Change is a familiar friend. The change I am feeling right now could be compared to what a driver feels as they change lanes on a busy highway trying to make their way to the exit ramp. My head is turning back and forth, I am checking my surroundings, stuff is happening all around at dangerous speeds, the anxiety is up a tad because I fear I am going to miss something important… yet all the while I have my goal in mind and the actions I am taking are leading me to that end. When I am finally on that blessed ramp I can slow down and merge with the calmer side road. It will be nice to be able to take in the scenery and have a nice chat with those in the car. Until then I am on full alert, full speed ahead.

One thing I am sure of is the fact that I will be different when this adoption is finally finalized. There is a welcome change taking place in so many facets of my being. I can’t define it right now (I’m driving, for goodness sake, gotta keep my eyes on the road, ya’ know, can’t get distracted right now). All I know is that I will like it very much.

———————————————————————–

Things are going very well with the bonding, the visiting, the process, and all that.

On the technical side of things we turned in the form yesterday requesting a second court appearance to be granted permission of “convivencia” (that she gets to live with us!). This form could only be submitted after the reports from the social worker and psychologist were completed and turned in. Thanks to the top notch team at the orphanage this was done quickly and efficiently. Until this second appearance is given we continue to visit daily, usually twice a day. Yesterday I think we finally found the quickest route that gets us there is under 15 minutes, rather than the 20+ it was taking going as the crow flies.

On the bonding front (by the way, I dislike greatly the word ‘bonding’. It sounds so gluey) all is well. She really loves her papa. She and I are finding ways to enjoy being together. With Raimy she is tight. Raimy is helping her connect with Gabrielle. Timothy and her have their moments of pure sweetness and then they are off playing again. Tyler and her have shown no particular feelings one way or the other. They give hugs when it is time to say good-bye; I think their connection will take place more when we finally have her in our house.

On all other fronts not related to the adoption we are a bit stretched. I prefer not to go into that right now because I feel like I am going to break under the taunting voice of perfectionism if I begin to pick it all apart. Compartmentalizing, prioritizing, making quick decisions and sticking with them, selective ignorance and adjusted expectations have been the way to just push through.

On the emotional front we are keeping it together. We acquired permission from the home to bring her to church with us along with a Tia (caregiver) from the home. Tia Lucy came and helped be a reference point of familiarity for her since we had only just started to get to know her on Thursday. It went so much better than I could have ever hoped. Turns out she likes being the center of attention in a large group of people (gets that from me! ha!). The people at church were so kind and happy with us. I tried not to cry so as to not concern Kaitlynn. She is so well behaved and just sat on my lap playing quietly as Papa preached.

On the practical front we have had some fun happenings.

• I now know her shoe size.
• I got to give her a bath.
• As long as I have a bottle of water to share we are best buds.
• I got to do her hair for the first time.
• She showed me the clothes she wanted to wear and I helped her dress.
• We got a half-way decent family picture thanks to a park bench, a rock, luck and the timer feature on our fancy camera.

Without further ado, a few pics from our last couple of days.

Papa and Gabrielle having some fun in the park

I love this picture of us all together

Kaitlynn loving on Raimy

Just us Girls

What two year old doesn't love this game? "Again, again, again..."

The adoration is mutual with Timothy and Kaitlynn

Mama and Kaitlynn

Even the sky agreed it was a happy day that evening as we said our farewells

It is a good tired though. Not wanting to miss a moment, attentive to the needs of our new one, attentive to the needs of the older kids, juggling ministry responsibilities, and trying to not forget to eat makes for some well earned exhaustion. Let’s see if I can make my brain squeeze out some memorable stuff.

Tyler insists on calling his new sister Micheal.

Raimy made some strong ties with her sister at the park.

Gabrielle told me she had some of the same anxieties I did about if her new sister would like her or not.

Timothy stepped in and took some initiative in being helpful with Tyler.

