Ecuador Day 39

ONE DAY until court! One day. Our good friend MJ almost thwarted it today, but luckily, we are still on.

We stayed in this morning as we were slow-moving getting ready. For one, we were out of hot water (we have been for the past few days-- Andres has been promising to get us a new gas can, but hasn't had success yet). Finally we got the text that the water should be back up and running, so we got the kids bathed (hallelujah-- would have been a bad day if we can't bathe the kids. Some, okay I mean two who wear diapers, smell not so bueno in the mornings). We also noticed that Flor was acting weird. She didn't want to eat, which is TOTALLY unlike her. Later she started getting really hot, so we are sure she has a fever. Just peachy. She also put herself to bed mid-morning, which is very unusual. I wish Hallie would do that from time to time!

We left the house about 2:30 in order to get to the courthouse for our signature verification. We met MJ in front of the building and in we went. The judge and her clerk met with us in a different cramped office than last time. Last time we were there, MJ had told me that we would need to bring color copies of our passports and nothing else. However, the first thing the judge asked to see was our actual passports. Luckily, right before we left, I had the thought that I ought to bring our passports with us "just in case." I can't imagine what would have happened had we not had our passports. I don't even want to think about it.

The judge took a good while staring intently at our passports (not exactly sure what there was to look at for so long) and her assistant went to work typing up a document which we were to sign. Meanwhile, MJ asked me what was going on with Flor-- she seemed a little out if it. I told her that she is a little bit sick. So, what does MJ do? She turns to the judge and points out that Flor is sick, so perhaps we should postpone court. I almost fell through the floor. The blessed judge, however, quickly said that she doesn't have time any other day, so tomorrow it needs to be. THANK YOU JUDGE. I don't care if Flor is projectile vomiting, we will be at court tomorrow. On our way out, MJ let us know that we ought to give her some medication because she has to be with us at court tomorrow. She said that things wouldn't go well if Flor was home sleeping through the proceedings and that she needed to be there. Yes, thank you- we understand that.

Back in the court room, MJ also noticed a goose-egg on Hallie's head and asked what happened. I told her that Hallie fell and hit her head on the corner of the table. She had been sitting on Devin's legs, which were stretched from the couch he was sitting on, resting on the other couch. She lost her balance and tipped off, hitting her head on our coffee table yesterday. So MJ, as soon as getting these details, turns to the judge and says "look at that! She fell off the table and hit her head!" She was sure making us look like parents of the year, right there. Awesome.

The assistant asked us if the signature on our passports were indeed ours. We verified this twice for him, then a translator came in to ask the exact same question in English, just in case we didn't understand. We verified it again. The judge also turned to Devin at one point and asked him where he is from. He replied Utah. She then turned to me and asked where I am from. I replied the Utah. She looked surprised to hear that we are from the same place. Married people do tend to live together, do they not? The assistant finally finished writing up the document, we verified the details, and then we signed the documents while the assistant hid our passports and the copies of our passports so that we couldn't "cheat". I think we passed because they let us go without any further trouble.

One little Hallie-ism: While at the courthouse, Hallie asked, "Are we here to adopt Flor?" I said that we are. She then said, "Oh good, so now we can go home? To the home without all the stairs?" Apparently the hates the stairs here, too.

We then went to the Schinnerers apartment to meet them. We had planned to go to the fruit and vegetable market together. We spent an hour or so there getting our produce and looking around. All the little ladies there love Jace and follow us around each week when we come. One in particular is really cute with him. She remembers his name, though she can't really say it (most here can't-- it comes out more like "Jay") and hauls him off to show all her friends. I don't know if we will be back to the market since Devin is leaving in a little more than a week and I will be moving out, so we got a picture of her with Jace today.

We only took a few pictures today, all at the market.

This is the lady (sorry from the back) who we get our fruit from. She also likes to take Jace and have various people hold him so they can see for themselves just how big he is.

Here is the cute vegetable lady who is Jace's biggest fan. Not the best picture, but Jace wasn't much into cooperating.

The market also has a floor where people sell pottery, wooden items, baskets, etc. They have the most massive wooden spoons I have ever seen.

Alright, wish us luck tomorrow at court. We should finally be official. And prayers that Flor is not actually projectile vomiting would be lovely too.