Playing

Dad gives rides.

Marble fun. Jasmine's face is swollen from surgery.

First Doctor Visit and Shots

Kaleb is 40" and 39.1 pounds

Kayla is 41 1/4" and 38.1 pounds

The twins had phsicals but they weren't very thorough. No apparent problems.

We waited 30 minutes for the phsyicals and another 40 to get the first four shots, so we skipped labs today. We have to go back Monday for two more shots and a TB test so may as well do the labs then. On Wed we have to go back and have the TB tests read and take "samples" to test for parasites etc.

We went to Burger King next. The twins screamed during shots but stopped right away thankfully. They seemed to forget all about them by time we got into BK.

Jasmine's surgery/playtime

Jasmine had bone graft surgery yesterday. She was released in the afternoon.

Not feeling so great.
The twins have lots of fun playing although they don't seem to have much experience playing.

Kayla says, "Are you ready?" very clearly in English. This is the only English I've heard from them.

Jasmine is home today and tomorrow.




The one frustrating thing is that they will not play alone. If I get up, for instance to use the restroom, they are right there hanging on to me.

In general, they are happy. Crying every morning when the others leave for school.

First Full Day Home

The twins woke up earlier than I had hoped for.

Neither one likes malt o meal (even with brown sugar!) so I had to dump both bowls. We'll try again in a few days.

Major meltdown when the kids left for school. I finally told them something that amounted to: if you keep crying you can go back to bed and if you are happy you can play. I rely on the adoptive parent phrase book.

We went outside for a while. They don't stay with one thing very long and if I step away to do something (like use the restroom for instance!), they are right there hanging on to me. I'm sure they'll feel more secure soon.

Kayla ate her hot dog, Kaleb's hot dog and a third one for lunch.

Kaleb didn't eat much all day. A little pineapple for breakfast. One bite of hot dog for lunch and a bite of pork chop and potatoes for supper. They like to play with their food, dump it on each other's plates and the floor so I've started warning them once and then taking the plate and telling them they are done. I think they'll catch on really soon. What they don't eat I let sit out for a while to see if they'll come back to it.

New things to play with.

Had to take back the 12" bike and get a 16" inch. I wasn't sure. It was a spur of the moment purchase. I have a girl's bike in both 12" and 16" so just needed a boy's one.

They love the helmets and left them on for an hour until I took them off.

Watching Veggie Tales before bed. I think this will work as a countdown to bedtime. They'll know that when the video is over, it's tan pou domi!

Pick Up Trip and Homecoming

The brief version of our trip looks like this:
Friday 10 a.m. Kathy and Jessica head to Orlando knowing that many of the kids will fly into a location, probably in Florida, sometime soon.

Friday midnight Rick gets call that the twins will land at Sanford Airport, Orlando (a small airport) at 1 p.m. Saturday.

Saturday 1:00 Kathy andJessica arrive at airport

Saturday 4:30 USAF C-17 lands with kids, kids unloaded

Sunday 4:00 a.m. Parents asked to come say who they are there for.

Sunday 7:30 a.m.(??) CO kids leave, other kids are being released to parents about 3-5 per hour

Sunday 9:00 a.m. Every thing stops

Sunday 2:00 p.m. Wicked man calls group together and says it's his right to go through all of our paperwork and decide if we should get our children. Has plans he doesn't share to relocate kids to a "refugee camp." People think it might be a rumor but find out late that night it was true. Parents frantically calling senators etc.

Sunday 2:45 Group of five taken downstairs to visit group and interview with wicked man. They never return!

Sunday evening Aid from senator's office arrives with another important man--after this long without sleep I can't remember either name or who the second guy is.

Sunday 8:00p.m. or so Finish gathering necessary documents. Find out Peterson is missing so all go downstairs and insist on seeing our children. 28 hours since they landed and we haven't yet seen them.

Sunday near midnight Start showing ID for custom/immigration paperwork. Find out Peterson is at the O. James Louis was sent with Peterson's paperwork.

Monday 1:20 a.m. We clear customs and leave the airport!! 36 hours and 20 minutes from arrival.

Monday 2:00 a.m. Stop at hotel. Kids take bath and eat.

Monday 3:03 a.m. Lights out!!! Finally. Sleep.

Monday 5:45 p.m. Arrive home and do news interview!

Children arrive on a C-17

Parents try to see their kids on video.

Kayla

Kale

Waiting to go

Finally in bed

First time at McDonalds. They loved it--once we got them through the door. We had a crowd watching us trying to get them to come in. By time we got them through the door, about 15 people were waiting behind us to get in! I knew they wondered why kids didn't want to go to McDonalds so we told them it was their first day in America--well, really their third but the first they were out and about. This was on our trip home--six hours so we had to eat.

She caught on pretty quickly

A reporter was there from the local station.

Not sure  how much sense we made.

The kids made posters while they were waiting.

I think they reporter had them make them for the  sake of the segment.

So we are finally home!