Kaitlynn likes: potato chips, cell phones, swings, animal names and sounds – especially cows, hugs, drinking water from a 2L bottle, sorting shapes, stacking blocks and knocking them down, brushing hair, and electronic toys that play songs.

We are coming along on the names. She has Papa down pat; even goes looking for him calling out Papa. So sweet!

Tomorrow, if everything goes according to plan, we will pick up a worker and Kaitlynn to bring them to church with us. Should be a good time!

First of all I want to say that I am so very touched by all the people leaving comments here at The @, on Facebook, Twitter and in personal emails. We feel all the support and prayers. Thank you!

Today was amazing! I was so proud of all my children as they played together so nicely. Worries about jealousy? None. They were really so great! The newest little Washington was a bit overwhelmed at first both in the morning and after her nap; then there was this moment when she just clicked over. We all saw it. She started smiling, talking and even laughing.

I think my favorite part of the day was when we were getting ready to go and she went around the room pointing at all of us saying: Papa, Mama, Hermana, Hermana, Hermano, Hermano. Then she gave us all big hugs one at a time. So great!

Can you believe it?!

Wowzers! Smiles all around!

She wanted water from the big 2L like everyone else. (Yes, we are already sharing germs. ha!) So I helped her and it spilled down her front. I expected a cry. Instead I got to hear her laugh for the first time. It became a game. I think she drank a whole liter of water. The whole front of her jacket was soaked! Then there was the cap game... everyone was laughing. It was great!

We took about a hundred pics today plus a couple short videos. It is nigh unto midnight so I am going to upload just a few more shots from our time together and call it a day.

We were still warming up to each other here.

Firsts today:

• Hearing her say to me, “Te quiero, mamá.” (I love you, mama.)
• Hearing her laugh.
• Seeing all the siblings having fun together.

Now, on with the crunchy, munchy, mixed-up life I lead…

• On Palm Sunday, March 28, 2010, I celebrated 25 years since the day that God called me and I chose to make Jesus Christ the Lord of my life. My quarter century saved was recognized in some beautiful ways. Friends gave me gifts, I gave my children each new bibles and I was able to share the message of salvation at church to everyone. It was a great day.

A card, a candle, a fridge magnet, a little box, two cakes, a sushi lunch, and a lovely necklace were my gifts. I feel loved!

The bibles I inscribed and gave to my kids. Metalic and Spanish, fun!

• This past Friday marked 24 years since I was baptized in water on April 9, 1986. Saved at eight and baptized a year later when I was nine.
• In the past few weeks one of the little girls at our orphanage was adopted and another was reunited with her birth mother. This means there are now 20 kids under our care. I update the Kid Pics page if you would like to visit the blog and get to know the kids a bit:

• We voted in the mayoral elections on Easter Sunday. It was obligatory. Had to work through some culture shock a bit.
• Met a couple missionary gals. It has been fun getting to know them.
• DaRonn is leading the Monday morning all-school chapel sessions now. The kids are loving it. We started out in ministry working with kids so he is full of dynamic and silly ideas to help kids fall in love with God and His word. I am so proud of him.
• The U.S. consulate office in our city is shut down. Big bummer! This means a trip to Santa Cruz or La Paz for any official stuff we need to do like passport request and renewal, born abroad certificate, etc. Travel is fun. I choose to be glad for the excuse.
• In an odd mix between Spring Cleaning and what feels alot like nesting I have had a drive to clean out closets, do repairs and clear out clutter from the house. Those who know me well know that keeping house is not something that comes naturally to me. So this has been really weird.
• Finally, for my friends who are Chiefs fans out there take a look at the snap-shot I got of our little Fernando yesterday. Ha!

Go Chiefs!

During the last year that I could call myself a teenager I casually asked my best friend a question about the future.

“How many kids do you think you are going to have?”

