their neighbourhood (the kids in our sub have been awesome, ringing the door-bell 100 times a day wanting to play - our girls are very shy, they prefer to cling to Michael and I, so we are working on them learning to reciprocate and socialize). Last Thursday, they toured their school, meeting the Principal and their teachers and Friday they started school. Tomorrow, they will start on the bus route with all the other kids from the neighbourhood. I can't believe that they are already in the swing of real American life, WOW!!! I must say, that it sure feels good to have them in school (HAHAHAHA)! :>)

Michael and I are rejoycing for we've been so busy since 2/26 (the day we got our beautiful girls), that last week when we got on the scale, he had lost 10 IBS and I had lost 17 - HALLELUJAH, WE FINALLY FOUND A DIET THAT WORKS!!!! :>)

Again, thanks for all your prayers and support. Please pray that they do well at school and are able to start learning english soon. The school does not have much experience with foreign students and does not have a well established ESL program, but the Principal and teachers are working really hard trying to help our girls and bring in the needed resources. For that we are very grateful!!!

*** We will post a bunch of new photos latter on today. We also have to buy a new digital camera, the kids "loved our brand new one to death" yes, literally, they broke it (another lesson learned the hard way: our expensive technical gadgets are not toys for the kids to use freely)!!! :>)

Hope you all have an awesome week!!!

THE GIRLS ARRIVE TODAY IN MICHIGAN!!!!

We are so excited the girls arrive today in Michigan!!!! The girls are on there way up from Miami right now!! They arrive via American Airlines @ 11:35 AM. We have a small entourage of family and friends that will meet them at the airport. I am sure the girls and Mami will be wiped out from all the travel. They arrived in Miami yesterday @ 12:30. Unfortunately Daniela still gets airsick and had to stay close to a airsickness bag in case she was going to throw up, especially during the planes decent. They went to immigration and had to present their sealed envelope from the US Embassy in Bogota. Immigration went over the documents and started to say that there were inconsistencies in the girls medical reports. They finally had to get a supervisor to "OK" the girls entry into the US. What a pain!!! Well they did it and they will be home shortly!!

We will update the blog soon with more pictures and how the homecoming went!!

Mami & THE GIRLS ARE ON THEIR WAY TO MIAMI!!!!

Well finally the family is on its way to Miami! Sharon and the girls got up at 3AM and left from Bogota at 8:25AM and are on their way to Miami!!

They should arrive approx. 12:30PM in Miami and the girls immediately become citizens of the USA!!

Once they arrive they have to pass through immigration and give immigration a US Embassy sealed envelope containing the girls Colombian passports and US visas along with a bunch of other documents. Then off to baggage claim.

Our awesome Floridian friends Chrystal & Valentine along with Kely & Nildo and the kids will be the first to meet Sharon and the girls in Miami. They will stay overnight in Miami at Chrystal & Valentines home and head out of Miami tomorrow morning for Michigan and home!!!! We cannot thank our friends enough for all the awesome hospitality we always receive when we are in Miami!! You guys are certainly "TRUE" lifelong friends!!!

We expect a small caravan to meet Sharon and the girls at Detroit Metro Airport at approx. 12PM and finally welcome them home!!! CANT WAIT!!!!!

MAMI & THE GIRLS WILL BE HOME FRIDAY 3/16/2007!!!!

Sorry, no pictures from Bogota since Sharon is having trouble accessing the wireless network and the hotel in Bogota but here is an update:

Monday 3-12

Sharon and the girls arrived safely in Bogota Monday afternoon. Unfortunately Daniela was a little sick from the planes decent and had to use an airsickness bag. After Sharon arrived in Bogota they went to the Hotel Paris (a hotel specializing in adoptions) and later in the afternoon she took the girls to a doctor in Bogota for their US Embassy physicals.

Tuesday 3-13

Sharon and the girls went to the US Embassy in Bogota to begin processing the girls US Visas for entry into the US. She was amazed when the Embassy accepted all of our documentation without the normal process of a Visa interview!! God really opens the doors! Sharon and the Girls will pickup their Visas on Wednesday afternoon at 4pm and then they are ready to return to the Good Ole US of A!!!!!

Sharon and the girls will head for Miami on Thursday morning (arriving @ 12:30PM) and leave for Michigan on Friday Morning and arrive at Detroit Metro Airport @ 11:30AM!!!

Yeah!!!! Finally everyone will be home!!!!

GOOD BYE MEDELLIN - AT LEAST FOR NOW, WE HOPE TO VISIT YOU AGAIN SOME DAY!!!

