Yesterday was a long day with getting Cole’s passport, visiting the Embassy Doctor and having our exit interview at Ayudame. We will have the weekend to rest and then Monday morning we go to ICBF to get some last minute papers and then it’s off to apply for Cole’s visa. We can pick up the Visa on Tuesday after 3:00. We have to leave Hotel Paris by 4:30 am on Wednesday in order to make our flight at 7:55 am. We are supposed to land in Minneapolis at 6:30 pm! We are very anxious to see everyone and to introduce you to Cole.
The exit interview at Ayudame was quick. We didn’t get a tour of the orphanage, but they asked us if they could take Cole upstairs to where he used to sleep. We could hear all of the older children say “it’s Juan David”. They remembered him! I wonder what was going through Cole’s mind at that moment. When they came back downstairs with him a little girl followed. She must have been about 4 and was the sweetest thing! She took my hand and that was it….I wanted to bring her home. I would bring them all home if I could.
Sundays are different around here. The pictures of the streets full of people biking and walking are taken on a Sunday. This is the day for families to get out and exercise. It’s a nice break from all of the heavy traffic. Sunday’s are very enjoyable in Bogota.
We will miss the staff at Hotel Paris. They have been so good to us. They truly love children, as you can see from the pictures. Juanita is the cook and had a special relationship with Joe! Valeria is the manager and had a special relationship with Cole and would sing him nursery rhymes in Spanish. I wish we could bring them home with us as well. They have done all of our cooking, cleaning, and laundry for the last 4 weeks. We have gotten SPOILED!