Shocked, he looked at me and told me he had never thought about it before. I offered that I expected I would have a dozen. He laughed, of course. Who wouldn’t at least grin at the prospect of a girl planning on having a relatively large family? Confiding fully in my friend I went on to further boggle his mind by telling him that I had all their names picked out and written down on a list.

The conversation progressed and climaxed in a challenge. He would make a list similar to mine. We would come together and compare lists. It would be fun. A few weeks later he told me he was done. We set a time to get together with the lists for the revealing. What a riot that was! He had three names written down. As he read some of the names on my list he gave me the famous raised eye-brow. There was one amazing thing about the lists that surprised us both.

The first boys name that he and I had on our lists was completely identical! First and middle names written down without prior knowledge to the other person. It was a tad bit spooky.

Less than a year after the comparison of our lists my best friend, DaRonn, and I were engaged to be married. The subject of children had come up a few times before and after the engagement. He talked me down from 12 and I talked him up from 3. We met in-between with 5. Before we said our “I do”s the list of our children’s names was solidified. Even the order was concreted in our minds. Want to know the list?

• Raimy Olivia
• Timothy Aaron
• Gabrielle Moriah
• Kaitlynn Glory
• Tyler Cole

We also decided that our youngest girl would be adopted. So far we have been able to make checks on the list as the years have gone by. We are just waiting for our last child. The idea is that she will be older than Tyler and younger than Gabrielle. As I have said with our first four, I am completely open to changes to our plan and will love my children unconditionally. I know that our Sovereign God can do as He wills. That being said, I imagine that things are going to work out as they were set about on the list some 14 years ago.

Every time I tell this story I am met with admiring disbelief. Believe what you want. It is what it is. Above all, I am just overwhelmingly grateful for the children God has seen fit to give us. This post (and the five that will follow) are an act of posterity so that my children will know how and why we chose the names that we did for them.

When asked as a child what I wanted to be when I grew up my response was one of two things: famous or a farmers wife. Sometimes I threw both of them in to see the people’s response.  Yes, I wanted to be famous. I remember the day that acting fame, my most desired of all kinds of fame, slipped away and lay dying on the floor of my high school auditorium.

He was a kook. The drama teacher always directed the plays. Our theater was state of the art. Traveling acting troupes would use the stage. The city boasted of the wonders of this renovation. Naturally the man took all things performance very seriously. The scenes he made when he got flustered at our mediocrity in class and stormed out of the room were fit for any high-school comedy movie. You just never knew what to expect.

Auditions had been held for the next production. There were usually two or three major ones throughout the year. The cast list had not yet been posted. Rumors were flying about who we thought would get the parts. A handful of talented students usually got the leads. I hung out with them, but always held a fringe position in the clique. After drama class one afternoon the teacher pulled me aside. I did not expect what he asked of me.

“I want you to show me two different voices,” was the request.

“Like two accents? Or two different ways to say the same thing?” I sought clarification.

“Two distinct characters with two different voices,” he said.

I froze. Worrying I would disappoint paralyzed me. Stutters and false starts made my heart race. Finally I gave up.

“I can’t do it,” I said. The look on his face was smug to my nervous eyes. Without another word we parted ways.

For the rest of the day I beat myself silly because I couldn’t get my act together. It would not be until practices started that I would understand the gravity of my crumbling that day.

The cast list was posted and all the regular players were on the top. The date practices would start was followed by an invitation to any and all who would like to be part of the crew. As had been the case in all previous performances (except one when I danced in the Wizard of Oz at the back corner of the stage for less than five minutes) I helped with the crew. Once again I was the prop girl.

Still, I got to be at most of the practices. I loved it! Being there was so much fun. I watched them run lines and learn how to put on a good show. One certain scene shed light on the interaction I had with my teacher. He stood with one of the lead actresses and told her that she needed to make each character distinct. Her role was that of a spy who was disguised in order to solve a murder case. So she had to play both parts. That was the role the teacher was trying to see if I could do. I knew right then that I had blown it.