It was a beautiful day in Medellin today and we were all very happy, for it is our last day here!!! Tomorrow, Michael will leave the hotel for Miami then Michigan at 4:30am and the girls and I will leave for Bogota at 8:45am. Please pray that all will go well for us in Bogota, that I can handle travelling alone with 3 kids (for the 1st time - YIKES) and that the kids will be OK flying for the very first time!

As I mentioned before, we will be going to the embassy doctor tomorrow afternoon and hopefully the embassy on Tuesday. Oh how I am dreaming that we will be home on Wednesday or Thursday!

Today was pretty busy, packing for 5 and making sure we divided all the weight among the cases (I hate the new regulations of only allowing 50 IBS). We are only sooooooooooooooo sorry that we couldn't meet our beautiful new friends Maria Elena & Mauricio again today, they wanted to meet for lunch, but the "packing" got the best of our day!

We tucked the girls in for the night and although they fully understood that Papi won't be going to Bogota, they were a bit sad about it. Of course I feel the same, for my buddy and helper won't be with us! :<(

Oh yes, we're really happy that another American couple arrived today, to adopt 2 little brothers, that is just wonderful!!!

Hopefully, we'll still be able to update from Bogota, if not, we'll catch up as soon as we're home!

Love to all and much gratitude for all the support and specially, the many prayers!!!

OUR LITTLE GOOFBALL PERFORMERS (a bit dark due to filming with digital camera rather than video)!!!

SATURDAY PHOTOS!

THE THREE "PUNKIN HEADS"!

OUR GIRLS WITH THEIR NEW LITTLE FRIEND: MARIA CAMILA, WHO WILL BE TRAVELLING TO GERMANY SOON WITH HER NEW MAMI & PAPI. WE CAN'T WAIT TO VISIT THEM !!!

DANIELA & PATRICIA ENJOYING THE "PUEBLITO PAISA" A CUTE LITTLE HISTORICAL COLONIAL TOWN!

HAPPY SATURDAY EVERYONE!!!

MARIA ELENA & MAURICIO TREATING THE FAMILY TO A MARVELOUS DINNER!

BEAUTIFUL MARIA ELENA AND US "THE GIRLS."

Last night we went out to dinner with a wonderful couple: Mauricio & Maria Elena. They are friends & business associates of my brother Fred and they live in Medellin. We had never met them before, but after spending 5 minutes with them, we felt as though we had known them for years. They were so kind, picking us up from the hotel, taking us to an awesome Italian restaurant and treating all 5 of us to a delicious dinner. We can not wait for them to visit Canada or the US this summer, so we can reciprocate their generosity!!!

On a different note, yesterday, the girls already signed their new Colombian passports and we received all the official documents from our attorney. So we are all done in Medellin, which is absolutely incredible, a whole process for 3 children completed in less than 2 weeks. On Monday, first thing in the morning, Michael will be leaving for the US and I will be flying with the girls to Bogota. Please pray that the girls will be OK, they have never flown before and Daniela usually has motion sickness when we go for long car rides, so we hope that the plane ride doesn't bother her too much.

We already have their doctors appointment (required by the US embassy), scheduled for monday afternoon, so if all goes well, we should be applying for their visas at the embassy on tuesday and then, we should be flying home on wednesday or thursday. If that happenes, it means the entire process will be completed in less than 3 weeks, WOW!!!

The girls are very excited about going to Michigan, we believe they feel as we do and are already tired of living off of suitcases in a hotel. Yes, Michael and I are big babies, we long for our own home, bed, food, etc., etc., etc. Oh yes, and clean clothes that doens't cost LITERALLY an arm and a leg to have laundered!!! :>)

We are amazed and humbled at God's kindness toward us, supplying for all our needs and caring in such a loving way for our children. It just never ceases to amaze us how they have gone through so much, yet the Lord has kept their hearts soft to receive and give love. Yesterday, Catalina asked us: "If you ever had a baby, would you forget about us and not want us anymore"? So we explained to her that she is our first and oldest daughter and will always be such, no one can or will EVER take her place. We told her that in our hearts, God created a special place that is just hers, no one else can ever take her place. She started to beam and was so excited that no one would ever take her place!

Then, all 3 of them asked us if after they learn to speak english and we have been a family for a while, if we could get them a "baby" , a little sister? Of course, that is the farthest thing from our minds right now and poor Papi, he is already terribly outnumbered with 1 wife, 3 daughters a mother in law, 3 female dogs and a female cat!!! :>)