At the end of my senior year we had a mini-oscars amongst those in the drama circle. I was awarded ‘Best Proppie Ever’. All my hours of scouring mildewy thrift shops for the best period furniture at a cheap price had paid off. All my running around town to the flee markets for multiple sets of china to be crashed and broken each night of the show had not been for naught. Finding the perfect pipe tucked away in the corner of an antique shop was worth it.

For years that regret of a missed opportunity hung over my head. I am over it now. It wasn’t meant to be.

Funny thing, though, once a proppie, always a proppie. Who knew that as a pastor’s wife my prop girl skills would be called upon? My husband and I spent this last week putting together a new stage for church. It was fun. We got to collaborate in the painting, design, and creation. We are pretty happy with the results. This was the third one this year. So far we have done: a construction zone, a bank and now a living room / coffee shop set. This series will last twelve more weeks and we have already started to think about our next set design.

To be clear, DaRonn’s degree in marketing has been helpful in this design endeavor as well.  I would be remiss in leading you to believe that this was all my doing. It really is a joint effort.

(The images can be seen larger by clicking on them.)

In third person he calls me “My wife.” It gives me butterflies every time I hear it.

We were pronounced Man and Wife over thirteen years ago. That is why I call him, “My Man.”

The slow grown feelings finally found root next to the deep waters in my heart. The twisting and twining has never stopped. What is the name of that lovers seed, that couples seed, that was pressed deep in our soil by the thumb of the Master? Nameless, it is. Timeless, it is. Matchless, it is with one exception. The Bride and her Husband-man: the eternal epic. The story of Once Upon a Time that ends in Ever After. That is the wooing every heart hears drawing them to the feast of Love, Heaven’s bounty. Priceless yearning is God’s I-Love-You times infinity.

This post and the following snap shots of our undying Friday Night date ritual is dedicated to My Man, DaRonn Washington. I love you, Babe!

Mrs. DaRonn Washington came on the scene 13 years ago today. You could say that we are teenagers now. It feels the same as when you first get to tack that teen onto the back of your age. You wait for people to ask you how old you are so you can say thirTEEN. Yep, I am a very happily married woman. Giddy, some might say.

Of the multitudinous list of things that I could say to laud my husband I will choose a mere 13 to share this evening. I thank God for the wonderful man He has given me.

1. During our first weeks of marriage DaRonn would bring me flowers all the time. When they got droopy I pitched ‘em. He asked me about it one time; why I didn’t save them or dry them or whatever. I told him I really didn’t get into flowers that much. So he stopped buying them for me. I love him because he doesn’t buy me flowers.
2. Before that when we were just hanging out as friends in a group but I had my eye on him the topic came up about outrageous proposals. I spoke up and told the group that the man who proposes to me will know that all that preposterous proposal business is out of the question. I think my husband-to-be was listening from his side of the table at Denny’s because his proposal was simple. I love my husband because he listens to me.
3. On our honeymoon my husband asked me to rate our marriage from 1 to 10, 10 being the best. I put a big fat 11 on my paper. He put a 7. I thought it was a silly game. He said to me that there are always things we can grow in and get better at. I love my husband because he never stays the same, he is always getting better. (But I would still give the marriage an 11.)
4. During our first months of marriage I would cry myself to sleep worried about this or that. DaRonn told me not to worry about making mistakes. When I would mess up and burn the peas or not get the dishes done he would applaud me. I love my husband because he loves my mistakes.
5. Once my husband bought crabs and prepared them for us in our kitchen along with artichokes and melted butter. It was one of the best meals I have ever eaten. I love my husband because he knows how to do stuff that would surprise some people.
6. When we were still deciding about all this mission stuff we wall papered our rented walls with maps. Then we would spin and point and say we were going “there” to serve God. I love my husband because even when we don’t know what to do at least we can throw a dart or spin a finger and head in some sort of direction.
7. DaRonn bowls good. I drink good coffee. I love my husband because he invests good in our interests.
8. When my husband talks about me to other people he says, “My wife.” I love that he says that.
9. I have seen my husband cry. I love that I am married to a man who is strong enough to cry.
10. Have you seen my husband with our kids? They adore their papa. I love my husband because my kids love him.
11. I had one of those ‘lists’ about the man I would marry. I prayed over that list from the time I was 7 years old. I kid you not. My list was simple: walks right (physical and spiritual), loves kids, farmer (yeah, this ended up being a spiritual thing, I am cool with that) and will take me all over the world. The God part was a given seeing as I was taking to God about him. Me and God had that understanding, you know. He is all these things and many more. I love my husband because he lets me check things off of my lists.
12. He is sooooooo handsome! Oh my!
13. Just today he said to me, “I don’t want you to feel like I am neglecting you or anything.” Wow. That is pure gold right there. I love that he is so kind, courteous, caring, protective, thoughtful and good to me.

I love you, DaRonn!!!

3rd of March, Tuesday

8:15am – Kids kissed and off to school. Instructions given to care givers. Flagging down a cab to the bus station.

9:00am – Bus tickets bought. Friends found. The fearless foursome boards the ‘flota’ bound for Oruro.

1:00pm – After a scenic ride through mountainside villages we arrive in Oruro. Go to the train station to confirm departure time. Head to the plaza in the center of town to find lunch.

Traditional music, dance and costumes fill main street in the village.

Onlookers from the village

2:00pm – No one is open. Call friend who frequents Oruro back in Cochabamba to find out where to eat. Best place in town found.

3:00pm – Very satisfying meal of steak, fries, rice, salad and Pepsi paid for. Last trip to the bathroom. Gather gear and walk a block to the train station.

3:30pm – Luggage stowed. Seats found. Whistle blows. We are rolling.

DaRonn and me

Laura and Gary Bull

3:45pm – Flocks of flamingos seen on the huge lake we are crossing.

10:30pm – We pull into a drippy Uyuni. Donning our gloves and stocking caps we walk a couple blocks to the Tonito Hotel under the light of a cloudy moonlit sky.

10:45pm – Karina, our tour contact, meets us at check in. Heavy rains make the two day tour with an overnight on the volcano risky and ill advised. We will meet her in the AM to tell her our final decision.

4th of March, Wednesday

8:15am – Meet our traveling buddies, the Bulls, at the Minuteman for an amazing breakfast of yogurt, granola, coffee, fresh squeezed orange juice, varieties of homemade bread, and fresh fruit. We decide to do the one day tour. Divvy responsibilities for adjustments.

10:30am – Visit market. Meet Ismael, the tour driver, at the truck in front of the hotel. Santusa, the cook, takes her seat opposite the drive and we pile in the back. Extra sunscreen applied, caps and sunglasses in place, we bump along the sunny road.

11ish – First stop Colchani, a village dedicated to processing salt. A guide shows us the process. We buy some souvenirs and take pictures of the salt sculptures.

This is the drying room.

I am staring at a larger than life sculpture of a llama made of salt.

11:30am – Wheels finally make contact with the largest salt flat in the world: El Salar de Uyuni. Sunlight blindingly reflected by the wet whiteness of salt is brilliant. Incomparable and indescribable our silent gawk is broken only by the occasional wow. The immensity is staggering. God’s creation overwhelms.

DaRonn at the Salar

El Salar de Uyuni

The shape on the flats

Before noon – Stop for photos. Walk a bit on the standing water. The salt is crunchy. Go on a bit more to the famed hotel made of salt.

The Gals

Gary and DaRonn being silly.

Noonish – Pull up to the island, an outcropping of petrified coral where hundreds of cacti grow. Lunch. Trick photography. Exploration. Climbing.

Perspective

Cacti and Coral

1,203 year old cactus

3:45pm – Load up truck. Napping and chatting for the ride back into Uyuni.

5:15pm – On the other side of town we arrive at the train cemetery. Old steam engines have been replaced by modernized locomotives. These are the remains of times past. Back to the hotel.

Train Graveyard

7ish – Famished we order a huge meal at the Minuteman. Easily one of the best restaurants in all of Bolivia we are amused by the fun decorating and entertained by the attention from the owner, Chris, a Bostonian. His Latin wife’s family owns the hotel and tour company, he runs the restaurant.

8ish – Plates emptied of pizza, sandwiches and desserts are cleared by the spunky kitchen help. Cacho begins. It is a traditional Bolivian dice and cup game. Gary and Laura, our friends, teach it to us.

10ish – Heads marked by heavy eyelids, satisfied grins and wonderful remembrances of the full day hit the pillow.

5th of March, Thursday

Morning – Getting a slow start we order extra breakfast and eat late. The men head to the train station to purchase return tickets. The ladies sit in sun washed comfy chairs to wait. We tell love stories. One of the guys come back to explain their delay and call for reinforcements. The four of us spend the rest of the morning in the train station. Finally tickets are secured.

Uyuni Train Station

Afternoon – Snacking and wandering the city. We nap and chat. We shop a little.

Small town in Bolivia

Evening – Back at the Minuteman to feast and play Cacho. Somehow we fill the time until we have to take the brisk walk to the train station at 1am.

6th of March, Friday

1:45am – We have boarded the train and the last whistle blows. We are rolling out of town. After warm blankets are handed to all the passengers we sleep soundly for the whole seven hour ride.

10:00am – Oruro is our stop over point once again. The extra rain did not deter our trip. Snacks and tickets to the bus purchased.

10:30am – The bus is moving back to Cochabamba. The four hours drag by due to weariness.

2:45pm – Never before has the bus terminal been such a wonderful sight.

3:00pm – Last hugs and final kisses to our dear friends are given. We all had a fabulous time. We are all anxious to get back to our kids. To say that it was a great trip seems so trivial. Our vacation with friends will live long in my heart and bring a smile to my face whenever it floats up in my memory.

NOTE: Thumbnail pictures are links to an enlarged version and a description of the image.

My previous post was a guessing game. The thing the three pictures had in common was: SALT. Salt bricks, the formation on the salt flats and the salt flats at sunset were the pictures, respectively.

I am going back to El Salar de Uyuni! Uyuni is a city in Bolivia next to the world’s largest salt flats. It is a mysterious and marvelous place. I am so excited to be going back. Before I went with my friend her father. We had many fine adventures. This time I am going with my husband and another missionary couple who are dear friends of ours and also live here in Cochabamba: the Bulls. (You can visit Gary and Laura Bull’s blog here: http://www.garybull.blogspot.com/.) Our kids are going to be cared for by members of our church.

We leave Tuesday morning. The first leg of the trip is a four hour bus ride from Cochabamba to Oruro. (Tomorrow’s Tuesday Tip is about riding the bus in Bolivia; you don’t want to miss it.) Then from Oruro we will take a six hour train ride to Uyuni. Those who have been reading since I blogged about my first trip to Uyuni back in 2007 might remember the significance that train ride had for me. Wednesday and Thursday we will be exploring the salt flats, a train grave yard, an inactive volcano, a mummy cave and centuries-old cactus islands. We will see flamingos, llamas and alpaca. The twilight hours of Friday morning will see our sleepy yet happy heads back on the train headed home.

On Saturday a package came in the mail from my mom. A new notebook was my gift. I will break it in taking notes on this trip. So fun!

I have yet to settle on my reading material. This is a critical decision.

No internet means no blogs. I have future posted the Tuesday Tip, but other than that I won’t be around the blogosphere until my return.

Please pray that we have a fun, refreshing, safe and healthy trip. You can also pray that my kids and the people helping care for them have a good time, too.

¡Hasta luego, compadres!